According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, it appears that Americans are taking on side jobs as if a recession has been declared. The harsh reality, though, is that many side gigs could go away during an economic downturn.
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GOBankingRates reached out to experts to determine what side gigs could survive various economic cycles. Even with a cooling job market or fears of a possible recession, some side gigs likely won’t be going away.
Also see how to turn your 2025 side gig into a full-time job.
Short-Term Rentals
“There has been a surge in platforms that allow people to monetize assets they own by renting them out to others,” said Tom Blake, managing editor at The Budget Diet. “Airbnb is a prime example, and being an Airbnb host isn’t the kind of side hustle that AI or a cooling job market can disrupt overnight.”
Regardless of what happens in the economy, people will always need to spend money on accommodations. Even when travel drops, there will be people traveling for work or to visit family, as well as people who are just stuck in between units.
If you’re listing your spare room or basement out as a side hustle, you’ll likely be able to find guests during different economic cycles.
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Renting Out Your Stuff
It’s worth pointing out that Airbnb isn’t the only platform that allows you to monetize your assets. Blake shared that Turo lets people rent out their vehicles, while Fat Llama makes it easy to rent out equipment, tools, cameras and other gear to people in your city. And you can even monetize your extra parking space with SpotHero.
The good news is that valuable and tangible assets aren’t likely to lose their value anytime soon due to changes in the job market or economy. Chances are that consumers would rely on rentals even more during an economic downturn since they may not want to spend the money on purchasing the product.
The various apps in the sharing economy make it easier than ever to start a side hustle as well.
Delivery Apps
There are also plenty of opportunities to make money by delivering things. Classic side hustle examples include being a food delivery driver for companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats. You can also get paid to deliver groceries with companies like Instacart and Shipt.
Blake also noted that Amazon Flex pays you to deliver packages, while platforms like Roadie let you make money with longer-distance delivery gigs. While people would likely spend less on eating out during a recession, there will always be a demand for products to be delivered to someone’s door, as people have busy schedules and these apps have become standard for many Americans.
Childcare and Elder Care
“Nobody’s outsourcing grandma’s meds or picking up a toddler in the metaverse,” said Patrice Williams-Lindo, a career expert and CEO of Career Nomad. “People always pay for trusted care.”
Based on data sourced by the Pew Research Center, the price of daycare and preschool went up about 22% from January 2020 to September 2024. You could have a profitable side hustle where you care for older adults and children in your community, as it could be difficult to replace this type of service.
Beauty Services
Williams-Lindo noted that even if you get laid off or are worried about your finances, you’ll still likely require certain beauty services, like a haircut. According to Fortune Business Insights, the professional beauty services market is expected to grow from $221.03 billion in 2024 to $378.47 billion by 2032, driven by increased demand for salon treatments and premium skincare services.
While your barbershop or nail side hustle could see demand drop during challenging periods in the economy, these are still services that can’t be ignored completely.
Tutoring/Test Preparation
Williams-Lindo pointed out that many communities value education, and parents will be willing to spend money on tutoring services to ensure that their children can get the best grades possible in an economic downtown.
Working as a tutor and offering assistance for major test preparation will likely always be in demand since parents will want their children to excel in their studies.
Odd Jobs
There are numerous odd job gigs that haven’t been automated yet and will likely remain in demand for the next few decades. Rover and Wag allow you to make money by walking dogs for people or by offering pet-sitting services. There are also platforms like Taskrabbit that allow gig workers to post services for sale, ranging from assembling furniture to running errands for people.
Unless technology automates these gigs, there are plenty of opportunities to make money with odd jobs. Even during challenging economic times, people will require assistance with tasks around the house and completing work that they don’t have time for.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Side Hustles That Will Never Go Away
