How to make extra money — 10 Side Hustle Ideas to Earn Extra
10 Proven ways to earn Extra Income
2020 Pandemic has given us many ways to make money online
Who does not like extra income? Who would not like extra income? If you are a college student, then who would not like extra pocket money? Whatever pocket money our parents give, if we get some extra money beyond that, it would be amazing. If we are working, then who would not mind extra money? If by working at night, on weekends, we get some extra money or income, then why not? This pandemic in 2020 has given us many ways to make money online. So, in this article we will list out 10 proven ways or tips which will help to generate an extra income.
1. Start a small business
The keyword is small, do not make it big, no funding , do not make it a unicorn, simple fundamental business.
There are many options these days to start a business, which does not require a lot of investment and yet can make nice, happy additional income.
For example, Cloud Kitchens, these kitchens are not for dine-in, they are only for delivery.
So, you will have to make a kitchen set-up in a small place, which by the way can be taken on rent, and then decide on the cuisine, list yourself on Zomato or Swiggy and then start selling, simple.
If you are in college, then start a small business of merchandise of t-shirts, hoodies, caps. There are so many clubs, so many festivals, do something there to earn an additonal income.
2. Graphic Designing
Content has exploded, many people are creating a lot of content on social media, and they need help.
They need graphic designers, those who can make posters, images, Instragram stories and Instagram posts for them, and if you can learn to do this, which by the way is not very difficult, then you can actually start working not just for friends but for companies as well and for a few hours, to get some really cool money as an extra income.
I am also working as freelancer for the role of Graphic Designer and I started Graphic Designing back in March-2020 and still improving my skills in this field. And today I am doing multiple internships, and all of them are paid. There is lot of demand for graphic designing internships and freelancing jobs.
3. Web Development or App Development
If you can make a website or apps then you are gold.
And the best thing is that you don’t have to make huge websites, you have to make simple template-based websites which take less time but will give a huge output.
For example, all the restaurants, spas and salons of India have a pathetic websites. I am sure that if you want you can start a small business in which you will make website for them, maybe charge them 500 a month which is nothing for these businesses.
WordPress, which is a beautiful template based platform for creating websites, become an expert at that, make a template and build it for them. Even if you get 200 customers in a month, you are basically making 50,000 in a month, not bad for just making websites.
App, nothing great, most simple app, with one-way commumication in which one can only view things.
Let’s say I am a restaurant or a spa or a salon again, which services are available, what are the timings, no reservations or booking needed, a simple interface which can tell the consumer that what services are provided by this business and businesses will pay for it.
All you have to do is be an app or web developer.
4. Web/App Building
Based on web/app development if you can make apps, not for someone else but for yourself, and for direct consumers.
Simple apps not complicated ones.
For example, an app which sends a new joke every day, that’s it, there is no dearth of jokes, you can make a big library of jokes, all you have to do is send that joke every day.
An app which shows simple ways to make Whatsapp messages, good morning messages, good night messages, happy Diwali, Eid mubarak, all of those.
Simple, straight forward app which does not do complex things, and then you are listed on the play store or the appstore for a ridiculously low price, 9 rupees, 30% of which Google or Apple will take, even if you earn 6 rupees but if you are able to be downloaded 1000 times in a month, then you will have 6000 rupees which will keep coming every month if you have a paid subscription.
Beautiful way of creating a side income with minimal effort but maximum potential.
5. Create Courses
You know something,
if you are in a college then you know something that school students want to know,
if you are working then you know something that college students wants to know.
Create courses, these courses can be about anything, not necessarily about academics or education. You can create courses on fitness, music, poetry, painting, anything of which you are an expert.
Nowadays, the best thing is that the whole world is online, everyone is comfortable to attend classes online, so, you dont have to go anywhere, there is no geographical restrictions, you can teach anyone from any city, any village, any corner of a street from anywhere, and that is powerful, it is immensely powerful.
I remember an engineering student who got a placement in a very good company and then he started running a course for first and second year college students, “How to crack this field and this company?”.
Such a simple idea, and since he had a reputation, people listened to him.
First year, second year students, captive audience.
Then you tell them, pay what you want, you dont even charge, pay as you wish, do not care because this is not a way to make massive amount of money but a way to make side money and the next thing is, there were about 200 people, on an average they paid about 50 rupees and that is 10,000 rupees, which is brilliant, right?
6. Video Editing
Video content has exploded,
people like us are making content everywhere, so people like us need video editors and if you know how to edit, and how to add simple transitions, to make videos super flashing, to add and display something on screen, they are called supers, to add slight music in the background, to add slight touch-up feel, and some level of color coding, all of these things are the job of the video editor and they are in demand.
For one business I am working as a part time Video Editor as a freelancer, not a full-time role and I love it because I am playing in multiple domains, multiple industries and I am absolutely loving this experience. And the most important thing is that I am getting all of it, income, experience, flexibility, what else would I want?
7. Content Writing
If you are good at writing then you are also gold.
Because in today’s world, very few people write and there is a demand for content writers because there is a demand for content.
It could be short form content like you can write short posts on social media or articles on linkedin.
It can be long form content like you can write scripts for videos or make or edit material for a course, anything to do with content and many content companies which engage with these content writers and editors and hires them on a freelance basis because it has a high demand.
So, if you are a college student or working professional and you have the time then content writing is a great way for you to build a side income.
8. Internships
If you can do internships even when you are working, it is a great way for you to not just build a side income but also to get experience. For a college student internships must be mandatory.
I want to pass a law, in which every student should do atleast two internships at one point in additon to their college work. It is a way for you to get an experience and also make money through interships.
And nowadays, most of the interships are paid, they may not be paying a lot but whatever little they pay, you are still getting the experience and you are making money, it is the best of all the worlds.
So, please do as many internships in the area in which you will most likely be getting a job in future, if you want to explore something new because you do not like your stream, you do not like your college, you do not like your work, field then use internships to get experience in a completely different domain.
That will give you a lot of clarity about the things, you like and of course, money along with it.
9. Affiliate Marketing
It’s quite interesting.
If you are in college or if you are working, you have a network, peole that you know, they can be your fellow students, your fellow colleagues, your relatives, so on and so forth, then you can run your own affiliate program.
This means that if you promote anyting in this group or this network and if someone buys that thing using that link, then you get a percentage of that revenue.
Every huge e-commerce website, like Amazon, Flipkart and many other deals and discounts websites like cashkaro.com and so on, they run affiliate programs.
This means that if you share the link of a book from Amazon in your college, saying that this book is amazing, and you can buy it using this link, and if people buy that then you get a percentange from the sale of that book.
Free money for building a network and promoting products within your network.
10. Sell E-Books
If you know anything that can be incorporated in a book, it does not need to be something which is theoritical or academic, it could be anything that you know.
Maybe you are a graphic designer, and you want to create a book which tells people “How to become a graphic designer?” or you are video editor and want to write a book on that.
Whatever the case maybe, it is an e-book so it would be in pdf form, there are many book writing software available so, you would have to write and it will frame it in a book format, and then you go on Amazon and list it or self-pulish it.
Since it is an electronic book, it would not be in a physical form and so it does not need to be delivered to anybody, everything would be done electronically and you can sell it fo whatever price you want, for 9 rupees, 19 rupees , 29 rupees, it is your choice but imagine that now for next 1–2–5–10 years, that book will keep selliing and you will earn even when you are sleeping.
Creating content is the best and by far the most effective of creating an extra income. It is hard work, it takes time, it is not easy but if you are able to do it then it becomes this absolutely well-oiled machinery which works over the nights and you do not have to work hard on it anymore, you have done it once and now it will keep making money. That is the best part.
Summarizing again the list of 10 tips to start earning extra income -
- Small Business
- Graphic Designing
- Web Development
- App Building
- Creating Courses
- Video Editing
- Content Writing
- Internships
- Affiliate Marketing
- Selling E-books
These are 10 tips for you on how to make an extra income.
If you think I have forgotten or something that you have experiecned and has worked well for you, please write in the comment section, because that will help other people.
