15 Best Side Hustles For Women To Make Extra Money

Side hustles for working women are becoming more of a necessity than ever.  More and more women I know are looking for ways to supplement their income.  

When you consider how an increase in the cost of living affects your budget, you can see why so many wome are looking at side hustles.

The cost of living in America has climbed 14% over the past three years according to a the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index

And a knock-on effect of this increase in the cost of living is that many people are being forced into debt in order to make ends meet.

As of last year (2019), outstanding consumer debt exceeded $4 trillion for the first time, according to the Federal Reserve and will no doubt grow with the excess money entering the system in 2020.

It’s no joke anymore. As living costs rise, people are being plunged into a dark pit of debt.

The good news though is that it doesn’t have to end in a debt trap.  There are plenty of fantastic side-hustle options for females that can help you to generate extra income.

So read on for 15 fantastic side hustle options that can help you in the quest to live debt-free!

Affiliate marketing is an excellent way for women looking to make some money online. As more and more people look for side-hustle options, this is one area that is bound to grow.

According to Forrester Consulting, the U.S. affiliate marketing industry is expected to reach $6.8 billion by 2020.

Let’s take a look at what affiliate marketing is for those who are unfamiliar with it.  Affiliate marketing is when you promote and market another company’s product online.

To do this, you first sign up as an affiliate and receive an affiliate code.  For every product you promote that’s sold, you receive a commission.

When deciding on a product to market, you first need to spend a little time researching your niche (area of interest you want to target).

This can feel a little daunting but don’t despair.  There are specific niches that are popular and profitable.  These include health, money, gaming, hobbies, just to name a few.

The key is to find an area of specialization within one of those niches.  An example of a niche you could market is weight loss.  For many people, particularly women, losing weight is something they are desperate to do.

A search on google reveals that in 2018 the Ketogenic Diet was the most googled diet.  So within the niche of weight-loss, you could focus specifically on the Ketogenic diet or some aspect of it.

A great example of affiliate marketing done right is Hosting Foundry which provides high-quality reviews on website hosting websites.

However, the best way to learn about affiliate marketing is by doing it learning from the best training courses.

Now that we’ve looked a little at what affiliate marketing is let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of affiliate marketing.

• Use tools like Google Trends and Ahrefs to help you research and nail down a profitable niche. Don’t skimp on the time and effort needed to research – it will pay off when you identify a profitable niche.
• Affiliate marketing can be a competitive field – to capture the attention of your audience consider writing reviews on the product you are marketing. Make sure you have used the product yourself so that you can provide authentic reviews that give honest feedback.
• Learn, learn, learn! Learn as much as you can about affiliate marketing. You can find this free resource on how to start affiliate marketing here.

Amazon, the largest online retail platform is definitely not an option to be overlooked!

When you consider that more than 66% of the top 10 000 sellers on Amazon use FBA, then you realize it’s time to take a closer look at the FBA option Amazon offers.

So what exactly is Amazon FBA? FBA stands for Fulfilment By Amazon.  The way it works is like this: You ship your products to an Amazon warehouse and market them as usual on Amazon.

When you get an order, Amazon takes care of everything from packaging and shipping to providing 24/7 customer care service for your product.

This is an excellent option for people selling many products on Amazon because they take all the stress out of getting the products to your customers.

You may be wondering how to decide on a product niche.  This can be challenging, but there are tools that can help you with this.

Amazon provides its bestseller lists for products in its various categories.  Browsing through these can give you some insight when selecting your product.

Another option you can look into is Helium 10 which is a product research tool for Amazon. They even have a free chrome extension you can use to see how competitive a market is.

In keeping with the weight-loss theme, an example of a product you could sell on Amazon is a Keto BHB supplement. You could source a quality producer in the USA and market it world wide.

Since Amazon FBA can be quite complicated, we recommend learning from some of the best FBA training courses as mistakes can be very costly,

Let’s look now at the advantages and disadvantages of using Amazon FBA.

• Be aware that aside from FBA fees, you will also pay for the storage of your items in the Amazon warehouse. To help you compare the cost of fulfilling the orders yourself vs. having Amazon do it, make use of the Amazon Revenue Calculator.
• You are not required to sell a certain amount of products to qualify for Amazon FBA. This makes it an ideal option for smaller businesses too.
• You can’t sell certain products on Amazon, and your account can be suspended if you try to sell these illegal products.

This is an excellent option for women who love writing and have a way with words!

According to Statista, “The number of bloggers in the U.S. is set to reach 31.7 million users in 2020”.

The fact that there is such a vast number of people blogging means that there will always be a need to find writers who can create blog posts.  This is where you come in!

So what do you need to know if you are looking at becoming a freelance writer as a side-hustle? To get started, you need to have a computer and a good internet connection.

The skills you will need as a freelance writer include:

• Excellent English grammar
• Strong spelling skills
• Excellent research skills
• The ability to give attention to detail

There are various options in terms of finding work.  You can work through a freelancing platform like Upwork, which is a platform that connects freelancers with clients needing work done.

Other options include FreelanceWriting.com, which is a free job board and Content, which is a paid job board.  With a little time and effort, you will soon be able to find freelance writing opportunities.

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of being a freelance writer.

• Because you have flexibility as a freelance writer, it can be easy to let your writing take a backseat at times when life happens. To offset this, it’s a good idea to set daily working hours and to stick to them as far as possible.
• Resist the urge to write for lots of different niches. Instead, specialize in one or two niches and stick to them. This will help you build up your writing portfolio and land future work. Clients prefer writers who are knowledgeable and excel in their specialized areas.

Do you have specialized knowledge you can share with others? Or is there something you’re passionate about? 

Maybe you’re passionate about natural health or a particular hobby or craft.  You can package that knowledge into a book and sell it on Amazon Kindle.

Consider this statistic related to Amazon Kindle for a moment:

According to Forbes: “Amazon’s US and worldwide Kindle book sales grew in 2017, and continue to grow in 2018”.

Amazon is the world’s largest online shopping platform, and Amazon Kindle provides a fantastic avenue through which to self-publish and sell your book.  It’s free and available to anyone who wants to self-publish eBooks and paperbacks.

Consider the following advantages and disadvantages of Kindle publishing:

• Browse the bestseller lists on Amazon in your chosen niche to see what types of books are selling well. This can help you see if your chosen niche is profitable.
• The title and subtitle of your book are prestigious and need to be chosen with care. The main title needs to be catchy and memorable. The subtitle needs to be a little different – you want to emphasize how the book will help your readers clearly. Sum up the positive outcomes of your book in your subtitle.
• Never underestimate the importance of your book cover. You may have an incredible book, but no-ones going to get as far as reading it if your cover doesn’t catch their eye. Don’t skimp on it and get a professional graphic designer to put together something classy and eye-catching.

This is an excellent option for women who own properties. You can rent them out as holiday rentals through Airbnb.  

Airbnb has more than 150 million users worldwide in more than 65 000 cities.  It’s a lucrative platform to be part of!

Airbnb is a platform that connects people who are looking for accommodation with those offering it.  It’s well-known, reputable, and trusted and a great way in which to generate some extra income on the side.

Let’s take a closer look at the advantages of Airbnb to help you make a more informed choice as to whether this is the right side hustle for you as a couple.

• You don’t have to rent out an entire house – you have the option of renting out a single room in your home.
• Always work through the Airbnb platform. It’s tempting to take your communication off the platform and communicate privately, but this will only lead to complications and scams. Airbnb does charge fees but with this comes their protection for both the hosts and guests.
• Invest in your property. Provide a unique experience and add small touches, like adding a speaker in your shower and you will get rewarded with rave reviews.
• A host should take out their own private homeowners’ insurance to make sure they are covered for issues Airbnb may not cover.

“The global online education market is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 10.26% during the forecast period to reach a total market size of Us$286.62 billion by 2023.”

Online learning is just going from strength to strength.  It’s an area you should investigate when considering a side-hustle.

When considering what topic to choose for your online course, think about what you are passionate about and in what area you have expertise.  

Health is a popular niche, for example.  However, because it’s so popular, there will be lots of competition.  Try to find a specific focus within the general niche of health and consider developing it into a course.

Let’s take a look now at the advantages and disadvantages of creating an online course.

• It’s always a good idea to do some research to see you if your niche is something people are interested in. Consider conducting online surveys.
• Tools like Google Trends and Ahrefs can give you an idea of what people are searching for on google. This can help guide you in choosing your niche.
• Don’t feel that you need to create a vast, in-depth course. It’s best to start small initially, and you can always build on and add extra modules as you go.

With most families these days being two-income families, there will always be a need for cleaning services.  

Between work commitments, attending to their children’s needs and everything in between, most women are finding it very challenging trying to balance housework in that mix.

According to a report by Ibisworld, “the residential cleaning service franchises Industry in the U.S. had a total revenue of $943 million in 2019”.

Clearly, this is a huge industry, and it is an opportunity for you to start your own cleaning service.

By sourcing excellent and reliable people to do the house cleaning and putting them in touch with the people who need house cleaning services, you will be able to run this business easily as a side hustle.

Let’s look now at the advantages and disadvantages of starting your own cleaning service:

• Tempting though it may be, don’t offer all sorts of different services related to housekeeping (e.g.: carpet cleaning). Doing this prevents you from focusing on and specializing in one area.
• Make sure you are familiar with the laws in your area governing businesses and follow them. You will need to register your business and don’t forget to look into getting some business insurance too!

If cooking is something you love to do, and food is your thing, then starting your own catering business may just be the right thing for you!

When you take into account that the “Caterers market size in the U.S. in 2019 is $11.5 billion” then you can see there’s a gap here for a side hustle!

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can often be challenging for women to find the time to prepare dinner.  Making use of a catering service can be an appealing option for them.

Remember, however, that there’s much scope within this industry.  You are not just restricted to catering meals. You can offer catering for birthdays, weddings, and even corporate functions. There’s plenty of scope, and it’s up to you!

Let’s take a look now at the advantages and disadvantages of doing catering as a side hustle.

• Do some research and make sure you know what your competition is offering and at what price. Look for ways to improve on what they offer.
• Be prepared to be flexible. Offer a varied menu, and take into account your clients’ preferences and allergies.
• Find out the legal requirements for starting a catering business in your area. Always make sure you comply with these.

When you consider that “The global revenue of the market research industry exceeded 45.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2017,” then it’s apparent that this is an excellent option for a side hustle.

It’s as simple as it sounds.  You sign up with a survey company like paidsurveys.com or use a site like onlinesurveyspaid.com that gives you lists of companies that offer paid surveys.

Once you’ve signed up, you take the surveys and are paid accordingly.  You can earn anywhere between $1 to $20 per survey. As a quick option to earn some cash on the side, it’s worth looking into.

What then are the advantages and disadvantages of taking surveys as a side hustle?

• Be aware of the fact that some “surveys” can be scams. When you are deciding which companies to work with check first to make sure it’s not a scam.
• To make it profitable, be prepared to sign up with at least five legitimate survey companies.

According to Ibisworld “The total revenue in 2019 thus far for online tutoring services is $608m”

Whether you opt for being an online tutor or working face-to-face, this is a great option to consider as a side hustle.

An example of a company you can join up with to work as an online tutor is Yup. They offer 24/7 online tutoring covering all maths concepts right up to Calculus AB. You will need to take exams to check your competence and can earn between $13-$17 per hour.

Let’s look a little closer look now at the advantages and disadvantages of offering private tutoring.

• Check the tutor requirements for the online group you are hoping to work with. They vary from group to group and can range from only needing a high school diploma to needing a Bachelors’s degree in some cases.
• Once you have registered as a tutor with an online learning platform, you need to make sure that you are constantly updating your profile in order to draw new students. Consider adding a video message as that personal touch helps bring new students.
• Reviews and ratings will add to your profile and help you get new students so always encourage your students to rate you after their learning session.

According to Statista, “It is projected that in 2027, 86.5 million people will be freelancing in the U.S.”  The freelancing industry is only set to increase, so why not take the opportunity to create a great side hustle from freelancing?

Fiverr is an online platform through which freelancers can offer their services to clients needing them.

They offer a wide array of services, some of which include social media services, copywriting, virtual assistant services, and many more. It’s a terrific platform through which to find work.

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of working as a freelancer.

• Working as a freelancer can be isolating as it means long hours on your own. Take into account your temperament and personality when deciding if this will be a good fit for you.
• Set daily working hours and stick to them. This will help you keep the right balance between work and family life and help you to stay on track with your work schedule.

According to Statista, “It is projected that in 2027, 86.5 million people will be freelancing in the U.S.”  The freelancing industry is only set to increase, so why not take the opportunity to create a great side hustle from freelancing?

Fiverr is an online platform through which freelancers can offer their services to clients needing them.

They offer a wide array of services, some of which include social media services, copywriting, virtual assistant services, and many more. It’s a terrific platform through which to find work.

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of working as a freelancer.

• Working as a freelancer can be isolating as it means long hours on your own. Take into account your temperament and personality when deciding if this will be a good fit for you.
• Set daily working hours and stick to them. This will help you keep the right balance between work and family life and help you to stay on track with your work schedule.

• While Uber drivers are not allowed to take a family member or friend with them when they collect passengers for a trip, UberEats does allow this. This makes it a super option for women who may have concerns about their personal safety.
• Make sure that you have a hot and cold bag when you collect your orders. This will ensure the customers’ food stays warm and will ultimately result in happy customers and good ratings.
• Bear in mind that UberEats has specific vehicle requirements – your vehicle must be less than 15 years old. It also needs to be in good condition and be insured and registered.

On Linkedin alone, there are 790 jobs currently offered for house sitting.  Yes, this is an area to consider as a side hustle.

And yes it is as easy as it sounds.  As a housesitter, you stay over at the client’s house to take care of their property and animals.

According to Payscale, the average salary for housesitting is $11.79 per hour.  Housesitting from time to time will add to your income.

House sitter America is an example of a platform through which you can find housesitting work.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of housesitting?

• Whichever platform you choose to join up with to find work as a house sitter, give careful thought to your profile. When writing up your profile, try to think about what the client would be looking for in a potential house sitter and match this in your profile.
• Be sure to connect up with the daily email alerts for house sitting jobs to give yourself the best chance of getting work.

According to Consultancy.org, “The size of the global market research industry grew by 6% to $76 billion in 2017”.  And with that comes the need for people to participate in marketing focus groups.

So what exactly is a marketing focus group?  A marketing focus group is when people are chosen according to specific criteria (according to the needs of the research focus) to give feedback for market research for various products, services, etc.

Engage is an example of a marketing focus group focusing on consumer and healthcare research.  In exchange for providing feedback for them, you can expect to earn between $50 – $250.

What then are the advantages and disadvantages of participating in a marketing focus group?

• Sign up to as many focus group companies as you can because the work is not steady, and you may only get the job a couple of times a year.
• Be aware that no legitimate company will ever ask you to pay a fee to participate in the focus group. If they do, it’s a scam.

There you have it! There are many excellent side hustles for women out there that with diligence and effort, you can turn into fantastic side hustles that can generate you extra streams of income!