11 Profitable Low-Effort Side Hustles to Earn Extra Cash
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Many people turn to side hustles to make extra money outside of a traditional full-time job. Whether you’re looking to make a little extra spending money, cover a shortage in your budget, or earn enough income that you can stay home with your kids, a good side hustle can be the solution.
But sometimes, the biggest challenge with a side hustle is making everything fit into your own schedule. While there are all different types of opportunities available, it can be a challenge to find and start a side hustle that will be worth the effort if you only have a limited amount of available time in your schedule.
The good news is that some extremely flexible side hustles allow you to make money with just a few hours of work per week. You just need to know which side hustles don’t take much time and are the best fit for you, and this article can help with that.
Here, you’ll find 11 low-effort side hustles that don’t require a lot of time. While you may not replace a full-time job with a side hustle that takes just a small amount of time or effort, you can make some extra cash that may help you in any number of different ways.
1. Renting Out Your Stuff
Renting out your stuff is one of the best side hustle ideas. This is truly low-effort because chances are, you have some things that could generate money for you by simply renting them out. Here are just a few examples of things that you can rent:
- Storage space
- Your car
- Your truck or van
- An RV
- A room in your house
- Your parking space or driveway
- Space for pets
- Your bike
- Baby stuff
For a more detailed list, see my article, 30 Things You Can Rent Out for Extra Money. There are a few things to love about this side hustle idea. First, it turns things you’re not using into income-generating assets. Second, since you’re making money based on the assets, you may not need to invest much of your own time to make the money. As far as low-effort side hustles are concerned, this one may be the best option.
Of course, the options available to you will depend on what you have that you can rent out. A storage area is an excellent starting point for many people. All you need is some space in your basement, attic, garage, or shed to rent to people in your local area. Neighbor makes it easy to list your space and start earning money. Best of all, you can make a decent amount of money from a simple storage rental.
Neighbor makes it easy to earn extra cash by renting out storage space in your basement, attic, garage, or even a shed. Make extra money each month without needing to spend time on a side hustle.
- Earn thousands of dollars per year
- Very little time or effort required
- Neighbor markets your space to people in your local area
- Set your own rates
- Neighbor handles all the payments for you
If you have a truck, you can rent it out with Fetch. Many people in your local area need to rent a truck to move furniture and transport something else they can’t fit in their car. Fetch makes it easy to turn your truck into a source of side hustle income.
Fetch will market your rental to people in your local area, and they’ll handle details like custom service, renter verification, and payment processing. To maximize convenience, the Fetch smart device allows renters to unlock the truck from their phones, so you don’t need to meet them to hand over the keys.
For each new vehicle you add to Fetch, they guarantee that you’ll make at least $1,500 in the first 90 days.
Rent out your truck and make money passively with Fetch. Fetch's platform automates most of the process for you. They'll promote your rental to people in your local area, handle all customer inquiries, renter verification, and payment. The Fetch smart device even allows renters to unlock your truck with their phone so you don't have to meet them in person.
- Great side hustle for busy people
- Turn your truck into an income-generating asset
- Excellent income potential
- Rent out a single truck or build your own fleet
- Fetch guarantees that you'll make at least $1,500 in the first 90 days
One of the most lucrative opportunities is renting out an RV or camper if you have one. Most people who own RVs or campers use them for a few weeks per year, and they sit unused the rest of the time. There’s a strong rental market for RVs and campers, and with the help of RVshare, you can easily make some extra cash with little time needed.
Do you own an RV? If so, you can make a great passive income by renting it out when you're not using it. RVshare is a platform that connects RV owners with renters.
- Use the RV when you want, rent it out when you don't need it
- Turn your RV into an income-generating asset
- Passive income opportunity
- You control all the details like pricing
- Largest RV marketplace
To be honest, renting a room in your home can require a lot of work if you’re taking short-term rentals from travelers. You’ll need to clean the room between each guest, so it’s not always a great fit if you’re looking for something that won’t require much time. But an alternative would be to rent to a long-term tenant, like a one-year lease.
Many different websites can help you to find people who want to rent your stuff. At FatLama you can rent just about anything, and of course, Airbnb is the most popular choice for renting a room in your home.
See this article to learn about many more websites that can help you with renting out your stuff.
2. Low-Effort Passive Income Apps
If you’re only looking to make a small amount of extra money onlin, one of the easiest things to do is to take advantage of a few different passive income apps. None of these apps will generate a significant income for you, but if you’re using several different apps, it can add up. And the great thing is, this is a side hustle idea with minimal effort that anyone can do in their spare time.
While there are a lot of different apps that promise passive income or low-effort income, here is a quick look at a few of my favorites.
MobileXpression
MobileXpression is a research company that tracks mobile internet browsing activity (they don’t share your personal data). You can earn $50 per year in gift cards simply by having the app installed and active on your phone. The only thing you need to do is occasionally open the app to claim your rewards.
MobileXpression is a mobile app that allows you to earn rewards completely passively. Install the app and your phone and then all you need to do is claim your rewards. You can earn about $50 in gift cards per year with virtually no effort.
- Totally passive
- Earn a $5 gift card in your first week
- Ideal for a low-effort side hustle
- MobileXpression has paid out more than $5,000,000 in gift cards
SavvyConnect
SavvyConnect is similar to MobileXpression, except it can also be used on desktop computers. You can make $5 per month per device just for installing SavvyConnect and leaving it active.
Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is one of the leading cashback websites/apps. They have thousands of partner stores and websites, and you can earn cashback from many of the purchases you need to make. On top of that, Ebates will also automatically find coupon codes for you that can save you a lot of money with no extra effort.
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is one of the most popular cashback apps and you can easily save money at thousands of stores and websites with a free account. You can even get a $10 bonus just for signing up and making your first purchase!
- Get up to 40% cashback at over 3,500 stores
- Easy cashback on many of the purchases you would be making anyway
- Get paid by PayPal or check
- Rakuten will automatically find coupon codes for you
- Super easy to use
Slide
Slide is another excellent cashback app that makes it easy to earn 4% or 5% cash back on every purchase at hundreds of your favorite retailers. All you do is pay through Slide, and you’ll earn the cashback on a purchase you need to make anyway. Best of all, you’ll still earn cashback or rewards from your credit card, so you can stack the rewards multiple layers deep.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a survey website that was mentioned earlier in this article, but they also offer several other ways to get paid aside from just online surveys. Swagbucks has a cashback program that is very similar to Rakuten, and they also have thousands of partner websites in their program. Sometimes you can get more cashback with Rakuten, and sometimes you can get more from Swagbucks. So if you want to maximize your rewards, you should have a free account at both.
Sign up for a Swagbucks account and make money (and other rewards) with simple tasks like online surveys. Sign up today for a $10 bonus!
- Get paid for taking short surveys
- Earn money by watching videos
- Play games for cash and prizes
- Make money by installing apps
- Get paid in PayPal cash or gift cards
Drop
Drop is a cashback app that links to your credit or debit cards. When you purchase at participating stores and restaurants like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Dunkin Donuts, and many others, you’ll automatically earn cashback. Drop also has other ways to get paid, like completing special offers. It takes just a few minutes to set up, and then Drop works without requiring any effort from you.
3. Online Surveys
While it may not be the most lucrative side hustle, taking paid online surveys is one of the most flexible, which is why it’s so popular. You can sign up for several survey websites/apps and start taking surveys immediately. Almost anyone can do it. No experience is needed. It’s one of the best side hustles you can do while working full-time.
With a survey side hustle, you can make a little extra cash whenever you have spare time, regardless of whether it is just a few minutes or hours. You can even take paid online surveys while you’re watching TV.
There are a lot of survey sites out there, but some of the top choices include:
- Swagbucks ($10 sign up bonus)
- MyPoints ($10 sign up bonus)
- InboxDollars ($5 sign up bonus)
- Survey Junkie
- Branded Surveys
You can see a bigger list of the best survey websites here.
Earn cash easily whenever you have a few minutes to spare. It's a simple side hustle that anyone can do. Plus, you'll get a $5 bonus when you sign up today.
- Get paid to take online surveys
- Watch videos and earn cash
- Make money by playing games
- Complete special offers for the highest payouts
- Get paid in cash
4. Transcription
Working as a transcriptionist is a very flexible way to make money online. Most companies that offer transcription work allow you to work whenever you choose, as much or as little as will fit into your schedule. Some people do transcription work for a full-time income, but even if you only have a few hours per week, you may be able to do pretty well part-time.
Of course, you’ll need some typing skills, and you’ll need some basic transcription equipment like a foot pedal and headset. But if you have typing skills, transcription can be a very versatile way to make some quick cash.
When it comes to transcription work, not all opportunities are equal. Some websites that offer work will pay very low rates, but others give you much better pay and opportunities to make more money.
When you’re ready to start, see our list of the best transcription jobs to know where to start your search. My article How to Become a Transcriptionist also shares the story of Janet, a perfect example of what’s possible in this industry.
Learn how to get started as a transcriptionist with this free 7-lesson course from Janet Shaughnessy of Transcribe Anywhere.
- Learn the two keys to success as a transcriptionist
- Use your existing typing skills
- Work part-time or full-time
- Work from home or anywhere with an internet connection
5. Dog Walking
Working as a dog walker is a fun side hustle idea and a very flexible way to make extra income. You can take clients and fill the available time around your existing schedule, regardless of whether you can work days, evenings, weekdays, or weekends. You could work just for one or two clients if that’s all the spare time you have, or find more clients and do more work if possible.
You may be surprised at how much money you can make as a dog walker. The typical dog walker charges $15-$20 for a 20-minute walk and $20-$30 for a 30-minute walk. At those rates, you can make a decent amount of extra money simply by working as little as a couple of hours per week.
A while ago, I interviewed Lily about her pet sitting and dog walking business (see the article here: How to Become a Pet Sitter). She makes $40,000 per year with a simple pet sitting business, and she also offers dog walking for an additional fee. Lily finds all of her clients through Rover, which is an excellent platform for anyone who has an interest in earning money as a dog walker or pet sitter.
Not only is it a flexible money-making opportunity, but you can also get exercise while you’re working.
Get started as a dog walker by creating your free profile on Rover so pet owners can find and hire you.
6. Flipping
One of the most flexible ways to make more money is to buy and resell items, also known as flipping.
You can generally find underpriced items at yard sales, thrift stores, auctions, flea markets, and estate sales and then resell the items at a profit. There are many different ways to sell the items and a growing number of selling apps that can help you, but many flippers have success by selling on eBay or the Facebook Marketplace.
Part of what makes flipping a great side hustle is that you can do it whenever you’re able. If you have some spare time on a Saturday morning, you can go out to some local yard sales, and you’ll probably find some items that are ideal for flipping. Selling the items through eBay or Facebook also gives you a lot of flexibility.
Another nice perk of this side hustle is that it can be easily scaled up if you have more time available and you want to increase the amount of money that you’re making. Some people are even able to make a full-time income from flipping.
If you want to learn more, see my articles 25+ or the Easiest Things to Flip for Profit and How to Sell on eBay for Beginners.
7. Donating Plasma
Donating plasma is another easy side hustle that just about anyone can do. It doesn’t require much time (about 60-90 minutes per donation, with the first one taking longer), and you can make decent money by doing it. You’ll be able to donate up to twice per week, and if you do that, you could make an easy $300 – $400 per month.
Plasma centers are located in just about every city and even in many smaller towns, so chances are, there is one near you. Getting started is easy – just schedule an appointment or visit a center near you. The amount you get paid will depend on a few factors, like your weight (which impacts how much plasma you can donate), how frequently you donate, and any promos that may be running.
To learn all the details about this opportunity, please see my article Get Paid to Donate Plasma.
8. Charging Scooters
If you live in an urban area, you may be able to make some extra money pretty easily by charging electric scooters. Bird and Lime are two companies that have expanded into many cities, and they pay people like you and me to charge scooters so they can be rented out.
A few months ago, I interviewed Kevin (How to Make Money Charging Electric Scooters), who is making hundreds of dollars per month with only a small time commitment.
If it fits into your daily life, this can be a great way to make additional income. But there are a few caveats. First, it’s only an option if you live in a city where Bird, Lime, or other similar companies operate (fortunately, that includes most cities at this point). As Kevin mentioned in the interview, it’s an ideal way to make money if the scooters are close to you, but it’s not ideal if you have to go far out of your way. Second, with the increase in popularity of this side hustle, you may need to go on a waiting list before you can start working – it just depends on the current needs in your city.
To learn more, read the interview here.
9. Renting Your Friendship
One of the most interesting ways to make extra money is to get paid to be someone’s friend. RentAFriend.com is a website where you can create a profile for free, and other people in your local area, or people traveling through the area, can hire you to spend time with them. This might involve going to a movie, concert, sports event, party, or something else.
This is a very flexible side hustle because you can schedule activities around your life, and if an opportunity doesn’t fit your schedule, you don’t have to take it.
It sounds a little strange at first, but there is nothing sexual about it, and it’s totally legal. Plenty of people are making money this way, and you can read about Jackie’s experience in my article, How to Make Money by Being a Friend.
10. Car Advertisements
Everyone is looking for easy side hustles passive income ideas. But to be honest, there aren’t many ways to make passive income without having money to invest and without putting in a lot of time and effort upfront. One of the few legit ways to earn money passively without investing and without much effort at all is to sell advertising space on your car.
By going through a company like Carvertise, Wrapify, or Free Car Media you can make up to $400+ per month for a full wrap advertisement. That’s not a bad way to make some extra money!
There are a lot of factors that can influence how much money you’ll make and what opportunities will be available, including where you live, where you work/park, and how much you drive.
If you pursue this opportunity, work with a legit company like the ones mentioned above. Some scams are going around that involve getting people to pay money upfront to have the advertisement placed on your car, with the promise of reimbursement. You should never have to pay out of pocket to get the ads placed on your car.
11. Renting Tradelines
Renting tradelines can be one of the best side hustles that don’t require time, but there are other requirements. You’ll need to have good credit, and you’ll need to have at least one credit card (preferably a few) with at least one year of consistent payment history.
Some people who need to quickly improve their credit score are willing to pay to be added as an authorized user on your credit card account, which can help boost their score. They don’t actually get a credit card, and they never have access to your account. But you’ll get paid for helping them boost their credit score.
It sounds shady at first, but it’s not illegal. However, there is still some ethical gray area because it is likely to violate the terms of your credit card, and the credit card issuer may cancel your account if they know that you are doing this. Some people prefer to avoid this opportunity for those reasons, but others see it as a great way to earn some extra money.
The amount of money you can make will depend on several factors, like the age of your credit card account and your credit limit, but many people make hundreds of dollars per month or more (with a few different credit cards). Overall, this is one of the least time-consuming ways to earn additional income.
This is a legal side hustle that you shouldn’t get into without considering the risks of having your credit card account closed. But it can be a great way to make some money without putting in much time or effort.
You can learn a lot more in this forum thread at Mr. Money Mustache.
Final Word
Even if you only have a limited amount of time available, some side hustles don’t take much time, so you can make extra money without interfering too much with your life. Take a look at the options covered in this article, see which is a good fit for you and get started. These low-effort side hustles also make it possible to start earning money quickly, so you should see some results without waiting a long time.
READ NEXT: 150+ Side Hustle Ideas for Your Spare Time
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