Side hustles are great because they’re flexible and fun. You get to do something you’re good at and enjoy, and the best part is, you can make money from it. Lots of students are doing this too. In a recent survey, 36% of students said they have their own side hustle or business.
Starting a side hustle has a bunch of perks. It’s flexible, meaning you can work on it when you want. Plus, it’s all about stuff you like doing, and it can make your CV look really good. This experience will be super handy when you’re going for a job because it’ll make you stand out.
But, before you dive in, it’s good to be realistic about how much money you might make. The amount you earn will depend on what kind of side hustle you pick and how much time you put into it. Sometimes, especially at the start, you might not make any money for a while. So, having a part-time job might be a more certain way to make money.
If you’re excited to start a side hustle, there are lots of options. You can start with small projects that you do whenever you have time, or you can go for something that needs regular attention, like a small business.
Below, I’ll talk about different side hustle ideas to help you find what works for you.
Easy side hustle ideas:
1. PRODUCTS REVIEW ON YOUTUBE
Making YouTube videos can be a cool side gig. If you’re into it, reviewing stuff on your channel can be a good idea, especially if you want to make some money from it.
You can focus on things you really know and like, like ethical skincare, books, cool gadgets, and more. As your channel grows and brands notice you, they might send you products to try out and talk about in your videos.
The cool part? You might get these products for free! Plus, there’s a chance to make money from it, too.
When you chat with a brand about trying their stuff, ask if they’ll give you a special link. If your viewers use that link to buy something, you could earn a bit of cash each time.
You can also join networks to get even more of these special links. Want to know more about this? Check out our guide to affiliate marketing.
Just one thing to keep in mind: if a company pays you to talk about their stuff, make sure to let your viewers know by using #ad in your post. Transparency is key.
2. START AN E-COMMERCE SITE
Nowadays, being a social media influencer is a popular way to earn money on the side. It can take time to build your followers, but if you make it, there are some good things that come with being an influencer.
You can make money by doing things like affiliate marketing and working with brands.
Being an influencer can teach you lots of skills that could be useful for a job after college. Making online stuff, talking to your followers, and dealing with brands are all things that look great on a resume.
But remember, being an influencer means you have the power to affect how people think and act. So, it’s not just about the money. Try to be a positive role model online.
Picking a specific thing you really care about can help you stand out. For instance, if you’re into sustainable fashion, you could talk about eco-friendly clothes and give tips on thrifting. This might inspire others to join in and support ethical fashion. Making money while making a positive impact like that can make being an influencer really worthwhile.
3. WORK AS AN INFLEUENCER
Making money through social media, like Instagram or TikTok, is becoming really popular. People do this on the side, as a way to earn extra cash. It’s not easy to get lots of people to follow you, but if you succeed, being an influencer has some cool advantages.
You can make money in a few ways on social media. One is through affiliate marketing, where you sell stuff for companies. Another way is by making deals with brands.
Being an influencer can teach you useful skills. These skills could be super helpful when you’re looking for a job after finishing school. Things like creating content online, talking with your followers, and working with companies will look great on your resume.
Remember, being an influencer means you might actually influence how people think and act. So, it’s not just about making cash. Try to be a positive role model online.
It’s a good idea to find something you really care about and focus on that. Let’s say you’re into eco-friendly fashion. You could talk about brands that make clothes in a more Earth-friendly way and share tips about shopping sustainably. This could inspire others to stop buying fast fashion and join you in supporting ethical fashion. Doing something you love and making a good impact can make being an influencer really worthwhile.
4. WORK AT EVENTS WITH FLEXIBLE BASIS
Working at festivals, concerts, or talks now and then can be awesome for students. It’s a cool way to earn cash and have an amazing time. If you want to find these types of jobs, there are websites that focus on event jobs. Flair is a good one to check out.
Especially if you want a summer gig, festivals could be a good bet. Do some digging to see if they’re hiring.
At festivals, you can get paid for your work. But here’s a neat option: you can also volunteer through groups like Oxfam and snag a free ticket for the event. Volunteering might mean helping people find their way around or checking wristbands.
If you were planning to go to the festival anyhow, working or volunteering there could save you money or even make you some extra cash. It’s a win-win!
5. GET FREELANCE GIGS ON FIVERR
Fiverr is like a treasure trove for extra jobs. It’s packed with all sorts of freelance jobs, so you’ll definitely find something that fits what you like doing and what you’re good at.
- There are lots of different Fiverr jobs you can do. Some are:
- Taking pictures
- Checking writing for mistakes
- Making cool graphics
- Creating art and drawings
- Working on social media stuff.
You might even think about being a coach for people using dating apps or giving your opinions on new music. There are more ideas in our guide to simple Fiverr jobs.
6. RENT OUT YOUR CLOTHES
If there are clothes in your closet that you hardly ever wear, there are a few things you can do with them. Selling them online is one option, but it’s not the only one.
Another way to make money from your clothes is by renting them out. This lets you keep hold of outfits you might wear again someday, and at the same time, you can earn some cash from them.
It’s a good side job, especially for clothes you bought for special times like fancy university events or job interviews. This way, you can keep these outfits for when you might need them in the future, and in the meantime, they won’t just sit there gathering dust.
If you want to rent out your clothes, you can check out a site called Swished. But it’s important to know about the costs before you start.
At the moment, Swished has some fees you should know about. They charge up to 10% plus 50p of the rental price you set for the item. This includes the postage costs paid by the person renting the clothes. There are also fees of 1.5% plus 20p from their payment provider, Stripe.
7. WORK AS A RIDER OR STORE ASSISTANT FOR GETIR
Working for a food delivery company like Getir can be done in two main ways: as a store assistant or as a rider. Both these options are pretty flexible, making them great for students looking for extra work.
To be a rider using an e-scooter, you need to be 21 or older. This means not everyone might qualify, especially if you’re younger than 21. There are other rules too, like having a full driving license or a CBT certificate if you don’t have a full motorcycle license.
On the flip side, if you want to be a store assistant, you need to be 18 or older. The job mostly involves gathering and preparing orders.
There are cool things about working at Getir. You can make at least the living wage for each hour you work, get holiday pay, and even sick pay. Plus, you don’t need to worry about paying for fuel or insurance costs.
Getir is just one example. There are other companies like Uber that offer similar roles. You can find more details in our guide to being an Uber driver or deliverer.
8. SELL HANDMADE PRODUCTS ON ETSY
One of the coolest ways to turn a hobby into cash is through arts and crafts. If you’re good at things like knitting, making jewelry, or any crafty stuff, you should check out selling your handmade things on Etsy.
This kind of side job isn’t just about money. It looks fantastic on your resume. It proves you’re creative, super organized, and can motivate yourself to run a whole store on Etsy. Plus, you’ll get good at dealing with customers by answering their questions and keeping them updated about their orders.
And if your store really takes off, you could end up earning a pretty nice sum from this little gig.
9. TEACH YOUR HOBBIES ONLINE
Becoming a private tutor can be an awesome way to earn money while you’re a student. And here’s a neat twist: you don’t have to teach school stuff, you can teach what you love doing. But for this gig, you’ve got to be really good at your hobby. Like, if you want to teach piano, you’d probably need to be super skilled, maybe around grade eight level.
If you’re great at something cool like music, art, or video games, teaching that to others could be a super fun way to make some cash.
To start, check out Superprof. They’ve got tutors teaching all sorts of things, so you might find your spot there.
10. CREATE PET PORTRAITS WHILE PET-SITTING
Combining pet sitting with a pet portrait business might sound unexpected, but it’s a cool idea. It does need specific skills, though, like being good with animals and art. If you’ve got those talents, it’s a fantastic way to earn some extra cash!
But before you dive in, think about how it’ll all work.
Imagine a young, super energetic pup. Getting them to sit still for a portrait might be a big challenge. So, in that case, you’d probably stick to just pet sitting.
But, if you have extra time (and the pet owners are okay with paying for more), you could snap pics of the pet while you’re there and make the portrait later at home.
With older, calmer animals, making a portrait while looking after them would be much easier.
If this idea excites you, creating a website and sharing your pet portraits on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok could help you find interested people.
You could also promote your pet sitting and pet portrait services on sites like Fiverr.
For finding places that link pet owners with sitters, check out our guide on becoming a pet sitter.
TAXES ON SIDE HUSTLES
The money you make from a side hustle might be something the tax people are interested in. But, there’s good news! There are some rules that mean if you’re earning below a certain amount, you won’t have to pay taxes on that extra cash.
First off, there’s this thing called a trading allowance. It lets you earn up to £1,000 from doing your own thing without having to tell the tax folks about it.
But if you end up making more than that from your side hustle, then you do need to tell the tax people. You’ll have to fill out something called a self-assessment tax return. It might be a good idea to get help from an accountant for this part.
Even if you do have to tell the tax people about your earnings over £1,000, usually, you won’t actually have to pay any tax until you’re making over £12,570 in a whole year (from April to April). This is called the personal tax allowance, and it counts for all the money you make, whether it’s from a job or your side hustle.
You can check out more about this trading allowance on the government’s website. And if you want to understand more about how taxes work for people making over £12,570, our guide to understanding taxes might help.