Realistic Side Hustles to Make Money Online (in 2024)

Why You Need a Side Hustle

Gone are the days of simply having a 9-to-5 job that provides you with enough income to comfortably live your life. As tough as it is to admit, this is a reality that many people today face in the world, especially in the United States. Fortunately, with technology widely available to humanity, there are countless opportunities to make money online if you strategize appropriately and are willing to put in some effort.

With this in mind, in this article, we cover 4 side hustle ideas that are proven to work. The reason I know this is because I have personally followed these ideas to make thousands of dollars alongside my day job.

This list will not suggest clickbait ideas like ‘dropshipping’ but instead focuses on realistic side hustles.

What Are The Best Side Hustles?

While making millions of dollars online overnight is a dream for most people, the likelihood of this happening to you is slim. Although this is the case, there are still quite a few internet side hustles that can make you money. The following list could develop into lucrative businesses down the line, or can simply help pay for rent, travel, or weekend activities. 

1. Video Editing (For Content Creators)

According to research from Goldman Sachs, the creator economy could approach half a trillion dollars by 2027. For those unaware, the creator economy is the modern landscape in which creators utilize technology and social platforms to generate content promoting products and services. For example, you can think about a TikTok influencer creating content recommending a specific type of energy drink.

Often, this social media content (especially videos) cannot be generated without editing. This is where this first side hustle comes in. As a content creator, I know firsthand that outsourcing video editing can be one of the best decisions to free up time for other business activities.

Before finding your first client as a video editor, you will need to spend time practicing. Fortunately, with platforms like YouTube and editing presets created by others, learning to edit videos can be a relatively quick process.

Most editors use Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, or even CapCut. As a beginner, we recommend going with one of these options.

Once you are ready to find clients, I recommend creating social media pages to post samples of your edits. You can follow other video editors and request them to repost your content so more eyes see your work. From there, you may find yourself receiving messages from content creators who want to hire you as an editor.

Alternatively, you can also target specific content creators and ask them if they are interested in hiring you. Try to personalize your message or even provide a free trial edit so the creator knows they are not just another person receiving your mass email blast.

2. Start a YouTube Channel

As a fellow YouTuber, I can admit that making YouTube videos is not that difficult. To record content, you can simply use your phone to record, so long as you focus on having good lighting. In fact, many massive YouTubers started with poor-quality videos and ultimately built empires over time.

If you are willing to upgrade your video equipment, check out the complete list of tools we use here on our YouTube channel which has amassed over 1,000,000 views. Again, this is not essential when first starting.

So how do you make money from YouTube?

Below are the 3 main ways creators find themselves making money:

1. Affiliate Marketing

When a content creator asks you to click on a link in their description for something, typically this is a form of affiliate marketing. Essentially, creators can use custom URLs to drive traffic to certain websites. Once a user makes a purchase, the creator typically receives a percentage of the sale as a commission.

2. AdSense

Once you are approved to join the YouTube Partner Program, you can start making money from advertisements before or during your video. The current requirements for long-form content are:

• Get 500 subscribers with 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days
• 3,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months

Once you reach these targets, you can apply to be in the program itself. Now, keep in mind that depending on your video niche and viewer demographic, the money you earn from your views can be low. For example, many gaming channels only earn about $2 per 1,000 views, whereas a personal finance channel can earn over $20 per 1,000 views.

3. Brand Deals

This is often the most difficult way to make money but often pays the most. In this way, certain brands will reach out to you and pay you money to review or mention their products during your video. For instance, a company creating mattresses could ask you to add a 30-second segment reviewing their newest mattress in exchange for $1,000.

3. Resell Your Items

If you’re anything like me, when you look around your room you likely see appliances, electronics, clothes, and more that you haven’t touched in months. Now imagine, you could have these gone from your life in exchange for money. This is possible through reselling platforms like the below:

• Poshmark
• Depop
• Mercari
• Facebook Marketplace

To determine if something you own has any value, on most of these services you can search for a product you have and filter on ‘SOLD’. In this way, you can see prices paid by real buyers and the volume of sales over a certain period.

From here you can simply upload a few images of a product you are looking to sell, set a realistic price and buyers will start reaching out.

If you do not want to deal with shipping, then you should check out Facebook Marketplace. Through this service, I’ve sold things like skateboards from my youth, dress shoes that no longer fit, and even a few couches that I no longer needed.

Regardless of the selling platform you use, make sure to upload high-quality images with good lighting so you stand out as a reputable seller. Additionally, focus on writing helpful descriptions that include things like dimensions and comments on wear and tear. Try to anticipate any questions you would want answered as a buyer. In this way, you can get deals done faster.

This final side hustle could end up being the most lucrative of them all – and really isn’t that difficult with some practice. 

4. Build Websites

You’re likely thinking – I don’t know how to code, how could I possibly make money building websites? Well, neither did I before learning about WordPress. WordPress is an easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder that is used by over 800 million websites, including feasiblecreative.com.

You will certainly need some practice developing websites before you are ready to reach out to clients. However, as with video editing, many video tutorials on YouTube can get you up and running quickly.

To find the right clientele, I suggest drilling down into a specific niche of websites and building 3 to 5 sample websites. For example, you could focus on developing websites for breweries or landscaping companies. Generally, potential clients will trust you more if your samples are tied exactly to their business or industry.