I Tried 3 TikTok Side Hustles for a Week — The Results Were Shockingly Real

The TikTok Hustle Obsession

If you’ve spent more than five minutes scrolling TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen creators promising “easy money hacks” that look too good to be true. One day it’s “make $500 a day with Canva templates” , the next it’s “AI tools that earn money while you sleep”.

Honestly, I got tired of just watching. So I did something crazy: I decided to test three TikTok side hustles in real life for seven days — no filters, no fake screenshots, no fluff. Just me, my phone, Wi-Fi, and a whole lot of curiosity.

Were the results scammy? Shocking? Real? Let’s just say… you might want to read this before jumping into your next TikTok-inspired hustle.

Hustle 1: Selling Digital Products on Etsy

The first side hustle I tried was Etsy digital products , which TikTok claims is “passive income heaven.”

The idea is simple: you create digital downloads (planners, resume templates, budget trackers), list them on Etsy, and boom — money hits your PayPal while you sleep.

So I hopped on Canva (thanks to those endless tutorials), designed a few digital planners, and uploaded them to Etsy. TikTokers made it look like sales would pour in overnight… but reality check?

• Day 1: Crickets.
• Day 2: One view.
• Day 3: My first sale — $4.99.

By the end of the week, I made $26 . Not millionaire money, but here’s the truth: once the product is uploaded, it keeps selling without extra effort. I finally understood why TikTok calls this the “lazy hustle that scales.”

Hustle 2: TikTok Affiliate Links

Next up: the affiliate link hustle . This one is everywhere — people claiming they earn “ $300 a day just sharing Amazon finds.”

Here’s how it works: you sign up for Amazon Associates or another affiliate program, grab special links, and post videos showing products. If people click and buy, you get a cut.

I made a short TikTok reviewing a trending product (a smart water bottle that lights up when it’s time to drink). The video didn’t go viral, but within days I had 300 views and 2 sales , giving me a whopping $8.60 commission.

Here’s what surprised me: you don’t need millions of followers. TikTok’s algorithm pushes content to strangers if it’s interesting. That means even small creators can earn. And since affiliate links cost nothing to start, this hustle is beginner-friendly and trending hard in 2025 .

Hustle 3: AI-Powered Content Creation

Finally, I had to try the big one: AI hustles . TikTok is drowning in videos about ChatGPT, MidJourney, and AI automation that “print money.”

I picked creating AI-generated coloring books to sell on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). Using free AI tools, I whipped up a batch of designs, formatted them, and uploaded them to Amazon.

The catch? Amazon takes time to approve listings, so I didn’t see sales instantly. But by Day 7, one book sold for $6.99 , and I pocketed about $2 in royalties.

It wasn’t instant riches, but the potential felt real . AI isn’t just a trend — it’s becoming the backbone of new income streams. And TikTok knows how to hype it.

What I Learned (And What TikTok Doesn’t Tell You)

After testing all three, here’s my honest take:

They’re not scams. Each hustle can work — but not as fast as TikTok makes it seem.

You need consistency. One week is nothing. The people making serious money have been at it for months.

AI is the biggest trend. If you’re going to pick one hustle in 2025, AI-powered content creation is the most scalable.

And here’s the golden truth: TikTok is more about inspiration than step-by-step instruction. It gives you the idea, but you’ve got to do the hard (sometimes boring) work yourself.

Trending Hustles I Didn’t Try (Yet)

While testing these three, I kept stumbling on other viral hustles blowing up right now:

Dropshipping with TikTok Shop (people are selling $10 gadgets and making thousands).

Pinterest Affiliate Marketing (yes, Pinterest is back and hotter than ever).

YouTube Shorts faceless channels (AI voices + stock videos = passive ad revenue).

These are the next ones I’m eyeing. Because if there’s one thing TikTok proves, it’s that new money hacks are popping up daily.

Final Thoughts: Shockingly Real (But Not Magic)

So, were the results “shockingly real”? Honestly — yes. I made about $37 in one week from TikTok side hustles. That’s not life-changing money, but it’s proof these aren’t fake.

Would I quit my job for them? Not yet. But as extra income streams , they’re worth exploring.

The truth is, TikTok isn’t lying — but it’s also not telling you how much grind goes into turning $37 into $3,700. That’s the part they skip.

Still, if you’re curious and have Wi-Fi, there’s never been a crazier, trendier time to experiment.

Because let’s face it: if people are getting rich by posting water bottles and AI doodles, what’s stopping you from testing the next viral hustle? 😉