The Best Side Hustles to Work On From Home Right Now to Fight Boredom

“I need to create a digital income.” — most people these days.

During difficult times we realize how much we need a backup plan and how we can’t rely on one job for a source of income like prior generations did. The good news is that you can make money from your phone and you can use this time to build a unique side hustle while you wait for the world to figure itself out.

How can you bring in money down the line with a new side hustle? I want to show you side hustle ideas to work on while you’re bored at home.

The one thing that truly amazes me is how people are able to make real money from their phones or with just a Wi-Fi connection through some unique methods. I’m fascinated with the idea of making money from the same device that so many use as a distraction. I know that you are too since you’re still reading.

There are quick solutions where you can earn guaranteed money (freelancing and so on) that we’ve discussed on here. Then there are longer term options where you’re going to have to wait to see some money.

I’ve relied on traditional ways to make money in quarantine. I’ve also looked into setting myself up to make money with side hustles from home that will pay off in the future. I want to show you side hustles to make money in the future today. We’re going to look at some interesting side hustle ideas so that you have a bunch of side business ideas to work on in your spare time.

[We looked at how to survive this financial chaos already. You can read up on how to find an extra $1,000 in 30 days. We looked at how to make quick money. Now it’s time to set ourselves up for the future.]

Here are the best side business ideas to work on…

What are side hustles to make money in the future that you can work on starting today?

Build a blog.

I believe that everyone should have some sort of an online presence. This doesn’t mean that you have to start a blog where you plaster your face all over it. You don’t have to be an influencer. You don’t have to blog about blogging or try to be another inspirational person. But it’s important that you share your ideas with the world.

I’ve been blogging for over 12 years so I’m naturally a fan of this idea. I know that most people will push Bluehost on you. I know that it’s almost annoying how the best way to make money online is to talk about making money online. That’s just the reality of entrepreneurship and marketing sometimes. The good news is that you don’t have to blog about making money. You can share your ideas on any topic that interests you.

You can start for a buck a month. That’s next to nothing. This is the easiest way to build a home base and place for you to share your ideas.

You’re going to need to learn some SEO and some basic marketing, but if you’re writing is decent, you’ll get picked up by the Google search engines and you can bring in some eye balls on what you’re doing (simplified version).

With everyone at home, you now have access to more people. Many of us are simply looking for a distraction. Your blog can be a source of distraction and entertainment during this time. Siteground sent me this video on how easy it is to start a blog today.

I’ve used both Bluehost and Siteground. Bluehost is a good place to start for most new bloggers. Siteground has really good deals right now. You can’t go wrong with either to get started.

Your blog can also become your home base for your freelance writing, consulting, and anything else that you choose to launch. Read my full article on how to make money online for more on side hustles to work on from home. Check out the video below to see how Eric leveraged is blog to find freelance writing gigs.

Build a popular YouTube channel.

Have you thought about starting a YouTube channel? I haven’t been able to crack getting popular on YouTube, but this platform has allowed me to reach a new audience and to reach my current audience through video.

You can use this downtime to create video content. You can make one piece of video content and then repurpose it on different platforms. The one video can be published in its entirety on YouTube, IGTV, and Facebook. You can then take clips for Tik Tok, Instagram stories and Twitter.

How do you make money on YouTube?

• YouTube partner program.
• Advertising.
• Sponsorships.
• Promoting your current products.

As always, every platform that you get popular on is a chance to bring readers into your main business (blog, course, or whatever that happens to be).

This article digs deep on how you can make money on YouTube. They brought this point up on making money:

“If it’s a CPC advertisement, then you get paid based on how many viewers click on the ads surrounding your video.

Per view, advertisers on average pay $.18. If your channel receives 1,000 views, it’s worth $18. Google keeps 45 percent of what is made, so a YouTuber would make (on average) $9.90 per 1,000 views.”

Long story short is that if you create compelling content, you’ll get viewers and money.

Get famous on TikTok.

Have you gone on Tik Tok yet?

You’ve probably made fun of it. You’ve probably cringed at some of the awkward dance videos that have surfaced. I get it. It’s easy mock young people for the silly ways that we make money. That won’t get us anywhere though. I’m all about studying the best and trying to learn from those who are doing cool things all around us.

I’ve been studying this app closely since last summer. There are people who are making real money on here. I found a magician who makes his living from the app. Many people have been able to turn their following into real money on other platforms.

How do you make money on Tik Tok?

• You go live and collect donations.
• You promote your other social media platforms.
• You build an audience. It never hurts to have an audience.

This article looks at the top earners who are making money on Tik Tok. This line summarizes making money on Tik Tok:

“Unlike YouTube, TikTok doesn’t directly compensate most users for running ads right now. But there are several ways to potentially earn money, including through brand partnerships, selling merchandise, or cross-promoting with other social accounts. TikTokers can also collect virtual donations from fans that can be cashed out for money.”

You can’t dismiss any social media platform. I used to refuse to use Facebook for business until I couldn’t argue with it any longer. Oh and you don’t have to dance on Tik Tok. I’ve posted zero dance videos because that’s not my area of expertise by any means.

Start an Airbnb Experience.

I found this to be the quickest and easiest way to start a side hustle that actually brings in money and can turn into a real business. Hosting an Airbnb Experience means that you offer something to do to people. You set your experience up and you get paid every time that you run a session with clients.

Hosting an Airbnb experience can be any of these ideas:

• Going for a drink with people.
• Showing the best coffee shops off and getting paid to drink coffee.
• Getting paid to eat pizza.
• Doing yoga with tourists.
• Bringing guests into your home to watch you cook.

With everything that’s going on, in-person experiences are paused for now. You can host online Airbnb Experiences. You can also apply to host an experience during this lockdown so that whenever everything returns back to normal, you’ll have your experience running.

Here’s how I started an experience for money. Check out the video below, look up other hosts who are making money with Airbnb Experiences or read up on how you can offer a 5 star review…

Host your home on Airbnb.

You can use the Airbnb app to list your home or to put your spare bedroom up for rent. You can use this free time to set up that spare room. You get to make money from that extra room or that property when you’re not using it. I wouldn’t buy a place solely to rent it on Airbnb, but if you have a spare room, you can bring some money in.

How can you start hosting your home on Airbnb?

• Read my article on how to host on Airbnb.
• Think about what space you can rent on Airbnb.
• Take some pictures.
• Look at similar ads in your area.

When life goes back to normal this can be a nice side hustle.

Bonus side hustle ideas to work on…

We will break these down in the future. but there are a few other options worth considering when it comes to building out a side hustle. What are a few other side hustles to make money?

• Start an Etsy store.
• Start a podcast.
• Grow an Instagram page.
• Look into flipping your junk.
• Start drop shipping.
• Grow a Twitter page where you sell products.

I’ll be bringing guests on my podcast and YouTube channel in the future to learn more about these options. There are many unique ways to make money from home these days.

Do these side hustle ideas from home actually make sense?

This is the best time for planting the seeds for the future. I’m not here to sell the dream. I’m here to show you what you can do instead of complaining about being bored.

Many friends have turned to me to see how they can make money with a blog, with a YouTube channel or with any other online venture. It’s possible to make money with any side business idea from home, but you just can’t expect to start a blog in a week that’s bringing in a profit. I cover actual monetization in the other articles linked throughout here. You can’t expect any real results within the first 6 months as you’re trying to build and learn the ropes.

Then there’s the other obvious issue…

“I don’t have the skills to do any of this. I don’t know where to start.”

If you don’t have any skills that pay, learn some. You can teach yourself. There’s a YouTube tutorial on every possible topic out there.

You can setup a few systems and ideas today to bring in more money down the road. I know that this won’t help you today but it’s important that we always plan for the worst case scenario.

Here’s how you can start making money today with my exact tips:

1. The exact steps to getting paid as a writer.
2. How to start an online business in 6 easy steps.
3. How to make money off social media.

What’s the easiest way to start working on a side business from home?

Here’s what I would do if I was starting a side hustle from home out in quarantine right now.

Pick a niche to write about/cover.

You have to pick a niche. If you have multiple interests, I would go with the one that you think others would care about most. I talk about personal finance here. I also have an Instagram dedicated to fasting and feasting. You can start with one niche and then expand to another one as time goes on.

Decide where your content will be.

Where will you post your content? Where will people be able to find you?

I find that a website is the best place to host all of your content in one place. You can link to your YouTube channel, podcast, and whatever else you’re working on.

Go all in on one social media platform.

You have to choose one social media platform to get aggressive with. The easiest way to start would be to write your best ideas on a blog. Then you can make YouTube videos, podcast episodes, or Tik Tok clips to promote your side hustle.

The beauty of this whole side hustle and online entrepreneurship is that things are always changing and it never hurts to experiment.

Check out the other articles in this series on side hustle ideas:

• Is entrepreneurship worth it for millennials? — Does it even make sense to try to work for yourself?
• How you can chase your passion when you have no time or money. — Short on cash and time? Join the rest of the world.
• Do you have to be self-employed to be successful? — We look at the notion that you need to work for yourself to be considered a success.
• The Beer League Rule. — How I decide which side hustle to follow through on.
• See how 9 bloggers made their first buck. — A look at how a few well-paid bloggers made their first dollar online.

Those are a few side hustles to make money from home while you’re bored in quarantine. I can’t promise you “passive income” or even “easy money” but you can set yourself up for the future with a new side hustle that brings in money a few months down the road. Which side hustle are you going to try?