The side hustles that will actually make you money in 2025 – and the tempting ones to avoid: I tried them all and learned you can earn thousands for doing (almost) nothing – but some jobs could cost you dearly…

I’ve always wanted to find an easy way to make money outside of my nine-to-five, and I know a lot of you are looking to do the same.

A second job is not an option since I don’t want to work weekends, and while I know we’ve all thought about selling feet pics or starting an OnlyFans, the market seems a bit oversaturated now. 

Instead I’ve tested out seven different side hustles in my spare time – and I can confidently say four are worth it and three aren’t. 

From dropshipping and making my own products (bad idea), to dog sitting, market research, selling on Facebook Marketplace, Airtasker and buying cryptocurrency, I’ve made and lost money and now stick to what actually works.

But a word of warning – even the lucrative side gigs are time-consuming, and you can’t expect to make money if you don’t put in the effort.

As for how much I’ve made, I starting taking side income seriously in 2024 and in five months I made an extra $3,015.

And I could have earned more than double that if I’d accepted every dog-sitting job I was offered.

So, let’s dive into it – here’s my guide to the side hustles that have worked for me, and the ones that failed or even cost me money.

SIDE HUSTLES WORTH TRYING 

Dog sitting

It may come as a surprise to some, but dog sitting is the number one way I’ve been able to make some money on the side, and it requires little to no work. 

I heard about a platform called MadPaws and decided to give it a go. 

Within a couple of days I received my first booking request to look after two dachshunds for a night – and two pets means double pay. 

I earned $110 for sitting on the couch watching Netflix with the dogs by my side keeping me company. Of course, I had to feed them and make sure they were safe and happy. But really, it was the easiest money I’d ever made. 

Most of the time I stay at the owner’s house. Yes, that means sleeping in a stranger’s bed, but to be honest, I prefer it. The pet is more comfortable in their own home, and you don’t have to worry about dogs damaging your house or furniture. 

In the beginning, I was a little picky with my time – $35 to look after a dog for half a Saturday didn’t seem worth it – but it all adds up, and if I had accepted every booking request I’d received since July I would’ve made $4,038. It hurts to think about. 

By January 2025, I will have $1,590 in my pocket after the 20 per cent MadPaws service fee, which covers insurance and in-app customer service.

But the best thing about this side hustle isn’t just the money, but the cuddly companions you meet along the way. It’s like having lots of temporary pets.

Selling on Facebook Marketplace

Don’t let the scammers and horror stories put you off selling unwanted items on Facebook Marketplace – it’s still a great way to make money. 

On average, I’ve made an extra $50-$150 a month selling items I’ve found around the house, and the key is to list your products for cheap. 

If I pass an op shop or garage sale I’ll pop in to see if there’s anything worth flipping. But there’s a risk with this – you don’t want to purchase something that’s going to sit in your house for months. 

So I take calculated guesses when considering what might resell. Tech products tend to sell fast, such as DVDs, phone cases, gaming consoles and video games. Whereas home décor items and kitchenware don’t, as people prefer to buy them new. 

Anything with a nostalgic element sells, if you’re lucky enough to find such items. Designer clothing labels, such as Camilla and Marc or Zimmermann, also have a high resell value but tend to sell faster on eBay.

The most expensive thing I’ve sold is a golf club set for $280, followed by lamps for $100, unused Country Road glasses for $30 and an esky for $20.  

Market research 

You’ve probably seen ads for market research and ruled it out because, at first, it seems too good to be true. 

But at least once a month I make extra cash simply by answering questions to help improve brands and services. 

The research sessions are short, ranging from 30-minute Zoom calls with a researcher answering questions about a product for $30, to quick 10-minute surveys for $10.

There are several companies to choose from, my favourites being Askable, Farron Research and Attapoll.

But like any side hustle, you only get out what you put in. You need to be constantly active to be chosen to participate in research or gradually earn surveys worth more money.

After completion, the money is transferred almost instantly into your PayPal account.  

Airtasker 

Airtasker is another platform that shouldn’t be slept on. 

It’s free and easy to search tasks to complete in your neighbourhood – like side quests in a video game, but you’re paid at the end. 

If you’re like me and don’t have a car, you can help people revamp their résumés, water plants after work, or assist with IT issues. 

More tasks are available to those who are flexible and have a vehicle. There’s an abundance of jobs including cleaning, moving and installing furniture, mowing lawns and painting walls. 

If you have the time and skills required, Airtasker can be lucrative and you’ll never be short of work.  

SIDE HUSTLES TO AVOID 

Dropshipping

Previously I’ve interviewed people who have successfully made a living dropshipping on platforms such as Amazon, so a year ago I decided to give it a crack.

Dropshipping allows online sellers to avoid keeping inventory in stock by having suppliers ship orders straight to customers.

You might have seen others promoting this method on TikTok, but let me warn you – it’s not worth it. 

Not only do you need to pay $55 a month to sell on Amazon, but you also need to constantly compete with other dropshippers trying to offload the same products. 

Ordering the products from suppliers is a nightmare, and shipping them from overseas and dealing with where the inventory is stored is such a faff. 

It’s become an ongoing headache I’ve had to deal with, and I’ve barely made a profit due to the initial costs and ongoing subscription fees.

The most I’ve made is a couple of hundred dollars back, but is it worth it? No. Especially since the money needs to be declared at tax time. 

Do yourself a favour and don’t bother.

Making your own products to sell

During Sydney’s 2021 lockdowns, I was persistent in wanting to start my side hustle journey and even considered starting a business. I thought about selling loungewear or gin before landing on making scrunchies.

I bought a sewing machine and had a whole set-up in my bedroom, but there was one problem – I sucked at sewing.

I gradually improved my skills, spent weekends at hardware store Spotlight looking at different fabrics, and learned how to make scrunchies.

It was fun but time-consuming, and in the end I barely made 50 scrunchies. 

How many did I sell? Zero. 

Well, it was a nice hobby, but I learned you shouldn’t start something new unless you’re willing to commit.

And I was glad I didn’t follow through on my idea to buy products in bulk from China to sell.

Cryptocurrency trading

You’ve heard it all before, but I’m here to remind you to not dabble in crypto trading.

It’s more than likely you’ll lose your money as cryptocurrency is highly volatile.

I bought $2,450 worth of three different cryptocurrency coins back in 2018 when I was 22 and had no idea what I was doing.

I lost it all due to my lack of financial literacy and my parents were livid. Prices spiked in 2021 but trickled back down again in 2022 before rising again recently.

At best I may have doubled my money if I I’d been lucky, but it’s not worth the stress. 

You’re better off putting the money into the stock market or a high interest savings account and watching it grow.

And when it comes to trading, investment apps like Raiz, Commsec Pocket and Pearler mean it has never been easier to get started.