19 Side Hustles for Women of All Ages

Although International Women’s Day is recognized in March, who says we can’t celebrate girl power, resilience, and financial independence all year round? 

We’ve scoured the internet, chatted with side hustle pros, and compiled a list of the best side hustles for women looking to make a side income. 

So, grab a cup of coffee (or tea, if that’s your thing), get comfy, and let’s explore some ways to boost your income and embrace financial independence.

Note: if you are looking for one of the best side hustles to start, try publishing books on Amazon. The royalty structure and access to a world wide audience can earn you supplemental income every month with low start-up costs. Hundreds of our students have earned royalties every month on virtually autopilot. Sign up for our free webinar and see if it is right for you!

What Makes a Good Side Hustle?

A good side hustle helps you meet your income goals without completely taking over your schedule and your life. It leaves room for your hobbies and spending time with your loved ones, including friends and family. 

But wait a minute…do good side hustles even exist? 

They sure do, and you have the power to choose how much time you want to invest from the comfort of your home.

Top Side Hustles for Women

Make sure to bookmark this list or share it with a friend. 

These side hustles can help you crush the rest of your goals for the year.

#1: Self-Publishing on Amazon

Publishing is the business of providing solutions to readers. That’s it.

You don’t need to be an expert or have a fancy degree to share helpful information (and you can even get paid to do it). 

Benefits Of Self-Publishing

• No one controls your schedule or content but YOU
• No one can tell you that you’re not allowed to take a vacation 
• You can’t lose your job in a layoff because you’re your own boss 

How Much Money Can You Make with Self-Publishing

You can make tens of thousands of dollars with self-publishing on Amazon KDP. Is that going to be the norm for everybody? Of course not, but it does happen for some digital publishers, while others make enough money to stop worrying about a few bills each month. 

You get to decide what you’re willing to put into your publishing business and how much you want to get out of it, which makes it a great side hustle for women. 

AIA Course

Learn the fundamentals of publishing with self-paced, step-by-step video lessons from industry experts. 

Student Testimonials

Stop by the Student Success Hub for firsthand accounts from dozens of self-publishers who have left their 9-5s to work for themselves and travel around the world. 

Free Webinar

Access a quick lesson about how the publishing industry has changed and become more accessible than ever before. 

#2: Be a Freelancer

A lot of us have been told that the 9-5 is the “safe” option, but layoffs are proving that might not necessarily be the case. It’s a lot easier to lose a client or two as a freelancer and still have a workload of 5+ clients than to lose your only source of income overnight. 

Graphic Design

When most people think of graphic design, they think of logos, but there’s so much more to the design field. You could get paid to design anything from water bottle stickers to corporate presentations, billboards, t-shirts, and even album covers. 

Writing

It might be hard to believe, but we write and read more than we ever have throughout history. Think about it. Every social media post, ad, flyer, and piece of junk mail is made of copy. That leaves a world of possibilities for getting paid to write ads, books, blog posts, flyers, memos, emails, and so much more. 

Social Media Management

Managing social media usually requires a keen eye for design and branding, excellent time management and organizational skills, and a healthy appetite for fast-paced work. You can get paid to create content and schedule it out or analyze engagement data and help businesses spread the word. 

#3: Explore Pet Sitting

Most pet parents are willing to pay a pretty penny to make sure their furry friends stay safe and healthy.

If you love going on walks or communicating with animals more than people, why not get paid for it? 

#4: Make and Sell Handmade Products

The obvious choice for selling handmade products is Etsy, but small vendor events and school craft fairs can be a total goldmine for crafters.

People are making thousands of dollars selling soap, crystals, typewriter poetry, and pretty much anything you can think of. 

#5. Offer Bookkeeping Services to Small Businesses

A lot of business owners are either too stressed or too busy to organize their own books and would love to delegate them to someone who actually enjoys working with numbers.

Charging them a monthly retainer to keep you onboard can add up to a nice chunk of change in your bank account. 

#6: Become A Home Organizer

Remember when Marie Kondo was trending for her Netflix show about teaching others to clean up their spaces and only keep the items that bring them joy?

There’s still a huge market for busy parents and families who could use a little extra help keeping their homes put together. 

#7: Start a Virtual Assistant Service

If you’re picturing a headset and tons of phone calls, that’s probably the most common type of virtual assistant gig, but this space is also expanding.

Some business owners need help strictly with booking their speaking engagements or booking their travel, while others need help staying on top of emails. 

#8: Resell on Amazon

You don’t need any sort of fancy permit to resell products on Amazon. You just need to choose between an Individual or Professional selling plan starting at $0.99 per product.

Paintings, holiday decor, fashion items, and accessories like watches are all fair game.

#9: Teach an Online Course

What do you wish you would have known two years ago? Think about how many people that information can help right now, especially if you package it in a digital format that they can access on their own time and between their busy schedules.

The best part? Once you post the course, it can go on to sell for years with minimal maintenance, making it a great side hustle for women. 

#10: Buy and Sell Used Books

Most people don’t realize books are how Jeff Bezos and Amazon came to be household names. Even today, Amazon is one of the leading booksellers in the world.

Next time you’re cleaning out the garage, why not turn those books in boxes into cold, hard cash either through Amazon, a garage sale, or the local bookshops in your area? 

#11: Be a Part-Time Caregiver

Caregivers are always in demand for parents who need an extra hand with their kiddos, disabled adults who could use some help around the house, and elderly folks who could use some extra company. 

#12: Sell Baked Goods at Home

Depending on the state you’re in, you might need a Cottage license, but there’s a growing demand for specialty foods and diets like organic, gluten-free, keto, and paleo.

Think about selling meal kits, desserts, or drop-in chef services. 

#13: Host Trivia Nights or Game Nights 

If trivia is your thing, you could reach out to the cafes, bars, and restaurants in your town to see if they’d be interested in letting you host a weekly or monthly game night.

You could work out a set event fee or percentage based on ticket sales. 

#14: Offer Tutoring

Most people think of tutoring as strictly academic, but there’s a world of opportunity out there for teaching more hands-on skills like sewing or knitting, landscaping, cooking, or even riding a bike and rock climbing. 

#15: Personal Shopping Services

There’s a growing trend on TikTok right now, where personal shoppers visit stores with rotating inventory like TJ Maxx, start streaming live, and then offer to ship goods to people all over the world for a set fee.

Personal shopping can also involve curating outfits and accessories based on someone’s social media profile or email survey results. 

#16: Start an Event Planning Business

Birthdays, weddings, baby showers, graduation…tons of celebrations require planning that others simply don’t have the time or energy for, and that’s where you come in!

You can offer both “Done with You” and completely “Done for You” party packages based on how involved the client wants to be in the process. 

#17: Explore Fitness Coaching Online

There’s a good portion of the population that loves going to the gym and lifting weights, but there’s also a good portion that would rather do just about anything else.

Teaching fitness classes online is a great creative outlet to make fitness more fun and accessible, like chair yoga to help with mobility or kickboxing as self-defense. 

#18: Be a Makeup Artist

Makeup is expensive, which is why makeup artists can charge a premium for their talents.

You can stick to certain events like weddings or school dances, or maybe you can offer a “pamper package” for tired, working moms. 

#19: Start an Interior Decorating Business

If you get excited about accent lamps, wallpaper, and coffee tables, there’s a big opportunity for you to help other families and singles make their dream home design come true. 

What Side Hustles Pay the Most?

The side hustles that pay the most are those that don’t require you to exchange your time for money directly. 

Let’s break it down. 

You could spend an 8-hour shift making $15/hr as a caretaker and come out with $120 pre-tax, or you could sell a dozen digital products for $100 each without any additional labor on your part after posting it to the web. 

What’s a Good Side Hustle for Women?

Writing and publishing are two rising side hustles for women that can go on to generate recurring income after some initial work upfront. 

There’s no such thing as an “Easy button,” so all side hustles will take some elbow grease, but neither one of these requires a certain degree or experience to get started.

They also offer the most autonomy over your day-to-day life. 

Is Starting a Side Hustle a Good Idea?

If you’re looking for something you can “set and forget,” then a side hustle might not be the best idea.

Most will require a consistent investment of time, energy, money, or all of the above to get the ball rolling. 

That said, side hustles are great for those who don’t need instant gratification and understand the power of the long game. 

Where Can Women Find Communities Discussing Profitable Side Hustles?

Looking to connect with other women discussing side hustles? 

Here’s where to find your tribe:

• Reddit: Dive into numerous subreddits dedicated to gig economy jobs and freelance opportunities. You’ll hear all about the good, the bad, and the ugly. 
• LinkedIn Groups: Connect with professionals in freelancing and entrepreneurship groups. Networking here can lead to even more opportunities and collaborations.
• Facebook Groups: Enjoy a more laid-back atmosphere where members freely share tips, advice, and their own side hustle success stories. It’s casual, fun, and incredibly informative.

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