6 Realistic Side Hustles to Start Today and Earn Extra Money

Making an Extra $1,000 a Month

In the recent past, I had a discussion with a friend whereby we talked about side jobs. And she told me that making an extra $1,000 a month would be absolutely life-changing for her. And hey, with the high cost of living these days, who doesn’t need a little extra income?

Six Realistic Side Hustles

So, today I’m sharing with you six realistic side hustles. Three of these six side hustles use skills and knowledge you already have, while you can learn the other three within a few months. It is time to start building something of your own and start bringing in that cash money. I love that for my friend, and I love that for you too.

Building AI Automations for Small Businesses

This is a hot, hot, hot opportunity right now because there is so much demand yet very little competition, and that is building AI automations for small businesses. Small businesses all around us, restaurants, yoga studios, gyms, hair salons, have a ton of admin tasks they’d love to outsource to AI if they only knew how. That’s where you can come in and charge $2,000 to $5,000 a month to build custom AI automations and potentially even charge monthly maintenance fees.

The Full Tech Stack You Need

What I love about this is that you don’t even need to know how to code with a paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus and software like Zapier or Make.com, which lets you connect different tools and have them talk to each other, plus a working knowledge of basic platforms like email software, CRM software, or booking software. That’s the full tech stack you need to start building AI automations for small businesses.

Up and Running in 6 Weeks

Let’s say you give it two weeks to watch a bunch of free YouTube videos and learn to build custom GPTs. Then another two weeks to master Zapier, and then another two weeks to build your first complete automation. If you concentrate on this seriously at night after your day’s work or on weekends, a couple of hours per day, you would be well on your way to success in six weeks.

Pick a Niche

The key here is to pick a niche, one specific type of business. Only yoga studios, only restaurants, only salons, only gyms. Talk to those business owners, ask about their pain points, and then offer to build the first automation for free so that you can use it as a case study. Once you’ve got that first one done, you have got proof, and you can start pitching it to other clients.

Do More of What You Already Do

Next up, do more of what you already do at your full-time job, but do it on the side, working for yourself. There are so many companies out there looking for part-time engineers, developers, product managers, project managers, fractional CFOs, controllers, marketers, designers, you name it. In fact, right now on fractionaljob.io, there are listings paying anywhere from $100 to $300 per hour. These listings get updated daily.

A Really Great Place to Market Yourself

LinkedIn is also a really great place to market yourself. You probably already have a ton of contacts in there, co-workers, bosses, people you’ve met at conferences, etc. So, just slide into their DMs and say something like, “Hey, it’s been a while since we talked. I just wanted to let you know I started freelancing on the side as a blank. If you hear of any startups or companies looking for part-time help, I’d appreciate an intro. Here’s my info.”

Just Start Putting Yourself Out There

That’s it. Just begin to put yourself out there. And if you really want to make yourself noticeable, provide a free 30 minute consulting or strategic session. You will land your first client in no time. See how doable this is?

How Much to Charge

As for how much to charge, a good formula is to take your annual salary, convert it to an hourly rate, and multiply that by three. That’s because as a part-time consultant, you need to cover your own overhead, benefits, and taxes. You’re not an employee anymore. You’re a business.

Charge Around $180 an Hour

So, for example, if your salary is 120 grand a year, that works out to about $60 as an employee, but as a freelancer, you would want to charge around $180 an hour. And companies are fully expecting that. They know that flexible freelancers cost more hourly than it would as an employee.

TikTok Shop

https://www.tiktok.com/?source=ecommerce_mall&enter_method=not_supported_region

This one is really current and hot right now: TikTok Shop. As for me, I have made too many spur-of-the-moment decisions while purchasing goods from TikTok when someone is promoting them in their video and telling how great it is, and then they drop the TikTok Shop link in their video. Usually, content creation requires months or even years to begin earning money from it.

Every Single Video Has an Equal Shot at Going Viral

But something that’s really unique about TikTok compared to YouTube or Instagram is that the algorithm doesn’t care if you’re a brand new creator or if you already have a huge following. Every single video has an equal shot at going viral. The top product categories on TikTok Shop are beauty, personal care, and little gadgets. Kind of like this magnetic phone tripod that I bought.

Your Sweet Spot

Anything that’s very visual and priced between $10 and $50 is sort of your sweet spot. Moreover, every time anyone purchases the product through the link you shared via your TikTok Shop account, you will receive a commission of 10-25 percent on every transaction. In order to get started, all you have to do is visit TikTok Shop and ask for free samples from the sellers and then make videos.

Batch Film on Weekends

At the end of each month, you’ll get a payout with your total affiliate commissions earned. If you’re busy at your job during the week, you can batch film on weekends. Test out different hooks and angles. And if you’re bold, you can even try live streaming.

Way More Doable Than You Think

And who knows, one day you could become like Stephanie Garcia, who is earning $3,500 in a month via TikTok Shop, or like Sharon Jay, who is making $2,000 per month in beauty/lifestyle. It is fun, it is creative, and more possible than you can ever imagine.

A Real Estate Agent on Part Time Basis

Now comes another idea of being a real estate agent on a part time basis. This is something that I personally like very much, especially if you have got a full-time job already as there is no need to trade your time for money. The work of earning money through real estate is totally unrelated to time.

A Highly Profitable Side Job

Since you have networks of people who trust you and you can sell stuff, this can become a very lucrative secondary business for you. In the USA, the average price of homes is about $400,000. The commission for selling real estate is 5-6%, which is split evenly between both buyer’s agent and seller’s agent. Your share will be 2.5-3%, which equals approximately $12,000 per deal.

Your Earnings Will Be More Like $8,000 per Deal

Now, you will be working under a brokerage firm, and they will take a cut, 20 to 30%. So, your earnings will be more like $8,000 per deal. Still, even if you close just one deal every two months, that’s about $4,000 a month inside income.

A Real Estate Salesperson License

To get started, you’ll need to get a real estate salesperson license, which involves studying and passing an exam. Then, once you get your license, you’ll apply to join a brokerage. Some well-known and beginner-friendly brokerages include Keller Williams, Compass, RE/MAX, Sues, or eXp Realty, which is 100% virtual.

When Choosing a Brokerage

If you are deciding which broker to work with, all you have to do is to inquire about their commission split because there are brokers that have an 80/20 and there are those that have 70/30 commission splits. Also, ask if they train in closing deals, lead generation, and expanding client lists.

Teaching What You Already Know

Here is a side hustle that’s often overlooked: teaching what you already know. I have a friend who makes thousands of dollars a month doing this. To get started, all you have to do is choose one thing that you’re good at enough to teach other people.

A Hobby or a Passion

These can either be skills gained through professional means, or they can have something to do with your hobbies. For instance, if you have the academic nature, then you will be able to teach science, chemistry, algebra, or SAT classes. If you know a few other languages, then you can teach Spanish, French, or English as a second language.

Some Tools That Will Help You Start

Here are a few platforms to help you get started. We, great for academic tutoring. Preply, if you want to teach languages, and Varsity Tutors for test prep like SAT, GMAT, and LSAT, and Intro.co if you want to offer general lessons on almost anything.

Word of Mouth Goes a Long Way

But the truth is that the best method for getting your first clients is simply asking around. If you know anyone with children of school age, just ask them if they know anyone who could use a tutor.

The Secret to Success for This Side Hustle Is Specialization

Once again, the key to making this side hustle work is to specialize. Instead of saying you’re a math tutor, say you are an eighth grade algebra tutor. And Instead of teaching French, you’re a French tutor for native Chinese speakers. Instead of teaching guitar, you teach beginner guitar for adults who’ve never played an instrument before.

Wedding Photography Is Brilliant for So Many Reasons

See how that works? Specializing helps you stand out from everyone else offering the same thing. Next up, you’ve probably heard of photography as a side hustle, but the more I think about it, wedding photography is brilliant for so many reasons.

Where Is There Consistent Demand?

Whenever you think about making money, you always want to ask these two things. Where is there consistent demand? And where can I charge the highest rates? And even with AI changing the world right now, one thing that isn’t changing, people still want to get married.

Weddings Are High-Stakes Events

And weddings are high-stakes events. For most people, it’s the most important day of their life. So, they’re typically willing to spend a lot to get it done right. That’s why wedding dresses cost so much. Anything with the word bridal or wedding on it immediately costs double/triple. So, wedding photography is no different.

The More You Specialize, the More You Can Charge

Check out Bana Dh, who specializes in Indian and South Asian weddings and charges $5,000 per event. Or Erica Camille, who specializes in LGBTQ weddings and charges $6,000.

The Possibilities Are Endless

That’s the thing, the possibilities are endless. The specialty areas could include Jewish wedding photography, Korean wedding photography, Muslim wedding photography. These have a lot of cultural moments and dynamics that are unique to each of them. As a result, when you specialize in any of these, the more the couple believes you know what to shoot.

Budget Around $6,000

To get started, I’d budget around $6,000 to invest in professional-quality gear. Then, find some couples on a budget who are getting married soon. And the best place to start is within your own cultural community. Then, offer to shoot two to three weddings at a big discount, maybe 50%.

You’re Off to the Races

After that, you can begin uploading your creations on Instagram or a portfolio site, and you’re set to go. You already have a lot of things at your disposal that you could turn into money.

Let Yourself Start Messy, Get Scrappy

At this very moment, there are tons of businesses and potential clients out there, literally waiting for someone just like you to show up and offer your services. It all starts with that core self-belief. So, let yourself start messy, get scrappy, and before you know it, you’ll have a side income that you can depend on for life. How empowering is that?