Genuine Side Businesses That Will Actively Bring in Money
First, being broke sucks. However, something sucks even more: spending hours trying to make extra money, only to realize it wasn’t worth your time. For that reason, this guide only covers legitimate side gigs that will earn you some money.
Get Paid to Walk
Would you believe you can get paid to walk? Well, don’t get too excited, because apparently you have to walk 1 million steps to make $10. At that point, you might as well walk to work.
Spending Hours Trying to Make Extra Money
But what sucks even more than being broke? Spending hours trying to make extra money, only to realize it wasn’t worth your time.
What They Know That Beginners Don’t
So, to avoid that outcome, this guide shares what people who have actually succeeded at these side hustles know that beginners don’t.
Video Editing Is One of the Most Underrated but Useful Skills
First, consider video editing. Video editing is one of the most underrated but useful skills in this economy, yet few people talk about it. So, this section covers what you need to know and what makes you stand out, based on how creators actually hire editors.
Always Going to Be Demand for People Who Can Do It
So, why video editing? Content creators need editors, and so do companies, founders, and basically anyone trying to build a presence online. Because editing is so time-consuming, there will always be demand for people who can do it.
What Most People Get Wrong
However, most people wrongly think they need MrBeast or Try Guys level of editing to get paid. Not really. In most cases, the tasks involved are easy things such as editing pauses, adding subtitles, or joining video clips.For instance, a video editor named Hugh, who began editing, ended up establishing a business coaching other editors.
Why the Demand Is So High
Hugh explains exactly why the demand is so high. Business owners will always want editors because they’re usually too busy running their own business. In other words, they’re buying their time back, not really the skill.
Editing Has a Huge Advantage
But here’s where editing has a huge advantage. Once a creator finds an editor they trust, they don’t want to replace that editor. To put it plainly, replacing an editor is very annoying. For instance, it takes months for an editor to learn how a creator speaks, where they want a zoom, what they cut out, and what music they like.
Three Main Ways to Make Money Editing
So, if you’re reliable, clients will want to keep you. Editing offers a bunch of other advantages, too. Still, there are three main ways to make money editing.
Long-Form Editing
The first one is long-form editing. It includes YouTube videos, podcasts, and interviews. Long form is more time-consuming because one needs to actually grasp the vision of the artist himself/herself. However, that also makes it harder for the creator to replace you. That’s why a YouTuber can stick with one editor for years.
Short-Form Editing
Second, there’s short-form editing. These include TikTok, Reel, and Shorts. The videos are shorter, and you can bundle up your services. For example, instead of charging for one video, you could offer five reels for a set amount. In fact, one creator said he would pay around 50 to 150 per reel, depending on how good the editor is.
Clipping
Third, there’s a type of editing that most people don’t know about: clipping. Basically, you take small moments from a creator’s existing videos or streams and turn them into short clips. Then, the creator pays you based on how many views those clips get. It’s easier to do, but it carries more risk because you’re relying on the algorithm.
If One of Your Videos Goes Viral, You Can Earn a Lot
However, if one of your videos goes viral, you can earn a lot. Just listen to what a streamer called Neon said: “My top clipper, one guy sitting at home, I think it’s like 250K.” Even better, you keep so many valuable skills even if you stop being an editor.
Make You Money Way Beyond Just Video Editing
For instance, you learn design, storytelling, pacing, marketing, and what keeps people’s attention in this economy. Moreover, all those skills can make you money way beyond video editing. For example, you could use them to create and sell your own products.
How Do You Actually Learn How to Edit
But first, how do you actually learn how to edit? Many editors teach themselves by watching other people’s videos, trying to film their own, and recreating what they see.
Learn the Basics in One Week
Just keep Googling questions, and you’ll learn the basics in one week. After all, it’s not complicated.
How Do You Get Clients
Next, how do you get clients? First, you build a portfolio.
Make an Instagram or TikTok Page
Thus, create your own Instagram or TikTok account and upload some edits that would have the same aesthetics as those of your preferred creators. Secondly, try reaching out through contacting the creators or companies through a brief message. However, the fastest way to get a creator to ignore your DM is to spell their name wrong.
Turn Your Existing Skills Into Your Own Business
But remember that the skills you learn in video editing can take you way beyond this side hustle. So, here’s how you can turn your existing skills into your own business. Along the way, you’ll see how to start with the least amount of risk, how to create products without spending thousands upfront, and how to market them.
You Might Think That You Need a Genius New Idea
When you hear “start a business,” you might think you need a genius new idea. However, you don’t.
Look at Touchland
For example, look at Touchland. The company didn’t invent hand sanitizer; it just made it more aesthetic and convenient. Eventually, in 2025, a buyer acquired Touchland in a deal worth $700 million upfront. Similarly, look at Graza. The company took regular olive oil, put it in a cute squeeze bottle, and reached a reported valuation of around $240 million in less than 3 years.
Print on Demand
Specifically, you can make all these physical products without spending thousands upfront by using print on demand. It’s super underrated. In fact, Printify is a strong platform for it because it offers over 2,000 products. As a result, you don’t have to limit your creativity.
Making Your Product Only After Somebody Orders It
It will help you save money because it produces your product when somebody orders it. Therefore, instead of purchasing hundreds of products and then selling them, all you need to do is look through the catalogue, begin to design, and then link it to social media such as Etsy, Shopify, or TikTok Shop. Once the order is placed, one of Printify’s printing partners creates and delivers it straight to the customer.
Upgrade to Printify Premium
As a result, you can be at work, at university, or doing anything else while Printify’s partners fulfill your orders in the background. However, if you’re really serious about it, consider upgrading to Printify Premium. It costs $39 a month, but you can get up to 33% off products, so you can increase your profit without raising your prices.
How Do You Actually Get People to Buy Your Products
Creating an account is free, so feel free to play around with it. But how do you actually get people to buy your products?
Make Short-Form Content Around Your Product
This is where all those skills, like editing, storytelling, and understanding social media, become really useful. For instance, you can make short-form content around your product. You don’t even need to show your face. In fact, many regular students, not influencers, sell nursing guides, law notes, templates, and other things they created.
You Don’t Even Need a Physical Product to Start a Business
But actually, you don’t even need a physical product to start a business. Digital products can be anything from planners to study guides, baby announcements, wedding invitations, or even Canva templates. Best of all, you only need to create the product once, and people can buy it over and over again.
Over 5,000 Sales in Around a Year and a Half
Now, you probably want to know how much people make from selling digital products. For example, look at one random Etsy shop. It mainly sells beautiful digital wedding templates, and it has made over 5,000 sales in around a year and a half. Since its products average around 13 AUD, that adds up to $70,000.
Another Example Is Notion
Besides Etsy, Notion offers another example. Many creators make and sell Notion templates, and one recent template has over 14,000 downloads. In fact, it ranks among the highest-ranked templates on the platform.
What People Actually Want to Buy
But how do you figure out what people actually want to buy? Let’s say you want to sell wedding invitations. First, go on Etsy, search “wedding invitation template,” and look at the best sellers or Etsy’s picks.
Create Your Own Digital Product
The goal isn’t to copy them; instead, you want to understand what people are already willing to pay for. Then it’s time to create your own digital product. If you’re designing something your customers can edit on a platform like Canva or Notion, create a template link.
Canva Template Link or Notion Template Link
Basically, this link allows your customer to make their own copy of your design that they can edit. Next, put that link in a simple PDF, and your customer receives that PDF when purchasing your product. If you don’t know how to do this, just search “Canva template link” or “Notion template link.”
A Secret Tip
But here’s a secret tip. To stand out, create product mock-ups. They give a realistic preview of what a physical or digital item would look like in real life. Fortunately, Printify has a free mockup generator that you can use.
Making Crazy Amounts of Money From UGC
But what if you don’t want to start your own business or make your own products? You’ve probably seen people online making crazy amounts of money from UGC. However, before you decide that this is your perfect side hustle, consider a few things that people don’t warn you about.
UGC Stands for User-Generated Content
UGC stands for user-generated content. In effect, brands compensate regular people for producing content that resembles what a true customer would produce.For instance, based on what the niche requires, you may receive a product from the company and then produce videos on it.
You Don’t Need Followers
However, instead of posting the videos to your own social media page, you send them to the brands, who post them on their pages or use them in paid ads. The best part is that you don’t need followers because companies pay for your ability to make good content, not your audience.
Why Would a Company Pay a Random Person
You might be thinking, why would a company pay a random person instead of an influencer? Simply put, UGC doesn’t look or feel like a traditional ad. After all, how many times have you scrolled through TikToks or Reels and immediately skipped something the second it felt like an ad?
This Kind of Content Feels So Natural
Now, think about someone standing in their regular bathroom that looks like yours, showing you their amazing new skincare routine. Or maybe they’re telling you this juicy story about how their ex cheated on them and how they only found out because of this one website. Because this kind of content feels so natural, you’re more likely to consider buying the product.
Specializing in One Niche
Also, when people say product, they don’t just mean cameras and skincare. You can also make UGC for websites, apps, and services in almost any industry and niche. Therefore, specializing in one niche works best when you’re just starting out.
Looking at What You Already Watch
It is best to determine what your favorite genres and programs are.That being said, if all of your feed revolves around pet-related content, you might have a good grasp on what works in that category. Start there. But how do you even start?
You Really Only Need Your Phone, Tripod, Good Natural Lighting
To begin with, all that is required is a camera, a tripod, natural lighting, and an editing application like CapCut. Fortunately, it is very simple.
Hook Their Attention
First, hook their attention. Next, show the product in action. Finally, show the results. Begin by editing five to 10 samples using products that you already have.
Try Doing an Unboxing, Product Demo, or Review
For instance, try to do an unboxing, demonstration or review of something that you really enjoy. Best of all, you can do this all from your bedroom. However, that’s easy when you have a physical product to hold up and film. So, what if you’re doing UGC for websites?
Recording Your Screen
It’s pretty similar, except you record your screen instead of filming a product. For example, since Printify is free to sign up for, you could say you’ve always wanted to sell your own products but don’t know how to design. Then screen record yourself choosing a t-shirt, customizing it, and revealing the finished mockup.
Start Pitching to Brands in Your Niche
And just like that, you’ve made some UGC videos you can include in your portfolio without ever needing a client. Plus, many free tutorials online show you how to make one. Then start pitching to brands in your niche by sending them a simple DM.
There Are a Few Ways You Can Get Paid
There are a few ways you can get paid. First, you can earn a fixed rate.
Performance-Based Pay
With a fixed rate, a brand pays you a fixed amount per video. Second, there are packages: instead of one video, a brand might pay you to make a few videos at once. Third, performance-based pay means your earnings depend on sales, conversion, or views.
This Is Where You Have to Be Careful
However, this is where you have to be careful. Some creators do recommend it if you can pump out many low-effort videos every day, but you take the risk that those videos won’t perform well. So, do your research and make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to.
Retainers
For example, don’t look at your contract, see that you’ll earn X amount per million views, and automatically assume you’ll earn that much. Fourth, and what most people aim for, are retainers. Under a retainer, a brand pays you every month to create a set number of videos.
Usage Rights
People like retainers because they make your income more predictable. However, regardless of how you earn, watch out for a second thing: usage rights. Getting paid to make a video doesn’t automatically mean a brand gets to use that video in paid ads.
Countless Horror Stories of Creators
In fact, countless creators have horror stories about getting paid once, only for the brand to use their videos in ads for years without any additional compensation.
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