How to Make Money with Weird and Fun Side Hustles

How to Make Money with Weird and Fun Side Hustles
We all have jobs as our primary source of income, but there are always ways to do something fun and weird that can bring in more money and less stress. This post will suggest some weird ways to make money and have fun while doing just that.

Becoming a Twitch streamer

If you like playing video games, doing art, or chatting with people, why not monetize on that passion? Getting to Twitch Affiliate takes a little bit of work, and after that, you’ll be able to make money off of ads, subscribers, and bits. Becoming a Twitch streamer can turn your hobby into an income, and if you grow a community, you can always supplement your income via sites like Throne, Ko-fi, and Patreon. 
If you stick with streaming and get to Twitch Partner, you can make your hobby your primary source of income. Many on the platform live (some exceptionally well) off of just streaming. 
Affiliates on Twitch get a 50/50 split on their subscribers, with the option of getting that to a 60/40 split for the streamer with the Partner Plus program. Partners get the same options plus a second level in the Partner Plus program, which gives them a 70/30 split on all subscribers. Affiliates and Partners get $1 per 100 bits and ad revenue up to 55% (standard is 30%).

Monetizing social media

If you are like me and spend your nights before finally drifting off to sleep doomscrolling on social media, you may also have thought of "Hey, I can do that!" as well. Social media is an escape for many people and can be a way to make money, too. Whether you want to start a fashion page, talk about books you love and have read, or discuss any other hobby you may have, like art, riding motorcycles, or dancing, you can find an audience on social media for it. 
Instagram and TikTok are great places to grow an audience. Using the proper tags on your videos and pictures will have you attracting like-minded people who can help grow your community. Most of the revenue from social media is through sponsorships and affiliate links, but there are also things like the TikTok creator fund, which pays creators based on their views. 

Posting videos on YouTube

Just like with Twitch, making money on YouTube is dependent only on your creativity and dedication. First, you need to become eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, and if you are in a country that supports it and if that box is checked, you need to have one of two things accomplished before you can join the program.
  1. 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months.
  2. 1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public short views in 90 days.
As with most social media work, the way to make money on YouTube is through ads. On average, people make anywhere from $10 to $30 per 1,000 views on their videos. 

Becoming an app tester

As technology becomes increasingly ingrained in our society, apps are popping up for any function you can think of. So, naturally, app developers need someone to test the apps, their functions, the user interface, and how easy/hard it is to use them. 
Depending on the apps that are being developed, you may need some qualifications to test them, but developers are always looking for the best quality testers so that their apps get better and can be used more.
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Participating in online surveys or studies

Participating in online surveys can be an excellent way to make money, but they pay less than is usually needed to make a living. That being said, surveys are a great way to supplement your income with very little effort on your part. You can find survey sites everywhere on the internet, most of which are legit ways of making money
You don't need to only take surveys on these sites. There are other options like playing games, reviewing products, etc., so it really is a pick-your-own-adventure kind of thing.
Participating in online studies is a little different. While similar to surveys, studies are usually better paid and involve a group of people. These focus groups then shared their opinions or answered questions critical to the study's success. These can be time-intensive, but they can be worth it if you find the right ones.
Related: Do Paid Surveys Really Work (Or Are They a Scam?)

Becoming a professional cuddler 

It’s possible to make money through many odd in-person jobs — like cuddling. If you are a people person, don't mind people being in your personal space, and enjoy a good cuddle (let's be honest, who doesn't?), being a professional cuddler may be the job for you. 
This career path has proven beneficial for both the cuddler and the cuddlee. It is proven that physical contact (even with a virtual stranger), if consensual, brings out the happy hormones in our brains and makes us feel good. So, if this sounds like something you'd like to do as a job, look into becoming a professional cuddler.

Selling your hair

In every person's life, there comes a time, or times, when we do the big chop of our hair. The reasoning can be anywhere from "it's too warm to function" to "I just need a change." Whatever the reason, if you have long hair and are planning to chop it off, consider selling it.
A lot of companies buy hair for extensions and wigs, and if your hair is healthy and strong, you can make a lot of money with no drawbacks. Even some hair salons in your vicinity may offer to purchase your hair, so do your research and see if this is something for you!

Selling your breast milk

There are a lot of struggling parents out there who need milk banks in order to feed their children, so if you are lactating and overproducing (and absolutely do not need it for yourself for any reason), selling your breast milk could make you some money while at the same time helping someone in need.

The bottom line

Embrace unconventional opportunities to generate income through activities you enjoy. From streaming on Twitch and sharing content on social media to testing apps and selling hair, these creative approaches offer fun and potentially lucrative ways to supplement your primary income. Whether it's leveraging your hobbies or exploring unique side gigs, there's a plethora of options to explore that can both fulfill and financially benefit you.

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