UK workers who are fully employed are turning towards starting small businesses on the side, popularly referred to as “side hustles”. There could be differnt goals and reasoning as to why people start side hustles, and below we will unpack the reasons, so that we can understand why the side hustles in this guide are the best and most popular to start this 2024.
Why You May Want To Start A Side Hustle
Income Opportunities: There are some workers who want to create multiple streams of income, and a side hustle is a way to do so.
Rising Cost Of Living: In today’s economy, having one salary may no longer be enough to sustain your lifestyle or even just your livelihood. Expenses such as rent and factors such as fiscal drag may make one source of income too little for some.
Passions And Hobbies: Many employees may feel unfulfilled in their 9-5 jobs, and may have had other dreams or business ideas. Working on your full time job and then your passion business on the side, could help reduce feeling unfulfilled. Also, some side hustles, such as creative work, may not be instantly bringing in income, and that is not sustainable for those who have financial obligations.
What Are The Best Side Hustle Ideas For 2024?
- Freelance content writing
- Pet sitting
- Filling in surveys sites
- List your property on Airbnb
- Virtual assistant
1. Content Writing as a Side Hustle
A popular side hustle we saw grow through the recent years and months is content writing. A content writer is known for creating engaging articles, blog posts, and social media snippets. This role is all about giving a voice to brands, helping them connect with their audience through well-crafted narratives.
Earnings for Content Writers in the UK
Indeed UK reports that content writers earn an average salary of around £29,038 annually. Entry level writers earn around £24,455, and more experienced writers earn upward of £42,500.
Diverse Roles Within Content Writing
Content writing isn’t a one-size-fits-all job. It includes various niches such as:
SEO Writers: They create web content that is optimised in an effort for their clients to rank on search engines such as Google.
Technical Writers: These writers produce in-depth articles on technical subjects.
Copywriters: Known for crafting content focused on generating sales and leads.
Social Media Writers: They create captivating posts tailored to different social media platforms.
Starting Your Journey as a Content Writer
No strict educational path leads to content writing, though degrees in areas like journalism or creative writing can be advantageous. Gaining experience is important. Building a portfolio through freelance gigs, blogging, or volunteering can pave the way. Key skills include a knack for SEO, thorough research capabilities, and the ability to switch between different writing styles to match the audience’s needs.
Day-to-Day Life of a Content Writer
A content writer’s day is filled with creativity and variety, from researching keywords to drafting and revising articles to ensure alignment with a brand’s voice. They might spend their time analysing which topics connect with their clients’ audiences, or ensuring content is engaging and informative.
You could work as a content writer in agencies, in-house teams, or as independent freelancers, offering flexibility in how and where work is done.
2. Starting a House Sitting Side Hustle in 2024
House sitting is favoured way for people to earn extra cash or live rent-free while providing a valuable service. It involves staying in someone’s home to ensure security and maintain the property, often including pet care, which is a bonus for animal lovers.
How Much Can House Sitters Earn in the UK?
The earnings ere can vary, depending on the specific requirements of each job as well as your location and duration. House sitters can make anything from £25 per day. Some prefer to offer their services in exchange for accommodation, which is especially beneficial for those looking to save on living expenses or explore different areas.
Different Flavours of House Sitting
House sitting jobs can range widely in scope and duration:
Short-Term Assignments: Ideal for weekend getaways or short holidays.
Long-Duration Stays: Suitable for extended vacations or sabbaticals, lasting several weeks to months.
Pet Care Inclusion: Many assignments include looking after the homeowner’s pets, which adds a layer of responsibility and joy for pet lovers.
Plant and Garden Care: Some jobs might also involve maintaining the garden or indoor plants, adding a touch of green-thumb skills to your profile.
Steps to Becoming a House Sitter
Taking on a house sitting career requires preparation and trust-building:
Build Experience: Start with homes of friends or relatives to gain experience and collect references.
Create an Engaging Profile: Sign up on reputable house sitting platforms and craft a profile that showcases your reliability, experience, and enthusiasm for the job.
Obtain a Background Check: Enhance your trustworthiness with a clean criminal record check, such as a DBS check in the UK.
Establish Clear Agreements: Ensure you and the homeowner agree on responsibilities, duration, and any compensation or conditions before starting.
Benefits of House Sitting
Cost Savings: A major perk is living rent-free, significantly cutting down on living expenses.
Travel and Experience New Places: House sitting allows you to visit and live in different cities and even countries.
Flexibility: When you pick jobs that best suit your interests and availability, you have a great deal of freedom.
Pet Care: This is a great chance for animal lovers who can’t keep their own pets, to have pet companionship for a little while.
How To Get Started
Start by joining well-regarded house sitting platforms to find opportunities. A positive track record, evidenced by good reviews and solid references, will open doors to more assignments. Networking within the house sitting community online can also provide insights, tips, and direct leads to new jobs.
3. Survey Filling As A Side Hustle to Start in 2024
Filling out surveys is a convenient way for some, to make extra money just by expressing your views on different subjects, products, and services, all from the ease of your own home.
Understanding Online Survey Participation
This side hustle involves completing digital questionnaires for market research companies. These organisations use your feedback to help shape future products, services, and marketing strategies, making your opinion directly influence consumer markets.
Potential Earnings for Online Survey Participants
How much you get paid for surveys depends on how long they take and the platform you use. Payments can be low for quick surveys and higher for detailed ones. While it won’t substitute for a regular job, it can offer a little extra money.
Top 3 Platforms for Online Surveys
LifePoints: This platform rewards you for surveys and mini-polls, offering points redeemable for PayPal credits or gift cards.
Opinion Outpost: Known for quick surveys about products and advertising, with rewards including cash and gift cards.
Pinecone Research: Offers higher pay per survey for feedback on new products. Membership is by invitation, adding an exclusive aspect to its surveys.
How to Be a Survey Filler Without Getting Scammed
Choose reputable platforms: Stick with well-known and trusted survey sites. Research reviews and ratings to ensure their legitimacy.
Never pay to join: Legitimate survey sites do not require payment to sign up. Avoid any platform asking for fees to access surveys.
Read the Terms and Conditions: Understand how your data will be used and how rewards are issued. This helps set realistic expectations.
Keep personal information private: Be cautious about sharing sensitive personal information. Legitimate surveys typically don’t need details beyond basic demographics.
Set up a separate email account: To manage survey invitations efficiently and keep them separate from your personal emails.
4. Launching Your Side Hustle as an Airbnb Host in 2024
Getting into Airbnb Hosting
Listing your unoccupied room or house on Airbnb for short-term rentals could be the key to another great and relatively consistent stream of revenue. Here, you tap into digital platforms to link you with temporary tenants, so you’re making money from letting them stay at your empty living quarters.
Earnings Snapshot for UK Hosts
In the UK, the amount you can earn from hosting varies widely. Hosts can expect to make a daily average around £173, with a typical occupancy rate hovering at 55%. Over a year, this could mean that you’re getting anything between £8,100 and £20,440. So, it can really be a lucrative side hustle.
Kickstarting Your Airbnb Hosting Journey
To become a host, start by:
Space Preparation: Your available room or property should be inviting and guest-ready. This might involve sprucing up the decor, ensuring functionality of home essentials, or a thorough cleaning.
Create the account on Airbnb: Set up your profile with the necessary details and documents so you can start listinng your space, set prices, and use quality photos to show off your property.
Understand the rules: Check your local laws about short-term renting, like the 90-day limit for rentals in London.
Make your listing stand out: Use clear photos and a good description to attract guests. Look at similar local listings to price yours competitively.
Where Do UK Regulations and Tax Come In?
Using the Rent-a-Room Scheme allows you to earn up to £7,500 a year, without paying tax on that income. This applies on conditions where you’re renting out part of your main property. Alternatively, deducting legitimate business expenses can reduce your taxable income. It’s really important that hosts keep all records safe, for tax purposes. Hosts making more than £85,000 in annual Airbnb income would have to go register for VAT.
5. Starting as a Virtual Assistant in 2024 As A Side Job
What’s a Virtual Assistant (VA)?
A Virtual Assistant (VA) helps with admin, tech, or creative tasks for clients from home. They manage emails, plan schedules, handle customer questions, and more, for businesses or individual entrepreneurs. This job is getting more popular because it offers flexibility and doesn’t require being in an office.
Different VA Types
Website management: This position involves virtual assistants handling online business operations including answering to customer inquiries, fulfilling orders, and updating the site.
General Office Admin: Here, VAs handle phone scheduling, calendar management, data input, and making sure the workplace runs smoothly.
Blogging: Virtual assistants oversee blog content, manage social media platforms, and optimise SEO to increase reach and engagement.
Social Media Management: In this role, they create engaging content, schedule posts using management tools, and monitor trends to promote brands effectively.
Accounting: Specialised virtual assistants manage bookkeeping, handle invoices, and prepare financial statements for businesses.
Project Management: They lead project teams, plan costs, and ensure projects are completed within budget and on time.
Data Entry: This job involves transcribing information into databases, managing sales figures, and ensuring data accuracy.
Bookkeeping: Virtual assistants manage day-to-day financial transactions, including payroll and invoice generation.
Customer Service: They handle inquiries, resolve issues, and ensure customer satisfaction.
Virtual Receptionist: Similar to traditional receptionists, but performed remotely, managing calls and emails for businesses.
How Much VAs Earn in the UK
Virtual Assistants’ pay varies a lot based on their skills and job types. Indeed says the average pay is £13.54 per hour in the UK, but if you’re really good at something special, you could earn more.
How to Become a VA
Learning Skills: You don’t need specific qualifications, but knowing your way around computers, having good chat skills, and being organised are key. Think about doing some online courses to get better at these.
Getting Experience: It’s helpful if you’ve worked in an office before, but not essential. This experience can give you a head start in managing tasks and communicating well.
Setting Up: Decide what work you’ll do and how much you’ll charge. You’ll need a decent computer and internet. If your work requires it, you might also need extra tech or software.
Looking for Work: Use online platforms for VAs or freelancing sites to find clients. A good portfolio and positive feedback from clients can help you find more and better-paid work.
Promoting Yourself: Make a website or use social media to show off what you can do. Connecting with other VAs and potential clients is also a smart move.
Recognising Your Legal and Tax Duties in the UK
VAs are to stick to tax requirements. You have to register with HMRC as a limited company or as a sole trader, depending on the nature of your firm. When handling sensitive data, familiarity with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is essential. For liability protection, professional indemnity insurance is also a good idea.
Other Popular Side Hustles To Think About
- Adding your car to Uber
- Managing and running Youtuber channels
- Dropshipping
- Website design
- Freelance graphic designing
- Create and sell your own handmade goods
- Start a podcast
- Offer services like car washing and detailing
- Sell digital products
- Test apps and websites
Source: What Are 2024’s Most Popular Side Hustles? – TechRound
