Suppose you’re like me, then you absolutely love a good side hustle.
You love the idea of making money on the side for a BIG vacation, a getaway with your spouse, money for Christmas, or some extra spending money in your pocket.
Side hustles are also a great way to relieve financial stress, which is good for your overall health.
“Good things happen to those who hustle.”
Anais Nin
Several years ago, I started a journey to make money on the side to better support my family and give us a little extra money for special projects.
I worked a full-time job and searched for something that I could do during my time off or during the evenings at my own pace.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home dad or just a dad that’s looking for some more spending dollars, then I’ve got you covered. I did a lot of research in those days, and in this article, I am going to give you everything that I found.
Earning extra cash isn’t as hard as you think. It’s totally possible in this world of technological advances to work from home, create your own work hours, and earn some extra money.
So, before I beat this introduction to death (maybe it’s too late), let’s check out the top 10 ways a dad can make a little money on the side.
#1 – Start A Blog
As soon as I say start a blog, you automatically become defensive and think in your mind that it’s not something that you can do.
Blogging has become a genuine way of making a side income in the 2020’s, and this isn’t going away anytime soon.
A simple review blog can create a really nice side hustle, bringing in around $1000 each month or more.
With all of the information, cheap hosting packages, and YouTube videos, you don’t even need to spend a lot to get started.
Blogging is a great way of communicating your thoughts and feelings to the world, helping others make good buying decisions, and answering and solving people’s problems. It’s also a great way of building a following and becoming an influencer.
With blogging, there are several ways of monetizing your website. You can use affiliate marketing, ad revenue, or even create your very own digital product.
Most people think that blogging is way out of their league and will never work for them. This isn’t true. Anyone can be successful at blogging if they put in the effort. This is an important point that I want to focus on here. Blogging isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, it’s going to take a while to build-out that blog into a money-making business, but you can get there.
There are a few resources that I want to share with you to help you learn more about blogging and put you on the right path for success. The first is a course online, which costs about $450. This isn’t necessary, but it’s a great way to fast track your success by learning the ins and outs of blogging and give you a good foundation.
You can click here to go Wealthy Affiliate to learn more.
Another great resource is the Income School YouTube Channel here. These guys make great videos, all about building niche websites, and they walk you through the different steps to make a passive income. I have enjoyed watching their videos, and I’m sure that you will too.
Creating a profitable blog isn’t difficult and only takes a few hours every day to be successful.
Learn more by using the resources provided and start making a great side-income with blogging today.
#2 – Uber & Uber Eats
Uber is a great way to make money on the side, and now with Uber Eats, you can deliver food as well.
You’re not just limited to Uber, but it’s one the most popular apps available.
There are a few things you’ll have to know. First, you’ll have to be at least 21 years old, and you must have one year of driving experience in the United States with a valid driving license to begin.
I have never done the Uber or Uber Eats side-hustle, but I have talked to those that have, and they seem to enjoy it. The flexibility of driving an Uber is awesome, making it such a great side hustle for those who already have a full-time gig.
On Average, a Uber driver makes $50,000 a year or broken down, about $25 an hour. You don’t have to work that many hours if you’re looking for some extra money for Christmas or a little spending money on the side – a few hours a day will be fine.
According to hyrecar.com, there are some things you should know before jumping into a Uber career:
- Take a course and learn the best practices for driving a Uber. They suggest a course like maximumridesharingprofits.com to help you out.
- Use a free app called Gridewise.
- Make sure you understand your insurance.
- Drive and sell with Cargo.
- Be available for prime times.
- Stay local.
- Keep good records.
- Make sure you get plenty of rest.
- Take breaks to rest your mind.
- Always be safe.
#3 – Buy and Sell
I have done this a lot over the last few years to earn some extra money, which works well.
Buying and selling on eBay, Kijiji, or Craig’s List is simple to do and can lead to great profits if it’s done well. This is often called “flipping products.”
The point of this hustle is to purchase low and then resell at a higher amount. Find products at yard sales or on the Facebook Marketplace, and resell those products for more money.
This can make you a substantial amount of money over the period of a year. There was a time when I would purchase cell phones and resell those same phones for profit. I would find people on buy-and-sell sites that didn’t really know what their phone was worth; I would purchase it and resell it on that same site. It worked well, and I made enough money to pay for our vacation for one year.
To buy and sell products for profit, you need to know what these products are worth and what you can potentially get on the open market for them.
This means that you’ll be testing the market at the beginning, and you may even lose some money to start. You’ll get the hang of it, and you’ll start to see profit as you get a feel for it.
Just keep buying and selling, and in time you’ll see products and know exactly what they are worth.
A Healthy Dad hack is to go online to different liquidation sites and auctions and purchase products, and list them on buy-and-sell sites for profit. Works well, and you can make good money doing so.
#4 – Become a Freelancer
With freelancing, you can take your talents and share them with the world. I still do freelance work from time to time, and it’s a super good way of making some extra money.
*Here is a Healthy Dad hustle hack for all my readers.
Head over to a popular website for freelancing called Fiverr, and create a FREE account.
Next, create an account at Canva (Canva is a website that allows you to create graphics and cool designs online), click here to head over to Canva, upgrade to the PRO services, and then create products to sell on FIVERR for a profit.
People on Fiverr will order designs from you, and you can create those designs on Canva (using their awesome templates), and then resell those graphics for BIG profits.
This isn’t just a great way to make some extra money, but a cool hobby and a way to learn how to create graphics for your own website.
Another way of making money freelancing is becoming a freelance writer. You don’t have to have a degree in writing; you have to know your basics, and that’s about all. The more you write, the better you will become, and this means more money.
If you head over to Fiverr, you can find many opportunities to become a writer, voice over artist, designer, and so much more.
Create your free account on Fiverr here, and start freelancing today.
#5 – Rent Your Home or RV
If you have a basement apartment or a spare room in your home, then renting that space on AirBnB makes a lot of sense. This is a great hustle and doesn’t take a lot of your time.
The better host you are, the better reviews you’re going to get, which means more revenue. With Airbnb, you can make between $200-$500 each week, depending on how often you make the space available.
A few tips for getting the best out of your AirBnB hustle:
- Make sure you’re available during the peak seasons. During the summertime, more people are traveling and would be looking for a place to lodge.
- Keep everything neat and organized. Make available common items for travelers, and add some nice bonuses along the way.
- Be nice to people. Remember, the better host you are the more people will recommend you to others.
If Airbnb isn’t your cup of tea, then why not rent out your RV or camper. Use can use a website called Outdoorsy to bring in some extra cash.
#6 – Create and Sell on Esty
If you’re someone that enjoys making crafts, then a website like Esty is a great way of making some side money. Esty allows you to reach an international audience, and on their platform, you can sell your creations for extra money.
This side hustle allows you to make money with hobbies you are already doing.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
Maya Angelou
Another great Healthy Dad hack is to find the trending products in the world and jump on the bandwagon.
Whatever is trending in our world, use that opportunity to cash in using Esty or even eBay. Right now, we are going through a world-wide pandemic, and face masks are the trending product. You can cash-in on the face mask trend by creating your own and reselling them on these websites.
Get creative and create different designs. This isn’t just a good way of making some extra money, but a great way of taking a break from life’s pressures and doing something that you love. It’s a bonus that it can make you some money.
If you’re a creative person then using the Esty platform and selling your creations, is a perfect side hustle.
#7 – Start a YouTube Channel
Sharing your wisdom and passion with the world can be a profitable side hustle. I’ve heard of several people who have started a Youtube Channel to share their life experiences and started to make good money doing it.
Like blogging, beginning a Youtube channel allows you to create the content around the topics you want and create it on your own schedule. It gives you the freedom to be your own boss – and though you might begin with the idea, it’s only a side hustle, many times, it grows into much more than that.
You don’t need expensive equipment to begin a Youtube channel. In fact, you can use your iPhone to get started. As the channel grows, you can reinvest money into purchasing better gear.
Find something that you’re passionate about, and start filming. You’re going to get better at being on camera as you continue, so don’t sweat it.
With blogging and starting a YouTube channel, it’s not about getting cash now, but building a brand and looking down the road. As you continue to build out that brand, you’re going to see the results in time.
A YouTube channel is a great side hustle and can reap big rewards down the road, if you continue to work at it.
#8 – Sell on Amazon
This side hustle is almost the same as the “buy and sell” one I mentioned above; the big difference is you’re going to be listing the products on Amazon.
Search stores, markets and street sales for great products and sell those products on Amazon for profits – it’s that easy.
Running your very own Amazon business is totally legit, and it’s done all of the time. Amazon lets third-party sellers list their products. You send your products to Amazon, they will store your product, and when someone buys that product, Amazon will send it to the customer on your behalf.
You can also purchase products in bulk from websites like Alibaba or Aliexpress, and then list them on Amazon with a good markup.
More advanced users will dropship products from Amazon.
Dropshipping is when manufacturers ship directly to your customer after you made the purchase. It’s something like this, someone will purchase something on Amazon, and then you’ll order that product from the manufacturer’s store, and they’ll ship it right to your customer.
Dropshipping isn’t easy to master, and it normally comes with problems with product quality and shipping delays.
Yet, once you iron out all the hiccups, it can be extremely profitable.
If you’re looking at beginning a dropshipping business, I would strongly suggest investing the money and taking a course to direct you. A course will save you money down the road.
#9 – Drop-Service
In the last side hustle I talked about dropshipping, which is selling products and having the manufacturer ship directly to your customer. Another take on dropshipping is replacing the product for a service – drop-service.
This side hustle is locally selling different services such as graphic design, web design, and logo design to local companies.
I know what you’re thinking! Your thinking you have no idea how to do any of these things – I understand, and you don’t need to know.
You use Fiverr again (click here to create a FREE account on Fiverr) and pay someone else to do the work for you. You can find some great talent on Fiverr, and you don’t have to pay a lot for it.
For an example, you can have someone create a logo for you on Fiverr for only $30-$50. You can then resell that same logo for $150, and you get to keep the profit.
Call up local businesses and ask them if they would like to have their logo redesigned for a small price. After you close a deal, get all the details for the new logo and hire someone on Fiverr to get it done.
This works and can be a perfect side hustle for a dad looking for a little extra cash.
#10 – Do Micro-Jobs
The last side hustle for earning extra cash is offering your services in the community to help with micro-jobs. Many people can’t shovel their driveway or mow their lawn, and you can offer them a helping hand.
Just the other day, I read about a program offered in our city where you can help seniors shovel their driveway over the winter months, and the city will pay you $20 an hour. Now, I know it’s not your city, but these opportunities are everywhere.
Search on the internet, check out the library or call your local government to see if opportunities like this exist in your town or city.
Conclusion
A side hustle is a great way to earn extra money for your family.
They’re also a great way to take steps toward a healthier life.
Sometimes it’s not so much a side hustle as it is a hobby – and hobbies are good to rest our brains from the daily grind of life. The ones that I listed above have been tested and are 100% legit.
Choose a side hustle that works for you, and start today.
If we missed a side hustle that you’ve tried and made some extra money doing, leave it in the comments below.