10 Side Hustles that Require No Startup Costs

Guest post by Mike

How does 200, 400, or even 1000 dollars extra per month sound to you? Awesome right? This could help you pay down debt or your mortgage faster, invest more, or simply save for a surprise weekend getaway for you and your partner.

And with the current pandemic going on, creating that extra income stream can definitely serve you in case of temporary unemployment or job loss.

This all sounds good but where do I start Jonathan? How do I start to make that extra income?

Great questions Theodore! And guess what? It does not even have to be hard and you can start today without any upfront investment. My friend Mike from freelancernomads.com is our guest today on the blog and he will present us 10 ideas to make money without any startup costs. I am sure there is something in there for you!

10 Side Hustles that Require No Startup Costs

Whether you are saving for a nice vacation or tired of sitting in a 4×5 cubicle every day, there are many side hustles out there to earn a little more each month.

Depending on your skills and needs, you can have one or more side jobs to diversify your income streams. There are many side hustles with no startup costs and are well within your reach.

Side hustle

We have listed down ten side hustles with no upfront investment that you can take up today. Although not all of them are business-related, they can earn you a pretty good amount of cash from home.

Side Hustles With No Startup Costs

If you are looking for ways to make a few extra bucks to pay your car installments or to treat yourself in the holidays, you have hundreds of side job options. However, it can be challenging to invest in a microwave or a lawnmower when you don’t have enough disposable income.

Fortunately, we know of many side hustles with no upfront investment, so you don’t have to start by spending, but earning.

Pinterest Virtual Assistant

Do you often find yourself playing on Pinterest? If yes, you can consider becoming a Pinterest Virtual Assistant and get paid to manage Pinterest accounts. You heard it right.

You are probably familiar with Pinterest because of its recipes, style inspirations, DIYs, and more. But, what’s behind all those posts is a lot of time and effort.

pinterest VA

Although business owners know that Pinterest helps grow their business, they often don’t have time to manage their accounts. It can get pretty overwhelming to keep the public accounts active while managing other essential things alongside them.

That’s where Pinterest Virtual Assistants come in. As a PVA, you manage Pinterest business accounts and get paid for it. You can be hired by bloggers, entrepreneurs, online businesses, and alike.

Give your time and creativity into growing your account, making it your own business. It’s a great way to sell your skills as a service.

Freelance Writer

If you enjoy writing, you can make it your side job and start earning. Freelance writing is a great side hustle for people who don’t want to invest before starting. It can quickly turn into a great business for both established writers and newbies.

The best part about freelance writing is that you can set your own working hours. You can also decide how much work you want and at what rates. It is especially helpful for stay-at-home mothers who want to support their family financially while being there for them too.

You will find many people online who are looking for writers to get their work.

You can start with popular platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr, and develop your skills to increase the value of your writing services.

Consider these best freelance websites to start building your book of business.

Airbnb Hosting

If you have an extra room in your apartment or want to utilize the space while you’re off on vacation, rent it on Airbnb. Airbnb hosting is one of the many side hustles with no upfront investment. It is also a great way to meet new people from around the world.

Airbnb room

By renting your extra rooms, you can even cover the entire rent of your place. You can also co-host other Airbnbs by volunteering to maintain the property and managing the check-ins in exchange for some part of the rent. It is a great way to make money and enjoy the benefits of hosting without taking any risks.

Read more: How to reduce your Housing Costs? An Introduction to House Hacking with Andrew

Babysitting

Spending time with children can be an exciting experience, especially when you love to be around those little balls of fun. If you think you can care for children and handle them, then try babysitting as a side hustle to bring in some extra cash.

Babysitting might not fit your idea of a business-related hustle, but it can be a perfect side job, no matter what your career background is. Plus, you get loads of job security as with the growing number of babies, the demand for babysitters only increases.

On the downside, kids can be a handful, and caring for them can get stressful quickly. That’s where our next side hustle comes in.

Pet Sitting

If you are not into babysitting kids, you can try your luck with pets. Pet sitting is one of the side hustles with no startup costs; you just have to be good with pets. Pet owners usually pay you to take care of their pets while they are away from home or just want to spend some time alone.

dog sitting
Photo by Apostolos Vamvouras on Unsplash

The sound of spending time with a friendly and furry companion is pretty exciting, but you must keep in mind that pets require a lot of care. Therefore, do some research beforehand and expect an unusual behavior of the pet at your first meeting. You also want to make sure you understand the needs of the owner before taking up the job.

Dog Walking

While going through the pet sitting option, were you thinking specifically about dogs? If yes, then why not make your love for dogs a side hustle?

With this side hustle, you can enjoy the company of a furry ball of fun while staying healthy as you walk along. It is one of the best options for you if your neighbors happen to have pet dogs. That way, you can save on the traveling cost and walk to the location.

You can start by giving out flyers or creating a social media account dedicated to this purpose. Your friends and family can help you reach more people by sharing your gig. Plus, you can even walk more than one dog at a time to earn more.

DoorDash

DoorDash is an on-demand food delivery service that provides job opportunities for local drivers, or Dashers as they call it. The app lets you deliver food from restaurants in over 4000 cities across the US.

To work as a Dasher, all you need is a transportation mode – a car, a motorbike, or a bicycle – and a smartphone to start making money. You just have to pick pre-made food from restaurants and deliver it to the customer’s doorstep. It’s that simple.

food delivery
Photo by Lucian Alexe on Unsplash

With DoorDash, you will have flexible working hours, and you can choose how much you want to earn. It’s like being your own boss. As most people own a smartphone and some personal transport these days, there is no startup cost to become a Dasher.

[Jonathan: For Europe, look at Deliveroo, Foodora, Uber Eats, Takeaway.com and many more]

InstaCart

InstaCart is another delivery app that pairs you with customers who are looking to get their groceries delivered at home. You work as a personal shopper to the customers and pick items on the digital shopping list from a local grocery store. Then, deliver them to the customer’s doorstep.

House Cleaning

If you have a knack for cleanliness, you can think about offering cleaning services to families in your area. You can start by offering your services on your desired days and times such as weekend mornings.

The best thing about this job is that you don’t have to spend anything at the beginning. The cleaning supplies are usually in the client’s house.

Eventually, you can grow your side job into a profitable business if you like and even hire workers who will do the job for you.

Garage Sale

Do you have a store full of old things you don’t use or clothes you don’t wear anymore? If yes, it’s time to start a garage sale (or eBay sale).

Garage Sale

You can get rid of the clutter in your apartment by selling old clothes, toys, antiques, and other belongings to make some extra bucks. To hold a successful garage sale, post ads around your area and use websites like Craigslist to reach a wider audience.

[Jonathan: While this one is a temporary side activity, I love it as it combines extra income and decluttering your home]

Conclusion

Side hustles with no startup costs can help you earn a little more each month and diversify your income streams. They are an efficient way to reach your financial goals and have some entirely new experiences along the way.

While choosing a side hustle, make sure it fits your lifestyle and routine so that you are comfortable and don’t feel too caught up in work. If you pick the right side job and feel passionate about it, you can look at it as a way to relieve your work stress every day, which will make it all the more exciting.

Author Bio: Freelancer Nomads is the ultimate freelance community. We’re on a mission to help over 50 million freelancers work better and smarter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

 

I would like to thank Mike once again for giving us some side hustle ideas to start making extra income today! And when you see the list, the great thing is that anyone can do at least 6 or 7 of them. The freelance writing or the Pinterest VA side activities will require some prior knowledge and experience before you can monetize but they are also the hustles that pay more among the list. If you are looking at more ideas, here is a great list of side hustle ideas to check out as well.

If like Mike you wish to collaborate for guest posting or sponsored posts please do not hesitate to reach out by e-mail jon@joneytalks.com and of course, for everyone, do follow us on social media as well for more great content, check our FacebookInstagramTwitter, and join our e-mail list. I would love to connect with you!


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