4 side hustles for introverts: Some can bring in tens of thousands of dollars
Among the most popular side hustles for 2023 are staffing events like conferences and tutoring in a subject matter where you have expertise, according to experts. But these are all fairly social hustles. You'd have to interact with people if you took them on ― even if only on a one-on-one basis for tutoring.
If you happen to be more introverted but are still looking for ways to bring in some extra cash, fear not. There are many gigs out there suitable for those who like their time alone. Gig economy apps, for example, like Uber or Doordash, "are very well suited for that because you don't have a real boss," says side hustle expert Kevin Ha. "You're doing things on your own."
Here are four side hustles for introverts to consider.
Take surveys
If you've got a few spare minutes and like sharing your opinions, consider taking surveys on sites like Survey Junkie and InboxDollars that pay cash or gift cards.
You'll fill in some personal information that gives a sense of your demographic and geography, then see options for different surveys you can take pertaining to retail, food and beverage, tech and personal care products, and others. Most typically take up to 20 minutes.
"You're not going to make thousands of dollars a month doing this," says Jen Glantz, founder of Bridesmaid for Hire and the creator of the Monday Pick-Me-Up and Odd Jobs newsletter. Most reviewers report making a couple of dollars per hour, but that can add up and works if you don't feel like thinking too hard on your hustle.
Sell your clothing and apparel
If you've got a closet full of clothes to get rid of, consider selling them on sites like Poshmark, Mercari, OfferUp and eBay. If you have luxury items, you can also try selling on The RealReal.
Peruse each site to see how much items like the ones you have are going for, then start a page and post them yourself. Keep in mind the cost of shipping and shipping materials, as well as each site's fees. On Poshmark, for example, the fee for sales under $15 is $2.95 and the fee for sales above $15 is 20% of your selling price (that is, you keep 80% of what you made).
"It's really, really worth it," says Glantz. "If you have downtime and you want to make cash on the weekend, it's the best time to list things."
Kaycie Morwood opened her Poshmark store in 2016 and has made $30,000 altogether. "It takes about two minutes to set up," she previously told CNBC Make It. "Then I'll go watch Netflix, work out or go to my actual daytime job."
Sell printable items like calendars
If you're organized and have a flair for design, consider using tools like Canva or even Google Docs to create digital calendars, checklists or holiday cards for people to buy on sites like Etsy and print on their own.
"I've bought media kit templates off there," says Glantz as an example.
Peruse the site for the types of printables people are selling to get some ideas about what you can make and how much people are charging. As with the other sites, keep in mind Etsy's seller fees. It costs 20 cents to list an item and there's a 6.5% transaction fee for each sale.
Rachel Jiminez started her Etsy store in 2019 and made nearly $160,000 on the site in 2021 selling digital planners, Christmas scavenger hunts and other items. When she was jut starting out and making time for her hustle over lunch, "I would spend 30 minutes eating, hanging out with [my coworkers], and then another 30 minutes working on my Etsy store," she told CNBC Make It.
Start a medium blog
If you love writing and have a lot to say about a given topic, consider starting a Medium blog.
The site features a wide array of topics ranging from parenting to neuroscience and offers two different ways to make money: one that's linked to how much time people spend reading your content, the other to referring members. "You can refer readers to become Medium members and get half of their membership fee, net of standard payment processor fees, for as long as they remain a member," according to the site.
To be eligible for either, however, you'll need to have at least 100 followers, have published at least one story and be at least 18 years old. And keep in mind, you'll want to write a lot ― "I would be doing five posts a week for a year, if you really want to do this," says Ha. Most writers make under $100 per month.
Various blogs and media outlets also pay contributors for freelance pieces. If there's an outlet you follow regularly, peruse the site and see if there are opportunities to write something for them yourself.
Check out:
3 in-demand side hustles to start in 2023―one pays up to $100 per hour
9 in-demand side hustles that can be done from home—and how much they pay
3 side hustles that could improve your skills and make you better at your job
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