When it comes to finding the best side hustle to suit your lifestyle, the options really are endless. The best place to start is by working out what exactly you are wanting to do, then go from there. Some of them cater to particular skills, so have a read and check out which one bests suits your needs. Here are just a few of the great sites out there that can help you find that perfect side hustle even faster.
1. Upwork
This is a global network for freelancers of any kind. It is free to sign up, however you have to have your profile approved before you can bidding on jobs. There are also paid profile options that allow you to apply for more jobs. Upwork is a highly competitive site, so it is important for you to put your best foot forward on your profile and take you time with each job you apply for to help you stand out from the masses. You can bid on different jobs listed, but it is worth noting that Upwork takes a 20% cut in service fees, so factor this into your price.
2. Fivver
Fivver is a global network that offers tasks and services starting from just $5. The site is once again free to sign up to. As a freelancer, it generally works by you offering your services (known as a gig) on a global scale. For example, your listed gig might be “I will write a quality essay for $5” or “I will design a logo for $5”. It can help to include samples of your work so sellers can see the quality when they are considering purchasing. You get to keep 80% of the fee you earn, in this case $4, which is then credited to your account.
3. Craigslist
This site is limited to America and lists classified advertisements with different sections devoted to different things. For example, housing, items wanted, community and, most importantly, jobs. It is free to sign up to, but you do have to hunt through to find a job that suits. You can search by city and then select the email button to apply. It is also helpful to upload your resume to your profile, so prospective employers can find you as well. Finally, you can also create a classified’s listing for the service you offer and find potential clients that way. All replies will be sent to the email address you registered with.
If you want something from an audience, you give blood to their fantasies. It's the ultimate hustle. #SideHustle #MarlonBrando Click To Tweet4. Toptal
This global site is a little more exclusive than some of the others mentioned. It is a network of developers, designers and financial experts who are all in the top 3% of their fields. The idea is to offer companies top candidates to fill their positions. As you would expect, there is quite a rigorous screening process involved to get on the site, which includes an interview, assessment, a live screening process and test projects, and then you are expected to maintain an excellent track record. A company will sign up to the site and submit a job, which is reviewed by the team before they connect with you.
5. Freelancer
Freelancer is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace. It covers many different fields including software development, writing, data entry, design, engineering, sciences, sales and marketing, accounting and legal services. You can sign up and add your profile for free and then get matched with different jobs on the market. You can pitch to the jobs listed, so make sure you put your best foot forward and write a new pitch for each job, telling them why you are the best choice. It’s another site where it’s important for you to stand out from the crowd in order to land those jobs. You are charged 10% of USD5 (whichever is greater) for fixed price contracts, and 10% of total project cost for hourly jobs.
6. Guru
Think you are a guru in your field? This is the place to go for writers, designers, programmers, developers and more. Sign up for your free profile, browse the jobs on offer and apply. The job is funded before you begin the work through SafePay, and the employer gets the opportunity to review the work before they are released to you. This platform has a 8.95% charge on your earnings, with different membership plans that can decrease this to 4.95%.
I had my hustle. It was whatever I could do to not end up working in a factory. If I had to shake it like a showgirl, I was going to do it. #SideHustle #RyanGosling Click To Tweet7. 99Designs
This site is purely to connect graphic designers with clients. A client will ask 99Designs to design them a logo/website/app and for how much and this project is placed into the user community. You submit your designs and the client is able to choose the ones they like best. Some minor quality control work is done by 99Designs before sending it back to client and funds are released. There is high competition and you need to put the work forward without knowing whether you will be selected or paid for it, making it quite competitive.
8. Freelance Writing Gigs
Unlike the other sites listed, this is a great place to go to join a community of writers. They list paid freelance writing jobs which includes remote writing jobs, online writing jobs, freelance copywriting jobs, blogging jobs, content writing jobs and more, but you apply for this jobs through the link provided which is external to the actual site. This site saves you time and money searching for the jobs yourself.
9. ServiceScape
This site caters for editors, translators, graphic designs and writers. By signing up to their website, they will promote your services to their community and give you access to their client base. The earnings from any project you undertake is split between ServiceScape and you. You don’t have to bid on projects, instead a client buys your service without your involvement and you carry out the task. They come looking for you, which is why it is important to maintain excellent feedback to help you stand out.
10. Contena
This site has been set up to cater for writers. It is a membership site that offers access to all their resources, including Contena Academy which helps you get started with freelance writing. This also includes access to their job board. There are different membership options to choose from, starting at $42 per month. You can apply for as many jobs as you like, while platinum members get a job coach to help you refine your portfolio and find a job.
Conclusion
There are so many more sites out there you can take advantage of, but be sure to read through the terms and conditions before committing, so you know what you are getting into. The most important thing to do is stand out. Take the time with each and every application and make it as personal to the job as possible – clients can spot a copy/paste effort from a mile away. It can take time for you to build up your side hustles. Have a little patience, preserve and watch the job offers start rolling in.
