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Side hustles to make money aren't optional anymore—they're a survival. A recent NerdWallet survey reveals that 10% of Americans started a side business or second job in 2025 because their primary job doesn't cover basic necessities. Rising costs demand multiple income streams.
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Side hustles deliver serious money when you get them right. Preston from Millo booked $75,000 from sponsorships, working just two hours daily during his commute. Your skills and schedule can find their perfect match—whether that's earning from home, digital creativity, or local service demand.
We'll break down side hustle ideas that generate real income in 2025. From micro-earnings to full business ventures, there's opportunity everywhere. Plus, we'll show how telehealth creates unique business potential through platforms like Bask, designed to enhance patient care through innovative tools, seamless integrations, and tailored solutions for entrepreneurs entering the digital health space.
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Need extra cash because your 9–5 isn’t cutting it? This guide breaks down 2025 side hustles that actually pay—plus how to start one this week.
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Key Takeaways
- Side hustles are no longer optional in 2025—they’re how people cover rising living costs and build real financial backup.
- “Easy win” home hustles include online surveys, selling used items, virtual assistant work, and micro gigs on Fiverr/Upwork.
- Creative digital plays (blogging, YouTube, Etsy, courses, socials, voiceover/transcription) offer low startup cost with strong upside over time.
- Local service hustles—pet sitting/dog walking, tutoring, events, photography, handyman work—can generate fast, high-margin cash.
- Platforms like Facebook Marketplace and eBay let you turn clutter into quick money with almost zero upfront spend.
- VA and freelance roles are highly flexible: you set hours, clients, and income targets around your main job or family schedule.
- Telehealth is a premium side-hustle lane for healthcare pros, with strong long-term growth and recurring revenue potential.
- Telemedicine startups must factor in tech, licensing, security, and ongoing maintenance when budgeting.
- Bask Health helps founders shortcut the hard parts—no-code workflows, compliance, billing, and integrations—so they can focus on care and growth.
- The playbook: pick one hustle, define simple KPIs (first $500, first five clients), launch a basic offer, and iterate weekly based on real results.
Simple side hustles you can start from home
Easy money without leaving your couch? These simple side hustles need minimal experience and fit any schedule.
Taking online surveys for micro-earnings
You won't get rich, but online surveys pay pocket money during downtime. Survey Junkie lets you earn points by sharing opinions on products and services—earn as much as $40 monthly by completing just three surveys daily. Swagbucks rewards surveys, video watching, and web browsing. User Interviews pays serious money: $20 to $200 per study.
Selling used items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace
Your clutter becomes someone's treasure. Facebook Marketplace charges zero listing or selling fees (except 5% for shipping). Perfect for local deals with higher profit margins. eBay reaches over 130 million potential buyers worldwide. Choose between auction-style and fixed-price listings, but expect final value fees of around 13.25%.
Becoming a virtual assistant
Virtual assistants handle admin work for entrepreneurs and small businesses remotely. Starting pay hits $17 per hour, climbing as you build client relationships. The real win? Total flexibility. Pick your hours and workload to balance family life or other commitments ideally.
Freelance gigs on Fiverr or Upwork
These platforms match freelancers with clients needing specific services. Fiverr runs on pre-defined service packages at set prices—ideal for beginners offering quick, affordable work. Upwork focuses on longer projects and hourly contracts where freelancers submit proposals. Upwork attracts experienced professionals seeking long-term relationships, while Fiverr excels at speed and simplicity.
Creative and Digital Side Hustle Ideas
Digital creation turns your talents into profit. These ventures demand minimal startup costs but deliver substantial earning potential over time.
Starting a Blog or YouTube Channel
Food blogs generate the highest median income among all niches. Personal finance, lifestyle, travel, and arts/crafts make up 74% of all high-traffic blogs. YouTube creators unlock monetization after hitting 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 public watch hours yearly or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. Revenue flows through ad payments, Premium subscriptions, channel memberships, and merchandise sales. Success demands consistency—organize videos into playlists and add end screens to boost watch time and subscriber growth.
Selling Art or Crafts on Etsy
Etsy connects you with 96 million active customers worldwide. Starting costs just $0.20 per listing (valid for four months), plus 6.5% transaction fees on sales, including shipping. Payment processing adds 4% + €0.30 per transaction. Etsy's specialized marketplace commands premium prices for handmade, vintage, and unique items. Focus on product photography, competitive pricing, and shipping that balances affordability with profit.
Creating and Selling Online Courses
Specialized knowledge becomes passive income through online courses. Platforms like Podia let anyone build courses without coding—videos, audio files, quizzes, downloadable resources. Choose self-paced formats or cohort-based learning where students progress together. Price strategically considering perceived quality, market positioning, and competitive landscape.
Offering Social Media Management Services
Marketing skills translate into flexible, in-demand service businesses. Minimal startup requirements—just your existing devices and internet connection.
Voiceover or Transcription Work
Rev pays freelancers weekly via PayPal. Their freelancers average $149 monthly, with top performers earning $245 monthly. Requirements: strong English skills, reliable internet, and a computer. TranscribeMe offers 2-4 minute clips instead of lengthy interviews, perfect for bite-sized work sessions around other commitments.
Service-based side hustles with local demand
Local service businesses create immediate income with your existing skills. These hands-on opportunities require minimal startup costs while delivering substantial earnings around your schedule.
Pet sitting and dog walking
Pet owners spend serious money on their furry family members. The industry projects household spending will jump from $980 in 2020 to $1292 by 2025, with the entire sector tripling by 2030. Professional dog walkers charge $60-70 per hour.
Your setup needs general liability insurance, a business entity (sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation), and client management systems. Marketing drives everything—put your business in front of potential clients daily.
Tutoring students in academic subjects
Students need help, and parents pay for results. Post-session surveys show that 95% of students improve their grades through tutoring, and 96% complete homework better.
Start by volunteering with non-profits like Schoolhouse. World to build your portfolio. Once you have certifications and reviews, paid platforms open up with earnings based on your subject expertise and experience.
Event planning or photography
Event planning needs $15,000-25,000 to start. Experienced planners earn $1,000-5,000 per event, with wedding specialists making $2,000-10,000. Photography demands around $10,000 for professional equipment.
Smart photographers use tiered pricing—one product photographer started with basic images at $15 and styled shots at $35, then scaled to six-figure annual earnings.
Handyman or home repair services
Handymen charge $60-70 hourly. Flat rates work better for predictable jobs. Average service costs include drywall repair ($275-780), fence repair ($250-750), and furniture assembly ($75-150).
Calculate your rates by adding monthly expenses, dividing by work hours, then adding markup and taxes. Your pricing structure communicates value and signals quality to potential clients.
Bask Health and telehealth as a business opportunity
Telehealth isn't a convenience anymore—it's essential healthcare infrastructure. This creates a serious opportunity for entrepreneurs ready to build in the digital health space.
Why telehealth is growing in 2025
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The global telehealth market sits at USD 196.81 billion today, projected to hit USD 1,211.14 billion by 2034—that's 22.55% annual growth. North America owns 45.76% of this market, and patient demand keeps pushing those numbers higher.
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How Bask Health supports telemedicine startups
Bask provides implementation support that goes beyond just software. Our platform delivers complete training resources, no-code customization for clinical workflows, and revenue cycle optimization tools that maximize your reimbursement. We've perfected a 90-day launch timeline with pilot testing to guarantee successful deployment.
Steps to start your own telehealth business
Start with your community's needs—map chronic condition prevalence and technology access. Define your clinical focus, outline services, and study your competitive landscape. Choose HIPAA-compliant video platforms and patient portals that actually work. Build your marketing strategy around digital channels and community outreach.
Telehealth business plan essentials
Your business plan needs market analysis, service descriptions, operations planning, and financial projections. Define target audience, market size, and your competitive advantage. Map specific services: virtual consultations, prescription writing, teletherapy, and follow-up care.
Understanding telemedicine startup costs
Telemedicine startups typically require USD 30,000 to USD 150,000. Basic apps start around USD 25,000 to USD 50,000. Equipment ranges from USD 10,000 for basic setups to USD 150,000 for advanced systems. Factor in ongoing costs: licensing fees (USD 1,500), security measures (USD 20,000-40,000), and annual maintenance (USD 20,000-40,000).
Conclusion
Side hustles aren’t a luxury in 2025—they’re the safety net and the springboard. Match your skills and available hours to a simple offer, keep costs light, and validate fast. Quick wins live in local services and micro-gigs; scalable upside lives in content, courses, and niche e-commerce.
If healthcare is your lane, telehealth has real lift: platforms like Bask Health strip out the tech, compliance, and billing overhead so you can launch faster and focus on outcomes.
Make it concrete: pick one idea, define two KPIs (first $500 revenue, first five clients), ship an introductory offer this week, then iterate weekly. Momentum beats perfection—start now and scale what works.
References
- Strehlow, R. (n.d.). 120 profitable blog niche ideas and how to pick the right one. Wix Blog. https://www.wix.com/blog/blog-niche-ideas (Retrieved November 12, 2025). wix.com
- Social Tables. (n.d.). Starting an event planning business? Do these 6 things first. https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-planning/starting-event-planning-business/ (Retrieved November 12, 2025). socialtables.com