Call it what you will: side job, side hustle or freelance gig is when a working arrangement is limited to a certain amount of time and you are not committed to working for one specific employer.
Other words associated with 'Gig Work' are freelancing, self-employment, consultants, independent contractors, seasonal or interim.
Click here to learn more about temporary work and here for freelancers. Make sure you understand the pros, cons and legal aspects of freelancing as it can affect your taxes and tax status.
The UBER Game: Can you make it as a full time Uber Driver?
Influenc'd: Can you make it as a full time Influencer?
Affiliate Marketing
What is it?
You earn a commission for marketing another person's or company's products on your website (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you already have a website or are starting one.
Companies
Adbloom
Amazon Associate
CJ Affiliate
Flex Offer
Impact Radius
MaxBounty
ShareASale
Pro Tip: Make sure that the products fit in with your niche so that the products will resonate with your target audience.
Blogging
What is it?
A blogger writes content in the form of blog posts on their own website or on the website of a company or another person (Wikipedia).
If you have your own website, you can also earn a commission for marketing another person's or company's products on your website, make money from doing affiliate marketing, selling your own digital products, coaching or working with ad publishing companies.
Affiliate Marketing (Wikipedia)
Sell Digital Products
Sell Physical Products
Sponsored Posts (Wikipedia)
Massive Sway
Ad Revenue (Wikipedia)
1:1 and Group Coaching (Wikipedia)
Create Online Workshops
Memberships
People pay you a set price on a monthly basis for a service you offer.
Freelance Writing
Speaking at Events (Wikipedia)
Create a website:
Google Sites
Wix
Wordpress
Brand Ambassador
What is it?
Brand Ambassadors are similar to event staff and are hired by different companies to work at events such as local radio station events (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you are outgoing and enjoying interacting with people.
ATN Event Staffing
Encore Nationwide
NeoSol
Facebook brand ambassador groups in your area
Car Gigs
What is it?
If you have a car you can use it to provide different services like dropping off food, help people move, driving people around or renting it out.
Deliver Food
DoorDash
Uber Eats
Deliver Groceries
Instacart
Thumbtack
Help People Move/Errands
NextDoor
TaskRabbit
Thumbtack
On Demand Chauffeur
Lyft
Uber
Rent Out Your Car
Getaround
HyreCar
Turo
Wrap your car in advertising
Carvertise
Wrapify
Data Entry
What is it?
Data entry is entering or updating data into a computer system (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you enjoy typing.
AccuTran Global
Appen
Axion Data Entry Services
Birch Creek Communications
Fiverr
FlexJobs
Lionbridge
Microworkers
SigTrack
Upwork
Working Solutions
Focus Groups
What is it?
A focus group is a group interview involving a small number of demographically similar people or participants who have other common traits/experiences. Their reactions to specific researcher/evaluator-posed questions are studied (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you match the criteria requested.
20/20 Panel
Field Work
Focusgroup.com
Focus Scope
Mindswarms
Respondent
User Interviews
Vindale Research
Watch Lab
Graphic Designing
What is it?
Graphic designing involves creating visual content to help communicate a specific message (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you enjoy being creative, know and have access to design software, have an eye for design and can manage multiple projects at once.
Fiverr
Gumroad
Guru
PeoplePerHour
Thumbtack
Toptal
Upwork
House Sitting
What is it?
Someone who leaves their home for a period of time in the care of someone else. (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you don't mind sleeping in a strangers' home and can do basic house chores like water plants and picking up mail, etc.
Care.com
Caretaker Gazette
House Carers
House Sitter America
Luxury House Sitting
Mind My House
Nomador
Rover
Thumbtack
Reading
What is it?
Get paid to read (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you enjoy reading.
Any Subject Books
BookBrowse
Booklist Publications
getAbstract
Instaread
Kirkus Media
New Pages
Online Book Club
Reedsy Discovery
U.S. Review of Books
Upwork
Women’s Review of Books
Writerful Books
September 24, 2021 | Get Paid to Read (Reedsy)
Music Production
What is it?
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you are a songwriter or music producer, you can write and produce songs for other artists. You can also collect royalties for the songs you have produced and written.
Fiverr
SoundBetter.com
Music-jobs.com
Music Reviewer
What is it?
Also known as a music critic, a music reviewer reviews music. (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you enjoy music, writing and communicating with others.
SliceThePie
Research.fm
Mystery Shopping
What is it?
Mystery shopping is a method of market research. A company could request a shop to review the quality of their sales and services, employee job performance, legal compliance or to review a competitor. (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you can follow directions and can submit requirements by a specific deadline.
About Face
Field Agent
Gig Walk
Mobee
Online Surveys
What is it?
Online surveys is a method of market research. Much like a focus group, participants must fit the requirements of the researching company. (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you can follow directions and can meet their requirements.
Eureka
Google Opinion Rewards
Inbox Dollars
Ipsos
I-Say
KashKick
Life Points
Mindswarms
Opinion Outpost
Pinecone Research
Survey Junkie
Surveys On The Go
Swagbucks
Photography
What is it?
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you enjoy taking pictures, have a camera and have an eye for composition.
Foap
SmugMug Pro
Snapwire
Product Tester
What is it?
Product testing, also called consumer testing, is a process of measuring the properties or performance of products (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you’re good at spotting website errors, enjoy trying new products and services, or don’t mind sharing your honest reviews.
Amazon Vine
Daily Goodie Box
Homeschool
Home Tester Club
Influenster
JJ Friends and Neighbors
MomSelect
PinchMe
The Pink Panel
Smiley360
12 Ways to Get Paid to Test Products (Dollar Sprout)
Sell Items
Sell Physical Products
Flip retail products: find product on sale in local stores then sell them for profit on platforms like eBay or Amazon.
Any
Facebook Marketplace
Mercari
OfferUp
Books
Bookscounter
Clothes
Poshmark
Vinted
Electronics
Decluttr
Giftcards
Gift Card Granny
Card Cash
Game Flip
Gift Cash
Raise
Kid Toys
Kidizen
Recrib
Maker
Etsy
Amazon
Niche Facebook groups
Sell Digital Products
Etsy
Fiverr
Upwork
Social Media Manager
What is it?
Clients employ someone to manage their social media platforms where you would schedule posts and grow their brand through advertising, designing logos and more. (Wikipedia)
You may want to consider this if you enjoy creating content and/or posting to social media.
99 Dollar Social
Indeed.com
The Mod Squad
The Social Element
Teach
What is it?
Teaching is the process of transferring knowledge or skills to another. (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you are patient and enjoy sharing knowledge about something you're well versed in with others.
Outschool
Have an idea for a class? Test it out by creating a class and teaching it on the @outschool platform. The average Outschool educator earns $50/hour teaching classes.
TakeLessons (music)
Tutoring
What is it?
Someone who can provide academic assistance to a student who is struggling in a certain subject or skill (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you have patience, enjoy teaching others and you're knowledge in at least one subject.
Brainfuse
Chegg Tutors
Kaplan
Preply
Prepnow Tutoring
Skooli
Studypool
Take Lessons
Tutor.com
Tutorme.com
Tutor Vista
VIPKid
WyzAnt
Website Tester
What is it?
Web testing is software testing that focuses on web applications. Complete testing of a web-based system is completed before going live to help address issues before the system is revealed to the public (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you have familiarity with content inventory, experience testing, and Java.
Enrollapp
IntelliZoom
User Testing
On the Usertesting website, you can get paid to critique websites for businesses and brands. You can earn $4 for every 5-minute test, $10 for every 20-minute test, and between $30 to $120 for live interviews.
Writing/Proofreading
What is Proofreading?
Reading material to find and correct errors prior to publication (Wikipedia).
You may want to consider this if you have a good eye for detail and enjoy reading and writing.
3 Play Media
Bestpickist
Blogging Pro
Catus Global
Contena
Course Hero
Doctor of Credits
Edit 911
Editfast
English Trackers
Fiverr
Flex Jobs
Freelanced
Freelancer.com
GoTranscript
Gramlee
Her View From Home
HowlRound
Hubpages
Knowledge Nut
Lionbridge
Listverese
Moneny Pantry
People Per Hour
Polish Paper
Problogger
Proofreading Pal
Proofreading Services
Scribbr
Scribe Media
Scribendi
Smart Brief
TranscribeMe
Upwork
Verblio
Words R U
Wordvice
Wordy
Worthpoint
Writer Relief
Virtual Assistant
What is it?
Someone who specializes in administrative services from a remote location (Wikipedia). You may be asked to make phone calls, travel arrangement, manage email, calendars and schedule appointments.
You may want to consider this if you are organized, detail oriented, have good time management skills and can follow instructions.
24/7 Virtual Assistants
99 Dollar Social
Belay Solutions
Boldly
Delegated
Fancy Hands
Fiverr
FlexJobs
Freelancer
Indeed
Task Rabbit
Time etc
Upwork
Vicky Virtual
Virtual Assist USA
We Work Remotely
Zirtual
Zip Recruiter
Voice Overs
What is it?
Someone who presents a character or provides information to an audience (Wikipedia). Voice actors are used in every industry.
You may want to consider this if you have a unique voice or can present a range of tones and voices.
Envato Studio
Fiverr
Indeed
Voices
Voice123
Articles
20 Popular Voice Over Jobs Online (hearmefolks.com)
Adjunct Teaching
AirBnB Hosting
Bookkeeping
Chat Rep
Chat Shop
Dropshipping
Event Planner
Facebook Ad Manager
Baked Goods
Make-up Consulting
Movie/TV Extra
Pet Sitting
Rover
Resume Writing
Substitute Teaching
Website Creation/Editing
Video Creator/Editor
Foap
Shop and get cash back with these apps:
Acorns
Bookscouter
Fetch Rewards App
Field Agent
Ibotta
IPoll
Rakuten
Swagbucks
Sweatcoin
Toluna
Usertesting
How do I start a side hustle?
Write down all of your interests, skills, talents and what people come to you for help.
Match a gig that aligns with your skills and talents listed above.
Pick one that is the best fit for you.
Do research on your side hustle.
Find others who have done it and take note of their successes.
Choose a target audience.
Create a freebie that helps solve a problem to help grow your audience.
Checklists
Guides
Mini Tutorials
Documents
5 Common Mistake People Make When Starting a Side Hustle
Not learning about self-employement tax obligations
When you first start a side hustle, take some time to research how self-employed taxes work and how much you should take out of your checks each time you get paid. If you don't pay your quarterly taxes, you can get hit with a huge tax bill at the end of the year.
It's also a great idea to learn about the tax deductions and the benefits you can obtain while being self-employed.
Not researching your industry
Before you get started, it's a great idea to research the side hustle you are interest in to find success stories and to learn about how to get started in that industry.
Find the pros and cons of the side hustle to see if it's a good fit for you.
Not charging what you're worth
When some entrepreneurs start their side hustle, they charge way less than what they are worth because they are afraid people won't purchase their products and services. In the long run, you might end up doing way more work and not getting paid enough. So review your rates to make sure you are getting paid fairly.
Not separating your personal and side hustle finances
Another huge mistake a lot of entrepreneurs do at first is not separating their personal and business checking and savings accounts. To stay ahead, create a separate checking and savings account for your side hustle business and for your personal funds. This will help make you and your accountant's life much easier.
Not networking with others in your industry
You don't have to do this alone. Make sure to network with different people in your industry to see what they do and how you both can potentially help each other. Networking can help start new business relationships which could help run your side hustle more smoothly in the long run.
FlexJobs is a the comprehensive job lister for remote and freelance part-time and full-time jobs
Linkedin ProFinder Linkedin's dive into freelanceHow a Second Job or Side Gig Affects Your Taxes (Jackson Hewitt)
Here's how to determine if you are self-employed, what you can deduct from your self-employment income, and how self-employment affects your tax return. (Jackson Hewitt)
How to Make a Brand (Virgil Abloh)
March 15, 2022 | Why there’s never been a better time to start a business (axios)
Advertising: The activity of attracting public attention to a product or business through paid announcements in print, broadcast, or electronic media. Not to be confused with marketing or public relations.
Acquisition: Taking ownership of another business. Frequently used in conjunction with the word merger, as in mergers and acquisitions or M&As.
Angel Investors: Individuals who back emerging entrepreneurial ventures, usually as a bridge to get from the self-funded stage to the level of business that would both need and attract venture capital. Funding level ranges anywhere from $50,000 to $2 million.
Appraisal: A formal estimate of the value of something on the open market. It also describes how the estimation and conclusion of value was made.
Barter: Direct exchange of merchandise and/or services between businesses.
Business Incubator: Provides workspace, coaching, and support services to entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses.
Business Plan will help you define your business objectives and help give you an understanding of how you will achieve your monthly and yearly goals.
Business Valuation: An estimate of the worth of a business entity and its assets.
Copyright: A form of protection for published and unpublished literary, scientific, and artistic works that have been fixed in a tangible or material form.
Corporation: A body that is granted a charter recognizing it as a separate legal entity having its own rights, privileges, and liabilities distinct from those of its members. The primary advantage of a corporation is that it shields its investors from personal liability for any losses a corporation may experience.
Downline: In a multilevel marketing business, the collection of all people signed up underneath an individual on which the individual receives payment on their sales.
Due Diligence: The inquiry process of obtaining sufficient and accurate disclosure of all material documents and other information which may influence the outcome of the transaction.
Entrepreneur: A person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture.
General Partnership: An organizational structure in which each general partner shares in the administration, profits, and losses of the operation.
Home-Based Business: A business whose primary office is in the owner's home. The business can be any size or any type as long as the office is located in a home.
Incorporate a Legal Structure: When you are just starting out, it's a great idea to figure out what type of business you want to run. Incorporating a business can protect your personal assets. Talk with a professional about how you want to set your business up (ex: corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship).
Independent Contractor: One who practices an independent trade, business, or profession in which they offer their services to the public. The person contracting for their services must have the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result.
Intrapreneur: Someone who takes on entrepreneur-like ventures within a large corporate environment.
Joint Venture: A legal entity created by two or more businesses joining together to conduct a specific business enterprise with both parties sharing profits and losses. It differs from a strategic alliance in that there is a specific legal entity created.
Limited Liability Company (LLC): A legal entity that is not taxable itself and distributes the profits to its owners, but shields personal assets from business debt like a corporation.
Limited Partnership: A business arrangement in which the day-to-day operations are controlled by one or more general partners and funded by limited or silent partners who are legally responsible for losses based on the amount of their investment.
Line of Credit: Similar to a business loan, except that the borrower pays interest only on the amount actually used. Much like a credit card, the business makes periodic payments against the outstanding balance.
Marketing: The process of researching, promoting, selling and distributing a product or service. Marketing covers a broad range of practices, including advertising, publicity, promotion, pricing, and overall packaging of the goods or services.
Marketing Strategy: A business's overall game plan for reaching prospective consumers and turning them into customers of their products or services. A marketing strategy contains the company's value proposition, key brand messaging, data on target customer demographics, and other high-level elements.
Merger: A joining together of two previously separate corporations. A true merger in the legal sense occurs when both businesses dissolve and move their assets and liabilities into a newly created entity.
Money Management is the process of expense tracking, investing, budgeting, banking and evaluating taxes of one's money.
Multilevel Marketing (MLM): Any business in which a person receives proceeds from their own sales and from the sales made by people they have signed up, and potentially people those people have signed up, and so on.
Network Marketing: A business in which a distributor network is needed to build the business. Such businesses usually are also MLM.
Networking: Developing business contacts to form business relationships, increase your knowledge, expand your business base, or serve the community. Also used to describe linking computers systems together.
Outsourcing: Purchasing standard operational services from another business. Outsourced services typically including accounting, payroll, IT, advertising, and more.
Partnership: Two or more individuals who operate a continuing business for profit. A partnership is legally regarded as a group of individuals rather than as a single entity, and each of the partners file their share of the profits on their individual tax returns.
Patent: A property right granted to an inventor to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of the invention when the patent is granted.
Planning: A detailed method, formulated beforehand, for managing a business.
Public Relations (PR): The deliberate promotion of a specific image for a business. Often confused with publicity which is simply the materials used in a specific part of a public relations effort.
Sales: The exchange of a product or service for money. Also refers to the profession of that activity or a department within a company that performs that activity.
SCORE: Service Corps of Retired Executives provides counseling advice for small businesses.
Small Business Administration (SBA): The U.S. agency charged with "providing customer-oriented, full-service programs and accurate, timely information to the entrepreneurial community".
Sole Proprietorship: A business owned and operated by one person.
Strategic Alliance: An ongoing relationship between two businesses in which they combine efforts for a specific purpose.
Trademark: A form of legal protection for words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish goods and services. Trademarks, unlike patents, can be renewed forever as long as they are being used in business.
Venture Capital (VC): A form of financing for a company in which the business gives up partial ownership and control of the business in exchange for capital over a limited time frame, usually 3-5 years. Investments typically range from $500,000 to $5 million, although there are occasionally VC investments for as low as $50,000 or as high as $20 million.
Source: The Balance Small Business