10+ Best Side Hustles for When You're Financially Struggling
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Financial struggles can often feel overwhelming as bills pile up and unexpected expenses arise, making it challenging to make ends meet. Many of us turn to side hustles in these times to generate extra income and take control of our financial situations.
If you've searched the internet for side hustle ideas, you've probably come across countless blog posts that mention the same suggestions repeatedly. But let's be real, do online surveys or web browsing actually bring in real money for anyone? Most of these suggestions simply don't cut it when you desperately need real, tangible results.
That's why I'm here to share something different. In this post, I won't waste your time with tired clichés or impractical suggestions. Instead, I'll provide you with a handpicked selection of eight side hustle ideas that have personally helped me generate real income, as well as four more I'm looking forward to trying!
So, if you're ready to make some serious money moves and take control of your financial destiny, keep reading. It's time to explore practical side hustle ideas that can help you pave your way toward financial stability.
8 Side Hustles I've Actually Used to Generate Real Income
Instacart/Shipt
My experience with this one is a little biased. I started Instacart around the same time I started living in my van. Right as the COVID-19 lockdown started. For that entire summer, it became my full-time income.
A couple of things to note: the demand for personal shoppers is lower than in 2020, and you'll likely need to live in a large city to get enough business for a substantial income.
Nonetheless, out of all the side hustle apps I tried, Instacart paid the best, provided excellent tips (likely partly due to COVID), and had the best app support whenever I had any issues (which was rare!).
You can sign up as an in-store-only shopper or a full-service shopper. The latter pays much better as you shop for the items and deliver them to the customer and can receive tips.
A hidden perk of this side hustle is that, since you can't give the customer their store receipt, you can scan each one into the Fetch app and stack up all kinds of rewards as an extra bonus!
I also signed up for Shipt around the same time but, for some reason, never ended up shopping with them. It's worth checking both platforms if one isn't available in your area!
Uber/Lyft
Another personal favorite was driving for Uber.
This side job works best if you're willing to stay up late and live in a college town. While I was driving, I worked 7pm-11pm Friday and Saturday (in addition to my weekday 9-5). Then I drove for Uber from 11pm until the bars closed and ride requests dropped off, usually around 2am.
I should mention that even with my particular customer base, I only ever had one person throw up in my car and Uber paid me an extra $80 for my (minimal) cleaning time!
This is another one with 2 primary competitors. While I only ever drove for Uber, I know Lyft is another company with a similar structure. Again, it's always worth checking out both if one isn't available in your area!
Grubhub/Doordash/Postmates
This option is worth considering if your car doesn't qualify for rideshare apps or the personal shopper apps aren't hiring in your area. While I have mostly worked with GrubHub, I did deliver with Uber Eats, which is part of the Uber driver app as well.
Although it's not my favorite option on the list due to occasional communication issues between GrubHub and restaurants, it's still a viable way to earn extra money. Grubhub was my preferred app in my area, but I recommend checking out Doordash and Postmates as well to see which company works best for you and who is hiring in your area.
Selling Plasma
The pay out for giving plasma varies widely depending on your location. For instance, in Missouri, you could earn a maximum of $100 per week for the first month and then $75 per week afterward. In Michigan, those numbers increase to $200 and $100, respectively!
Even at the lowest scenario though, that's still $300 a month!
Do keep in mind that not everyone is eligible to sell plasma. Certain medical histories can prevent you from donating and, if you're like me, sometimes your veins just refuse to cooperate. However, it's absolutely worth exploring if this option is available to you!
Amazon Flex
While this opportunity may not be immediately available, you can sign up to get notified when they're looking for drivers in your area.
I signed up a few months ago and just recently received an email to proceed with the sign up process last week. I've completed 5 shifts already and it's such a great way to earn extra income!
You can even listen to Audible while driving to your delivery area! (I don't recommend this while actively delivering, but sometimes you have to drive up to an hour away to get to your route.)
University Studies
If the idea of participating in university studies sounds intimidating, don't worry—it's not as daunting as it may seem. I know my first thought when I heard of this was testing medications that would have potentially life-altering effects! But that wasn't my experience at all.
I was first introduced to this idea as a university student in a general psychology class. We received a weekly email with studies requesting participants, but they weren't limited to college-aged participants. Some studies sought 35-45-year-olds, while others sought children aged 6-10.
I'm going to date myself here and say it's been 10 years since I've taken this route, so I'm not sure how you would go about finding this information anymore. But contacting your local university's psychology department would be a great starting point!
One study I remember in depth required me to attend a one-hour assessment, including an instructional video, answer a few questions via text once a week, and then attend another hour-long assessment at the end. It was overall pretty simple and paid pretty well for the time it required!
Start your own business
I'll be the first one to admit that starting a business is easier said than done. I thought about not including this one, but it is a way I have made money, so I wanted to share.
This is something that took a LONG time to see any money from as I had NO idea what I was doing to start with. I started making candles in 2016, and around 2021, I finally began to see a profit. However, I reinvested almost all of it back into my business to foster further growth—and boy, did it pay off!
This is actually a venture I'm still pursuing, but I had to take a break this year due to a move from Missouri to Michigan. If I hadn't moved, 2023 would have been my most successful year yet!
Over the past two years, I dedicated a lot of time and effort to my business, expanding, networking, understanding my customer base, and becoming more organized. Although I'm thrilled with my move, it still makes me sad to have left behind all of that momentum.
Please let me know in the comments or email if you'd like me to write about my experience starting my own business!
Blogging
Okay, fine, I'll include ONE thing on this list that you've seen on every other blog post about side hustles. And it's because it's literally what I'm doing right now.
I resisted this particular idea for so long--and technically, as I'm writing this, it has not made me money yet, but I'm staying optimistic!
Whenever I clicked on one of those side hustle lists, I'd see blogging as the first idea and roll my eyes. Sure some people can make money blogging, but they're more creative, better at writing, have better products, and are better at selling than me.
I always had plenty of reasons that I couldn't be successful at blogging, so why even bother?
But one day, something shifted, and I decided to go out on a limb and try it! Actually, it's not a mystery. It was Jennie Leigh's Blog Biz Bootcamp. Her inspiring words were the ones that finally caught my attention. I'm currently going through her course as I write this post and create my website.
If you have even the slightest desire to start blogging, I highly recommend checking out her class.
I also wrote a whole post about how I got started without any experience at all! I’ll be writing a whole series on this so make sure you sign up for my email list so you don't miss it!
4 More Side Hustles I'd Like to Use in the Future
And now for the bonus round! These extra side hustle ideas are not ones I've tried yet, but they are ones I think are very promising and would like to try in the future!
Audiobook narration
One side hustle you've likely seen suggested is audiobook narration. I've seen this one gain a lot of popularity recently. Amazon's ACX has really great tutorials and is incredibly helpful for getting started. If you have a quiet space, a crisp, clear voice, and a few pieces of inexpensive equipment, this can be another great work-from-home opportunity!
Selling low/no content books
I've actually dabbled with this idea but have yet to fully commit to it. I even made my first journal in Canva and had a physical copy printed through lulu.com so I could see how it looked in person!
What are low-content or no-content books?
Usually, they're planners or journals. There is a design on the cover, maybe some design on the pages, or even guided prompts. But the main idea is that the consumer writes most of the actual content.
If you're a canva-pro or see a niche that needs to be filled, this is a great low-effort side hustle!
Selling digital content
While I'm not selling anything now, I've started this idea to create freebies for my email subscribers! Digital content can include something similar to low-content books, like a PDF set of planner pages or budget worksheets, or even something more artistic like crochet or sewing patterns.
The possibilities are virtually endless. The best part of this side hustle is you only have to create content once, keep promoting it, and it can continue selling!
Print on demand
This idea could be combined with selling low-content books, as you can print these in advance or use a print-on-demand service.
Print-on-demand services can be used for a wide range of products, such as stickers, mugs, journals, books, t-shirts, tote bags, and even blankets, just to name a few!
Simply create the design, and people can choose what they want it printed on. It's pretty neat how versatile it can get!
The 9-5 grind can be ruthless, but I hope some of these ideas help you on your path to a better work-life balance and reaching your financial goals. I encourage you to take this information as a starting point and continue to research what other opportunities might be out there.
Finally, stay connected by signing up for my email list! I'll be sharing more insights, experiences, and resources that can help you along in your journey to Thrive and Flourish!
