In the work at home world, we call our multiple work from home money earners our “eggs.” This post is going to cover various work at home “eggs” or side hustle ideas you can use to make money when work at your main job dries up. And if you’ve been working at home for any length of time, then you know this happens on occasion!
It’s never a good idea to rely on just one job as a home-based worker, because you never know what’s going to happen.
I’ve personally experienced companies laying off/firing workers, changes in available workload, and pay rates suddenly dropping so low that the job was no longer worth my time. So you’ve got to be prepared.
I polled my readers on Facebook a while back and asked around on forums to find out what sites and various industries most people use for back up work from home. Below is a collection of some of the specific sites readers mentioned, along with a few other side hustle ideas.
Note – Keep in mind some of these are just good for extra money, and some possibly amount to part time home based jobs.
Side Hustle Ideas – 12 Legit Options
1 – User Interviews
User Interviews connects people with paid research studies, including online surveys, product testing, interviews, and diary studies. You apply to studies that match your background, and the researcher decides whether you qualify.
The reward, format, and time commitment are listed before you apply. Some online studies can be completed on your own time, while others require a scheduled video call.
Go here to browse studies and sign up for User Interviews.
2 – Respondent
Respondent is another option for getting paid to share your opinions through research studies. These can include online interviews, product tests, and other projects based on your work background or everyday experiences.
You create a profile and apply to studies that interest you. The payment and time commitment are listed before you apply, and the researcher decides who is selected.
You can choose online studies if you want to participate from home. Go here to sign up for Respondent and see the available studies.
3 – Create & Sell Digital Printables
Digital printables are things like planners, checklists, worksheets, trackers, games, and other files people can buy and download online.
You can create them with beginner-friendly tools like Canva and sell them on Etsy without keeping inventory or shipping anything to customers.
If this sounds like something you’d like to try, Gold City Ventures has a free workshop that explains how to start an Etsy printables business.
4 – Sell Print-on-Demand Products
With print-on-demand, you can sell things like mugs, tote bags, ornaments, and shirts without keeping boxes of inventory in your house.
You create the designs and list the products for sale, and a production partner makes and ships each item when someone orders. You would still handle your shop listings and customer messages, but the printing and shipping are taken care of for you.
If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, The Gift Lab teaches you how to create and sell print-on-demand gifts on Etsy.
5 – Offer Freelance Proofreading
If spelling mistakes and missing punctuation tend to jump out at you, you may enjoy offering proofreading as a side service.
You would check things like blog posts, newsletters, business documents, or books before they are published. You can take on a few projects at a time and set your own rates, so this can be done alongside another job.
You should be comfortable with grammar and working to a deadline. If you’d like help learning the skills and finding clients, Proofread Anywhere has training on starting a freelance proofreading business.
6 – Fiverr
So many people are listing side gigs on Fiverr and earning income.
For many, it’s just a little extra money here and there. But for others, Fiverr pays the bills!
If you don’t know what to list there, see this post with ideas for what to sell on Fiverr.
Go here to try it.
7 – Sell Homemade Dog Treats
If you enjoy baking and love dogs, selling homemade dog treats is another side hustle you could start small.
You could make treats in batches and sell them to local pet owners or take orders online. Things like birthday treats and gift boxes give you more options than selling a plain bag of biscuits.
You would need to plan for ingredients, packaging, and the requirements for selling pet treats where you live. Diva Dog Bakery has training that walks you through starting and growing this type of business.
8 – Rover
If you like animals, you may want to consider signing up with Rover as a pet sitter. Basically, Rover is a middleman — helping connect pet sitters to people needing the services in your area.
While they do take a cut of your earnings since they offer the platform to help you find clients, it still may come in handy if you’ve struggled to find clients to pet sit for in the past.
You decide which appointments to accept and when you are available. You can also choose the pet-care services you want to offer, such as boarding pets in your own home.
Go here to sign up for Rover.
9 – DoorDash
If you are OK with a job outside the home as long as it’s flexible, you might enjoy delivering food orders for DoorDash! This is actually something my own sister does in her spare time and enjoys for occasional side money.
You can choose when to deliver, and your earnings will depend on the orders you accept.
Go here to sign up with DoorDash.
10 – Slice the Pie
This is another one that I’ve personally kept on the back burner for extra money, and it was mentioned by a few people I polled.
You can review music, videos, fashion, games, and other products, with surveys also available. The amount you earn depends on the task and the quality of your feedback.
Cash-out options include PayPal and gift cards, with other payment methods available in some regions.
Go here to register with Slicethepie.
11 – Clickworker
My personal experience with Clickworker is very limited, but this one gets mentioned quite frequently on the forums and also from my followers on Facebook. It’s task-based work. The pay varies depending on the project you’re doing.
Go here to read more about Clickworker or here to register.
12 – Textbroker
I admit this has been a go-to site for extra money for me for quite some time. You get paid to write articles and other content for Textbroker’s clients, and you can choose from assignments available at your writing level.
Applications are open to eligible U.S. writers age 18 or older. You will submit a writing sample, and payments are handled through Payoneer. Textbroker releases payments twice a week.
Go here to read my Textbroker review or here to register as a writer.
Best Types of Jobs for Fill-In/Back Up Work at Home
The best type of back up work at home job is almost always going to be something flexible so that you can pick it up or drop it as needed depending on how things are going with other work you do.
Freelance writing and transcription can both give you that flexibility, as long as you meet the deadlines for work you accept.
A person on my Facebook page also suggested mystery shopping as a good industry to get involved in for side money. While most mystery shopping is done outside the home, telephone mystery shopping can be done from home.
Good luck whatever you choose to pursue!
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.
Anna Thurman is a work at home blogger and mom of two. She has been researching and reviewing remote jobs for over 15 years. Her findings are published weekly here at Real Ways to Earn.