As a serial entrepreneur and biz builder, I‘m obsessed with creative income streams. Over my 15+ year journey, I‘ve experimented with dozens of side hustles outside my 9 to 5 grind to amp up earnings. These ventures have run the gamut from online stores to thrifting apps to coaching programs and beyond.
In this post, I‘ll share my top-recommended ideas to make an extra $500+ per month in 2024. You‘ll find a blend of quick wins and longer-term investments suited for various skill sets and lifestages.
I‘ll also incorporate hard-won lessons from my entrepreneurial rollercoaster so you can shortcut struggles. Whether you‘re a newbie or seasoned vet, let‘s grow your income potential!
Online Money Makers
Thanks to tech innovation and connectivity, the internet teems with cash flow opportunities if you know where to look. With minimal startup costs, these virtual side hustles allow location flexibility too.
Freelance Writing
- Median Earnings: $500-$5,000+ per month
- Time Investment: 5-30 hrs/week
I started copywriting for blogs and brands back in my college days, charging a paltry $15 per post. These days I command 20X rates writing for fintech titans and VC firms thanks to a robust portfolio and radiant personal brand.
As I scaled rates, I also systemized my creative process via templates for client onboarding, content frameworks, and editing checklists to maintain quality at scale.
Resources
- My blueprint to landing first freelance writing jobs
- Top-paying freelance writing niches
- How I structure a 7-figure copywriting biz
Online Surveys
- Median Earnings: $50-$150 per month
- Time Investment: 1-5 hrs/week
Online surveys won‘t make you rich, but they do provide an effortless revenue stream in your downtime. I tap them when I‘d otherwise just be Netflix binging anyway for guilt-free supplementary income I can invest back into my side hustles and passion projects.
My 3 preferred survey platforms based on best payout reliability and user experience are:
- SurveyJunkie
- Swagbucks
- InboxDollars
I average around $15 per hour taking surveys while semi-distracted – not bad for "work" I can do bundled up in my PJs!
Virtual Assistant (VA)
- Median Earnings: $1,000-$3,000 per month
- Time Investment: 10-30 hrs/week
As an entrepreneurs‘ entrepreneur, my extensive skill set matches nicely with small business owners needing backend help yet struggling with fixed team overhead.
I offer adaptable and affordable "chief of staff" services so they can stay focused on critical priorities. My areas of impact include:
- Email and calendar management
- Graphic design
- Bookkeeping
- Social media upkeep
- Research projects
- Appointment scheduling
Many clients grant me exposure to intriguing business models too. It‘s a window into rising opportunity that fuels my own ventures and investments.
Resources:
Online Tutoring
- Median Earnings: $500-$2,500+ per month
- Time Investment: 5-20 hrs/week
Given today‘s hyper competitive academic and extracurricular environment, there‘s tremendous demand for seasoned tutors helping students excel in concrete ways.
My wife makes bank as college application coach charging $250 per hour to affluent families obsessed with Ivy League placements.
I coach high school debaters on argument formulation and public speaking prowess at $100 per session. We easily clear $75k+ per year combined with our still-growing roster – pretty solid side income for our teaching passions!
Pet Sitting/Dog Walking
- Median Earnings: $1,000-$5,000 per month
- Time Investment: 2-5 hrs per client per day
I‘ll be the first to admit – I‘m obsessed with animals. Like to an unhealthy degree according to my wife. I even co-founded a exotic bully breeding business in my early 20s thanks to this borderline fanaticism.
Given my enduring adoration of furry friends (and the side income), pet sitting and dog walking apps have been a no brainer way to fund my animal habits and shelter donations. Through Wag! and Rover, I schedule regular walks and drop-ins during my abundant free time for $20-50 per gig.
Between my 10 recurrent client pups and spur-of-moment booking requests, I net $2.5k+ monthly for basically just hanging with buddies! Not too shabby.
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