11 Side Hustles for People Who Hate People

Whether your goal is paying off debt, building an emergency fund, or saving for a rainy day, a side hustle could be the answer you’re looking for. With more cash at your disposal, every financial move you make becomes more powerful – more severe. And obviously, the more “extra money” you can earn, the faster you can reach your goals.

But, what if you hate people? A lot of part-time jobs involve working with the general public – answering questions, processing orders, and smiling through your pain. The sharing economy promises lucrative side work, but whether you’re driving for Uber or renting out a room through Airbnb, people skills are a must. And while some of us have the gift of gab and love making friends, not everyone wants to spend their free time chatting with strangers or selling to friends and family.

Thanks to the internet and the many hustle opportunities it’s created, you can now find an array of gigs that don’t require much if any face time. If you’re an introvert who wants to earn some extra money, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 11 side hustles that require little or no interaction with your fellow humans.

#1: Web-Based Freelance Writing

Millions of websites exist, and all of them require content. While some website owners and businesses write all of their content in-house, many hire freelancers to write web copy, blog posts, essays, and product descriptions.

While it can take a while to build a full-fledged freelance career online, it’s fairly easy to find some entry-level (read: low-paying) jobs on websites like Freelancer.com or Upwork.com.

The best part is, you can do this work at any time of the day or night and from the comfort of your own home. Even better, you’ll communicate with potential clients via email and chat, and never in person.

How much will you earn? Most online freelancers can earn at least $25 per blog post, although more experienced writers can land projects with pay into the thousands.

#2: Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants perform a wide range of tasks for working professionals and website owners. While tasks vary dramatically based on the job, common duties include tasks like checking and replying to emails, answering customer service inquiries, creating documents, and designing templates.

While pay can also vary, most virtual assistants charge at least $15 per hour and up to $75 per hour. You can find these jobs on websites like UpWork or even Fiverr.com, although most professional VAs build their clientele through networking.

Introverts will also enjoy utmost privacy and quiet while on the job. While you’ll email with your clients daily, you may never see anyone in the flesh.

#3: Amazon Store Owner

Believe it or not, some people make a killing setting up stores on Amazon.com. That includes my friend Sandy Smith of YesIAmCheap.com. Sandy makes bank through her own Amazon store, selling things like T-shirts and coffee mugs. She offers free webinars, a Facebook group, and a course to help other people get started.

What can you sell? Since you can find nearly any product on Amazon, the sky is the limit. The key is finding a product (or group of products) that’s easy to market and ship, low-maintenance and, most importantly, profitable.

#4: Online Surveys

Financial planner Jeff Rose of Good Financial Cents offers an alternative side hustle for introverts – completing online surveys. This isn’t a “side job” per se, but more of a money-making opportunity. In Rose’s Ultimate Guide to Making More Money, he describes the online survey process as “one of the fastest – and easiest – ways to make more money.”

While every survey company is different, most pay between $1 and $30 for each online survey you complete. Rose suggests companies like Harris Poll Online, Inbox Dollars, and Global Test Market, although there are dozens of others out there. Most of these companies ask that you complete a series of questions or rate a product or service.

#5: Pet Sitter

Hate people but love animals? Rover.com lets you set up a dog-walking or pet-sitting business you can operate out of your own home.

Here’s how it works: Set up a profile on Rover, set your own rates, and watch dogs or other pets for some spare cash. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Rates can vary quite a bit depending on where you live, but most pet sitters charge between $19 and $50 per night. And, while you will have to talk to pet owners occasionally, most of your time will be spent caring for furry friends.

#6: House Sitter

House sitting is another side hustle perfect for introverts and people-haters in general. Beyond an initial meeting or two with each homeowner you sit for, you don’t have to interact with humans much at all.

You can search for house sitting jobs on websites like TrustedHouseSitters.com or through networking in your area. Pay ranges from $0 (in certain vacation destinations) to $50 or more per night if pet-sitting is also required. Duties might include light cleaning or yard work, watering plants, picking up the mail, and simply “holding down the fort.”

#7: Blogging

Blogging is the perfect side hustle for introverts, although you won’t earn money right away. It typically takes at least a year to start earning any real money, and it requires a financial investment upfront for domain and hosting fees.

If you’re able to build something over time, however, you can earn cash from blogging in a ton of different ways. Common income sources for bloggers include affiliate marketing, direct sales, display advertising, and ad networks like Google AdSense.

#8: TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit.com connects people who need help with people who want to earn cash in their spare time. Not all jobs offered through the portal are ideal for introverts, but there are plenty of errand-running gigs available. For example, you could wind up dropping off dry-cleaning, walking someone’s pet, or picking up groceries for a busy professional.

Pay depends on the scope of the project and the advertised rate. However, it’s easy as pie to create a profile and start hunting for gigs.

#9: House Cleaning

If you’re a busy-body who loves starting and finishing projects without talking to people, a cleaning business might be right up your alley. You could clean homes, offices — any place, really. The key to getting started is finding your first few gigs. From there, it’s a lot easier to pick up additional cleaning jobs through referrals. You could also try setting up a profile on Handy, an app that connects homeowners with house cleaners and other service professionals.

Most residential cleaners can charge at least $25 per hour, and office cleaning jobs typically pay more (though you’ll typically need to pay for your own supplies and transportation). The best part is, most clients will want you to clean when nobody is around. Score!

#10: Etsy Shop

Crafty go-getters have been hawking their wares on Etsy.com for some time now, but there’s always room for more. If you make stuff, you can create an Etsy store and sell your products. Aside from periodic visits to the post office or the occasional customer email, you don’t have to interact with people, either.

The key to making this hustle work is being able to create a product people will actually buy. This could be anything from clothing to soap to home décor. The amount of money you’ll earn depends on what you sell, your profit margin, and how much you sell. But if you enjoy making crafts, jewelry, or other handmade creations as a hobby, the income might simply be a pleasant bonus.

#11: Sell Clothes on Poshmark

We wrote about our obsession with clothing resale site Poshmark.com a few months ago, but that was mostly to highlight the “buying” side of the equation. The thing is, Poshmark also offers a great way to earn some side cash if you have nice apparel you can resell.

Ideally, you’ll start by selling your own clothes. However, you can also hunt garage sales or other secondhand stores for items that might sell particularly well on Poshmark.

The amount of money you’ll earn can widely, but I know a lot of people who pursue this income stream part-time. Fortunately, you can run the bulk of your business online via email and the Poshmark online messaging system.

Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer and the author of Zero Down Your Debt. Johnson shares her obsession with frugality, budgeting, and travel at ClubThrifty.com.

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What’s your favorite side hustle? What would you add to this list?

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