Side hustle ideas for people who are already way too busy

So you’re trying to make some extra money on the side, and are looking for side hustle ideas to cash in on the entrepreneur lifestyle. Because everyone’s doing it — hustling to make a few extra bucks, trying out a couple of side gigs or work from home jobs here and there.

But if you’re already working a regular 9-to-5, aren’t you already way too busy?

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How do you find the time to do all of this hustling … and still enjoy living your life?

It’s true that a lot of side hustles focus solely on the “hustle” part. For example, you’ll find suggestions all over the internet about becoming a driver for Uber or Lyft ridesharing, and Amazon Flex or Prime Now delivery services. GrubHub and DoorDash are popular services for restaurant delivery.

But what if you don’t have the time or bandwidth to do all of that physical hustling? What if you already work a full-time job, therefore only have a few hours a week to dedicate to side gigs?

Why Some Side Hustle Ideas Just Don’t Work

Additionally, there are some people who may not have the flexibility or convenience of doing extra work outside of the home.

There could be many different reasons for this, such as:

Not having reliable transportation
Caring for children or older family members
A physical or emotional disability keeping them at home
Unpredictable or longer hours during their full-time job
No familial support for working an additional job

I’d like to play devil’s advocate to the high-powered motivational gurus who say things like “Your Only Limit is Yourself” and “If You Really Want it Badly Enough, You’ll Find a Way to Do It“.

I call total BS on that sentiment.

Because many people are over-stressed, overworked, undervalued, and underpaid.

When you’re already teetering on the edge of financial chaos, you will grasp at whatever lifeline you feel you’re capable of grabbing a hold of.

And it’s totally unhelpful for a self-proclaimed money expert to declare you’re just not working hard enough.

Seriously??

The Anti-Social Media Influencer

In addition, I’d like to throw something a little bit controversial out there. Some people (not naming any names) just don’t like … other people.

There, I said it.

Because there are those of us who just really value our “alone time”. So working 40+ hours a week for someone else, and then having to dedicate another 10-15 hours for an external side hustle — will not last very long.

You can only force yourself into uncomfortable situations for so long before you finally throw your arms up in the air and yell “Screw it!”. (or another similar phrase).

Human interaction overload can send some anti-social butterflies into an anxious tailspin.

Like, if you need me, I’ll be locked away in my bedroom for the next two days, recovering from all the “people”-ing I’ve had to do lately. Just leave a pizza and a few bottles of water by the door. And maybe a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. As long as I have my phone, my laptop, and my dogs — I’ll be pretty self-sufficient. Okay, and maybe my Kindle. That’s all I’ll really need. But don’t worry about me, because I just need to recharge for a while. Build up that outer shell of protection that’s chipped away after too many back-to-back in-person events.

The Introvert Advantage of an Online Side Hustle

If you happen to be a people person, then much of the above probably did not make a whole lot of sense.

But if you found this article because you’re looking for ways to make money online — without a lot of human interaction — then there’s a good chance you know what I’m talking about.

Because there definitely are ways to make extra money on the side, on your own terms, on a part-time basis.

And it is absolutely possible to work from home, at your own pace and on your own schedule, without having to leave the house whatsoever.

Now, don’t get me wrong — it most likely will not make you rich.

Let’s just say that again —

It is highly unlikely that you will become rich off of a part-time, online, side hustle.

Others may tell you differently. Most likely, they are trying to sell you something. But I don’t want your money.

I mean, I could definitely use some money, but it’s not yours that I’m after.

What I’d really love is for you to read my articles, and pass them along to your friends.

But I’m not selling anything. I don’t have a course, or an ebook, or online coaching sessions.

I’m sharing this information to get it out there to the people who have one (or two, or three) too many bills.

Or are strapped for cash due to an unexpected expense. Or maybe went a little too crazy this past holiday season, and are still trying to dig out from under their credit cards.

I’ve been there, you’ve been there, we’ve all been there. And if you haven’t … then you’re probably a Kardashian or something.

Side Gigs That Require a Lot of Hustle, with Little Gain

When so many online articles offer “99 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money on the Side” or “Top 25 Side Hustle Ideas to Make You Rich”, it can be utterly discouraging to find side hustle ideas that can actually work for you.

Because so many suggest ideas such as tag sale/flea market flipping, selling handcrafted products on eBay or Etsy, or selling wholesale on Amazon FBA, where you have to package and mail these items out.

Flipping rental properties, renting out your vehicle, house sitting/pet sitting, house cleaning (when our own houses may have dust bunnies that should be paying rent by now). Again, these are all notably profitable side hustle ideas. But they also require a fair amount of time, physical activity, and effort.

Side Hustle Ideas That You Can Do from Home

Okay, so if you’ve made it this far and you’re still with me, then I can only assume you’d like to hear more.

We’ve established the difference between in-home, online side hustles and external, physically busting-your-butt side hustles. Neither concept is right or wrong, it’s really just a matter of preference.

And I prefer the flexibility of working at home, according to my own schedule. Especially since my day job is also from home. If your regular 9-to-5 has you out and about, then your preference may be different.

For example, I have a friend who does amazingly well with a mystery shopping side hustle. So well, in fact, that she is currently writing a book about it. She travels around the state quite a bit, and is able to cash in by scheduling several shops back to back. That’s a perfect way to maximize efficiencies, and get the best bang for your buck (+ better gas mileage).

But if you have a situation that’s better suited for working from home, then read on for some different side hustle ideas.

Working Entirely from Home

The following side hustles can be done entirely from home, according to your schedule. While there is a certain level of effort involved — you can basically make your own hours. Plus you can do as much or as little as you’d like.

First let’s start with an obvious one, to get it out of the way —

Online Surveys

Who hasn’t tried online surveys? I think out of all the side hustle ideas out there, “taking surveys” takes the cake in terms of getting a bad rap. Online surveys have gotten some negative press over the years, simply because they’re the absolute easiest way to make a little bit of money. Emphasis on “little bit”. But … it’s still money.

Because all you have to do is provide your opinion. Something each and every one of us has. The hard part is finding a company that will pay you top dollar for the least amount of your time. And for my money, I’ll take my chances with Survey Savvy every time. Why? Because out of all the companies I’ve tried, Survey Savvy has consistently sent me the most surveys in the $1, $2, and $5 price range.

Most other companies will either give you pennies, or award points you need to accumulate & convert into a few dollars. Additionally, joining the Survey Savvy team will allow even more money-making opportunities. For example, their Cash for Junk Mail program, and also various online research communities.

IntelliZoom Panel

IntelliZoom is kind of a cross between online survey and website user testing. You’re assigned a task, which usually involves evaluating a website. All steps of the task are recorded with either screen recording software, webcam video, or both. You walk through all of the task steps, answering questions and explaining your thought process. They really want you to “Think Out Loud”, to understand the average customer mindset. And the reason I’m specifically including this company here is because the payout is $10 per study. With other online survey or web testing sites, you mightbe lucky enough to stumble across a $10 study. But it definitely isn’t something offered on a consistent basis.

Kindle Self-Publishing

Are you more of a creative type? If you love to write stories, you should consider self-publishing on Amazon. You might think getting a book published would be a complicated process, but it really isn’t.

Using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, they take care of all of the technical details. You upload your completed document, add a cover image and description, and Amazon takes care of the rest. Many people make a great side income by writing short stories. And the beauty of this is — once you have your book listed on Amazon, it will stay there for years to come, earning income with no additional work on your end.

eJury Member

If you watch prime time television, you may have seen the popular CBS show “Bull”, starring Michael Weatherly. It’s a courtroom drama about a trial-consulting firm that assembles mock juries to help predict potential trial outcomes. Sound interesting? Well, you can have the opportunity to do the same thing, entirely online.

eJury.com brings together online juries and focus groups to help attorneys develop their case strategies, based on valuable data and information that YOU provide. You can sign up to be an eJuror right on the website, and will be contacted once a qualifying case becomes available. A typical case consists of a written description — facts, diagrams, pictures, and questions. The average case study takes 35 minutes, and you are paid $5 – $10 per case, depending on length.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing, if done correctly, is pretty much a “set it and forget it”. A certain amount of work is required up front, and then after that will be totally passive income. So what exactly is affiliate marketing? It’s basically when you vouch for a product or service, recommending it to others. And then that company offers you a reward for bringing in new customers. It could be a certain dollar amount, a free product, or a free service, depending on what the company sells. And it’s something everyone can do, even if you don’t have a blog or professional online presence.

I’m sure you’ve heard of cash back or refund programs like Ebates (aka Rakuten), where you get money back from making purchases online. But did you know you can also make money as an Ebates affiliate? You sign up through their affiliate program, and are given your own personal affiliate link. Then you promote your link on social media, or by email to family and friends, and yes, even on your blog, if you have one.

And for every person who signs up through your link with a qualifying sale, you will earn $25. That’s huge!

And it’s also why sooo many people promote Ebates online. It’s a heck of a lot easier to earn $25 referrals, than to actually earn $25 cash back after making online purchases.

Fun fact: Ebates has been officially renamed/rebranded to “Rakuten“, which means “optimism” in Japanese.

Selling Photos & Stock Footage

If you were to look at your phone right now, how many photos do you think would be on there? I just looked at mine, and I have 668 photos, plus 104 videos. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could somehow make money on a few of these photos? I don’t mean by selling out your bestie, or posting a bunch of selfies online. But if you have high-quality photos (in focus, non-blurry) of outdoor scenes, foliage, nature, animals, flowers, sunsets — you name it — you can make money by selling them online.

Websites like Shutterstock, Pond5, iStock/Getty images, and Fotolia will pay you for your still pictures or stock footage (short video clips). Each company has its specific guidelines. But in general, they look for quality photos that are generic and seasonal, which others can then purchase for commercial or personal use through their website. Also, if there are people in your pics or footage, then a model release form also needs to be completed.

Merch by Amazon

One of the quickest and easiest ways to sell a physical product online is through Print on Demand. This means you provide a design, and the POD company takes care of printing, shipping, and customer support. Merch by Amazon is the platform I recommend for getting started with POD, since it’s user friendly and extremely popular. I mean, everybody has shopped on Amazon one or two times, right?

This article first appeared on Money Mix.