What is A Side Hustle? The complete guide to starting your own

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You may have heard many people boasting about their ‘side hustle’ and are left wondering what they’re talking about. Well, they might be more useful than you realise.

Read on to find out precisely what a side hustle is, along with examples and how to start a side hustle today (without spending much money!).

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle is any type of work outside of your full-time job. Generally, they are freelance in nature, and are used to supplement a primary source of income.

Let’s start off by saying that a side hustle isn’t the same as a part-time job. It’s usually a passion project, where you get to determine exactly how much and how long you work on it. You usually work on a side hustle outside of your 9-to-5.

Side hustles are a smart option for those who wish to make more money on the side, or pay off any debt. They’re also a way to test your entrepreneurial skills without quitting the day job.

A side hustle is a fantastic way to explore your passions, try out new ideas and create a community of your own – while remaining in full-time employment.

Side hustle ideas that may interest you

Take a look at our list of side hustle ideas, and see which ones spark some joy.

1. Freelance writing or graphic design

2. Photography services

3. Creating an online course

4. Tutoring or mentoring

5. Cake making

6. Webinars

7. Selling your clothes

8. Making and selling crafts on Etsy

9. Babysitting

10. Dog walking or pet sitting

11. Signing up to a delivery service such as Uber Eats

12. Mystery shopping

13. Taking surveys

14. Becoming an influencer

15. Playing video games

16. Monetising a blog or a YouTube channel

17. Cleaning services

18. Gardening services

How to start a side hustle

We’ve come up with a few, simple steps to starting your own passion project and monetising it over time.

1. Look for gaps in the market and ask “what do people need?”

2. Find something you’re passionate about

3. Decide on your business objectives

4. Create a timeline of when you want to achieve them

5. Figure out your business hours - and stick to them

6. Work on your side hustle at home, not at work

7. Make time for yourself during the week to avoid burnout

What as a good side hustle?

Arguably, the best side hustles are the ones that can give you passive income every month – and most importantly, ones you are passionate about.

What are the highest paying side hustles?

Some side hustles have the ability to make you a lot of money. They are usually ones that give you a constant stream of passive income. Some examples of high paying side hustles include:

1. Investing in stocks

2. Affiliate marketing

3. Sell a digital product or online course

4. Write and sell an e-book

What side hustle can I start for free?

There are so many side hustles ideas from home that can be achieved with little to no funding. These include:

1. Teaching online

2. Dog walking

3. Selling old belongings on Ebay, Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace

4. Selling handmade crafts on Etsy

5. Blogging or writing on Medium

6. Reviewing items

Ready to start your own side hustle? For more careers advice check out our other blogs on graduate-jobs.com here.