Are you looking to make some extra money in your free time? Well, there are plenty of opportunities, it’s just a matter of finding the right one for you. Take a look at some of the best side hustles in the UK to help you get started… it might even turn into a full-time job.
The best side hustle ideas in the UK for 2023
- Surveys
- Focus groups
- Matched betting
- Mystery shopping
- Website testing
- Renting out your garage or driveway
- Property hunting
- Online tutoring or private tutor
- Dog walker and pet sitting
- Ironing
- Exam invigilator
- Poll clerk
- Software and apps
- Bank account switching and bonuses
- Blogging
- Freelance writer
- Self-publishing with Amazon Kindle
- Virtual Assistant
- Referral offers
- Selling your talents
- Cashback
- Work as an extra
- Selling coins
- Childminding
- Gaming
- Football referee
- Delivery driver
- Woodworking
- Transcribing
- Metal detecting
- Become a narrator
- Selling your old items
- Host a foreign student
- Dropshipping
Good side hustles for making money
Did you know that one in four UK families has less than £100 in savings? What happens if your car or boiler breaks down? Your only option may be a payday loan or, perhaps worse, your overdraft.
I think it’s something many of us are embarrassed by when really, we shouldn’t be. It’s a common problem and there’s a good chance somebody you know is struggling.
But apart from cutting back, what else can you do?
One option is to look at earning some extra money on the side. Now, you might think you don’t have the qualifications to make much money. But the truth is, you don’t need any to boost your income. There are plenty of easy side hustles out there to make extra cash.
The key to finding a great side hustle
What you need to do is find something that you enjoy. If you wake up in the morning and look forward to doing something, you have an excellent opportunity to turn a small earner into a profitable side hustle.
Where to start?
So, what’s the best starting point when finding extra ways to make money? First, you need to look for as many ideas as possible and get a general overview of each job.
Then, you must establish how much time you dedicate to earning your extra money. This post covers jobs that could earn you money in minutes, hours, days, or even years.
How much can you earn?
Potentially, you can earn as much as you like. The main issue will be the time you can commit. Even if you have just a few hours every week to spare, you could look at earning over £100 per month.
Even when I worked for the civil service doing 40 hours per week, spent two hours per day writing this blog and looking after my three children, I still managed to earn over £500 per month from surveys and mystery shopping. If you have more time and you’re willing to travel to a mystery shop, there’s no reason why you couldn’t reach £700 – £800 every month. And that doesn’t even include money from matched betting.
And if you’re able to make a success of work such as blogging or working as an extra, there’s no reason why you couldn’t make a full-time income and give up your main job.
The best UK side hustles – My top picks
So, here are the best side hustles for you to get started with.
Surveys
This is an easy side hustle to get started with. There are plenty of survey sites out there, some pay better than others, whilst some will send you free samples of products to try.
Some sites will pay around 10-20 pence a survey. Not great, you may think, but these surveys can take a few seconds to a couple of minutes, so they are ideal for people who have a few spare moments throughout the day. These surveys cover various topics such as family life, TV and politics.
Most sites pay between £1-3 for each survey, lasting between 10 and 30 minutes. They generally ask about your thoughts on products and services. If you’re lucky, you can also qualify to be sent products for trial. I have been sent some things include bagels, chocolate bars, toilet rolls and kitchen rolls. And not only do you get to use the products, but you also get paid too!
Many sites will pay you in cash via PayPal or a bank transfer. However, some will pay in vouchers of your choice – such as Amazon or Love2Shop.
✅ Pros: Dip in and out when you like. Great as a side income and for a little extra money.
❌ Cons: Limited to how much you can earn. You need to find the right survey sites for you.
Some sites which are free to join include:
Or visit my post on the top 10 paying survey sites to see my complete list.
Focus groups and interviews
If you like the idea of sharing your opinion, but you don’t think surveys pay enough, then you may be more interested in focus groups and interviews. Sometimes, they will take place on a one-to-one basis and other times, you might be interviewed along with several other people.
Pre-2020, most interviews took place in person. However, since the pandemic, most companies now conduct them online. Generally, you will need a laptop and a decent internet connection, but some will allow you to use a mobile phone or tablet with a camera.
How much you earn depends on the company you use, but expect to earn anything between £20-£60 per hour. You can look at some of the best sites to join for focus groups and online surveys.
✅ Pros: You can earn far more than you can from most regular jobs. The work is quite easy as you just share your opinion.
❌ Cons: Work can’t be relied upon. You can have as many as three interviews in one week and then not receive any for many weeks afterwards. Should only be seen as an additional income.
Matched Betting
This is one of the best side hustles from home. By using special offers from bookmakers, you can make £100’s every month risk-free. In fact, some people make over £1000. You don’t even need to know anything about sport to do it.
Some people claim to make a full-time living from matched betting, although I’m slightly dubious whether you can or not. I would reach close to £900 monthly at my peak, although I never tackled casino offers. However, most can easily make several hundred pounds every month and don’t need to spend much time doing it.
If you’ve not heard of it before, I don’t blame you for being a little sceptical. After all, the bookie always wins, don’t they? But it should put you more at ease that Money Saving Expert used to have a whole forum dedicated to the subject. Unfortunately, it was closed during the pandemic, along with several others. But if it’s good enough for Martin Lewis, it’s good enough for me.
✅ Pros: You can make a lot of money in the early stages – some people earn over £1000 per month.
❌ Cons: You will need to be willing to sign-up with plenty of bookmakers. Not a long-term earner as bookies will close accounts.
Find out more with my complete guide about matched betting.
Also worth reading
Why not read through some of the best work from home jobs?
Mystery shopping
Like survey sites, there are plenty of mystery shopping sites out there. Another similarity is that the pay varies too, depending on where you go and what you do. Signing up takes more effort than survey sites. Sometimes there are tests about comprehension and English skills.
At the lower end of the pay scale, you will be offered jobs at restaurants. They pay no more than £3-4, plus you get another £10 towards the meal. Not a great amount, but gives you a cheap night out. At the top end, you can be offered tasks such as gaining quotes for car insurance or a mortgage. They paid £80 and £150 respectively. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to do a couple of these a month, you will be well on your way in your task to earn money from home.
✅ Pros: Jobs are quite short and pay fairly well. You can also get some nice freebies.
❌ Cons: A lot of your earning potential depends on where you live. Plus, you compete to claim the jobs before others do.
Take a look at my top mystery shopping sites.
Website testing
If you’ve ever built a website, you know it can be quite buggy. Well, there are companies that will pay you to check that everything is working as it should. They may also ask you about design preferences and what you think works well and what should be scrapped.
In some cases, you’ll need to write down your thoughts. In others, you may need to download software and record what you think. The more involved the test is, the more you can earn
✅ Pros: Jobs are usually quite simple. Pay can usually be between £10 and £20 per hour, depending on the site.
❌ Cons: The number of tests you receive is quite inconsistent. Some sites even score you – if you’re not a good tester, they’ll stop sending you work.
Check out these sites to find out more:
Renting out your driveway or garage
If you own your home and are not using all the outside areas, why not rent it out? As space is at a premium in the UK, many people are looking for somewhere safe to park their cars or store items. And according to Stashbee, customers make £1,940 from renting out spare space.
If you live in a city or major town, workers and visitors will be willing to give you a good price for your driveway because it’s often far cheaper than using a local car park. If you live near a major sports stadium or music venue, you can charge even more for just a couple of hours of parking.
And if you don’t think you can rent out your drive, why not try your garage? This will give somebody a secure area to store their precious vehicle or other goods they might want to lock away.
✅ Pros: It can be a decent income and requires very little effort from you.
❌ Cons: How much you can make depends on where your drive and garage are situated.
Why not look at my post for other items you can rent out?
Property hunting
As I’m sure you’re aware, property in the UK can be hard to come by. That means prices are at a premium and everybody is searching for the next bargain. The good news is, you can make some money from this.
If you find an empty or derelict property, then let YouSpotProperty know. If the property qualifies, they will send you a £20 voucher. But it doesn’t stop there. If the company buys what you find, you’ll get a 1% commission on the final purchase price.
✅ Pros: Potential to make a large sum from one deal.
❌ Cons: The properties can be very hard to spot.
Online tutoring or private tutor
Whether it’s a student who wants to get ahead in their studies or an adult who wants to fill their time with something new, plenty of people are looking for a tutor.
Of course, you can’t just teach wherever you want; you’ll need the relevant qualifications.
But if you have the right skills and teach a popular subject, you can earn from £20 to £80 per hour.
Check out sites like Tutorful if you fancy becoming a private tutor
✅ Pros: Potential for a decent side income. Choose hours suited to you.
❌ Cons: For most subjects, you’ll need a relevant qualification.
Dog walking and pet sitting
For most dog owners, their four-legged friends are exactly the same as family members. And in some cases, more important than their partners…
But for those that lead a busy life, it’s not always possible to dedicate as much time as they would like to look after their dog.
In recent years, more and more owners have turned to dog walkers to take their pooch out for daily exercise. And depending on the area and if there’s high demand, walkers can charge anywhere between £10 and £20 per hour.
Alternatively, you could go to the owner’s house to spend time with their pet or have them come and stay with you. Of course, your house will need to have a suitable area for you to keep the dog.
If you wanted to take this further, you could even offer overnight boarding. This pays more but will require permission from your local council.
Starting a dog walking business doesn’t cost much, although it may be best to advertise at the beginning to attract clients. Although insurance isn’t a legal requirement, it’s still probably a good idea.
Some people will even let you stay in their homes for several weeks to look after their pets, all over the world. Take a look at how to get free accommodation from house and pet sitting.
✅ Pros: Doesn’t take a lot of money to get started. No qualifications are needed.
❌ Cons: It’s quite a competitive market. It could mean a lack of work.
If you want to earn even more, check out my post on apps that pay you to walk.
Ironing
Some people (me included) hate doing the ironing and would willingly pay others to do it for them.
But how you run your ironing business is up to you. You could either visit a client’s home and do it there or have them drop it off at your home. Which is the best method depends on your customers.
You also have to decide how to charge. You could set your fees per item, per bag of clothes or by the hour.
✅ Pros: Easy to get started. Work hours around your day job or any other commitments.
❌ Cons: You may be required to travel often if you’re working from people’s homes or you drop off and pick up.
Work as an exam invigilator
What could be better than spending a few hours telling teenagers to be quiet? Exam invigilating is generally one of the simpler jobs you can do and will pay around £10 per hour, depending on where you’re located. Of course, it’s restricted to when exams take place (mainly in early summer), but you don’t need any qualifications or special training.
✅ Pros: The pay is very good considering the effort you need to put in.
❌ Cons: Limited to when exams take place – usually just a few months per year.
Find out more about exam invigilators.
Work as a poll clerk
This is another job restricted to when work is available but is still worth looking at. Working in a polling booth is a long day, but you get paid for sitting around.
Or, you could decide to pull an all-nighter and help count the votes. Not the most fun of work, but it’s still very important.
✅ Pros: A good, solid income for a day’s work. Get to meet plenty of people.
❌ Cons: Very restricted to when you can work. Places are taken up quickly.
Take a look at working as a poll clerk.
Software/apps
Keep an eye out for software that can earn you money. For example, MobileXpression is a tool you can download to your phone. It monitors your usage and you are paid in Amazon vouchers. Signing up and using it for a week will earn you a £5 voucher. Keep the software on your phone and you will earn extra monthly vouchers. And if you like that idea, you can combine it with other passive earning ideas.
There are plenty of apps that give you rewards when you scan receipts or give you cashback when you buy certain items. Here is a list of the best receipt scanning apps.
✅ Pros: Simple to do and requires very little effort.
❌ Cons: Not the biggest earner and will need to be combined with other money making ideas.
Also worth reading
If you fancy using your computer to make extra money, look at some of the best ways to make money online.
Earn from your bank
Did you know that there are bank accounts out there that pay you? They usually come with a small fee, but the rewards you receive back will outweigh the money you spend… as long as you meet the terms and conditions.
For example, Lloyds will give you free cinema tickets, Santander gives you cashback on certain bills and Barclays pays you cash. Take a look at the best accounts that pay you.
Another way to earn is by bank account switching. You can earn up to £250 from swapping accounts, which usually involves little effort. Plus, you can find added benefits, such as increased interest rates for your savings and cashback offers. And you can always have more than one current account at a time. Some people have made over £1500 from switching accounts alone. Offers come and go, so it’s best to pounce when you see them.
✅ Pros: A simple way to make money, sometimes as little as 10 minutes of work.
❌ Cons: If you don’t want to lose your current bank, you must set up a spare account to switch from. Switching offers are also limited.
Blogging
Most people start blogging because it allows them to write about something they enjoy. Many can earn a small income from their blogs, and a select few can earn a pretty impressive wage.
You can see how much you can really make from blogging. Some bloggers can even make six-figure sums from their blogs. Okay, so for most of us, this type of money would be impossible but it does show the potential. Write about something you enjoy that others will find useful or interesting, and the rest will follow.
Setting up a blog doesn’t have to cost you much money and is surprisingly easy to do. And once it’s running fully, you can make money from affiliate links, giving you a decent passive income.
✅ Pros: You get to write about what you enjoy, which can be your personal space. Plenty of people make a full-time living from blogging.
❌ Cons: This is a long-term project and will need a lot of work. Can you offer something new?
Freelance writer
Do you enjoy writing but don’t like the idea of running your own blog? Then why not write for others?
A freelance writer usually writes articles, blog posts, ad copy and other content for a living. They can write for magazines, newspapers, blogs and a whole range of content hosts on almost any topic.
Depending on the employer, a writer might be paid by the hour, per word or article.
✅ Pros: Have the flexibility to work as much or little as you like. It can be done from the comfort of your own home.
❌ Cons: Some writing jobs can be hard work. A lot of lone working.
Self-publishing with Amazon Kindle
When you first think about writing a book, you’ll probably picture an 800-page novel set in the 1700s. But if you decide to publish on Amazon Kindle, you don’t need to produce something that can rival Sense and Sensibility to make money.
No, with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can write shorter stories, create colouring books, guides or even just blank diaries or budget sheets.
Once uploaded, you split the profit with Amazon when somebody makes a purchase. Once you have several of these books available, you can make a decent passive income.
✅ Pros: Easy to get started and cheap to do
❌ Cons: It can be difficult to get your books noticed as it’s a competitive market.
Virtual Assistant
If you have a wide range of skills (or you’re willing to learn) might like the idea of becoming a virtual assistant (VA). What a VA actually has to do depends a lot on who they work for.
They will generally complete administrative tasks, including managing email accounts, posting on social media, data entry, scheduling calls, managing a YouTube channel or editing videos. But it does depend on the sector they choose to work in.
✅ Pros: A good VA will always be in high demand. Can earn a decent income.
❌ Cons: Can take a while to learn a full range of skills. You will usually need to work for multiple people to make a full-time income.
Referral offers
If you don’t fancy the idea of blogging and making money from affiliate marketing, you can still make money using a similar method. A lot of companies run refer a friend schemes which encourage customers to recommend their products and services to their nearest and dearest. You’ll be given a unique link to share and encourage others to use when signing up. You’ll be given cash, credit or a free product when somebody uses this link.
Some of these referrals pay as little as 50 pence or as much as £100. And although they’re known as refer a friend schemes, some companies are happy for you to share them with complete strangers.
You can make a decent income by sharing your links on the right forums or social media platforms. But be careful of spamming people. If you annoy others, you’ll probably be banned from posting and you won’t be able to share your links.
✅ Pros: Simple to do and won’t cost you anything.
❌ Cons: You may up annoying your friends and family.
Why not take a look at some of the best refer a friend schemes?
Sell your talents
If you have special skills that other people could use, why not sell them? If you have strong computer or design skills, sites such as Fiverr will help you to connect to potential customers. They may be looking for somebody to create a new logo, write a blog post or provide a voiceover for an advert.
But selling your talents isn’t restricted to your computer. Many people are looking for jobs to be completed in and around the home. You may be required to paint a wall, mow a lawn, trim a hedge or even wash a car. These tasks don’t always need somebody highly skilled, but just somebody willing to put in a bit of hard work. Check out Airtasker to see how to get started.
✅ Pros: Simple to do with very little overhead costs.
❌ Cons: It’s a competitive market and you’ll be working against plenty of people who will undercut you.
Cashback
Instead of going straight to your favourite shop and making a purchase, just visit a site like TopCashback or Quidco first. From there, you click on the shop you want to visit and earn money back from your purchase. It’s as simple as that. You will often receive a few % back, which adds up over a year. Sign up for a new broadband provider and earn up to £200!
Or, instead of earning cashback for yourself, why not for your children? KidStart allows you to collect cashback that can be paid straight into your child’s savings account.
Cashback is an easy way to make extra money. There are plenty of shopping apps too, meaning you can earn money back on your groceries when you complete your weekly shop.
If you want to take it one step further, you could sign up for a cashback credit card which would mean even more money when you shop.
✅ Pros: Another simple money-making method. It just takes a couple of seconds to do before you shop.
❌ Cons: Can sometimes take several months before cashback is payable, so not an instant winner.
Work as an Extra
Fancy mixing it up with the stars? The good thing is, nearly anyone can work as an extra. You don’t need to be a great actor or good-looking, you just need to follow simple directions. Some days can be long but you’re fed, and watered and the pay isn’t bad either. It is possible to make a fairly decent income from working as an extra. The downside is that you cannot guarantee the frequency of the work.
✅ Pros: The pay is quite good and you meet many interesting people. Plus, you may one day appear in a major film! Can be a fun way to earn.
❌ Cons: The amount of work available varies. A lot of the work occurs within the M25 area, so you may need to travel.
Find out more about the pay and work as an extra.
Keep an eye out for coins
This is a simple one that anybody can do… although it does involve a bit of luck. How often do you take any notice of your change? The fact is, there are plenty of coins out there that are worth more than face value. The 50p coin, for example, is used to commemorate many different events, such as the 2012 Olympics and the anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s birth. And there is a 50p in circulation worth more than £150. It’s just a matter of finding it!
✅ Pros: A potential for a great profit with hardly any effort.
❌ Cons: You need to research to see how much your change is worth.
Take a look at some rare and valuable coins in the UK.
Childminding
Now, this can be a full-time or part-time job, depending on how much time you have and how much you enjoy it. The beauty of becoming a childminder is that you don’t need to study and complete lots of exams before you start. You can choose your hours, how often you work and can do it all from home. But, it’s not all roses, and you must give up parts of your family home.
✅ Pros: It can pay well, and you work for yourself.
❌ Cons: You lose some privacy and much more paperwork than expected!
Find out more details about becoming a childminder.
Gaming
Believe it or not, gaming has become a big earner over the last few years. In 2019, one 16-year-old managed to scoop the big prize when winning a Fortnite tournament and took home a massive $3 million. I bet his parents stopped telling him to get off his computer.
But you don’t have to be a great gamer to earn money. Many people make a living from streaming games on Twitch or Facebook Live or creating help videos on YouTube.
✅ Pros: Potential to make large amounts of money.
❌ Cons: Be prepared to spend hours on your own in front of a screen.
Take a look at how to make money from gaming.
Football referee
Why not become a referee if you’re a football fan but don’t think you’ll make it as a pro? To get started, you’ll need to complete a couple of online courses and then attend a longer course in person.
Once you’ve qualified, you can start earning money for officiating matches. This can be anywhere between £25 and £40 per game. Eventually, you could turn it into a full-time career, with professional referees earning over £30,000 per year.
✅ Pros: A chance to stay fit, travel and meet lots of different people
❌ Cons: You need to be quite thick-skinned, as referees sometimes receive some abuse.
Delivery driver
If there was anything good to come out of 2020, then it was the knowledge of how important some roles are in society. And one of the most prominent was being a delivery driver. Whether you’re looking for a full-time job or want to earn a bit extra by being part of the gig economy, there are many opportunities. And the good news is, you don’t always need your own transport. And, if you live in a major city, you could even do it on your bike.
✅ Pros: A job that many people can do. You can earn a decent amount if you put in the hours.
❌ Cons: It can be long or anti-social hours. Work can be irregular depending on your employer.
Take a look at how to become a delivery driver.
Woodworking
This job is more suited for somebody with a keen eye for detail. But if you enjoy working with tools and crafting, this could be ideal.
You can start with simple projects and work your way up to more complicated designs as you become more experienced. And the great thing is customers are crying out for hand-made items rather than something mass-produced in a factory thousands of miles away. That means you can often get a good price for your effort.
You can sell anything you produce at local markets or online at sites like Facebook, Etsy and eBay. You can set up your own website as you become more established.
✅ Pros: Enjoyable work and the potential to be a big earner if skilled.
❌ Cons: You need money for tools and wood to get started. Plus, some basic woodworking skills.
Transcribing
Not for everyone, but this has the potential to become a good earner. A transcriber listens to audio and then converts it to the written word. You need to be a good listener with a strong command of the English language. Although, if you speak other languages fluently, you can earn even more.
Transcribing just 10 minutes of audio can take quite an effort, so you need decent concentration levels. There are several transcribing sites out there and you can expect to earn between £8 and £24 per hour, depending on your skills.
✅ Pros: A potential for a full-time income.
❌ Cons: It can be a real slog for newcomers.
Take a look at how I got on transcribing with Rev.
Metal detecting
For most people, metal detecting will be a fun hobby, with the chance to mix with others that share your interests. But there’s no reason why you can’t make a little bit of money from it. Of course, there’s a mixture of luck and hard work here, but rare coins can and artefacts can sell very well.
And in rare cases, you might strike it rich. Some of the largest metal detecting finds are valued at £10 million!
✅ Pros: Can be a fun thing to do, keeps you fit and you could stumble across a fortune.
❌ Cons: Requires a lot of patience and most people will earn little more than loose change.
Become a narrator
I’m not a big reader but I do love listening to an audiobook as it means I can do other things at the same time. But where do they find their narrators from? Well, if you’re not an author or a celebrity, you can apply for the role.
You can create a profile through sites like ACX, share your experience, and upload examples of your readings. You have a couple of choices when it comes to being paid and you can opt for a per-finished-hour rate or choose to share 50% of royalties.
✅ Pros: The possibility of making a lot of money from a popular book. You can earn a lot of money with experience.
❌ Cons: It’s difficult to get much work until you have some experience.
Sell, sell, sell
If you look hard enough, you’ll find things around your house that you no longer need or use. Take a look in your loft and the bottom of your cupboards. You may think that a lot of it is rubbish but you’ll be surprised what kind of things people buy. Toys are a good example and they can sell quite well. Take a look at my post for the best places to sell Lego.
One easy option is to take it to a boot fair. This works for some people but involves getting up early, and how much you sell can be dependent on the weather and location
The easiest option is to sell online, usually through sites like eBay, Gumtree or Facebook. Even if you only earn £1 for something, at least you’ve cleared some room and you’re slightly better off. Plus, you never know when you may find a real gem. Some old phones are very popular and can sell for over £100! And if you’re not a fan of eBay, consider some of the best alternatives.
✅ Pros: This is a great way to declutter and make a bit of extra money while doing it.
❌ Cons: Buyers! Some unreliable people out there promise to collect an item and never arrive.
Host a foreign student
If you have a spare room in your home, rather than letting it sit empty, why not allow an international student to use it? With thousands of students travelling to the UK each month to study, there are lots of opportunities to rent out any spare rooms you may have.
And the big benefit to this side hustle is that you can earn up to £7,500 each year thanks to the Government’s Rent a Room scheme.
✅ Pros: It helps you to make use of empty space in your house, and it could be a tax-free income.
❌ Cons: You lose some of the privacy in your home. It’s not a big earner.
Find out more about hosting foreign students.
Dropshipping
The final side hustle to make this list is dropshipping. Several years ago, it was the go-to way to make extra money. Although it’s not as easy to earn from as it once was, it’s still a method worth considering.
Dropshipping involves finding new products and listing them for sale on sites like eBay and Amazon. When somebody makes a purchase, they’re sent directly from the wholesaler, so you hardly have to get involved. This means you don’t have to worry about stocking products, which cuts costs compared to running your own store.
You don’t need any previous experience to get started, although you need to be able to spot items that will sell well. And if you choose an item that sells well, expect others to start copying you.
✅ Pros: Potential to make a large, passive income.
❌ Cons: Very difficult to get into. The market is quite saturated.
My favourite side hustle idea?
My favourite side income has to be from blogging, although that is more of a full-time earner for me. Aside from that, I enjoy surveys. It may not earn as much as some of the other money-making ideas I have listed above, but I love that I can earn money sitting in front of the TV or during my lunch break at work. And if I get fed up with doing it, I can take a break for as long as I like.
But there are plenty of good side hustles available in the UK and whichever one you choose, I’m sure it will be a great way to help give you financial independence.
Good luck!