15 Legit Side Hustles from People Who Actually Make Money with Them

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What’s wrong with making extra money? Ummm, nothing! There are a lot of legit side hustles that you can try in order to make that happen!

Even if you’ve already got a full-time job, a few extra hundred (or even thousand) dollars a month can mean a vacation at the end of the year, money for a downpayment or a new car.

And, extra cash can make the difference between living paycheck to paycheck and having some financial wiggle room. Finding a legit side hustle can help you get there.

Fifteen real people who have legit side hustles of their own told us what they do to put a few extra bucks in their pockets. One of these side hustle ideas might be the perfect gig for you!

15 Everyday, legit Side Hustles for 2022

Legist sides hustles to help you make extra money — Legit side hustles to make you money from home!

1. Become a freelance writer

“I pitched an idea for a column to my local newspaper. After a few negotiations, I landed a weekly column at $50 a pop. It only took me an hour or so to write the column each week.” Bill, 23

To start a side hustle as a freelance writer, you can creating a posting on sites like Upwork.com or Fiverr.com. Or, you can create your own website to promote your service.

2. Buy and resell items

“A friend of mine and I would hit garage sales on the weekends and buy whatever we thought we could resell. Then we’d set up a table at the local flea market. We almost always made a profit, plus it was fun to meet new people.” Wendy, 30

Buying and reselling items is a fun and easy side hustle.

Plus, in this day and age with a huge online marketplace you can sell your items all over the world. You can find some steals and deals at local garage sales and even your neighborhood Goodwill.

Listing your items on sites like eBay, Etsy or Poshmark gets you in front of a ton of potential customers. Or you can set up your own Shopify site as an easy way to start selling products online.

If you are looking for a legit side hustle from home this is it.

3. Mow grass

There’s nothing wrong with this classic. You can just do a few odd jobs a month mowing in your neighborhood, or start your own lawn maintenance company for a large scale side hustle!

“I borrowed a friend’s push mower to do my neighbor’s yard. Within two weeks, I was mowing grass for six people on the same street. It’s a seasonal job, but it put $240 extra in my pocket each weekend for the summer.” Daniel, 19

4. Create YouTube videos

“I post about six videos a month on nail art. They always get several hundred new views each week, which nets me about $80 to $200 each month.” Veronica, 23

Have something you are really good at or have a lot of knowledge about? Share your expertise with others in videos and use it to make extra money. Or even something your are passionate about.

Whether it is a make up tutorial or tips on digital marketing, you have something you can share with others. Why not use it to make extra money? As legit sides hustles go, this one may be one of the most fun.

5. Open a cleaning service

Service businesses have low overhead, take little start-up cash and rely on word-of-mouth advertising. An easy-to-start side hustle idea is to open a cleaning service.

“I advertised on Facebook and told all of my friends. Pretty soon, I was cleaning for three different families during the week after my day job. It brought in an extra $150 a week.” Susan, 24

6. Refinish old furniture

“I started with a couple of tables I owned that I was about to throw out. I sanded them down, painted them and added new hardware. After I sold them, I started buying used furniture I’d find online for cheap or even free.” Randolph, 33

Painted and refinished furniture is very popular now. Chalk painted furniture can go for a high price. Pick up old furniture for next-to-nothing at garage sales, paint it and resell it on Facebook Marketplace for a legit side hustle that makes you extra money!

7. Sell on eBay and Amazon

“My wife raids the clearance racks in lingerie and bathing suit departments and resells them online. She does particularly well with plus-sized garments.” Adam, 42

You don’t have to only sell garage sale finds. You can also find deeply discounted items in your city and then list them on shopping sites for a profit.

8. Dog walking

“I make $250 a month walking one dog, one hour a day, five days a week. It’s in my neighborhood, so I’m not even investing gas.” Richard, 32

This may be the healthiest side hustle in the list. Not only are you getting extra fitness by walking, but spending time with dogs is known to relieve stress. This legit side hustle requires no overhead, and very little time.

Rover.com is a great site to advertise and find customers. You can also house-site or care for dogs at your own home while their owners are out-of-town.

Another way to maximize this side hustle into an actual business is to start a doggie daycare at your home. Watching several dogs at a time increases the money you can make.

9. Tutor students

“I tutor three middle-school students after classes during the week. I charge $50 an hour.” Chin-Lee, 20

Another easy and potentially lucrative side hustle is tutoring. You can tutor local students who need extra help or even teach classes online.

10. Indulge your creativity

“I love to paint pictures of the outdoors. I used to do it for my own amusement, but when my mom suggested I sell one, I did. I made $250. Since then, I make time to paint two or three a month to sell. If I accumulate enough, I set up at outdoor art walks.” Aimee, 26

You can make extra money from your talents! Whatever your creative skill is, photography, painting or woodworking, you can turn it into a way to make some money on the side.

11. Make jewelry

“I started making earrings by buying the raw materials at Hobby Lobby. After I started selling, I switched to buying materials from wholesalers. You can take jewelry-making classes just about anywhere, too, so you can start making more elaborate pieces. I easily make $500 a month extra.” Mariella, 33

Another side hustle that offers the chance for creativity. Make your own jewelry and sell it at local flea markets or online.

12. start a Drop ship business online

“Open a website devoted to selling certain items, like camping gear or women’s clothing. When customers place an order, you turn around and order the item from a wholesaler and pocket the difference in price. The more websites you manage, the more money you can make.” Devonte, 29

Starting a drop ship business can be an easier way to sell products online. You don’t have to have a warehouse to store products or run the logistics of shipping and inventory.

Specifically, an Amazon fulfillment business is a streamlined way to start your own online business. Here’s how you can start a side hustle fulfillment business of your own.

13. Self-publish through Amazon

“Publishing through Amazon is virtually free unless you pay for upgraded services like a professional cover and outside editing. Romances, self-help and erotica sell well. Write until you have a decent inventory of work for sale. I clear $400 a month every month with my werewolf romance stories.” Alex, 40

There is a lot of potential money to be made in eBooks. With the ease of purchasing digital books and large marketplaces like Amazon, writing your own books can be a lucrative and legit side hustle from home.

And, if you aren’t comfortable with fiction, you can write an educational ebook about whatever your expertise is.

14. Repaint parking curbstones

“Buy a paint brush, a small paint roller, a paint tray and a bucket of outdoor-grade white or yellow paint. Visit nearby businesses and offer to repaint their parking curb stops. I charged $20 each.” Zane, 28

15. look for free stuff to resell

“I hit up the dumpsters when the summer semester starts and students are leaving their dorms. You’d be amazed how much valuable stuff they’ll throw out. I resell everything online or at flea markets.” John, 27