11 Side Hustles from Home

It’s not uncommon for many in the UK to start looking for additional income opportunities given the economic uncertainty. Having a side hustle has become more of of a necessity for many.

Whether you’re aiming to cover living costs, build an emergency fund, or simply treat yourself a bit more, there are numerous opportunities to make money from the comfort of your own home. In fact, one in five UK adults started a ‘side hustle’ since March 2020, with almost one in six claiming to earn over £1,000 a month from their ventures, according to Aviva research.

Start a side hustle in 2024

Research by Money.co.uk unveils the top 10 highest-paid side hustles this summer, revealing that after Uber drivers (£16.34 per hour), babysitting takes the lead at £13.63 per hour, closely followed by teaching English online at £12.36 an hour. However, there are various other avenues to explore, many of which can be done from the comfort of your home.

1. Start selling content online

Content creation is growing fast in popularity and offers the potential to make huge amounts of money. It may sound controversial but platforms like Only Fans give content creators massive opportunities to earn really good money.

Contrary to many beliefs creators make great money without posting seedy content and what’s better is you can partner with a legitimate Only Fans Management Agency like The Virtue Agency who can guide you through the process. They help promising creators start only fans from scratch and within months be well on their way to a considerable income.

2. Rent Out Your Living Space / Spare Room

If you have a spare room or a second property, platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, or Wimdu offer opportunities to earn extra income.

For instance, letting a house to four guests for four nights a month could pocket you £563 in Cambridge or £721 in Windermere. Just be mindful of cleaning protocols, vetting your candidates and fairly expensive platform fees.

3. Start Tutoring

Teaching English online has emerged as the third highest-paid side hustle, averaging £12.35 per hour. Platforms like Tutorful connect you with eager learners, allowing you to earn between £15-£35 an hour. The best part? You can do it from anywhere in the world, providing flexibility and a chance to share your knowledge.

Don’t forget, people need tutors for all sorts of subjects not just English Language, so if you are well versed in another subject or specialism this opportunity could still be for you.

4. Have you got a spiritual/psychic gift?

You might find this one interesting! There is a growing demand for psychic readers around the world. If you believe you hold a spiritual gift, tarot reading and psychic readings could be your calling. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is looking to make additional income from home whilst using their psychic abilities to positively impact peoples lives.

5. Spread the Word for Referral Rewards and switch offers (Banking)

Do you love the latest tech and streaming promotional offers? Share your positive experiences with services like mobile or TV packages and get rewarded through ‘Refer a Friend’ programs. From Sky TV to the AA and Hello Fresh, these deals not only bring in extra cash but often reward your friend as well.

It’s also worth looking at banking switch offers. Some banks will offer you sizable switching bonuses (Some have been as high as £250 cash!) to switch your bank account over to them. Of course there are qualifying criteria but what a great and easy way to make a couple of hundred quid!.

6. Rent Your Driveway / Parking Space

If you have an unused driveway or spare parking space, consider renting it out through platforms like Stash Bee, Just Park, or Parklet.

Some driveway owners on JustPark reportedly make over £4,000 a year. Ensure you inform your household insurer about this arrangement to avoid any surprises.

7. Clear Your Clutter and Sell Online

Did you know the unwanted possessions gathering dust in your home could be collectively worth £2,600? Dive into the clutter and sell items on eBay, Depop, Vinted, or scan CDs, DVDs, and games with the MusicMagpie app for instant prices. For books, platforms like We Buy Books could fetch you an average of £32.

This isn’t so much of a side hustle but it’s amazing how much money you could have lying around your home. Think about it, any sale you make is pure profit, after all you already paid for it and it’s better to make some money instead of just chucking it away.

8. Take in a Lodger

This one might not be for everyone but If you have a spare room, you could consider letting it out under the Government’s ‘Rent A Room’ scheme, allowing you to make up to £7,500 a year tax-free. Advertise on sites like SpareRoom and Roommates UK, making sure your room is furnished and adheres to local regulations.

This is a fairly big decision as you are letting a stranger into your home but many have made a great income whilst creating lasting friendships. It’s definitely an additional income opportunity to explore.

9. Become a Dog Walker or Pet Sitter

You might be thinking you have no real technical knowledge worthy of making you an additional income online. However, if you are a pet lover then becoming a dog walker or pet sitter can be both an enjoyable and profitable opportunity for you. Apps like Rover offer on-demand dog walking, drop-in visits, and even overnight boarding.

Ensure you read the fine print and check your landlord’s permissions if you rent. Pet sitting and dog walking is very popular especially with many people moving away from working from home or taking up more time in the office. We have seen many go from working from home 5 days a week to now adopting a hybrid approach, commonly 3 days at home and 2 days a week in the office.

10. Pick Up Freelance Work Online

Freelancing is a very broad opportunity. The truth is that you can pretty much freelance doing anything. Websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.co.uk open the door to a variety of freelance opportunities, from writing and programming to design and virtual assistance. If you’re fluent in a second language, platforms like Gengo or One Hour Translation could be your avenue.

Set up your profile, be aware of the going rates, and start freelancing. It may take time to get your first job but if you do a good job it is highly likely you will find yourself having repeat and regular work. Think of it as a compounding affect. 

11. Get Paid to Write

If you’re a skilled writer, there are numerous ways to monetize your talent. Platforms like Textbroker and Clickworker connect you with clients looking for content creation. Magazines also offer compensation for published letters sharing opinions and views. Join these platforms, pass assessments, and let your writing skills earn you some extra income.

You may be able to reach out directly to businesses in order to get paid a more favourable rate, not to mention you will save on platform fees. None the less content writing is a fantastic side hustle and carries huge demand internationally.

Final Thoughts

2024 could be the year you start making some serious additional income from home. We have worked hard to include a wide variety of opportunities in this article that appeal to many different people. Sure, working from home and making money online isn’t always easy but there are many opportunities and it can be really fun.

Remember side hustles have a lot of opportunity and we have heard countless stories from people whos side hustles have become their main source of income. The sky is the limit!.