Which of The 7 Ingenious Side Hustles We Found in 2025 Will Pay Off in 2026?
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Image Credit Courtesy of Carter Osborne Tutoring. Carter Osborne.
The 7 Ingenious Side Hustles We Found in 2025 Will Pay Off in 2026, You can make a lot of money with side businesses, just like many others.
Do you want to increase your income in 2026? Since one in four American adults have a side business, it’s possible that you’ve thought about starting one but are unsure of where to begin.
The finest side gigs provide flexibility, stimulate creativity, and assist people in creating revenue streams that can develop with them over time. They are more than just a way to make quick extra money.
The appropriate side gig may turn the hours you spend outside of your 9–5 job into momentum that can change your life, whether your goal is to experiment with a new company idea, save for a big goal, or offset growing prices.
In 2025, Indifact News interviewed dozens of side hustlers to learn more about how they are earning money now and positioning themselves for future success.
1. Tutoring
Online or in-person tutoring can be a fantastic method to turn your expertise into extra money if you are an expert in a subject that people are interested in learning.
Carter Osborne, a tutor from Seattle, Washington, began teaching as a side gig in 2017 to assist with graduate school fees. Osborne left his position as PR director in 2024 to focus full-time on his college essay advising firm, Carter Osborne Tutoring. He earned $220,000 that year, sometimes working just 10 hours a week on average.
Osborne advised Entrepreneur to keep in mind that there are no requirements for launching a profitable side business. “I am not at all like the cliché of a business owner: I studied public policy in college and had no intention of launching a company. Go after your ideas and see what occurs; there is no such thing as a “type” of person who succeeds as a business owner.
2. Creating content for brands
Have a knack for creating content that draws in customers and helps brands go viral? User-generated content, or UGC, is a service that many brands invest in, and it can be your next side project.
Kelly Rocklein is an entrepreneur from Oregon who left college to focus on a career in user-generated content (UGC). In 2022, Rocklein earned $160,000 in her full-time corporate career in addition to breaking six figures with her UGC side business. Since then, she has switched to creative strategy consulting in order to concentrate on growing her company, UGC Pro.
To succeed, you don’t have to be a gorgeous blonde female in your 20s, according to Rocklein. “Kelly, I’m using the best practices that you taught me for TikTok shop. These creators are in the top 1% of TikTok shop. I have students who are Gen X creators who have built six-figure businesses and have now moved to TikTok shop. These days, their monthly income can reach six figures.
3. Live reselling on TikTok
Selling products live on TikTok or another social media platform is a great way to capitalize on your enthusiasm for collectibles or any other in-demand commodity that creates attention.
You must continue to update and go live on a daily basis.
Madden Forrest and his father, Steven Forrest, began breaking cards for pleasure when they bought sealed goods and opened them to show what was inside. The father-son business owners increased revenues from $4,000 in a single day to almost $50,000 per month by using their Bull Island Breaks account to sell cards to potential customers after observing TikTok makers who livestreamed the procedure.
Everyone initially believes that this business is really simple, but it requires dedication and diligence, according to Madden. You must continue to be consistent, uploading and going live each day.
4. Launching a podcast
This adaptable side gig doesn’t require you to appear in front of a camera to communicate your views with the world; all you need to do is choose a topic you’re passionate about, schedule a few first guests, and collaborate with like-minded marketers who can help you make money and receive press.
Ginni Saraswati-Cook, an entrepreneur from New York City, founded and serves as CEO of Ginni Media, an award-winning podcast production company. Hosting her own podcast, The Ginni Show, as a side gig turned into a full-time business that has quadrupled income nearly every year since its inception and presently brings in over $50,000 per month.
Saraswati-Cook told Entrepreneur that “people think podcasting is all creative flow and deep conversations—and yes, it is.” However, it also involves emotional work, project management, and an unexpectedly high tolerance for Wi-Fi unreliability. Most people are surprised to learn that listening is just as important to podcasting as speaking. While managing 57 audio files and making it sound natural, you’re making room for someone’s narrative, brand, and message.
5. Purchasing domains
Possess a knack for predicting which domain names could fetch a high price? For you, domain investing might be a flexible online side business.
When Dennis Tinerino of Los Angeles, California, first heard about domain names and website launches, he was employed in internet sales. This led him to discover domain investing as a side gig. Then, with just an hour or two of labor every day, he transformed the gig into a profitable business that generates six figures annually.
Nothing compares to the flexibility this business offers, according to Tinerino. It requires little technical knowledge and may be operated from anywhere in the world. You establish the guidelines, set your own hours and rates, decide where to sell your names, and select the names you wish to purchase.
6. Making a product
If you have an idea for a product, it can be profitable to develop it in your own time. Side gigs can be the ideal method for ambitious entrepreneurs to test-drive their businesses before going all in.
Coastal Caviar is a handcrafted jewelry company that sells charm necklaces, bracelets, and other items. Kelly Bozigian and her husband, Colt Bozigian, are from Boston, Massachusetts. With no expensive advertising, the jewelry company, which began as a side gig in 2024, reached $1 million in sales.
Bozigian stated, “My best advice is just to put your product or service out there and see what happens.” Thanks to TikTok’s reach, I was lucky to find product-market fit almost immediately. Our business idea was instantly proven by one post, and as you expand and scale, you can figure out all the other logistics.
7. Hourly skill sales
Your first client is all you need to launch your side business if you have a skill that someone will pay for on an hourly basis. Connecting with clients that are willing to pay for your services might be facilitated by platforms such as Taskrabbit.
Marisa Risden of Denver, Colorado, has established a versatile and successful company using Taskrabbit to handle home repair chores, such as sophisticated mounting, little electrical work, and more. Her secondary gig brings in roughly $4,500 a month.
My clients are the true reason I love this profession so much, even if I appreciate seeing a project through to completion,” Risden remarked. “I take satisfaction in making their life easier because I’ve had the opportunity to meet and assist so many amazing people. Nothing compares to a satisfied customer who tells a friend about their wonderful experience working with me.
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