If you’re looking to earn some extra cash, there are plenty of ways to do so. This list of the 7 best side hustles in the UK will help you figure out the right income source to pursue based on your interests and situation.
Whether you want to start your own business or give tutoring a try, these side hustles can add hundreds of pounds of extra money to your bank account each month!
1) Become a Freelance Writer
If you’re like most people who live with a 9-to-5 job, freelance writing can be an easy side hustle to launch and manage on your own. The idea is simple: You write for clients on subjects that are interesting to them (like How Millennials Can Save for Retirement) and earn money etc.
A lot of companies will even give you work if you set up a WordPress blog site or social media channel and show them you have your own audience (like 200,000 monthly readers).
Keep in mind though: It’s going to take time before clients come looking for you, so expect it to be at least 3-6 months before making any serious money from freelancing, but there are ways around that. Take a look at Fiverr for inspiration.
2) Teach English Online
Teaching English online is one of those side hustles that can turn into a full-time job overnight, if you know how to make it happen.
But it’s also a great way to support yourself until you do find that next full-time gig—without having to resort to living on beans or coffee alone. It’s also a way to grow your skills if you don’t have any direct experience with teaching English as a second language.
There are plenty of sites that connect teachers with foreign students; one of our favorites is iTalki, which has been around for years and offers high quality content and lessons.
3) Start an Online Business
If you want to make money on a side hustle and don’t want to deal with customer service, shipping things out and other annoying aspects of working for someone else, then starting an online business is perfect for you.
It might seem difficult at first because it probably isn’t something you’ve done before (and yes, it will take some work) but once you get going—it’s actually pretty simple.
All that matters is that your product or service provides value to people. The rest is just execution.
Many first time bloggers use a Wordpress site combined with blue host hosting as an ideal starter package that's great value for money, quite literally only a couple of pounds per month. Take a look at the latest bluehost deals on the add link below.
4) Become a Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is an online business where you can help with office administration or business tasks for people who don’t want to hire someone full-time.
Many people run their virtual assistants as their main job, so it makes a great side hustle!
5) Rent out your Car Parking Space
If you live in a busy city and don’t use your car often, you might as well be giving your parking space away for free.
What if I told you there’s an app that helps connect people with empty parking spaces to people who need one? Of course, it will cost you a bit of money up front (up to £50), but could earn you hundreds of pounds per month.
That’s not bad for having an extra part-time job and making new friends! If being social isn’t your thing, try Airbnb.
6) Start a Dropshipping Business
If you're looking for a side hustle with low startup costs, consider starting a dropshipping business.
Dropshipping is when you become a middleman between customers and suppliers. You can run it out of your home or use Spocket to sell online.
You'll still need an ecommerce platform (Spocket is great because they offer everything that comes with an ecommerce site).
In terms of starting cost, Spocket has thousands of apps and themes that make it easy to set up and customize your store.
To get started, look at all of your interests and see where there may be demand—and then set up a product feed to import those products into your store.
Dropshipping is when you become a middleman between customers and suppliers. You can run it out of your home or use Spocket to sell online.
7) Sell items on eBay/Amazon FBA
If you’re good at a skill (or enjoy a certain hobby) that people would pay to learn, you can sell your expertise through teaching/training others.
For example, if you love to paint, teach painting classes. If you are enthusiastic about fitness, teach a fitness class at a local gym or track.
Look for other groups or organizations that might want lessons on a particular subject.
These classes act as excellent ways to get your name out there and build an audience of people who know they can trust you.
Even if these opportunities don’t directly lead to sales of your products or services, it will be valuable practice and help make connections within other communities related to your business niche.
The 7 Best Side Hustles in the UK - The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a side gig to pad your income, you’ve got plenty of options. From teaching or blogging to becoming a freelance photographer, there are many ways to earn extra cash in your downtime.
While many freelancers and contract workers dream of quitting their day job and living off their side business full-time, it’s not always easy to make that leap—and that’s okay.
The most important thing is to do what works for you and grow as much as possible—even if that means staying part-time until you reach your financial goals.
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