7 Side Hustles That Are More Trouble Than They’re Worth

Most side hustles sound great at first. Many claim you can make quick money without much effort. But after trying some, the truth comes out. Here are seven side hustles that sound lucrative but rarely work out and often just waste your time and energy.

Food Delivery Apps

Driving for DoorDash or Uber Eats might seem like a simple way to pick up extra cash. But once you’re out there, it’s a lot of waiting, late-night runs, and dealing with car costs. Gas and repairs take a big chunk out of what you earn, and tips are hit or miss. You’re always checking if you made enough to even cover your time. Add in rude customers and slow nights, and you end up more stressed than paid.

Taking Online Surveys

Taking online surveys can seem like an easy way to earn money at home. But once you get started, you see how slow going it can be. You spend a lot of time clicking for just a little bit of pay, and most sites make you wait until you hit a certain amount before you can cash out. Sharing your thoughts on things like cereal or shampoo barely adds up. After all that effort, you’re left wondering if it was even worth your time.

Selling on Drop Shipping Platforms

Drop shipping might look simple when you see it online, but it’s a whole different story when you jump in. You end up fighting for tiny profits while dealing with slow shipping and customers who want answers right away. Most of your time goes to tracking down lost orders or sorting out issues with suppliers across the world. After paying for ads and platform fees, there’s not much left in your pocket. With so many people selling the same stuff, you spend more time handling complaints than actually making money.

Print-on-Demand Merchandise

Starting a print-on-demand store sounds like a quick way to make cash. You pick your designs, post them online, and wait for sales. But soon, you see just how crowded it is—thousands of shops are selling the same kinds of t-shirts, mugs, and stickers. The profit you make on each sale is small, and you’re stuck dealing with weird glitches or changes from printing partners.

If a customer gets something broken or off-color, it’s on you to fix it, even though you never touched the order. Without a big audience or a lot to spend on ads, you’ll likely spend lots of late nights for results that just don’t add up.

NFT Flipping

NFT flipping can look like a fast way to strike it rich. Big headlines about digital art selling for huge sums make it tempting to try. But once you get into it, you realize most people end up stuck with digital “collectibles” that no one wants. There’s a lot of hype, but often doesn’t seem to be much real value in most projects.

You’ll spend more time chatting in online groups than actually earning anything. The market swings all over the place and seems to help insiders more than regular buyers. For most, it just turns into a lesson in losing money with crypto.

Gig Task Apps

Micro-task sites like TaskRabbit and Fiverr seem like an easy way to pick up extra work. You sign up, try a few gigs, and hope the jobs roll in. But getting regular work isn’t easy if you don’t have tons of great reviews. You end up lowering your prices just to compete with everyone else.

The platform takes a cut, and a lot of your time goes into applying for jobs instead of doing them. What starts out as a steady flow of tasks usually turns into a scramble for a few small jobs.

Renting Out Your Car

Apps like Turo and Getaround make it sound easy to earn extra money just by renting out your car. But giving your keys to someone you don’t know comes with headaches. Every rental adds wear, and you’re stuck dealing with scratches or messes when your car comes back. Insurance can get tricky, and canceled bookings can mess up your plans with no warning.

You might earn some cash, but keeping your car ready and in good shape takes more work than you expect.

You’re Not Missing Out

You’ll see lots of talk about quick ways to make extra money, but most side hustles come with hidden costs. You spend hours chasing tips, filling out forms, or dealing with tough customers, but the payoff is usually small. Before you sign up for anything, ask yourself if it’s really worth your time. Most of these gigs aren’t as easy or rewarding as they look.

Earn Extra Cash With These 13 Free Side Hustles

When money is tight, having a side hustle can help bring in some extra cash. Many side hustles may require upfront costs to get started, which may not be feasible depending on your current financial situation. Here are 15 tried and true side hustles you can begin today that won’t cost you a penny. Earn Extra Cash with These 13 Free Side Hustles