7 Side Hustles For 20 Year Olds [Tested]

Last Updated on February 5, 2023 by John Cirelly

Time is a currency we can only spend once. So if you’re in your 20s, consider yourself wealthy with time. But it’s how you spend this time that will determine how your 30s and 40s will pan out.

With that said, let’s explore 7 side hustles for 20 year olds that will help you build a solid foundation for time and financial freedom.

7 Side Hustles For 20 Year Olds

I tested 7 side hustles for 20 years olds and ranked them from most to least profitable. Let’s dive in!

1. Online Freelance Work

If the idea of working for 45 years and then retiring sounds terrible, consider diving into the world of freelance work.

In your 20s, you have plenty of time, which means you have time to explore all the different freelance services you can offer. Freelancers choose their own hours, set their own rates, and pick who they want to work with.

The highest-paid freelancers have sharpened their skills over time. This gives 20-year-olds a head start to start making job-replacing money in as little as six months.

I personally think online freelancing is one of the best side hustles for a few reasons. One, you can earn more per hour than you ever could at a job. And two, you can work from anywhere in the world.

Here are a few online freelance services you can start exploring:

• Copywriting
• Programming
• Blog Writing
• Music Production
• Graphic Design
• Marketing
• Lead Generation
• Proofreading

You can start these side hustles between school or even just on the weekends. In a few jobs, you’ll be able to make some extra money, but more importantly, understand which services you enjoy.

Sites like Upwork and Fiverr make it easy to launch your side hustle without chasing down clients. However, as you gain more experience, I’d recommend leaving those platforms and building your own client outreach system.

2. Digital Agency

A digital agency is just like freelancing, except you outsource the work to another freelancer. Running a successful online agency requires many different skills, but can generate life-changing money.

The beauty is you can start small and grow an agency as a side hustle. Depending on your service, you might only need a client or two to replace your monthly job income.

Running an agency requires a few different skills in:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Time Management
• Prospecting
• The service you provide

The truth is, as you build your digital agency, you need to perform all the roles inside before you outsource. This makes switching from a freelancer to an agency owner a natural transition.

All of this takes some time. But if you start in your 20s, you’ll be way ahead of anyone just getting started by the time they’re 30.

3. YouTube

Being a YouTuber might sound like a pipedream, but it can be a great side hustle and source of passive income. The truth is, many people give up too early before seeing success on YouTube.

To create a successful side hustle on YouTube, do the following:

1. Find a topic you like that you’ll consistently cover (Health, video games, photography, etc.)
2. Identify topics, trends, and challenges already getting attention on YouTube.
3. Consistently create videos based on those topics. (50-300 videos).
4. Monetize your channel with ads, affiliate products, sponsors, and custom merch.
5. Enjoy making money by doing what you love! 🥰

The best YouTube channels educate and entertain their audience at the same time. So think about how you can do the same with something you’re passionate about.

4. Blogging

You might think blogging is dead, but I can promise you it’s not. I’ve personally made tens of thousands of dollars from blogs I’ve created. Unlike social media, traffic to your blog is consistent when you rank for certain search terms.

Just like starting a YouTube channel, you’ll want to pick a topic or “niche” you want to cover. In the beginning, you’ll be doing most of the work yourself, so pick something you’re passionate about.

You don’t have to be an expert or even the best writer to get started. In fact, Google values the first-hand experience you can provide in a blog. It can take a good 3-12 months before you start getting consistent traffic on your blog, but it’s well worth it – especially if you already enjoy writing.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Pick a niche or topic you want to cover.
2. Pick a broad domain name. (ex: OutdoorAdventures, not TentReviews)
3. Find a cheap but reliable blog host like Bluehost.
4. Learn the basics of SEO so you can find keywords and rank.
5. Write on your topic (50-100) blog posts.
6. Monetize through ads, affiliate links, digital products, and merch.
7. Enjoy writing about what you love. 🥰

5. Sales

Sales might seem like a weird side hustle, but it can bring in life-changing money once you’ve mastered the art of selling. Businesses selling courses, software, and other expensive products need experienced salespeople to close deals.

The cool part is, you can work these sales jobs part-time and earn a piece of each sale you close. For example, if you sell a $2000 course, you could easily make $500 for each sale.

Many times your leads will be warm but need some nurturing to get them to buy. Sharpening your sales skills takes time, but it’s time you’ll have if you’re in your 20s. Sales gigs aren’t the best option for introverts, but if you don’t mind talking to others, it makes for a great side hustle.

6. Course Creation

The more skills you learn, the more valuable your knowledge becomes. And if your knowledge can help people get a certain result, you can turn your knowledge into a course.

Even if you’re in your 20s, there’s a chance you have something to teach others. Maybe it’s how to pass a certain certification in college, or how to lose weight for skinny-fat guys.

Regardless of what it is, you can package your knowledge into a course and sell it day or night without being physically present. This is a great source of passive income, and can bring in serious cash, especially if you already have a following.

7. Service-based Businesses

Wanna know a secret? It’s the boring businesses that make the most money. Not all side hustles have to live online. With a little cash and an idea, you can generate serious money in your 20s just by working part-time.

The best service business help solve people’s problems. The less sexy, the better. Here are a few examples:

• Pressure Washing
• Window Cleaning
• Junk Removal
• Moving Service
• Landscaping
• Snow Plowing
• Home Inspection
• Pooper Scooper (yes, really)

Wrapping Up

That’s 7 side hustles for 20-year-olds that you could literally start today. When you’re young, you have the time to fail, make mistakes, and learn.

By starting these side hustles, you’ll gain valuable experience that will pay you more than any single client could.