Modern side hustles

Technology has dramatically changed the way we work. Innovations such as broadband internet, smartphones and social media have not only created hundreds of new career options and helped many offices adapt to working from home during the current coronavirus pandemic, but they have also opened up the opportunity to pursue plenty of side hustles. Click or scroll through some ways you could make some extra cash without leaving home. 



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Stock photographer – from $10-$20/month

Stock photography may have been around since the 1920s, but the first online microstock company, iStockphoto, wasn’t launched until 2000. Since then, multiple online libraries have been created, offering royalty-free images to businesses and organizations. There’s plenty of competition though; as of July 2019 there were 275 million images on the Shutterstock platform alone. With each image earning an average of $0.25 to $0.50 per month, you’d have to build up quite a collection to see big profits. Adding 10 photos a week to a platform could generate $10-$20 a month.



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E-book writer – $10-$50/month

While it doesn’t give the marketing tools that a traditional publisher can offer, self-publishing an e-book means you can keep much more of the revenue; anywhere from 40-90% compared to 10% with traditional publishing. However, the challenge of getting the word out about your book can mean disappointing sales; experts suggest that the average e-book writer makes $10-$50 a month.



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YouTuber – from $45/month

YouTube now receives more than 30 million visitors a day and is creating millionaires. The currently highest-earning channel is Ryan’s World (formerly Ryan ToysReview) featuring 9-year-old Ryan Kaji, who reviews toys for other children and was the highest earning YouTube star of 2019, according to Forbes, raking in $26 million. That’s $4 million more than the reported $22 million he made in 2018. In order to make money from videos you must have at least 1,000 subscribers. However, relying on ads alone won’t earn you much; 1,000 views a day nets around $45-$75 a month, which is why bigger stars also make sponsored videos, write books, sell merchandise and in some cases even take their content on live tours.



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Blogger – from $100/month

While a blog was seen as nothing more than an online journal a decade ago, today it is more of a money-making tool. By monetizing your site through the use of ads and affiliate links, it’s possible to make cash for every reader that visits. However, it takes a lot of time and a solid strategy to build an audience big enough to pull in big bucks like Perez Hilton (PerezHilton.com). Indeed, a survey from Problogger revealed that the average income for an aspiring blogger is around $100 a month.



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Game streamer – from $100/month

Game streaming site Twitch has seen a meteoric rise. After launching in 2011, it was acquired by Amazon for almost $1 billion just three years later. There are now 15 million daily users on the platform. Streamers make money through paid subscription revenue, viewer donations and ad revenue. While the top 10 earners such as ‘Sodapoppin’ enjoy a total of around $23 million between them, the average streamer with 50 subscribers is likely to earn closer to $100 a month.



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Digital testing – $100/month


With dozens of new websites and apps going online daily, there is a lot of work from anywhere work available for website and app testers. Most people do this to supplement their main income, but there is the potential to earn around $25 an hour. Just a few hours a month could bring in an extra $100.



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Online surveys – from $120/month


How about getting paid to answer some questions? Websites such as Ipsos i-Say, Swagbucks, and Toluna have become popular with people looking to make a bit of extra cash in their free time. Paying out at around $1 per 20-minute survey, it’s not the most lucrative of side gigs, but it could be a fun boredom-buster. If you have the willpower to commit to 10 hours a week, it could add up to a monthly total of $120.



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3D printing – from $160/month


If you have access to a 3D printer, along with the technical know-how to use it, you have a good potential side hustle on your hands. Websites such as 3D Hubs allow you to connect with businesses and individuals who are looking to get something specific printed. As a guide, you can expect an average order to pay $20-$50 and aim for one or two orders a week.



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Selling on Etsy – $100-$250/month

Launched in 2005, online marketplace Etsy offers sellers the chance to connect with buyers looking for one-off items such as crafts, jewelry or vintage clothing. It requires a fair amount of time in order to create products, take attractive photos and list the items, but it can be a good earner – a survey by Smartmoneymamas.com found that the majority of ‘stores’ earn $100-$250 a month.



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Search engine evaluator – from $600/month

Online search engines might be getting smarter, but they still need a human touch here and there. Evaluators rate the search results of different terms in order to ensure the most helpful results are being delivered to users. You’ll usually have to commit to a minimum of 10 hours a week, with remuneration of around $15 per hour.



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Online content moderator – from $600/month


The amount of content uploaded to social media sites and forums each day is truly staggering – over 300 million photos are shared every day on Facebook alone. This is where moderators come in. Companies like Facebook and YouTube need people to ensure no content is shared that violates their guidelines. If you’re freelancing through a third-party company such as Appen or Lionbridge, you can expect to earn around $15 an hour, so $600 a month based on 10 hours a week.



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Virtual assistant – from $600/month

The technological developments of the last two decades mean that businesses and entrepreneurs no longer need to rely on in-house employees, and this has been proven as many offices have had to adapt to life working from home during the pandemic. A freelance virtual assistant carries out tasks such as data entry, social media management and research from anywhere in the world. Completing these types of jobs could earn you around $15 an hour, while more specialized skills will command a higher rate.



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Transcribing – up to $600/month


Journalists, academics and market researchers are some of the people who don’t have the time to transcribe interviews. Remote transcribers are sent voice files to listen to and turn into text. Quick and accurate typists can make between $13 and $19 an hour. If you committed 10 hours a week, you could earn up to $600 a month.



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Airbnb host – $925/month

Since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has become a go-to part of trip planning for those looking to an alternative to expensive hotels. The home-sharing site now operates in 190 countries and has seen over 160 million bookings in total. According to Priceonomics, the average monthly income for Airbnb hosts is a healthy $925 a month. However, an increasing amount of cities are pushing back against the company and its rising monopoly over the short-term rentals market, so it’s not viable everywhere. While lockdowns due to the pandemic meant that Airbnb saw a drop in users, the rise in staycations mean that there are still opportunities to make money as a host, particularly if you have a socially-distant part of your home you can rent a loft or annex.



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Translation – $960/month


There is a growing demand for remote-working foreign language translators. High levels of global migration, combined with an increasingly international marketplace, has fueled the need for translation services. A full-time home-working foreign language expert can earn between $44,900 and $51,300 per year. Those looking for a few hours a week to supplement their main income can expect to charge an hourly rate between $35 and $60.



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Online tutor – from $1,000 a month

Advancements in technology, as well as an increase in English language learners from countries such as China, have made online tutoring a potentially lucrative side gig. Experienced tutors with qualifications such as a TEFL certificate can earn around $25 an hour. However, there are also opportunities for less qualified applicants provided you have a strong internet connection and access to an online meeting platform such as Skype, Teams or Zoom. In this case working 10 hours every week could net you around $1,000 a month.



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Chatbot writer – from $1,200/month

While the term ‘chatbot’ may have been meaningless 20 years ago, 80% of businesses are aiming to use an automated online assistant by the end of 2020, a survey by Oracle found. These computer programs allow companies to communicate directly with visitors to their website in a more human-like way. If you have the right skillset, you could earn around $30 an hour. Working 10 hours a week would net you as much as $1,200 a month.



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Copywriter– up to $2,080/month


The people who create the slogans and text for print, online, TV and radio adverts and general publicity material can earn over $40 to $130 an hour for their unique skills, all without stepping outside their door. Just four hours a week could net a talented writer $2,080 a month.



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App developer – $2,640/month

The biggest hitters are without a doubt gaming apps; the puzzle video game Candy Crush Saga pulls in an estimated $1.3 million every day. The majority of apps are free to download, but make money through in-app purchases. In fact, total global revenue for in-app buys hit an eye-watering $71.3 billion last year. If you have the tech skills to put an app together, you could earn around $66 an hour according to a survey by Codementor. That’s a whopping $2,640 a month if you work just 10 hours a week.



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Lending money – income depends on investment

So-called peer-to-peer lending allows anyone to lend money to an individual or business via a third party platform such as LendingClub and Funding Circle. The person borrowing gets a lower interest rate than they would with a bank or other traditional lender, while the person lending the cash gets the chance to earn more than they would with a traditional savings account. You can expect a return of between 3% and 12% a year, although your capital is at risk if the platform goes bust.

Now take a look at 30 jobs that no longer exist



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