How to Make $10K Per Month: The Best Ways in 2024

Lately, stretching a dollar has become harder and harder. 

With the overall rise in costs for pretty much everything in the last year, many of us are looking for extra streams of income. 

According to a recent study, the average American income is about $4,585 per month. But we imagine that most people would love to double that income and experience financial freedom. 

Maybe you resonate with this. Or, maybe you’re just tired of your 9-5 and you’re looking for alternative ways to start your own business, be financially stable, and stop relying on a company for your paycheck. 

Whatever your reason may be for seeking out alternative sources of income, we’ve done extensive research to find several side hustles that have the potential to bring in $10,000 per month.

Is it easy to make this kind of money?

Of course not. You have to pick the right side hustle and put in tons of time and effort.

But it is possible and many have done it.

How to Make $10k Per Month: 11 Ideas That Have Actually Worked 

1. High Ticket Sales

High ticket sales is like the VIP section of selling. It’s about dealing with expensive products or services. Think real estate, premium coaching, or agency services.

The big thing here is that your earnings aren’t limited by a fixed salary. They’re based on commissions (read: your sales success). This means you have the potential to elevate your monthly income to $10,000 a month and beyond with a successful sales approach.

Does everyone reach that level of income? Of course not. But many who have hustled, learned, and got the right opportunities have.

There’s also a budding space within high ticket sales called “remote closing” that lets you sell high ticket coaching or other services from anywhere in the world, and often on your own schedule. This flexibility can make high ticket sales a very interesting side hustle option.

If you decide to dive into the world of high-ticket sales, remember to be patient and persistent. The more calls you take, obviously, the more your closing rate increases and ultimately your paycheck. Success in high ticket sales comes with time and consistent effort!

Earning Potential:

On average, a high-ticket salesperson earns $9,407 a month in certain industries, with the potential to earn more based on performance and the number of deals closed. But there are many who have been able to make $20k-$30k per month.

2. Offer Digital Marketing Services as a Freelancer (… or Start an Agency)

Digital marketing is another great option. Start small as a freelancer. Manage social media, create content, or dip your toes into basic ad campaigns. 

Learn the ropes, build your skills, and get some clients under your belt.

And if you’re getting enough clients, you can start a full-blown digital marketing agency (that’s where the earning potential gets even more exciting). 

This is a great space to explore because most business owners are too busy to handle their online presence.

And that’s where you swoop in.

It’s not just about running ads, it’s about planning smart, managing a team, and getting great results for a lot of clients at the same time.

Running an agency means you’re not doing everything yourself. Instead, you’re the brains behind the operation. You might delegate tasks like creating content or designing ads, but you know what makes killer copy, and you stay on top of trends.

And if you’re the one who can make it happen? You can be paid handsomely.

Sure, it involves some upfront learning. You need to stay in the loop with what’s happening in the digital world. But businesses are ready to pay good money for someone who can make their online game strong.

Earning Potential:

You could pocket around $4,600 to $7,750 each month as a freelancer. Now, if you dream big and want to run your own agency, the monthly earnings could go from $6,200 to $10,750 (with many high end agencies netting their owners $30k+).

Keep in mind these numbers can shift based on how big your setup is. But even if you’re a one-person show, pulling in $10k a month is possible if you carefully craft a great offer for a market in need (and who has the money to pay).

3. Sell on Etsy

There are plenty of ways for the ultra-creative to make $10,000 a month. 

Etsy has created an opportunity for creatives to make an amazing monthly income by selling their own handcrafted items. There is no Etsy warehouse, items are shipped directly by the seller. 

Whether you are a digital designer creating website templates or reselling items like refurbished unique furniture, Etsy may be an interesting option to explore.

You’ll obviously need a few skills to ensure your store is successful. You need to get traffic to your store—and the right traffic at that. The main skills you’ll want to study up on are: 

• Running ads on social media
• Branding
• Copywriting
• Etsy SEO (search engine optimization)

Master a couple of these, and you’ll increase your chances of success.

The fee to sell on Etsy (outside of materials needed to create your designs) is FREE. Unless you decide to upgrade to $10 per month. There is an additional $0.20 listing fee and, of course, the processing fee (which is included for any business). 

Etsy also pays for offsite ads, so if one of your products sold is tracked back to an ad, Etsy charges an additional 15%, but that only occurs if the sale originated from an ad. 

Etsy’s platform has allowed artists of all kinds to generate income through their creativity. 

Earning Potential:

The average “successful” Etsy Seller makes between $43,000 and $46,000 annually. To be above average isn’t crazy—it just takes acquiring those marketing skills above. 

And if you’re looking for some inspiration, there are sellers like Alicia Schaffer, who have built Etsy businesses that generate $70,000 per month.

4. Become an Affiliate Marketer

Becoming an affiliate marketer is like being a matchmaker for products and customers.

Your job? Promote products and earn a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate link.

It’s a sweet deal, and getting started is pretty simple. 

First, figure out what you love or know a lot about. Then, find affiliate programs on platforms that fit your interests. Sign up, grab your special link, and start sharing it with your followers through blogs, social media, or other places. 

Keep it real and recommend things you truly like. As your audience grows and buys through your links, you’ll see those commissions adding up. 

You’ll obviously have to find traffic. Because what you’re doing is providing traffic to these businesses, in exchange for a cut of the profits.

Here are a few ways you can generate that traffic:

• Running social media/Google ads (for cheaper than your commissions)
• Starting a website and getting good at SEO
• Becoming a social media influencer in your chosen niche

This is one of the more “hit or miss” options on this list. You have to be really good at generating traffic on YouTube, through SEO, or through social media for this to work well.

But if you are, or learn the skills, this can be a great option.

Earning Potential:

Not all affiliate marketers earn the same way. This LinkedIn post breaks it down:

• Beginner affiliate marketers may earn $100-$500 a month. 
• Experienced ones make $1,000-$10,000 monthly. 
• Top affiliate marketers can pull in $10,000-$100,000 or more each month.

But you can earn anywhere from a couple of dollars to six figures monthly, depending on cash bonus, commission, tips, or profit sharing.

This can be one of the most hit or miss options on the list.

5. Sell Online Courses to Teach Your Skills

Do you have a special skill set? Something you should be teaching the world—or at least a specific niche in the market? 

Online learning has become increasingly popular over the years with more and more people looking for ways to upskill from the comfort of their own homes. And with the right approach, you can tap into this growing market and build a successful business.

You don’t need a fancy studio or expensive equipment. All you need is your knowledge and a desire to help others. There are also several platforms like Teachable and Kajabi that make getting started and selling your course really simple.

One of the great things about creating online courses is that you don’t have to be an expert in every subject. You just need to be passionate about the topic you choose to teach. 

Whether it’s teaching people how to start their own business or sharing your expert knowledge in a niche area, there’s always a market for quality online courses.

For this to be a viable option for making $10k per month, you’ll need:

• Teaching skills (i.e. making complex topics simple and helping students take action)
• A skill other people are willing to pay for (do research to see if there are other popular courses with a particular skill and see how they’re structured)
• Time to create a great curriculum (the production value of the course tends to be less important than the structure and content)
• At least one traffic source (you don’t have to have this from the start, but you’ll need a way to get sales and build an audience)

Earning Potential:

The average course creator makes anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 per month. But many course content creators have reported earnings of $20k a month and above.

6. Become a Freelance Writer

In a world driven by content, companies, and websites are on the hunt for people who can tell a good story or provide valuable information.

So why consider freelance writing?

Flexibility, freedom to choose what you write about, and the ability to work from anywhere.

It’s not just a side gig, it can be your chance to build a steady income doing something you enjoy.

The secret to boosting your income in this area is learning to make people money with your writing. So study copywriting, the art of selling with your words. It’ll make all your writing better.

Start by picking your niche: travel, tech, lifestyle, you name it. Create a portfolio showcasing your best work.

Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr are gold mines for freelancers. Dedicate time to improve your craft, stay updated, and build a freelance network. Each word you write is an investment in your journey to $10k a month.

Earning Potential:

As a freelance writer, your ability to earn is typically based on your expertise, experience, and the demand for your services. Initially, you can earn between $3,750 to $6,500 per month. But, as you narrow down your niche, improve your skills, and cater to high-paying clients, your earning potential can go upwards of $10k a month.

7. Launch a YouTube Channel

Launching a YouTube channel is like having your own stage, where you can captivate, educate, or entertain, and potentially turn it into a $10k-per-month gig. 

Take PewDiePie, for example. He started with a simple webcam and a love for gaming. What could your idea unlock?

Beyond the fame, YouTube offers a platform to share your passions and build a community. But more than that, your channel can become a sustainable source of income through ad revenue, sponsorships, merch sales and more.

This is one of the easiest side hustles to start. Just grab a decent camera, learn some filming and editing tricks to make your videos high-quality, share your story, and upload regularly to keep your audience engaged.

But the low barrier to enter (like with affiliate marketing) means there’s a lot of competition and you’ll need to have a gameplan for picking a niche with profit potential and standing out. The chances of failure are really high if you just make random videos or do this without a plan.

Treat it kind of like a business plan.

Answer:

1. What kind of traffic and monetization opportunities are available in the niches I’m considering?
2. What are other people doing to succeed in this niches?
3. How could I make more unique or better content than them?

Earning Potential:

For every 1,000 views on YouTube, a content creator earns an average of $18, which is equivalent to $0.018 per view.

You aren’t likely to make $10k a month through ads alone…

But there is potential to earn $10,000+ per month on YouTube by combining ad revenue with other income streams such as sponsorships, merchandise sales, and affiliate marketing. The biggest YouTubers create quality content and explore many ways to monetize their content. 

8. Start a Blog

If you think that blogging is dead, you should keep reading.

The online landscape continues to change. New platforms keep popping up, and some people think that blogging is losing its charm to trendier options.

On top of that, there’s competition within the ‘blogosphere’ itself.  1000s of new blogs are started every year, making it tough to get noticed.

But this doesn’t mean that blogging is on its deathbed. People still want to share their stories and opinions online. So, blogging is standing strong, proving it’s here to stay this year.

Now, how do you kickstart your blogging journey?

It’s similar to YouTube. You need to create a business plan where you define your target niche, study it, and find ways to monetize and be unique.

You can’t just start posting blog posts without a plan or your chances of failure are very high.

Once you have a niche and plan ironed out, there are things you’ll need to increase your earning potential:

• Learn the secrets of Google SEO
• Guest post on other bigger blogs (it’s like a band opening for a larger band)
• Start building an email list
• Run ads to a “free resource” that you give people in exchange for jumping onto your email list

As your readership grows, explore monetization avenues – join ad networks, collaborate with brands, and incorporate affiliate links. Diversify your income streams, offer valuable content, and watch your blog become a lucrative venture. You can even use your blog to launch products or services that can further increase your earning potential.

Earning Potential:

Bloggers who’ve built up an audience and have traffic sources tend to make $45,000 – $76,000 per year.

But this isn’t the full picture…

Many bloggers don’t make anything at all and some can make well over $10k a month (like Adam Enfroy has). Most of this depends on how interesting your blog is, how good you are at getting traffic, and your monetization strategies.

9. Build an Ecommerce Store

E-commerce is booming.

No matter what you want to sell, there is a market for just about anything. And with a well-designed website and a solid marketing strategy, you can reach customers and turn your passion into a profitable business.

And it’s never been easier to get started.

You don’t need to be a tech expert and can use platforms like Shopify to set up all the systems you need.

This means your main focus will be on creating a great product, building a strong brand, and providing top-notch customer service to keep your customers coming back.

Are these things easy? Of course not. Many e-commerce entrepreneurs struggle to get their stores off the ground.

But if you can do the following, your chances of making $10k+ a month are better:

• Find an extremely hungry market. Go for products that people are extremely excited about already. If it’s a “need” or something going viral with not a lot of people selling it, even better. You need a lot of demand in order to sell your products well.
• Get extremely good at marketing. The most basic skill sets you need are: Advertising on social media or Google, copywriting, and conversion optimization. If you’re going this route, look up each of those things and gain competence as quickly as you can.
• Create a brand that is about more than the product. A lot of brands succeed because they work to make their brand stand for something inspiring. Whether it’s “growing as a person” or “overcoming obstacles in your life” or even “feeling good about yourself,” these kinds of things can accentuate your brand. You need to become something more than a commodity, or people will just find something cheaper.

Earning Potential: 

When running a successful e-commerce store, owners tend to make around $111,230 a year on average. Many stores don’t make it and many stores produce millions in revenue, paying their owners well over $10k a month.

10. Start a Podcast

What if your voice, beyond entertaining, could also be the key to a potential side gig through podcasting? 

With 70 million podcast episodes and over 5 million active shows in 2024, the podcasting scene is buzzing. 

It’s not just about chatting, it’s about joining a massive platform where your stories can stand out in a crowd. If your podcast becomes a hit, you can attract sponsors, ads, and a loyal audience eager to support you. 

That means if you can create an interesting show and build an audience, earning $10k+ a month is definitely possible.

The keys to setting yourself up for success here are similar to starting a YouTube channel or a blog. You need to research niches, find an opportunity, and create better or more unique content than what’s already out there.

Earning Potential:

Figuring out the average paycheck for podcasters is tricky because it can swing from zero bucks to Joe Rogan levels.

With around 10,000 downloads, a podcaster could be looking at pulling in anywhere from $300 to $5,000 per episode. But when you take into account other monetization methods (services, sponsors, etc.), the earning potential can be well over $10k a month.

11. Become a Virtual Assistant

This might surprise you. But hear me out.

If you can find the right clients—and especially if you can hire people to help you—you can turn your organizational skills into a potential $10k a month income. 

Becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA) is more than just handling tasks, it’s like being the secret behind someone’s success. Many successful entrepreneurs and businesses rely on VAs to keep things running smoothly. 

Being a VA means you get to work from anywhere while helping people out with all sorts of stuff. From managing schedules to handling emails, there’s a bunch you can do. The need for VAs is going up, making it a pretty sweet gig.

To start, figure out what you’re good at and decide what services you want to offer. Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr are helpful for finding your first clients. Remember, the key to making $10K a month as a VA is being reliable, quick, and awesome at what you do. Answer messages fast, hit deadlines, and keep upgrading your skills.

Earning Potential:

ZipRecruiter says a VA earns $4,229 per month. So what’s the secret to bumping it up to $10k a month? You’ll need great clients who pay well for excellent service, and/or great help that costs you less than you’re getting paid.

Zoom in on what you’re good at. Focus on niching down your services and specializing in a specific skill or field. Dabbling in general admin work won’t cut it unless you’re building an agency.

Which Path Will You Choose?

All of these methods can potentially work to help you make $10k per month.

But regardless of which route you go, you’ll need to do your research and hustle.

People don’t make $10k per month overnight. It takes time and hard work.

But it is possible.