How to make money in one hour: 9 side hustles you may want to try

According to multiple studies, more and more individuals who already have full-time jobs or who may be in between jobs or in school are pursuing side hustles as a way to earn income.

Depending on the side hustle, you may not make any income from it until weeks or even months after you begin doing it. But what if you need a side hustle to make money on a much quicker timeline? There are side hustles that offer you the potential (though not a guarantee) of making money in an hour or even less.

Let's break down nine side hustles in which you may be able to earn money relatively quickly. We used a few perimeters to determine if a side hustle was easy to get started doing and paid promptly in order to include it on this list. Those perimeters are:

• Does the side hustle, in most cases, pay for work the same day the work is completed or provide the option to be paid the same day?
• Is there a low threshold as far as experience and skills to get started with the side hustle?
• Does the side hustle usually provide flexibility and allow for people to do it sporadically according to when they may want to earn money?

While some of the side hustle ideas below may require some legwork to get started with, when you do, you'll likely be able to have a side hustle where you may be able to earn money relatively quickly.

Nine ways you may be able to make money in one hour or less

While there's no shortage of side hustles you can try — especially with the rise of social media and freelance marketplaces — here are a few ideas for side hustles where you can make money quickly.

1. Dog walk or pet sit

Effort to find work: It may take some effort to either sign up for a service that matches dog walkers and pet sitters with clients or to build up a client base via word of mouth.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 62 million American households have a dog. If you're a fan of furry friends, you may want to consider becoming a dog walker or pet sitter either regularly or when you need to make extra money. While dog walking involves stepping out of your house, pet sitting can happen from the comfort of your or your client's home.

In both cases, you may have to pitch your services, but things as simple as posting flyers in apartment buildings or your local parks may be helpful in building a client base.

Another benefit of this side hustle is that oftentimes, you'll be paid directly following completing the work.

2. Babysit

Effort to find work: There will likely be a relatively low effort required to find work word via word of mouth or to sign up for services that match clients with babysitters.

Another side hustle you may consider is becoming a babysitter. As a babysitter, you'll have to care for a child's physical, social, and emotional needs while their parents or guardians are away (or occupied with something else like work). This may be a side hustle worth exploring if you like children. This is a side gig that you can do regularly or sporadically, which may make it beneficial for those who need to earn additional income at various points and need a side hustle to do that.

3. Find handyperson work

Effort to find work: It may require some effort to advertise services or to find work via word of mouth.

If you enjoy building, putting things together, or fixing things, you may consider a side hustle as a handyperson. A handyperson may perform various repair, maintenance, and improvement tasks for clients. These may include helping with carpentry, plumbing, installing furniture, and more. Depending on how you decide to work, you may choose to be paid hourly or to get paid by the project. For the most part, with this side hustle, you'll be paid directly after completing work.

4. Sell your stuff

Effort to find work: It takes very little effort to get started, especially for those using digital platforms to sell items.

Your next side hustle may be as simple as looking around your home – including your closet – for things to sell. By doing so, you may find several items you're not using that you can sell to others. From extra furniture to clothes, you may consider posting belongings you don't need to an online marketplace to sell. As you declutter your space, you'll also be making money.

5. Convert coins to cash

Effort to find work: This side hustle likely takes very little effort for those who have coins or the ability to collect coins.

If you have coins lying around your home, you may just want to collect them to either convert them to cash or deposit them into your bank account. You can use the machines at local supermarkets and businesses, which will allow you to convert coins to cash or even take your coins to a bank branch to deposit them (making them much easier to spend). Adopting this into a habit once a month, bi-weekly, or even every week may help you find additional money for your budget that you didn't know you had.

6. Sign up for a delivery service

Effort to find work: While it may be relatively easy to apply to work for a delivery service, it may require a few days to a few weeks to start working if your application is successful.

The relatively new prevalence of online delivery services – which work to deliver groceries, takeout orders, and more to customers – has opened up a new side hustle to those who need additional income. These digital apps usually allow you to sign up to be a driver or delivery person on foot, and you'll likely get paid for each delivery you make. You also may earn bonuses and tips from customers. Another benefit of this side hustle is that some of these delivery services offer the opportunity for workers to get paid daily if they want to be.

What does it take to get started? You may need to be 18 years old at a minimum. If you want to sign up for a driver role, you'll need to hold a driver's license and may need to have both a working car and auto insurance. It may take a few days, if not a few weeks, to fill out all of the paperwork to apply, and you may need to pass a background check to start working.

7. Exchange plastic bottles and cans for cash

Effort to find work: It may require some effort to accumulate enough bottles and cans to earn enough to make this side hustle worth the effort.

If you're looking for a low-maintenance side hustle, you may consider one that starts from the comfort of your home, especially if you have leftover plastic bottles and other recycling lying around.

Many states, such as California and New York, have state redemption centers where you can exchange plastic bottles and aluminum cans for money. Before you get started, you may want to check if your state pays for cans and bottles and to see individual rates for how much you can earn from turning in plastic bottles and aluminum cans before you get started. If the rates feel reasonable, you may consider exchanging plastic bottles and cans for cash as an occasional side hustle.

8. Mow your neighbors' lawns

Effort to find work: Finding this work will be relatively low effort if you have access to lawn mowing equipment and your neighbors have lawns.

If you live in an area with lawns and are looking for a convenient side hustle and have access to a lawn mower, consider going door-to-door or reaching out to neighbors you already know and asking if they need help mowing their lawns. As with any side hustle, make sure to do your due diligence and to prioritize your safety when talking to strangers.

9. Rent out a room or your entire home

Effort to find work: It requires relatively little effort to sign up for a digital platform that allows you to rent a room or your entire home, but it may take some time to get started earning money this way.

If you travel relatively frequently, don't always stay at your home for any number of reasons, or if you have a spare room that you can do without, consider renting out your home or any available rooms you have for money. Many digital platforms allow you to list empty rooms or entire homes for rent. Many require potential renters to create profiles and include reviews, so you can review your potential tenants' reviews before you accept bookings.

Final thoughts

Sometimes, it takes trying a few side gigs in your free time to see which suits your skillset, schedule, and pay expectations. So don't be afraid to try a few to see which ones are the best for your needs.