5 Side Businesses You Can Start from Home

If you’re one of the few people who can walk into your work and demand a raise, good for you! Most of us can’t do that, but almost everyone wishes they had some more money in their pockets — especially at the end of the month.

Luckily, there are dozens of different side businesses you can start without having to leave the comfort of your home.

None of these ideas are going to make you rich, but it’s a great way to earn a little extra income.

One of the best benefits of home-based side jobs is their flexibility; you only have to take on as much work as you desire.

If that sounds interesting to you, here are some typical side businesses you can start from home:

Blogging

Blogs have changed the way we get our news, find new recipes, and much more. They can also be a source of secondary income. The biggest advantage to creating a blog is that you can write about anything that interests you. For example, if you enjoy gardening, you can create a blog for gardeners.

If you want to make money with a blog, there are several approaches you can take. One of the most common ways is via ads. Every time someone clicks on one of those ads, you’ll make a small profit; for most bloggers, it’s not a fortune, but it’s something.

Another option is to sell products related to your blog. If you have a cooking blog, you can set up a program that will give you a portion of money every time someone buys an item. Depending on your blog’s topic, this could be an excellent way to make some extra spending money.

Ride Sharing

The ride sharing apps have put a real hurt on the taxi industry, but they are a great opportunity to make money on the side. You can become an Uber driver in less than two weeks and start earning as soon as you are approved. Lyft has a similar time-frame for approval.

With either company you can make much better than minimum wage and all you have to do is drive people from point A to point B.

Cleaning

You don’t get paid to clean your own house, but you can easily get paid to clean someone else’s. It’s not the most glamorous side job, but it can be extremely profitable. There are thousands of homeowners who are willing to pay someone else to clean their home.

Several sites are dedicated to the cleaning services. You can find new clients or advertise your new business with a few simple mouse clicks. Before you start, you’ll need to spend time deciding how you are going to quote houses. You don’t want to give too low of quotes, which can hinder the profit of your new business.

House Sitting

When people go on vacation, they are worried about having their house broken into, which is where you come in. You can get paid to sit in someone’s house and make sure nothing goes wrong. You can tell all of your friends and family that when they go on vacation, you can watch their home, or you can advertise on websites like Craigslist.

While it may seem like an odd business, some people make excellent second incomes by simply sitting in someone’s living room. A unique advantage is that you can also find other ways to make money while you are house sitting.

Consulting

Are you an expert in your field? If you have some expertise in a certain job market, you can get paid to help others. Consulting is a great way to help others and get paid to do it. Make some business cards — the business card size doesn’t really matter — and spend your lunch break or an hour after work getting paid to do what you already do.

Making Extra Money

Having an extra income source is never a bad thing. Instead of picking up a part-time job delivering pizzas, start your own business from home. You probably can’t demand your boss give you a raise — but you can become your own boss and put some extra money in your pocket.

Photo Credit: Mark Morgan