19 Easy Second Income Ideas

Considering the growing prices in the UK and the changes in the economy, more and more people are turning to income streams other than their main jobs.

Around 43% of Brits have a side hustle as an additional source of income. 

You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for inspiration and easy-to-start second-income ideas. Below is a list of second income ideas you can rely on without sacrificing your main 9 to 5 position. 

Online Ventures

The first set of passive income ideas worth exploring is related to online ventures. 

Today, earning money online is easier than ever, whether through freelancing, blogging, selling digital products, or other means. 

Freelance Your Expertise

One of the best ways to earn extra money in 2024 is by freelancing your expertise.

Suppose you’re experienced in a particular niche (like content writing, graphic design, marketing strategy creation, website development, or other similar segments). In that case, you can leverage these skills by performing freelance work for potential clients.

The beauty of freelancing is that you can set your own hours and start a side gig without a financial investment. You can promote your skills to attract clients via social media, email marketing, and other channels. You can also use freelance platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and PeoplePerHour for quicker results.

Some of the most popular areas where freelancing is popular include:

• Video editing;
• Content creation;
• Interior design;
• Bookkeeping;
• Mechanical work;
• Digital marketing;
• Graphic design;
• Web development;
• Accounting;
• Project management.

As you land more projects, you may create your website to set up invoicing, accept online payments, and more. 

Build a Profitable Blog

Another steady income stream you can rely on is blogging.

Although many inexperienced people underestimate the power of blogging, this minimum investment side hustle can truly improve one’s financial stability. You can earn a passive income through your blog by making affiliate sales, setting up sponsored posts, promoting your brand or products, or running ads via Google AdSense. 

Regardless of your chosen business model, this area can be extremely rewarding. The average blogger earns around £6,000 per month, and the good news is that your earnings are unlimited. They depend on the niche you’ve selected, the time you have to invest in your blog, and the quality of your writing. 

To start your blog, you must create a website to publish your content. In most cases, you’ll be required to make a small investment for a domain name, hosting plan, and Content Management System. Today, solutions like WordPress are partially free, allowing new bloggers to start with tiny costs and quickly and easily grow their visibility online. 

Create and Sell Digital Products

If starting an online business on the side sounds interesting, you should explore creating and selling digital products. You’ll be surprised to learn the amounts customers pay for digital assets such as digital memberships, software solutions, logos, videos, and music. 

According to research, the volume of digital product transactions has increased by nearly 70%, which clearly shows interest in this niche. You can sell your digital assets via your own website or on third-party marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and others. 

Digital products are an incredible way to generate passive income, as they have high-profit margins. All you need to do is create a product once and sell it millions of times without extra costs. 

Of course, to stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to invest time and effort into in-depth market research and create a thorough business plan. Identify niches with less competition and think about how you can use your skills and interests to create attractive products. 

Launch an E-commerce Store

Creating your own online shop is another income idea that can help you generate income on the side. Due to the profitability potential in this space, running your own online store can become your primary job, substituting all other revenue streams. 

The classic e-commerce model involves purchasing a collection of products from different sellers, stocking them, and selling them to customers. Naturally, this requires a substantial initial investment to get the wheels turning. In addition, you’ll need to invest in e-commerce website creation, marketing, inventory management solutions, payment processing, and more.

Compared to the other second income ideas in this article, launching an e-commerce store is one of the most demanding ones in terms of finances and time. However, it can also become one of the most financially rewarding ventures. 

Become a Social Media Influencer

Social media platforms today are thriving, creating opportunities for those with a strong social media presence to turn their hobbies into full-time jobs. Research reveals that 61% of customers trust social media influencers. This inevitably means that influencers can charge companies hefty sums for creatively promoting their products or services, encouraging their followers to take action. 

Influencers leverage online platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and others to build a community around a specific hobby, interest, or topic. Once their follower base increases, they can partner with brands that offer goods or services related to the interests of the influencer’s audience. 

Becoming a social media influencer is one of the best ways to turn your hobbies into profits, work according to your schedule, and earn impressive money. For example, influencers with 1 million followers have the potential to earn above £4,000 per month. 

What you’ll need to do?

Choose a topic of interest, create a social media account, and post interesting content to build your audience. Engage with your followers and ensure you’re offering real value that enables you to gain a competitive edge. Gradually start reaching out to brands that you can promote and negotiate your pricing. 

Investment Opportunities

Another category of second income ideas is related to investment opportunities. What’s important to note here is that, unlike the previous suggestions, side earnings associated with investments require in-depth financial planning and actions based on your financial goals.

In addition, you’ll be able to generate money from investments only if your assets pay dividends or interest. Alternatively, you can resell them at a higher price to make a profit.

Invest in Dividend Stocks

The stock market is the first investment opportunity to consider for additional income generation.

For most people, investment funds are underestimated, and the common approach is short-term rather than thinking about the long game to make financial projections turn into reality. 

Ideally, when investing in stocks, the main goal is to make your portfolio as diverse as possible. This will enable you to minimise risks and be prepared for all scenarios. You can achieve this by investing in mutual funds, index funds, high-dividend stocks, and ETFs, which allow you to achieve capital gains in the long run.

Crowdfund Real Estate

Real estate is considered one of the most lucrative investment options around the world.

However, it’s also associated with much hard work (repairs, management, communication with tenants, and more). To avoid this, you could invest in property via crowdfunding platforms. 

This way, an investing team chooses the right real estate based on your available funds. If you agree to invest, you must pay a yearly management fee and maintain minimum investment amounts. 

You can access private real estate offers by buying crowdfunded real estate. Ensure you know the platform’s returns to make forecasts on your revenue. Alternatively, you can purchase real estate independently with the available resources and experience. As a result, you could earn rental income on the entire property or rent out a spare room for extra money if you live on your own. 

Lend Through Peer-to-Peer Platforms

Peer-to-peer lending is another option, especially if you want minimal ongoing effort and a stable cash flow. If you have savings you aren’t using now, consider lending them to peers to generate passive income. Due to the interest rates associated with this lending, you can increase your assets over time without moving a finger.

Although interest rates for peer-to-peer lending vary depending on the platform you use, they usually span from 5% to 6%. Naturally, the higher the sum you lend, the better your cash flow. 

To get started, you need only create an account with loan websites like LendingClub or Prosper. 

These platforms connect borrowers to lenders, enabling people with saved-up money to earn extra money in the long term. 

Invest in Cryptocurrencies

Investing in cryptocurrencies isn’t considered an investment with a significant income stream in the short term, it could be unimaginably profitable in the long run. With this form of investment, you earn money by purchasing cryptocurrencies at an affordable price and selling them once their prices go up. 

For example, one Bitcoin was valued at $0.003 per coin in 2010. Today, one Bitcoin costs around $60,000. Purchasing this cryptocurrency in 2010 and selling it in 2024 could mean acquiring millions in seconds.

However, cryptocurrency investing is specific because it requires extensive research, forecasting, and the ability to act on time. The cryptocurrency market is considered extremely volatile, meaning that prices fluctuate dynamically. Failing to address changes on time could mean significant losses. 

Participate in REITs

Don’t worry if you want to generate side income from property but lack the resources to purchase entire apartment buildings. You can still receive rental income via a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) platform. REITs are businesses that possess and manage real estate assets. They enable individuals to pool their resources to make investments they can’t fully afford without extra help.

All you need to do is participate with a minimum investment and increase your passive income as your assets appreciate. If you have some capital available, participating in REITs can be extremely rewarding. However, make sure that you carefully select the REITs you want to participate in to make sure that you receive satisfactory dividends and earnings. 

Creative Pursuits

Apart from online ventures and investments, there are plenty of second-income ideas to consider in creative pursuits. 

Have you always dreamt of selling items online to generate passive income? 

This is your queue to use your creations as a stream of revenue. 

Monetize Your Art or Craft

Believe it or not, you can make an additional income by monetizing your art of craft. 

Whether you specialise in creating authentic woodcraft items or are handmade jewellery, you can turn your passion into profit.

Some of the most popular arts and crafts niches to explore include:

• Ceramics;
• Resin products;
• Paper flowers;
• Textiles;
• Candles;
• Jewellery business;
• Woodworking;
• Nautical art;
• Kids crafts;
• Woven and knotted items.

Many popular online platforms, including Etsy, Folksy, Carter’s Market UK, and others, promote products created by artisans. Once your products start to sell and you gain more popularity, consider creating your website and selling your art and crafts without the help of external platforms. This will help you reduce costs and gain back control over your sales. 

As you turn your creative flair into a side gig, make sure you are as detailed as possible regarding creation processes, visions, and ideas. Consumers interested in arts and crafts often prefer to shop from brands they can relate to and are inspired by.

Sell Photography Online

Suppose you are passionate about photography and noticed that your photos trigger emotions. In that case, you can use this skill as an opportunity to earn passive income. One of the quickest and easiest ways to start monetizing your photography is via stock photo sites, such as Shutterstock, Unsplash, and Pexels. Such platforms will reward photographers financially for high-quality photos and videos.

For those who already have an impressive collection, this is an opportunity to make instant sales without any extra work. If you’re interested in pursuing this avenue, make sure you’re fully aware of the image requirements of your chosen platform. Also, be sure to read all of the details and specifics about payments. 

Write and Publish eBooks

If you’re an experienced and passionate writer, you can explore eBooks as a passive income stream. With the global eBook market projected to reach $29.43 billion by 2026, this segment can certainly be financially stimulating. 

Creating eBooks is ideal for anyone who can write and has interesting information to offer. It can be a non-demanding way to set up your own business without any required investments. 

You must craft a compelling story or cover an informative topic on a specific niche (for example, growing your online shop). You can create your product solo or work with ghostwriters and editors to finalise and polish your content.

You’ll also need to produce an eye-grabbing book cover that will attract attention. 

Next, you can publish it on platforms like Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) or Lulu. Every sale your eBook makes will generate royalties. Alternatively, you can sell your eBook via your blog, website, or social media account. This option is usually more profitable but more demanding, as you’ll need to invest in your marketing. 

Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube has been around for nearly 20 years and has since become extremely saturated. 

Today, around 3.7 million new videos are uploaded on the platform. However, starting your own YouTube channel for extra income is still possible, especially if you’re creative, have a passion you want to talk about, and possess charisma. 

Do your market research and choose a niche people are actively browsing for and interested in. Choose the types of videos you want to create and plan out your content calendar. For example, you could concentrate on podcasts, informational short videos, longer educational videos, comedy, and more. YouTube will reward you as you receive more views and clicks. 

Affiliate sales, sponsorships, branded integrations, ad income, and more could contribute to your financial rewards from YouTube. An important point is to be patient whether you start a blog or YouTube channel. These two revenue streams usually take longer to start showing results. 

Don’t let this demotivate you. Instead, create a detailed plan and keep putting in the work. Eventually, you’ll start unlocking exciting rewards.

Offer Online Courses

Teaching an online course is another way to diversify your income and earn more in your spare time. Whether you have experience in marketing, real estate, entrepreneurship, cryptocurrency, or finance, use your knowledge to help others and make money. 

Financially, selling online courses doesn’t require a significant investment. You must strategically plan your course, record it, and produce downloadable assets for your students. In most cases, these include templates, quizzes, and resources. 

You can sell your courses on platforms like Udemy or rely on your website to generate sales. 

What’s better for online courses is that they require a lot of devotion and time. Successful mentors seldom rely solely on the content of their online courses.

To improve the experience, they also organise group discussions and one-on-one meetings to receive user feedback and suggestions. This means that you’ll need to have some free time to complete all of these additional tasks. 

Service-Based Side Hustles

Suppose you still haven’t found the perfect second income idea from the list. In that case, we have another category to recommend – service-based side hustles.

Walk Dogs and Pet-Sit

Another valuable service you can provide for some extra money is pet-sitting. Whether you walk dogs or spend time with cats while their owners are away, you can generate a side income while doing what you love most. 

Like most of the other second-income ideas on this list, pet sitting can be done using different business models, all of which require no upfront investment.

For example, you could provide in-home care for pets while their owners are away or pet-sit dogs, cats, and other pets in your own home. Alternatively, you could solely provide dog-walking services. 

Remember that if you choose the in-home care option, you’ll likely need to invest in kennels or gates to protect your premises. You’ll also need to ensure you can thoroughly clean up after the pets to guarantee your living environment is safe and hygienic. 

Suppose this is an opportunity that sounds enticing. In that case, you can attract clients by signing up for platforms like Rover and Pawshake. As you gain more popularity, you can create your pet-sitting website, manage your bookings, and implement your payment systems. 

Clean Houses

Another hustle for making money is cleaning houses. You can choose domestic cleaning (cleaning people’s homes and residential spaces) or commercial cleaning (cleaning business offices, meeting rooms, conference halls, and others). 

In the UK, the household cleaners market is forecasted to reach £1.1 billion in 2024, showing the vast interest in this type of service. When it comes to profitability, the average hourly rate for cleaners in the country is £10.21 in 2024. 

While this side hustle doesn’t require a hefty upfront investment, it does require in-person work. Unlike online ventures and investment opportunities, you must ensure you’re physically available to visit your clients to perform your tasks.

For those looking to turn cleaning houses into a second income stream, we recommend checking out sites like TaskRabbit and AirTasker, which connect cleaners to potential clients. 

Ensure you have all the necessary tools and instruments for the job, including mops, clothes, brushes, wet wipes, sprays, vacuum cleaners, and others.

Care for Lawns and Gardens

Do you have experience in garden maintenance?

If so, caring for lawns and gardens can be your next move to making extra cash. This day job is extremely attractive as it allows gardeners to enjoy their free time in nature and make money at the same time. 

Start with basic gardening knowledge and an understanding of plants, soils, fertilisers, and watering techniques. You’ll also need to know how to mow, trim, edge, and perform other gardening treatments.

Moreover, as you start landing clients, you’ll need to be able to provide gardening tools and instruments, including:

• Lawnmower;
• Trimmer;
• Rakes and shovels;
• Leaf blowers;
• Pruning shears;
• Gardening gloves;
• Protective gear;
• Wheelbarrow;
• And others.

Acquiring these tools may require an initial investment. However, you’re serious about your second income stream. In that case, you’ll soon be able to generate enough earnings to pay off your investment and make a profit.

The best way to start looking for clients is to talk to your neighbours. Ask them if they need a hand or if they can recommend you to friends and family. As you gain more experience, you can use it to showcase your skills across specialised platforms.

Tutor and Offer Educational Services

Suppose you have academic skills in a particular subject or possess outstanding musical, fine arts, or sports skills. In that case, you can earn more money and set up a reliable income via tutoring. 

In the UK, the K-12 tutoring market size is expected to grow by more than £7 billion and increase at a CAGR of 15.06% between 2023 and 2028. This means that tutoring services will be in demand, allowing those with knowledge and expertise to earn extra income.

When it comes to tutoring, you can choose to provide your services online or in person, depending on your preferences or the preferences of your students. You can also specialise in specific age groups, subjects, and teaching styles.

In most cases, your start-up costs will be minimal, especially if you decide to work online. Usually, new tutors rely on established platforms like MyTutor to quickly land bookings and manage payments. 

Final Thoughts 

With so many options, finding a second income idea that works for you has never been easier.

To make the right choice, ensure you’ve fully researched the opportunity and made projections on your earnings for at least the next year.

Also, remember to plan the time you have available for your second side hustle and ensure it doesn’t cause disruptions to your full-time job. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some other easy second-income ideas that require minimal effort?

Some easy second-income ideas include opening a high-yield savings account to earn more interest on your savings, taking online surveys, selling items you no longer need, and participating in cashback or rewards programs.

How much time do I need to dedicate to a second income stream?

The time commitment varies depending on the income stream. Some projects require minimal time (usually, different investment forms). In contrast, others (like freelancing or running a small side business) may need a few hours a week.

Can I turn a hobby into a second income?

Absolutely! Many people turn hobbies like photography, crafting, baking, or writing into profitable side businesses. You can sell your creations online, offer classes, or monetize your hobby through blogging or social media