I Tried 5 Side Hustles in 2025 — Here’s What Actually Made Money

October 11, 2025

I Tried 5 Side Hustles in 2025 — Here’s What Actually Made Money

To test realistic ways to earn beyond a nine-to-five, I ran five side hustles over several years and tracked what they paid, how hard they were to land, and whether they could scale. Below is a clean breakdown of what worked, what disappointed, and what I’d do again if starting from zero.

How I Grouped and Graded Each Hustle

I scored each side hustle on a simple five-point scale for overall quality of results and effort required to earn. Earnings are real numbers from 2022–2025 to show momentum and volatility. Totals are revenue, not profit.

Results by Side Hustle

1) Software Training — Online Courses

I produced an online course teaching a construction-focused software tool and hosted it on a learning platform.

Earnings: 2022 — 225; 2023 — 348; 2024 — 350; 2025 projected — about 300
Outcome: Underwhelming without an existing audience or top-tier production
Rating: 1/5

2) Software Training — In-Person Workshops

Live, company trainings on the same software performed far better than the online course.

Earnings: 2022 — 0; 2023 — 0; 2024 — 10,720; 2025 projected — 9,800 (5,000 collected so far)
What worked: Niche skill, employer demand, and direct networking
Tradeoffs: Requires weekday availability and confident presenting
Rating: 4/5

3) Consulting and Freelancing in My Domain

Project work migrating businesses between productivity suites and untangling email and account infrastructure.

Earnings: 2023 — 17,180; 2024 — 6,815; 2025 — 7,400
What worked: Direct problem solving for businesses with urgent needs
Tradeoffs: Technical, high-stakes work; easier with a trusted collaborator
Rating: 4/5

4) Public Speaking

Talks for conferences and company events on productivity and goal setting.

Earnings: 2022 — 0; 2023 — 0; 2024 — 850; 2025 — 1,000
What worked: Warm leads from training clients
Tradeoffs: Heavy prep time, many events prefer unpaid speakers
Rating: 1/5

5) Creator Revenue — YouTube, Sponsors, Affiliates

YouTube ad revenue grows slowly, then compounds as the library builds. Sponsorships and affiliates add incremental income once an audience exists.

Sponsorships: 2022 — 0; 2023 — 1,350; 2024 — 750; 2025 projected — 3,500 (1,000 collected)
Affiliates: 2022 — 10,882; 2023 — 19,799; 2024 — 6,548; 2025 projected — 7,200 (5,875 collected)
What worked: Recommending tools I actually use
Tradeoffs: Unpredictable, requires audience trust and consistency
Rating: 3/5

Year-by-Year Totals (All Side Hustles)

2022: 11,107
2023: 39,382
2024: 29,181
2025 projected: 32,200 (22,478 collected so far)

Key Lessons and What I’d Repeat

High Earners Without an Audience

In-person software training and niche consulting produced the strongest, fastest wins. Businesses pay for specific outcomes, and warm referrals compound.

Audience-Dependent and Variable

Online courses and creator monetization are viable but slower and volatile. They pay best after credibility and demand are established.

Good, But Not Primary

Public speaking is worth doing selectively when it directly leads to higher-value work, but it is rarely the top earner on its own.

How to Choose Your First Move

If you need income quickly

Leverage a skill you already use at work for consulting or live training
Start with one paying client, then ask for referrals

If you’re building for the long term

Publish consistent, helpful content in one niche
Add sponsors and affiliates only for products you genuinely use

If you want balance

Anchor on consulting or training for dependable cash
Invest spare time into audience and content for future scale

Final Thoughts

The most reliable side-income came from solving specific, valuable problems for businesses through in-person trainings and domain consulting. Creator revenue and online courses can win later, but they require patience and consistent publishing. If you’re starting now, begin with one paid, real-world offer that aligns with your day-job strengths, then use that breathing room to build assets that compound over time.