The current inflation rate is the highest it’s been since 1980. No wonder you’re looking to diversify your income and make more money. What better way to do that than take up a side hustle?
Check out our list of 30+ side hustles for men, along with their earning potential, upsides and downsides.
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Best Side Jobs for Men in 2023: 30+ Legit Side Hustles to Try Now
We’ve split our list of recommendations into nine mini-categories to help you navigate.
Side hustles that pay well: the best money making hustles
Here are our picks for high paying side hustles that’ll fetch you the biggest money bags.
1. Become an Airbnb host
Earning potential: $20–$228/hour
Own a property in a great location? Consider renting it out on Airbnb. This convenient side hustle connects you with over 45 million people looking for short-term stays—plus it usually pays big.
What we like:
This side gig has all the right ingredients to become a full-time occupation thanks to its solid earning potential.
The short-term rental market is on the rise, with the demand consistently growing by 5.5% year over year.
Things to keep in mind:
Renting out a stay is work—your customers will expect a well-maintained stay and some top-notch customer service.
You may need additional permissions to rent out a property.
The rent you can charge and your occupancy rate will largely depend on your location and the quality of the space.
Get started:
2. Drive for Uber or Lyft
Earning potential: $19–$30/hour
Lyft and Uber help over 150 million Americans conveniently hail a ride with their smartphones. And these mega brands are hiring drivers by the minute. Expect handsome pay if you’re in a location with high demand and you set aside a significant time for this gig.
What we like:
You’re your own boss—you decide how much and when you want to work.
Usually consistent flow of work.
Things to keep in mind:
Both companies have strict car requirements—you’ll need a 2004 or newer car.
This is a competitive space, so companies are continually reducing driver fares to one-up each other.
Get started:
3. Manage Facebook ads
Earning potential: $15–$40/hour
Forget about a specialized degree and a huge time commitment. We’re talking about making money with some basic social media skills.
All you have to do is post ads and manage them on Facebook for local businesses.
Your goal is to attract new customers and traffic by creating graphics, and ad copies, targeting audiences, and testing campaigns.
Think you could use some training? Meta has a ton of free online courses to help you master their Ads Manager.
What we like:
Tons of small and local businesses are hiring freelancers for this job—expect consistent demand.
This role doesn’t require any formal training or certification.
Things to keep in mind:
You’ll be creating ad and sales copies using design software. This usually requires prior knowledge and experience.
Get started:
4. Build a passive income with real estate
Earning potential: 7%–11% of the invested amount.
A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the University of California says real estate has offered the highest returns of any asset class over the last 145 years.
If you have some capital in hand, invest it in real estate to build a solid passive income stream.
And no, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to do so. Instead of buying actual properties, you can invest in REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts—companies that own retail spaces, office buildings, apartments, hotels, and the like).
Not sure where to begin? Start investing with a reputed crowdfunding platform like Fundrise. It has a real estate portfolio of over $7 billion and claims to have provided its clients with average annual returns of 5.40% in 2022.
What we like:
REITs typically pay higher dividends than common equities.
Things to keep in mind:
Real estate is almost never a liquid investment. Go for it only if you don’t need cash immediately.
It can be tough to find out which REITs are risky. You should stick to publicly traded REITs at the beginning.
Get started:
Best delivery jobs
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics says delivery is the fastest-growing job industry in the US, with over 1,419,427 employed drivers. We’ve listed the most flexible and profitable delivery jobs you should check out right away—
5. Work for DoorDash
Earning potential: $15–$20/hour
DoorDash is rapidly expanding its business in the US, creating an immediate need for drivers. This side hustle opportunity lets you work as an independent worker or freelancer for DoorDash—so you have full control of your working hours.
What we like:
Choose whether to accept orders and find demand near you.
Apart from base pay, earn extra money through tips and promotions.
Things to keep in mind:
This gig comes with a complete list of qualifications, including age, insurance, and background checks.
Get started:
6. Work for Amazon Flex
Earning potential: $18–$25/hour
Flex is a new program from Amazon that lets independent contractors (like you) work as delivery partners for the brand. Sign up for the program as a driver, and deliver using your own vehicle to make some extra cash.
What we like:
A whopping 70% of American adults are Amazon Prime members—expect consistent work.
Want to drop your kids off at school and start working by noon? Go ahead, nobody’s keeping tabs.
Things to keep in mind:
Long list of qualifications (including age, driver’s license, insurance, background checks, and a smartphone).
Get started:
Best paying grocery delivery service
Most of us would agree the pandemic has permanently altered the way America shops for its groceries. Adobe Digital Economy study mirrors this and suggests home grocery deliveries are here to stay, meaning more money-minting opportunities for you—
7. Deliver groceries for Instacart
Earning potential: $15–$20/hour
The grocery delivery business skyrocketed during the pandemic—and if there was one company that leveraged this spike to the fullest, it was Instacart. The brand generated sales worth $26 billion in 2021, with over 600,000 shoppers.
Join them and make a solid second income. You’ll buy groceries at local partner stores and deliver items to customers.
What we like:
Set your own work hours.
Work as an in-store shopper if you don’t have a vehicle.
Good earning potential of $10–$25/hour.
Things to keep in mind:
Your pay can depend on your location and demand.
The company requires you to lift 50lbs with or without accommodation
The amount of work you’re assigned can depend on your Shopper rating.
Get started:
8. Deliver for Postmates
Earning potential: $15–$20/hour
Deliver just about anything from takeout food to alcohol to groceries when you work for Postmates. This delivery platform is available in dozens of locations in all 50 US states, so there’s a good chance Postmates operates near you.
You’ll be a part of the Postmates Fleet—earning a fee for each pickup and drop off, a per-minute and per-mile rate, bonuses, and tips.
What we like:
Customers can order absolutely anything (from partner and non-partner stores), meaning more delivery opportunities for you.
Postmates doesn’t need you to lift weights.
Things to keep in mind:
The company doesn’t offer any delivery-related position to people without a vehicle.
Get started:
Also check out:
Easy side hustles from home & the best online side hustles
We feel you. If you’re clocking in 40+ hours at a full-time job, you don’t want to run around delivering stuff. Here are some recommendations for flexible side hustles that won’t fry your last brain cell—
9. Become a freelancer
Earning potential: $15–$66/hour
The freelancing industry has grown exponentially over the past few years. This uptick is largely because of businesses’ affinity to turning to freelancers as a more economical option than hiring employees.
Over 54 million Americans are freelancing right now. What’s stopping you from getting a bag?
Start by using platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to create a work portfolio and get hired instantly by clients.
What we like:
You control who you work with and what you do.
A chance to diversify your income sources.
Things to keep in mind:
Inconsistent work opportunities.
You’ll have to work in isolation.
Get started:
10. Run an affiliate blog
Earning potential: $9–$43/hour
You’ll advertise someone else’s products or services and get paid for any sale that comes from you.
The best part? You don’t have to go knocking on people’s doors and put your conversational skills to the test. Instead, all you have to do is establish your own blog and market products using this platform.
This side hustle works best for folks with expertise in a particular field. Simply create quality content to share your two cents, market products, and make top dollar.
What we like:
It’s a great way to gain passive income while you're working on a different side hustle. Try this route if you own a store or a podcast (or if you’re an influencer).
Things to keep in mind:
You’ll lose credibility if you associate with the wrong products.
This is a very competitive space, which directly impacts the income you can make.
Get started:
11. Become a Virtual Assistant (VA)
Earning potential: $10–$26/hour
This remote and usually part-time gig is perfect if you have limited availability. You’ll assist companies with various tasks, from scheduling appointments, organizing emails, arranging travel, to handling social media channels.
What we like:
Access to a flexible work schedule.
Only requires basic computer proficiency.
Things to keep in mind:
A steep initial learning curve, depending on what software your clients want you to use.
Usually involves doing mundane, repeated tasks.
Get started:
12. Sell courses online
Earning potential: $26–$40/hour
Have a unique skill other people would want to learn? Get ready to make some serious money. Course creators have made thousands of dollars by selling their lessons online.
You’ll want to create a course that covers a particular topic or two in depth. That’s why it’s key that you start by narrowing down your area of expertise.
Thinkific, Teachable, and Learndash are some platforms that let you create and sell your online courses.
What we like:
Usually a one time endeavor that can become a stable passive income stream.
Things to keep in mind:
Like it or not, more people want to learn social media marketing than trigonometry. Some skills are more marketable—that will impact your course’s success.
Get started:
13. Tutor online
Earning potential: $15–$38/hour
Tutoring may be the smartest second income option if you’re already a teacher (you probably meet all the key requirements).
You earn by the hour by tutoring students online in your spare time. Check out online tutoring companies like Chegg Tutors, VIPKid, and Qkids to get started.
What we like:
Flexible side hustle for teachers.
The opportunity to teach and impact students across geographies.
Things to keep in mind:
Some subjects have a higher demand for online tutoring than others.
Your income will be directly proportional to how many hours you can teach.
Get started:
Weekend side hustles
Only have time on weekends? Kudos for finding the will to invest it in a side hustle. Check out our top weekend gig picks—
14. Walk dogs
Earning potential: $9–$22/hour
The best side job to make money? You walk adorable (and grateful) dogs, help their busy owners, and make up to $22 an hour. It doesn’t get better than this.
But where do you begin? Don’t worry, you don’t have to hunt for clients in your neighborhood park. Check out dedicated platforms like Rover and Wag! to get started.
What we like:
Flexible work hours.
Exercise and reduce stress, all while making money.
Things to keep in mind:
You’ll have to pass background checks and take pet quizzes.
Get started:
15. Bartend
Earning potential: $20–$50/hour
Ever brewed a fancy cocktail that had your whole gang talking? Keep going, except next time make some money while you're at it.
Freelance bartending is a lucrative side hustle, no matter how large or intimate the event is. Expect to make anywhere from $20 to $50 an hour.
Not everyone knows that you don’t have to be 21 to be a bartender. A lot of states (twenty-six to be exact) will let you serve alcohol if you’re 18, making this a great gig for college students.
What we like:
Flexibility to pick shifts according to your availability.
Lucrative gig for college students.
Things to keep in mind:
Roughly half of all states require new bartenders to earn a state-issued bartending license—and certifications can be pricey.
If you’re just starting out, you’ll probably have to work your way up to being a bartender.
Get started:
16. Become a mystery shopper
Earning potential: $15–$36/hour
Did you know there’s a retail job that pays you to shop?
We’re not kidding. As a mystery shopper, you’ll be employed by a third-party company to visit stores and restaurants, banks, and other establishments to assess their customer service and product quality.
You’ll then report back to your clients with insights to help them improve their shopping processes and customer experience.
What we like:
You won’t need any specific qualifications.
Most assignments have deadlines, but you decide your work hours within this timeframe.
Things to keep in mind:
This side gig is unlikely to fetch you a regular paycheck.
Scams and fraudulent job ads are common in this industry.
Get started:
17. Become a tour guide
Earning potential: $9–$50/hour
Take tourists around your city and help ease their travel pains, all while making a great side income. Experienced tour guides can earn as much as $60,000 a year.
There are lots of niches you can specialize in—including adventure tours, ghost tours, bus tours, and city walking.
We recommend using on-demand platforms like Tours by Locals, With Locals, or Airbnb Host Experiences, to get started.
What we like:
Great side job for travel enthusiasts.
Pays well with experience.
Things to keep in mind:
Some states, like Washington D.C., require all tour guides to have a license.
Job opportunities can be scarce if your city isn’t a tourist hotspot.
Get started:
18. Buy a vending machine
Earning potential: $20–$28/hour
This versatile small business can turn into the perfect weekend side hustle at a reasonable startup cost.
You can buy a used or refurbished vending machine for as low as $1,200 and get your business running in no time.
What we like:
This side hustle is easy to scale.
Running a vending machine involves little to no overhead costs, especially if you're doing this on your own.
Things to keep in mind:
Stocking inventory, servicing machines, and taking money from your vending machines can be time-consuming tasks.
Vending machines have been an easy target for thieves in the past.
Get started:
Creative side jobs and money hustles for men
Are you an art wizard stuck in a desk job? Don’t let your creative side melt away and leverage it to make some side money instead—
19. Sell stock photography
Earning potential: $5–$15/hour
Think you have a knack for capturing great photographs? Monetize your talent by selling images online on different platforms like Foap, Adobe Stock, or Shutterstock.
The best part? You can sell the same photo as many times as you like. Do the job once and consistently earn passive income later without any additional effort.
What we like:
Great source of passive income.
Has great earning potential, depending on the quality of your work.
Things to keep in mind:
Getting started as a professional photographer can be an expensive affair if you’re buying new gear.
This is a competitive space, so you’re unlikely to make big money early on.
Get started:
20. Become a voice-over artist
Earning potential: $15–$40/hour
This one is all about convenience. Picture yourself lounging at home in your pajamas and making a buck with your vocal cords.
You can start your voice-over journey with minimal experience and equipment. All you have to do is—
Take up free online courses to learn the art.
Build a basic home studio for your gig.
Record demos to show versatility.
Record your auditions, and bag the job.
What we like:
Like with other freelance jobs, you can pick what projects you want to work on.
You’ll need basic recording gear and a quiet room to get started.
Things to keep in mind:
This gig only pays well with experience, so don’t expect a stellar pay check when you’re starting off.
Most voice-over assignments have specific requirements related to gender and accents.
Get started:
21. Write an ebook
Earning potential: $30–$40/hour
Apparently, J. K. Rowling was turned down by twelve different publishing houses before Bloomsbury accepted her pitch for “Harry Potter”.
Thanks to ebooks and self-publishing, you don’t have to share her fate. You can write an ebook on personal or professional experiences, subject expertise, past research, and the like.
If successful, your ebook can become a stable passive income source.
What we like:
Can provide massive returns if successful.
Things to keep in mind:
No guaranteed success or income.
Ebooks are more prone to be copied than traditional books.
Get started:
22. Paint murals
Earning potential: $13–$40/hour
Artistic hustlers, listen up—murals are an increasingly popular art form in private and public spaces, and can be your key to making a mint.
The key is to find and refine your niche. Think your landscape paintings are better than your portraits? Make that your brand.
Start off by—
Working as an apprentice under an established muralist.
Offering to paint free murals.
Establishing social media accounts that highlight your work.
Advertising your services online.
Targeting businesses that are looking for art that aligns with your speciality.
What we like:
Your artwork will be displayed in public—and each can serve as an advertisement for your business.
Things to keep in mind:
You may have to paint pieces that go against your ethics, religion, or beliefs.
Flexibility can be limited as each assignment comes with a deadline.
Get started:
Legal hustles for men
Attorneys and law enthusiasts, we have some side hustles in store for you too. Here’s how you can channel your inner Harvey Specter—
23. Review legal cases online
Earning potential: $5–$10/hour
Sign up as a juror on an online mock jury website and get paid for your opinions. Websites like Online Verdict and eJury will send you case materials and questions related to a particular case. All you have to do is review them and share thoughts.
What we like:
You can review cases at your convenience.
Things to keep in mind:
Not an ideal pick if you’re looking for jobs that pay daily as mock jury platforms usually pay you on a monthly basis.
Get started:
24. Additional legal work
Earning potential: $120–$150/hour
If you’re an attorney, your most obvious assets are your education and experience. Leverage them by taking on additional legal work.
Online legal service marketplaces like UpCounsel connect you to businesses and make it easier for you to find legal work. You have full control over what projects and clients you work with.
What we like:
This is a natural extension of your day job as an attorney.
Flexibility to choose projects and clients.
Things to keep in mind:
Some projects may be in conflict with your full-time job.
Get started:
25. Legal transcription
Earning potential: $19–$23/hour
Do you know the law like the back of your hand? Use it to transcribe audio into well-written legal documents.
Legal transcription side gigs may involve transcribing legal pleadings, motions, or video conference depositions and interviews.
Turn to online platforms like SpeakWrite, E-Typist, and Cambridge Transcriptions to find remote work right away.
What we like:
Set your own hours.
Accept and turn down projects at will.
Things to keep in mind:
Work can sometimes dry up.
Get started:
Odd side hustle jobs
No job is “odd”, but here’s a list of some unusual side gigs that pay well—
26. Clean parking lots
Earning potential: $5–$21/hour
Sounds wacky, right? It gets crazier. Brian Winch, founder of Clean Lots, makes a six-figure income from cleaning parking lots.
You can also earn some serious cash by providing litter-pick service for commercial property management companies.
What we like:
Decent and consistent pay.
Hours usually won’t conflict with your day job.
Things to keep in mind:
You might have to work late nights or early mornings.
There’s manual labor involved.
Get started:
27. Become a handyman
Earning potential: $45–$57/hour
If you’re the kind of man everybody turns to for stuff like house repairs, putting furniture together, and other manual tasks, this may be the perfect gig for you.
Get paid to be a handyman using apps like TaskRabbit that let you choose what services to provide and set the prices.
What we like:
Set your own rates for the tasks.
Offer as many services as you want.
Things to keep in mind:
Apps like TaskRabbit have an upfront registration fee.
Get started:
Simple side hustles anyone can do
What if you want to make money with as little effort as possible? Here are some easy side jobs for you—
28. Take online surveys
Earning potential: $0.50–$2/hour
We’ve all filled out online surveys for friends, colleagues, and strangers. But did you know a simple task like this one pays?
You can complete simple surveys to make side money on platforms like InboxDollars, Opinion Outpost, and LifePoints.
What we like:
Easy to do.
Flexible side hustle that you can work on whenever you want.
Things to keep in mind:
Some surveys may have specific demographic requirements.
Low potential earning.
Get started:
29. Sell your data
Earning potential: $0.05–$0.50/hour
Companies are willing to pay big to access your personal information. Why not sell it and make some extra cash?
Platforms like Nielsen Computer and MobileXpression let you do just that. Simply install an app that monitors your internet usage—and claim rewards in exchange.
What we like:
No additional effort on your part, apart from installing an app.
Things to keep in mind:
Apps usually pay in vouchers instead of actual money (you might end up spending money instead of saving up).
Some customers claim it’s difficult to access rewards on these apps.
Get started:
30. Advertise on your car
Earning potential: $25–$28/hour
Pimp your ride—and turn it from a money-sucking machine into a money-minting one with car wrap advertising. This involves covering your car’s exterior with large vinyl sheets which carry advertisement messages from brands.
A small ad on your gas guzzler can pay you anything between $100–$700 a month and become a lucrative passive income stream.
Platforms like Wrapify and StickerRide let you easily list your four wheels for advertisements.
What we like:
Minimal effort at your end.
Things to keep in mind:
May cause damage to your car.
Get started:
31. Watch videos online
Earning potential: $0.05–$2.50/hour
This one’s as easy as it gets. Platforms like Swagbucks will pay you to watch videos and commercials. You can also check out websites like Animation Arena that pay for watching and reviewing movies.
What we like:
Watching videos can pass off as a leisure activity, so you're under no work pressure at all.
Things to keep in mind:
You’re not going to make a lot of money with this one, so look away if you’re hoping to earn big bucks.
Get started:
FAQ S ON GOOD SIDE HUSTLES FOR MEN & TIPS TO MAKE SIDE HUSTLE MONEY
It’s time to answer some common side hustle questions—
What are good side hustles and side gig ideas?
There are tons of different side hustle ideas out there. It can get overwhelming to measure them all up. That’s why you need to know what makes a side hustle good for you.
A good side hustle—
Leverages your talents and skills to the fullest.
Can build a recurring and stable revenue stream.
Realistically aligns with how much time you can set aside for it.
Helps you achieve your financial goals.
What are the best work from home side hustles?
Some of the best work from home side hustles include:
Freelancing
Affiliate blogging
Online tutoring
Selling courses
Online mystery shopping
Dropshipping
Transcribing
Proofreading
Virtual assistant
Check out our article for more work from home side hustle ideas.
How can I make an extra $2,000 a month?
Based on our findings, these are some side hustles that can pay very well:
Invest in real estate: 7%–11% of the invested amount
Sell courses online: $26–$40/hour
Advertise on your car: $25–$28/hour
Become an Airbnb host: $20–$228/hour
Drive for Uber or Lyft: $19–$30/hour
Work for Amazon flex: $18–$25/hour
Manage Facebook ads: $15–$40/hour
Deliver for DoorDash: $15–$20/hour
Tutor online: $15–$38/hour
Become a freelancer: $15–$66/hour
Try affiliate marketing: $9–$43/hour
Walk dogs: $9–$22/hour
Not all side hustles can guarantee an extra $2,000 per month, so make sure you do your research thoroughly.
Here are some expert takes on how you can make an additional $2,000 a month—
Nick Wood, Founder and CEO of Digital Landlords, thinks generating passive income from digital real estate is the way to go. He says,
You'd never believe how much money you can make by identifying a niche service (like tree removal or gravel) in a low competition city (100,000 population or less). All you have to do is build a simple website with a catchy domain that offers that service. You can then sell the inbound inquiries from this site to local business owners as "hot leads" for a monthly rate. The passive income that comes from rank and rent digital real estate can be life-changing—because it’s deposited in your account whether you're working or not—just because you own the site.
Nick Wood Founder and CEO of Digital Landlords
Chelsea Clarke, Founder, HerPaperRoute, believes blogging is the best option. She says,
Starting a blog is one of the best ways to make an extra $2,000 per month. This is a flexible gig, so it’s perfect for students and stay-at-home parents. Another benefit is that your income sources are diversified, for example—you can earn money through ad revenue, affiliate links, brand sponsorships, and your own digital/physical products. Blogs are also fairly cheap to start as they require few initial expenses, such as web hosting and domain registration.
Chelsea Clarke Founder of HerPaperRoute
WRAPPING UP
We’re living in times of soaring rents and inflation rates, many of us are drowning in debt, and to top it all off, there’s a looming recession over our heads.
That’s why we’ve covered the most practical and lucrative side hustles for men in this article.
So no matter what skills and how much spare time you have, you can take up a side gig to help pad your bank account.
Make your pick, check out some resources we’ve listed, do a bit of research—and get started!
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