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If you’ve always dreamed about quitting the rat race and retiring early, you may want to take on a side hustle to help bring in extra money. While a side hustle is usually a part-time job, some side hustles have the potential to turn into a career or business that can provide a significant source of income.
Read on to learn more about early retirement side hustles, including some easy side hustle ideas that could help you secure your financial future.
Key Points
- To retire early, taking on a side hustle can provide extra income to boost long-term financial security and retirement savings.
- Leveraging existing skills and passions to find a side hustle enhances chances of success and enjoyment.
- Many side hustles offer flexibility, require no special equipment, and are easy to start. Examples include online tutoring and pet sitting.
- For individuals with design and web-based skills, graphic design and web development for small businesses may be lucrative side hustles.
- Virtual assistant roles are one of the more recent side hustle opportunities. Virtual assistants support business owners by performing tasks such as customer service, and are in high demand.
Why Are Side Hustles Your Secret Weapon for Early Retirement?
The average retirement age in the U.S. is currently 62, according to a 2024 study from MassMutual.[1] If you are hoping to retire early — in your 50s, say — a side hustle can serve as a tool to help generate extra income.
An early retirement side hustle, which is sometimes referred to as an early retirement job, doesn’t have to involve a lot of time and effort. Even a small side hustle that you do on weekends can give you some extra money you can use to build your retirement accounts. A profitable side hustle may even give you enough funds to set up an additional retirement account — for instance, you could open an IRA — which can add even more money to your retirement savings overall.
The F.I.R.E Movement
The concept of early retirement is so appealing that it has launched movements. For example, the F.I.R.E. movement has attracted a community of people who are looking to retire early. F.I.R.E. stands for “Financial Independence, Retire Early,” and many of its followers hope to retire in their 40s or even their 30s.
The basic idea of the movement is to save a significant amount of your income as a young adult so that you can become financially independent and achieve retirement early. To reach this goal, proponents of F.I.R.E. put 50% to 75% of their income into retirement savings. That can be challenging because after that money is directed to their retirement accounts and their bills are paid, there typically isn’t much left over for fun stuff, like going out to dinner or to the movies.
Individuals planning for early retirement, like those in the F.I.R.E. movement, may find a side hustle especially appealing. It could help them generate extra income for their retirement savings accounts.
19 Easy Side Hustles to Fund Early Retirement
Whether you’re a follower of F.I.R.E. or not, and no matter what your preferred age for early retirement, having a successful side hustle can help you get there faster. Here are some easy jobs for early retirement to consider.
1. Freelance Writing
One of the benefits of having a side hustle is the flexibility to be able to work on your own schedule. If you have a knack for writing, becoming a freelance writer might be a good side hustle for you. With most freelance writing gigs, you can work whenever you like as long as assignments are done by a certain date.
Look for brands or clients who specialize in industries or fields where you already have skills or experience. For instance, if you love to knit, check out opportunities to contribute articles to knitting websites or blogs. Be sure to have examples of your work to share with potential employers so they can see what you are capable of.
2. Online Tutoring
If you’re in college and already thinking about early retirement, good for you! It’s never too soon to start planning and saving for the future. You can even find a side hustle that plays to your current strength — teaching others what you’ve learned in school.
One of the best side hustles for college students is online tutoring. You could tutor other college students or even high school or middle school students. Tutoring can typically be done on evenings or weekends, so you can fit it around your classes.
3. Graphic Design
If you have graphic design skills, another potential side hustle is doing graphic design work for small businesses and individuals. Think about specific services you might be able to offer, such as marketing layout, logo creation, and adding design elements to blogs, videos, or online articles.
Create a portfolio of your design work or set up a website to showcase your work. Then, look for freelance side hustle opportunities on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr.
4. Web Development
In this digital age, web development is another side hustle that can be done remotely, from wherever you are. Many small businesses and individuals need simple websites created and/or maintained for them, and many people don’t know how to do it themselves.
If you work in web development and have the skills and knowledge to create online platforms, you could be just what these clients are looking for. You can show them samples of your work, such as other websites you’ve designed.
5. Virtual Assistant Services
Becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA) is a newer side hustle that has recently increased in popularity. In fact the demand for virtual assistants increased by 35% in 2024, according to market research.[2]
A VA can help a small business by performing tasks like data entry, scheduling, bookkeeping, and customer support so that business owners can focus on their core business. According to one estimate, entrepreneurs gain up to 15 hours a week by using a virtual assistant to perform such tasks.
Some of the industries using virtual assistants are health care, real estate, and e-commerce businesses. You could start your search for a VA side hustle by concentrating on these fields and/or looking for opportunities on Upwork and FlexJobs.
6. Creating and Selling Online Courses
Another side hustle option you might consider if you’re an expert on a particular subject is creating and selling online courses. For example, maybe you’re a talented amateur pastry chef, a photographer, or you’re skilled at DIY home improvement projects. You could create courses showing other people how to achieve some of the things you’ve mastered, whether it’s decorating a cake, taking wedding photos, or remodeling a bathroom.
In fact, you may be able to combine two side hustles in one. If you’re good with plants and flowers, for instance, you might get a side hustle planting gardens for people on weekends, and then create videos to share your tips and tricks with an online audience. That way you’ve got even more money to save for early retirement, perhaps in an investment account.
7. Starting a Blog
A blog can be a way to share your passion or knowledge on a certain subject with others. While many blogs are passion projects where it might be difficult to make a lot of money, it all depends on your subject, how diligent you are with your blog, and how you choose to monetize it.
For example, you could host display ads on your blog (you can talk directly to companies to see if they’d like to advertise with you or use an online advertising platform), write sponsored content, or include affiliate links to products you mention so that you can earn commission whenever a reader clicks on the link and buys the product.
8. Starting a Podcast
If you want to share your knowledge on a topic, and you love to talk and interact with other people, starting a podcast may be a fitting side hustle for you. Podcasts are hugely popular: In the U.S., approximately 158 million people listen to podcasts every month.[3]
Almost anyone can start a podcast. All you need to do is decide on a topic (pick a subject you love to talk about), identify what makes your podcast unique, and determine who your audience is. Next, figure out the format (interview, roundtable, or whatever), and then get ready to start recording. You may be able to produce the podcast using only your computer and some headphones. Finally, decide how you’ll distribute your podcast — via Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and so on.
The amount you can earn by podcasting varies widely. In general, podcasters may earn $25 to $50 per 1,000 downloads.[4]
9. Offering Coaching Services
If you’re an expert in business or in a specific area like fitness or human resources, you may want to explore the idea of launching an online coaching service. You can take the skills you’ve learned and teach them to others during online coaching sessions. You’ll need to determine who your clients might be and develop a coaching program. Then, you can figure out how much to charge for your services.
For instance, if you’ve worked in HR, you might offer your services as a career coach helping people land new jobs or move up the ladder in their current job. Try to pick a topic that will engage an audience and offer them valuable content that they’re willing to pay for.
10. Offering Consulting Services
Like a coaching service, starting a side gig in consulting is a side hustle that can be a good fit for someone with expertise in a given field. For example, maybe you’ve worked as a project manager in construction. You could offer your consulting services to people who are renovating their home and looking for guidance and someone to oversee the job.
Or maybe you’ve worked in the admissions office at a college. You might be able to provide consulting services to people applying to school to earn their degree. Think about what your skills are and what valuable services you can offer to others.
11. Driving for Ride-Sharing or Food Delivery Services
Ride-sharing and food delivery services like Uber, Lyft, Grubhub and DoorDash have become ubiquitous, and these companies are always looking for new drivers. Essentially, all you need is an eligible car, a valid driver’s license, at least a year’s worth of driving experience, and auto insurance.
In 2025, the average hourly pay for a rideshare driver is slightly more than $21, according to ZipRecruiter. Exactly what you can earn depends on where you live and what you earn in tips.[5]
Just be sure to take into account the expenses involved, including gas, and wear and tear on your vehicle.
12. Affiliate or Influencer Marketing
Affiliate and influencer marketing is another popular side hustle today. The job involves promoting products or services on social media or a website and earning a commission or fee for driving sales or audience engagement.
If you have a large social media following or online audience, this may be an avenue to explore. Talk to brands you know and like and see if you might be able to work with them to help promote their products or offerings.
13. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking
Love pets? You could earn extra money by starting a side hustle as a pet sitter or dog walker. Basically, you need to be responsible and good with animals for a job like this. You’ll do such tasks as walk pets, clean up after them, feed them, give them medication if necessary, and possibly stay overnight with them if their owners are out of town.
To find clients, reach out to friends and neighbors who have pets, or join platforms like Wag or Rover to find freelance dog walking and pet sitting opportunities in your area.
14. Renting Out a Spare Room (e.g., Airbnb)
Whether you join Airbnb or rent out a spare room on your own, offering rental space to others can be a lucrative side hustle, especially when it comes to passive income ideas. This is a gig that allows you to earn money for early retirement without requiring a lot of work on your part.
Once you get set up and start renting out your space, your main responsibilities will be vetting prospective renters and maintaining the room or space.
15. Selling Crafts or Handmade Goods Online (e.g., Etsy)
Another platform that you can use to start a good side hustle is Etsy or another similar platform. You can sell almost anything on Etsy, from homemade crafts to jewelry to wedding invitations. The platform does charge fees including processing and transaction fees, but using it can be a good way to reach an audience interested in buying what you’re selling. Over 96 million people are active buyers on Etsy.[6]
16. Testing Websites and Apps
Websites and apps need people to test them to make sure they work properly and provide a good experience. For individuals looking to earn extra income for early retirement, this could be an interesting and flexible side hustle.
The job typically involves evaluating the functionality, usability, and design of digital products before they’re launched. Many companies pay users to perform specific tasks and provide feedback, and report bugs or user-experience issues. This side hustle often requires only basic tech skills.[7]
17. Participating in Online Surveys
There are a number of websites and platforms such as Swagbucks, Opinion Outpost, and MySurvey, that will pay you to fill out online surveys. The surveys can be on just about any topic, and they may be tailored to you based on your interest and demographics. While most surveys don’t pay very much — sometimes just a few dollars per survey and some surveys only offer points that you can eventually redeem for cash — they do offer flexibility since you can do them anytime.[8]
18. Offering Neighborhood Tours
A unique side hustle if you live in an area that tourists like to visit is to become a neighborhood tour guide. For example, if you live in a historic area, a place with a unique heritage, or a locale with interesting geographic landmarks, you may be able to offer your services by giving neighborhood tours to those who are interested.
Be sure to bring your expertise into the equation as well. If you are a foodie or an architecture enthusiast, you could share your passion with others by introducing them to remarkable spots in your area and giving them insider information about each one. Whatever your interest or specialty is, you’ll need to develop a tour itinerary and market it to potential customers.
19. Lawn Mowing or Landscaping Services
Mowing lawns and landscaping yards is one of the original side hustles — it’s one that many of us did as kids. And it can be a lucrative side hustle for adults to earn some easy extra money for early retirement. The average price of mowing a half-acre yard is $50 to $75.[9]
All you need to get started is a lawnmower, a trimmer, and a blower. You can find clients by talking to neighbors, reaching out to friends and family, and going door to door in different neighborhoods near you.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Side Hustle or Career
While there are many potential side hustles to choose from, choosing the right one for you depends largely upon your skills and interests. While it may be possible to succeed in any particular side hustle with enough hard work and determination, picking a side hustle where you already have some experience may set you up for a higher likelihood of success. And the more you like the work you’re doing, the greater the chance you’ll stick with it.
In addition, weigh the potential money you could make with the side hustle against the effort and possible expenses required. If you’ll be putting in hours for a side hustle that doesn’t net you all that much, it probably isn’t worth it. And if you have to buy a lot of extra equipment upfront for a gig that may or may not be successful, you may want to think twice.
How to Integrate Side Hustles Into Your Early Retirement Plan
When you are working at achieving financial freedom, a side hustle can play an important role in helping you reach your goal. Having a job on the side can provide extra money so that you can put more dollars into your retirement accounts or open a new account so that you can reach your retirement goal faster, and potentially with more money.
Plus, if a side hustle becomes very successful, it may be able to help supplement or even replace your income if you quit your “real” job. It might even be something you want to keep doing after you’ve finished saving for retirement because you enjoy it so much.
The Takeaway
When you’re hoping to retire early, a side hustle can help you earn extra money to make that dream a reality. Having the income from a side hustle, along with your salary from your regular full-time job can help you amass more savings so you can retire at a younger age.
With the money you earn from a side hustle, you can contribute more to your retirement accounts or open a new account to help save. The more you can save and invest now, the better your chances of achieving financial security for retirement.
Ready to invest for your retirement? It’s easy to get started when you open a traditional or Roth IRA with SoFi. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).
FAQ
Do I need to find a high-paying side hustle to quit my main career early?
Deciding when you can quit your main career depends on a number of different factors, including your age, your family situation, your financial obligations, and how much you have saved for retirement. If your personal and financial circumstances are right, a side hustle that pays well may help give you enough of a financial cushion to retire early.
How much extra money can a side hustle realistically contribute to my retirement savings?
The amount that a side hustle can contribute to your retirement savings can vary drastically, depending on what the side hustle is and how much time and effort you put into it. But consider this: Money that you earn from a side hustle now and put into a retirement savings account can potentially grow over time, thanks to the power of compounding returns. The sooner you start saving for retirement, the better.
What are some flexible jobs that I can continue even after I retire?
Flexible jobs you can start now and continue in retirement include pet sitting, freelance writing and graphic design, and online coaching and consulting. Each of these jobs offers flexible hours and convenience so that you can work when it suits you best.
What is the best side hustle?
What’s the best side hustle for you depends on your skills, interests, and life situation. The best side hustles are ones you enjoy and that make good use of the skills you have. The best side hustles also pay you enough to make them worth your while and offer flexibility so you can do them when you choose.
What is the easiest side hustle to get into?
Some side hustles are particularly easy to get into. Examples include pet sitting and dog walking, working as a virtual assistant, and renting out a room. With each of these side hustles, you can find money-making opportunities through online platforms so that you don’t have to go out and drum up business yourself. Plus they don’t require special equipment.
Article Sources
- MassMutual. 2024 MassMutual Retirement Happiness Study.
- There Is Talent. Virtual Assistant Statistics 2025: Insights and Trends.
- Podcast Statistics. Podcast Statistics 2025.
- Castmagic. How Much Money Can Podcasters Make? 20 Proven Methods to Make Money.
- ZipRecruiter. Rideshare Driver Salary.
- Business of Apps. Etsy Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025).
- Tester Work. Homepage.
- Indeed. 20 Companies That Will Pay You To Take Surveys Online.
- Jobber. How Much to Charge For Lawn Mowing: Pricing Charts and Formula.
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