Side Hustles That Cost Money to Start

Side hustles are a great way to boost your income, build some new skills or test out a business idea without having to quit your day job. There are many lists out there that shout out about 0 cost side gigs, but the reality is that some of the more rewarding or scalable ones require some upfront investment. It doesn’t have to be an investment that breaks the bank, but it’s smart to know what you’re getting into before you dive in. 

And yes, if cash is tight, some people do turn to funding options or even explore things like the top payday loan affiliate program. As a way to earn commissions while recommending financial tools. But this article isn’t necessarily about promoting those, but about the side hustles that need a bit more cash than you expect. Here are a few to consider:

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1. Freelance Photography. If you’ve got a knife for composition and access to a decent camera, photography is a great creative side hustle. There is always an initial cost with the equipment and editing software that you’d need, but it also helps to invest in a portfolio, website, and maybe a bit of marketing. If you’re looking for paid gigs, sharpening your skills with courses can also be important. That said, once you’re set up, the returns can be impressive, especially for events, portraits or local business content.
2. Selling handmade products. If you’re crafty, think candles, jewellery, soap or art, selling handmade goods online is satisfying and potentially profitable as a side hustle. You’ll need to buy supplies, of course, with packaging materials and possibly pay fees to list your products on platforms like Etsy or Shopify. Creating a small batch to test your product is usually very smart and less risky as a place to begin. Make sure that you budget for postage and branding if you want to turn your hobby into something more professional.
3. Print on demand. Unlike traditional product businesses out there, you don’t have to buy tons of inventory upfront with print on demand or drop shipping. There are still start up costs like your website paying for a domain and hosting and potentially spending on design software. You also may consider spending money on ads to drive your traffic. It’s these businesses that can take time to build, and while the idea of making money in your sleep is appealing, it usually begins with investing a bit of money and time.
4. Online courses. If you’ve got skills or knowledge that people are willing to pay to learn, creating an online course or offering coaching sessions can help you as a revenue stream. Before you can sell anything, you might need a good microphone, video editing software, a course platform, and a website to promote yourself. It’s of course not the cheapest of site hustles to begin with, but it can scale nicely once you’re set up.

Side hustles with a price tag are not automatically bad, they just need a little bit of planning. If you go in with a clear budget and realistic goals, that small investment can pay off many times over. Just make sure that the hustle fits your life and your wallet.