The world of work is changing rapidly and the so-called side hustle, or “chores”, are becoming more and more popular.
In Italy, where salaries are often inadequate to cover expenses and saving for retirement becomes a challenge, rely on a side hustle can become an effective strategy for moving towards financial freedom.
Opportunities to earn “on the side”, both online and offline, they are always increasing and follow the various trends of society, technologies and social media.
If you are interested in starting a new project, here's for you 10 profitable side hustle ideas to try in 2024:
1. Become a freelancer on Fiverr
Fiverr is a platform that connects businesses with freelancers who offer digital services as well 500 categories.
On Fiverr you can offer any type of service in various sectors, from graphics to marketing, from planning to consultancy.
Even without specialized skills, it is relatively It's easy to find projects in the writing field (copywriting, ghostwriting o content writing), translation services, location, and voice over in Italian, and so on and so forth.
To start, you need to create a profile on Fiverr and publish your services, called "gigs". You can set the price, the duration and conditions of your work. When you receive an order, you have to complete it within the given time and you will receive the payment through Fiverr.
Fiverr is one of the most popular and trusted platforms for freelancers, with beyond 11 millions of active users and counting 50 millions of transactions carried out.
2. Become an app and website tester
This role implies testing websites and apps to ensure they work properly and provide a good user experience.
You can earn from €5 to €100 per test, depending on the complexity and duration.
To start, you must register on one or more of these sites and complete a qualification test. If you pass the test, you will be able to access available testing opportunities.
You will need to follow the instructions and questions provided by the customer and record your voice and screen while testing the site or app.
Some sites you can use are UserTesting, Testbirds, Userfeel e Crowdville.
3. Sell personalized products with print-on-demand
Print-on-demand is a business model where i products are printed only when a customer places an order.
You can use platforms like Printful o Redbubble to create and sell customized products without having to manage inventory or shipping.
To start, you need to choose a print-on-demand platform and create an account. Then, you have to choose the products you want to sell, come t-shirt, cups, poster, cushions, ecc.
You will then have to upload your designs or create new ones with the platform's tools. You can also set the price, the description and variants of your products.
In the end, you need to connect your online store to the print-on-demand platform, so that your products are visible to potential customers.
Selling personalized products with print-on-demand is a side hustle that allows you to express your creativity and offer your customers unique and original products.
You can create products based on your interests, passions, hobbies or market niches. You can also create products on demand, customizing them based on your customers' preferences.
However, selling personalized products with print-on-demand also requires marketing skills and strategies. You need to have an aesthetic sense and graphic skills to create eye-catching, quality designs.
You also need to promote your products through social media, he blogs, the newsletter or other channels. Furthermore, you must take into account the commissions and shipping costs that the print-on-demand platform charges you.
4. Dropshipping: Sell products online without managing inventory
Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products online without ever maintaining inventory.
When a customer places an order, the product is shipped directly from the supplier to the customer. This allows you to save on warehouse costs and offer a wide range of products.
To start dropshipping, you need to follow these steps:
- Choose a market niche. You need to find a type of product that is in demand, but not too competitive. You can do some market research, analyze trends, or follow your passion.
- Find a reliable supplier. You need to find a supplier who offers quality products, reasonable prices, fast delivery times, and good customer service. You can use platforms like AliExpress, Oberlo, or Spocket to find dropshipping suppliers.
- Create a website or online store. You need to create an online showcase for your products, with attractive graphics, good navigation, and a clear description of the products. You can use services like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Wix to create your website or online store.
- Promote your products. You need to attract visitors to your website or online store, and convert them into customers. You can use channels like social media, SEO, the PPC, or email marketing to promote your products.
Dropshipping can be an excellent side hustle to try in Italy in 2024, because it allows you to start an online business with a low initial investment, poor operational management, and great flexibility.
5. Publishes books and eBooks
If you have a passion for writing, you can turn it into a source of income by publishing your books and eBooks online.
You can write about any genre or topic that interests you, from fiction to non-fiction, dal fantasy al thriller, from cooking to health. You can also publish your works in different languages, to reach a wider audience.
To publish your books and eBooks, you can use platforms like Lulu and Youcanprint.
These platforms allow you to publish your work without having to manage inventory or shipping.
Simply upload your file in PDF or ePub format, choose the format, the cover and price of your book, and then distribute it on the main online stores, come Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo and others. You can also print a copy of your book on request, for you or your readers.
To maximize your earnings, you can create your own personal platform, like a blog or website, where you can promote your books, share your thoughts and interact with your fans.
6. Create a podcast
Podcasts are one of the trends of recent years and can be a more profitable alternative to creating blogs and websites.
You can create podcasts on any topic you're passionate about, like music, the sport, politics, the art, history, science, the cinema, travel, well-being, humor and much more.
Creating a podcast can be a very profitable side hustle, if you can create your own market niche and make yourself known to your audience. You can monetize your podcast in several ways, like advertising, il crowdfunding, il merchandising, the sponsors, donations, affiliations and premium services.
To create a podcast, you need some essential tools, like a microphone, a recorder, editing software, a hosting platform and distribution.
7. Affiliate Marketing via Telegram
Promoting articles on the Telegram messaging app is perhaps the side hustle that has been the most popular in Italy in recent months.
Affiliate marketing is a way to make money online by promoting the products or services of other companies. Every time someone buys something through your affiliate link, you receive a commission. You can promote anything, from fashion to technology, from travel tours to everyday products.
Doing affiliate marketing on Telegram is very simple. Telegram allows you to create channels, where you can share interesting content with your followers, e day bot, which help you manage your operations automatically.
Compared to other similar apps like WhatsApp, Telegram has the advantage of allowing you to create public groups and share affiliate links without any problems.
To start doing affiliate marketing via Telegram, you need to follow these steps:
- Choose a market niche that you are passionate about and has good demand
- Create your Telegram channel and customize it with a name, a description, a photo and a link
- Sign up for one or more affiliate platforms, come Amazon, Booking, Zalando, Udemy and others, and choose the products or services to promote
- Create quality content, useful and interesting, that solve problems or satisfy the desires of your potential customers
- Insert your affiliate links into your content, in a relevant and non-invasive way
- Promote your Telegram channel, using social media, i blog, i forum, the newsletter, collaborations and other channels
Doing affiliate marketing via Telegram can be a very advantageous side hustle, if you know how to do it well. You can earn passive commissions, without having to create or manage a product or service. You can also build a trusting relationship with your community, offering them value and solutions.
8. P2P lending
I peer-to-peer lending (P2P) they are a type of loan that connects investors directly with borrowers. This allows you to provide loans to individuals and small businesses for various purposes, like buying a house, starting a business, the payment of debts, project financing and much more.
P2P lending can be a very convenient side hustle, for both investors and borrowers.
Investors can earn a higher return than traditional savings products, diversifying their portfolio and choosing the level of risk and return they prefer.
Borrowers can get a loan more easily, with lower interest rates, more flexible conditions and less bureaucracy.
To participate in P2P lending, you need to register on an online platform that acts as an intermediary between investors and borrowers. Some of the most popular platforms in Italy are:
- Smartika
- Let's lend ourselves
- Soisy
These platforms are responsible for assessing the creditworthiness of borrowers, to manage payments, to provide assistance and guarantee the security of transactions. Furthermore, offer various tools to help you choose the loans best suited to your needs and expectations.
P2P lending can be a very interesting side hustle, if you are looking for an alternative to traditional savings products.
Remember to diversify your investment, spreading it over multiple loans, with different levels of risk and return, to reduce the risks associated with this type of investment.
9. Rent out your property or extra room on Airbnb
Airbnb needs no introduction, but when in doubt: it is an online platform that allows people to rent out their properties or extra rooms to guests.
In Italy, Airbnb is especially popular in tourist locations, like Rome, Venezia, Florence and Naples. In these cities, the demand for Airbnb accommodation is very high, especially during the high season.
Managing an Airbnb can be very profitable if you own a property in a tourist location.
To start, you need to create a listing on Airbnb and describe your property, the price, the rules, photos and availability.
You will also need to verify your identity and address. When you receive a booking request, you can accept it or reject it.
If you accept, You will need to prepare your property for guests' arrival and provide them with check-in and check-out instructions. After the stay, you will be able to receive a review from guests and leave a review for them.
More, it is possible to earn on Airbnb not only by renting rooms, but also by offering tours and experiences.
Airbnb offers a program called “Airbnb Experiences” that allows hosts to offer paid activities and tours to guests.
You can create and host experiences online or in person, sharing your passions, your skills or knowledge with guests.
Sale of stock photography: Earn money with your images online
If you are passionate about photography and want to turn your passion into a source of income, you can sell your photographs online through stock platforms.
These platforms allow you to upload your images and earn money every time someone buys them to use in commercial or personal projects.
To sell your stock photographs, you need to follow these steps:
- Choose your best photographs. You need to select quality images, originals, and that they comply with the technical and legal requirements of the stock platforms. You can choose between various genres, like landscapes, photographs, animals, architecture, food, and more.
- Edit your photographs. You need to retouch your images to improve their appearance, the sharpness, color, and brightness. You can use software like Photoshop, Lightroom, or Gimp to edit your photographs.
- Upload your photographs to stock platforms. You need to create a free account on one or more stock platforms, come Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, o iStock. Then, you need to upload your photographs and give them titles, descriptions, and relevant keywords to make them more visible to potential buyers.
- Earn money with your photographs. Every time someone buys one of your photographs, you receive a percentage of the sale price, which varies depending on the platform, the type of license, and your contributor level. You can track your sales and withdraw your earnings via PayPal or other payment methods.
Selling stock photography can be an interesting side hustle to try in Italy in 2024, because it allows you to express your creativity, enhance your talent, and generate passive income with your images.
Read also: What is passive income, the key to financial freedom
Nowadays, There are plenty of opportunities to earn extra income in your free time, both online and offline.
Pursuing a side hustle is a smart and creative choice to boost your income and achieve your financial dreams.
Find the one that excites you the most, enhance your skills and your available time, and start earning in 2024.
The Italian community of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) to stop working and retire young.