7 Side Hustles That Made Me $1,000/Month (And How You Can Start Today)

When I started my side hustle journey 5 years ago, I didn’t have a plan, mentor, or even a decent laptop. What I had was the desire to stop living paycheck to paycheck and start building real, flexible income streams.

Fast forward to today—I consistently earn over $1,000/month from a blend of side hustles that anyone (yes, even you) can start with little to no money.

Let me break down the 7 side hustles that helped me get there—and how you can jump in today.

💡 1. Freelance Writing ($400–$700/mo)

What I Did:

Started on Fiverr and Upwork offering blog writing, SEO content, and product descriptions.

Why It Worked:

Every business needs content. I wrote fast and focused on niches like finance and tech.

How You Can Start:

Pick a niche you enjoy or have experience in.

Create a simple writing portfolio on Vocal, Medium, or your own blog.

Offer $5–$10 gigs to get reviews—then raise your rates.

🛠 Tools: Grammarly, Hemingway App, Google Docs

💻 2. Selling Digital Products on Etsy ($200–$500/mo)

What I Did:

Created printable planners, social media templates, and digital stickers.

Why It Worked:

Digital products require zero shipping, and they sell while you sleep.

How You Can Start:

Use Canva or Adobe Express to design templates.

Open an Etsy shop and write SEO-optimized product titles/descriptions.

Promote on Pinterest or TikTok for free traffic.

🛠 Tools: Canva, Creative Market, Everbee (Etsy research tool)

📸 3. Print-on-Demand Merch ($100–$300/mo)

What I Did:

Uploaded t-shirt and mug designs to Redbubble, TeePublic, and Merch by Amazon.

Why It Worked:

No inventory. You get paid per sale. If a design goes viral—cha-ching.

How You Can Start:

Niche down: Think "funny nurse shirts" or "cat mom quotes."

Use Canva or Kittl to design.

Upload to 2–3 platforms for exposure.

🛠 Tools: Canva, Kittl, Merch Informer

🎥 4. YouTube Faceless Channel ($100–$400/mo in 6 months)

What I Did:

Created YouTube videos in the motivation and finance niche using stock footage and AI voiceovers.

Why It Worked:

Monetized after a few viral shorts and now it brings passive ad revenue.

How You Can Start:

Pick a niche: facts, top 10s, finance, or affirmations.

Use Pexels, Pixabay, and CapCut to edit.

Upload consistently, optimize titles, and use shorts to grow fast.

🛠 Tools: CapCut, Canva, Pexels, ChatGPT (for scripts)

📖 5. Publishing on Vocal Media ($50–$200/mo)

What I Did:

Wrote listicles, emotional stories, and challenge entries. Vocal pays per read + bonuses.

Why It Worked:

I wrote SEO content with catchy titles, promoted my stories on Reddit and Twitter, and entered Vocal Challenges.

How You Can Start:

Create your Vocal Media profile.

Write emotional or informative stories (like this one!).

Add SEO tags, use engaging titles, and submit to challenges.

🛠 Tools: ChatGPT, AnswerThePublic, Google Trends

💰 6. Affiliate Marketing ($50–$300/mo)

What I Did:

Shared affiliate links for tools I actually used (like Canva and Grammarly) in my blog posts and YouTube descriptions.

Why It Worked:

It’s honest. People trusted my reviews and bought through my links.

How You Can Start:

Join free programs: Amazon Associates, Canva Affiliate, ShareASale.

Create honest content—tutorials, reviews, or listicles.

Share links in your Vocal stories or social bios.

🛠 Tools: Bitly (for short links), Canva, Notion (to track links)

🛒 7. Flipping Items on Facebook Marketplace ($100–$300/mo)

What I Did:

Bought cheap or free furniture, painted them, and sold locally.

Why It Worked:

Low cost. High markup. Plus, people love trendy, repurposed stuff.

How You Can Start:

Check “Free” listings daily.

Clean, paint, and take quality photos.

List with clear pricing and fast replies.

🛠 Tools: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp

🔁 Final Thoughts: Start Small, Stack Big

You don’t have to do all seven. Start with one, master it, and add others over time. The trick is consistency, smart reinvestment, and learning from every “fail.”

[Kevin]