10 Creative Side Hustles That Make Real Money

It’s that time of year again—Thanksgiving!

What’s particularly fascinating about this year’s collection is the blend of traditional services reimagined for the digital age alongside completely novel business ideas.

This is the 7th installment of the series, so I encourage you to check out the previous episodes if you like this format, make sure to grab the full playlist here.

Here are the past editions if you want to see them individually:

Let’s talk about this year’s most innovative money-making ideas!

Table of Contents show

1. Mobile Gift Wrapping

Michelle Hensley has grown her business NiftyPackage.co to an impressive $300,000 a year operation.

After losing her husband at age 50, Michelle needed to reinvent herself professionally. She combined her gift basket expertise with the idea of mobile gift wrapping services—bringing the wrapping to customers’ homes.

The business took off after landing some high-profile clients, including Too Faced Cosmetics and even the Kardashians.

Michelle now offers corporate gift wrap teams nationwide and is moving into franchising. For a solo operator, she estimates potential earnings of $30,000-50,000 during the holiday season, with typical wrapping fees around $25 per gift.

She offers a free mini-course to teach you her gift framework, as well as her book, Master the Business of Mobile Gift Wrapping: Where Creativity Meets Convenience.

You can reach Michelle at michelle@niftypackage.co or call 714-863-6058 to learn more about her services or franchising opportunities.

2. Print on Demand Candles

Francisco Rivera found an innovative twist on the print-on-demand business model by focusing on customized candles.

Starting his Etsy shop in early 2023, he generated over $450,000 in sales his first year, with 30-50% profit margins.

Using Printify as his fulfillment partner, Francisco creates eye-catching labels in Canva for neutral-colored organic candles. The business requires just 20 minutes of daily maintenance, though he actively works on creating new designs to stay ahead of copycats.

For other unique print-on-demand products, Printify’s catalog includes pickleball sets, baby onesies, and Christmas ornaments.

3. Pay What You Want Poetry

Jon McCallum of JM Street Poetry has turned sidewalk poetry into a thriving business. Armed with a vintage typewriter, he writes custom poems for passersby who pay whatever they feel is appropriate—ranging from $1 to $100 per poem.

Jon has expanded into corporate events and weddings, where he provides live poetry sessions for guests. Follow him on Instagram @jmstreetpoetry.

4. Virtual Mechanic

Chris Pyle proves you don’t need a physical garage to make money fixing cars. Through JustAnswer.com, he earns around $14,000 monthly helping people diagnose and solve their automotive problems remotely.

Starting as a side hustle in 2006 while working as a Ford transmission tech, Chris made $500 his first month answering questions after work. He now works 40-60 hours weekly solving mechanical problems.

The platform offers expert opportunities in various fields beyond mechanics, including law, medicine, finance, dream interpretation, etiquette, and more.

5. High-End Dorm Room Design

@marymargaretdesigns
BEYOND excited about how this dorm turned out for my sweet clients…. Completely fabulous!!!!! 🩷💙✨ #fabulous #dorms #dormlife #dormroom #dormroomdecor #dorminspo #interiordesign #interiordesigntiktok foryoupage #foryoupage #southernliving #mississippi #south #CapCut #senioryear #foryou #dormdecor #hottytoddy #olemiss #sec #football #gorebs #dawgs #college #southernliving #insideedition #HGTV #gma @Camille @Ms. Magazine @Garden & Gun Magazine @snobleart @TODAY with Hoda & Jenna @TODAY @TODAY Show @Good Morning America @Reese Witherspoon

♬ original sound – MaryMargaretdesigns

Shelly Gates, a fourth-grade teacher in Mississippi, has created a lucrative niche with her custom dorm room design business, Mary Margaret Designs. What started as decorating her daughter’s college room has evolved into a high-end service generating up to $20,000-30,000 per project.

Shelly provides comprehensive “turnkey” rooms, handling everything from custom pieces to practical items like light bulbs and cleaning supplies. She even coordinates move-in day with professional movers. The business has grown so successful that she’s already exceeded her teaching salary and plans to transition to it full-time.

Check out her designs on Instagram @marymargaretdesigns_ and TikTok @marymargaretdesigns.

6. Virtual Home Video Studio Design

Kevin Shen (@thekevinshen) has carved out a unique niche helping people create professional home video studios—completely virtually. He charges $8,000 per client for his consulting services, which include detailed equipment recommendations, lighting setup, and ongoing support.

His client roster reads like a who’s who of online business personalities, including Sam and Shaan from My First Million, Steph Smith, Jay Clouse, and Ryan Deiss. Kevin also offers a more accessible $500 self-serve course at DreamStudioCourse.com.

7. Furniture Repair

Nathan Voelz turned traditional furniture repair into a mobile service with his business Fresh Furniture MKE.

Instead of requiring customers to transport heavy furniture to a shop, Nathan brings his expertise directly to their homes, completing most repairs in under an hour.

Nathan found success by sourcing parts locally instead of waiting weeks for overseas shipments, establishing relationships with suppliers, and maintaining a strong Google Business presence. He credits NiceJob for helping manage his online reputation effectively.

8. Trailer Rental Business

@trailerhustle
#fyp #howmuch #money #profit #trailerrental #50dollarclub #trailerhustle #fyppp #entewpreneur #hustle #work #pj #trailerrenting #trailersidehustle #trailerbusiness #business #trailerrentalbusiness #thankyou #omg #epic #viral

♬ original sound – trailerhustle

Justin Martin of Jacksonville, FL built a profitable business renting out flatbed trailers for hauling furniture, vehicles, and equipment.

Starting with a single flatbed trailer earning $2,000 to $3,000 monthly, he’s expanded his fleet to include various equipment-hauling trailers with weekly rates from $300-750.

Initial investment costs typically range from $2,000 to $5,000 per trailer, with a break-even point after 7-10 rentals. Justin budgets approximately $100 per trailer monthly for maintenance, including tire replacement and strap repairs.

Check out his operation at RCRJax.com and follow his journey @trailerhustle on TikTok. Justin is now helping others start similar businesses through TrailerHustle.com.

Other successful rental business ideas include mobility scooters, portable hot tubs, and moving boxes.

9. TV Mounting

Sina Omosowon turned his TV mounting side hustle into a $30,000 monthly business operating in the Washington DC area under the brand Shine. Starting in 2019 while pursuing his Ph.D., he learned the trade through YouTube tutorials and hands-on experience.

Building a strong reputation on Thumbtack with over 1,000 five-star reviews, Sina became so efficient he can now mount a TV in just 15 minutes. The business has grown so successful that when faced with choosing between his Ph.D. field of plant evolution and food crop production or his mounting business, he chose entrepreneurship, expanding to serve customers in Chicago and Indiana.

10. Guinea Pig Cages

At just 17 years old, Bella Lin runs GuineaLoft, specializing in see-through customizable pet enclosures (guinea pigs, chinchillas, rabbits, and other small pets). Working 20 hours weekly while in high school, she averages $34,000 monthly in sales with a 25% profit margin.

Starting with a $2,000 investment in prototypes, Bella sold out her first 100 units in weeks on Amazon.

She identified a gap in the market from her own experience as a pet owner and created innovative solutions like biodegradable, replaceable cage bottoms (solving a common pet cage cleaning challenge) that drive repeat purchases.

What’s particularly impressive is that this isn’t Bella’s first entrepreneurial venture. She previously ran a leggings brand that generated $300,000 in revenue in 2020, but pivoted to the pet market after recognizing the opportunity for true innovation in the space.

Honorable Mentions

Silly Stories for Kids: Sam Ramsden turned bedtime stories into a podcast generating 700,000 downloads in its first year. His show monetizes through annual memberships ($20-50) on Buy Me A Coffee.
Live Plant Sales: Leena Pettigrew sold $150,000 worth of houseplants in her first year through the live shopping app Palmstreet.
Professional Whistleblower: A unique opportunity in New York City allows citizens to earn 25% of fines issued to idling vehicles, creating a micro-economy of environmental watchdogs.
Puzzle Solutions: Started a website providing answers to newspaper puzzles, earning $5,000+ per month.

These creative entrepreneurs show that with the right combination of problem-solving, market awareness, and execution, there are endless possibilities for turning unique ideas into profitable side hustles.

What innovative business might you start in 2024?

Episode Links

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