It’s fair to say the last few years have been difficult in almost every way. Mental health has deteriorated for many, while so have people’s savings as they look to survive lost business, lack of shifts, and many things that far outweigh that.
As we approach the new year, and the world opens up once again, there are opportunities out there to make some money with some fantastic side hustles. Developing further income is a great way to support your family, save for a holiday, or just to have that little spare cash and as we move into 2024. In fact, we’re seeing more and more people than ever before expanding their output before their more traditional day jobs.
There are dozens upon dozens of ways you can make money from your skill sets and hobbies, and below we’ve highlighted our top five side hustles you could take up next year…
1. Blogging
There’s always been a space for blogging and in terms of making money from it, the opportunities continue to develop. Setting up a site is easier than ever, with professional website builder Duda one of many platforms that allow you to set them up quickly, simply, and effectively.
Of course, blogging is certainly playing the long game. Firstly, you need a USP and from there you need to build out your portfolio of content, audience, and brand. Once this is in place you’ll find advertisers and marketers coming your way asking to promote their brand and products, which is where the monetization comes in. You can earn good money through this too, to the extent where some bloggers even quit their day jobs. It takes a lot of hard work, though.
Once you’ve got to that stage and the money does come in though, it can be life-changing. Think about the fame some bloggers and YouTubers enjoy these days, opening up avenues for themselves that simply wouldn’t have been there without that starting point.
Arianna Huffington is perhaps the biggest example of this. While you may not consider The Huffington Post a blog, with it one of the most reputable sources online, it certainly started life that way. Today is a multi-million dollar business, earning around $2.3million each month, more than three times as much as other popular blogs such as TechCrunch.
2. Handicrafts
More and more people are selling arts and crafts online, and since the lockdowns around the world, the likes of eBay and the Etsy store have seen a huge increase in people registering and selling their wares.
No matter what your skill, you can look to sell your creations, whether that be face masks, paintings, pillowcases, socks, or anything else. As long as they’re well made and offer a broad appeal you can make a successful side hustle out of them.
Over the past 12 months, there has been a huge increase in all manner of crafts on sale, and as we head towards Christmas, there will also be tons of fairs, festivals, and markets to try and get a stall at and sell your handicrafts.
3. Stocks & Shares
It’s not easy, but stocks and shares can be incredibly lucrative. You need to know what you’re talking about though. Trading on the stock market can make you some serious money, but it can also lose you plenty too.
If you’re new to trading, then there are sites and apps which can help you make your first moves, while it’s always important to read up on what’s going on in various industries to get a solid assessment on where to invest.
Among the most popular apps for this include eToro, (click here to read a full review), Freetrade, and Marketwatch. There are also a number of apps you can hook up to your bank and off every payment you make, the app will round up to the nearest pound or dollar and invest the money for you. It of course won’t make you the millions you might crave, but it’s certainly the ideal start point.
From there you can start to invest a little more expertly as you learn, so whether you have plenty of knowledge or none at all, it’s still a possibility as a side hustle.
4. Freelance Writing
For anyone with excellent writing skills and a knack for language, then using those skills to become a freelance writer is always a good option. If you can build up a portfolio of your work and join a website such as Upwork or iWriter, brands will get in touch with you about various jobs which you can then complete for payment.
Many people can even make full careers from it and the types of writing can vary, from writing blog content to more technical papers, and even website content with an SEO focus.
The work can vary wildly, so there really is never a dull moment, and as your reputation builds there will likely be more work to be had, boosting the coffers even more.
One thing to note is that it’s always worth developing a portfolio of work before signing up for a website, as it will allow you to showcase your work, style, and expertise and thus make it more likely that you’ll receive work.
5. Deliveroo Rider
If you like to get on the road and out of the house, then why not pick up some shifts as a Deliveroo rider? They are always on the hunt for new riders and you can work at times to suit you, making it the ideal side hustle.
There have been many examples of people who have worked the 9 to 5 in an office before spending their evening on a bicycle, picking up some extra pocket money as well as even keeping you fit – certainly an added bonus.
The money perhaps isn’t as great as some of the others, but if you’re looking for more casual work to do for as long as you want and when you want, then this could be just the one you are looking for.
