This piece originally appeared on Millennial.
Sometimes, working a full-time job isn’t enough to cover all your living expenses, or maybe it’s just not enough to keep you engaged and excited day to day. Either way, you need good side hustles to earn some extra cash and have something to do other than watch Netflix at night and on the weekends.
If you have a special skill or enjoy doing something as a hobby, why not take advantage of that and turn it into a job? Who doesn’t want to work for themselves doing something they love? Get creative and figure out how to use your unique talent as a side hustle.
Here are a few ideas of side jobs that don’t require much startup costs that can inspire you to get hustling:
Tutor
Did you ace the SATs? Do really well in English, math or history? There are hundreds of students in your area who are struggling in the subjects you excelled in. Becoming a tutor for general education classes or teaching an SAT prep course are great ways to start your own small business. You can create your own schedule and decide what to charge. Become part of a student’s learning experience and help them ace those tests while you ace paying your bills.
Music or DIY Teacher
If music or crafting is a hobby of yours and you’d enjoy sharing it with somebody else, giving music lessons or teaching a class on a DIY craft is the perfect idea for you. You can teach privately or go through a local music or craft store. You can even do these classes online by recording a video about how to make a craft or how to play chords. There are websites that let you publish your videos and share them with thousands of people who want to learn what you’re teaching.
Blogger, Editor, Writer
There are countless opportunities for you if you enjoy writing. Becoming a freelance writer, blogger, ghost writer, editor, eBook author and even a greeting card writer are just some of the ways you can make money from home doing what you love. All you need to do is search the Internet to find hundreds of companies and websites that want you to edit or write for them. You can set your own schedule and work from the comfort of your bed. It also helps build a portfolio if you’re looking for a career in writing.
Uber Driver
Ride-sharing is a growing phenomenon that is picking up speed in major cities and small towns alike. If you have a car and don’t mind driving around, driving for Uber or Lyft could be the perfect side hustle for you. You only work when you want to, so it’s completely flexible. Plus, if you’re already spending money on gas and spending time in your car, you might as well drive someone else where they need to be and get paid for it!
Social Media Expert
Do you find yourself spending tons of time on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? Put that time to good use and make some money from it. If you can build a large following on social media, companies will pay you to advertise their product to all of your followers. There are also companies that will pay you to write posts for their social media to help them gain a significant following. Netflix is even paying people $4,000 to travel and take Instagram pictures. What a life, right? With social media playing a huge role in the world today, becoming an expert in this field will definitely get you places.
There are endless opportunities for you to use what you love and turn it into a side job to make money and cultivate a useful hobby. Who knows, maybe you will become successful enough to quit your 9-to-5 and become your own boss. So take a chance, get inspired and start enjoying work again.
