12 Best Side Hustle Ideas To Make An Extra $1,000 Per Month — Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

Working from home has created the ideal environment for anyone to supplement their income with a side hustle. There are thousands of ways to earn a respectable amount of money during your downtime, depending on your specific needs and skills.

What Exactly Is a Side Hustle?

A side hustle is a way to supplement your income outside of your regular job. It enables you to earn more money, giving you the freedom to pursue your passions, buy things you need or want, and alleviate financial concerns.

Here are some 12 proven ways that people have generated significant revenue for themselves, ranging from short-term gigs that provide quick extra cash to longer-term ventures that have the potential to grow into a full-fledged small businesses. Whatever you’re looking for, look through the list below and choose a method that fits your skillset and time constraints.

1. Manage social media for small businesses

Many small businesses require a social media manager because they lack the time and expertise to constantly post on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Make contact with local businesses and offer your services in exchange for a monthly fee. This is a simple way to earn extra money regardless of where you live.

2. Create an audiobook

Create and sell audiobooks on platforms such as Audible and iTunes using a platform such as ACX. If you have a great idea for a non-fiction audiobook that teaches a difficult skill, such as stock trading, foreign currency investing, accounting, online marketing, or others, you can easily generate a five-figure monthly income with the right volume of audiobooks.

3. Customer Interviews

Many businesses conduct customer interviews to gather feedback on new products.

User Interviews and Respondent.io are two cool services that help with online and phone interviews.

What’s the best part? The hourly wage ranges from $50 to $150.

4. Flipping Books

Scan barcodes with the free Bookscouter app to see how much old books are worth. You can do this with books on your shelf as well as books from garage sales or the library book store.

5. Service for Cover Letters and Resumes

If you have HR experience, there is a huge opportunity to assist job seekers with their resumes and cover letters. Because the payoff for landing a new job is so high, it’s worthwhile for applicants to seek professional assistance with their documents.

6. Get paid for your creative abilities

People require your creative abilities. Sites such as Fiverr and Upwork connect freelancers who specialize in writing, editing, graphic design, and voice-over work with clients who require those creative minds.

To get started, simply create a profile (similar to an online resumé) so that potential employers can review your experience, rates, and specialties. Then you can earn extra money from the convenience of your own home!

7. Perform tasks for others

Are you good at doing quick repairs or running errands? People will pay you to complete their to-do lists via websites such as TaskRabbit or Handy. You can do everything from hanging shelves to putting furniture together. And if you’re a licensed plumber or electrician looking for extra work, Handy has you covered!

8. Become an event planner

Do you like to throw a good party? Are you a detail-oriented person? Then you might be a good fit to be an event planner! You could assist in the planning or coordination of birthday parties, weddings, or business events. You’d collaborate with a client (and their budget) to bring their vision to life — for a small commission (and possibly some free cake!).

You should probably start small, perhaps with your nephew’s birthday party or a coworker’s bridal shower. However, you have complete control over how many events you attend each month. And who knows what else? You could even make event planning your full-time job!

9. Start A Blog

This is my favorite side hustle, but it is not an income-generating opportunity right away. Starting and growing a blog takes time, but I estimate you can earn at least $1,000 per month after a year if you do it consistently (e.g. 3x per week).

But it’s a slow start, and it’s a lot of work. A blog, on the other hand, has nearly limitless growth potential! So, if you want a long-term side hustle, this could be it!

10. Convert Your Junk Mail Into Cash

Do you know how you get flyers and advertisements in the mail every day? The ones you don’t want but don’t know how to avoid? You can, however, convert them into cash.

The Small Business Knowledge (SBK) Center is a market research firm interested in peeking into your inbox. Join its consumer panel and begin stuffing junk mail into a postage-paid envelope, which you should send to the SBK Center at the end of each week.

No, you won’t be making a fortune, but you can earn up to $20 every six to ten weeks.

11. Make Your Own Schedule as a Data-Entry Clerk

Data entry isn’t the highest-paying online job, but it’s one that requires no special skills or prior experience — all you need is a reliable internet connection and a computer, and you must be at least 18 years old.

Pay varies by the hour or by the project. You can usually get jobs as frequently as you want through freelance broker sites like Smart Crowd and Clickworker.

12. Take the Call

Have you ever thought about providing customer service from the comfort of your own home? Instead of running call centers, an increasing number of businesses are hiring work-from-home customer service representatives.

These jobs can be full-time or part-time, and they come with a variety of schedules, including daytime, evening, and weekend shifts, as well as a range of pay depending on the position and location.

Typically, your job is to answer customer questions over the phone or through online chat. You might find sales positions with higher pay and performance incentives, or technical support positions if you’re tech-savvy and want to help people understand technology.

But you should enjoy assisting others! Do you know how a bad customer service experience can completely derail your day? You don’t want to be the bad guy on the other end of the phone line.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this has given you some insight into what I consider to be a good side hustle. Furthermore, this list of the best side hustles will help you get started.

12 Best Side Hustle Ideas To Make An Extra $1,000 Per Month