Untapped Side Hustles You Can Start Today with Zero Experience
In today’s fast-moving world, many people are looking for ways to earn extra income. Whether you're saving for a big purchase, trying to pay off debt, or simply want more financial freedom, starting a side hustle can be the perfect solution. But what if you have no experience, no fancy skills, and no big budget to invest?
Don’t worry. There are plenty of untapped, low-competition side hustles you can start today—with zero experience and minimal risk. In this guide, we’ll break down some of the best side hustles that almost anyone can do, including real-world examples and steps to get started.
1. Voiceover Work for Beginners
You don’t need a studio or years of acting experience to get into voiceover work. In fact, with a quiet room and a decent microphone (which you can get for under $50), you can start recording right from home.
Why it works:
Many businesses, YouTubers, and audiobook creators need affordable voice talent for small projects. Since most people think voiceover work requires professional training, there’s less competition in the beginner market.
How to start:
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Set up a quiet recording space
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Use free tools like Audacity to edit
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Create a basic voice sample
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Sign up for sites like Fiverr, Voices.com, or ACX
Earnings potential: $50–$300 per gig
2. Selling Digital Planners and Printables
If you enjoy being organized or creating documents, this one’s for you. You can create digital planners, calendars, budget sheets, or kids’ activity pages and sell them on platforms like Etsy.
Why it works:
You don’t need design skills. With free tools like Canva, you can create attractive, useful printables in minutes. Once uploaded, they can be sold again and again—creating passive income.
How to start:
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Choose a niche (e.g., meal planning, budgeting, homeschooling)
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Use Canva to design templates
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Open an Etsy store or Gumroad page
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Market your products on Pinterest
Earnings potential: $5–$500/month depending on traffic and volume
3. Becoming a Product Tester or Reviewer
Brands are constantly seeking honest feedback on their products. As a tester or reviewer, you can receive free products—and even get paid—for sharing your opinions.
Why it works:
You don’t need to be an influencer. There are thousands of testing platforms that accept beginners, and many allow you to test from home.
How to start:
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Sign up with sites like Influenster, UserTesting, or Toluna
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Start reviewing honestly and consistently
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Consider posting your reviews on a blog or YouTube for extra reach
Earnings potential: $10–$100/test + free products
4. Online Notetaking or Transcription
Do you type fast and pay attention to detail? Online transcription or notetaking could be a great fit. Businesses, researchers, and content creators often need help converting audio to written text.
Why it works:
The demand for transcription is steady, and companies provide training for beginners. You can work at your own pace and build experience over time.
How to start:
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Practice using free tools like oTranscribe
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Apply to sites like Rev, TranscribeMe, or GoTranscript
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Start small and work your way up
Earnings potential: $10–$25/hour
5. Selling Simple Illustrations or Stickers
You don’t need to be a professional artist to sell on platforms like Redbubble or Etsy. If you can draw basic shapes, funny doodles, or simple quotes, you can turn them into stickers, T-shirts, or mugs.
Why it works:
People love custom designs, especially in niche areas (think: funny dog quotes or cozy bookworm art). With print-on-demand, you never handle shipping or inventory.
How to start:
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Use free software like Canva or Inkscape
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Upload to Redbubble, TeePublic, or Etsy with Printful
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Promote on Instagram or TikTok
Earnings potential: $50–$500/month
6. Flipping Free or Cheap Items Online
Flipping means finding undervalued items (sometimes even free) and selling them for a profit. You’d be surprised at what people give away!
Why it works:
There are entire communities built around “trash to cash.” With little or no startup money, you can begin flipping books, electronics, or home goods.
How to start:
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Search local Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist “free” section, or garage sales
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Clean or fix items if needed
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List them on eBay, OfferUp, or Poshmark
Earnings potential: $100–$1,000/month depending on effort
7. Subtitling or Captioning Videos
As video content grows, so does the need for accurate subtitles. This work doesn’t require you to speak or appear on camera—just listen and type.
Why it works:
Many platforms and creators need affordable, fast captioning services. You can learn on the job and get faster with time.
How to start:
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Use free tools like Subtitle Edit or Kapwing
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Look for jobs on Upwork, Rev, or Freelancer
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Specialize in a language or niche for better pay
Earnings potential: $10–$30/hour
8. Curating and Selling Niche Content Lists
Everyone loves well-organized resources. If you can gather the best tools, books, websites, or products in a specific niche, people are willing to pay for it.
Why it works:
Instead of creating new content, you curate existing information and present it in a useful, time-saving format.
How to start:
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Pick a niche: job seekers, digital nomads, dog owners, etc.
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Create a well-formatted PDF guide or Notion database
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Sell it through Gumroad or your own website
Earnings potential: $5–$100 per sale
9. Renting Out Your Skills on Microtask Sites
If you can follow simple instructions, you can start earning today on microtask platforms. These include things like data entry, image tagging, or simple research.
Why it works:
You don’t need a resume or experience—just a laptop and internet connection.
How to start:
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Sign up for platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk, Clickworker, or Appen
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Complete training or practice tasks
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Start working on small gigs to build confidence
Earnings potential: $20–$200/month part-time
10. Becoming an Online Friend or Listener
This may sound unusual, but it's real: some people pay for companionship in the form of virtual friendships, chats, or listening sessions. You’re not a therapist—just someone to talk to.
Why it works:
The demand for online companionship is growing, and there’s very little competition in this unique space.
How to start:
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Sign up on platforms like RentAFriend, Papa, or HearMe
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Set your availability and preferences
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Be kind, open, and a good listener
Earnings potential: $10–$50/hour
Tips to Succeed Without Experience
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Start small – Don’t aim to make thousands right away. Focus on learning.
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Use free resources – YouTube, blogs, and free courses are your best friends.
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Experiment – Try 2–3 hustles to see what fits your style and goals.
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Improve as you go – The more you practice, the more you’ll grow in skill and income.
Conclusion: You Don't Need to Be an Expert to Begin
The truth is, you don’t need a degree, years of experience, or thousands of dollars to start earning extra money online. What you need is willingness, curiosity, and consistency.
These untapped side hustles are perfect for beginners—and with time, they can become much more than just a side income. They could become the first step toward financial freedom.
So, pick one today, take the first small step, and remember: you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.
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