25 Best Side Hustle Ideas in Singapore for Generating Extra Cash

If you could spend your spare time doing something you love and earn a little extra cash on the side, would you give up binging Netflix or partying? A side hustle can be a great way to top up your bank account and battle the constantly increasing cost of living, all while doing something that suits your skillset, talents or passions.

Having a side hustle in Singapore can be rewarding in more ways than one. Of course, it can help you to save for a big purchase or pay off some of your debts, but it can also give you an extra sense of purpose and help you to be your own boss. You could even turn that yoga class you run on weekends or those pastries you bake for your friends into a full-time business further down the road.

You might be surprised how many side hustle ideas are possible in Singapore, no matter your skills and interests.

What Is a Side Hustle?

A side hustle is a way to earn money on top of your main salaried job. It can be a small business you run during your evenings and weekends, something you do once in a blue moon, or anything in between. You can be as creative as you like when starting a side hustle in Singapore. The only thing that makes a side hustle a side hustle is that it provides you with a secondary source of income, however great or small.

25 Side Hustle Ideas You Need To Pursue in 2024!

There’s a new sense of potential in the air post-pandemic. Attitudes towards the typical nine-to-five way of doing things are changing, and employers are becoming more accepting of their employees having side hustles. Deloitte CEO David Hill even argues that workers with a side hustle have enhanced creativity, discipline, and work and life skills.

You could provide a unique service or start a business that’s already in demand, like house cleaning or writing reviews for your local restaurants and hotels.

If you’re short on time or lacking inspiration, check out 25 of the best side hustle ideas in Singapore to help you get started on earning extra cash in 2024.

1. Start a dropshipping business

With the growth of ecommerce, starting a dropshipping business is a great opportunity. It’s low-risk and has low startup costs, as you can sell products online without holding any inventory.

Your main job when dropshipping will be marketing the products and customer service. It’s great to consider if you have a background in copywriting, as your writing flair will help you create product descriptions that set you apart from the competition.

Dropshipping opens you up to a world of sellable products and allows you to start your very own ecommerce brand. Your profit will come from the percentage markup you add on to the wholesaler’s price, so dropshipping is a volume game.

2. Start a wholesale business

A wholesale business is a rung up the ladder from dropshipping and great for those who’d prefer to be a little more involved. If you have a good eye for finding great deals on products, you can buy products in bulk and sell them at a retail price for a profit. Most grocery stores work this way, but wholesale isn’t just for boxes of cereal. Let’s say there’s a popular item that isn’t yet widely available in Singapore; you could invest in the bulk stock of an item and be responsible for getting it into your clients’ hands. It needs a little more cash upfront, but the profit you make can reflect this. Fast-moving consumer goods could make 40% profit; furniture and clothing, 50%; and jewellery, 60%.

3. Begin freelancing

If you’re working in a service industry role where your weekly hours fluctuate, freelancing could help turn any spare hours and skills you have into cash. Plus, depending on what you’re offering to do, it could be that all you need is a laptop. You can offer writing, graphic design, photography, web development, and more services. Starting out is simple too. Sign up to a website like Upwork, add some examples of your work or a link to your portfolio, and your hourly rate, and you’re good to go!

4. Promote other brands as an affiliate marketer

As an affiliate marketer, you can earn a commission by promoting other people's products. You may be better off dropshipping the products yourself in some cases, but there are companies like Shopify and Amazon that will pay you a pretty penny if you can send new customers their way. You can also integrate affiliate marketing into another business you’re running on the sideline. Let’s say you make YouTube tutorials or have your own podcast; including a link to a partner’s site could help to boost your income. It’s a tough nut to crack, so it’s a good idea to read up on it. This Forbes article could help you turn affiliate marketing into a successful side hustle.

5. Launch a print-on-demand store

With print-on-demand, you can create and sell custom products without having to hold any inventory— and unique screen-printed totes and t-shirts are a great way to jump on the personalisation wagon. You can buy the materials as and when you need to and print them to order — just be sure to add this into your lead times, so your customers aren’t left in the lurch. Be clear on when they can expect their orders to arrive. Good customer service and high-quality output will be one of the easiest ways to gain repeat business in any side hustle.

6. Start blogging

If you have a passion for writing and sharing your knowledge, starting a blog can be a great side hustle. And blogging can be so much more than just the written word nowadays. Photographers and filmmakers are raking in extra income by sharing their advice on the internet about their craft. Over a quarter of the world’s websites are blogs, so finding your niche and voice will help you rise to the top. Passion goes a long way, too. Write what you want to read and gain a base of like-minded readers. The same goes for any creative pursuit. Who knows what blog topics Singapore is missing out on? It could be the perfect side hustle for you if you’ve got a unique perspective.

7. Sell information products

If you have a level of expertise in a topic, it’s a waste to keep it to yourself. Why not consider creating and selling e-books and courses or running seminars on topics you're knowledgeable about? Maybe you’ve got an impressive collection of traditional Singaporean recipes that the world needs to know about, or you’ve devised the perfect workout plan with proven results.

People are always looking to further their knowledge and improve their lives; you could hold the key. Focus on solving people’s problems, and do it through several mediums to keep a steady stream of income flowing in.

It sounds obvious, but the more professionally you present these information products, the better they’ll be received. Have a graphic designer help you with the layout of your e-books. Once you’ve created a few pieces of content, you need to figure out how to get them seen. You could share them on social media or promote them through paid ads. You’ll want to consider where your target audience spends their time and promote your products in these places.

8. Earn passive income as an Instagram influencer

Do you know social like the back of your hand? Have you worked hard over the years to cultivate your following? Why not put that hard work to good use and help your followers keep up to date with the latest brands and products? And, being a tastemaker, you can promote whatever you’re passionate about. Maybe you’re wise to the hotspots in Singapore, or you’re like Michelangelo with a makeup brush. Brands will pay you to use and promote their products to your loyal followers. Even if you don’t have a huge following, many brands see the value of using micro-influencers as more trustworthy ambassadors.

9. Become a virtual assistant

Siri can’t do everything. Neither can AI just yet. Companies need help with customer support, their IT needs, and even scheduling their social posts. You could make it your gig and do it all remotely. The benefit to the company you’re working for is that they receive a more personal service. You’ll also save them from the more considerable fees that agencies demand. You’ll be paid for the hours you log. If you’re helping with a more specialist role, you’ll be able to set a higher hourly rate.

10. Sell your photography

Isn’t it nice to have pretty things to look at around your home or an eye-catching phone or computer wallpaper that nobody else has? If you’re passionate about photography and have an artistic gift, you can sell your photos online. Shutterstock is a great place to have your images seen and sold. You can sell them for as much or as little as you like and offer them in various resolutions to suit your buyers’ needs.

You could go one step further and sell your images as prints, using quality materials and complementary frames. Flashy— pun intended.

11. Invest in real estate

Real estate can be a fantastic investment if you have some money saved up. You don’t need to be a Singaporean citizen to buy in Singapore, either. International buyers are able to purchase private properties such as private apartments and condominiums but will need government approval to buy landed properties like bungalows.

Check your eligibility and follow the appropriate steps if you want to rent the property out to short-term or long-term tenants. Remember that the market changes constantly, and your returns can fluctuate. That being said, Singapore has stayed resilient in recent times.

12. Offer in-person services that can't be automated

We don’t think robots will be able to cut a dog’s hair for at least a few years. Or a human’s, come to think of it. If you’re a qualified pet groomer or hairdresser, why not offer your time and services as a side hustle? You can offer house calls whenever suits your clients— and the list of possible services goes on. Home cleaning could be an easy way to earn extra money and quickly get you a growing client list. Exercise is another struggle that robots will never be able to empathise with, so why not get the qualifications you need to become a personal trainer and get your workout in while training a group of others too?

13. Start a YouTube channel

YouTubers have brought some pretty impressive paychecks home. MrBeast earned $54 million in 2021, with over 100 million subscribers. But you don’t need to have that many subscribers to make your YouTube channel successful. It can be a rewarding side hustle with as few as 1000 subscribers. And you can make videos about whatever you like.

Survival Builder shares primitive survival skills and has gained a following of 10.5 million from doing so.

Set up an AdSense account for YouTube and this will help you to start getting paid. For more info, check out this Google article on how to earn money through YouTube too.

14. Launch a paid newsletter or subscription

If you know about a topic others need, leverage it. Maybe you’re a journalist who wants to earn money from your projects, or perhaps you’re an expert in your field. Persuade your audience to pay a monthly subscription to your newsletter or an upfront fee that gives them access to exclusive content they wouldn’t see elsewhere. It could be interviews, columns, or behind-the-scenes content— whatever you think will entice your readers.

Websites like Substack help you to publish your content behind a paywall that only your subscribers can view. Offer giveaways for subscribers or tier your content for different prices. You can even give non-subscribers sneak peeks at some of your work to show them your value.

15. Tutor students as they prepare for exams

Teachers, lecturers and brain-boxes can easily make extra money through a side hustle in tutoring. Whatever your academic ability, you’ll be able to find students at a stage you can teach. Primary school students need tutors for their PSLEs; then there are the more advanced GCE N(A)- and N(T)-Levels; and GCE O-Levels and A-Levels.

Run refresher classes on the curriculum, guide them through mock exams, and ensure they’ve covered all the topics related to the subject before their final exams.

Musicians: teach your instrument. Pilots: think about becoming a flight instructor to help others fulfil their dream of flying.

16. Rent out your swimming pool or other non-real estate assets

You can rent out your pool, garage, parking space, or other assets, such as bicycles or camera equipment, for extra cash when you’re not using them.

There are around 1 million cars in Singapore, with people eager to find parking spaces near concert venues and stadiums. You could make an extra S$200 a month if you have parking in a good location that you’re not using. Sign up for a site like ParkingCupid to rent out your parking space. It’s an easy side hustle that could make you a small fortune.

If you have specialist equipment you don’t use frequently, consider renting that out too. You might want to get insurance on anything valuable and charge a deposit to cover any possible wear and tear.

17. Resell clothing that's already in your closet

Fashion changes, but style is eternal. Maybe you have a wardrobe that leaves others weak at the knees— but you’ve grown tired of the clothes you’ve had for years. It might be worth reselling the items you no longer wear. You could sell it for a set price or have people bid for each item. Etsy or ebay are good places to sell your clothes on the internet.

Depending on how seriously you take it, you could save up some money for a trip or you could turn it from a second job into your primary source of income. If you’ve got a good eye, you could visit vintage fairs and second-hand stores to pick up inexpensive items and sell them for a profit.

18. Wash other people's clothes

If you have a washing machine and some free time, consider offering laundry services to others for a fee. If your full-time job allows you to work from home, it could be as simple as throwing on a load of laundry during your lunch break and ironing the garments after work while you watch a movie to unwind. There are over 100 laundromats in Singapore, but sitting around staring at all those spinning laundry machines can be tedious, so why not save people the trouble?

19. Offer predetermined services on Fiverr

Much like freelancing, but with the hard work of finding clients done for you. Fiverr is a platform where you can offer your skills and services to others. Maybe your side hustle is as an AI artist or a ChatGPT prompt poet. There’s no limit to the services you can offer others in Singapore and across the globe through Fiverr.

Set up a profile and assign yourself to the relevant categories. Small businesses and individuals will then be able to find you on Fiverr and connect with you if they like your work. Anyone from Voice Over artists to translators can have their work seen and have work commissioned on Fiverr.

20. Sell homegrown produce

Some are better at getting their vegetable patch to flourish than others. So many people want homegrown fresh, organic vegetables— and maybe you can provide them. Turn your hobby into a gig that lets you sell those beans at the market and bring home the bacon.

Those with especially green fingers could combine this side hustle with online courses that help others care for the herbs and vegetables they’re growing in their home. Two side hustles in one!

21. Get paid to drive

You can get paid for something you do every day and something you love to do. If you have a car, become a Grab driver, or sign up for another ride-hailing app. You could use those spare hours to give others a ride or even deliver their food while breezing through Singapore.

It’s projected that the Revenue in the Online Food Delivery market will reach US$1.50bn in 2023, with an annual growth rate of 8.75%, so get yourself a slice of the pie.

22. Sell custom-baked goods

We don’t all admit it, but we all love a personalised birthday cake. And not everyone has the time or know-how to bake one for their family or friends on their special day. Singapore’s renowned Mad About Sucre charges around S$23-25 per person for a custom-baked cake.

If you’re a talented baker, you could make a nice profit on a cake that takes you a couple of hours to make. Turn that Saturday morning activity into a fulfilling hustle— you’ll also see your skills grow. No self-raising flour necessary.

23. Create a niche reviews website

Do you know exactly what makes a good mattress cleaning company and are willing to critique those that fall short? Or have you tried every makeup brand under the sun, and can show the pros and cons of each one? There are over half a million businesses in Singapore, and a good review is worth its weight in gold to every business owner.

2022 Statistical Highlights - Monthly business entity count in Singapore

If you’re passionate about a particular niche and believe your opinion is worth hearing, create a reviews website. Once you have an audience, you can monetise the website through advertising and affiliate marketing. Don’t let it affect your objectivity, though; your readers will smell if something’s off.

24. Curate a popular playlist

Found yourself as the DJ of all the parties you attend? If you’ve got a talent for putting together playlists that suit the mood, why not curate a selection of playlists for people to listen to while they work, study, exercise, eat, and party?

Lofi Girl makes playlists for her listeners on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music and has gained over 11.9 million subscribers on her YouTube channel alone. By creating niche playlists, she’s also built a brand for herself. She made a mascot that viewers watch throughout the playlist. She even sells merchandise on her website.

Creating playlists on multiple platforms can open your side hustle up to more listeners. You could even ask them to subscribe with their email addresses and make money on that data from third parties. If your playlists are popular enough, artists and managers might even pay you to listen to their music and consider adding it to a playlist. Use this site to check how popular your playlists are.

25. Make creative interior designs and decorations

Interior design and decoration is a great side hustle for those with a creative eye and a passion for home décor. You can offer your services to friends and family to build up your portfolio, then level up and start your own online business to reach a wider audience. Your craft would help to set you apart, as 75% of people who responded to a survey by Advanced Consultancy said they were disappointed with the quality and would even be willing to pay more if it was better. Also, more creative designers will have a chance to stand out in Singapore’s cookie-cutter design landscape, according to a survey by Qanvast.

You could even start with individual pieces of furniture, upcycling old items with a bit of wear and tear into more desirable pieces to sell.

Is It Possible To Earn More Money With a Side Hustle?

Having a side hustle can provide an additional income source for people in Singapore. Remember that the demand for the goods or services you’re offering will affect what people are willing to pay you, as will the amount of time and effort you put into your side hustle.

Carefully budget for any bills that starting and running the business might bring. We can help you keep to all the local laws and regulations when you start your side hustle in Singapore, including taxes.

How To Start a Side Hustle

Starting a side hustle can seem like too big a task, but with the right approach, mindset and support, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. Check out other popular business ideas for entrepreneurs in Singapore, or read our tips to help you get started:

1. Make a list of your interests

To find the perfect side hustle idea, you first need to identify your interests. Think about the things you enjoy doing and what your skills are. This will give you a good starting point for mapping out side hustle ideas that align with your passions. Then, think about where there’s a gap in the market and what you’ll likely get paid for. Et voila: your side hustle!

The Japanese principle of Ikigai is an excellent place to start here; where the four circles converge in the Venn diagram, there lies your reason for being— or your Ikigai. And who wouldn’t want their side hustle to coincide with that?

2. Be aware of your spending

Once you have an idea, it's essential to keep track of your spending. Consider the costs of starting and running your side hustle, such as materials, tools, and marketing. You want to ensure that your side gig will bring in enough income to cover these costs and still leave you with a profit.

Bookkeeping with Osome means you can devote more of your spare time to your side hustle and less time fiddling with the finances.

3. Avoid any conflicts of interest

It's also important to consider any conflicts of interest that may arise from your second job. For example, if you work in the same industry as your side hustle, you may want to avoid doing anything that could harm your professional reputation.

Make sure to read through your contract carefully and check with your manager whether you’re allowed to start a side hustle, and avoid starting one in the same industry as you might have a non-compete clause. Also, it’s probably best to take a break from your day job and not carry it over into your side hustle. Variety will keep you passionate and interested and help avoid wires getting crossed.

4. Schedule your side hustle tasks

Once you have a clear idea of what your side hustle will entail, it's time to schedule your tasks. Set aside time each week to work on your side hustle and focus on your goals. Keep your calendar up to date and set alerts for important meetings so you can prepare beforehand. Automated scheduling assistants like Asana and Evie will help you to manage your projects seamlessly.

5. Don’t forget your day job

Finally, it's important to remember that your side gig should never get in the way of your day job. Make sure you balance your responsibilities and prioritise your primary source of income.

If your second job becomes your primary source of income and you decide it needs more time devoted to it, don’t be afraid to take the leap. You’ve proven the business can make a profit already— that’s a win!

You Grow Your Business, We’ll Do the Rest

With so many opportunities to earn extra cash through a side hustle in Singapore, there’s never been a better time to get started.