Starting a side hustle is a great way to get ahead and increase your disposable income.
And, in some cases, you can even turn your money-making idea into a full-fledged business that pays you more than your day job. That’s why, in 2023, Google searches for “side hustle” have reached all-time highs.
If you’ve got an itch that only a side hustle will scratch, this article will give you the best side hustle businesses in 2023 so that you can make extra money in Australia.
10 side hustle ideas to make more money in 2023
Starting a side hustle is one of the best ways to make money but, with all the options out there, it can be difficult to settle on one.
That’s why we’ve put together a shortlist of 10 lucrative side hustles to make money in 2023:
1. Virtual Assistance
If you want to know how to make money on the side, consider becoming a virtual assistant.
Virtual assistants help clients outsource their administrative tasks such as email management, daily scheduling, data entry, and more.
Oftentimes, clients prefer to focus on the core activities of their business, whether that’s meeting with stakeholders or optimising their business. That’s why they’re more than happy for someone like you to free up their time and streamline their admin duties.
You can find VA clients by reaching out to local businesses in your area or online through websites like Upwork. If you need some extra support, you can find specialised resources at the VA Institute.
Estimated Earning Potential: Entry-level virtual assistants can earn around $15 - $30 per hour, while expert VAs with specialised skills can charge $50 - $100+ per hour.
2. Content creation
Content creation is booming right now, and for good reason. There are so many mediums and platforms, so you can choose one that best fits your online side hustle goals.
You can create blog posts or YouTube videos, start a podcast, or grow an Instagram account based on whatever topics you enjoy. This could be anything from health and fitness to finance, mindfulness, and more.
However, the payoff for this side hustle requires a long-term investment as you need to grow an audience before you can monetise your efforts.
One platform that’s become particularly popular for writers is Medium, so if writing is your thing, consider starting there.
Estimated Earning Potential: Earnings vary widely since it’s not a service-based business. Beginners will start with little income, but successful content creators can earn thousands of dollars per month once they grow an audience.
3. Tutoring
If you’re looking for a stay-at-home job and have expertise in a particular school subject or skill (or are willing to learn), you can parlay that knowledge into an online tutoring side hustle.
One of the most popular online tutoring side jobs for Australians is teaching English, but you can tutor students across Math, History, and a range of other subjects. You don’t have to be the foremost expert in the topic either because, if you tutor young children for example, you only need basic knowledge in the subject.
If you think you’d enjoy teaching English online, check out Cambly.
Estimated Earning Potential: Tutors can earn anywhere from $20 - $100 per hour depending on whether you teach online or in person as well as the level of students you teach.
4. Pet care services
If you love animals, offering pet care services could be the side hustle for you.
Some of these services include pet sitting, dog walking, grooming, and boarding. One of the most popular services to offer is pet sitting as many owners prefer to keep their pets at home when travelling overseas rather than send them to boarding kennels which can be stressful and expensive.
If you want to know how to make quick money with pet sitting, your best option is to start with a website like Madpaws. However, you can also find your own clients by marketing yourself online or in person.
Estimated Earning Potential: Earning potential will vary widely depending on your location and the services you offer. However, Madpaws shares that side hustlers on their platform can earn up to $900 per month part-time.
5. Car Detailing
Car detailers provide services such as washing, waxing, and interior cleaning. However, some detailers will offer reconditioning and restoration as higher-value services.
Naturally, the more intricate or specialised detailing services you offer, the more you’ll be able to charge clients. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to target high-end clients because, since they often drive more expensive cars, they’re more open to investing in regular detailing.
You can find car detailing clients through sites like Airtasker or offer your services door-to-door in your local area. Then, once you get up and running you can turn this side hustle idea into a small business if you want to grow your earnings.
Estimated Earning Potential: How much you can earn from detailing varies. In Brisbane, for example, prices range from $75 to $280 depending on the services you offer and the car’s size.
6. Pool maintenance
Pool maintenance is all about helping people keep their swimming pools clean and balanced so that they can enjoy a dip whenever they please.
In much of Australia, this can be a year-round side hustle thanks to warm weather and tropical conditions. However, if you live in places like Melbourne or Adelaide, it’s likely to be a seasonal gig — unless you can find clients with indoor and heated pools.
Basic services will include skimming and general cleaning while more technical services include chemical balancing and equipment maintenance.
The best way to find clients is by simply going door to door and dropping flyers if no one is home. Like with detailing, you can list your services on a marketplace like Airtasker but this comes with more competition.
Estimated Earning Potential: On average, pool maintenance providers charge around $100 per visit. However, this will depend on the size of the pool and the exact services your client needs.
7. Remote IT support
While remote IT support requires some additional skills, it can be one of the top side hustles in 2023 as technology continues to become more complex.
It’s also a side hustle that you can easily grow into a full-time gig if you choose. That’s why it’s one of the best options if you want to know how to make money from home.
As an IT support specialist, you’ll help customers with software installation and troubleshooting programs or IT products.
If you have no IT experience, it’s a good idea to start with the Google IT Support Professional Certificate or an equivalent certification. This will arm you with all the information you need to start your new side hustle.
Estimated Earning Potential: In Australia, entry-level IT support specialists typically take home $75,000 per year. This works out to roughly $38 per hour.
8. House sitting
House sitting is a viable alternative to pet sitting, especially if you have allergies or are not fond of animals.
Some house-sitting clients only want you there for some extra peace of mind while others may require you to perform basic maintenance. For example, you may need to water plants or sweep and dust the house. Naturally, the more effort you have to put in, the more you can charge.
To get started as a house sitter, you can check out Trusted Housesitters. They can also help you find pet-sitting gigs if that’s also up your alley.
Estimated Earning Potential: House-sitting earnings will depend on the tasks your client requires but, on average, sitters typically charge $50 - $90 per night. While it may not seem like much, you can often spend your free time on another side hustle, making house-sitting one of the best ways to make money on the side.
9. Social media management (SMM)
As a social media manager, you'll be responsible for creating and curating content, scheduling posts, and engaging with your clients’ audiences.
This helps businesses maintain a strong online presence, increasing their reach and driving customers to their company. You can choose to specialise in one platform, such as Instagram, or offer branding and marketing packages across every platform where your clients are active.
However, if you don’t have much experience growing social accounts, it’s a good idea to focus on one platform in the beginning. If that’s you, consider enrolling in Meta’s Social Media Marketing Certificate. While it will require some time to complete, it’s well worth it as SMM is an excellent side hustle to make money from home.
Estimated Earning Potential: Beginners can earn around $20 - $40 per hour, while experienced social media managers can charge $50 - $100 per hour or more. However, this all depends on the type of clients you target, the depth of your services, and the results you generate.
10. House staging
House staging is a key part of selling a home, and as such, there’s demand if you have a flair for interior design and know how to spruce up a home.
As a stager, you’ll mostly be rearranging furniture and decor so that your client can make the most of their existing space. However, some higher-end clients will fully redesign the space based on your recommendations — especially if the home is worth a lot of money.
Since house staging is more of a niche service, you’ll likely need to build your side hustle by reaching out to sellers’ agents. However, if you’re not confident in your skills just yet, you can take a course from a company like Let’s Revamp.
Estimated Earning Potential: House staging fees can vary, but you can earn anywhere from $1,500 for basic staging to $10,000+ for large homes.
FAQs
What is the best side hustle to earn money?
The best side hustle to earn money comes down to what you enjoy doing and how much money you expect to make from the gig. However, it’s all about balance because, if you hate your high-paying side hustle, you probably won’t do it for very long.
How do you start a side hustle?
How to start your side hustle depends on what you want to do. If you choose something like IT support, you’ll likely need to complete a certificate first. However, if you want to be a pet sitter, all it takes is signing up to a service marketplace or marketing yourself online or in person.
What are the easiest side hustles to start?
The easiest side hustle to start is one that requires minimal skill (eg. pet sitting) or one where you already have existing experience. But keep in mind that, the easier it is to start, the more competition you will tend to have.
The bottom line: side hustles to earn extra money
The bottom line when it comes to starting a side hustle to earn extra money is that it needs to fit you as a person — ie. your skills, goals, availability, and startup budget.
For example, house or pet sitting is an easy-going side hustle that you can do whenever you want some quick money. You could do it every weekend or once per month, so it’s a good option for making money on the side.
However, a side hustle like IT support will likely require you to work set hours, such as every weekend or a few hours each night. But if you’re set on side hustle ideas from home, this could be one of the more lucrative options.
Regardless of which side hustle you decide to start, though, it will require commitment and follow-through to get your business off the ground. In the beginning, you’ll likely have to accept lower-paid gigs as you gain experience but, after a while, you’ll be able to confidently raise your rates and grow your side hustle.
However, if your long-term goal is to run a profitable business, check out our article on the most profitable Australian businesses in 2023. You can also get some ideas from the thousands of profitable businesses for sale on our website.
Starting a side hustle is exciting, but you’ll inevitably run into a few speed bumps along the way. When you do, don’t give up because, after you solve those issues, you’ll inevitably reap the rewards of your hard work.
Good luck with your new side hustle!
@Be_theBoss
