8 Great Side Hustles For Women In Middle Age And Beyond

Side hustles are a fantastic way to increase your earnings, encourage equity and close earning gaps, but they’re also a brilliant way to inspire creativity and innovation in an area you might be interested in but don’t delve into in your career. Middle-aged women can launch their own side business with confidence because when we look at the data, we can see that most thriving entrepreneurs are not necessarily young — they have life and career experience, and that is what enables them to launch a business successfully. 

Going into business later in life gives you a stronger support system, and a host of skills you can apply to your new venture and means you’ll be more resilient. Your age is actually one of your greatest assets, and the knowledge and expertise you’ve gained over the years will give you a stronger foundation to build your side business.

The best side hustles to make extra money

Having a side hustle is empowering and can add up to some serious income if you choose wisely to fund your retirement, your travel dreams or simply for an extra cushion every month. So, with that in mind, here are some suggestions for flexible side gigs that offer excellent earning potential and will keep you inspired. 

Teach a class in your community

Chances are high that you’ve gained a wealth of skills over the course of your life so far, so why not put those skills to great use by teaching others what you know? From your local community centre to libraries in your area, don’t be shy about pitching your ideas for a class to educational organizations in your town or city, and you’ll be able to be paid to share your knowledge with others. Alternatively, you can also teach online which gives you flexibility and convenience as well as great earning potential that fits around your schedule, meaning you can teach as little or as often as works for you. 

Launch a photography business

If you have a creative streak, photography is the perfect side hustle to turn your creative eye into income. To be successful in photography, you first need to understand the fundamentals of photography, from lighting and the different lenses to composition and shutter speed. Once you’ve developed these skills, you can offer your services to others and build up a portfolio of work to attract new clients. It helps to specialize in photography, and there are various avenues you can take, such as pet photography, portraits or weddings, landscapes or product photography for brands. 

Offer marketing services

If a complete career change is something you’ve always dreamed of, why not build your side hustle in the profitable area of marketing? Marketing skills are in demand in numerous industries, and because there’s a constant need for them, you won’t be short of clients or earning opportunities. Marketing skills range from setting up social media accounts and developing websites to running SEO campaigns and writing email copy for newsletters. The plus side is that there are countless resources online to help you develop these skills and learn the inner workings of marketing, and it’s a fast-paced and interesting industry to get into if you’re interested in all things digital. Once you have your head around Google Ads and search engine optimization, you can reach out to local businesses and pitch your services for a monthly fee. 

Set up a delivery or rideshare business

With apps like Uber and Lyft, it’s never been easier to make money from your driving skills and it can be a great earner if you’d prefer working on the weekends or evenings. But it’s not limited to driving other people around town. In fact, you can make great money as a delivery driver too, whether that’s parcels and post or food deliveries. If you have a vehicle and you’re a responsible driver, it’s a great side hustle that is simple to get started with, and you’ll meet new people every day. 

Become a virtual assistant

Some women are particularly skilled at multi-tasking and staying organized, so if that’s you, you might enjoy success as a virtual assistant which enables you to capitalize on those time management and scheduling skills that others struggle with. Virtual Assistant jobs are always in demand and the beauty of them as a side hustle is that they can be customized to your skill set. If you’re better at scheduling and diary management, you can offer these skills in the form of scheduling meetings or making travel arrangements for busy executives, or you might be better at administration, writing correspondence or handling website updates. 

Launch your craft-shop

It’s not unusual to turn a hobby into a business, and that includes crafting. If you have ever thought about selling your crafts or turning your crafting love into a part-time or full-time business, this is the right time. For those with a creative flair, crafting for cash can be lucrative, with successful exponents making tens of thousands a year from their work. Many excellent crafters use the website Etsy to sell their handiwork. Other outlets include Amazon and eBay. Teaming up with an independent local business, such as a gift shop or bookstore, can also be a way to get your goods to market.

Coach people on their fitness

Always been a gym enthusiast? You could help clients achieve their fitness and weight loss goals by becoming a personal trainer or a fitness coach. You’ll develop tailored programs for people based on their goals and lifestyle, and help them stay on track and motivated. This side hustle is perfect for women with strong communication skills, empathy and interpersonal skills, and you can build your business with in-person coaching or online courses. It’s a side gig that is flexible, brings in excellent income and makes a real difference to those who use your services. In fact, you may want to specialize and work with people who might be struggling with working out later in life. 

Become a dog-walker

Walking dogs for a living is more than just pulling on a leash and getting some exercise. You need to be a dog-lover first. No formal qualifications are needed, though confidence and experience with a variety of breeds are important. It isn’t a legal requirement to have dog-walking insurance, but it’s a good idea, and it is important to have liability insurance as this covers you from claims made by members of the public in case of an injury. You can start dog walking or pet sitting for friends and neighbours. And when you do it once successfully, you’ll likely be asked to do it again.

Enjoy it

To launch a side hustle that won’t leave you burned out and disengaged, you need to think about what interests you and what topics you’d be passionate about learning more about. Maybe you’re a fitness fanatic who loves nothing more than heading out for a morning run, or maybe you love to flex your creative muscles and craft unique products. A side hustle is something you need to make time for alongside your other responsibilities, so it’s important that it’s something you enjoy and that opens up opportunities to meet new people and learn as your business grows. And who knows, it may even become your main source of income in the future. 

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