Looking for some ways to make extra money that also let you use your creative side? There are a number of creative side hustle ideas that you can get started with.
In fact, we’ve got 26 side hustles below, plus some examples of what these might look like. Learn more about some of the options you have depending on your skills—or the type of creativity you enjoy—and how you can get started.
1. Sell handmade goods
Do you like to create things with your hands? This can be anything from pots or jewelry to crocheted blankets or resin art. Selling handmade items is a great side hustle to consider.
If you’re interested in this, first you need to decide what you want to make, then start making a lot of it. Your first rendition probably isn’t going to be shelf worthy, but as you practice, you’ll start making better products that you can easily start selling.
There are a few ways you can start selling your new products:
- Create an online store using a tool like Shopify
- Use an online handmade item marketplace like Etsy
- Use social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to sell your products
- List your products on Facebook Marketplace
- Sign up as a vendor for local markets
Here’s an example of what an Etsy store’s product listings can look like:
Getting your products in front of interested customers will be the hardest part—but with the right promotion and being in the right place, you should be able to start making some sales.
2. Sell virtual designs
Similarly, you might like to create things, but using a different medium—graphic design. If you like to create virtual designs, you can sell those just as easily. This includes things like phone or computer wallpapers, wall art users can print off on their own, calendars, and the like.
If printing and shipping is more than you want to deal with, simply selling the digital file with a print license is a perfectly easy way to sell your virtual designs.
Here’s an example of an Etsy shop that sells virtual designs:
Another option is to put your virtual designs on a site like Redbubble or Society6 where people can purchase physical items with your art on them (like throw pillows, phone cases, canvases, etc.) without you having to worry about actually creating or shipping the physical item.
3. Create an online course
Do you have a certain skill and want to share it with others? Creating an online course can be a fun and creative way to share that skill—and make a bit of money while doing so.
You can easily create a step-by-step online course using software like Teachable. Here’s an example of a Teachable online course that shows its students how to create mixed media collages:
You can build out your own online course, then set the price you think it’s worth. For example, the above course costs $79 and is fully self-guided, so anyone joining can immediately dive into the lessons and start learning.
Set your pricing based on how valuable the educational content is, plus if there are any additional perks you offer. You could create a coaching aspect where people who pay a certain monthly fee also get access to a forum where they can ask you and other students questions to learn even more.
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4. Become a freelance writer
Want to get paid to write? Become a freelance writer! While you might have to start small, making just pennies to the word, experienced freelance writers can make upwards of a dollar per word working for certain publications.
Platforms like Upwork, Freelance.com, Guru, and Fiverr can be great marketplaces for finding your first set of clients. As you grow from there, create a portfolio with your work and try to find a niche that you enjoy—like insurance, law, marketing, real estate, ecommerce, etc.
5. Take photography
Do you enjoy photography? Consider becoming a photographer or even taking photos to sell as stock photography.
Stock photo platforms like Pexels, Unsplash, Adobe Stock, and pretty much any other stock photo site you might have in mind have to source their photos from somewhere, and most have the option to contribute your photos on their websites.
While you’ll only get paid if someone downloads your photo, this can be a great way to get started making some money from your photography.
Or, you can choose a niche—wedding, lifestyle, family, newborn, etc.—and become a professional photographer that books clients and takes photos for different milestones and events.
6. Design websites
Website design can be another creative outlet for bringing in some extra money. You can start small, by creating drag-and-drop Squarespace or Wix websites for people and small businesses. But as you learn more, you can start creating WordPress and other self-hosted websites for thousands of dollars apiece.
7. Start a YouTube channel
If you have some interest in taking and editing videos, maybe starting a YouTube channel is the best side hustle for you. You can create daily vlogs, or center your channel around a certain topic that interests you.
Some YouTube channel niches include:
- Lifestyle
- Gaming
- Productivity
- Book reviews
- Product reviews
- Food
- Fitness
- Beauty
- DIY
- Travel
But you can choose or create any niche that interests you. Then, as you start creating video content, you can verify your YouTube channel and start generating ad revenue as your videos get more views.
8. Offer music lessons
Are you well-versed in music or can play a musical instrument? You might consider offering music lessons in your area to help teach others! You can promote your lessons in local Facebook groups, on Craigslist, on Nextdoor, and other areas.
Or, again, you could consider creating an online course to reach an even wider audience.
9. Start a podcast
Got a hot topic you wanna talk about? Starting a podcast can be a great way to do this. While it may take some time for your podcast to grow, many people have turned podcasts into a profitable side hustle and even a full-time job through ad revenue, merchandise, and in-person shows.
Popular paranormal/true crime podcast And That’s Why We Drink recently published a book to offer more fun content for their listeners and to generate more revenue:
Their revenue sources currently include:
- Podcast ads/sponsorships
- Tour tickets
- Books
- Patreon members
- Merch
As your podcast grows, you can also make good money through different outlets like this.
10. Create a clothing line
If you have an eye for fashion, you might consider creating your own clothing line. You could sew some of your own designs, create crochet clothing, sell tie-dyed shirts, or even develop a fully-fledged new line.
The first few are a bit easier—all you need to do is create your products and set up an online shop. If you choose the latter, you’ll need to design your clothing, source or create everything, then find a place to sell. An online store might work upfront, but you could also consider pitching to boutiques, opening your own retail store, and more.
11. Proofread books
Find writers who need their books to be proofread before they self-publish them. Or, become an editor for freelance writers for other types of content. Everyone needs a good proofreader before their content is available for general consumption, and this can be a great job for an avid reader and grammar nerd.
12. Become a voice actor
Have a face for voice acting? (Just kidding.) If you have a soothing voice that bodes well for public speaking, you might consider becoming a voice actor.
Voice actors can narrate animated films or TV shows, or also narrate audiobooks. If you know how to animate, you could even create your own YouTube show that you narrate.
13. Edit videos
If you like to edit videos, but don’t actually want to be center stage on YouTube, you could consider editing videos for other YouTubers or small businesses. Again, start off by looking on job marketplace sites like Upwork or Guru to find clients that need video editing help.
14. Design greeting cards
Designing greeting cards could be another fun way to bring in some extra cash. There are a couple of ways you can do this. First, you might consider just designing digital greeting cards that people can print on their own.
Or, you could create handmade greeting cards that you sell physical copies of. Here’s a great example of what some of those cards could look like:
Create an online store, sell them on your local neighborhood groups, or even reach out to local paper, craft, or consignment stores to see if they can sell your products for you.
15. Write a blog
Blogging is another way—though it can be a slow burn—to make money via a creative side hustle. You can create your own blog through a website like WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix, then regularly write and publish your own posts.
Promote them through social media and interact with other bloggers to grow. Then, you can start selling ad space and making money through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and other avenues.
16. Teach art classes
Consider teaching art classes. You could offer your services at the local community center, teach classes or workshops online, or find other relevant stores who’d be willing to host you for some art classes.
17. Self-publish ebooks
If you love to write, consider self-publishing your own ebooks. Although you could also aim for the traditional publishing route of finding an agent, those looking for a basic side hustle might be more interested in self-publishing.
You can easily write your own story, get it proofread or edited, then publish it as an ebook via Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. Create your own author profile on Goodreads and other reading platforms to help spread the word about your book(s).
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18. Illustrate children’s books
If you’re an artist, you might consider illustrating children’s books. Check job boards to see if anyone is looking for an illustrator for their self-publishing journey, or even consider reaching out to publishers to offer your services.
19. Decorate cakes and cookies
If you enjoy baking and want to get a bit more creative with it, consider selling decorated cakes and/or cookies for different events. You can promote your baked goods in local neighborhood groups, or even make shipping and long-distance orders possible.
Here’s an example of the types of decorated baked goods you could offer via an online shop:
20. Become a makeup artist
If you’re big into doing makeup, consider doing makeup for other people. You can do makeup for small events or even become a wedding makeup artist. Take photos of the makeup you’ve done in the past so you can share your work and expertise.
21. Stage houses
Staging houses or any type of interior decorating can be another fun side hustle. House staging can be a great way to help homes sell as it helps buyers visualize themselves living in the home. You can use the existing furniture, or stock up on furniture that you can move into and out of each home that you stage.
22. Paint pet portraits
If you’re good at painting, people love commissioning painters for portraits of their pets! You may be able to offer this as a service on Etsy or your own website and social media, or you can look for companies that offer custom pet portraits to see if they’re looking for artists to add to their team.
23. Paint murals
A more local option for artists, consider painting murals for businesses and homeowners as a way to earn some extra income.
Girls Who Paint Murals is a team of three women who promote their mural services on Instagram, as well as showcase some of their work.
This can be a great way to get the word out about your skills and services so you can find some mural clients.
24. Create a subscription box
Subscription boxes are monthly or quarterly subscriptions based around a specific theme. For example, if you love crafting, you could put together a subscription box filled with craft items each month. If you love beauty products, you could offer a monthly subscription box with beauty product testers.
Many companies with this business model exist, but it can take awhile to build up a solid customer base to take this full time, making it a great side hustle until it makes enough of an income to cover everything.
25. Paint faces
Another option for those talented in the painting department, consider finding local events that need face painters. Carnivals, festivals, farmer’s markets, and more, can benefit from having face painters to help keep kids and families entertained.
26. Flip furniture
Find furniture that others are throwing away or selling for super cheap, take it home with you, and fix it up a bit. You’ll find that someone’s trash can easily be another person’s treasure once it’s been fully upcycled and had new life breathed into it.
You can then sell the furniture on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other local marketplaces unless you want to look into creating an online store and shipping it out.
Find the right creative side hustle for you
Let your hobbies or skills shine through your side hustle. At least one of these 26 creative side hustles should fit the bill perfectly. Or, if you simply want to teach others how to do your hobby, let Teachable help you put together an online course.
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