What are your favorite side-hustle ideas?

WordPress prompted me today, “What are your favorite side hustle ideas?” and I took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. Consider this my TED Talk, minus the lanyard.

First, what is a side hustle?

A side hustle is a way to make extra money that isn’t a second job and usually isn’t what you do all day at your primary job. Think DoorDash on the weekend, or a few DJ gigs at $200 a pop.

One important rule: if you DJ full-time, that’s just a job with better lighting. If DoorDash or Uber Eats is your only income, same deal. That’s your hustle, not your side hustle.

I do side hustles when I’m chasing a financial goal that my regular paycheck can’t reach alone. And no, you don’t have to live on tuna and tap water to get there. If frugality is your spirit animal, go forth. If not, nobody’s making you.

My resume of questionable decisions

I’m not a one-hustle pony. I’ve worked retail, made custom gifts (bows included), sold cupcakes and pies, and hosted and emceed events. My cookies are my weakest strength. Everything else, I’ll eat my own words. And my cooking.

My top picks

1. Hosting (my number one)

Trivia nights, karaoke, emceeing. Charge $100 to $300 depending on the event, and you can stack four or five gigs at $200 each. They’re only 2 to 3 hours long, so your whole weekend isn’t gone. Bonus: they often feed you.

Not everyone can host. You have to keep the program moving, watch the clock, know when to cut something and when to stretch it, and be okay with cracking jokes (and being the target of a few). If public speaking makes you break out in hives, skip this one.

Upfront costs are a speaker, a mic, and a laptop. It sounds like a lot until you sketch it out, and it’s less than you think. (I do need a new mic. Hint, hint, universe.)

2. Nerd trivia night

Gather the hardest, nerdiest questions you can find, have them vetted, and charge $5 a person. A team of up to six can enter for $50, and part of the pot covers food, drinks, and prizes. I’m basically paying people to feel smart in front of strangers.

3. Cooking and baking

If you have access to a good kitchen, soup is my dream. One Sunday a month, four soups, fresh sourdough or biscuits, flat rate of $10. (Maybe a water thrown in. I’m not made of sodas.)

Do a cost analysis first, because baking from scratch adds up fast. Flour, sugar, and so much butter might run you $100, but with customers lined up, that can turn into $500 or $600. Meal prep works too: two meats, four veggies, two starches, and make sure it lasts longer than two days in the fridge. People will pay you to not have to think about dinner.

4. Thrift flipping

Hit thrift stores, look for vintage pieces under a certain price, get them authenticated, and resell them. It has a low cost of entry and it’s cheaper than it sounds. I haven’t done this one yet, but I’ll report back.

5. Selling old stuff online

Write a good listing, package it up, ship it fast. Pretty decent chunk of change for things already collecting dust in your closet.

Choose wisely: pay or pleasure

Nobody wants to say this out loud, but your side hustle should do one of two things: pay you well for the time you’re giving up, or be something you genuinely enjoy. Ideally both.

Ask yourself why you’re hustling. If it’s coffee money, find something easy that doesn’t drain your soul. If you’re buying a house, buying a car, or escaping debt, think harder. Delivery apps may not give you the best bang for your buck, and they’re brutal on your car. Writing, editing, and bookkeeping can be done from home, with steadier pay and less wear and tear.

A very serious note

If you’re on the brink of bankruptcy, talk to a financial planner, a banker, or a bankruptcy lawyer before starting a side hustle. Reportable income can be counted against you in a bankruptcy settlement, so you can actually mess yourself up. This is not the time for vibes.

The recap

My favorite side hustle is hosting, because it’s the most money for the least time. Second place goes to cooking and baking. Whatever you pick, make sure you know why you’re doing it and that you won’t hate your life by Tuesday.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a book to finish listening to.