Making extra money on the side has never been more accessible. Whether you want to boost your savings, cover rising living costs, or slowly build a long-term business, there are countless ways to earn income alongside your main job. The challenge now isn’t finding opportunities — it’s choosing the ones that genuinely fit your lifestyle, skills, and earning goals.
Below are seven tried-and-tested side ventures that real people are using to bring in meaningful, consistent income.
1. Delivering parcels or takeaways
Delivery work continues to be one of the most popular flexible income streams. Platforms like Amazon Flex, Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo let you choose when you work and how often. All you need is a car, scooter, or bike — and the right insurance.
This is important: you need hire and reward insurance for delivery and private hire use to legally earn money on the road. Standard personal vehicle insurance won’t cover you while you’re transporting goods or passengers for income, so make sure this is sorted before your first shift.
Once you’re set up, delivery work can become a comfortable, low-stress way to earn on your own schedule.
2. Renting out a spare room or storage space
If you have a spare room, loft space, or even part of a garage you barely use, you could turn it into a passive income source. Renting rooms to lodgers is still one of the most profitable side hustles in the UK, thanks to the Rent a Room Scheme, which lets you earn up to £7,500 tax-free each year.
Even if you don’t want someone living with you, storage rental platforms let you earn money by letting people store boxes, bikes, luggage, or equipment in your unused space.
3. Freelancing your professional skills
Whether you’re a designer, copywriter, developer, translator, analyst, video editor, or admin expert, freelancing gives you the freedom to work for clients in your own time. Many people start with a single project per month before eventually turning freelancing into a core income stream.
The demand for flexible, skilled freelancers is at an all-time high, especially in marketing, AI content editing, data analysis, and web development. The best part? You set your rates.
4. Selling items online or flipping second-hand goods
Platforms like eBay, Vinted, Facebook Marketplace and Depop make it incredibly simple to sell unwanted items. But the real earning potential comes from flipping — buying undervalued products and reselling them at a profit.
People successfully flip:
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Clothing
- Collectibles
- Small appliances
It’s low risk, low cost, and surprisingly fun once you develop an eye for value.
5. Becoming a private tutor
Tutoring has quietly become one of the most lucrative part-time jobs. If you’re strong in maths, English, science, music, coding, or even driving theory, there’s a huge demand for support — both online and in person.
Parents value flexible, personalised lessons, and tutors can earn anywhere from £15 to £50 an hour depending on subject and experience.
6. Running a small online service business
Many side hustlers start profitable mini-businesses offering practical services such as:
- Cleaning
- Dog walking
- Garden maintenance
- Car valeting
- Personal organising
- Laundry or ironing services
These require little to no upfront investment, and you can grow the workload at your own pace. Word-of-mouth referrals alone can keep your week full once you build trust with your clients.
7. Creating digital content or products
If you enjoy being creative, digital products offer unlimited earning potential with minimal overheads. Popular options include:
- E-books
- Online courses
- Canva templates
- Notion dashboards
- Stock photos or video clips
- Social media content packs
Unlike service-based side hustles, digital products can generate income even when you’re not actively working, making them one of the most scalable side ventures.
Final Thoughts
Side income doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to take over your life. The best ventures are the ones that naturally fit into your weekly routine and offer earnings that feel worthwhile for the time you put in.
Whether you decide to deliver parcels, rent out storage space, tutor students, or build a digital product empire, the most important thing is choosing a venture that you genuinely enjoy — because consistency is where the real earning power comes from.