30+ Side Hustle Ideas to Try in the UK

Looking for side hustle ideas? Wondering which side hustle is right for you? …Not even sure exactly what a side hustle is?

This guide will tell you everything you need to know!

What is a Side Hustle?

The term side hustle has become a bit of a buzzword over the past few years but no matter what terminology you prefer to use, a side hustle is basically anything that you do outside of your main job to bring in extra income.

You can call it a side income, side hustle, extra income – whatever. It’s something that makes you extra money on top of your main source of income.

And the side hustle possibilities are endless and can be completely unique to an individual’s circumstances.

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What are the tax implications of a Side Hustle?

Before we get into the side hustle ideas, you might be wondering – but what about tax?

Many people are put off from starting a side hustle because they’re worried about the tax implications and whether it’ll even be worth the hassle by the time that side income is taxed.

Well, it really doesn’t have to be that complicated. Registering for self assessment is easy and all you need to do with regards to your side hustle is track your income and expenses – a simple spreadsheet will suffice.

Then when Self Assessment rolls around, you just need to submit these figures to HMRC and they’ll calculate the tax due.

However, if you’re adamant that you don’t want to pay tax on a side hustle, but you’d still like to make some extra money there are a number of tax free side hustles that you could try.

For more information, head to this post: Everything You Need to Know about Side Hustles and Tax

**Please note I am not a financial advisor, you should always do your own research and if you have any queries contact HMRC directly.**

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What can I do as a Side Hustle in the UK?

Before you decide which side hustle(s) to try, it’s important to establish a few key points to ensure that that side hustle has the best chance of working for you and your personal circumstances.

So, before you begin ask yourself:

• How much money do I want to make?
• How much time can I commit to this?
• How much money do I want to put into it?

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How much do you want to make from your Side Hustle?

The idea of more money probably appeals to most of us. But the amount that is realistic is dependent on the next two key factors – how much time can I commit and how much money can I commit?

So another question to ask yourself is, how much money do I want to make?

For some, an extra £50 to be able to start saving some money might make all the difference.

Others, might aim higher and want to make hundreds extra each month.

But having a clear vision allows you to choose the right hustle for you.

For example – surveys will earn you pennies, they certainly won’t make you rich. But you’ll probably be able to cash out small amounts several times each year or save up vouchers towards Christmas which could make all the difference to your situation.

If you have dreams of buying your first home, you might want to ramp up the saving and so a side hustle that earns you hundreds each month might be the way to go.

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How much time can you commit to your Side Hustle?

Following on from the last point, how much time can you commit to your side hustle? If you’re a busy parent, you probably don’t have masses of spare time for side hustles – so something like surveys is ideal as you can slot them into windows of time you’d otherwise be scrolling aimlessly like waiting for an appointment.

A product based business might make you better money, but you’ll probably have to commit a lot more of your free time to get it off the ground – so this is better suited to somebody perhaps who doesn’t have children.

A side hustle like matched betting* is a great idea because you can make as much or as little as the time and effort you put it.

Likewise with selling on ebay – you can list when you have more time and stop listing when you don’t – so a flexible side hustle might be ideal for you.

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How much money can you commit to your Side Hustle?

There are lots of side hustles you can start with no money – for example surveys, market research.

But some side hustles, for example Matched Betting – may require an initial outlay.

In the instance of matched betting, you only need about £60 to get started  – and you’ll more than make that back.

Other side hustles for example – creating craft items for sale will cost more money as you need to purchase equipment and materials off the bat.

It’s important to decide how much money you can afford to outlay when deciding on which side hustle is right for you.

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Side Hustle Ideas

Okay, now that we’ve discussed the legalities (tax) and the constraints to consider (time, money) when deciding on your side hustle, it’s time to actually get into some side hustle ideas!

Tax Free Side Hustle Ideas

Cashback

Not strictly a side hustle, but I thought it would be worth including as you could get free money back on purchases you’re already making or a nice chunk of money on bigger financial decisions such as insurance.

Join a cashback website such as TopCashback* or Quidco*, search their site for the retailer you’re shopping with and click through to shop as usual. Your purchase should track and you’ll be issued the cashback in your account. Cashback isn’t always guaranteed, so don’t rely on it. But it’s definitely worth checking if you were buying something anyway.

Sell Your Old Stuff

We’re all sitting on clutter that we don’t need in our homes, so why not clear out some space and earn some cash in the process?

Selling your old stuff is a great tax-free way to earn extra cash, however reselling (mentioned later on) is taxable.

Need some help with packing? You’ll find all my packaging recommendations on my Selling Supplies page.

Rent Out Your Spare Room

If you have a spare room, could you consider taking on a lodger?

You can earn up to £7,500 a year with the government’s rent a room scheme when you let out a furnished room in your home.

Try Matched Betting

Despite the name, Matched Betting* is not gambling but a way to leverage bookmakers offers into a guaranteed profit.

Interested to learn more? Find all the details in my Matched Betting for Beginners guide.

Earn £1,000 Tax Free

Did you know that you can earn £1,000 a year completely tax free doing ANY side hustle?

Known as the trading allowance, you can get a tax free exemption of up to £1k a year on income made through self employment or casual services.

Online Side Hustle Ideas

Blogging

If you have a subject you’re passionate about, or even if you just like the idea of sharing your life, then blogging might be the side hustle for you.

It’s not an overnight money-spinner – it took me over a year of blogging before I made any money from it.

But if you do some research and start out right, you could be making money much more quickly than that.

Reselling

Reselling is buying goods and then selling them on for a profit.

If you’ve got a keen eye for a bargain or are particularly knowledgeable about branded clothes for example, then reselling could be a great side hustle for you.

Utilise all the same platforms you would selling your own old stuff and find what works best for you.

It can be fun to experiment selling in different categories – but once you find an area you know well, you’ll be able to make a good regular income.

You can source from Car Boot Sales, Charity Shops, Auction House, Facebook Marketplace…

Freelance Writing

If you enjoy writing about a wide range or topics, or perhaps you have expertise in a specific niche, then you might want to give freelance writing a go.

Writing is time consuming and therefore many bloggers and websites like to outsource it to free up their time.

You can advertise your services on a website like Fiverr, or join Facebook groups relevant to your niche and respond to adverts or advertise your own services.

You can also find writing opportunities on job vacancy websites like Indeed.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a way of running an online shop without many of the costly overheads.

As the products are shipped directly from the supplier, you don’t have to worry about handling or storing stock.

Selling Digital Products

If you’re good at design or have expertise in a particular subject, then maybe selling digital products could be for you.

From creating printables to ebooks and online courses; digital products are a great side hustle.

Once the initial work of creating the product is done your income is pretty much passive and potentially unlimited as you don’t have to spend time creating more and more physical products to keep in stock.

Etsy is a great place to get started with selling digital products.

Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants are online assistants who help out bloggers and businesses.

If you’ve got a laptop, it’s a job you can do from anywhere!

You can offer almost any service as a VA but some examples include social media management, answering emails, graphic creation etc.

Transcribing

If you work in an office, you’re probably a fast typer.

Put those typing skills to good use by doing some transcribing.

Most websites have a 65-80wpm typing speed requirement and you’ll have to pass practice tests to get in.

Try a website like Way With Words or Take Note to get started.

Market Research

Another great side hustle that you can dip in and out of when you need to make some extra money.

The studies usually require an hour or two of your time but are well paying (anything from around £30-150 for an hour!).

Try People for Research, Research Opinions or Askable.

Website Testing

Sign up to a website like Intellizoom or User Testing and you can earn up to $60 per test.

Basically, you’ll be assigned a test where you visit an app or website and perform tasks and as you do so you have to speak your thoughts out loud.

You’ll need a computer with a microphone or a smartphone/tablet if you’d like to take mobile tests.

Offline Side Hustle Ideas (anyone can do!)

Focus Groups

Similar to Market Research but conducted in person. Focus groups require you to travel to a location and get a cash reward for a specified amount of your time.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is a good way to make extra money and sometimes grab a free meal.

You simply have to visit a shop or restaurant, do as the assignment directs you (take photos of a display, ask a staff member a question) and complete a questionnaire afterwards.

Try Market Force* or Be My Eye* (for simpler, smaller tasks).

Pet Boarding

Pet sitting/boarding/walking etc is a great way of enjoying animals without the responsibility of owning one – and getting paid for it.

Depending on the work involved you could make £20-50 a day for checking in on a few pets. Join a website like Tailster or Cat in a Flat to become a pet sitter.

Couriering

Got your own car? How about delivering parcels as a side hustle?

To get started you usually need to register as self-employed and have a clean licence and a smartphone.

Depending on the delivery service you may earn a set amount per parcel delivered or an hourly rate.

This kind of work is flexible and you can pick up as much or as little as you like to suit your personal circumstances.

Try Evri (previously Hermes) | Yodel or Amazon Flex.

Food Delivery

In the same vein as the last idea, how about becoming a food delivery driver?

Apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats are available in most parts of the country, so the opportunities are plentiful.

Food delivery could be a great side hustle if you work a typical 9-5 day job – you could pick up odd shifts in the evening or on the weekends when most people are ordering takeaway food.

Cleaning/Ironing

Cleaning and Ironing services are easy to start with little upfront costs.

Advertise locally in area Facebook groups or on noticeboards.

They’re jobs most people hate to do, so you’ll have a steady supply of customers!

Become an Extra

Many films and TV shows need people in the background for non-speaking parts… and you don’t need acting experience to do it.

The days can be long and boring and depending on the agency you register with, they may take a cut but for a 12 hour day you can expect around £200.

Try Casting Collective, Extra People or Be On Screen.

Rent Out Your Home for TV/Film

Register with a site like Shoot Factory or Location Works and if you meet the criteria a film maker is looking for, you could be seeing your home on the small screen!

Rent Out Your Parking Space

Have a large driveway or extra parking spaces you’re not using? Why not rent it out?

If you live near an airport or busy city centre I can imagine this would be quite a profitable revenue stream.

Exam Invigilator

When exam season rolls around, Exam Invigilators are needed to sit quietly and supervise students taking their exam.

Find opportunities on regular job sites like Indeed.

Skilled Side Hustle Ideas

Tutoring

If you have a lot of expertise on a particular subject, then why not become a tutor?

Websites like Super Prof allow you to advertise your services as a tutor and you can do it all online!

Crafting

If you have a creative side, have you considered selling your wares?

You could sell at local fayres and markets or sell online on Etsy.

Baking

If you have a knack for baking beautiful cakes and treats, you could start a baking business.

Home baking is in demand. As long as you ensure you’re ticking all the legal boxes first, you could have a profitable little side hustle.

Sewing

If you’re a dab hand with a sewing machine, why not offer alterations?

With the rise in sustainability, more people are looking to make their things last so it could be a great service to offer.

You could also offer to adjust school uniforms at the start of the academic year (so hems can be taken down later as the growth spurts happen) and offer wedding alterations too.

Book-Keeping

Good with numbers?

Many small companies find running the financial side of their business overwhelming and look to outsource the work to a bookkeeper.

You don’t need any formal qualifications to offer basic bookkeeping services.

Personal Training

If you’re an avid gym goer or enjoy a particular type of exercise you could turn that skill into a side hustle.

To become a personal trainer, you usually need a PT qualification. You can then work out of a local gym on a self employed basis or even start your own business and offer online coaching.

Alternatively, you could get an accreditation in the exercise you enjoy – for example Yoga and then start a class at a local venue or hall.

Conclusion

There you have it! A bumper round up of side hustles ideas that you can try.

Have you got a side hustle? Have you tried any of the suggestions in this post? Let me know in the comments.

Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram (@katiesaves) for more money making content.

And this post is regularly updated with new ideas, so don’t forget to save it for later.

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Other Ways to Make Money Online

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