When it comes to making extra income, there are a lot of side hustles out there, but not all are created equal. Some are straightforward and can be started with minimal effort, while others require a bit more expertise. Over time, I’ve come across a few side hustles that I wish I had known about earlier. These are not just any side gigs but scalable opportunities that could lead to significant earnings.
Let’s dive into five of these lucrative side hustles!
1. Amazon Affiliate Marketing
Amazon affiliate marketing is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to start earning money online. It involves promoting Amazon products and earning a commission on every sale made through your referral link. The best part is, Amazon sells just about everything, so you can choose a niche you’re passionate about.
How it works:
You sign up for Amazon’s Affiliate Program (also called Amazon Associates), pick products to promote, and share your unique affiliate links. When someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a small commission. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it system where the more traffic you generate, the more money you make.
Why I wish I knew earlier:
Amazon has built-in trust, meaning that people are more likely to purchase products from their platform. Also, even if someone clicks your link but buys a different product, you still get a commission on that sale. I could have started making passive income long before I even knew about this.
Learn how this 23-year-old makes over $30k/month with a single Instagram theme page
2. Instagram Theme Pages
Running Instagram theme pages is one of the most creative and fun side hustles out there. These pages are dedicated to specific niches (like travel, fitness, or motivation) and don’t require you to create personal content. Instead, you curate and repost relevant content that aligns with your page’s theme.
How to get started:
First, pick a niche that’s popular and has a large audience. Then, start curating high-quality posts from other creators (always give credit!). You can use tools like Canva to make eye-catching visuals. Once your page grows and attracts followers, you can monetize it by partnering with brands, promoting products, or selling shoutouts to other pages.
Why I wish I knew earlier:
Instagram theme pages can grow quickly, especially if you’re consistent with your posts and use the right hashtags. With 10,000+ followers, you can start making income with sponsored posts. Plus, this side hustle doesn’t require a huge time investment once your page is set up. If I had known about this a few years back, I’d have several theme pages running by now.
3. Print on Demand
Print on demand (POD) is another side hustle that’s been gaining popularity, especially for those who are creative or have a knack for design. It involves selling custom-designed products like T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and phone cases, without needing to hold any inventory. You create designs, and when someone orders, a third-party supplier prints and ships the product.
How to get started:
Platforms like Printful and Teespring allow you to easily set up an online store without any upfront costs. All you need to do is upload your designs, select the products you want to sell, and set your prices. When a customer makes a purchase, the platform takes care of the rest.
Why I wish I knew earlier:
The fact that you don’t need to worry about inventory or shipping is a game-changer. I could have been making money off custom designs years ago without having to invest in physical products upfront. Plus, it’s a passive income stream—once your designs are up, they keep selling without much effort on your part.
4. Affiliate Marketing
While Amazon’s affiliate program is great, there’s a whole world of affiliate marketing beyond Amazon that offers higher commissions and more niche-specific products. With affiliate marketing, you promote products or services from other companies and earn a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate link.
How to get started:
Start by finding affiliate programs that align with your niche or audience. Websites like ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and Impact offer a wide range of companies and products to promote. Some affiliates even offer recurring commissions for monthly subscriptions (think software or memberships).
Why I wish I knew earlier:
Unlike Amazon’s relatively low commission rates, some programs offer 30-50% commissions on sales. That’s huge! And for products like digital tools or memberships, you could be earning monthly recurring commissions. It’s a scalable side hustle that grows as your audience does.
5. Social Media Management Services
If you’re already spending hours on social media, why not get paid for it? Offering social media management services as a freelancer is a great way to turn your passion into profit. You’ll be responsible for managing businesses’ or individuals’ social media accounts, creating content, engaging with followers, and growing their presence.
How to get started:
Start by learning the basics of social media marketing, including scheduling tools like Hootsuite and design platforms like Canva. Reach out to small businesses in your area or pitch your services to entrepreneurs who may not have the time to manage their accounts. Websites like Upwork and Fiverr are great for finding freelance gigs too.
Why I wish I knew earlier:
There’s a high demand for social media managers, and businesses are willing to pay well for these services. What I didn’t realize early on is that even small businesses need a presence online, and I could have been offering these services for years.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, these side hustles could have made a big impact on my income earlier if I had known about them. Each of these methods—whether it’s Amazon affiliate marketing, Instagram theme pages, or social media management—offers flexibility and scalability. If you’re just starting out or looking to add to your side income streams, I highly recommend giving one or more of these a try.
