How to Make Money: 19 Realistic Side Hustles
Take our quiz to find the right side hustle for you. Is it freelancing? Taking surveys? One of our other 17 ideas? Answer some questions to help you decide.
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With so many side hustle possibilities, where do you even start?
If you're looking for a side hustle in 2026, you need ambition and a good idea. While we can't make you a go-getter, we can vet ways to make money online and off. We think these 19 gig ideas are the most realistic.
If you're not sure which job is right for you, answer a few questions below.
We used AI to create a quiz based on articles written by our Nerdy experts.
1. Pick up freelance work online
This is a NerdWallet fave because the potential is real for those with specialized skills and the drive to succeed.
There’s also a slew of freelance websites that allow you to put your profile and pitch in front of clients. Examples include Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com. These platforms offer opportunities to do jobs like writing, programming, design, marketing, data entry, virtual assistance and more.
You'll want to research the going rate for the kind of work you provide so you know what to charge. Some freelancers are charging $100 an hour or more for their freelance writing services.
Total time: It can take a while to get your first gig.
Setup: 24-48 hours.
How easy to start: Easy, if you have the expertise.
Age threshold: Typically 16 to 18+.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies by site.
2. Drive for Uber or Lyft
Uber and Lyft are legit side hustle options. Just remember to factor in gas and maintenance costs. You need an eligible car in good condition and must agree to a background check and a review of your driving history.
Total time: Depends on your market demand.
Setup: A few weeks.
How easy to start: Not difficult, but you'll need the right type of vehicle.
Age threshold: Varies by region from 21-25.
How fast you'll get paid: Very fast. Either instantly or within days.
3. Make deliveries for DoorDash, Amazon and more
Delivery side hustles are even more accessible than rideshare gigs. And a car isn’t always required — DoorDash let you use a bike or scooter to make deliveries in some cities, for example. However, a background check is almost always part of the deal. Learn more about how to get started with a service like Amazon Flex, Instacart or DoorDash.
Total time: Depends on your market demand.
Setup: About a week.
How easy to start: Easy, if you have dependable transportation.
Age threshold: Varies by the service, but at least 18.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies by vendor.
4. Sign up for Taskrabbit
If you're good at putting together Ikea furniture or hanging pictures, you can use an online service to get local odd jobs. Websites like Taskrabbit connect workers with people who need help with a variety of things, such as moving, cleaning, delivery and handyman services. The site also offers several virtual and online tasks, such as helping with a research project or data entry. Read about how to make money with Taskrabbit.
Total time: Local demand for your skills will determine the time you spend.
Setup: A couple of hours, then some time for approval.
How easy to start: Easy, though you'll need to do some research.
Age threshold: 18+.
How fast you'll get paid: A few days after a job.
Where input from Reddit posts is included: We used AI to sift through Reddit forums to get info on how users feel about certain side hustles. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.
5. Walk dogs/feed cats with Rover or Wag
Love animals? You can walk dogs or watch cats for pay. Services like Wag and Rover give you access to paying pet parents. You can offer overnight dog boarding, too, once you're approved to pet sit. Learn how to get set up with services like Rover and Wag.
Total time: Building a client base may take some time.
Setup: Can take a few weeks to be approved.
How easy to start: Love pets? You're good to go.
Age threshold: 18+.
How fast you'll get paid: Two days to a week.
6. Get a babysitting gig
Babysitting has been a legit side job since before the term "side hustle" existed. You can rely on word-of-mouth referrals from family and friends, and/or create a free profile on Care.com or Sittercity to expand your reach. In your profile, note any specialized skills, such as CPR certifications, to make yourself more marketable. This is one of the few really good side hustles for college students, especially.
Total time: Online setup takes minutes; neighborhood referrals may take a while.
Setup: Just minutes.
How easy to start: Getting the word out is the main thing.
Age threshold: Very young if you're using referrals. 18+ online.
How fast you'll get paid: When the parents come home.
7. Become a private tutor
Turn your math, science, foreign-language or test-prep expertise into extra money as a private tutor. You can tutor people online or in-person.
What you charge will depend on your experience, expertise and what’s in demand. To get started, see what types of tutors are needed on Craigslist, or create a profile on sites like Tutor.com or Care.com. You can also advertise your services at local schools, community centers and coffee shops.
Total time: Varies by subject matter. Some companies might require a minimum availability per week (e.g., Tutor.com requires 5 hours).
Setup: Can be a bit involved.
How easy to start: Students will have to find you, and that might take a while.
Age threshold: Any.
How fast you'll get paid: Depends on the platform; check the terms of service.
Nerdy Perspective
Is gig work worth it?
While delivering lots of meals with DoorDash, I was reminded there's no such thing as a free lunch. I tried Uber and Instacart, too. The work wasn't necessarily fun, but it was accessible and independent (no boss FTW). Signing up for each service was easy and painless ... and I made actually money. Gig work, especially that of the driving variety, can be a slog, but I learned it's a legit way to make extra bucks.

8. Sell your gently used clothes
Selling clothes is big business for side hustlers. Start offline with local consignment shops to make money quicker or use sites like ThredUp and Poshmark to find buyers from all over. When listing items online, be sure to take clear, well-lit photos of your pieces and research similar items to set competitive prices. Get tips on how to sell your clothing.
Total time: Varies by sales channel.
Setup: Easy and fast. You can simply go to a consignment shop or fill a box with clothes and send it in.
How easy to start: Easy. Cleaning out the closet may be the hardest part.
Age threshold: 13+.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies by sales channel.
9. Sell your wares on Etsy
Have a penchant for woodworking, jewelry-making, embroidery or pottery? Sell your crafts on Etsy, the go-to site for selling artisan goods. According to Etsy, the company has more than 95 million active buyers. You just need to figure out what to sell before you get started.
Total time: It might take a while for customers to find you.
Setup: Can be quite involved.
How easy to start: Leaning toward "hard" on the difficulty meter.
Age threshold: 13+.
How fast you'll get paid: Daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly, depending on your preference.

10. Rent out your car on Turo
Rent your stuff for passive income. City-dwellers often don’t use their cars for days or weeks at a time. That idle time can translate to extra money with services like Turo and Getaround, which let you rent out your car by the hour or day. You take home the majority of those earnings, while the service takes a cut for protecting your car while it’s being rented.
Total time: Demand for your car will depend on the local market.
Setup: It takes about a half hour to set up an account, assuming you have a car that qualifies (check Turo's requirements).
How easy to start: With an appropriate vehicle, it's easy.
Age threshold: 21+ with a valid driver's license for Turo; Getaround does not list an age requirement.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies by site.
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11. Earn from your YouTube channel
You may be able to make money on YouTube if your channel draws a decent audience. Ads is a one way, but it takes time. YouTube sets 1,000 subscribers as the benchmark for applying to the YouTube Partner Program if you want to place ads on your channel.
You can apply with 500 subscribers for other monetizing features like channel memberships. You can also use Google’s AdSense, the same ad platform on YouTube, to put relevant ads on your blog or website for earning potential.
Other ways to earn with a YouTube channel include using affiliate links in video descriptions and partnering with brands on paid content.
Total time: It can take several weeks to get up and running, but much longer to make money.
Setup: Fairly easy.
How easy to start: Depends on how good you are at producing interesting videos.
Age threshold: 18+.
How fast you'll get paid: Could take a long while to earn the first payout; then monthly.
12. Sell digital products on Gumroad
Do you write, design, code or have expertise in a specialized area (like nutrition or parenting). If so, try turning your passion into a digital creation. People pay for quality downloadable products like online courses, e-books (see below), cookbooks, weekly planners and even self-help guides.
You can use a site like Canva to make designs for free, and then a platform like Gumroad (or Etsy) to upload and sell your product.
Total time: It takes time to create something compelling enough to sell.
Setup: Can be quite involved depending on the digital product you create.
How easy is it to start: You can read a tutorial and start designing on a site like Canva today. Creating a Gumroad account is straightforward when you’re ready to list something.
Age threshold: 13+ on Gumroad.
How fast you'll get paid: Daily (after having earned enough to be paid at least four times), weekly, monthly or quarterly with Gumroad.
13. Self-publish an e-book
Writing a good book is tough, but the internet allows you to bring it to market yourself. If you’re a writer who can churn out pages, you can use Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing to sell your books(s) on the Kindle store. It’s free to publish a book, and you can earn up to 70% of each sale in royalties. Write your book, enter a clear description and the details to be displayed and upload your manuscript. Set the price and see if it sells.
Total time: We don’t have to tell you writing a book is a journey.
Setup: Quick and easy on KDP once the book is ready.
How easy to start: Just start writing.
Age threshold: 18+, but parents and guardians can use their accounts to sell minors’ books.
How fast you’ll get paid: Monthly. You'll need to meet a $100 threshold for wire or check payments.
14. Monetize your Twitch channel
Live-streaming game play could be a way to make money from home if you have a steady following on Twitch, the go-to site for gamers. Streamers can receive money from viewers’ virtual cheers, or “Bits,” and even get a share of subscription and ad revenue if they reach Affiliate or Partner status. Learn more about how to make money on Twitch.
Total time: This can be a long game.
Setup: Quick and easy.
How easy to start: Easy to start; takes a while to build a following.
Age threshold: 13+.
How fast you'll get paid: Monthly.
» MORE: How to make money as a kid
15. Become an Instagram influencer
Companies are using Instagram influencers — people with large, dedicated followings on the platform — to rep their products. Reaching that point may be as daunting as turning pro in a sport, though.
Just keep posting. If it goes well, you can seek brand deals through a platform like Open Influence or Aspire, or by contacting the companies you want to work with. You can also make money on TikTok this way.
Total time: You'll need to stick with it.
Setup: Quick and easy.
How easy to start: Not that easy. You can't influence without and audience.
Age threshold: 13+.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies on partnerships.
Nerdy Perspective
Should you try a "content" side hustle?
Maybe. I started a gear review channel on YouTube in 2021 and still don't have nearly enough subscribers to join the YouTube Partner Program. However, the experience of making videos helped me hone my skills in script-writing, talking on camera, editing and SEO. While I haven't made a dime — and can't even influence my cat — I had fun and got better at my day job.

16. Take legit surveys or play games for money
You can make money from home by taking online surveys, and/or playing games but don’t expect to earn a lot. These sites are made for micro-earnings, and many are more useful for earning gift cards than cash.
Swagbucks, Survey Junkie and Prolific are just a couple popular “surveys for money” sites.
Go into this with low expectations, and be OK with pocket change.
Total time: It could take a while.
Setup: Just minutes.
How easy to start: Very. Just register and begin.
Age threshold: 13 to 18+, depending on the site.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies by site.
17. Test websites and apps
Another way to make money from home is on sites like UserTesting.com. You get paid for your thoughts on how well — or not so well — certain websites work. You have to complete the application process, then you can earn money for testing certain features of websites or apps in various testing formats.
Total time: Approval can take a few days.
Setup: Less than an hour.
How easy to start: Easy, if you have the tech gear and complete a sample test.
Age threshold: 18+.
How fast you'll get paid: Usually after 14 days.
18. Sell unused gift cards
Did you know you can sell unused or partially used gift cards on a site like CardCash or GiftCash. CardCash notes it will pay you up to 92% of the card’s value, or you can trade in your card for one you’ll use. Read more about what to do with unwanted gift cards.
Total time: In minutes if your gift card is for a popular store.
Setup: Easy.
How easy to start: The more gift cards you have to sell, the better.
Age threshold: 18+.
How fast you'll get paid: A few days to about two weeks.
19. Sign up to be a mystery shopper
Businesses often want to know how they’re performing from a customer’s perspective, and will use covert shoppers to engage with their employees and report back. You can apply to be mystery shopper online via sites like IntelliShop, BestMark and Sinclair Customer Metrics. Just beware of scams and do thorough research before signing on.
Total time: Varies by site.
Setup: Applying takes little time, but approval can take a while.
How easy to start: Relatively easy if you have required transportation and tech.
Age threshold: May vary by site.
How fast you'll get paid: Varies by company.
Watch out for making money scams
Not all online opportunities are legit. Be wary of any that asks for an upfront fee, wants you to pay for certification, or requests your Social Security number or any financial information, such as your credit card number.
Still unsure if an opportunity is legit? Look for community forums, like those on Reddit, for unfiltered reviews and complaints. Also, check if the company or platform has a Better Business Bureau profile. The BBB assigns ratings based on reported complaints, business transparency and other factors.
What’s your side hustle?
Have you tried any of these ideas? Let us know how it’s going. Seriously, we want to know. Send an email to me, Tommy Tindall.
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Ways to make money
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