Seven side hustles that really earn cash in 2025 (and three to avoid)

Many of us would like to supplement our income with a part-time gig, but which ones pay and which ones waste your time? Frances Cook lists some winners and some money losers.

With money tighter than ever, more and more of us are keen to earn some extra cash on the side.

The bad news? The world of side hustles can be full of snake oil, and burnout.

The good news? There are still ones that work, if you pick one that fits your life, test demand first, and keep your expectations honest.

Here are the side hustles worth your time, plus three that’ll waste it.

Underrated and in demand. If you’ve got strengths in high-school subjects, university papers, trades pre-entry tests, or workplace skills (Excel, basic bookkeeping, English for work), there are parents and adults who’ll pay for targeted help.

Start with your neighbourhood Facebook group and community pages; offer a simple one-page rate card, a short intro about your experience, and a first-session guarantee.

Evening hours can fit around a 9-5, or online sessions mean zero commute.

Where there’s muck, there’s money.

Rachel Taylor from Side Hustles NZ brought this one to my attention, and since then, a bit of research has proven that plenty of busy dog owners would love to outsource the least fun chore.

It’s fast to launch, has low costs (gloves, bags, bin liners), and you can cluster clients by suburb for efficiency.

Offer weekly or fortnightly subscriptions, and hey, you’ve got a steady business.

Ok, if you’d like your side hustle a bit cleaner, let’s go to the other end of the spectrum.

Washing and folding is a pain point for families, and some older people.

You can offer pickup/drop-off after work or on weekends, with clear per-bag pricing and turnaround times.

Reliability is the product here, nail the schedule and you’ll keep clients for months.

Yes, it’s common, and yes, it still works.

The trick is avoiding race-to-the-bottom pricing.

To get a better rate, specialise: end-of-tenancy cleans, mould/mildew treatment, pet-friendly homes, or “reset service” for new parents.

If you can nail a niche, that usually means a higher rate and clearer referrals.

A step up from general cleaning. Hosts will pay for a reliable cleaner who can flip a place between guests, and restock basics.

You can charge a premium for linen service and damage reports.

This is a great weekend hustle if you’re near hotspots, or if your regular job is flexible with hours.

Another “muck equals money” winner: lawn mowing, hedge trims, green-waste removal, gutter clearing.

Price by section size or time block, and batch jobs by street.

Another hot tip from Taylor, is that becoming the point person can literally pay.

One person coordinating multiple subcontractors into a single, easy package, can be highly valuable.

Think about what could be needed for small business owners working in an area that you’re familiar with – you could be the point person who organises a designer, copywriter, photographer, or tradies for a small reno.

You don’t have to do every task, rather, you manage the flow and take a coordination fee.

Bluntly? Avoid.

This is one that gets spread around a lot on social media, but in reality, almost every who tries it will lose money.

The odds are stacked, the stress is high, and it’s not a side hustle. Instead it’s a risky, full-time job masquerading as a hobby.

If you want market exposure, regular investing into diversified funds is a safer path.

Oversaturated, with wafer-thin margins, which means you need to sell a lot to earn anything.

If you don’t own the product, brand, or audience, you’re competing on ads and luck.

Reverse image search means many customers will work out where you got it from, and cut you out as the middle-man anyway.

Don’t bother.

Slapping generic quotes on tees won’t cut it in 2025, as most customers have seen it all before.

Without a niche audience that already trusts you (or a truly original concept), you’ll burn time on designs and get pennies back.

The information in this article is general in nature and should not be read as personal financial advice.