Side Hustle noun
A job or business undertaken in addition to one's primary employment to generate extra income.
A teacher starts dog walking on weekends, earning $300/month – that's their side hustle.
Gig Economy noun
A labor market characterized by short‑term, flexible jobs (gigs) often mediated by digital platforms.
Uber drivers, TaskRabbit taskers, and Fiverr freelancers all participate in the gig economy.
1099 Income noun
Income reported on IRS Form 1099-NEC, earned as an independent contractor – no taxes withheld.
A freelance graphic designer gets a 1099 from each client and must pay self‑employment tax quarterly.
W-2 noun
Traditional employment where taxes are withheld by employer – the opposite of 1099 gig work.
A teacher’s main job is W-2; their weekend dog walking is 1099 side hustle.
Moonlighting noun
Working a second job, often at night or on weekends, usually without the primary employer's knowledge.
An accountant does bookkeeping for small businesses on evenings – classic moonlighting.
Passive Income noun
Earnings that require little ongoing effort after initial setup – e.g., digital products, affiliate links, royalties.
A YouTuber earns ad revenue from videos uploaded years ago – passive income.
Active Income noun
Income directly tied to time and effort – hourly work, freelance projects, service gigs.
Walking dogs for $20/hour is active income; you only earn when you're working.
Residual Income noun
Income that continues after the initial work is done, often from subscriptions or royalties.
A photographer licenses a photo through Shutterstock and earns a small fee every time it's downloaded.
Recurring Revenue noun
Income that repeats regularly (monthly/annually) from subscriptions or retainers.
A VA charges clients $500/month for ongoing social media management – recurring revenue.
Subscription Model noun
Charging customers a recurring fee for ongoing access to a product or service.
A fitness coach offers a $20/month membership site with weekly workout videos.
Freemium adj
Offering basic services free while charging for premium features – common in apps and content.
A newsletter is free, but $5/month unlocks weekly deep‑dive posts behind a paywall.
Digital Product noun
An intangible asset sold online (e‑book, course, template, software) with zero inventory cost.
A designer sells $15 resume templates on Etsy – 100% profit after creation.
E-book noun
A digital book sold online, often self‑published via Amazon KDP or Gumroad.
A nutritionist writes a 50‑page guide to meal prep, sells it for $9.99 on her website.
Online Course noun
Structured educational content sold digitally, often via platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, or Udemy.
A programmer creates a “Python for Beginners” course, priced at $97, and earns while students enroll.
Coaching / Consulting noun
One‑on‑one or group advising services, often high‑ticket and sold by the hour or package.
A marketing expert charges $200/hour for consulting calls with small business owners.
Service‑Based Business noun
A business that sells time, skills, or labor rather than physical products.
A cleaning service, dog walking, and freelance writing are all service‑based.
Productized Service noun
A service sold at a fixed price with a defined scope, making it scalable like a product.
“I'll design your logo in 48 hours for $299” – productized logo design.
Micro-SaaS noun
A small, niche software‑as‑a‑service business, often run by one person (solopreneur).
A developer builds a $7/month tool for Etsy sellers to optimize keywords – micro-SaaS.
Solopreneur noun
An entrepreneur who runs a business alone, without employees or partners.
A freelance photographer who handles all bookings, shoots, and editing solo is a solopreneur.
Creator Economy noun
The economic ecosystem built around independent content creators (YouTubers, TikTokers, Substack writers).
A TikToker earning from brand deals and Patreon is part of the creator economy.
Content Creator noun
Someone who produces engaging material (videos, blogs, social posts) to build an audience and monetize.
A food blogger with 50k Instagram followers monetizes via sponsored posts and affiliate links.
UGC Creator noun
User‑generated content creator – makes authentic‑style videos for brands to use in ads.
A UGC creator films herself using a skincare product and sells the video to the brand for $200.
Monetization noun
The process of converting an audience, product, or service into revenue.
A podcast with 10k downloads monetizes through host‑read ads and merchandise.
Ad Revenue / RPM noun
Income from displaying ads; RPM = revenue per thousand views/visitors.
A blog with 100k monthly pageviews and $10 RPM earns $1,000/month from display ads.
Affiliate Link noun
A unique URL that tracks referrals; the affiliate earns a commission on sales generated.
A tech reviewer includes Amazon affiliate links in a video; if viewers buy, he earns 5‑10%.
Tiered Commission noun
Commission that increases as sales volume grows (e.g., 10% up to $10k, then 15%).
An affiliate promoting a SaaS earns 20% recurring commission for the lifetime of the customer.
Network Marketing / MLM noun
A business model where distributors earn from their own sales and from recruiting new distributors (multi‑level marketing).
Selling health supplements through a downline – controversial due to high failure rates.
Party Plan noun
Selling products via social gatherings (in‑home or virtual parties), common in direct sales.
A consultant hosts a virtual candle party on Zoom, taking orders from friends.
Etsy Seller noun
Someone who sells handmade, vintage, or craft supplies on the Etsy marketplace.
A potter sells $40 ceramic mugs on Etsy, after $10 fees and materials, profit $20 each.
Amazon FBA noun
Fulfillment by Amazon – sellers send inventory to Amazon, who handles storage, shipping, and customer service.
A reseller buys 500 units of a toy for $2 each, sells on Amazon for $15, pays FBA fees, and nets $8 per unit.
Reselling / Flipping noun
Buying items low and selling high for profit, often through thrift stores, garage sales, or online arbitrage.
A flipper finds a vintage jacket at Goodwill for $8, cleans it, and sells on Poshmark for $60.
Poshmark / Depop noun
Peer‑to‑peer platforms for selling secondhand clothing, accessories, and vintage items.
A Depop seller curates 90s band tees, buying at thrift stores for $5 and selling for $30 each.
eBay Seller noun
Someone who sells items via auction or fixed price on eBay, a global online marketplace.
A seller lists collectible coins, using eBay's global shipping program to reach international buyers.
Consignment noun
An arrangement where a seller places goods with a shop, and the shop pays the seller only after the item sells.
A local boutique sells handmade jewelry on consignment, taking 40% of the sale price.
Barter / Skill Exchange noun
Trading goods or services without money – common in local communities and online skill‑swap groups.
A web designer builds a site for a plumber in exchange for fixing her leaky faucet.
Time Bank noun
A community exchange where people trade hours of service: 1 hour of tutoring = 1 hour of gardening.
A member earns time credits by walking dogs, then spends credits on guitar lessons.
TaskRabbit noun
A platform connecting people who need small tasks done (furniture assembly, moving help) with local freelancers.
A handy person earns $50/hour assembling IKEA furniture through TaskRabbit.
Rover / Dog Walking noun
Platforms for pet care services: dog walking, boarding, sitting. Popular side hustle for animal lovers.
A sitter on Rover charges $40/night to board a dog in their home, earning $1,200/month extra.
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) noun
Driving passengers using a personal vehicle through app‑based platforms.
A teacher drives Uber on weekends, earning $200 after gas and wear‑and‑tear.
Food Delivery noun
Delivering restaurant meals via platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub.
A student delivers during dinner rushes, averaging $18/hour before expenses.
Instacart / Grocery Delivery noun
Shopping for and delivering groceries to customers via app.
A shopper picks $200 of groceries for a customer, earns $15 plus tip.
Errand Running noun
Offering to do tasks like dry cleaning pickup, pharmacy runs, or mailing packages for busy people.
A retiree charges $25/hour to run errands for seniors in her neighborhood.
Upcycling noun
Transforming old or discarded items into something of higher value, then reselling.
A person refinishes old wooden furniture, buying pieces for $20 and selling for $150.
Online Tutoring noun
Teaching students via platforms like VIPKid (English to Chinese kids) or Chegg (homework help).
A math grad tutors calculus on Chegg, earning $20/hour helping students.
Resume Writing noun
Professional service crafting resumes and LinkedIn profiles for job seekers.
A former HR pro charges $150 for a resume and cover letter package.
Virtual Assistant (VA) noun
Remote worker who provides administrative, creative, or technical support to clients.
A VA manages email, schedules, and social media for a coach, charging $500/month.
Social Media Manager noun
Handles a brand's social presence: content creation, posting, engagement, and analytics.
A freelancer manages Instagram for a boutique, posting daily and replying to comments, earning $800/month.
Transcription noun
Converting audio/video recordings into text, often for podcasts, interviews, or legal proceedings.
A transcriber types 60 minutes of audio and earns $30 on Rev.com.
Proofreading / Editing noun
Reviewing written content for errors in grammar, spelling, and style.
A former English teacher proofreads blog posts for $0.02/word.
Bookkeeping noun
Recording financial transactions for small businesses, often using QuickBooks or FreshBooks.
A certified bookkeeper manages accounts for three local restaurants, charging $400/month each.
The Side Hustles & Gig Economy Lexicon — v.2026 — Dollarland Central Bank of Knowledge