5 Side Hustles That Can Earn You an Extra $1,000 Before 2025

By Laura Bogart

October 25, 2024

Smiling young woman sitting at her workplace.

As the calendar pages seem to flip faster each day and conversations in grocery store lines shift to disbelief over the year nearly ending, you might already be thinking about the many expenses still ahead before the ball drops on Dec. 31.

There are holiday tables to set, travel plans to make, gifts to buy, and that trip to the mechanic to winterize your car. Maybe 2025 is the year you start investing or working with a financial planner. No matter your financial goals, an extra $1,000 would give you a great jump-start on the new year.

Earning that much before the year ends might seem daunting, but the right side hustle can make it achievable — and maybe even fun. GOBankingRates has rounded up five side hustles that can help you earn $1,000 fast. And with the right approach, each of these options has the potential to hit that figure or more by the end of the year.

1. Transcribing Audio Files

If you love eavesdropping on intriguing conversations (think: legal depositions), get excited about hearing experts and innovators share their ideas for the future, or relish a good TV marathon, then you might have a future as a transcriptionist. If you also have lightning-fast typing skills, this could be your ideal side hustle.

Transcriptionists turn various types of media into written text, creating documents for future reference or improving accessibility for viewers across various types of media. Many transcription jobs pay between $5 and $20 per hour, depending on the project and your typing speed. If you’re able to dedicate a few hours a day to transcription work, that $1,000 target can quickly come into focus. You can find opportunities on platforms like Scribie, TranscribeMe, and Rev. Plus, with remote work options, you can easily fit this side hustle into your schedule from the comfort of home.

2. Handyman for Hire

If you’re that handy friend everyone comes to when their faucet is dripping or they need help building their kids’ bunk beds — and you’re ready to get paid in more than just pizza — consider hiring yourself out via platforms like Taskrabbit.

To become a “Tasker,” you’ll need to set up an account, submit documents for a background check, and clearly outline your skills and experience. While you can set your own rates, typical fees start at $65 for tasks like mounting art or shelves, with furniture assembly projects starting at $49. With the right clients and consistent bookings, hitting $1,000 before the new year can be very achievable.

3. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking

With many pet parents heading out of town for holiday travel or putting in extra hours at work, their four-legged darlings are in need of some TLC. That’s where you come in. Whether you join the pack of a company like Rover or other established pet-sitting business, or operate as a lone wolf, a reliable pet-sitter and dog walker is worth their weight in gold.

According to Time to Pet, the cost for a 30-minute dog walk averages at about $28, while a 60-minute walk with an energetic pup could earn you $42.87. A 30-minute cat-cuddling session could net you $29.08, or an hour, $44.40. While prices are heavily dependent on your area, overnight pet-sitting gigs can potentially bring in hundreds of dollars. It wouldn’t take too many pet-sitting jobs to earn $1,000 in the next couple of months, especially if you’re in a high-demand area.

4. Becoming a Delivery Driver

DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Walmart Spark — these services have become the backbone of modern convenience, delivering almost anything right to our doorsteps. If you’re over 18 with a valid driver’s license, you can give your finances a boost by becoming a driver for any of these services, or even multiple at once.

Earnings vary based on your location and the number of deliveries you complete. Some services, like DoorDash, offer incentives and bonuses during busy times, giving you the opportunity to earn even more and reach your financial goals faster. Driving during peak hours or holidays could help you quickly rack up earnings toward that $1,000 goal.

5. Sharing Your Opinions

Why limit your hot takes to the group chat? Earn cold hard cash by sharing your opinions through sites like Survey Junkie, which allow you to complete online surveys in exchange for cash or gift cards to places like Target or Amazon. While it won’t make you a fortune, it’s a simple way to earn some extra cash from the comfort of your own home.

Though it may not get you all the way to $1,000, pairing this with other side hustles can help you inch closer to your goal faster.

By choosing the right side hustle, you can reach your financial goals before the ball drops. Whether you prefer to work from home, get outdoors, or snuggle with other people’s fur babies, there’s a side gig for you. Get started today and turn that extra $1,000 into a reality.

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