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What are the best side hustles for introverts?
The pandemic hit a lot of people hard, but there’s one group of people who may have learned a lot about themselves during this time: introverts!
Many people were forced to work from home for the first time, and you know what? They kinda liked it!
And while some people lost their jobs completely and had to have some difficult money conversations with their partner, many took this as an opportunity to start their own business.
For an introvert, what’s not to like about working from home?
No interruptions from noisy coworkers. ✔
Very few meetings to attend. ✔
Very few phone calls to make. Emails for the win! ✔
More time to spend with the people you actually like spending time with—your family! ✔
Whether you’re looking for a side hustle to make some extra money or a full-time work-from-home career that suits your introverted personality, you’ll find something on the list below.
1. Make Money Proofreading
One side hustle for quiet people that immediately jumps to mind is proofreading.
Proofreaders find and fix spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors in written content. If you love reading and always spot typos in newspapers, books, and even restaurant menus, proofreading could be the perfect side hustle for you.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Proofreader?
According to Salary.com, the average proofreader in the US earns $53,135 per annum (as of February 26, 2021), but the range typically falls between $46,627 and $60,672.
My friend Caitlin Pyle earned around $43K per year working part-time as a proofreader!
If you want to learn how you can make money as a proofreader, check out Caitlin’s free proofreading workshop!
Proofreading Pros
- No certifications needed! There is no official proofreading certification in the US, so you don’t have to spend thousands to get certified. Although some training is recommended.
- Low start-up costs. All you need to proofread is a laptop, internet access, and a few affordable resource books!
- Perfect for people who love to read. You can earn money doing work you actually enjoy doing. Now there’s a revelation!
Proofreading Cons
- Low cost of entry means that there may be some competition for jobs. Make sure you stand out from the crowd by investing in training and making yourself visible on social media
2. Become a Virtual Assistant
Working in an office not for you because other people drain your energy?
The good news is, you can still use your organizational skills without ever having to step into an office again!
Virtual assistants (VAs) offer admin services to businesses while working online from home or another remote location. As a VA, you can do tasks like email management, handling customer inquiries, managing calendars, creating content, sending and paying invoices, etc. The list of services you can provide is endless!
How Much Money Can You Make as a Virtual Assistant?
How much money you can earn as a VA depends on what services you provide and how much experience you have. A beginner with not much experience can charge around $15 per hour for general VA tasks, but an experienced VA who completes more specialized tasks can earn $50 per hour or more.
Esther Inman was just a regular mom and military spouse when she started working as a VA, but now she’s built her business up to six figures! Sign up for Esther’s FREE online class to learn how to work from anywhere as a virtual assistant without prior experience.
Virtual Assisting Pros
- It’s easy to get started in this industry. You can use the skills you’ve built up from other jobs.
- It’s flexible. You can work around your day job or family responsibilities.
- The demand for VAs is through the roof! Online business owners like bloggers, YouTubers, course creators, coaches, etc. often hire VAs.
- You can charge a retainer for clients who need your services every month.
Virtual Assisting Cons
- You may need to learn more advanced skills like running Facebook ads if you want to charge more money.
3. Earn Money Writing Romance Novels
Regular readers of this blog will know I’m a fan of romance … and a little raunch!
If you enjoy reading about love, relationships, and sex, why not try your hand at writing a romance novella? Believe me, sex sells! Romance is one of the best-selling genres on Amazon.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Romance Writer?
The key to making money as a romance writer is to be prolific. Romance readers read A LOT, so the more books you publish, the more they’ll buy. And because these books are short, you can write and publish several times per year.
Yuwanda Black has written and self-published dozens of romance novels! She earns $3,000 per month or more, and it’s possible to earn up to $10,000 per month. If you want to learn more about making money as a romance writer (even if you have zero experience!), check out Yuwanda’s free webinar.
Romance Writing Pros
- Anyone can self-publish a book on Amazon, even if you have no experience!
- Once you’ve written and published the book, any money you earn is passive. You can earn money from your books for years!
- Writing is a creative outlet.
Romance Writing Cons
- Novellas tend to be priced low, so you need to be prolific to earn a lot of money self-publishing romance books.
- You’ll have to bear the cost of editing, cover design, etc. yourself, but these are worthwhile expenses you can offset against your taxes.
4. Work as a Copywriter
Introverts tend to express themselves better in writing than they do verbally. So why not lean into that and make money from home using your strengths?
Copywriters write engaging and persuasive copy for sales pages, email funnels, landing pages, websites, case studies, etc. A good copywriter knows what to write to get people to take action, whether that’s to opt in for something or to buy something.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Copywriter?
According to Indeed, the average freelance copywriter in the US makes $59,022 per year (as of March 16, 2021), but it’s not unheard of for copywriters to earn over $100K per year!
Haven’t a clue how to earn money as a copywriter? Ashley Gainer has been doing it for years, and she shares her best tips for getting started in her Freelance Writer Starter Pack.
Copywriting Pros
- There’s lots of work available. All businesses need copy, and business owners often don’t have the skills to write it themselves.
- You get to be creative.
- You mostly work alone. You’ll need to discuss the specs of the job with your client, but the actual work will be done alone.
Copywriting Cons
- Sometimes you may have to write even when you don’t feel like it because you have a deadline. Taking regular breaks during the day will help you avoid burnout.
5. Become a Virtual Bookkeeper
If words aren’t your thing, what about numbers? If you were good at math in school, becoming a bookkeeper could be a good side hustle for you.
Bookkeepers manage the day-to-day finances of a business and allow business owners to make sound financial decisions.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Bookkeeper?
According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual pay for a freelance bookkeeper in the US is $55,094 a year.
Ben Robinson of Bookkeeper Launch says you can earn $60 or more per hour as a virtual bookkeeper.
Sign up for Ben’s free class to see if bookkeeping is the right fit for you!
Bookkeeping Pros
- Low start-up costs. All you need is a laptop, internet access, and access to your clients’ financials and cloud-based accounting software.
- You can work from home and set your own schedule.
- You don’t need an accounting degree or qualify as a CPA. There are other resources out there to help you get started quickly and easily.
Bookkeeping Cons
- It can feel like a big responsibility to get everything right as mistakes can be costly for your client. It may be worth investing in professional liability insurance to cover yourself.
6. Get Paid to Transcribe
Here’s another option for people with excellent punctuation skills!
Transcriptionists turn audio files into written documents by typing them up. The amount of video content is increasing every day, but businesses need this content to also be in written format so it can be found by search engines and be more accessible.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Transcriptionist?
Transcriptionists can charge anywhere from $15 to $60 per hour depending on the turnaround time and how difficult the audio or subject matter is.
According to Janet Shaughnessy of Transcribe Anywhere, the average median annual income for a general transcriptionist is $45,000. Legal transcriptionists can earn around $60,000.
Sign up for Janet’s FREE seven-lesson mini-course to jumpstart your transcription career.
Transcribing Pros
- You get to work from home.
- The start-up costs are low. You’ll need a laptop, internet access, headphones, a foot pedal, and transcription software.
- You can start as a general transcriptionist and increase your earning potential by becoming a legal transcriptionist later on.
Transcribing Cons
- Sometimes you’ll run into bad audio or accents that are more difficult to understand.
7. Earn Money Online as a Funnel Builder
What the hell is a funnel builder, you ask? A funnel builder creates the web pages and other assets needed to bring a potential customer from learning about a business to buying something from it.
To be a successful funnel builder you need to be creative, be comfortable with tech, and be a good writer.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Funnel Builder?
My good friend Brittany Long makes over $100K per year as a funnel builder! You can take on small projects like building an opt-in funnel for around $250, or you can charge thousands for an in-depth sales funnel.
Learn how to map out a funnel with Brittany’s free Funnel Flow Map for Opt-Ins!
Funnel Building Pros
- If you love designing web pages, you’ll love funnel building! You get to combine your design skills with your tech skills.
- This is a lucrative side hustle to start. Online businesses earn a lot of money from their funnels, but they often don’t have the time or skills to create them, so you can charge a higher fee.
Funnel Building Cons
- As with all tech, you’ll run into issues every now and again. You need to enjoy troubleshooting and figuring out what went wrong.
BTW, Brittany works at home with her husband! Not sure how that could work without leading to divorce? I interviewed Brittany on my podcast to learn how they overcome the challenges of working together and how they balance work-life with married life.
Why These Jobs Are Perfect for Introverts
The above online jobs are perfect for introverts because they allow you to
- Be alone a lot of the time.
- Set your own schedule and work when your energy levels are good.
- Communicate with your clients via email or Whatsapp most of the time rather than phone calls or in person. Perfect if you are an introvert who’s also shy or suffers from anxiety!
- Earn a decent income from the comfort of your own home. There’s a perception that only extroverts can land high-paying jobs because they’re more confident, but many of these jobs pay really well and are good jobs for introverts.
Final Thoughts on the Best Side Hustles for Introverts
If the events of 2020/2021 have thrown your financial future up in the air or convinced you that you thrive when you get to spend more time at home, seriously consider starting a side hustle or home business.
Being an introvert is not a bad thing! It’s time to embrace your introverted personality so you can design your life in a way that allows you to be happy and successful.
