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Before the internet existed, people who wanted to earn extra money might have walked dogs, shoveled driveways, or sold Cutco knives on the weekends. Once we connected ourselves digitally, the gig economy expanded: You could drive for Uber, shop for Instacart, or sell handmade crafts on Etsy.
Today, people are taking on all sorts of bizarre side hustles, and the possibilities seem almost endless. You can earn money for waiting in a long line, hire yourself out as an unflappable bridesmaid, or rent out your enviable backyard to city people. You can make charcuterie boards or gourmet dog treats. You can even be part of a fake “e-jury,” earning $5-$10 per verdict to help lawyers prepare for trials.
So what?
With inflation driving up the cost of living, side hustles are an essential safety net for many Americans: According to a March survey by LendingTree, 1 in 3 people has a side hustle, and 61% of them say their life would be unaffordable without it.
But side hustles don't have to be side jobs, at least not in the traditional sense. Nowadays it's as much about finding untapped value as adding on to a 40-hour work week. You might have a spare room or a spacious garage you're not using. You might be great at keeping your cool in stressful situations. Or you might just have opinions, time, or companionship you're willing to share.
In other words, if you're looking to make extra income, ask yourself: Do you have something others would be willing to pay for? The unconventional options below show all sorts of things can be monetized.
You could hire yourself out to…
• Wait in line: On TaskRabbit, people in New York City are charging north of $35 an hour to save spots for people trying to snag a limited-edition product, dinner reservation, or entry to an exclusive event. If you don't mind standing, it's not a bad way to earn some extra cash — and potentially get to those phone calls and emails you're behind on.
• Talk to people: Cambly pays people $10-$12 an hour to chat online with someone in another country trying to learn English. According to Cambly's site, you don't need any prior teaching experience because you're just serving as a practice partner.
• Share your opinion: Some online focus groups pay more than $100 for two hours of your time. Working for eJury.com isn't nearly as lucrative, but if you find that sort of thing interesting anyway, you might as well make a bit of money off it.
• Use your skills: If you know a lot about an in-demand field, there may be any number of online opportunities. Training AI models in specific fields (think medical, legal) can pay $75 to $200 an hour. Online tutoring often pays at least $15-$18 an hour.
You could rent out your…
• Yard: Sniffspot claims you can earn up to $3,000 a month renting out your outdoor space to dog owners looking to give their dogs a little more fresh air and adventure. You set the hourly rate and don't even have to be home, according to the site.
• Pool: Swimply is the same idea, but you rent out your pool for $25 to $100 an hour.
• House: If you happen to live near a hot-ticket event — like the FIFA World Cup or Sundance Film Festival — you may be able to rent out your house, or even just your driveway, to the flood of out-of-towners desperate for a home base during the event. Airbnb said the typical host in the 16 cities that hosted the World Cup this year earned $3,000.
• Car: You don't have to be an Uber driver to make money with your car. Apps like Turo will connect you with people looking to rent your vehicle. Turo says its hosts earn an average of $874 a month.
Related Reading
How to Get Started With 7 AI Side Hustles That Dominate in 2026 (MoneyLion via Yahoo Finance)
Most Americans View Rising Living Costs as Biggest Barrier to a Better Life, Survey Finds (The Guardian)
Summer Side Hustles That Don't Feel Like a Hustle (SoFi)
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