13 Legit Ways That Work!

Do you dream of making $1,000 a day but don’t know how to get started? Maybe you want to make more money for an immediate, short-term need like paying off your car or saving for a big purchase.

Or maybe you’re in it for the long game and want to build wealth that lets you retire early, travel more, or provide for your family and friends. 

Whatever’s driving you, with the right strategy and hard work, making $1,000 a day is possible. From easy side hustles to businesses you build slowly from the ground up, we’ve curated a list of our top 13 opportunities.

1. Food Delivery

Since the pandemic, food delivery services have grown exponentially. You can make $1,000 quickly by jumping into the DoorDash or Uber Eats game. 

As a driver, you accept online orders through an app on your phone, pick up the goods from a restaurant or convenience store, and deliver the items to the customer’s location. 

It’s a great money-making gig if you like to be on the move and not stuck behind a computer screen. You’re physically out in the world driving from point A to point B, and you can set your hours, driving when you want, as often as you want. 

To make the most money, drivers work peak hours (lunch and dinner) and pick up a delivery on their way home. While DoorDash has cornered well over half the market share, some Dashers choose to work for additional food delivery services to maximize pay. DoorDash drivers can also choose to “Dash Now” when there’s a high demand for drivers because the app is busy.

Check out our DoorDash driver review for more details.

2. Freelancing 

Freelancing is one of the most flexible and accessible ways to make money online. Writers, graphic designers, website developers, and social media gurus, for example, have those in-demand skills that let them find work every day. 

Websites like Flexjobs, Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr connect freelancers with clients worldwide, offering endless opportunities to land steady gigs. It can take time to build your portfolio or land those clients who hire you over and over, but hitting that $1,000 mark per day is more than achievable.

You can also get started by leveraging your network — your hair salon or local gift shop may be looking for help with their website or blog and would trust a customer they know more than someone they hire from a website.

Writers can learn more in How to Become a Freelance Writer or check out this article on high-income career fields including graphic design.

Make up to $5,000 a month freelance writing

Go from dreaming it to doing it with this comprehensive guide to freelance writing

3. E-commerce 

If your fashion is always on point or you can spot trends coming before the rest of us, you may be a natural at e-commerce. Platforms like Shopify, Amazon FBA, and Etsy provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools to start their online businesses. 

Amazon FBA and Shopify designed their business models to make it easy for new entrepreneurs. That makes it a lot less intimidating to begin, but their tools will also grow with you as your business grows. And that’s the secret to knowing how to make $1,000 a day in e-commerce — growth. 

Selling online isn’t a get-rich-quick idea, because you need to build your online marketing strategy and sense of what will sell. But you’d be surprised how quickly you can turn dropshipping, handmade crafts, or flipping products into a profit of $1,000 a day. 

4. Sell Your Stuff

Selling your stuff is one of the fastest ways to make $1,000 pretty quickly. Granted, you probably don’t have enough to make $1,000 every day, but it’s amazing what putting a quick wad of cash in your account can do for your momentum.

Bonus, you get rid of stuff you don’t need, like outdated exercise equipment, or your old Pokémon or Barbie collection, without throwing it in the landfill. 

Here are several sites to help you earn money from your personal inventory:

• Use apps like Poshmark and ThredUp to sell clothes, shoes, and accessories. If you prefer to deal with a local shop, consignment stores like Plato’s Closet buy gently used, on-trend clothing.
• Decluttr specializes in used electronics: phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, video games, video game consoles, and more. Decluttr even buys used LEGO sets.
• You can sell furniture, home decor, cars, and almost anything on Facebook Marketplace as long as you comply with their Terms of Use (no illegal drugs, weapons, animals, medical equipment, etc.)
• Play It Again Sports buys used sporting equipment and workout gear, including soccer cleats, treadmills, tennis rackets, basketballs, hockey sticks, weights, and much more.
• Craigslist and eBay are still leaders in the online marketplace.

5. Blogging

Of all the ideas on this list, blogging may be the most lucrative, if you do it right. I’m passionate about this path for making money because it worked for me, so I’ve developed a ton of resources to help you avoid my mistakes. 

While it may take some time to build an audience and monetize your blog, the payoff can be substantial. By creating valuable content that resonates with your target audience, and leveraging affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and digital products, you can turn your passion into profit. Plus, with the right SEO strategy, your blog posts can attract organic traffic and boost your earnings sky-high.

Start a blog for less than $3/month

Build a professional-looking site on the same platform I started I started this site on!

6. Create Online Courses 

Do friends often ask you, “Can you teach me how to do that?” Think about converting your expertise into an online course. Platforms like Udemy, Teachable, and Skillshare offer a platform for instructors to reach a global audience and earn passive income. 

From makeup tutorials to photography masterclasses, the possibilities are endless for creating and selling your online course. With a compelling course curriculum and strategic marketing efforts, hitting that $1,000-a-day milestone is well within reach.

7. Affiliate Marketing 

Affiliate marketing just means you earn commission by promoting products or services through affiliate links. When readers click, you can earn a small percentage for every sale or lead generated. 

Whether you’re an influencer on social media, a content creator on YouTube, or a blogger with a loyal following, there are countless affiliate programs to choose from. 

Just be sure to disclose your affiliate relationships and focus on building trust with your audience.

8. Stock Trading

You don’t have to have a finance degree to get started in stock trading and try your hand at making money fast. With the rise of online brokerage platforms and apps like Robinhood, TD Ameritrade, and E*TRADE, investing has never been more accessible. 

While there’s certainly risk involved, mastering the art of technical analysis and staying informed about market trends can lead to substantial profits. Just remember to approach trading with caution and never invest more than you can afford to lose.

9. Virtual Assistance

Entrepreneurs and businesses are constantly in need of virtual support to keep their operations running smoothly. If you’re organized, tech-savvy, and a master of multitasking, becoming a virtual assistant could be your path to making $1,000 a day.

From managing emails and scheduling appointments to handling customer inquiries and social media management, there’s no shortage of tasks to tackle. Websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Remote.co connect virtual assistants with clients worldwide, offering flexibility and the potential to earn a substantial income.

Aspiring VAs can leverage skills and experience they’ve learned in a past or current job and start looking for side hustle work in How to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs. You can also check out Gina Horkey’s course Fully Booked VA.

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Get the FREE resources you need to start a successful side hustle as a virtual assistant.

10. Real Estate Investing

While traditional real estate investing may require a hefty upfront investment, there are alternative strategies that can generate passive income with minimal capital. Crowdfunding platforms like Fundrise and RealtyMogul allow investors to pool their funds and invest in real estate projects without the hassle of property management. 

Beginner investors can learn how to make money from rental properties to fix-and-flip ventures, there are countless opportunities to generate a steady stream of income in the real estate market. With careful research and a diversified portfolio, you can make $1,000 a day in rental income, appreciation, or dividends.

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With as little as $10, you can start investing in commercial real estate with Fundrise.

11. Run Ads on Facebook or Instagram

Digital marketing, aka running Facebook and Instagram ads, uses your knowledge of the world’s largest social media platforms to help small business owners reach new customers. Business owners who don’t have the time or skills to run an effective ad campaign hire freelancers to do this for them. 

This is one of our favorite side hustles because you don’t need advertising experience or a degree in marketing to get started. You can make $1,000-$2,000 per client working just a few hours a week.  

I achieved this by running Facebook ads while I was building this site. To learn how to get started, see our article on How to Become a Digital Marketer (2024 Guide).

Make $1,000 a month running ads

Want to learn more about running Facebook ads and how you can make $1,000+ every month? Just click on the link below.

12. Pick Up a Part-Time Job

Sometimes the simplest route is the tried and true part-time job. People have been getting good second jobs to pay off debt, save for vacation, or build an emergency fund for years.

The best part-time jobs fit neatly around your primary job’s schedule, like house sitting while you work your 9-to-5 gig, or being a referee/umpire to take the place of your regular workout.

13. Stack Your Side Hustles

By stacking your side hustles, you might achieve making $1,000 a day faster. Here’s how: combine food delivery and package delivery, or virtual assistance with bookkeeping. A side hustle stack just means you combine multiple income sources and each component of your side hustle stack contributes to your overall financial picture. 

If you’re short on time, you can combine an active side hustle like proofreading or freelance writing with a passive income source like investing in real estate or fractional shares. 

The point is to maximize multiple income streams to reach your goals faster. 

Final Words

So, there you have it — 13 legit ways to make $1,000 a day. Remember, success doesn’t happen overnight — it takes dedication, hard work, and a willingness to adapt to changing trends. It also takes figuring out how to tap into your strengths, because the more you love the work, the more likely you’re going to stick with it.  

Be clear about your goals. Do you need $1,000 fast? Go for gigs that require little to no startup costs or experience like food delivery or selling your stuff. Do you have time and patience for the slow build as long as it pays off in the long run? Blogging, e-commerce, and freelance writing have some of the highest earning potential on this list.