If you’re like most people, you’ve come into the new year a little on the light side, financially speaking, but looking for creative side hustles to make extra money. Fortunately, there are now more ways than ever to earn on the side – and many of them don’t require you to spend anything to start. Take a look at these side hustles you can easily do from home.

Start a microbusiness

It’s simply no longer true that starting up a business requires years of your life, huge investment and a team of experts. If you have a smashing idea for a “microbusiness,” then dive right in and start “lean.” According to Informi, ‘Starting a business in the United Kingdom is one of the most exciting and challenging things you can do,’ as you have the freedom to pursue your passion while making money from it, and it certainly feels rewarding.

Half of all UK startups fail within the first five years – but it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, you’re at an advantage if you can iron out your business plan simply and just start, right where you are. Within a month you can take a lucrative hobby, nifty reselling idea or an in-demand service and transform those side hustles into something that can slowly start earning for you.

One man’s trash…

Hiding underneath the formal 9 to 5 economy is a massive world of second-hand sales, antiques, upcycled bits and pieces and, to be frank, junk. However, many people have cottoned onto the idea that a good eye for a bargain and some crafty re-selling skills earn them a nice sum every month. Start by auctioning off unwanted clothes, electronics, art or furniture from your own home on places like eBay or Facebook Marketplace. But don’t stop there – if you have expert knowledge on a niche product, you can make a fortune buying pieces to repair, repackage and resell. You’d be surprised how quickly the profits add up.

Get crafty

Online craft selling platforms like Etsy are still going strong, and for one good reason: people always want handmade goods, bespoke items and unique pieces they can gift to loved ones. If you’re an arty type, you could earn a little extra income by selling your wares. Granted, competition may be stiff depending on your category, but starting up costs virtually nothing, and there’s an impressive number of people who’ve made Etsy selling their (very lucrative) full time career.

Think local

With all this talk of social media and selling platforms, you’d think there was no way to earn money from home without going online – but that’s not the case. If you have a thriving community network in the place you live, you’d be surprised how much money there is to be earnt right on your doorstep. Offer to help people put together flat pack furniture, mow lawns, do grocery shopping or car washes for people in your block/street or even set up an informal babysitting arrangement at your home. The great thing about working directly in your community is that you don’t need to advertise, or pay anyone any fees, plus you get to know your neighbours better in the process.

Become a proof-reader or transcriber

All you need is a PC and an internet connection. Search freelance sites like Upwork or Fiverr and see if you can win a few casual contracts to edit or proofread documents, or else transcribe audio for a fee per word or per page. The pay may not be stellar to start with, but if you have impeccable grammar and can work to a deadline, you can easily bring in a few hundred pounds extra each month – all without leaving your desk.

Rent out your spare room

To be fair, not many of us have a spare room to rent, but if you do, consider setting up a profile on Airbnb and seeing whether you can earn a little from hosting visitors – especially if you live in an area that tourists frequent. You might need to make a bit of effort to have quality photos taken, and you’ll need to make sure the space is safe and well-presented. But after you’re set up, Airbnb is one of the easiest side hustles to make a little extra cash without too much effort.

Offer tutoring services or lessons

Are you a math or chemistry whizz? Can you play the piano? If you can help kids with after school lessons or prepare university students for exams, you could earn a tidy sum per hour from the comfort of your own home. Look online for tutor hosting platforms or ask around in your community.

Though these ideas might seem small on their own, the profits do add up over time, and will go a long way to supplementing a main income. And who knows – after a while, you may discover a side hustle that works so well it can become your main income!

You can also check out this other guide we published with some more options for you to earn extra income on the side.

This is a guest article written in collaboration with Ruby Clarkson.