May 26, 2023
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Victoria is a writer and editor for SideHustles.com. She has extensive experience editing research for publication in academic journals and writing educational content.
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FreelancingEasiest
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Starting a BusinessFor an increasing number of women, holding a regular job just isn’t cutting it. In the first quarter of 2018, 9.1% of women in the US worked more than one job, compared with only 6.6% of men. 1
Finding a side job that’ll pay enough to be worth it may seem difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve done the research and spoken to experts so that we can share the easiest and best ways to make extra cash as a woman.
These days, more women than ever are taking advantage of the flexibility that freelancing affords
Becoming a freelancer is a great way to take charge of your earnings and break through the glass ceiling once and for all.
The best thing about this option is that it gives you absolute control over your work. You can set and negotiate your pay based on your skill level and capabilities.
According to a study of 6,000 US-based freelancers on Upwork, on average, the jobs below are the most lucrative freelance positions for women: 2
Of course, if your passion is for something that isn’t on that list (such as programming, a field where the pay is particularly skewed towards men), that doesn’t mean you should accept a pay gap. We’ll go over how to ensure you’re paid fairly further down in this article.
We spoke to Jennifer Della’Zanna, a freelancer with around 20 years of experience, who told us a bit about what helped her find success. She says the key is “always being open to learning and improving.”
However, she warns that it’s not always fun. Many people have an idealistic picture of what freelancing entails, but especially in the beginning when you’re still getting established, you’ll probably have to take jobs that you aren’t particularly interested in.
Della’Zanna works as a writer, and she told us that “to make any significant money in writing, you really do have to write about things you don’t necessarily really want to write about.”
This advice applies to whatever field you want to work in, whether it’s design, writing, programming, photography, or something else entirely.
This is an ambitious way to set up a side hustle, and it's the one with the highest earning potential
Running your own business has several obvious benefits. You’re your own boss, you get all the profits from your hard work, and you can set your own schedule (this is particularly crucial if you’re also a mother).
Most importantly, there’s no limit on how much you can earn. In a survey conducted by FreshBooks, 70% of women reported earning just as much or more money when working for themselves than they ever earned as an employee. 3
It’s possible to run a business from your own house—and if you have kids to watch, doing so might be a necessity. See if any of these ideas suit you:
If your schedule and commitments allow you to travel to your work, you can explore opportunities in:
Regardless of what type of business you start, you’ll need to do market research, choose a target customer base, and find a niche you enjoy to maximize the odds of your business succeeding.
Traditional part-time work can make for a stable and predictable side hustle
If you don’t want the uncertainty and pressure that comes with running your own business or trying to get freelance clients, then taking on another job on the side can be a lower-stress way to earn some extra cash. Just be sure to pick one that will earn enough to make it worth it.
Below, we’ve listed a few jobs that often offer part-time hours and aren’t particularly specialized, which makes them a good fit for a side gig alongside your primary career. On average, these jobs also offer competitive pay for women: 4 5
Again, while the jobs listed above tend to offer solid pay, you shouldn’t limit yourself to them if your interests lie elsewhere. You can find a few tips for ensuring you’re paid fairly (in any job) near the bottom of this article.
There are dozens of popular websites and apps you can use to find jobs
Gig apps generally don’t require you to sign a contract, and you can take on exactly as much work as you want, which means they offer a lot of the benefits of a side job without the commitment.
Look into:
Note that gig platforms like this will almost always take a cut of your profits, which is how they stay in business. This means that, while gig work can be a great supplement to your regular income, it’s usually not the best choice of side hustle if you’re hoping to eventually expand it into your main career.
If you have something novel to say, people may be willing to pay for it
These days, it’s easier than ever to create content (e.g., a blog, YouTube channel, podcast, etc) and earn money from it.
The catch is that to earn a significant amount of money, you’ll need to be quite popular. It will take time to build up an audience, especially in a competitive space like blogging.
That said, even in the early stages, this fits well with some of the other side hustles we’ve mentioned. If you’re establishing yourself as a freelancer or starting a business, it makes sense to start a blog or video series to promote yourself and find clients. If it eventually becomes popular enough to generate its own income stream, that’s even better.
The most popular types of content creation include:
Countless women have turned to blogging to make money. This is a particularly appealing option for stay-at-home moms. It’s an easy, flexible, and low-commitment way to make extra money from the comfort of your home.
You can monetize your blog in several ways:
If you’re successful, blogging can earn a fair amount of cash. For example, with Google Adsense, you can expect to make anywhere from $168 to $1,600 per month for blog posts that get at least 50,000 monthly views.
When it comes to Google Adsense, some topics (e.g., finance or the “home and garden” space) are more profitable than others (e.g., news, sports, and games). Bear this in mind when deciding what to write about, unless you plan on making ad deals directly with companies in your niche.
Similar to writing a blog, starting your own podcast can be a good way to make money. Your podcast can be tailored to female listeners, but it doesn’t have to be, although picking a target audience of some type will help you make more money.
Here are a few ways that Spotify allows you to monetize a podcast:
The main drawback to podcasting comes in the form of your startup costs. You’ll need recording and audio editing equipment (and the skills to use them) to create a professional-sounding podcast that can actually earn you money.
Vlogging on platforms like YouTube can earn you money through ads and affiliate marketing if you can attract a lot of viewers. Bear in mind that this is still a primarily male-dominated sector, but it’s possible to break in. 6
There’s a much heavier emphasis on appearance in vlogging than podcasting or blogging. If you have an interest in beauty, fashion, makeup, or fitness, or you want to profit off of your good looks, then starting a YouTube channel may be worth considering.
There’s an uncomfortable truth when it comes to video content: these days, one of the areas with the highest earning potential is online sex work on platforms like OnlyFans.
This type of work is still acutely controversial; some people consider it harmless or even empowering, while others find it exploitative. Even if you have no problem with it yourself, it can be a liability when you’re looking for more traditional employment.
If you’re considering getting into this space, be careful and do your homework. Don’t take the plunge unless you’re 100% sure you’re comfortable with it.
If you’re a woman with a creative streak, consider selling crafts or other products
Starting an artistic side hustle can be a fulfilling way to make extra money, and it’ll allow you to strengthen your skills in your medium of choice.
Different types of art require different materials. You may also need studio space. But if you’ve got the time and the skills to create art, then selling your work could be the ideal side hustle.
Here are a few examples of types of artwork you can sell:
To solidify your reputation and increase the number of potential buyers who see your work, it’s a good idea to create your own website or social media account to display your art. As mentioned, you can do this in tandem with the blogging side hustle that we mentioned above.
You can also use these online platforms to sell your work, or you can go the more traditional route of selling your pieces at local galleries, art fairs, or markets.
Making your own products to sell is a great side hustle you can do from home, and it’s a popular option among women. Etsy, a major online platform for selling handcrafted products, claims that a whopping 79% of their sellers are women. 7
Below are examples of popular products in this female-dominated marketplace:
Of course, the key to getting sales with handcrafted products is standing out from the crowd, so feel free to deviate from this list and let your imagination run wild. Just be sure to pick something that’s useful or that would make a good gift since these are features that attract buyers.
In addition to Etsy, you can sell your homemade crafts through other shopping platforms (like Amazon Handmade) or your own website, or you can set up a booth at a craft fair, flea market, or local farmers’ market.
If you’ve got a knack for cooking or baking, then why not use that to make money? This way, you’ll be able to make a few extra bucks while also bringing joy to others.
Many women use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to sell homemade food products because of how easy it is to get visibility and reach potential customers. When you’re just starting out, you’ll be way more likely to have success selling to people who you already know (or who are at least in your network).
The best part of using social media is that it’s easier for your friends to share info about your products with people they know, which is an effective way to rapidly expand your customer base.
You can fit this side hustle into any schedule, although your earnings will be limited
If you’re a busy woman, it can be tough to find the time and energy to take on some of the more lucrative side hustles on this list.
Thankfully, there are a few ways you can quickly earn a little cash on the side without sacrificing too much of your time.
If you have at least 5 minutes to spare between tasks, then you have time to make quick cash by taking paid online surveys. There are countless survey websites to choose from, and the more you sign up for, the more opportunities you’ll have to earn.
To get started, check out these popular survey sites:
This is a common side hustle for people who already have full-time jobs since it doesn’t involve much of a time commitment. Try taking a survey over your morning coffee or on your lunch break.
Be aware that this isn’t exactly a reliable “get rich quick” plan. With Swagbucks, for instance, you can realistically expect to make a few extra dollars per day or around $25 per week. That isn’t much, but it also isn’t nothing.
Some sites pay you via PayPal, whereas others give you vouchers or gift cards.
The digital world is an ever-evolving place, and companies need users like you to help them test new features on their websites and apps.
Some of them will pay decent money for your time and feedback. Basically, you’ll try out websites or software and answer questionnaires or upload videos of your experiences.
All of these companies will pay you to test websites, apps, and software:
Believe it or not, there are websites and mobile apps that will actually pay you to play games on your computer or phone. This is arguably the easiest way to earn money as a woman, and it’s probably the most fun.
If gaming sounds like a good side hustle for you, check out these companies:
Depending on the platform, you may need to clock in a fair bit of game time to actually make money. Nevertheless, it’s a convenient and fun way to earn extra cash, whether you’re a hardcore gamer chick or a working woman looking to blow off a little steam.
To make the most of your time, you have to be smart and strategic
Hustling isn’t easy as a woman, and you’ll face obstacles standing between you and your financial goals. Here are a few things you can do to earn the most money possible and avoid setbacks.
Once you’ve decided on the side hustle you want to pursue, look into certifications related to the type of work you’ll be doing. Showing that you’ve done an online course, taken a class, or received some sort of specialized training will give you an edge over the competition.
To research the type of certification you need, check the eligibility requirements listed for similar positions posted on job search sites like Indeed or LinkedIn. You can also look at the qualifications held by successful people in your field.
If your main goal is to make lots of money as quickly as possible, there’s no sense in making things harder for yourself by choosing a side hustle that requires special skills or training that you don’t have.
Make a list of all your skills and work experience and look for gigs that complement your strengths. Of course, also think about what you actually enjoy doing so that you pick a hustle that you won’t quickly give up on.
The counterpoint to playing to your strengths is to make sure you properly value the skills and experience that you have.
A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that “Women subjectively describe their ability and performance to potential employers less favorably than equally performing men.” 8
Avoiding this trap is particularly important when you negotiate pay as a freelancer. Acknowledge your skills to yourself and your clients or employers, and always ask for fair compensation.
If you apply for a side job, don’t be afraid to negotiate. Depending on your personality, you might not be comfortable with this—on average, women are less likely to negotiate for higher salaries than men. 9 However, if you don’t do it, you’re leaving money on the table.
Prepare yourself by researching salaries for the work you’re going to be doing at your experience level. Alex L., one woman we spoke to, said that to negotiate a fair wage, it’s important to “research the hell out of both the company and the role” using websites like Glassdoor, Fishbowl, Blind, and Reddit.
She says these resources are key to understanding what constitutes a good salary for your position. “Ground your asking range firmly in the data to justify it,” she added. Most importantly, never lowball yourself—be confident and ask for what you deserve.
As you’ve seen, there are a lot of choices when it comes to side hustles for women. If you’re having trouble picking, there’s no law that says you have to choose just one. Especially when it comes to low-commitment options like freelancing and gig work, you can try out a few and stick with your favorites.
Whatever you choose, research it so you know the common pitfalls to avoid, be prepared to work hard, and you’re sure to find success.
