The economic fallout of the pandemic has brought financial insecurity to a lot of households, and if your job situation has recently changed, you might be thinking about how you can generate an additional income at home.
The truth is that the best side hustles aren’t those that drain your free time and consume all of your energy. Rather, they’re small, extra revenue streams that are enjoyable to set up and easy to run.
5 side hustle businesses you can do from home
With more of us spending time at home, it’s never been easier to set up your own side business and bring in some spare cash. Here are five you can get started on this weekend.
1. Dog walking
If you like to go for daily walks, why not monetise your time by walking a neighbour’s dog at the same time? Research commissioned by Rover found that becoming a dog walker could earn you an extra £9,200 per year, if you do three walks a day over three days a week.
It’s worth checking with your local authorities to ensure you’re aware of the local dog walking and sitting laws, and regulations, before signing up to become a dog walker.
NarpsUK has lots of helpful info on how to start your own dog walking business, especially when it comes to understanding the key rules and regulations in your local area. While you don’t need any specific qualifications, having an animal first aid certificate, alongside animal behaviour and animal care training, can help you to stand out from the crowd.
2. Selling handmade crafts
Marketplace sites like Etsy are a treasure trove for handmade crafts and it’s really easy to set yourself up as a seller.
Etsy, in particular, has a massive base of customers, meaning that if you’re starting a business from scratch, you won’t have to spend time and money marketing your wares on social media.
You could try your hand at selling prints, making macrame wall hangings, creating beaded jewellery or one-of-a-kind birthday cards. Remember, Etsy takes a small portion of your profit, so you’ll need to factor this into your costs and profit margin.
3. Opening an online fashion resale store
Trendy 1990s and ‘Y2K’ early-2000s vintage clothing can be sold for a pretty penny on Depop, and Grailed but a lot of the pieces can be sourced for a couple of quid in local charity shops.
The trick here is knowing what’s trending with millennials. For instance, vintage sportswear from brands like Nike, Adidas and Ellesse are selling fast right now, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for one-of-a-kind pieces in second-hand shops. You could also follow some popular sellers, so you can get a feel for what’s in demand.
You don’t need a techie bone in your body to get to grips with the set-up, either. Depop has a user-friendly app where you can photograph, upload and caption your products all in one go.
4. Start a podcast
Lots of people start podcasts simply as passion projects and are pleasantly surprised to find out you can monetise your hobby.
Finding sponsors to advertise during commercial breaks can bring in some extra revenue, as can offering subscriptions for premium content. All you’ll need is a bit of cash to invest in some home equipment, like a good microphone, as well as a podcast host provider. You’ll also need to come up with a unique concept that hasn’t been done before.
The beauty of podcasting is that you can record and upload the episodes right from your bedroom, and you don’t need any previous broadcasting experience to build an audience online.
5. Online tutoring
Private tutoring is a pretty easy way for professionals to make money on the side, and it’s easy to see why.
You can fit tutoring appointments into your mornings and evenings, and with video conferencing tools like Zoom and Skype, you can do it all from the comfort of your kitchen table.
There are several websites that work like agencies, where you can sign up to be matched with potential students in your chosen subject area. Check out Superprof, First Tutors and MyTutor, which are some of the biggest tutoring sites on the UK.
The added benefit of tutoring is that it also looks great on your CV too, which is particularly helpful if you’ve lost work during the pandemic. If an employer sees that you’re able to confidently take the lead and teach others about your industry, it may just give you the edge over other candidates.
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