You’ve decided you want to use your spare time to make some extra money- well done, that’s the first step to a better financial outlook! If you’re stuck for some side hustle ideas, this post will hopefully help you to define and decide on the direction you would like to take.
It is all well and good saying that you want to earn some cash on the side- but the reality is, it takes some time to figure out what you really want to take away from your side hustle.
Here are four things to consider before taking the plunge with your side hustle…
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What side hustle is going to make you smile?
Your side hustle needs to be something that you are going to be happy to do outside of your regular job. For example, there is no point in deciding to be a virtual assistant doing someone else’s online admin, when you can’t stand doing admin!
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How much money do you want to make from your side hustle?
You’ll also want to figure out how much you want to earn from your side hustle. And even decide whether you want to take it to the next level and try to make a full time income from it. Consider this- what amount of extra money each month could really make a difference to you?
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How many hours do you have available to put into your side hustle?
Think about how much time you can dedicate each week to your side hustle. This will give you an idea of how much money you could earn, and also how much potential growth there could be for the future.
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What are the start-up costs of your side hustle idea?
A big one to consider is the start-up costs of your side hustle- is it affordable? You can start some side hustles from absolutely nothing. But others can cost considerably more in materials, equipment and advertising. Think about how much money you have available to start with, and make sure that your hustle won’t fold before you’ve even got started with your first customers.
If you really want to delve in and find out what the right side hustle idea is for you, sign up to the Thrifty Londoner 7 Day Money Making Course. You will also gain access to the exclusive Facebook Group where you can connect with likeminded individuals who are all working towards their side hustle goals…
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50 Side Hustle Ideas UK
So without further ado, here are 50 side hustle ideas to help you uncover your true calling…
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Freelance writing
Businesses often outsourcing writing to freelancers as they may not have the demand to hire a writer in their team full time. This is where you can come in. Set up profiles on People Per Hour and Fiverr, and get hustling.
Read my full guide on how to start freelance writing to get more hints and tips on securing your first clients.
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Sell your crafts
Handmade and ethical products are now hugely popular, with Etsy being one of the most popular places to sell your crafts online. You could sell ANYTHING from embroidery, to cards, to candles to pottery- anything goes.
If you want to start selling your crafts, check out my introduction to selling on Etsy guide. It’s the only platform that I use and recommend to sell crafts online.
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Become an extra
It almost sounds too good to be true to become an extra and feature in the latest films and TV shows, but it’s not! Especially if you live in a major city, there are often opportunities listed regularly. Head to Casting Collective to create a profile and check out their urgent casting calls for TV and film extras in the UK.
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Resell clothing online
As well as selling your own possessions on eBay, Depop or Gumtree, you can take things a step further and buy clothing to sell for a profit.
You can source clothing for reselling from a multitude of places such as car boot sales, yard sales and second hand stores.
Remember, if you resell items for profit- you must declare your income to HMRC. Check out my guides to get my top tips for selling on eBay, Depop and Gumtree.
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Become a virtual assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant is a super flexible side hustle which you can fit around your other commitments and can do from home.
You can specialise in various areas such as admin, Pinterest, social media, or blogging. You can be a virtual assistant for almost any online service that you can think of.
Head to sites like Fiverr to find your first customers, or reach out to people already in your network who may already have businesses that they need assistance with.
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Matched Betting
It is possible to earn quite a lot of money, in a short space of time with matched betting. Matched betting works on the basis that you bet on both outcomes of a sports match. Thankfully, you don’t need to know lots about sports or betting to have success with matched betting. You can use a service like Profit Accumulator, which gives you all the materials that you need to succeed with matched betting, including step by step videos to show you the exact process of how matched betting works.
I thought it sounded too good to be true- but I made over £300 when I tried it out for a few months (and there’s a lot more money to be made than that!)
Profit Accumulator offer a free trial where you can test the waters and earn up to £45. This is a great chance to learn the ropes, and quickly make some extra money!
Read more about my experience of matched betting here.
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Become a food delivery driver
With the likes of UberEats and Deliveroo now on the scene, if you’ve got a bicycle, a car or a scooter, a flexible side hustle could be delivering takeaway food.
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Start a blog
Blogging can be a slow burner, but once your website becomes more established, it has the potential to turn into a full time income- with part of that income being passive.
You can monetise a blog in a multitude of ways- from sponsored posts, to affiliate marketing sales to advertising.
To get started you’ll need to buy a domain name (the name of your website) with a site like Namecheap, and pay for a host. When you buy a domain name, you need a company to host your website for you. My preferred host is SiteGround, who are always on hand to fix any issues you might come up against.
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Offer translation services
If you’re gifted enough to be bilingual, you could offer your services as a translator. You could do this in person to translate verbally, or online where you can translate text from one language into another.
As this is quite a niche, if you are fluent in more than one language, this could become a profitable side hustle for you.
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Create YouTube tutorials
Millions of people use YouTube every day, and with the rising popularity of smart phones, we use video more than ever. Want to know how to make the perfect poached egg? Head to YouTube. Want to know how to change a tyre? Go to YouTube.
If you are knowledgeable on a certain topic, go ahead and create a video tutorial, and once you attract a number of viewers, you can monetise your videos with adverts.
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Be a hair stylist
If you already work in a salon by day, or even if you don’t and are super skilled with a pair of curling tongs, you could think about a hair styling side hustle.
Peak times for hair styling would usually be for weddings, proms, and possibly even photoshoots- which could mean this side hustle would work well around a regular full time job.
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Take part in research & focus groups
You’d be surprised at the number of research and focus groups there will be in your nearest city. In London in particular, there are very regular opportunities to take part in these research trials.
My favourite sites for research and focus group work are UserTribe and Respondent. With both of these sites you can earn $80+ for some studies.
You might also be interested in: Make Money Online in the UK
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Become a pet sitter
More people have pets than ever before, which means that they need a pet sitter whenever they are on holiday, or even just out of town for the weekend.
Establishing yourself as a pet sitter in your local area could be very lucrative- especially if you build up trust with people who come back to you for repeat business.
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Offer cleaning or ironing services
Cleaning and ironing are chores which are often outsourced, due to the fact it can take up a lot of time. Again, you could establish yourself as offering these services in your local area, and build up a portfolio of clients.
I go into how to get your first clients for a service-based side hustle in my FREE 7 Day Money Making Course. Use the form below to sign up and make some cash.
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Become a make-up artist
If you are a whizz with a make-up brush and palette, you could make a name for yourself as a make-up artist. Make-up artists are often in high demand for weddings, photoshoots and editorial shoots, so you could fit this quite comfortably around a regular 9-5.
Get yourself set up on social media, create a website, and go get your first customers!
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Sell printable artwork
If you’ve got a background in illustration or fine art, selling printable artwork could be a brilliant side hustle idea for you. You could create an illustration, upload it to a site like Etsy, and then sell it as a printable- people can print the design off on their home printers, meaning this could turn into a passive income stream.
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Become a mystery shopper
Mystery shopping is a really fun way to earn some extra money. Often the tasks will be to go to a restaurant or café, which means that as well as getting paid, you get a free meal out of it too! Some great sites to try to get started are Marketforce and Red Wigwam.
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Become a dog walker
People spend a lot of money on their pets- particularly on their dogs. If someone is out of the house for a whole day (which is often the case) they will pay to have their dog walked to make sure it is looked after whilst they are at work.
Dog walking can be particularly lucrative as you can walk several dogs at a time, and give yourself some exercise too!
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Offer babysitting
Babysitting is not just for teenage girls! Parents will always need someone to look after their kids at weekends and evenings if they have plans.
Babysitting is a brilliant side-hustle because once the kids go to bed, you can watch TV or work on your computer like you would do at home. But get paid for it!
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Become a tutor
If you’re already a teacher, tutoring could be a very lucrative side hustle idea. You’ll be utilising your existing skill set, and will be familiar with the current school curriculum.
However, even if you’re not a teacher and have a degree-level qualification in a subject, you can be a tutor. If you’re good with languages you could even tutor adults online.
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Flip items for profit
We touched on reselling clothing in number 4 on this list, but you could also buy and sell larger, more expensive items like fine jewellery, antiques and even houses!
The amount of money that is needed in start-up costs for this idea is a lot higher than other suggestions in this list, but the rewards are also higher too.
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Become a doula
Becoming a doula isn’t something for the faint hearted, and is a good side hustle idea for someone who already has experience of midwifery.
This side hustle could well become a full time job, as mothers-to-be will need you at their side for the birth- which could be at any hour of the day.
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Sell your photos
If you’re an experienced photographer, you could sell your photos online to earn some extra cash. A particularly popular website for this is Shuttershock, where you get paid every time someone downloads one of your images.
You could also sell stock photos if you wished to, which are often purchased in batches by website owners, bloggers and businesses.
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Freelance as a fitness instructor
Is fitness your thing? You could quickly become a qualified class instructor for just about anything- from Zumba, to spinning, to yoga.
This could comfortably fit around a regular 9-5, as classes are often popular in the evening once people have finished work.
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Design logos
Logo design is a really popular service that you can monetise quickly. Websites and new businesses will always be looking for a logo to promote their new products.
If you have a background in design this could be a great way to earn some money on the side.
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Offer tailoring services
If you’re trained in sewing, selling alteration services could be a great side hustle option that you can do from home.
Common alterations needed are taking up trousers, curtains and tailoring. You could even sew bespoke curtains which could be a lucrative service that you could promote in your local community.
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Sell bespoke cakes
Got a penchant for baking? You could sell specialist cakes- and you could do this from home in your spare time. Bespoke cakes are always in demand- from wedding cakes, to christening cakes and birthday cakes.
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Become an Uber driver
If you already own a car, you can become an Uber driver in your spare time with relative ease. This could work really well around your full time hours as it’s such a flexible side hustle.
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Freelance as an illustrator
If you have a background in design or art, illustration is another great side hustle idea for you. Magazines, websites and businesses are always looking for illustrators to create unique graphics for them.
This could be a brilliant side hustle idea which you can do from the comfort of your own home around your current work schedule.
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Offer coaching in a field of expertise
If you have a particular expertise, you could offer others coaching in your spare time. Whether you’re an SEO expert and could help other people with their websites, or maybe you could coach people in management techniques, you could make a tidy profit from coaching others.
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Publish an e-book
E-books are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to read books, and it also happens that you can self-publish an e-book should you wish to.
An e-book doesn’t have to be hundreds of pages long, if you have a specialist topic that you can write about with authority, you could publish an e-book.
For example, if you are a nutritionist, you could comfortably publish an e-book on a specialist topic like raw food diets.
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Transcribing
Transcribing usually entails typing out audio recordings from doctors or solicitors- so it helps if you have a background in this (although it is not always essential).
You need to be fast at typing to do this, so if you’re not skilled in touch-typing, it might be best to give this one a miss as you will be asked to do a typing test.
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Rent out a spare room in your home
Getting a lodger may mean that you have a little less space for yourself, but the financial rewards for this are brilliant. You can earn a large amount of money every month, just from sharing your space with someone else.
Another alternative to this is to rent out a spare room in your home as an AirBnB listing- it would mean that you are less likely to have someone sharing your space full time, and allows flexibility where you could block out dates where you won’t be at home.
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Proofreading
If you’re a bit of a grammar nut, proofreading could be a great side-hustle for you, and is one that can usually be completed from the comfort of your home.
People will often need manuscripts, dissertations, essays and contracts proof read- and will pay someone to carry out this task for them.
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Start a podcast
Podcasts are ever-popular, and you could start a podcast on almost any topic. You could start a podcast as an add-on to a blog or website, and monetise it through adverts and sponsorships.
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Start music lessons
If you can play an instrument well, you could teach children or adults how to play. From music theory to practical lessons, many parents will shell out for their kids to have lessons in piano, guitar, drums and more.
You could even arrange to tutor several students at once in order to maximise your earning potential from this side hustle.
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House sitting
Just like people will pay for pet sitting services, people will also pay for people to house sit when they are on holiday to protect it from burglaries.
You may also be expected to carry out some pet sitting duties whilst you are house sitting, but it’s a small price to pay to stay in a (usually) fancy house and get paid for it!
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Sell calligraphy services
If you’re a dab hand at calligraphy (or think you could learn it!), people will pay you handsomely for this service. Think wedding invitations, name plates, corporate functions, and personalised menus for events.
It’s a pretty niche skill, so if you can perfect this, you can be sure that you will have customers knocking at your door in no time.
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Voiceover artist
Think you’ve got a good voice? Why not try your hand as a voiceover artist or narrator? You can find your first gigs on Fiverr, and see where it could take you. Also check out Voices, where you can create a profile as a professional voiceover artist.
People need voiceover artists for a multitude of reasons- for adverts, audio books, radio and more.
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Become a DJ
If you live in a major city (and even if you don’t) there is scope to establish yourself as a DJ if that is where your passion lies.
From major events and club nights, to wedding receptions, you can bet that DJs are always in demand. The best part is, that this side hustle would easily fit around a regular 9-5 job.
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Sell jewellery
Bespoke, ethically made jewellery is very popular at the moment. You could sell your own beaded, silver or handmade jewellery through an online marketplace like Etsy, or even set up your own website and start social media pages to go with it.
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Create an online course
Creating an online course is a form of passive income which could serve you extremely well for many months and years to come.
If you create an online course or membership, you do the hard work once, and then reap the benefits as more and more people pay to sign up.
Create the online course in a field that you are an expert in, and people will come flocking to find out your secrets.
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Become a caterer
Food and catering services will always be in demand- so if you’re trained as a chef, offering catering services could be a brilliant side hustle for you.
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Sell tech support services
Tech support services are a brilliant side hustle idea if you are already working in IT. Many small businesses require technical support on a freelance basis, so this could be a great option to support your full time income.
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Get licensed as a driving instructor
If you think of yourself as a good driver, why not try your hand at being a driving instructor? No matter where in the country you live, people will always want to learn to drive.
This is another side hustle which is flexible and you can do around a full time job- especially if you are doing shift work.
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CV Resume and Cover Letter Service
If you currently work in HR, this could be a brilliant side hustle idea for you. CV writing and Cover Letter writing is in high demand- people will pay to get their CV as good as possible when they are applying to jobs.
If you work in HR you are likely to have a lot of experience in hiring and looking through CVs, so this would be likely to suit your skillset.
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Become a tour guide
Think you know your local area like the back of your hand? Why not become a tour guide? Free walking tours are now a very popular way for tourists to get to know a new city.
Despite the name, tour goers are expected to tip their guide for their time and their local recommendations. Advertise online and you will soon have a regular income from being a niche tour guide.
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Create an app
Creating an app isn’t the side hustle for everyone, but if you have previous experience in this area, and have a unique idea, this could make you a lot of money!
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Web design service
Web design is always in demand, as not many people who start a website will know how to design and build one.
If you do this as your day job, it makes sense that this is the perfect side hustle for you to do in your spare time.
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Data entry
Despite this not being the most exciting side hustle in the world, this is something that almost anyone can do from home on their computer.
Data entry could be anything from entering numbers into a spreadsheet or moving data from one sheet to another.
Many businesses will need this kind of admin done regularly, but may not want to employ someone on a full time basis so will outsource this work.
There you have it- 50 side hustle ideas that are UK based, which could fit around your current full time job. Remember to select a side hustle which is going to bring you joy, that has affordable start up costs, and that you can do long term in order to keep making consistent income on the side of your full time employment.
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