Some side hustles have startup costs, and others don’t. When you’re strapped for cash but want to start your side hustle journey, you’ll want to find the best side gigs that take very little to start.
That’s why we composed this list of side hustles that don’t require startup costs to help you reach your goals. Some of these side hustles are based on the average person’s possessions and talents.
13 Side Hustles That Don’t Require Startup Costs
1. Make Money On Instagram
The amount of followers that you have will not dictate how much money you can make on Instagram. The main driving factor is your account’s engagement rate.
There are several ways on how you can monetize your Instagram account. The main methods to make money on Instagram are from sponsored posts and affiliate programs. We wrote an entire article on 7 direct ways on how to make money on Instagram in 2022.
2. Couch Flipping
Couch flipping is one of our favorite side hustles to make money. Before you think you don’t have the cash or equipment to get started, take a look at our explanation.
There are tons of people who give away their couches for FREE as long as you can haul it out of the seller’s home. That will take care of your inventory issue. Once you sell your first free couch, you’ll be able to reinvest your profits.
The other issue is the cost of a trailer or truck to actually haul couches to buyers and from sellers. If you don’t have a truck to get started, ask a relative or friend to borrow their truck for the day. Once you make your first flip, you’ll have enough cash to rent a truck from Home Depot to do more flipping.
Check out our full guide on how to make money buying and selling couches.
3. Rent Out Your Car
That’s right. You can actually rent out your car on marketplaces like Turo. This is such a great side hustle to make money while you’re not using your car.
If you work full time from home, this is a smart move to do since you won’t be using your car for work. Even if you use your car during the week, you can still rent out your car on the weekends.
Most of these car sharing marketplaces let you set your own schedule and terms. This is a great side hustle idea that doesn’t require startup costs. Learn more on how to make money by renting your car out.
4. Make Money On Pinterest
A lot of people are still underestimating the power of social media and the capabilities to earn money from it. Pinterest is such a lucrative platform that has the potential to be a great side hustle especially since it doesn’t require startup costs.
The most popular and successful method to make money on Pinterest is from affiliate links. In fact, we have 6 effective ways on how to make money on Pinterest in 2022.
5. Drive For Uber or Lyft
Driving for Uber or Lyft is one of our favorite side hustles that don’t require startup costs. It’s such a great side gig because you have the ability to set your own hours.
Most people build their side hustles on top of their full time job. By becoming a driver for Uber, you’re able to start your side hustle right after work or even just stick to it on the weekends. This is a great method to make additional side cash.
6. Rent Out Your Spare Bedroom
If you have a spare bedroom that’s not being occupied, then you’re potentially losing out on money. With platforms like Airbnb, you’re able to rent out your spare rooms to people looking to crash for a day or two.
It’s extremely easy and free to get started on renting out your room on Airbnb. You can get more information their website.
7. Become A Dog Walker

This is another great side hustle that doesn’t require startup money. This has potential to be a great weekend side gig or even a full time business. It just depends how far you want to take it.
You can start by advertising your dog walking services on free platforms like Facebook Groups, Craigslist, Next Door, and more.
8. Become A Delivery Driver
Mobile delivery apps is one of the hottest industries right now. Instacart, Uber Eats, Postmates, and DoorDash are just a few of the biggest platforms for delivery services.
We love this idea for several reasons. One reason is because it’s one of the many side hustles that don’t require startup costs. Another big reason is the fact that you can create your own schedule or hours.
9. Rent Out Your Garage Or Basement
If you have a garage or room in your basement, then you have the ability to earn money by renting out the space as storage.
That’s right, websites like Neighbor will let you earn money by renting out your unused storage space. You can get started easily and most importantly, free.
10. Become An Organizer
If you like cleaning or organizing, then this side hustle is for you. Paying people to come organize a pantry, laundry room, or garage is becoming more and more popular.
You can get started by building your portfolio by organizing your own rooms or even friends and family member’s homes. Once you have a portfolio to show off, you can easily advertise for free on Facebook, Craigslist, and more.
11. Shovel Snow
There is nothing wrong with earning money the old fashioned way. With your snow shovel in the garage, you can easily start a side business.
12. Start Mowing Lawns

Consider getting into landscaping or gardening. You’ll enjoy the work, which will be an easy transition into turning it into a small business.
It’s one of the world’s favorite side hustles to make money without startup costs because the majority of people have a lawn mower.
Start by servicing your street to make some quick cash. Once you have a profit, you’ll be able to pay for extra gasoline or transportation for your mower.
13. Teach English Online
With just a laptop, you’ll be able to teach English online to mainly Chinese students. There are several websites that will let you do this without having a degree or certification. Some of the websites are VIPKid, Landi Enlgish, Boxfish, Cambly, Italki, Qkids, and more.
Conclusion On 13 Side Hustles That Don’t Require Startup Costs
Our favorite are side hustles that don’t require startup costs because we love the hard work that gets put into growing side businesses.
Sometimes, the journey is more fun than the destination. If you found value in this article, please let us know on social media. If so, we can create a larger list that includes 50+ more side hustles that don’t require startup costs.