Services and freelancing side hustle ideas
Doing work for clients for a fee: freelance, consulting, done-for-you services, repairs, local services.
22 ideas
- Services and freelancingSetting up themed tents and bedding for kids' slumber parties as a weekend rental service. A married couple runs it as a side hustle alongside full-time jobs.In personSide Hustle Nation, 2026
- Services and freelancingA laundry service that picks up, washes, folds and returns customers' clothes. It started solo with a van and now runs on a large network of contractors.Side Hustle Nation, 2026
- Services and freelancingThe agency helps software firms get recommended by AI chat tools by cleaning up a source-of-truth site and getting listed on the pages those tools cite. Clients are mid-size SaaS companies.OnlineThe Side Hustle Show, 2026
- Services and freelancingA local crew business that trims and removes trees for homeowners. Income comes from per-job fees.Part-timeIn personThe Koerner Office, 2025
- Services and freelancingTaking aura portraits at events and partner businesses, charging per short session. The operator runs it while keeping a full-time job.In personSide Hustle Nation, 2025
- Services and freelancingWrites custom automation runbooks for networks and provides a web platform where customers run them.Part-timeOnlineHacker News, 2021
- In personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingPlays medieval and Renaissance music at castles, festivals, battle reenactments and museums.Part-timeIn personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingA brokerage that represents home buyers in residential purchases and rebates part of its commission back to them.Hacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingWorks as a DJ in addition to software work, paid per night.$1k to $10kIn personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingWorks as a professional fine artist and illustrator on the side, in a shared studio space.Hacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingPlayed music for pay for decades, including after retiring from a programming career.In personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingDesigns and 3D prints props and cosplay pieces for clients who come by referral, charging per commission.$1k to $10kPart-timeHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingBuilds custom wood pieces for people who asked after seeing earlier work. Charges mainly to cover materials and some labor.In personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingLeads sea kayak expeditions and teaches instruction for a local outfitter, earning enough to pay for gear.Part-timeIn personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingShoots high school sports and local races for pay, as a hobby that pairs well with technical interests.$1k to $10kIn personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingFixed up a used CNC mill and does quick prototypes and small production runs for local customers, found by referral.Part-timeIn personHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingPurchased a website that sells custom YouTube intro videos at a low price per order, and aims to grow it and hand off tasks.OnlineHacker News, 2019
- Services and freelancingEarns on the side from DJ gigs and personal training, both of which are also personal hobbies.Hacker News, 2014
- Services and freelancingA photography business started with a spouse that grew enough for the spouse to quit a day job.Hacker News, 2011
- Services and freelancingThe operator started by repairing brick mailboxes and grew into masonry work for homeowner associations, using crews for the labor. Income is per-job fees.Part-timeIn personThe Koerner Office
- Services and freelancingA seasonal service installs holiday lights for homeowners and businesses, with multi-year contracts to repeat the work. It was started by a teacher on the side.In personThe Koerner Office