Side hustles have become incredibly popular over the last few years. Whether they started out as side jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic, a move towards a true passion, or simply out of necessity for extra cash, more people seem to be proactively implementing side hustles into their lives.
Yet one side hustle recently went viral on TikTok after a user shared just how easy it is to make $124 an hour through Amazon (AMZN) Flex, while doing practically nothing.
TikToker makes $124, even with no deliveries!
In a recent video on TikTik, user @jodiary101 posted a video that's since been since over 321,000 times. In it, the user states that despite not having any routes scheduled for the day, she still ended up being paid $124 just for showing up to the warehouse.
“When you're scheduled to do Amazon Flex at 7am and they don't have any routes for you,” she posts over the video, holding an iced coffee while watching television. “Now I'm home at 7:45am with a coffee watching TV with $124 more in my bank account just for driving to the warehouse."
What is Amazon Flex you may ask? The program allows employees to use their own vehicles and deliver packages for Amazon. You simply reserve a block, and show up to the warehouse during that time to pick up your deliveries. However, if there aren't any deliveries to be made, you still get paid!
Of course this does sound too good to be true, and it is in some respects. Amazon states the company is actively recruiting in only five cities at the moment. Therefore, you're more likely to be on a waitlist. This had led many to become frustrated with the program, according to the comments under the viral video.
“I’ve been sitting on the waiting list since 1800 BC,” one user wrote.
Still, others have been using the program for some time, noting it's not unusual for this to occur multiple days in a row.
“Yesterday, I had two scheduled blocks and didn’t get routes in both I love doing Amazon flex!” one user wrote. “This happened to me 3 days straight! I love my side hustle,” wrote another.
3 other side hustles for easy cash
Still, while Amazon Flex might be an option for you, it certainly isn't for everyone. Especially if you merely end up on a waitlist and never get called up to the plate. Therefore, let's go over some other side hustles that could be strong contenders for easy cash.
One option is to rent out space you already have. Whether this is an attic, garage, shed or even apartment storage unit, this is an easy way to create cash flow on a monthly basis. Especially if you live in an urban environment. As small businesses continue to grow, the need for cheap storage space has increased as well. Therefore, simply looking up local costs of renting out storage space and providing a cheaper price could be an easy way to get extra cash.
Another option gaining popularity is to rent out seasonally-used products. This could be blow up decorations during Christmas time, a kayak you're not using in the summer, or it could even be as large as a bouncy castle! A bouncy castle on Amazon might cost you anywhere from a few hundred to $2,000. However, rent that out and it would be around $300 for a six-hour rental, on average. If you were able to rent that out just twice over a weekend, it would take three weeks to pay off even the high-priced $2,000 option.
Finally, if you're more of a traditionalist, then I would recommend seeking out data entry or virtual assistant positions through sites like UpWork (UPWK). These can be short-term positions, or even one-offs, that will provide you with a quick influx of cash from jobs that don't require too much training. And according to UpWork data, data entry can bring in between $10 to $20 an hour for the mindless task.
Points to consider
While these side hustles might be easy, they could also take up your time. That's time that could end up taking away from your full-time position, which provides you with regular income, insurance and benefits. So before starting any of these side hustles, make sure you're certain it won't impede on your daily tasks for work.
Furthermore, side hustles can be great, but you still have to claim these as jobs come tax time. So speak with your financial advisor or accountant before starting out as well. They can also help you crunch the numbers on how much the costs might be to get started, versus how long until you're making a profit.
And finally, there may be other hidden costs associated with these items. For instance, using your car for Amazon Flex means paying for gas. Renting out a bouncy castle means getting insurance. There's the risk of property damage for renting out units as well.
There is no perfect option for a side hustle, but these can still certainly be strong options if you're looking for extra cash. And in the case of this user on TikTok, it looks like she may have struck a golden opportunity.
On the date of publication, Amy Legate-Wolfe did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
