With many people looking to benefit from an extra income, a side hustle could be the perfect opportunity to become creative in your spare time whilst earning cash.

We’ve highlighted 6 side hustle ideas below that anyone could turn their hand to and reap the benefits in the process.

1. Dropshipping

For those wondering what dropshipping is, this online business model is a low-risk opportunity which involves third party manufacturers shipping existing products for you only when they are purchased. As you are not holding stock, this means there is plenty of room for instant profit to be made once a sale is completed.

To start a dropshipping business, all that is required is to set up your online store, choose the products you wish to sell, price them accordingly and market the business. This type of business can be set up by anyone, anywhere in the world and can be the perfect side hustle earner.

2. Online Surveys

Did you know there are hundreds of businesses out there looking to hear your opinion on certain products, how you shop, political views and much more?

Businesses can spend thousands on marketing their products and services and so to ensure they are targeting the correct people, carrying out regular surveys will help cut marketing spend and increase sales revenue. Due to this, it’s no wonder that businesses are keen to pay consumers to hear their opinions via online surveys and focus groups.

In order to start earning via online surveys, all you have to do is sign up to survey sites such as i-Say or Google Opinion Rewards and wait for survey alerts to be emailed to you and once complete, the survey site will add cash to your account – it’s as simple as that.

It is worth noting that completing surveys can pay anything from 5p - £10 and the range is very varied. This means it might not be a huge earner for a side hustle, but definitely one that could earn you a couple of extra pounds in your spare time.

3. YouTube Tutorials

YouTube is another great platform that you can start earning extra cash as a side hustle. Ultimately you would be creating content that is relatable to certain audiences such as posting lifestyle videos, product reviews, challenge videos or educational videos to name a few.

However if you’re unsure about putting your face out there on the internet, another popular option is to create tutorial type videos in animation format showing information such as “How to” videos that users can watch and follow step by step.

Earnings from YouTube will begin once your channel becomes ‘monetised’ which requires specific goals to be reached including a certain number of subscribers and watch time to your channel but if you remain consistent with content and start to see the numbers rise, this can be a great side earner.

4. Selling Your Products Online

If you currently have your own business selling products from a physical store then moving your products to selling online could be another big money earner.

Platforms such as Etsy, Amazon and eBay give you the advantage of using their brand name to host your product which in turn will help your products be viewed by the millions of users who search these sites each day.

You can also use these sites for running a dropshipping business mentioned in point 1 and so whether you have products in a physical format or not, selling online can be a great way to earn an extra income.

5. Writing an e-book

If writing enables your creative juices to flow then publishing an e-book could be another option that you could ultimately reap the benefits from.

For first time authors, publishing an e-book is free but it is important to ensure that the content you are writing about has a clear focus, whether it be fact or fiction and that the topic covered appeals to a certain audience as this will make promotion of the e-book straightforward due to an easily identifiable target market.

There are many publishing platforms out there so it is important to do your research first and see which one would work best for what you are looking to achieve. Additionally, make sure you keep on writing. Posting one e-book is great, but keeping the momentum going will help get your content noticed which will help to boost sales and profits.

6. Freelance Work

Do you work in the creative industry with your day job consisting of web development, marketing, graphic design or social media? If so, you could earn extra money as a freelancer to provide your expertise for those looking to hire people online to carry out projects.

Websites such as PeoplePerHour allow you to create a profile showcasing the skills and expertise you have so when users visit the site looking for someone in that field to help with their project, you are able to submit a tailored proposal and await their response.

If the user agrees then a deposit is paid and the project begins. This can be a great way for those with creative skills to earn extra cash in their spare time working on a freelance basis without having to go out and find the project work themselves.

In summary, the above 6 side hustle ideas are just the beginning. There are many ways to boost your income and if you are able to dedicate a few hours each week to work on your side hustle, then the opportunities could be endless!