10 Side Hustles I’ve Used to Make Extra Money From Home in the Last 5 Years

I know how overwhelming it feels when you’re looking for ways to make extra money from home. There are a million “side hustle lists” out there, but so many of them include things like MLMs, surveys, or random apps. Annoying, right?

Well, that’s not what this post is about because I don’t want to do any of those either.

Over the last 5+ years, I’ve tried a bunch of different side hustles, and today I’m going to share the ones that actually put money in my pocket. Some became steady income streams, and others were short-term boosts, but they’re all real ways I’ve made money from home as a stay-at-home (now work-at-home) mom.

I’m sharing them here to give you ideas and to show you what’s possible. You don’t have to try them all. Actually, please don’t. Choosing and going all in on one of these could help you cover bills, save for the holidays, or start building a business that grows into something bigger.

Let’s go!

Side Hustle #1: Reselling Online

Reselling is the first way I started making money from home, and it’s still one of my income streams today. I started by decluttering my own closet when I was a stay-at-home mom with a toddler. Instead of donating the items, I looked some up on eBay to figure out if they were worth selling. I listed the stuff that was worth at least a few bucks and started making money quickly! Then I reinvested those profits into more items to sell.

👉 Want to see exactly how much I made in my first 3 months reselling? I break it all down (and show you how to hit your own first $500) inside my free reseller training.

These days, I mostly sell on eBay and Poshmark. I used to sell on Mercari too, but it was such a small percentage of my sales (less than 10%) that I cut it out to keep things simple.

Here’s the thing, though… I don’t chase high-dollar flips. My strategy focuses on cash flow. On average, I profit about $10 per item. That might not sound like much, but because I aim to move items quickly and it adds up. I’d rather make $10 this week than sit on an item for months, hoping for a $30 sale. That way, I always have money coming in, and I’m not waiting around for things to sell.

Why I love this side hustle:

• $0–low startup: I started by selling things from my own closet!
• Flexible: Easy to do during nap time or evenings.
• Quick cash flow: If you price right, items can sell quickly so you always have money coming in!
• Scalable: Can stay a small side hustle or grow into a full business.
• Low risk: If something doesn’t sell, you’re usually only out a few dollars.

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: whatever I want, but as a side hustle, I usually do 5-10 hours per week
• Average monthly profit: $300-$800 (I made way more when doing it full-time)
• How long to make first $100: Within my first week (starting with my old clothes)
  

If you want to start today:

1. Pull 10 items from around your house
2. Look them up on eBay to see if they’re worth selling
3. List your items (make sure to use keywords and price competitively)

👉 Ready to try? Grab my free Reseller Training and I’ll walk you through how to make your first $500 step by step! You can literally start TODAY.

Side Hustle #2: Live Selling

Live selling is similar to reselling, but it feels different so I made it its own category. Instead of listing items and waiting for buyers, you go live and auction them in real time. It’s fast-paced, interactive, and honestly pretty fun!

For a while, I was moving a couple of hundred items a month this way. My cost of goods was super low because I sourced from the bins, so even small sales added up quickly. The biggest pro of live selling is that you don’t have to list items (which takes a lot of time), and you can clear out a lot of inventory at once and get instant cash flow.

But here’s the honest truth: it didn’t really work for my lifestyle. To build an audience, you have to go live regularly, and with kids at home, I just couldn’t keep up with the number of shows I needed to run. I was constantly kicking my kids out of the house, which wasn’t sustainable.

That said, I still think live selling can be a great side hustle if you enjoy the energy, have a good source for inventory, and have the time/space to go live at least 2-3x a week.

Why I like this side hustle:

• Fast sales: You can move dozens of items in a single show.
• Interactive: Fun, social way to connect with buyers.
• Low cost: Works best with cheap inventory (like bins finds) or highly sought after, trendy items that you can still sell at a deep discount.
• Immediate payouts: Cash comes in quickly after items are delivered. Since I was doing shows 2-3 days a week I always had money coming in!

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: I was working about 10-15 hours a week
• Average monthly profit: $200-$400 (I only lasted a few months and gave up before I could really grow enough of a following to make good money)
• How long to make first $100: Within my first week

My advice if you want to try it:

• Start on Jamble. It’s smaller and still growing and easier to get noticed. Use my code AILEEN0LUJ for a $10 credit to shop and try it out!
• Try Whatnot if you want a bigger audience, but know it’s more competitive and there are a few big sellers that get most of the views. Sign up with this link for a $15 credit to shop.
• Keep your sourcing cost super low (bins or $1 items are perfect) OR if you’re doing higher cost items, make sure they’re desirable and you can still make a profit if you sell them at a big discount off retail.

👉 If this sounds like fun to you, it can be a fast way to make cash and move inventory without waiting weeks for listings to sell. I personally would sell on Jamble if I did this again. 

To sign up for Jamble and get a $10 credit use code AILEEN0LUJ

To sign up for WhatNot and get a $15 credit, use this link.

Side Hustle #3: Pinterest Management

This one kind of happened by accident. I was already running Pinterest for my own blog and realized other business owners needed help with it too. So I created a listing on Fiverr to be a Pinterest Manager and turned that skill into a service! That’s how some of the best business ideas are born.

At one point, I was managing up to five clients at once. Most of them paid me $250–$400 per month, though I did have one big client who paid me $1,000/mo until they got so big they started working with Pinterest directly.

The great thing about this work is that it’s completely flexible. I could create pins, schedule posts, and check analytics whenever it fit into my day. It’s also easy to transfer these skills; if you already know how to run a Pinterest account, you just take what you know and do it for someone else.

Eventually, my clients dropped off one by one over a few years, and I didn’t look for new clients because I was focusing on other projects, but this is definitely something I’d jump back into if I needed an income boost.

Why I like this side hustle:

• Existing skill: I got paid for something I already know how to do easily.
• Steady income: Monthly retainers provide reliable paychecks.
• Flexible hours: I could easily schedule work around family life.
• Low startup cost: You just need Canva and a computer.
• Repeat clients: Once you get results, people stick with you. Especially if you set up automatic payments so it’s easy to continue (I did this in PayPal).

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: approx 10-15 per week at my peak (5 clients)
• Average monthly profit: $2,000/mo
• How long to make first $100: my first client was a $150 order (screenshot above)

Tips if you want to try it:

• Start on Fiverr or Upwork to find your first clients. It IS competitive, so you may have to start REALLY low to get your first few. You can also ask people to spread the word for you.
• Offer simple packages (like “30 pins/month”)
• Use free tools like Canva for design and Pinterest’s scheduler for posting.
• Once you’ve got results for a client, ask for testimonials and raise your rates.

👉 Love Pinterest? You can totally get paid to pin! If you’re new to it, I highly recommend Pinteresting Strategies. I bought it with my own money, and it’s the best resource I’ve found for learning how to grow a Pinterest account. She’s always updating it as Pinterest changes, too.

Side Hustle #4: Freelance Writing

Freelance writing was actually one of my biggest income streams for a while. It’s something I truly fell into; I never considered myself a writer! But it turns out I was pretty good at it.

I started out on Fiverr, offering blog post writing packages. Before I knew it, I was tackling five or more articles a day. At my peak, I was making over $6,000 a month just from writing gigs. It got so busy that I even had to hire other writers on Upwork to help me keep up with the work when it got to be too much.

Eventually, the industry shifted, and I took a step back. AI content tools caused a lot of my clients to disappear, and the competition skyrocketed. But even today, I still write for one company directly (not through Fiverr) and usually charge $0.15 per word. That means a 1,000-word article would pay me $150. Depending on the topic, this usually takes me 2-3 hours start to finish.

The great part about freelance writing is how flexible it is. You can pick topics you already know about (I often wrote about business and side hustles) and work in small chunks of time.

Why I like this side hustle:

• One and done: I like the fact that I get paid per article instead of waiting a month to get paid, like with my Pinterest management clients.
• Flexible: Write during nap times, evenings, or weekends.
• Scalable: Take on more articles as your schedule allows.
• Skill-building: Improves your own writing and research. I can write articles with lightning speed after writing over 500 for my clients.
• High earning potential: You can totally turn this intoa full-time income if you want.

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: up to 30 hours, depending on the volume of articles
• Average monthly profit: This varies a LOT, so it’s hard to say. My best month was over $6,000, but I also had a lot of months where it was a main income stream, and it was more like $2,000/month.
• How long to make first $100: my first order took a few days to come in, and that was around $57, and then they placed a second $60 order after I delivered that, so less than 2 weeks (screenshot above)

Tips if you want to try it:

• Start with platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to land your first clients. You may have to write your first articles for really cheap to get clients, and then you can start to raise your rates.
• Pitch yourself in niches you’re familiar with. It’s faster to write when you know the subject.
• As you get experience, find clients off-platform for higher pay and stability.

👉 Freelance writing won’t make you rich overnight, but if you enjoy writing, it can add up quickly and even turn into a full-time income.

Side Hustle #5: Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of those income streams that feels “too good to be true” at first but it really works. The idea is simple: when someone clicks your special link and makes a purchase, you get a commission.

My biggest affiliate earners have been a cross-listing tool I’ve personally used for years and Amazon. There were months when I made over $500 just from affiliates, and other months when it dipped under $100. It’s not always steady, but it’s a nice layer of extra income on top of other streams.

The reason this works for me is that I don’t promote random things. I only recommend products I already use in my business or would use. People can tell when you’re being genuine, and I’d rather earn a little less but keep my audience’s trust.

Why I love this side hustle:

• Semi-passive: Posts and links can keep earning long after you write them.
• Flexible: Works in blogs, emails, or social media.
• Organic: Share products you already use and love.
• Low effort: Just add links to content you’re already creating.
• Scalable: More traffic = more clicks and commissions.

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: n/a – I link organically in my blog and social media posts, so I don’t spend a specific amount of time on affiliate links
• Average monthly profit: $200-$400/mo
• How long to make the first $100: It was probably a few months! Amazon Affiliates doesn’t pay a lot, so it was a slow buildup.
  

Tips if you want to try it:

• You’ll need an audience to sell to, so if you’ve grown a blog or social media account,t you can start linking there.
• Start with affiliate programs for tools you already use (like Amazon Associates or a software you love)
• Don’t bombard people with links! Keep it natural and honest.
• Track your results: see which posts actually bring in clicks and double down.

👉 Affiliate income has been unpredictable at times, but it’s one of my favorite “bonus” ways to make money because it builds on work I’m already doing.

Side Hustle #6: Selling Digital Products

Selling digital products has probably been the most exciting income stream for me because it’s the definition of “make it once, sell it forever.”

My first digital product was the Reseller Dashboard, a spreadsheet I made to track my own business. I launched it to my email list for just $5 as a test and wasn’t sure if anyone would actually buy it. I’ll never forget sitting in the car with my husband, getting dozens of payment notifications on my phone as we drove around running errands. We got excited every single time my phone showed me another. That moment showed me how much potential digital products had!

Since then, I’ve made over $10,000 just from the Reseller Dashboard, and thousands more from other resources. It’s still my best seller to this day, even after adding things.

I have a store on Shopify that lists all my products, but I also use Thrivecart for sales pages and checkout pages. It’s not always passive; you still have to promote your products, but once they’re set up, they can bring in sales at any time!

Why I like this side hustle:

• Make once, sell forever: Create it once and resell endlessly.
• Scalable: Unlimited buyers, no extra work.
• Flexible: Works for small tools (like spreadsheets) or bigger offers (like courses).
• Use your own experience: Turn your own systems/resources into products.
• Passive potential: Sales can come in while you sleep, on vacation, etc., and you don’t have to ship an item or do anything because it’s all done and automatic.

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: If I’m actively creating a product, I could work up to 10-20 hours that week (like with my course), but most of the time I’m not working on digital products specifically.
• Average monthly profit: When I was doing well with my digital products, I was making over $1,000/mo easily
• How long to make first $100: Once I launched my first product for $5, I made $100 on my first day!
  

Tips if you want to try it:

• Start with something simple you’ve already created for yourself or you’d find helpful for something in your own life (like a template, spreadsheet, or checklist).
• Price it low at first to get sales and feedback.
• Promote it in blog posts, emails, and on social media. People won’t buy what they don’t know exists!
• Use tools you’re already comfortable with (I started with Google Sheets + Shopify).

👉 If you want a long-term income stream, digital products are where it’s at. They take upfront work and you need an audience to sell to, but once they’re done, they can pay you back over and over again.

Side Hustle #7: YouTube Ad Revenue

YouTube was one of my earliest content-related side hustles, and honestly, it’s still kind of wild to me that I’ve made real money just from sharing videos online.

I started my channel back in December 2016 and was able to get monetized pretty quickly. For a long time, I was only making $0.70–$2 a day, but the thing about YouTube is that the library of videos builds up over time. Eventually, my channel grew enough that I was consistently making hundreds per month, and at my peak, I was earning over $1,000/month just from ad revenue.

To date, I’ve earned over $41,000 total from YouTube ads! That’s money that came in whether or not I was actively uploading. Even when my channel plateaued for years (I was stuck at 39,400 subscribers forever before finally breaking 40k), those old videos still earned.

Of course, ad revenue has gone up and down, and right now I’m working on reviving my channel. But the cool part is that the videos I made years ago still bring in views and income today.

Why I like this side hustle:

• Snowball effect: Videos build views over time.
• Semi-passive: Old videos keep earning even when you’re not uploading.
• Low barrier to entry: Start with your phone. No fancy setup needed!
• Traffic driver: Sends people to your blog, products, and email list.

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: 3-5 hours a week for 1-2 videos a week
• Average monthly profit: $200-$400 currently, but over $1,000 at one point.
• How long to make first $100: a couple of months of making around $1 (give or take) per day.

Tips if you want to try it:

• You need 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours to monetize, but don’t let that discourage you. Everyone starts at zero!
• Focus on searchable content. Think tutorials, how-tos, reviews, things people are actually searching for.
• Upload consistently at first, even if it’s just once a week.
• Don’t stress about being perfect. Real > polished.

👉 YouTube isn’t instant money, but if you’re willing to stick with it, it can become a long-term income stream that keeps paying you back years later.

Side Hustle #8 Sponsorships

Once you start building an audience, whether it’s on YouTube, through your blog, or even on social media, sponsorships can become a solid stream of income. Brands will actually pay you to share their product with your audience.

These days, I usually charge $400+ for a 30-second shoutout on YouTube. I also have a media kit where brands can purchase sponsored emails, Instagram posts, or even bundles of different placements.

The key is: I only say yes to brands I feel comfortable recommending. I probably turn down 95% of the pitches I get. There’s plenty of money in sponsorships, but keeping my audience’s trust is super important to me.

I haven’t done much pitching yet (most of my deals have come from brands reaching out to me), but I know if I started reaching out, I could land more partnerships. Even with that, sponsorships have been a nice boost of income when paired with other streams.

Why I like this side hustle:

• High payouts: Even small audiences can land deals! 
• Paid for what you’re already doing: Brands pay you to feature them in content you’re already creating.
• Flexible: Shoutouts, blog features, or social posts.
• Scalable: As your audience grows, your rates increase.
• Variety: You can mix short shoutouts with long-term partnerships.

My numbers (so you have a real-life example):

• Hours worked: Varies, but not more than a few hours a month. I usually insert sponsorships into content I’m already making or create content around it, but in a way that fits into my content plan. Most of the time I spend on sponsorships is on the back-and-forth negotiation, sending drafts, etc.
• Average monthly profit: $300-$1,000
• How long to make first $100: I honestly don’t remember!

Tips if you want to try it:

• Build an audience! Find a niche, start posting on social media, YouTube, whatever, and build up a following that knows, likes, and trusts you.
• Create a simple media kit in Canva (a one-page overview of your audience + rates).
• Start by tagging brands you already use and love (it gets you on their radar)
• Don’t be afraid to start small. Even free products can lead to paid partnerships later.
• Always choose brands you genuinely recommend! Your credibility is worth more than a one-time check.

👉 Sponsorships can be unpredictable, but they’re a great way to turn an existing audience into income without creating a new product.

Side Hustle #9: Amazon Reviews (Influencer Program)

This one is kind of a hidden gem. Amazon has an influencer program where you can upload short video reviews of products, and if someone watches your video and then buys that item, you earn a commission. What people don’t realize is that these videos are ON AMAZON, not videos you’re posting elsewhere and driving traffic to.

I’ve never gone all in on this, but even with just a couple dozen videos, I was able to make up to $300/month at my peak a few years ago. Which is why I’m realizing as I write this that I need to get back into this with all I’ve been ordering from Amazon these days. My reviews are usually about a minute long. I go for quick, honest, and straight to the point.

The surprising thing? You don’t need a massive following to get into the program, and sometimes the most random products take off. One of my biggest earners was a minimalist wallet I got for free. That single video still brings me small commissions years later.

I think this works because people are already on Amazon, ready to buy. If they watch your video and it helps them make a decision, you get paid! You even get paid if they buy a competitor’s product if they watched your video first. I’m not sure the exact logistics of that, but when I look at my reports, I can see commissions for products I didn’t make videos for.

Why I like this side hustle:

• Quick content: 1–2 minute videos are enough.
• Low effort: Use products you already own to start.
• Passive: Reviews keep earning long after you upload them.
• Beginner-friendly: No big audience required.
• Fast results: Earnings can start within the first month.

My numbers (so you have a real life example):

• Hours worked: When I was doing this, I spent maybe 2 hours a week filming a few videos and uploading them.
• Average monthly profit: $150-$250/mo
• How long to make first $100: It took a few months to build up enough videos

Tips if you want to try it:

• Focus on products people are already searching for (popular items, everyday essentials).
• Keep your reviews casual and honest. Just share what you like and don’t like.
• Upload consistently! The more products you review, the higher your chances of one taking off.
• Start with things you already own around your house! No need to buy new stuff just for reviews.

👉 If you’re already shopping on Amazon, this is a simple way to turn everyday purchases into an income stream. Check out the details here.

Side Hustle #10: Blog Ads

Running ads on your blog is one of those income streams that feels small at first but can grow with time. I’ve had ads on this blog, Hustle & Slow, and at different points, they’ve brought in around $200–$300/month.

It’s definitely not life-changing money (yet), but it’s completely passive once the posts are published and getting traffic. The nice thing is that the income shows up whether or not I’ve worked that week.

That said, I usually turn ads off on Hustle & Slow because I’d rather send my audience toward my own products instead of distracting them with ad clicks. For sites that are meant to be “traffic blogs” (where the goal is volume), ads make total sense.

Why I like this side hustle:

• Passive: Income rolls in once your traffic is set up.
• Easy add-on: No extra work once ads are live, just keep writing like you have been.
• Scalable: More pageviews = more ad income.
• Stackable: Works alongside other income streams.
• Consistent: Brings in a relatively steady baseline income each month.

My numbers (so you have a real life example):

• Hours worked: This is hard because I don’t just work on my blog for the ads. I have many different income streams. On top of that, some weeks I do no work on it, and some I’ll spend 10-15 hours on it.
• Average monthly profit: $100-$250/mo when I had ads on (I took them off)
• How long to make first $100: less than a month once I add the ad codes

Tips if you want to try it:

• You’ll need a decent amount of traffic to make it worthwhile! Usually, at least 10k pageviews per month, so start writing!
• Start with lower-tier networks like Ezoic, then apply to higher-paying networks (like Mediavine) once you hit the traffic requirements.
• Decide whether ads fit your audience. They’re great for general traffic blogs, but can sometimes be distracting if your blog/website sells products/services.

👉 For me, ads have never been my biggest earner, but they’re a nice passive layer on top of everything else. If you’re building a blog that gets lots of traffic, ads can easily become a steady income stream.

Time to choose YOUR side hustle…

That’s it! 10 real side hustles I’ve done to make money from home over the last few years. Some of these are things I still do today, and others were stepping stones that taught me skills and gave me extra cash when I needed it most.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you don’t need to have it all figured out before you start. Just pick one thing that feels doable for your life right now, and give it a try. Even if it doesn’t turn into a full-time income stream, you’ll learn something and probably make some extra cash along the way.

👉 If reselling caught your eye, I put together a free reseller training that walks you step by step through how to make your first $500. You can access it here.

You’ve got this! Making money from home is possible, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. I promise, I’m just a regular mom trying to make enough money to avoid a “real job” so I can be home with my kids and enjoy life while they’re little!