Enterprising organizations and highly motivated individuals use the fourth quarter to get a head start on the new year ahead. This is particularly true of side hustles, where strategic planning can lead to lucrative opportunities. With many people looking for ways to supplement their income or explore new passions, a new year offers a perfect chance to get ahead of your finances. Here are 15 clever side hustles you didn’t think to try before 2025. From creating unique online matchmaking services to crafting personalized pet food, capitalize on market gaps and pursue your interests on a path to the bag.
Create A Local Guide For Tourists
In the same vein, leverage your connection to your community to create a local guide for tourists. If you live in a hotspot, a lucrative side hustle can be curating hidden spots like secret bars, clubs, and restaurants that only locals know. Use Google Maps to build shareable custom lists, grow a presence on Instagram or TikTok, or monetize exclusive travel content through a Patreon subscription. For passive income, sell a downloadable PDF guide on platforms like Gumroad or Etsy, making it easy for travelers to access your recommendations on the go.
Cultural Travel Consulting
With the demand for culturally aware travel experiences growing, you could offer custom consulting for clients interested in connecting with Black culture and heritage when traveling. This could involve recommending Black-owned accommodations, cultural tours, and local businesses. It’s an ideal side hustle that not only promotes cultural pride but also supports Black-owned establishments in tourism, especially for travelers who value culturally enriching experiences.
Ancestry Research Services
Genealogy research has become popular, especially as people seek to understand their roots and heritage. This could be a meaningful side hustle, helping people trace their family history and reconnect with ancestry. You could offer personalized research, help interpret DNA results, and share insights on Black history and lineage. This approach to ancestry research can provide people with a unique and emotional connection to their past while highlighting the significance of Black history.
Online Match Making
Many Black singles report feelings of isolation and frustration with mainstream dating apps, where bias can lead to fewer matches and lower engagement rates compared to their white counterparts. As a matchmaker, you could create a tailored service addressing these specific dating needs. Personalized consultations and community-building events could help clients connect in meaningful ways, fostering relationships that resonate with their cultural backgrounds and values.
Rent Baby Supplies Like Strollers And Car Seats
You’ve likely heard of Airbnb and Turo, online services that allow you to rent your home and cars, but have you heard of Baby Quip? This is a popular service for traveling families to rent car seats, strollers, cribs, and other items from local providers who rent out their gear and deliver them directly to customers. Make life easier and pad your pockets by getting in on this growing trend.
Make And Sell Healthy Pet Food
As birth rates continue to decline, kid-free people are investing more in their pets than ever before. Creating and selling healthy pet food is an in-demand side hustle, especially as more pet owners seek nutritious, natural options for their furry friends. To get in on this, research pet-safe ingredients, consult with veterinarians for balanced recipes, and source organic or high-quality produce. You can promote your offerings on a website, social media, or local pet shops. Also, consider opening an Etsy shop or tapping into local farmers’ markets to build a loyal customer base.
Pet Sitting/Dog Walking
Pet sitting and dog walking pair perfectly with the healthy pet food side hustle, letting you offer more holistic pet care. By providing nutritious meals and reliable pet care, you’ll become a go-to for local pet owners who value high-quality services. Combining both services can build customer loyalty, allowing you to offer add-ons like custom meal plans, scheduled feedings, or treat deliveries for extra income.
Start Your Own Wine Label
Turn your boozy passion into a payday and start your own wine label. Partner with a custom crush facility or “white-label” winery, which allows you to craft a unique wine blend and handle production without owning a vineyard. Tap into local vineyards or wineries to bottle your label using resources like Crushpad or Wine Foundry. Market through social media or become a vendor on VinoShipper online marketplace.
Write And Sell A Fiction Novel
People often go viral on social media with skits and fabricated drama. Instead of just focusing on that, they could channel their creativity into writing non-fiction books for passive income. Platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark make self-publishing easy, allowing you to reach a global audience. You can promote your book on social media in the same way; just remember to include your book link in the comments.
Sell Your Voice As a VO Artist
Have you ever received compliments about your voice? If so, you might consider becoming a voice-over (VO) artist for audiobooks, commercials, video games, and online content. To get started, create demo reels in popular VO categories, such as narration or character voices. You can find opportunities on platforms like Voices.com, Fiverr, and Audible’s ACX, which connect you with clients looking for various voice styles. With practice and the right equipment, voice-over work can provide a flexible source of income.
Become A Tutor
Offering tutoring, especially to underserved communities, can make a significant impact by bridging educational gaps. You could specialize in subjects that support students from various backgrounds, such as test preparation or culturally relevant history and literature. By including empowerment and confidence-building, a tutoring business could address both academic needs and cultural affirmation
Test Apps
Put your money where your mouth is and use your opinions to good use testing apps. Make extra income by providing feedback on usability, design, and functionality. Platforms like UserTesting, PlaytestCloud, and TryMyUI pay you to test websites and apps, offering a range of projects and clients. Tests usually involve completing specific tasks while recording your screen and providing verbal feedback, with payments typically ranging from $10 to $60 per test.
Become a “standardized patient”
Medical schools and teaching hospitals hire standardized patients to simulate real-world scenarios, helping students practice patient interactions, diagnosis, and communication skills. Typically, you’re paid per session, with rates varying based on the scenario’s complexity and duration. Check with local universities or medical institutions for standardized patient opportunities in your area.
Open Etsy shop
Platforms like Etsy offer a marketplace for culturally inspired crafts, art, and jewelry, which are in demand for their personal significance and unique beauty. Black creators can explore selling Afrocentric designs, jewelry, clothing, or home decor that celebrates Black culture, history, or spirituality. Culturally resonant products have a loyal customer base and are perfect for sharing personal artistic expressions rooted in Black heritage while reaching a global audience.
Drop shipping
If you’ve ever wanted to start a clothing line or have a brand that needs merch, look into drop shipping. This low-risk side hustle lets you sell products without holding any inventory. Partnering with suppliers through platforms like Shopify and Spring is a great way to explore e-commerce without large financial commitments.
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Source: NewsOne