Hey there, Tom here.

Now…I’ve been testing out side hustle ideas since 2018. And let me tell you, a ton of ideas promise you the world but cost a small fortune to get up and running…Only to never pay you 😂

Dropshipping…Amazon FBA…Selling apparel online…The list goes on.

But when you need to make consistent income, you certainly don’t want to start off by sinking thousands of dollars into an idea.

That’s why if I had to start over today with $0 in my bank account, I wouldn’t spend weeks looking for some secret money-making method.

Instead, I’d focus on things that can be started with the resources I already have 👉 a laptop, an internet connection, and the willingness to hustle.

Here are 5 side hustles I’d seriously consider. If you want to create a new income stream before the end of the year, this list is also an excellent starting point.

Let’s get to it!

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You don't need a huge audience or a fancy website to start a newsletter. But a newsletter is an amazing asset that can also scale into a serious income source over time.

To get started, just pick a topic you know something about, start publishing useful content, and build an email list over time. This is honestly the path; you don’t need to pay for expensive coaching or some secret mastermind group to start a newsletter!!! Just start writing valuable content that helps people!

Platforms like Beehiiv and Substack make it easy to get started for free.

Beehiiv lets you monetize your newsletter pretty quickly with ads. And Substack has paid subscriptions, which can turn into a nice source of recurring revenue with just a handful of subscribers.

As you build your audience, you can also monetize through affiliate links, direct sponsorships, selling digital products, or even branching into routes like paid coaching and consulting.

💸 The Catch: This is a long-term play. Don't expect to make $500 next week. It can easily takes months of writing and self-promotion for you to build up an audience that can be monetized.

But if you're willing to publish consistently for 12–24 months, you're building an asset that can become increasingly valuable.

YouTube is another business I'd consider starting with $0.

You don't even need a camera to get started with YouTube, contrary to popular belief. Most modern smartphones are enough to film decent content, and you can make videos around almost any topic you're knowledgeable about.

⭐ Starting a YouTube channel can also change your entire life.

I know this because I started my main channel Tom Blake Finance in 2020. Since then, it’s earned over $250,000 between advertisement income and affiliate sales. And it’s also opened SO many doors for me that would otherwise remained shut.

Again, as long as you create valuable content that helps people, you’ll build an audience over time. It’s inevitable.

I'd pick a specific niche rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

Personal finance. Fitness. Travel. Technology. Cooking. DIY. Gaming. Whatever you actually know or enjoy.

The important thing is to start publishing and get better as you go.

Your first videos will probably suck. Mine sure did 😅 But you learn by doing. And as long as each video is 1% better than the previous, you will make progress.

You can eventually monetize through advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, products, and services. And unlike many side hustles, your old videos can continue generating views and revenue long after you publish them.

🎬 PS: You can also get a copy of my YouTube Freedom Launchpad eBook to get the step-by-step process I use to launch profitable niche YouTube channels. I also share some AI tools you can use for editing and script writing that make everything SO much faster.

If you want to make your first few hundred dollars online, freelancing is one of the options I'd look at first.

You don't necessarily need an impressive resume. You need a skill someone is willing to pay for.

That could be writing, video editing, graphic design, programming, social media management, virtual assistance, research, or even AI-assisted content creation.

Freelancing is one of the first ways I made consistent online income…I started out with freelance writing and blog editing. Eventually, I ran paid ads for some clients. I even landed some SEO retainers over the years. It’s an evolving process, freelancing, but again, you’re selling yourself and your skills and hustling to find clients.

The thing is, I wouldn’t turn to Fiverr, Upwork, or any of the freelancing websites that are clogged with competition.

One place I'd look for clients is Reddit's r/ForHire, where people regularly post freelance jobs and services they're looking for.

The key is to avoid the generic: “I’m a freelancer! Please oh please hire me!”"

Instead, offer something specific. For example 👉 "I'll edit 10 short-form videos for $300."

That's much easier for a potential client to understand and buy.

This is one of the more interesting opportunities I'd investigate right now if you just want to start a side hustle and don’t care for starting your own business.

Companies developing AI models need humans to help evaluate and improve those models.

Depending on the platform and project, that can involve things like rating AI responses, checking whether an answer is accurate, writing prompts, comparing outputs, or completing specialized tasks. New apps like DoorDash Tasks are even paying people to record POV footage of themselves doing basic tasks, like folding clothing or washing dishes 😅 It’s a wild space currently.

NOW the downside of AI training gigs…The work can be inconsistent, and availability varies by country, qualifications, and project. But the appeal is that you can potentially turn spare time into income without needing to build your own business.

I tested out Data Annotation myself and really didn’t like it. Micro1 has worked out better for me. I’ve also heard good things about Mercor and Stellar AI, but there’s SO many companies in this space now.

You don't necessarily need to own a rental property to make money from rentals.

🧠 INSTEAD: Think about assets you already own or have access to that people would be willing to pay for.

A spare room could potentially be rented out. A car could potentially be rented. A parking space, storage space, pool, camera equipment, tools, or other underused assets may have rental demand depending on where you live.

Platforms such as Turo, Neighbor, and Swimply have helped create marketplaces around different types of rentals. It’s a way to tap into the ‘sharing economy’ and to monetize different assets you own.

My friends do this with parking spaces in Toronto. One of them makes about $200 per month and has been renting to the same person for 3 years…That’s over $7,000 in income!!!

If you’re interested in starting a new side hustle this year that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, I hope this list gets the ball rolling.

I also published a list of 10 micro-income streams you can realistically start, even with a busy schedule.

I suggest giving this one a read too. Again, you don’t need to spend money to make money this day and age. And it’s never been easier to start a new hustle or business than right now.

Let me know if you have any questions on how to get started 😊 I absolutely love talking about this kinda thing.

AND, let me share a quick platform I’ve switched to to maximize my side hustle efforts 👇

Inflation is still terrible these days 🫠

SO if you’re storing your side hustle cash under your mattress or in a lackluster savings account, your money is actually losing purchasing power and value every month.

This is why I’ve switched to Current this year. Here’s why:

I’ve mostly switched to ditch bank fees and to earn 4.00% APY.

I think this is a no-brainer for storing an emergency fund or any extra cash you might be sitting on from your hustles.

💸 I also put out a list of current bank bonuses & promos you can take a peek at. This is a side hustle I love since you can often snag a few hundred dollars and find the top interest rates for your cash.