October 11, 2023

Unique ways to make money in 2022: 6 side hustle ideas

Who says you have to work for someone else your whole life? Starting your own side hustle can be a great way to make extra money without having to put in long hours or deal with a micromanaging boss.

In today's blog post, we share six unique ideas for side hustles that require very little capital or experience to get started.

Whether you’re a busy mom or a teenager still in school, these simple ideas will help you earn extra cash on your own schedule. Take a look at this list of ideas and choose one that suits your skills and interests!

Side hustle idea 1: Create online video courses

Image source: Pat Flynn

If you have a skill or hobby you’re passionate about, you can probably create a course teaching people how to do it.

You can create your video course on platforms like Teachable, which allows you to develop a course of your choosing, sell it, and get paid.

Start by coming up with a topic for your course. Something you’re passionate about is best since you’ll be able to relate your knowledge and experience to the audience. For example, if you love animals and want to learn how to take care of them better, then you could create a course on pet care. If you love to play the guitar, make a course teaching guitar basics to beginners.

Include information about yourself and your qualifications in the course description—let potential students know why you’re an expert and how your course can help them. It’s also important to include an engaging video introducing yourself and giving the viewer a preview of what they will learn.

Pros:

  • Make it once, sell it multiple times (passive income)
  • No money required to get started
  • All digital—you can sell it to anyone on the Internet

Cons:

  • More upfront effort required
  • Need to convince people to buy your course

Side hustle idea 2: Start an ecommerce store

Image source: Snoop Slimes

Sell products online with an ecommerce store—this is one of the best ways to make money on the side because the options are truly endless. You could sell anything from handmade crafts to clothing items to food products. There’s no limit to what you can do with an ecommerce store, so there are plenty of opportunities for making money.

One of the best ways to start an ecommerce store is through a site like Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade items. You can sell anything from jewelry to clothing to home decor, setting your own prices and handling sales and shipping.

If you want to start a more traditional ecommerce store, Shopify is a great option. Shopify is an easy-to-use website builder that allows you to build your own ecommerce store without having any coding or design experience. All you have to do is choose the type of store you want to run, find suppliers for your inventory, and start marketing your products right away!

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Pros:

  • Proven business model
  • No previous experience required
  • Can be done part-time

Cons:

  • Selling a physical item requires inventory and logistics
  • May require some capital upfront

Side hustle idea 3: Own vending machines


Owning a vending machine business may seem odd, but it’s actually a viable and profitable side hustle. You can make money by selling snacks, drinks, and other items from your vending machine, all with minimal labor on your end.

Vending machines are great for small businesses because they don’t take up much space and they’re very affordable. The cost of setting up a vending machine can range from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the type of machine you buy and the condition it’s in.

The most common type of vending machine you will find on the market is a snack and soda machine, but other types of vending machine products include:

  • Hot beverages
  • Essential items
  • Laundry products

After you’ve chosen the machine itself, you’ll need to decide on the location of your vending machine. You can place it in your local neighborhood or other high-traffic areas, depending on permits and other local regulations. This side hustle requires you to travel to, restock, and empty the money from your machines. Before committing to this side hustle, you should also look into your state’s laws and ordinances when it comes to seller’s permits, licenses, and more.

Pros:

  • Good for people who aren’t great at sales or marketing
  • Requires little to no experience
  • Can be done in your spare time

Cons:

  • Need to find a good location for your machine(s)
  • Up-front costs and labor
  • Must consistently keep machines well-stocked

Side hustle idea 4: Run a photo booth business

Similar to a vending machine, a photo booth business is another great way to make money on the side. It’s easy to get started, and you can earn a lot of cash quickly without investing significant startup capital.

You can rent them out for weddings and other events, or you can even set one up in your local area and charge people to use it.

To start, you will need a photo booth, a computer, a printer, and some props. While the photo booth may be an upfront investment of a few thousand dollars, every wedding event you work could generate upwards of $650. You will typically recoup your upfront costs after a few events and can even hire other people to run the booth once you get the ball rolling!

Pros:

  • Very easy to start
  • Requires no experience
  • Becomes profitable quickly

Cons:

  • Requires time on the weekends
  • May need a truck or van to transport the equipment

Side hustle idea 5: Create content online

Image Source: Mr. Beast

There’s a lot of money to be made in online content creation. Thousands of successful careers have been built on YouTube and more recently, TikTok, or even by writing a blog! Since these platforms are free to use, there’s no risk involved.

YouTube is one of the web’s most popular destinations, and it offers numerous ways to make money. You can monetize your channel with Google AdSense or by promoting products in your videos. Once you develop a following, you can get sponsored by big-name brands like Netflix, Nike, or HBO.

TikTok, on the other hand, is the app that allows anyone to go viral. Whether you’re sharing videos about your daily life or making educational videos about a topic you’re passionate about, TikTok gives people a platform to share themselves.

In order to build an audience for your content, there are two basic steps you should take: create great content and engage your audience.

To get more followers on TikTok, you need to make sure the people who see your content want more of it. Make sure you’re posting interesting content regularly and sharing it with your audience—for more TikTok-specific tips, check out this post on how to monetize your TikTok.

In addition to any income you generate from TikTok, it will be much easier to pursue other side hustles in the future if you already have a built-in loyal fan base.

Pros:

  • No costs to get started
  • Having passionate fans makes it easier to start other business ideas
  • No risks involved

Cons:

  • Hard to get noticed at first (may require a lot of persistence)
  • You have to acquire a large following before you start making money

Side hustle idea 6: Become a social media manager

Are you always up to date on the latest trends? Do you enjoy writing Instagram captions? Do you have a talent for communicating your thoughts in a way that makes them appealing to others? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can make money on the side as a social media consultant.

In today’s world, every company needs someone familiar with social media who can communicate their message to customers and write compelling captions. Offer your services to businesses in your area, or even take on clients all over the world.

Whether you want to manage social media accounts for an individual or an entire company, this job is in high demand, and the hours can be whatever you make them. Need help getting started? Here’s our in-depth guide for how to become a social media manager!

Pros:

  • Work can be done remotely—no commute necessary
  • No formal training required
  • Flexible hours

Cons:

  • Can be difficult to find clients if you’re just starting out
  • Requires specialized knowledge and consistent work

Conclusion

Want more ideas? Check out our blog post on 10 small business ideas you can start from home!

You'll have to work hard, but if you stay dedicated and find the right niche for yourself, you will be able to create extra income in no time.

Also remember that there is no overnight success—building a business takes time and effort, no matter what your side hustle is.

Whatever path you choose, don't give up—with enough effort and persistence, your side hustle may even become your main source of income in the long run!

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