15 Side Jobs to Make Extra Money

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Side jobs can help you gain another source of income or even launch a full-scale business. Learn more about some side job ideas to get you started.

[Featured image] A smiling person in a black shirt and pink glasses stands in a co-working space with other business owners.

A side job refers to work you may pursue alongside another, usually more structured or stable, job or degree programme. Side jobs can vary greatly, from gig economy work that provides cash in the short term to remote employment with flexible hours. Taking on a side job is extra work, so it requires plenty of motivation and time management skills. 

If you’re like many people who want a side job, you might be motivated by earning extra money or feel that you need to make more than you do in your day job. Others may want to pay off education loans or credit card debt more quickly, save up for a house or another big purchase, or have extra funds to travel frequently. More ambitious individuals may want to strengthen a skill to turn it into a side hustle or even start a small business.

Read through this list of 15 side jobs to help you make extra money. Whether you want to start today or make a plan to monetise a hobby; you have plenty of options to consider. 

Choosing the right side job

When choosing the right job, think about why you want (or need) to work. Your reason and availability regarding time, resources, and skills can help you decide what to pursue. You’ll find three types of side jobs to choose from:

  • Gig economy work involves performing short-term or payment-by-task jobs, usually through an app or website, in which you create your own hours. Sign up on the app, log in, and connect with potential customers.

  • Part-time work refers to completing shifts assigned weekly or on a fixed schedule, working fewer hours than full-time, typically 35 or more hours per week. This may also involve transforming a hobby into a service or entertainment.

  • Remote freelance work is providing a service for a client that tends to include industry-specific skills, usually on a freelance or contractual basis. These side jobs are often remote, making it possible to do them from home or anywhere with an internet connection.

These categories can help determine what kind of side job suits your current needs. You may decide on additional skills to develop to achieve your goals.

Side job vs side hustle

Side jobs and side hustles are similar, and people sometimes interchange the terms.

You might pursue a side job alongside a stable job or whilst attending university, out of financial need or creative desire, or to fill up time productively.

A side hustle, meanwhile, is a small business that you may start in addition to continuing a more secure job. Side hustlers might intend to quit their day jobs to run their small businesses in the future.

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Gig economy side jobs

As of 2023, the gig economy makes up 1.4 percent of the UK workforce, or approximately half a million people [1]. While these percentages have decreased since COVID, the UK government has noted an increase in the accessibility of positions within the gig economy for groups who may struggle to find employment in the traditional workforce. 

The gig economy includes transportation-based services, professional services (design, software development, writing, and other non-manual tasks), and household services. Due to the growing need for such services, gig economy work can be quite lucrative. A few examples of popular gig economy jobs include:

1. Rideshare driver

Average hourly earnings: £11.78 [2]

As a rideshare driver for apps like Uber, you offer a tailored transportation service for customers. Rideshare drivers should possess strong navigational skills and the ability to communicate well with customers. You will need a good understanding of driving and road etiquette. To optimise earnings, you can learn popular local destinations and plan your work schedule around peak busy times. 

The only requirements are that you must be 18, have a valid driver’s licence, a reliable vehicle, and a smartphone with GPS. If you don’t mind driving, this can be a profitable side gig.

2. Food delivery driver

Average hourly earnings: £13.13 [3]

Similar to ridesharing, another option is to deliver food and groceries. Food delivery drivers pick food up from restaurants and deliver it to customers’ locations. You can sign up as a driver after onboarding, which usually involves providing personal information. Once you are approved and have the right equipment, you can begin fulfilling orders. Platforms include Deliveroo, Zomato, Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Postmates.

3. Babysitter or nanny

Average hourly earnings: (may vary depending on location as well as ages and number of children): £15.00 [4]

If you enjoy caring for children, you might be keen to be a babysitter or nanny on the weekends and evenings. Babysitters and nannies are responsible for the care and safety of children. In this role, you may also do small chores around the house, pick up or drop off children when necessary, prepare meals, and provide entertainment. Look at sites like Care.com if this sounds like your side job.

4. Cleaner

Average hourly earnings: £11.34 [5]

Working as a cleaner on nights and weekends can earn some extra income. Sites like ZenMaid, Handy, and Maid2Clean make it easy for people to seek your services. As a cleaner, you will clean and tidy homes or businesses for people who hire you. Some typical responsibilities include cleaning surfaces and floors in living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, and bathrooms; removing rubbish; restocking toiletries and cleaning supplies; and running and folding laundry.  

5. Tutor

Average hourly earnings: £24.34 [6]

If you prefer teaching kids to play with them, you can tutor children and young adults in different subject areas. Tutors may help with test preparation or address specific concerns or areas of need for learners. Teachers or professors may enjoy this side gig. You can earn your income by tutoring from home via platforms like Zoom and creating your own hours.

Passive income as a side job

Other ways to make money on the side might look less like jobs and more like passive income. This means you’re providing a service with something you already own or creating a product or service to sell that requires some upfront work but produces ongoing or repeat returns based on that initial effort. Passive income ideas include:

1. Renting out your home or car through an online platform

2. Starting your own video channel and selling advertising slots for revenue

3. Creating an e-book, app, online class, or blog 

4. Investing in dividends, stocks, or cryptocurrency (if you are risk-tolerant)

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Part-time side jobs

Before the rise of the gig economy, part-time work was a popular side job. Employers tend to assign this type of work in shifts rather than by task, which can feel more stable and steady than gig work. Many of these require you to interact with people and be on your feet, so it can be a welcome break from working at a desk job or studying.

6. Waiter or bartender

Average hourly earnings (depending on tips, location, and type of restaurant): £10.73 [7]

As a waiter, you will likely take food and drink orders, greet customers, handle payments, and ensure customers are happy and well cared for. Working as a waiter or bartender can pay well, especially if you factor in earning tips. You might enjoy mixing or serving drinks and chatting with customers. Both require standing or walking for long hours, which may be appealing if you spend a lot of time staring at your computer or textbooks during the week.

7. Football referee

Average hourly earnings: £13.55 [8]

If you are a sports fan, especially of football, you might want to become a part-time football referee for youth games. To be a referee, you’ll need to go through a training programme run by the Football Association (FA). Start by registering with your local County FA and completing the FA Referee Course. This course includes online learning, covering football laws and safeguarding training, followed by 11 hours of in-person training. To qualify, you must referee at least five 11-a-side games and receive an assessment from a mentor. You typically begin at the youth level and can progress to higher levels with more experience and further training. 

8. Library assistant

Average hourly earnings: £14.36 [9

If you enjoy books and reading, a library assistant might be your ideal part-time job. You’ll help to organise and stock books for librarians. You may also work inventory and coordinate community visits. 

9. Yoga or fitness instructor

Average hourly earnings: £27.04 [10]

Teaching yoga or other fitness classes can be an enjoyable side gig, especially if you have been a practitioner for a long time. As a yoga teacher, you may teach clients yoga positions and breathing techniques, design yoga courses, and accommodate positions for pregnant people or those with certain conditions restricting movement. Becoming a yoga teacher requires a 200-hour training certification that helps you learn the fundamentals of yoga poses, anatomy, and more.

10. DJ

Average hourly earnings (depending on type of event): £24.77 [11]

If you are musically inclined and prefer to enhance the mood of a crowd, you may want to try your hand at becoming a disk jockey (DJ). DJs select, mix, and play music in clubs or bars that suit the venue and audience. They may also create their own sounds and music, use samples, and change beats to generate their own unique blend of music. As a DJ, you can play at weddings and sponsored events or have a residency in clubs and festivals—and have more power to choose whether to mix hip-hop, electronic, or other genres. 

Remote freelance side jobs

As with gig economy jobs, freelance work can mean creating your own hours around your work or study schedule. For freelance jobs, you may complete work on an ongoing (ad hoc) basis or a contract basis with a final deadline. You can often do these types of jobs remotely, too.

11. App developer

Average hourly earnings: £27.11 [12]

If you’ve ever dreamed of developing an app that sells for millions, then perhaps a role as a freelance app developer is in your future. App developers develop new apps, write and edit code, troubleshoot software systems, and update apps and software systems when necessary. 

Learning how to design an app may take a few months. Some companies may negotiate a total project rate you’ll receive upon completion.

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12. Writer

Average hourly earnings (rates may vary depending on the type of writing): £14.71 [13]

Writing is one of those age-old professions that continues to evolve. A freelance side job can take different forms: copywriting, ghostwriting, blogging, technical writing, SEO and content writing, and more. Depending on your writing type, you may create content, choose subjects based on client needs, submit drafts, revise your work as necessary, and conduct research online. This side job is ideal if you can write with clarity, empathy, and discipline.

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13. Virtual assistant

Average hourly earnings: £12.73 [14]

As a virtual assistant, you are responsible for helping customers with needs that range from organising schedules to tracking calls and other means of communication like email or social media accounts. In this role, you communicate virtually with customers to assist as needed.

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14. Telemarketer 

Average hourly earnings: £9.34 [15]

Telemarketers spend much of their time on the telephone, reaching out to potential and current customers on behalf of companies. You may focus on sales, research, customer outreach, or other tasks. For this role, you’ll need strong communication and sales skills. 

15. Freelance photographer

Average hourly earnings: £12.95 [16]

Whether you choose to become an artistic or professional photographer, turning this hobby into a side job can be a great way to earn extra income. Freelance photographers work with clients to better understand the images they are trying to capture, research shoot locations, use a variety of necessary technical equipment, and travel to various locations to get the perfect shot. Photographers also manage the processing of images and deliver finished products to the client. Many companies and organisations hire photographers for events or marketing purposes on a contract or ongoing freelance basis.

Prepare for a side job and invest in your future

Taking on a side job can help you earn more to achieve your goals. Online courses are a great way to explore potential side jobs and build your skills in jobs that interest you. 

Consider boosting your job skills in app development or photography from top industry companies like IBM and Meta. On Coursera, you can enroll in courses such as the Meta Android Developer Professional Certificate or the IBM Back-End Development Professional Certificate to launch your career as an app developer or gain critical skills you’ll need to pursue a side job in photography with the Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR Specialisation from Michigan State University.

You can also turn your side gig into a career with a specialisation in Building Your Freelancing Career from California Institute of the Arts, available on Coursera. 

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Article sources

1

CIPD. “The gig economy: what does it really look like? https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/reports/2023-pdfs/2023-cipd-gig-economy-report-8453.pdf.” Accessed 11 September 2024.

Updated on
Written by:
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