6 Top Side Hustles That Now Compete With a $20‑an‑Hour Job
With higher prices at the gas station and grocery store, your salary probably isn’t going as far as it did in recent years. If you’re like millions of Americans, you’ve thought about boosting your budget by picking up some extra work.
While you may be able to secure a part-time job at a local store or restaurant, there are plenty of other ways to earn more than $20 an hour and tap into skills you enjoy using. Read on for some expert-backed side hustle suggestions to boost your bank account.
Check Out: 5 Side Hustles That Can Generate $1,000 With Under 10 Hours of Work per Month
Read Next: 9 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)
1. Bookkeeping and Tax Prep
Per Taylor Kovar, certified financial planner (CFP) and co-founder of UseKlear.com (previously BudgetGPT), freelance bookkeeping and tax prep come up a lot when talking to clients about good side hustles.
“There's real demand and not enough people doing it, so rates have climbed,” he said.
2. Consulting
According to Kovar, consulting is a side hustle that tends to get overlooked because it sounds vague, but a lot of people have industry knowledge sitting in their heads for which smaller businesses would genuinely pay. In fact, consultants can easily earn well over $100 an hour.
“I've seen people transition out of corporate roles and essentially sell that expertise back on their own terms, and the hourly rate often ends up being significantly higher than what they were making before,” Kovar said.
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3. Virtual Assisting
If you enjoy office tasks but don’t want to commit to a full-time role and drive into work each day, perhaps becoming a virtual assistant is a good side hustle. Annie Cole, Ed.D., money coach and founder of Money Essentials for Women, said virtual assistants can easily make more than $20 an hour, even those just starting out.
If you want to earn more, try adding some other duties into your list of options for clients. For example, you could do some virtual assistant duties and help the client with social media and some basic graphic design.
4. Digital Asset Creation
Here’s an idea to craft something that can continue to bring in money.
“If you can create and market Lightroom presets, you can build a passive income source,” said Melanie Musson, a finance expert with Quote.com. “Once you put a preset on the market, you can sell it forever and continue earning while you’re working on more digital products to add to your repertoire.”
5. Group Fitness Instructing
If you’re not afraid of speaking in front of a group, you could find success as an instructor at a local gym.
“One of my clients teaches group fitness,” said Marguerita Cheng, CFP, CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth. “It’s not her main job, but she has a loyal following and gets free membership at a premier gym. She’s built meaningful friendships over the years.”
6. Pet Waste Cleanup
Let’s be honest, this is not a side hustle for everyone. Even if you like pets, it may take a strong will to go out and seek people who’ll pay you to clean up after their furry friends.
“It’s not the prettiest job, but it can pay well,” Musson said. “When you get regular clients, you start to earn a consistent income. Focus on specific neighborhoods because the less you drive around, the more time you spend getting paid.”
Overall, if you’re looking for a side hustle in 2026, it may help to narrow your search and focus on something you really enjoy doing.
“My years in banking taught me that niche expertise always commands a premium, whether you're on a trading desk or freelancing from your couch,” said Andrew Lokenauth, founder of Fluent in Finance.
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This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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