Negosentro.com | Top Ten Side Hustles to Start in 2020 | If you’re considering taking up a side hustle, you aren’t alone. According to a survey from Bankrate, over 44 million Americans have a side hustle that allows them to earn extra money, and 86% of these people do their side hustle at least monthly. A side hustle can be anything from freelance work to a small-time gig that you do in addition to your full-time job, and offers a change of pace, a way for you to put your talents to work, and the perk of increased income.
Think that it’s time you find a side hustle of your own? Then start with the following top 10 side hustles of 2020 to get some inspiration.
1. TaskRabbit
With TaskRabbit, you can get paid to do everything from assembling furniture to cleaning homes. If you have spare time, you can put it to use on this platform, and there’s an endless variety of available tasks.
2. Pet Sitting
If you love animals, consider starting up a pet sitting or dog walking business. You might decide to only offer dog walking services, or opt to do as much as staying in people’s homes with their pets while they’re away on trips. Platforms like Care.com and Rover.com can help you to find clients, and earning a pet CPR certification can help make you more desirable to potential clients and more competitive on these sites.
3. Uber and Lyft Driving
Thanks to platforms like Uber and Lyft, you can put your vehicle to use by giving people rides and getting paid. These platforms have recently enjoyed huge growth. Be prepared to spend some time behind the wheel with this gig, but you can also meet some interesting people in the process. Your earnings will depend on the assignments that you take, your location, and the time of day when you’re driving, but most platforms offer incentives when you drive during peak hours. Both Uber and Lyft require you to have car insurance, but they do offer supplemental insurance that covers you when your app is in use.
4. Freelancing
If you have an in-demand skill like writing, social media management, graphic design, and so on, chances are you can find work as a freelancer. Freelancing gives you the chance to take on many different types of work for different clients, so it can be a good way to keep your work fresh and interesting as you explore new and different projects. Plus, as you gain experience and the quality of your work improves, you can start to charge more for your services. There are many online hubs where you can connect with potential clients. Try Upwork and Fiverr, to start.
5. Babysitting
Are you highly responsible and do you love kids? A side hustle as a babysitter might be ideal. Platforms like SitterCity can help you to find new clients, but just putting out the word in your community can be an effective way to find gigs, too. Taking a babysitter certification course is a good way to build credibility, and following up with a CPR certification can make you more desirable to parents.
6. Blogging
Share your thoughts with the world while getting paid to do it. If you love to write, photograph, or share art that you create, then blogging might be an ideal side gig. If you monetize your blog with paid advertising or affiliate marketing, you can turn it into a profitable venture. The only downside here is that it takes time to build up an audience of readers, so be prepared to be patient in waiting for your blog to turn a profit.
7. Flipping and Selling
Have an eye for a deal? You can make money by purchasing discounted items on clearance or at yard sales or flea markets, then selling them online for a profit. Sites like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay can connect you with a wide audience of potential buyers, and you can launch this side hustle with minimal startup costs.
8. Craft and Sell on Etsy
Like the idea of selling products, but want to create your own stock? If you’re crafty and have an eye for design, you can make your own items and sell them on platforms like Etsy. Etsy’s a highly competitive site, so focus on creating a unique product that’s in keeping with popular trends, like the current farmhouse decor trend. You may need to experiment with product pricing to find the sweet spot where your products sell well.
9. Airbnb Hosting
Thanks to Airbnb, you can turn that spare bedroom into a cash-generating opportunity. If you’re willing to open up your home to visitors, you can rent out extra space a few times a year or even every weekend. And, if you know that you’re going on vacation for a week or two, consider renting your home out while you’re away. You’ll need to make sure that your homeowner’s insurance allows for Airbnb, and your exact income will depend on how often you rent out your place, whether you’re renting out a home or a room, and whether you live in a highly desirable location, like a city, where you can command higher rental prices.
10. Online Tutoring
If you’re knowledgeable in a certain academic subject, you may be able to work as an online tutor. Thanks to platforms like Chegg, you can be connected to students in need of tutoring, so a lot of the hard work of finding initial clients is done for you. This can be a great side hustle to fit in around a full-time job, since you don’t even have to leave your house for each tutoring session.
Ensuring Your Side Hustle’s Success
Most side hustles will benefit if you take the time to create a website that showcases your skills, products, or services. This website won’t only help you to land new work, but it can also help you to rank in the search engine result pages that internet users will see when looking for the types of products or services that you offer. If you take the time to incorporate search engine optimization tips into your website, you can even drive organic traffic to your site for free without relying on affiliate marketing. Plus, when you pair search engine optimization (free traffic) with search engine management (paid traffic), you can enjoy increased website hits, more potential clients, and possibly even quickly grow your side hustle.
There are many other techniques that you can use to ensure your success. Paid print advertising, direct mail advertising, and getting involved in your community to help establish awareness of your business are just a few. Backing up your efforts with a great public relations campaign can improve your site’s search engine optimization performance while also building your overall reputation.
Your side hustle can be a small gig that you enjoy doing for some extra money, or you may decide to go all-in and expand it to be as profitable as possible. Regardless of your plans for this opportunity, be sure to choose something that you’re talented in and that you enjoy doing so that your hustle will be a rewarding experience.
