A while ago I wrote a post called 10 ideas to make extra money from home, which had a lot of views. It seems many of you are interested in finding side hustles and work from home jobs, so I thought I would come up with a few more ideas.
Maybe you are trying to pay off debts, or bring in a little extra so that you can take your family on holiday? Perhaps you are saving towards a mortgage? Maybe you are unemployed or your hours have been reduced due to the pandemic and you are looking for a new direction?
Whatever your reason for wanting a work from home job or side hustle, a bit of creative thinking can help. Think about your hobbies and talents? For example, is there any way to create an income using the skills you have but hadn’t though of monetising? Are you fantastic at gardening, handy at DIY, a fabulous seamstress, super organised or brilliant at languages?
Recognising your abilities and learning how capitalising on them could create a whole new career, or at least ease the strain on the family finances.
Here are some more unusual work from home jobs to help make extra money.
Five unusual work from home jobs
1# Blogging
If you enjoy writing and can create interesting and engaging blog posts, then why not have a go at blogging? I know many people who earn their living from their blogs and others, like myself, who make a bit of useful extra income.
You need to set up your blog with monetisation in mind from the off, so it is worth doing some research and preparation before proceeding. I would suggest reading a couple of good books on the subject first, such as Blogging Your Way To Riches* by Lynn James and Emma Bradley and the The Million Dollar Blog* by Natasha Courtenay-Smith. Emma Drew also has some very useful posts on starting a blog, including How Do Bloggers Make Money, plus a free course on how to get started.
You will need the services of a blog host. I use Lyrical Hosting for Shoestring Cottage. They are super helpful and their support team is very quick to respond if you have any issues. I am a technical klutz and they have been very patient with my enquiries.
If you choose Lyrical for your web hosting, using my affiliate code at the checkout will give you a 10% discount: SHOESTRING38.
2# Upcycling
I have recently discovered a couple of very interesting Facebook groups for upcyclers. Because I am currently on a challenge to buy nothing but second hand, I was looking for ways to make the best of the furniture we already have.
However, on exploring these groups I discovered some very talented people who source items that other people consider junk, and turn them into works of art, which they then sell.
If you have patience and some artistic flair, then upcycling furniture and other items could be one of the best work from home jobs for you. For inspiration, take a look at Upcycling Ideas, Help and Inspiration and the Frenchic Fan Forum.
This is a great side hustle for the ecowarrior, preventing unwanted items from going to landfill and turning them into something beautiful instead. Look at these amazing roses made by a plumber from old copper piping!
3# Reselling/retail arbitrage
One of the most flexible work from home jobs is online reselling, where you source good quality items second hand and sell them for a profit on eBay and other platforms. I have a post about my favourite resellers here.
It is possible to make a full time living doing this, although it is hard work. Many resellers add in some ‘retail arbitrage’ to boost their income. This is where you find new items at a discount – such as during the post Christmas sales or when a store is closing down – and sell them for as close to the original RRP as possible, again making you a good profit.
It takes time to build your knowledge of what will sell and the kind or prices you can charge, so it’s always best to start with your own unwanted things. Have a declutter and see how much you can make! I have a post about selling your old stuff on eBay here.
4# Chat lines
OK, this may seem like one of the more dubious in this list of ideas to make money and is certainly not for everyone. However, I recently discovered that somebody I know has worked on chat lines in the past. She made good money and was able to fit it around her other commitments.
If you are an broad-minded sort of person and would consider any possible work from home jobs, then read this post from the Top Tip Mom at Time and Pence.
5# Become a YouTuber
If you are a confident person who likes to inform and entertain, it is very easy to start your own YouTube channel. By publishing regular, interesting videos, which can be on a vast array of subjects, you could make money from advertising or even take part in paid promotional campaigns from brands.
You do have to post regularly and engage with your audience to build up a following. But many YouTubers make a full time living from creating YouTube content. Others do it as an interesting side hustle.
Becoming a YouTuber isn’t an instant win and you won’t get advertising immediately, however. You need at least 1000 active subscribers and 4000 watch hours in the past year to apply.
This post explains the requirements in more detail. I recently started a YouTube channel myself, so if you fancy giving it some support, please come on over!
In this post you will find some other money saving YouTubers that I enjoy watching.
Please bear in mind that if you start a business at home, you will be liable to pay tax on your profits, as well as pay your National Insurance contributions. Check out the Gov.UK website or your own country’s government site to find out more.
I hope these more unusual ideas for work at home jobs will give you some inspiration and help you to earn extra money. If you have others, please share them in the comments below.
You might also enjoy the following posts:
Earn Extra Income: Make Money Dog Boarding
Earn Extra Income: Make Money as a Web Content Writer
Make Money Selling your Services on Fiverr: Earn Extra Income
This post contains affiliate links, marked with *. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission to help support my site. Thanks!
Leave a Reply