27 Side Hustle Ideas for 2025 to Earn $500 or More During Your Free Time

      Side Hustle Nation focuses on enhancing your personal profitability. To support this goal, we frequently collaborate with companies that have a similar mission. If you register or make a purchase through one of our partner links, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. Learn more. Every side hustle originates from an idea!

      I've compiled a list of the top side hustle ideas to inspire your creativity. Most of these opportunities require minimal initial investment, yet each has the potential to earn you extra income during your free time. Remember, what works best for one person may not suit another.

      These ideas were curated based on:

      - Over 20 years of side hustle experience

      - Interviews with more than 500 side hustle entrepreneurs

      - Input from the 50,000-member Side Hustle Nation community

      The income potential for these ideas ranges from $50 to $50,000 a month—it all hinges on your execution!

      1. **Online Surveys**

      While they won't make you wealthy, online surveys can be a simple way to supplement your income during idle moments (waiting in line, watching television, etc.). If you enjoy this pursuit, consider:

      - **Swagbucks** – Earn up to $35 per survey with this highly popular app, plus a $10 bonus just for signing up!

      - **Product Report Card** – Get notified about higher-paying product tests, clinical trials, and online focus groups.

      - **KashKick** – Get paid for answering surveys, testing games, and trying out new products.

      - **Survey Junkie** – Complete up to three surveys daily and earn up to $40 monthly.

      - **InboxDollars** – Receive a $5 bonus just for signing up!

      - **American Consumer Opinion** – Join millions of free members and earn up to $50 per survey.

      2. **Rental Properties**

      Investing in real estate is one of the oldest and most popular side hustles... but buying houses can be expensive! Fortunately, platforms like Arrived simplify the process of investing in income-generating properties with a starting investment of just $100.

      Arrived pools funds to purchase rental properties, manages them, and distributes monthly cash flow. I also appreciated Austin Miller’s innovative approach to developing his rental portfolio, which grew to 17 properties valued at $1.2 million—all acquired without using any of his own money.

      3. **Customer Interviews**

      Many businesses conduct customer interviews for feedback on new products.

      - **Best Overall**: Earn $50-150/hr, with thousands of new studies available each month.

      - **Best for Industry Pros**: Average earnings of $75 per project, with notifications for upcoming studies you qualify for.

      - **Best for Medical Research**: Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while contributing to medical research.

      User Interviews and Respondent.io are two excellent services that facilitate these interviews online and via phone, with average compensation between $50-150 an hour.

      4. **Part-Time Remote Work**

      For legitimate work-from-home jobs across various levels—entry-level to executive, freelance to full-time—FlexJobs is the top site.

      As of now, over 100,000 openings are available across numerous career categories. While there is a nominal monthly fee to access listings, securing even one job can easily recoup that cost. Check out our review of FlexJobs for more information.

      5. **Reselling Furniture Returns**

      Reselling returned furniture is an innovative low-risk side hustle. By joining Sharetown as a local “reverse logistics” representative, you help manage return requests for direct-to-consumer furniture brands. When customers choose not to keep an item, you can pick it up, clean it, photograph it, and then list it for resale on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Sharetown reps typically aim for $150-250 per flip—there's no inventory payment until the item sells.

      6. **Vending Machines**

      Mike Hoffmann’s vending machine business earns him thousands of dollars monthly. He advises using modern machines and targeting locations with either 100 residential units or workplaces with 100 employees.

      7. **Flipping Items for Profit**

      Buying low and selling high is an extremely popular side hustle that readily allows you to earn extra cash. Start with items you have at home and look for profitable finds at:

      - Yard sales

      - Garage sales

      - Estate sales

      - Thrift stores

      - Flea markets

      - Facebook Marketplace

      If you enjoy the hunt, this could be a fantastic side hustle for you. Friends Rob and Melissa Stephenson consistently make thousands monthly just from flipping items part-time! They offer a free training session on how to start and achieve your first sales in just two weeks.

      8. **Freelance Your Skills**

      Freelancing is one of the best side hustles to begin with minimal to no cost, utilizing your existing skills. In fact, many guests featured on the Side Hustle Show started with a freelance or service business. Popular options