33 Side Hustle Ideas To Make Money In 2024 In The UK
In today's ever-changing economy, having a side hustle has become more than just a trend - it's a smart financial move. Whether you're looking to supplement your income, save for a rainy day, or pursue your passion - the great news is that there are tons of opportunities for earning extra money in the UK.
Here, you’ll get an insight into a huge range of side hustle ideas you can do in 2024. Some of which you can use to start earning today! Before we jump in, let’s look at what is considered a side hustle and how much you can expect to make.
What Is A Side Hustle?
A side hustle is essentially a way to earn some extra cash alongside your regular 9-to-5 job. Side hustles can be anything from part-time jobs, freelancing, making money online or even starting your own small business.
In the UK especially, side hustles have become increasingly popular. Take a look at the stats:
- 43% of Brits have a side hustle as an additional source of income in 2024. The average income from side hustles is £207 a week or £900 a month.
- Around half of men (49%) make money from a side hustle, compared to 37% of women.
Source: Analysis conducted by finder.com
Side hustles aren’t just about making extra money to make ends meet, but also allow you to chase passions and hit financial goals along the way, ranging from paying off debts, saving up for a house, or even squirrelling away some cash for retirement.
Having a side hustle means you're the boss of your schedule. You get to decide how much time and effort you want to put in, and when you want to do it. You can put your existing skills and knowledge to great use and start a side hustle today.
1. Matched Betting
Matched Betting can help you make thousands of pounds profit each year from the comfort of your own home. It works by converting a bookmaker's free bet or bonus into real money through a simple 'back and lay’ betting technique.
Online bookmakers provide these offers and free bet promotions as part of their welcome bonus offer to attract new customers. By placing two bets, a back bet and a lay bet, you can eliminate the possibility of losing money and ensure that you win regardless of the outcome.
You’ll lock in around 80% of the free bet value, so a £50 free bet will net you roughly £40 cash that you can withdraw to your bank without any risk if you follow the instructions correctly.
The beauty of Matched Betting is that you don't need much money to get started either. Ideally, you’ll have at least £30 - £100 as a minimum to get started. If you start with a smaller bank then you can just do the smaller sign-ups and build your bankroll ready for the larger sign-ups.
You can expect to make over £850 from the initial sportsbook signup free bets, and thereafter you can make £300 - £1000+ a month from reload offers for existing customers. You can also make over £1400 from casino welcome offers and a further £300 - £1000+ a month from casino reload offers.
One of the most appealing things about Matched Betting is that you can do it in your own time. The more time you put in, the more offers you can do and the more money you will make. Even if you can only spare a little time each day it’s possible to get very good results with Matched Betting making it the easiest and best side hustle that you can start right away with no prior experience or knowledge needed. You can learn more about how Matched Betting works and make your first profits today.
2. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is based on revenue sharing by promoting a product or service and earning a commission for each sale you make. It works by joining an affiliate program and receiving a unique tracking link. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase.
To start affiliate marketing as a side hustle, you can begin by choosing a niche or industry that interests you or one you consider yourself an expert in. You can research beforehand to see if there are existing affiliate programs related to your niche and sign up for those that offer products or services you believe in and can genuinely recommend.
You can increase the traffic you direct to your affiliated products or services by creating related content such as blog posts, reviews, videos or social media posts that include your affiliate links. You can learn more about how this type of marketing works on the Outplayed Affiliate Program page where our top affiliates earn over £40,000 a year.
3. Trading
Trading is the buying and selling of financial assets with the aim of making an overall profit. Trading as a side hustle can be profitable, but it requires careful planning and execution as it can be risky.
Before starting, you must educate yourself on different markets, strategies, and risk management. Before jumping in you can do paper trading, which is a method of practising trading without risking real money - instead of executing real trades with actual funds, paper traders use simulated accounts on brokerage platforms or trading software. This allows you to test your trading strategies first to determine if you have a long-term profitable system or not.
Once you’re ready you can begin with a small amount of money that you know you can afford to lose and then choose the market you want to trade in. You can also manage your risk by setting stop-loss orders - this is a risk management tool you can use as a trader to limit potential losses on any trade. When you place a stop-loss order, you can specify a price level at which your position will automatically be sold which will stop any further losses beyond that point.
To start trading online you can first familiarise yourself with the basics of trading and take a beginner's course to improve your knowledge and make sure you fully understand the risks involved with trading.
4. E-commerce
E-commerce, or electronic commerce, simply refers to buying and selling goods or services over the Internet. It covers a broad range of online sales including online retail stores to digital services. E-commerce works by allowing businesses to showcase their products or services on websites or platforms where customers can browse, choose items and make a purchase electronically. A perfect example of an e-commerce store you’ll very likely have used is Amazon.
E-commerce is ideal if you have a passion for the products or services you intend to sell as this will help you genuinely market your products. To start e-commerce as a side hustle, you can begin by identifying your niche or target market and sourcing products or services to sell. You can choose a platform such as Etsy or eBay to get your store up and running for free.
Once your storefront is customised and you’ve added your first product listings, you’ll be ready to market your store. This can start by sharing with family and friends and asking them to share on social media to help you earn your first sale profits.
5. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a method where your store doesn't keep the products you sell in stock - instead when your store sells a product, you purchase the item from a third party and have it shipped directly to your customer.
The great benefit of dropshipping is that you don’t handle any products directly so you don't have to deal with inventory management or shipping.
Dropshipping might be suitable if you’re looking for a low-risk way to start an e-commerce business as it can require minimal upfront investment and eliminates the need to hold any stick yourself. However, to make sales you’ll need strong marketing and service skills to reach the right customers.
To start dropshipping as a side hustle, you can begin by researching products and suppliers in your chosen niche. You can quickly set up your online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, and connect with suppliers who offer dropshipping services. Be sure to select quality products that fit your niche to make your marketing efforts worthwhile and keep customers returning for more.
6. Domain Flipping
A domain name is the web address of a website, for example, the domain name for this site is outplayed.com. Domain flipping involves buying domain names and selling them for a high price to pocket the profit.
Take a look at some of the domains listed on Domainflipping that have been bought and sold in 2024:
The idea is to identify valuable domain names with potential resale value and buy them at a lower price than you can sell them. Your ability to research and identify valuable domain names will help you determine if this is a suitable side hustle for you.
You can get started with a small amount of money to begin with and you can learn more about different tactics when trying to flip domain names for profit at a digital marketplace such as Flippa.
7. Print On Demand
Print on Demand (POD) is a business model that involves working with a print provider to customise white-label products. These products are only printed and/or produced once an order has been placed by a customer.
This means that your products are not created unless they’re purchased - the beauty of this is that there’s no need for you to store any stock or have to guess how many products to pre-order before you sell them.
You can use a Print on Demand service that involves working with a printing company or platform that handles the production, customisation, and shipping of your products. This is commonly for products such as clothing, books or accessories.
It's a popular side hustle option for creators who want to sell custom or niche products without any upfront costs and risks associated with traditional production and inventory management.
8. Social Media Management
Let’s face it, we all spend too much time on social media scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook. How about getting paid to be on there instead?
Businesses and individuals are looking to establish a strong online presence and you could turn this into a side hustle by offering a social media management service.
As a social media manager, you'll be responsible for creating engaging content, scheduling posts, interacting with followers, and analysing performance to make sure you have the best social media strategy in place for your clients.
If you’re creative, strategic and understand analytics, you can help companies unlock their potential for social media and advertise your services on a platform such as Fiverr.
9. YouTube
If creating and editing videos are your thing - you can turn a YouTube channel into a side hustle. Creators are able to make money from YouTube videos by making engaging content, building an audience, and monetising their videos through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.
You’ll need to start by identifying a particular niche and build your video content around that. Consistency in posting is the most important factor and taking time to engage with your audience through comments and social media can help grow your channel.
As your channel grows, you can look to add more potential revenue streams such as affiliate marketing and brand partnerships to help turn YouTube into a profitable side hustle.
By searching YouTube you’ll find tons of helpful videos and tutorials about how to get started on Youtube which would be the best place to begin to learn the basics.
10. Website Design
Website design involves creating visually appealing and functional websites for individuals or businesses. If you’re new to web design - you can begin by learning through online courses or tutorials.
Your clients might already have an existing site or require a brand new one from scratch so familiarise yourself with popular platforms such as WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace that allow users to build websites efficiently.
To grow your website design side hustle you’ll need to create a portfolio showcasing your design skills and projects to demonstrate your capabilities to your potential clients. You can start marketing to local businesses by asking them in person or via a local social media group to win your first clients.
11. Graphic Design
Graphic design involves creating visual content ranging from logos and advertisements to posters or website content. You can build your creatives by taking advantage of user-friendly design software such as Adobe Photoshop or Canva.
To start graphic design as a side hustle, you can begin by honing your skills through online tutorials, courses, or self-study and begin to build a portfolio showcasing your design work, including personal projects or mock-ups, which can help demonstrate your abilities to potential clients.
Using a freelancing platform such as Fiverr is an easy way to start advertising your services to win your first clients. You can increase your fee as you build a strong and reliable reputation.
12. Photography
Photography as a side hustle gives you the chance to turn your passion for photography into a stream of income. This could be anything from wedding photography, family photo shoots or selling your photos online or to businesses to use.
For best results, you can stick to a certain niche for your photography, for example sports or fashion - this means instead of just marketing yourself as an all round photographer you can establish yourself as an expert in your specific market which will make you stand out much more.
You’ll need to be a highly skilled photographer and need a good quality camera to make sure your photos are the best possible quality to be able to sell them. You can use a platform such as Shutterstock to upload and sell your photos online.
13. Freelance Writing
Freelance writing involves writing content for your clients on a project-by-project basis which can include blog posts, website copy and email copy.
If you enjoy creative writing this could be a good fit for you. To start freelance writing as a side hustle, you can begin by building a portfolio showcasing your writing skills in specific niches.
Joining freelance platforms such as Upwork is a great place to start where clients post writing jobs that you can apply for to land your first clients. The key is to communicate well with your clients, meet deadlines and deliver high-quality work to build a good reputation which should help you secure repeat business.
As you gain experience and confidence, you can gradually increase your rates and seek out higher-paying clients, turning freelance writing into an even more lucrative side hustle.
14. Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is a remote role where you help your clients by managing tasks they don’t have the time or knowledge to do. It's about being reliable and supportive of your clients and being able to handle various responsibilities to free up their time to focus on more important aspects of their business.
If you’re very organised, can communicate well and are confident using basic admin software e.g Excel and Word then becoming a virtual assistant could be a great side hustle for you.
To start offering virtual assistant services as a side hustle you can begin by identifying your areas of expertise or services you can offer. This can be email management, scheduling, social media management, or content creation.
You can create a professional website or online portfolio showcasing your skills, experience and services or try to win your first clients through freelancing platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr.
15. Tutoring
If you have any teaching qualifications you can provide a tutoring service in your local area or online. Ideally, you’ll want to do this around your area of expertise or on subjects you’re passionate about to make this side hustle fun and rewarding.
You can market yourself on local social media groups, using flyers or local newsletters. For online tutoring, you can use a service such as MyTutor which will help you find suitable clients.
You’ll often need to work outside 9-5 or on weekends to tutor children outside of school hours but you can set competitive rates especially if you’re a qualified teacher to make this a great side hustle.
16. Transcription Services
Offering a transcription service works by converting audio or video recordings into written text. It works by listening to the recordings and accurately transcribing the spoken words into a written format whilst following any guidelines and formatting requirements.
If you’ve got good attention to detail and are fast at typing, you could offer a transcription service as a side hustle. To start a transcription service you can begin by creating a professional profile on freelancing platforms or get started immediately by joining a transcription website such as TranscribeMe.
17. Consulting
Consulting involves providing expert advice and guidance to individuals, businesses or organisations in a specific industry or area of expertise. If you’re an expert in a given field you can leverage your knowledge and experience to help your clients solve problems, make informed decisions and ultimately achieve their goals.
To determine if consulting is right for you as a side hustle, consider what you’re passionate about and experienced in. If you confidently communicate and can provide valuable insights and recommendations then you can offer a service you can charge for to help others succeed.
To start consulting as a side hustle, you can begin by choosing your area of expertise, identifying potential clients and creating a value proposition which highlights the main benefits of your services. You can use online platforms such as LinkedIn to connect with potential clients related to your area. You can offer free initial calls or workshops to showcase your expertise and build trust in an attempt to win your first clients.
18. Language Tutoring
Language tutoring involves teaching and providing instruction to people who want to learn a new language or improve their language skills. This could be the perfect side hustle for you if you know and understand an additional language.
You’ll need to assess your client’s current level and then plan customised lessons to help them practice speaking, listening, reading and writing in the target language.
To start language tutoring as a side hustle, you can begin by asking locally if anyone would be interested in learning your chosen language to find out if there is enough demand to make your side hustle worthwhile. Beyond that, you could advertise your tutoring services through social media or local news boards and newsletters. You could also get in touch with local schools to see if they would be interested in extra language classes as an extra curriculum activity during or after school hours.
If you prefer to tutor online you can use a site such as Preply where you can set your rates and be linked with users looking for a language tutor.
19. House Cleaning
House cleaning is pretty self-explanatory and something that will always be in high demand in your local area.
If you’ve got good attention to detail, take pride in your work and enjoy making houses look like a “show home” then offering a house cleaning service can be an ideal side hustle for you.
To start your house cleaning business, you can begin by creating a checklist of services you offer along with your pricing structure which should be based on factors such as the size of the home and how long the cleaning work will take you. You’ll likely have the necessary equipment needed such as clothes, a duster, hoovers and a mop or you could arrange to use your clients if they prefer.
You can win your first clients by advertising locally by posting flyers or in local social media groups. Once you’ve built up a good reputation with your first few clients you’ll very likely earn word-of-mouth referrals allowing you to grow your house cleaning side hustle if you have the time.
20. Gardening Services
Gardening services can range from simple tasks such as cutting grass to larger projects such as full garden maintenance and landscaping.
Offering a gardening service is a brilliant side hustle if you enjoy being in nature and want to keep active. You can choose to offer a basic service of grass cutting or a more detailed service depending on your knowledge and experience of plants and gardening techniques. You should also consider if you have the physical fitness to carry out bigger job requests.
To start gardening services as a side hustle, you can begin by offering your range of services such as basic garden maintenance to your neighbours to help build your reputation in your local area. To expand your business you can advertise with a leaflet drop and in local magazines or newsletters.
Depending on your experience, you can consider offering additional services such as garden design plans or plant sales allowing you to charge more per client.
21. Handyman/woman Services
Handyman/woman services provide a variety of repair, maintenance and installation tasks to help people or businesses who don’t have the time, skills or tools required to do it themselves.
The range of tasks can vary hugely but if you are handy and are a keen DIY expert then offering a handyman/woman service can be a fantastic side hustle that will always be in high demand.
Start by considering your skills and what tools you already have that you can put to use and ask yourself what areas of expertise you have and what types of tasks you feel comfortable handling. You can then advertise your handyman services through word-of-mouth referrals, flyers and local social media groups or local classified ads.
Once you begin to build trust with your clients by providing a high-quality reliable service, you’ll soon be the person they’ll call for any issue with their property and spread the good word about your service. To expand your side hustle you can offer special services such as emergency repair callouts where you can charge a higher rate or try to secure a contract with a landlord to maintain their properties to give you guaranteed steady income from your service.
22. Music Lessons
Music lessons can help people who want to learn how to play a musical instrument or improve their skills. You’ll need to be skilled at a particular instrument, confident in your ability to communicate how to play the instrument effectively and have a real passion for sharing music and your learning with others.
To determine if offering music lessons is suitable for you as a side hustle, consider if your ability is at a high enough level, you enjoy teaching, and you have the patience to educate beginner learners.
To get started you can offer music lessons to friends and family and thereafter advertise your lessons through local community centres and schools. To get your first paying clients you could offer a discounted or free trial session to attract new students and showcase your teaching style - keep it fun and be encouraging to keep your clients coming back for more!
23. Car Rental
Car rental involves providing vehicles to people or businesses for short-term use, typically for things such as travel, transportation, or special occasions. You don’t necessarily need to own a large number of vehicles to start this as a side hustle either.
If you have a car or van that you don't need to use regularly you could consider renting it out for a specified period and charge a fee based on factors such as the duration of the rental, the type of your vehicle and how the mileage use.
Insurance is an important thing to consider and you can use a peer-to-peer car-sharing platform such as Hiyacar to easily list your car for rent. Once you’re set up you can accept bookings when they come in with the peace of mind that drivers are vetted and verified and all your bookings are insured and covered by their roadside assistance support.
To get good feedback you can keep your vehicles presentable, clean and in good working condition which can help you win repeat rentals and more money with this side hustle idea.
24. Car Cleaning
Car cleaning services offer to clean vehicles either inside, outside or both and can include washing, vacuuming, polishing and waxing to ensure that the car is left in a pristine condition.
Car cleaning can be a simple side hustle to start by offering a basic outside or inside clean and tidy which is something that will always be in demand. If you have a passion for cars and a good eye for detail then car cleaning can be a suitable idea for you.
To start a car cleaning service you can begin by asking neighbours if they’d like their car cleaned and you’ll only need a few cleaning supplies and equipment to complete your first job such as car wash soap, microfiber towels, vacuum cleaner, and polish or wax.
If you want more business you can advertise your cleaning services through local car clubs, social media, or by distributing flyers around your area. You can even offer different packages or levels of cleaning to cater to various customer needs and budgets.
25. Fitness Coach
Fitness coaching or personal training is a way to provide personalised guidance and support to people who want to improve their physical health and achieve their fitness goals.
To consider doing fitness coaching you’d need the necessary certifications or qualifications and first aid training first. Once you have them in place you can turn fitness coaching into your side hustle if you enjoy being active and helping others lead healthier lifestyles.
You can run your service via a local gym which typically involves paying the gym rent to operate in the space with your clients. Alternatively, if you have the means you train with your clients at local parks or home if you have the necessary equipment if needed.
Advertising your services through social media and local gyms and offering referral incentives will help you build your client base. You can provide initial consultations or fitness assessments to understand the needs and goals of potential clients to help you both find out if you’ll be able to work together. You can also offer additional services such as nutritional plans or group fitness classes to help reach more people.
26. Meal Prep And Delivery
Meal prep is prepping and delivering meals to busy individuals or families. This will help save them time and effort in both cooking and meal planning. A successful meal prep service works by offering nutritious and delicious meals and being able to cook meals in bulk before delivering them to customers.
Do you love cooking? If so running a meal prep and delivery service can be an ideal side hustle idea for you. To create a meal prep and delivery service, start by designing a menu of dishes that you can confidently produce in bulk - you can always expand your menu in the future. You can also try to cater for different dietary preferences and restrictions, such as vegan and gluten-free to be more inclusive and get more customers.
To grow your service, you can ask neighbours or local families if they’re interested - you can target people who you know have busy schedules and market yourself as the person who can save them time and help them eat healthy.
You can also think about offering discounted deals if they agree to place a bulk order for a certain number of weeks or months so you can secure a regular income for your side hustle.
27. Property Management
Property management involves managing residential or commercial properties on behalf of owners and essentially acting as a middleman/woman between the landlord and the tenants.
The main roles of property management will range but generally include tasks such as drafting leases, collecting rent on time, inspections and scheduling contractor visits to perform maintenance or repairs.
If you have good organisational skills and knowledge of real estate then property management could be suitable for you as a side hustle. To start your property management service you can begin by networking with property owners and real estate agents to find potential clients who need someone to manage their property. Try to stand out to potential owners by offering a wide range of services including tenant screening so they’ll be confident and have peace of mind that you’re going to find the most suitable people for their property.
28. Tour Guide
Becoming a tour guide involves providing informative and interesting tours to visitors to showcase a particular area. This can be sharing knowledge, stories and history of the area with visitors.
If you live in a scenic area or one that has a lot of history then you could have a side hustle on your doorstep ready to go. You could use tour guides as a side hustle if you’re passionate about your local area and enjoy talking to others to be able to share your enthusiasm for their city/town or region.
To start a tour guide service you can begin by researching popular attractions and points of interest in your area and map out your tour itineraries. You can advertise your tours through local tourism boards and hotels where new visitors will likely be located and actively looking for ways to explore the area.
29. Bicycle Repair
Offering bicycle repair services includes fixing and maintaining bicycles to keep them in optimal condition for riders which could involve performing repairs and ensuring that bikes are safe and functional to use.
If you’re knowledgeable and handy with the mechanics of bikes you can offer a repair service as a side hustle. Many people have bikes but don't know how to fix any issues which might be super simple if you understand how bikes work.
To start your bicycle repair services you can begin by setting up a suitable workspace with the necessary tools and equipment for bike repairs. Once you’re set up you can reach out locally to neighbours as well as advertise through local cycling clubs, bike shops, or local online biking groups and forums. You can focus on a specific common issue such as flat tyre fixes or offer a wider range of services like brake adjustments, gear tuning, and bike assembly.
30. Driver
Providing a driving service is when you transport people or goods from one location to another safely and efficiently. Starting a driving service has a low barrier to entry as you’ll just need a vehicle and a driving license.
To determine if offering a driving service is suitable for you as a side hustle, consider if you enjoy driving long distances and being in the car/van for long periods. If you’re reliable and punctual then this is an option you could start to generate some extra money.
To start offering driving services as a side hustle you can join an online service such as Uber to begin almost immediately, although be aware you’ll lose some of your potential profits due to the fees Uber take. Alternatively, you can advertise your services through word-of-mouth referrals once you have your first customers and in local businesses as there are always people needing a ride. Depending on where you live - you could offer a specialised service such as a chauffeur or airport transfers.
31. Voiceover Work
Voiceover work involves providing narration or spoken audio for various projects like commercials or audiobooks.
If you’ve got a confident, clear and expressive voice you could offer to do voiceover work as a side hustle. You’ll need a good quality microphone and recording software so your audio is professional quality.
To start offering voiceover services as a side hustle, you can begin by creating a professional demo reel showcasing your vocal range and versatility by narrating a mock advertisement or announcement. You can then make your services available on a freelancing platform like Fiverr. If you can provide high-quality recordings on time, clients will keep coming back to you for more recordings as and when they need a voiceover.
32. Handmade Crafts
Selling handmade crafts includes designing and creating unique items such as jewellery or home decor.
If you’re creative and enjoy crafting then selling your handmade products as a side hustle will be rewarding and fun. It’s important to keep in mind how long each item takes to make and price your products reasonably to reflect the work you’re putting in. With that said, if you love the process then that is the main thing as you’ll be making money whilst doing your hobby making it worthwhile even if you aren't making as much profit.
You can set up an online store for free on Etsy to get started selling your items. Be sure to put time into taking high-quality pictures of your products so they stand out and look as good as can. You could consider offering personalised items if that works with your products to attract more customers.
33. Pet Sitting Or Dog Walking
If you’re a pet lover then this could be your dream side hustle.
Pet sitting involves caring for pets while their owners are away, which can include feeding, exercising or simply providing companionship.
Dog walking supports owners who are short on time or maybe too old to take their dog for a walk and gives them the peace of mind that thier dog will be given the exercise they need.
To start pet sitting or dog walking as a side hustle, you can begin by advertising your services locally, either through word of mouth, flyers, or use local social media groups.
The most important thing is to build a good relationship with your clients by offering a reliable and caring service as you’re being trusted with the pets they love.
As you build a good reputation you’ll likely win more clients through word of mouth referrals and you could add more credibility to your small business by gaining relevant certifications in pet first aid for example.
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Updated: 16 Sep 2024
The Author
Ben is an expert in Matched Betting with nearly a decade of hands-on experience. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and is dedicated to creating high-quality, beginner-friendly content that educates and informs readers about the amazing opportunity that Matched Betting is.