10 Scary-Good Side Hustles That Make Real Money

Happy Halloween! It’s the perfect time to explore some creative and spooky-themed side hustles that can bring in real money.

I sat down with Jared Bauman of 201creative.com and host of Niche Pursuits Podcast to talk about 10 scary-good side hustles that could add a little financial excitement to your Halloween.

Tune in to Episode 638 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:

how to turn hobbies or unique skills into profitable side hustles
why holidays and niche markets offer huge earning potential
unconventional ideas that lead to real money-making opportunities

Table of Contents show

1. Making $2,000/Month Reacting to Horror Movies

When Katherine Fogler started her YouTube channel “KatWatchesHorrorMovies” in fall of 2022, she probably didn’t expect to build such a frightfully good following.

Her channel has grown to over 84,700 subscribers, with her videos of genuine reactions to classic horror films like The Exorcist, Aliens, and Silence of the Lambs regularly pulling in over 150,000 views.

Social Blade estimates her channel generates up to $2,000 monthly in ad revenue alone. Plus, she’s built a loyal following on Patreon, where nearly 300 members pay between $3-10/mo for exclusive content.

This reminds me of Mystery Science Theater 3000—taking something that’s “bad” (or in this case, scary) and creating entertainment value from reacting to it. It’s a formula that works across many niches—from lawyers reacting to legal developments to speakers breaking down famous speeches.

2. Pumpkin Carving

In Brooklyn, NY, Marc Evan and Chris Soria have turned their artistic talents into a seasonal sensation with Maniac Pumpkin Carvers. What started in a tiny apartment (which they affectionately call their “dungeon of pumpkin destruction“) has grown into a successful business.

From September through Thanksgiving, they create 500-1,000 intricate pumpkin carvings, charging anywhere from $150 to $700+ per piece. With custom designs for both individual clients and corporate events, I estimate they’re pulling in at least $150,000 during their three-month season.

Being in Brooklyn gives them access to corporate clients too and a large metropolitan market, but it’s somewhat depressing that these masterpieces eventually rot away.

3. Selling Live Crickets

Jeff Neal started cricket breeding with a simple problem: feeding his daughter’s bearded dragon was getting expensive. As he told Entrepreneur.com, “It was really easy because crickets are rampant breeders. It does take some time to rotate their cages, but I eventually had a surplus of crickets.”

After realizing there was demand in reptile-owner forums, he launched TheCritterDepot.com. The business now generates average annual profits of $30,000, proving that there’s truly a market for everything.

What’s interesting about this business is how it becomes almost self-perpetuating—like a plant propagation business where your inventory keeps reproducing itself.

4. AI Baby Generator

According to Indie Hustle, in April 2023, Singapore-based entrepreneur Yifan Goh launched OurBabyAI.com, charging $9 for AI-generated baby pictures.

The concept was simple: upload photos of two parents and see what their future child might look like. There’s something fun about the novelty factor—you could create these images before having kids and then compare them years later to see how accurate they were.

This sparked an interesting discussion about AI side hustles. Jared shared how he’s been exploring AI applications himself, including developing a custom ChatGPT for meal planning.

As he explained, “My wife and I were having the hardest time meal planning every week… How about I just write a GPT for it?”

By December, the site had generated over $10,000 in revenue, primarily through Google traffic. Goh later sold the site for an undisclosed five-figure sum, showing how even simple AI tools can create quick wins in today’s market.

5. Cotton Candy Vending Machines

Zach Downey’s story with Distinctive Vending really caught our attention. Starting with just two cotton candy vending machines in a resort, he’s built an impressive operation. As he shared with Entrepreneur.com, “On our first weekend, we did over $800 in revenue with just one machine.”

Today, one machine can generate $6,000-$15,000 in monthly revenue during peak season. With 10 machines operating and plans to add 25-50 more next year, the business is on track for $500,000 in revenue for 2024.

There’s so much more to snacks and sodas, of course. You can offer toiletries (toothbrushes, facemasks) or souvenirs (at airports, landmarks), as discussed with Mike Hoffman from Vendingpreneurs.

In any case, this could work especially well at seasonal events—Halloween festivals, school fundraisers, church events, and Oktoberfest celebrations.

6. Halloween Decor

The holiday decorating business has expanded beyond just Christmas lights. It’s become a full-scale production with animatronic zombies and elaborate displays.

Kelly Fitzsimmons’s Light Up Your Holidays in Chicago offers Halloween decoration packages starting at $1,800.

But perhaps the most impressive success story in this space is Heather Torres’s Porch Pumpkins in Dallas.

Heather has turned seasonal porch decorating into a million-dollar operation, completing 900 jobs last year at $300-$2,000+ each. She opens orders in July, sells out by August, and employs “15 drivers, 10 delivery guys, and a warehouse staff. She’s been in business for 4 years.”

She’s also very active on social media. Her Instagram account @porchpumpkins has almost 38,000 followers.

7. Digital Clothes / Costumes

This just blows my mind because when my son gets a new game like Minecraft or Nintendo Switch Sports, the first thing he says is, “I want to change my avatar.” For him, it’s all about upgrading the jacket or the shoes, spending way more time on these details than I ever would.

This trend is most likely due to how people, especially kids, want their avatars to reflect their personal style.

NBC New York reports that Kyasia Watson, just 22 years old, has built a $100k+ business designing digital clothes for Roblox. It started with a $0.02 sale of a “purple ruffle tank top paired with denim shorts and sandals” and has evolved into collaborations with major brands like Gucci and Forever 21.

She has since then turned her side hustle into a full-time freelance career in 2023.

It’s a classic example of a side hustle scaling up when you start thinking bigger. When you’re part of an ecosystem like Roblox, you get to know the community, the trends, and what sells.

8. Arbitrage Sports Betting

While this requires careful consideration and isn’t for everyone, some entrepreneurs are making money through sports betting arbitrage. I remember the time I had to ask my friends what these numbers even meant, like what’s the difference between +120 and -120?

Arbitrage sports betting takes advantage of different odds offered by various sportsbooks. For example, one book might favor the Yankees to win, while another sees them as likely to lose. In this arbitrage play, you place two bets: one on each outcome. You know you’ll lose one of the bets, but the key is that the win from the other bet cancels out that loss and leaves you with a small profit.

Since the legalization of sports betting in 2018, The Atlantic reports that approximately 35% of Americans now engage in sports betting, creating opportunities for those who understand the mathematics behind it.

“If you’re like a data nerd, a math nerd, maybe this is something to look into,” Jared shared.

9. Bicycle Ice Cream Business

Katherine O’Brien’s Cream Cruiser in Baltimore has a little bit of a different twist to it. According to Entrepreneur.com, starting with under $10,000 investment, she built an ice cream bike business that generates over $100,000 in just five months of the year, with impressive 75% profit margins.

The low overhead is what makes this particularly attractive—compared to a traditional ice cream truck, you’re just dealing with a bike and a cooler. It’s also versatile because she can take neighborhood routes to special events like weddings and corporate gatherings.

But here’s where it gets interesting—Katherine then launched Bike Business University, where she teaches others how to start similar businesses. Her Instagram @icecreambikelady currently has 82k followers), and she now averages $20,000 monthly from the educational platform alone.

10. Professional Wedding Crasher

Perhaps the most unusual entry on our list is Ernesto Reinares Varea from Spain, who charges 500 euros ($540) to crash weddings professionally.

According to the New York Post, he’s “booked until December,” primarily serving clients with cold feet who want a surefire way to cancel their weddings.

He also gets extra fees if he gets hit—50 euros per punch or slap from the groom or groomsmen. So he has to walk out slowly to maximize his earnings, but not so slowly that he ends up in the hospital.

What’s Got Jared Excited These Days?

Beyond our side hustle conversation, Jared has been keeping busy with his marketing agency, 201Creative.com, and of course, hosting the Niche Pursuits podcast. He’s also got some big Halloween plans coming up, which should be fun!

One of the projects he’s most excited about is his Weekend Growth Newsletter, where he shares insights on side hustles and growth strategies every week.

He’s also been killing it as an Amazon Influencer, cranking out product videos and gearing up for Black Friday.

Episode Links

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