Best Side Hustles For 2021

Looking for the best side hustle to earn some extra cash this year?

Finding the perfect gig can help you with extra income to pay down debt, stash cash toward your dream vacation and even pay for some essentials. Whether you prefer to stay at home or don’t mind being out and about, there’s probably a side hustle out there for you.

Let’s hustle and get to it!

Picking a side hustle isn’t always about selecting the highest-paying job. The perfect fit for you will depend on your personality (passion project!), the time you can commit and whether you’re willing - or able - to leave your home.

A good side hustle fits into your day-to-day lifestyle. If you only have 5 hours a week and you need to stay at home watching your children, gigs like being a rideshare drive won’t likely work. But if you commute often for work and can pick up a few people on Scope on your route, then that could be a great fit.

Another factor to consider is how much extra money you want to make, and whether you can put some upfront work into it. For example, there are lots of passive income opportunities like real estate investing and blogging. Keep in mind both of these options require that you put in a significant amount of upfront work – research and implementation – before you’ll be able to see tangible results.

Freelance Writing

Many websites hire freelance writers to help with projects from blog writing, researched reports, ebooks and even print articles. Rates can range per article depending on who’s doing the hiring, but you can expect to earn a healthy side income.

To start, you’ll probably need a professional-looking email address and a portfolio of work. Some have seen success with a limited writing portfolio but leverage their industry experience to get a foot in the door.

Proofreading Or Editing

Hate writing but want to help people improve theirs? Lots of business owners and large companies look for help with things like fact-checking articles, editing and proofreading. This is much the same as freelance writing, but you include pieces you’ve helped to edit in your portfolio.

Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is someone who helps online business owners with various tasks, including scheduling appointments, formatting websites, creating images, managing an online team, organizing incoming emails and more. Most virtual assistants work hourly, with higher prices for more specialized tasks.

Online Marketing Constant

If you do something similar to any type of marketing in your day job, you can try doing it on a freelance basis – just make sure it won’t conflict with your 9-to-5. Many online businesses look for help with marketing tasks such as email automation, Facebook ads and more. Plus, if you do a good job, your current clients could refer you to others.

Website Builder

Would you consider yourself tech-savvy? Lots of bloggers and other online businesses want to hire designers and developers to tweak their websites. In some cases, clients may need work on an ongoing basis.

Sell Physical Goods

Some people have success purchasing items at thrift stores or other places at a steep discount and flip them for profit on sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Otherwise you can consider creating your own products and selling them on websites like Etsy.

Some of the following jobs could earn you more money than those that allow you to stay in your house, and can actually turn a profit much quicker.

Deliver Food

There are plenty of services that need drivers to deliver restaurant food and groceries. Places like Shipt and UberEats are looking for drivers on an ongoing basis – you can set your own schedule.

Rideshare Services

Although it’s gotten more competitive with more drivers in recent years, working through apps like Uber or Lyft can still earn you a decent hourly rate. Driving during peak hours and late at night can even net you a higher hourly income. It’s also flexible enough where you can work your own hours as soon as you complete necessary training and verification processes. 

Tutoring

Plenty of parents need help for their children, including high school students who are studying for their upcoming SATs. If you have plenty of knowledge in certain subject areas, consider advertising around your neighborhood to see who needs your expertise.

Babysitting

Help parents out by watching their children during date nights or other occasions. For anyone up for it, consider watching more than one child to bump up the hourly rate. To find gigs, ask around your neighborhood or create an online profile on websites like Care.com.

Pet Walking Or Sitting

Pet lovers can earn money walking dogs or by pet sitting. Most pet owners will want to vet your credentials (as in make sure you’re someone who’s trustworthy) or visit your place before signing up for your pet-boarding services. There are websites that can help list your profile for a small fee, or you can ask friends and family members for referrals.

Now that you know ways to make money on the side, you can start exploring what will work best for the kind of income you want with the available time you have. To keep from feeling overwhelmed, it’s probably best to start with one or two jobs to see what you like and go from there. Remember if you're working for yourself, qualifying for loans might look a little different. Luckily Rocket Loans has you covered with a whole Learning Center of Resources.

And as you’re earning extra cash, you’ll want to be a better steward of your money. Visit our Learning Center to find out how to use your earnings toward the things that matter most to you and your family.