Some may scoff at the idea of a traditional 9-to-5 job. Others may want one but can’t get one in a job market that’s been fairly stagnant.
If you’re seeking something else, or you want to make ends meet until you find something permanent, there are plenty of opportunities to consider in 2026.
1. Participate in paid market research
How about a few extra bucks a month? Paid market research is a thing. Sites like UserTesting.com, for example, pay participants for their opinions on products, services, brands, apps and websites.
The "work" can include taking surveys for money, joining focus groups or signing up for medical research. In some cases, you get paid to test medicines or treatments.
How much you earn and how you receive it will vary — some pay participants with points that translate to cash over time, an hourly rate or in gift cards.
2. Become a virtual assistant
Individuals, groups and businesses often need help with the day-to-day. A virtual assistant handles tasks like email management, calls, bookkeeping, social media and more, all from home. You could use a platform like Taskrabbit to find work.
Virtual assistants earn $22.25 per hour on average in the U.S., according to job site Indeed.com.
MORE: Taskrabbit jobs
3. Sell or flip stuff online
Selling online is super flexible. You can use Facebook Marketplace to declutter your house for cash, or go the thrift-and-flip route. You can also launch a legit selling business on Amazon, eBay or Etsy if you get serious.
NerdWallet writer Tommy Tindall found a buyer for his sporty-but-pricey Volkswagen GTI Autobahn on Facebook Marketplace. “It wasn’t a flip, but the sale covered what I still owed on the car,” he says. “And it left me enough cash to buy a cheaper used car.”
4. Housesit
Housesitting can involve taking care of pets, watering plants, bringing in mail and packages and keeping up a home while the owners are away.
It's flexible because you set your hours, find clients and set your own rates. You can choose to house sit in your neighborhood, city or anywhere in the world, sometimes with free travel accommodations.
Check out websites like housesitter.com and housesittersamerica.com for help finding gigs (usually for a fee). Some house-sitting platforms focus on free accommodations in places where you want to travel, rather than paid gigs.
5. Write online reviews
Companies that sell a product or service may pay users for feedback and reviews. Some websites pay for reviews and surveys with cash or a check upfront. Other sites have users accumulate points per survey completed and redeem those points for cash, checks, gift cards or prizes.
You'll have to build an audience before you're able to make money with your writing. Once you do, you may be able to earn through a paid subscription on a platform like Substack.
7. Game on Twitch
Gamers can try to make money on Twitch, one of the largest livestreaming platforms, but success and earnings vary widely. First, focus on the content people want to keep watching. Then, grow your audience. That’s how you become a Twitch Affiliate and eventually a Twitch Partner.
8. Sell photography
Turn your hobby or talent into income by selling your images to stock photography websites and freelance marketplaces like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Upwork and Fiverr. You can also use your portfolio to find clients without the use of third-party platforms.
9. Pet sit
Pet sitting can be a good side hustle for college students or anyone else looking for flexible hours and rates. To get started, try an online pet-sitting marketplace like Rover or Wag. Or, find pet owners in your neighborhood and grow your clientele through referrals.
The average income for a pet sitter ranges from about $13 to $20 per hour, according to an analysis by Care.com.
10. Do freelance work
If you've got a skill or interest, such as writing, graphic design or coding, you can be a freelancer.
Try freelance websites like Fiverr and Upwork to set up a profile fast. You can also build your own website and promote your services through social media, email and word of mouth.
The average hourly pay of a freelancer is about $28, according to Indeed.com, but fees vary by profession. Learning AI tools can also help you work faster and improve your results.
11. Create a podcast
Starting a podcast can be a fun project that leads to an earning opportunity.
A 2026 survey by Edison Research found that 167 million people, 58% of Americans age 12 or older, have listened to or watched a podcast in the last month. You just have to pull a share of those listeners over to your podcast.
Monetization can be tough until you surpass at least 1,000 listeners, according to Backstage, a job platform for talent and creators. Revenue opportunities open up at around 5,000 to 10,000 listeners per episode, according to Backstage.
With that kind of audience, you can seek more sponsors and possibly offer premium content for a subscription fee.
If you have a car and like to drive, consider Uber, Lyft, DoorDash or Instacart to earn in a pinch. As long as you qualify to start, you can earn money relatively quickly.
Tindall is NerdWallet’s resident gig work tester. He’s tried DoorDash, Uber and Instacart. “It was pretty easy to sign up and start with each and I did make money,” he says. “But, it wasn’t a lot of money thanks to the learning curve (especially with Instacart) and driving expenses.”
The pay for drivers differs by location and service. Gas and other vehicle expenses will cut into earnings.
13. Tutor
If you’re sharp in a subject and a good communicator, tutoring can be a great way to make money.
You can find work online on sites like Tutor.com or Care.com, or simply network with friends and family to let people know you're available. According to Indeed, the average rate for a tutor is about $27 per hour in the U.S.
14. Rent out items
What can’t you rent out these days? Clothes, cars, homes, spare bedrooms, furniture, instruments, storage, tech equipment and more are all on the table.
Some websites cater to a specific type of rental. A platform like ShareGrid lets you rent out camera gear, for example, while Turo is for cars. Then, there's Vrbo and Airbnb for vacation homes, of course. Also check out general websites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for other categories.
15. Use cash-back apps
Spend a lot of money, make a little. There are several coupon and cash back apps that allow you to link your debit card, bank account, or Venmo and PayPal accounts and then earn back a percentage of your purchases at select retailers. Sometimes you earn points that can then be converted to cash or gift cards.
You can also check out apps that pay you for playing games.
Meet MoneyNerd, your weekly news decoder
So much news. So little time. NerdWallet's new weekly newsletter makes sense of the headlines that affect your wallet.
16. Sell your gift cards
If you've gotten gift cards you can’t use, there are options to cash them in for real money. Gift card exchange sites like CardCash may give you up to 92% of your card’s value in actual money.
17. Do a dirty job on your block
Lastly, you could get your hands dirty and make real money. Mowing lawns, detailing cars, removing snow and weeding gardens are just a few categories that continue to be seasonally in demand.
Use sites like Nextdoor or Taskrabbit to find neighbors in need of service work. Local, word-of-mouth gigs can be especially good ways to make money as a kid.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Once the money starts coming in, find a high-yield savings account to grow it, or a budgeting app to track your cash flow.
