50 Side Hustles You Can Still Do

You may not be able to go to your regular job during the COVID-19 pandemic, but you still need to pay the bills. Unemployment may help somewhat, but with the economy now in recession, adding a side hustle can give you a little extra financial security.

Some of the typical side hustles, like driving for a ridesharing company, may not seem as appealing in this time of social distancing. But there are plenty of other safe opportunities out there to help you make a little extra cash right now. Here's a look at 50 of them.

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Artists, jewelry designers, carvers, and virtually every other type of maker can sell their products for a profit online if they're interested in parting with them. You can come up with your own designs or take requests from your customers and create custom projects. Or do some of each.

You're free to set your own hours, charge whatever you like, and do as much as you want to do. You can always scout other shops selling similar products if you're just starting out and are unsure what to charge.

ALSO READ: 5 Tips for Finding a Side Hustle

School may not be normal this year, but students still need help with their homework. Tutoring is a great side hustle for those with a teaching background, but it's something anyone can get into. All you really need is a background in the subject, patience, and a willingness to help others. You can advertise your services online through your social media channels or sign up to be a tutor with an established tutoring site.

You don't have to limit yourself to core academic subjects either. If you know a foreign language or how to play a musical instrument, you can market those skills as well. Set up a video call with your students so you don't have to worry about violating social distancing guidelines.

It's up to you whether you feel comfortable exposing yourself to other people's children, but if you are, you could really help out your neighbors who may be trying to work from home or may still have to go to work during the lockdown. Check with families in your neighborhood to see if anyone could use a babysitter.

You could try this side hustle on its own or combine it with the previous one and watch a neighbor's pets and children at the same time. If you aren't comfortable helping out with children, you may feel a little safer just working with pets. Neighbors who still have to go to work during the lockdown may appreciate knowing there is someone there to look after their pet while they're gone all day.

Most people are spending more time at home these days, but if a friend or neighbor has to leave for an extended period, perhaps to tend to a sick family member elsewhere, they may be willing to pay someone to stay at their home, water their plants, and make sure nothing happens while they're away. If you're worried about coming in contact with COVID-19, you can always clean the house as soon as you arrive.

ALSO READ: Should You Take On a Side Hustle?

Some business executives have too much on their plates to handle it all on their own, so they hire assistants. These assistants used to have to go into the office like everyone else, but these days, you can do most tasks online or over the phone, which means you don't have to live anywhere near the person you're assisting.

If you have experience working as an assistant, see if you can find some virtual assisting jobs during the pandemic. You may even be able to assist more than one person if the work isn't too demanding.

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We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Freelance writing is a side hustle that could easily turn into a full-time job if you want it to, though it may take a little time to establish yourself. Think about what you know best and what you may want to write about. You'll typically get more money if you can write about a niche topic, so leveraging any specialized knowledge you have will definitely help you along.

There are several online job sites that can help you find opportunities. Some may ask for writing samples, preferably from published articles, so have these ready so you can show off your skills.

While there are website builder tools out there, many companies want something a little more personalized for their business. If they lack the skill or the time to build their website themselves, they may outsource that work to someone else. That could be you if you have a little bit of skill with website design.

Reach out to local businesses and your social network to see if anyone knows of a company or an individual that needs help building their website. You can also try looking for these jobs online. Make sure you only take jobs that are within your skill level if you want to keep your clients happy.

Those who own an extra property can rent it out for extra cash. This could be to a long-term renter or to people passing through town, depending on where you live and which type of business interests you most.

This could be an especially lucrative side hustle if you don't have a mortgage on the property, but keep in mind that as the landlord, you're responsible for fixing anything that breaks, so you will need to keep some extra cash in reserve to handle these emergencies.

It's pretty easy to start blogging, but it takes a while to build this into a successful business. If you're able to, it can generate thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars per month. When deciding what to blog about, think about what you know best and what skills you have that others may want to learn. Your readers will visit your blog for your insights, so you should try to make them unique.

You'll have to think about how to monetize your blog as well. You could recommend products and earn money through affiliate linking or you could sell your own line of courses, e-books, or memorabilia. Go with what makes the most sense for your blog.

ALSO READ: Is Your Side Hustle Worth It?

Another option for those wanting to share their knowledge is to create an online course. You can sell this through a blog or on an e-learning platform. There's a lot of work involved in creating the course and then you may want to market it, but once it's out there, it can keep making money for you, even while you're sleeping or when you return to your regular job.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Going for a walk is a nice way to get out of the house without breaking social distancing restrictions. If you'd like to earn a little money on the side, you could try taking a dog or two with you. You could advertise your services to your friends and neighbors yourself or sign up with a dog walking app that can help match you with interested pet owners in your area.

Companies will sometimes run focus groups before releasing a new product or marketing strategy to get a feel for what customers will think. You can create an online profile with a focus group company and it will reach out to you with opportunities it thinks you may be a good fit for. Then, you'll have to take a survey to see if you match the demographic the company is looking for. If you do, you'll get paid to spend an hour or two giving your opinion. This can be done entirely online.

Focus groups pay well for the work involved, but they can be competitive and most focus group companies won't allow you to participate in more than one or two per year. Still, it's a nice way to score a quick $100 or so if you get a chance to do one.

Cleanliness is more of a focus these days than normal as people try to avoid contact with COVID-19. This makes cleaning services in higher demand than normal. If you wear a mask and gloves while you clean, you can reduce your risk of exposure while still taking advantage of this profitable side hustle right now. See what opportunities are out there in your area. You could clean residential homes, office buildings, or both.

Unfortunately, some businesses are going to close for good due to the extended lack of income, which means their employees will have to dust off their resumes and compete against all the other newly unemployed to find work. A strong resume can help you stand out in the sea of applications, but resume writing isn't something that comes naturally to everyone. If it's something you're good at, you could volunteer to assist people with their resumes and cover letters to help them land the jobs they want.

ALSO READ: 3 Mistakes to Avoid With a Side Hustle

There are several websites that enable you to upload your own t-shirt designs. When someone purchases that shirt, you get a cut of the sales. If you own or are willing to invest in the equipment necessary to print your own t-shirts, you could take home an even larger share of the profits. It's a creative side hustle idea for the artistically inclined and it doesn't have to require a lot of work on your part.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Yes, some people actually get paid to play video games online while others watch them. It's not the easiest thing to make a living at because you have to attract a pretty large following before brands will start paying you, but if it's something you do for fun already, it's worth a try. For some, this even turns into a full-time job.

Love to bake? You may be able to earn a little extra cash by selling some of your baked goods right out of your home. You could offer curbside pick-up if you don't want to come into close contact with your customers. Just make sure you check your local ordinances to see if there are any rules about running this kind of business out of your home.

Another way to monetize your knowledge is to offer consulting services to individuals and businesses in your area of expertise. This could be anything from search engine optimization (SEO) to fashion. This type of side hustle pairs well with some of the others on the list like blogging and creating your own online course. You could offer private consulting sessions for those who want more personalized advice.

Some websites don't do much more than exist. They may have some content, but they're not making any money for the owner. You may be able to purchase this domain for a low price and then improve its content and begin monetizing it until it becomes a profitable website. You can hold onto it or sell it to someone else at that point if you don't feel like maintaining it.

ALSO READ: 7 Good Reasons to Get Yourself a Side Hustle

Peer-to-peer lending sites enable those in need of money to borrow from other people instead of from a bank. As a lender, you pledge a small amount of money to one or more of these loans and the borrower will hopefully pay it back with interest. It's not the best side hustle for everyone, though, because it means giving up some money now and there is the possibility you may not get it all back if the borrower defaults on their loan.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Data entry is a pretty easy side hustle that anyone with a computer can do. It's easy to do while you're listening to music or watching TV, as long as you're careful not to make mistakes. You won't make a lot of money doing this, but if you just want a little extra cash, it's an idea worth considering.

Building smartphone apps and software takes a lot of skill and it's something that most people will pay top dollar for. See what opportunities are out there for the programming languages that you know best. If you have an idea for software or an app, you could always work on creating that and selling it yourself too. You don't always have to work for others.

You may have heard that making money from online surveys is a scam. It's not, but it's easy to see why people are often disappointed by them. You can make money this way, but because it's such an easy task that anyone can do, you don't usually make a lot of money at it. But if you just want an easy, quick task, it could be worth a try.

Some video game companies, software manufacturers, and businesses will hire people to test their latest products or websites before they're released to the public. The goal is to note any bugs so the company can resolve them before the launch. Do some research online to see if there are any opportunities like this in an area you're familiar with.

ALSO READ: 3 Tips for Managing Your New Side Hustle

Those fluent in more than one language can get paid to translate documents and audio clips into the other language they speak. This requires a good grounding in the grammar of both languages to ensure a polished product. You can advertise these services on your own or partner with an existing translation service.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

In normal times, event planning may involve a lot of face-to-face meetings, but you can still do a lot over the phone or over video calls. Meet with your clients to discuss their needs and then try to book venues and vendors over the phone if possible. A lot of events have been disrupted due to the pandemic, so people may need help rescheduling everything right now.

Those who can type quickly can earn money as a transcriptionist. This is where you listen to audio clips and type out the transcripts for the hearing-impaired or those who prefer to read rather than listen. There are already established transcription companies you can work with, though they may require you to prove you can transcribe a video or audio clip accurately before you can begin taking assignments.

When most people think of customer support, they think of call centers, but this isn't always how it's done these days. Some people do the job from the comfort of their own homes. If you're comfortable assisting customers over the phone, this could be a good fit for you. All types of companies need help with customer support, but some, like a lot of financial institutions, are experiencing higher-than-average call volume due to the pandemic and may be looking for some extra support.

With so many companies suddenly thrust into working remotely, there are bound to be some technical problems along the way. Not every company has someone on staff to help with these sorts of problems, so if you're tech-savvy, you could offer your assistance. There are tools that enable you to remotely access a person's computer if you don't feel comfortable meeting in person, but you'll have to discuss things with your clients to find a solution that works for everyone.

ALSO READ: 13 Hobbies You Can Turn Into a Side Hustle

My husband is pretty good with cars and friends and acquaintances occasionally pay him to take a look at their vehicles when something is wrong. If you're also handy, you could try turning this into a side hustle. You don't necessarily have to come in contact with other people. You could have them drop off the item that needs fixing and come back to pick it up when you're done.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Food delivery businesses are booming right now with so many people staying home to limit their exposure to others. Though it would require you to leave your house, you can still deliver food and have minimal contact with others. Do curbside pickup at the grocery store or restaurant you're working with and leave the items at the door of the person you're delivering to.

Before written materials are published, they're usually proofread to ensure there aren't any grammatical errors. This is a pretty simple job if you have a good grasp of the language you're working with. Editing is a little more involved and may require changes to the content or sentence structure. But you can do both easily from anywhere with a computer.

I mentioned e-books as a possible way to monetize a blog, but you can also just publish e-books on your own. They could be about anything you want -- even a fictional story. The best part about e-books is you don't need to pay to produce physical books, so it's more affordable for readers to purchase and for authors to publish. Once your book is up for sale, you just have to market it to others.

Donating plasma is always an option as a side hustle, but it's taken on a new meaning during the pandemic. Some medical organizations are encouraging survivors of COVID-19 to donate their plasma in the hopes that their antibodies will assist those who are currently battling the disease. There are certain requirements you must meet to be able to donate plasma and get paid for it, so check with the facility you're interested in working with to see if this is an option for you.

ALSO READ: How Many Americans Have a Side Hustle?

There are podcasts about just about everything under the sun. You can share your expertise, tell an interesting story, or give your point of view on the latest news. You're not going to earn money right away with a podcast because it takes time to build a following and get sponsors, but you could turn it into a full-time business if you stick with it.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Those who live in an area with a lot of pools could consider operating a part-time pool cleaning service for friends and neighbors. The job doesn't have to require any contact with other people and you can work for as many clients as you choose. Inquire with those in your area who have pools to see if they're in need of any help with pool cleaning this year.

If you know how to sew, this is a side hustle worth considering. You may have to meet with your clients at least once to figure out how you need to alter the clothing, but if you're concerned about COVID-19, you could require your clients to wear a mask. After that part is over, you can work from your home relatively independently.

Some people don't feel comfortable trimming their pet's nails or brushing their teeth and they may lack the time to groom it properly. Pet lovers with a little spare time could do this grooming work for them. You could charge a per-pet rate and take as many as you felt comfortable handling. If you don't want to leave your home, see if you can get the owners to bring their pets to you.

Virtually every company has a social media presence these days, often on multiple platforms, and it can be a lot of work to manage all of that. You may have customers reaching out to you with questions or concerns and then you'll have to advertise products and services and share company news. Some companies choose to outsource this work rather than hiring an in-house social media manager. If you already spend a lot of time on social media, this could be a good fit for you.

ALSO READ: Have a Side Hustle? Don't Make These Tax Mistakes

You may be able to find some cheap furniture at a garage sale, online, or in an antique store. You could try reselling it as-is or make some upgrades, like adding a new coat of paint or changing out handles to give it a more modern look. Then, sell your upgraded version for a higher price. Shipping could be tricky if you're dealing with large items, so have a plan for that. You could just sell locally or make your customers aware of the high shipping costs on your website.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Voice actors get paid to narrate commercials, audio books, and even video games. It takes some practice and you will likely have to purchase some specialized recording equipment so you can get a good-quality recording, but once that's done, you can work from home on your own schedule. For some people, voice acting turns into a full-time job.

Individuals with a photographer's eye can earn money by snapping stock photos and selling them on popular stock photo websites. Stock photos can be of just about anything -- household items, nature, or people to name a few. Work with what you have. You may not earn a lot of money at this right away, but if you list many photos, you should see money start to come in and this can keep earning you money even once you're back to work again.

Bookkeeping isn't the most glamorous part of running a business, but it has to be done. Companies that don't want to do this themselves may outsource this work to someone else. It involves tracking revenue and spending, both for tax reasons and so the business can see where its money is going and make changes if necessary. Some companies may also hire you to help with taxes if you have the appropriate skills for this.

If you're looking for a side hustle that enables you to get out of the house while still keeping your distance from others, consider starting a yardwork or landscaping business. You can mow lawns, dispose of weeds, rake leaves, and help plant flowers and shrubs to increase curb appeal. If you own your own home, you probably already have a lot of the equipment you need to do this.

ALSO READ: Side Hustles Are Changing How People Plan for Retirement

Microjobs are small, easy jobs that anyone can do in just a few minutes. It might be verifying a piece of data, proofreading, or categorizing an image. These jobs pay real money, but because they are so easy and so fast, you may only get a few cents per task. If you hope to make any real money at this, you'll have to invest some time into it and complete as many tasks as possible.

5 Winning Stocks Under $49
We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by the Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true. And while Amazon and Netflix have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Simply click here to learn how to get your copy of “5 Growth Stocks Under $49” for FREE for a limited time only.

Medical coding specialists don't need a medical background, though they may need to obtain a certification before a hospital will hire them. Their job is to turn a list of medical procedures, equipment, and services into codes to help the facility bill patients accurately. Some health facilities may prefer medical coders to work in house while others may allow you to work remotely, so check to see what each facility requires.

City dwellers who pay for a parking space may not be using it a lot right now because they aren't driving as much. Or maybe they never really drove because they took public transportation but their lease included a parking space. Either way, you can rent out that space to others and pocket that extra money every month to put toward your rent or whatever you'd like.

When the pandemic broke out, soaps and hand sanitizers became scarce as the demand for these products suddenly surged. But you don't have to wait for the store to start stocking them again to get a hold of them. You can make your own soaps and hand sanitizers from home and you could sell some of these to others if you're interested. Look up some recipes online to get started.

Window washing is another one of those unexciting jobs that needs to be done every once and a while. You can turn it to your advantage by offering to help out others in your community with this task if they don't want to do it themselves. You can just focus on the outside of the home if you're not comfortable going inside because of the pandemic.

ALSO READ: How to Turn Your Side Hustle Into a Business

There are a lot of side hustle ideas here and some of them don't take up a lot of time. You can try out a few and see which ones you like the best. Just make sure you track how much money you make from all of your side hustles because you'll need to report this information to the government when you do your taxes this year.

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