If you are an introvert who wants to earn some extra money on the side, you are in luck because I am going to give you some of the best side hustles for introverts like you. Whether your goals are to pay off debt, save for a big purchase, or build generational wealth, a side hustle can help you bridge the gap and get where you want to be faster. Here are 30 of my best side hustle ideas. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
30 Best Side Hustles for Introverts
1. Graphic Design
The web offers a world of opportunity if you are an artist with a background in advertising. You can choose to work for large companies, do logo designs for small Mom-and-Pop shops, or offer your services through an online marketplace like Guru or Upwork. Companies need graphic designers to create graphics for online ads and websites. You will need some equipment and skills to do this, and even though degrees in Graphic Design are available, they are not necessary if you are working for yourself. Get started with Canva, but you will eventually need to graduate to Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.
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2. Start an Online Business
If you have always dreamed of being an entrepreneur but don’t like face-to-face interaction, online entrepreneurship might be the perfect match. You can make a good amount of money by doing retail arbitrage. Best of all, someone else holds the inventory, collects payment, and ships the products to the customers. It is just like running a brick and mortar business, so you will need some upfront cash to get started but not as much as a traditional storefront.
3. Programming and App Development
Programmers and app developers are in high demand, and this is another job that you can do anywhere. If you have the skills, this is something that you might want to consider. You could subcontract for someone else or develop your own software and apps to sell yourself. For those who are interested in this field, you can find online courses that help you get started.
4. Visual Content Creator/Editor
Blogs without visual content do not keep the reader’s attention for more than a few seconds in today’s world. If you love to create and edit videos, graphics, and other interactive media, doing for businesses might be the right match for you. You can start with nothing more than your phone and then buy more professional equipment as your business grows. Many people who need visual content do not have the skills, time, or equipment to produce it, which means there are plenty of opportunities if you are someone who does.
5. Freelance Writer
The number of side hustles for writers continues to grow, and outsourcing content is an option that many businesses choose rather than hiring someone in-house. Content is king, and many freelance writers are working from home full time. If you want to publish your own books, you can make passive income by selling on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and many smaller stores online. Freelance writing is an area that I could spend considerable time on because of the number of opportunities out there for writers, including copywriters, technical writers, business writers, SEO writers, and traditional writing fields.
6. Become a Podcaster
Listening to podcasts has become the new favorite way to consume media and information. A good podcaster needs a vibrant personality, a penchant for storytelling, a good microphone, and sound editing software. Now is an excellent time to start a podcast and start building your audience. If you have a great voice but do not like the thought of being on screen, this is a perfect compromise.
7. Start a Blog
Whether people read them for business, pleasure, or to learn a new skill, blog posts are the most common way that people fill up their day. As a blogger, you can earn money through affiliate marketing, sponsorships, selling products, and offering services. Starting a blog is an excellent way to turn your passions and interests into profit. Get some killer blogging tips (50 of them!) to get started and improve your blogging craft.
8. Social Media Manager
Businesses rely on social media ads, views, and interactions to grow their businesses. Making all of those Facebook posts, Tweets, creating and placing ads, and responding to comments takes time. Many companies contract out these jobs to work-at-home contractors. Your knowledge of Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest could earn you some money on the side. You can put your online social savvy to work with this opportunity.
9. Digital Marketing Agency
If you want to go farther than social media manager, you could start a full-service or niche digital marketing agency. To do this, you should learn about content strategy, content creation, social media, SEO, website analytics, and more. This is a hot side hustle and the demand only continues to grow as businesses and industries move online. The most successful digital marketers are those who can use their creativity to invent new ways to connect with customers and keep them. Check out this digital marketing agency business plan article to get started.
10. Virtual Assistant
Those secretarial and office skills can help you earn money as a virtual assistant. Many traditional office jobs can now be done from home using the right software. You can answer phone lines, book meetings, do research, and offer standard typing services all from home. This area has been growing steadily over the past decade because it offers companies the ability to get the services that they need in a more cost-effective way than hiring someone in-house to do those tasks.
11. Online Surveys
In the quest to meet the demands of customers and keep up with trends, many companies will pay you to take surveys and give them your opinion. Many companies are offering their services. The best part is that you can do this part-time whenever you have a few minutes to spare. To be successful at this idea, you will need to sign up for many different companies to ensure steady work, and it is recommended that you develop some way to organize your work.
12. Transcription Services
Interview-based podcasts will often hire transcription services to provide a written copy of an interview for readers after the show. Why can’t podcasters hire you? Make it happen. This business may involve the purchase of some equipment, and you have to have a good ear for detail. A lightning-fast typing speed is a good skill, but there is software for slowing down audio and starting, stopping, and rewinding with a foot pedal that connects to your computer. This is an excellent job for someone working from home.
13. Photography and Photo Licensing
As the need for content grows, so does the need for stock photography. You can offer your photography through sites like iStock, Getty Images, and Shutterstock for a premium price. You can also sell them through your own website. There are opportunities for amateurs and professionals alike, and you do not have to travel to all of those weddings to engage your passion.
14. Proofreading
Are you one of those people who will notice a typo or grammar mistake at first glance? If so, you might have found your calling as a proofreader. Your proofreading and editing skills could land you one of the best side hustles for introverts. Opportunities include proofreading books before publishing, website, blogs, and business letters. In this job, you make your living making others look good and helping them build their success, and that is a good feeling.
15. Sell Your Crafts
Your love of crafting could earn you some serious cash on sites like Etsy and other similar sites. Some people have managed to turn this into a full-time business. Just as with any other business, the first place that you should start is with research to see if there is a demand for your products. You will need to know about branding and consider how you will market your products, but there is plenty of free information available on the web. If this appeals to you, then it is time to break out those knitting needles, that sewing machine, or your pottery wheel and get to work.
16. Create an Online Course
Everyone is good at something, and this could be the ticket for you to start an online business. People are turning to the Internet to learn everything from knitting to stock investing. Online courses through platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, and Patreon can start you on the path to earning some serious money. The best part is that this is relatively passive income, which means that you can do it once and earn revenue every time someone buys your course in the future.
17. Dog Walking/Sitting
If you like to be around animals more than people, then pet sitting, dog walking, and pet boarding might be your dream job. You can offer your services through sites like Rover that connect pet owners needing services with those providing them. They take 20% of what you make, but you do not have to worry about marketing, money collection, and other elements of running the business.
18. Get Paid to Read Books
For those of you whose cozy reading nook is the favorite part of your house, you can earn extra money by doing what you love. You can make money writing book reviews, offering freelance copyediting services, or formatting ebooks for publication. With so many people publishing books today, there is plenty of work for someone who can give their manuscript a critical eye before publication.
19. Bookkeeping Services
Your bookkeeping and accounting skills could start earning you some serious money. Businesses of all sizes often hire freelancers to outsource many of the tasks that used to be done in-house. The good thing about his idea is that you do not have a lot of competition because it is a specialized skill. If you have bookkeeping skills, there is more than enough work out there to keep you busy, especially around tax time.
20. House Sitting
People hire house sitters for many reasons. They might need someone to stay with a pet, or they might want to make it look like someone is home. It can be like a mini-vacation away from your routine, and this can be an excellent time to reflect and dream up your next big idea. The average hourly rate for a house sitter is $11 per hour, which is not bad for sitting around someone else’s home doing a few chores and watching Netflix, or you could do another side hustle like blogging while you are house sitting!
21. Translation Services
Do you hablo Espanol or parlez-vous Francais? Are you fluent in more than one language? If so, then you might want to consider one of the highest demand fields today. Businesses who want to reach a global audience need many types of content, documents, books, videos, presentations, and other materials translated. You can work for larger corporations from home, offer your services as a freelancer, or offer your services through sites that specialize in matching clients with service providers.
22. Real Estate
Real estate might not be completely without the occasional face-to-face interaction, but now, you can still do about 90% of it from your home. When people begin looking for a new home or rental, they turn to sites like Zillow and Realtor.com as their first choice for starting their search. Much of the interaction can be done online through email, meeting hosting websites, and using virtual home tours. You also might consider rental properties or offering your extra property on sites like Airbnb.
23. Insurance Spotter
When customers file an insurance claim, the company will have someone inspect the damaged car or property. Sometimes, there is no one available locally to do it for them. They will often hire someone else, called a “looker” through websites like WeGoLook to go see the property, make documentation, and take photos. The amount of work available will vary depending on the area in which you live, with more work available in larger cities than smaller ones. You will need some basic equipment like a camera, but it is easy work if you have the willingness to do it.
24. Vending Machines
Stocking and servicing vending machines is an automated sales process that can net big profits. It does take some work at the beginning, such as getting the machines set up, and you will have to do restocking often. Another thing to consider is that many of these opportunities have some initial cash involved to buy the machines and initial stock. It is a lot of work, but you will have little contact with people, and that is what you want, right?
25. Offer Services in an Online Platform
For anyone with almost any skill, Upwork, Guru, Freelancer, Indeed, Linkedin, and others offer ample opportunities for side jobs. People are looking for skills like programmers, writers, editors, virtual assistants, accountants, graphic designers, and design engineers for millions of projects around the world. All you have to do is sign up, and you can begin earning. On these sites, if you have a skill, there is probably someone out there looking for it, especially if your skillset is unique.
26. Flip Furniture and Clothing
Other people’s throwaways are someone else’s treasure. You can make money purchasing furniture and clothing at thrift shops and yard sales to sell online at a profit. You will need some knowledge of what is trendy and popular to be a success at this type of business. Some people pick up old furniture, refinish it, and then resell it as an art piece.
27. Virtual Music Lessons
For musicians, Take Lessons is a website that matches students who want to learn with teachers who have these skills to offer. You could take a break from making your next hit album in your home recording studio to start teaching those skills as a side gig. This opportunity is not just for musicians, and you could take advantage of this opportunity to teach others production and processing skills, too. Even though there is some personal interaction in live courses, there are opportunities for doing them using meeting software, too.
28. Web Design
According to Google, there are approximately 5.35 billion websites on the Internet, and this number only keeps growing. Not everyone who wants or needs a website is a designer, which means that if you have those skills, you can tap into this lucrative market. Keep in mind that you will have a lot of competition, but there is also a vast market to tap. You can take advantage of drag-and-drop editors, available templates, and a wealth of how-to articles to inspire you and help you get started.
29. Grocery Delivery
Even before the pandemic, grocery delivery services, fast food delivery services, and other delivery services were growing at a steady pace. Now, they have become an important part of the economy. You will have to interact with a few people for short periods, but most of the time, you will be shopping and driving. Another related idea is delivering people through sites like Uber or Lyft, but that might be too much people contact for you, so groceries might be your best bet.
30. Get Paid to Read Emails
This one was saved for last because, while you can earn some good side money, you also have to put in quite a bit of effort to do it. Sites like Swagbucks, Vindale Research, InboxDollars, and MyPoints offer you money to read emails, take surveys, play games, and sign up for offers. This one is a good idea for a little bit of extra spending money unless you want to dedicate some serious hours to it and earn more. These opportunities can be done while you are watching television, riding on a bus, or while you are waiting on your pizza delivery, so you can use your idle time to do something useful.
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To Sum It Up
Now, you have our best side hustles for introverts. Maybe it is time for you to join the over 44 million people in the United States who have a side hustle. As you can see, almost anything can become a cash-generating machine. Many tasks that used to be done in an office can now be done from home.
Before you begin your journey, I have a few words of caution and some advice. First off, make sure that you only use reliable sites because there are some scammers out there. Read reviews and stick with those that are larger venues to be on the safe side. Also, be wary of any site that asks you to pay money to use their site or services.
Even if you are planning to do your side hustle as a part-time business, treat it like a real business. You will still need to pay taxes and go through many of the same steps as if you were starting a full-time business. Just like any opportunity, the more you put some thought into planning and organizing, the more you are likely to achieve success. Who knows, maybe your side hustle might even be your next big career move or turn into an exciting family business!
