Cash in on virtual side hustles

Welcome to the virtual side hustle: the modern way to make money without leaving your couch.

Side hustles are ideal for people who like having extra money, which is, well, everyone. The best side hustles are those that require the least amount of effort for the most amount of financial return. Some people call this passive income. But side hustles can include everything from moonlighting jobs to selling on Etsy.

The virtual side hustle has risen to fame in recent years, particularly in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing. Demand for Uber drivers and food delivery suddenly plummeted, making room for a new kind of side hustle that doesn't require face-to-face interaction. Enter the virtual side hustle.

What is a virtual side hustle?

Any kind of side job you can do online is considered a virtual side hustle. That's a pretty broad definition, and it's only limited by your imagination. Here are a few examples:

• Running a dropship store on Cafe Press

• Buying and selling domain names

• Monetizing a blog

• Selling items on Ebay

• Buying an online business from Flippa

• Investing in crowdfund real estate on Groundfloor or Fundrise

• Opening a certificate of deposit

• Self-publishing a book on Kindle Direct Publishing

• Monetizing a podcast

• Working as a freelance writer or editor

• Investing in the stock market

• Working as a virtual assistant

• Taking surveys online with Sawgbucks

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. What other virtual side hustles can you think of?

Side hustles, virtual or not, aren't meant to replace your day job, but they can net you a few hundred dollars a month in extra income. Plus, if you invest that extra money, you'll make even more from the interest.