Are you looking for a pastime that will improve your life? Do you need something that can add to your income without taking away from your time? So many Canadians are now learning that side hustles are the way to go!
In fact, H&R Block Canada Inc. reported that around 28% of Canadians are now seeking alternate financial income through side hustles (a rise from 13% a couple of years ago). So, whether you are a student, a professional of many years, or a full-time parent, there is a side hustle that fits your lifestyle.
This article will uncover some of the best side hustles for Canadians, offering practical insights and tips for each one.
Read below for our recommendations, ranked from least to most time-consuming.
Least Time-Consuming Side Hustles
- Freelancing
- Selling photos and videos
- Common tasks (App needed)
- Affiliate marketing
#1 – Freelancing
Freelancing provides an awesome opportunity for anyone wanting a more untraditional job. By untraditional, we mean this is a job tailored to working from home (or a cafe, or even a trip abroad), with as much flexibility as you decide!
The most common industries for freelancers include writing, graphic design, and programming. We recommend checking out platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer. These apps are perfect for getting you started since they connect you with both domestic and international clients.
As a freelancer, you will have complete autonomy over your projects/business. This high flexibility still requires discipline, and if you want to succeed, you should build a strong portfolio of work while maintaining a clear stream of communication with all current and prospective clients.
#2 – Selling Photos & Videos
Do you enjoy taking and editing high-quality pictures and videos? If you are able to, then having a job as a photographer / videographer is a great side hustle for Canadians all over!
Evidently, it takes research + money to obtain your supplies. Yet, selling your stock videos and photos can be easy. Try using the following websites: Adobe Stock, Getty Images, or Shutterstock. There, you can make money every time your content gets downloaded.
It becomes passive after the initial work you must put in – taking photos/videos, editing them, setting up a profile on each platform, and uploading your finished work on them. This is such an excellent option for those with a knack for creativity!
#3 – Common Tasks (App needed)
Looking for a more unique type of low-time-commitment side hustle? Working on common tasks (e.g. moving, cleaning, running errands, assembling furniture) is a great fit for even the busiest schedules!
We recommend applications such as: Handy or TaskRabbit. These platforms act to connect you to clients in your area. You have full freedom when choosing tasks, ensure to choose something that fits your skill set and your availability.
In order to succeed in this field, we strongly suggest having strong time-management skills. This will certainly help you start off your side hustle with positive reviews from your clients!
#4 – Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing involves two main things: content creation and online marketing. This is a good choice for anyone looking to make some passive income, explaining its high popularity in Canada in recent years.
More specifically, this field of work consists of the promotion of services or products through a social media account, blog, or website. The way money is made is through sales made through referral links.
Big platforms to research for this include ShareASale, Amazon Associates, and CJ Affiliate. Since E-Commerce now has such a wide variety of products and services, you can promote services/products that fit your interest. Also, this means the growth potential of this side hustle is uncapped!
Moderately Time-Consuming Side Hustles
- Delivery and/or Ride-sharing Services
- Tutoring
- Blogging
- Content Creation
#1 – Delivery and/or Ride-sharing Services
Driving for delivery/ride-sharing apps is becoming increasingly more popular as a side hustle! By now, you have probably heard of companies like: Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, and SkipTheDishes. These are some popular ones in Canada.
Working in this field, you need a bit of extra time but at least flexibility is still prioritized in terms of setting your own work hours. You can work as much as you want. However, we recommend being free to work during the “peak hours”, which usually include evenings and weekends. This is the best way to maximize your profit.
It also allows you to explore, and to truly learn, the streets of your city. On top of that, you can meet new people which makes it engaging.
#2 – Tutoring
Do you have strong knowledge of subjects like science, mathematics, or languages? Tutoring would be perfect for you! You can even offer help with other areas like test preparation.
Working with students is moderately time-consuming but extremely rewarding job. For your convenience, you can choose to do it in-person or online. Similarly to the previously mentioned Common Tasks (App Needed) side hustle, your reputation is important so it’s good to always try and make a great first impression! This means you should always focus on listening to the feedback of students and their parents/guardians.
Speaking from personal experience, seeing my students’ positive progress over time always made my heart smile in this line of work. Start tutoring today to find a fulfilling way to earn some extra money.
#3 – Blogging
If you like sharing your knowledge and interests, blogging is perfect for you. Earning money is often done through affiliate marketing, including some sponsorships and ads. Why not try to get paid to talk about any passions of yours?
Of course, starting it from scratch demands time, patience, and content creation skills. After the initial work, it can become a reliable, stable side hustle.
Being consistent is your ticket to blog success. Schedule some time in your weekly schedule to write blog posts, promote them on social media, and be active on all social media accounts. Be patient as well. It can take at least 6 months to start profitting. Once you do start gaining traction and making money, it is easier to maintain a stable income while working relatively little hours.
#4 – Content Creation
Content creators have a bad rep of being lazy or undeserving of their money. However, building and managing a successful social media account or podcast takes a lot more work than what initially meets the eye. It can be especially frustrating at the start, if your hard work does not get any engagement nor revenue.
This could be the right side hustle for you if you can create content, edit, track trends, and engage with your audience. Many successful content creators even transform it into a full-time job!
The main ways of making money are similar to #3 (Blogging): implementing ads, acquiring sponsorships. The secret is the same as for blogging too – be consistent by having nonstop, regularly-scheduled content! This is another flexible option in terms of working from home, and having the nice option of sharing a passion of yours.
Most Time-Consuming Side Hustles
- Photography/Videography
- Dropshipping/E-commerce
- Handmade Crafts
#1 – Photography/Videography
This side hustle is for the creative types who have the dedication! It takes many long hours to be photographer or videographer, working at big events, meeting potential clients.
Yet, the reward is high. You can find steady work by extending your services to weddings and birthdays, in which you are capturing treasured memories to last a lifetime.
Start by building a portfolio showcasing your work, and network to build a wide client base. This is your best chance at success!
#2 – Dropshipping/E-commerce
This side hustle is not for the weak. It takes a lot of time and effort to commence an online shop through e-commerce or dropshipping.
Firstly, you set up the store, search for and pick products, keep track of inventory, and have some marketing for your company. We recommend Etsy or Shopify to get you started.
You will also need to exercise your skills of customer service, trend-tracking, and order-processing to compete in this market. With the right amount of persistence, you can certainly grow this side hustle into a full-time thriving business!
#3 – Handmade Crafts
You’ve certainly heard of this before, but maybe you never considered it. There is a lot of money to be made from creating and selling handmade crafts. It takes a lot of time and labour whether you are painting, making jewelry, knitting, or other.
To do this, you should try platforms like Etsy, or try finding craft fairs and local markets to accept you as a vendor.
Also, ensure to price your products fairly, and to engage with people on social media to build a loyal customer base!
N.B. Investments
While investing is not exactly a side hustle, it can still be very rewarding over time. The key to building wealth through investing is consistency and patience.
By consistently researching and investing in stocks, bonds, GICs, real estate etc., you can utilize compound interest and passively build wealth over time.
The best part of building wealth through investing is that often times most of the work required is done upfront. Once you conduct your initial research and pick your investment instruments, all you have to do is stick to your plan and pivot only when necessary!
Tips on Balancing a Side Hustle with FT Work
When taking on a side hustle, you are taking on another responsibility. So, it is important to prioritize a work-life balance so you don’t burn out at any point in your journey.
We recommend having a growth mindset, and checking out our past article on work-life balance to learn more about how to live your most productive, healthiest life.
Final Thoughts
These are the best side hustles for Canadians at the moment!
Depending on your interests, you should explore side hustles that are either: least time-consuming (freelancing, selling photos and videos, common tasks, affiliate marketing), moderately time-consuming (delivery and/or ride-sharing services, tutoring, blogging, content creation), or most time-consuming (photography/videography, dropshipping/E-commerce, handmade Crafts).
Surely, you can find other examples of possible side hustles that fit into each of the three categories with some more research. Or, as we mentioned, you could consider putting more money and attention into your investments, a side hustle that can be fruitful if done right.
Whatever you choose to do, remember to work hard. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours!
Hey people!!!!!
Good mood and good luck to everyone!!!!!