20+ Side Business Ideas That You Can Set Up From Home

Having a side business that you can run from home is very beneficial. Even your hobby can turn into your home-based business idea. Energy, passion, and drive to succeed are all you need to flourish in your side business. Start with a small business from home, and with your hard work, you can reach heights.

Following are some cost-effective side business ideas that you can easily set up from your home:

1. Homemade food/catering business

Many homemakers have started this business as they wanted to avail themselves of their free time and earn from their side as well. Business from home ideas like this is very convenient. It involves selling some food items by preparing them at home. This is one of the home-based businesses India has seen increasing rapidly.

2. Content creation

People of all age groups have now started content creation. You can also start doing it by posting ingenious videos of recipes, motivational talks, music, etc. You can make full use of social media like Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube and earn from it, making it your side business.

3. Online courses

People have started learning lots of new things as they want to add new skills to themselves. If you feel you are good at something, then start taking online courses. It is one of the best business ideas. Many people are doing it nowadays, for example, online courses on origami, soap making, etc.

4. Writing

Not everyone is good at writing. If you have writing in your blood and keep writing stuff in your free time, you should try to make it a form of your small side business. You can compile your writings and can launch your book, developing it into a side business and earn from it.

5. Selling homemade handicraft goods

You can launch your brand of handicraft goods. You can start a small side business of handcrafted baskets, jewellery, vase, and whatnot. There is a lot of demand for handcrafted goods these days, and you can end up earning a lot from this side business of yours. This business from home idea is quite trendy as well.

6. Painting

Painting is the best way to relax your mind, and what could sound better if this relaxation could someday turn into your side business! Lots of people are trying out painting as their side business. You can even make customised paintings for people based on their room décor, and you will soon flourish in your side business.

7. App creation

This is the best side business to try for people who have a good sense of computers and coding. If your app is unique and relates to the current world situation, you should invest your time in making one.

8. Makeup tutorials

Makeup is something that many girls want to learn, and even guys try their hand at. If you have a good knowledge of makeup and like doing it, you can take tutorials and teach beginners. This can become your side business.

9. Career counselling

If you have a good knowledge of different career options and know about universities that are specialised in taking that course, then you can guide students on which course to opt for and in which university they should enrol. This career knowledge of yours can help you to establish your small side business.

10. Podcasting

If you are good at singing, playing instruments or making your music, or even narrating anything, then show your talent through the internet and earn by making it your side business based on the number of plays you get on it.

11. Website creation

Every business requires a website of its own. Websites are a good source of promotion of all the products you make in your business. Once you get an idea of making websites, you can turn website creation into your home-based business idea and make websites for people starting their own business.

12. Make your fashion boutique

If you have an interest in stitching and sewing and know how to make creative and beautiful dresses,  you can make some at home and start your small fashion boutique. You can even sell customised garments with different sizes, patterns, and textures as they are in high demand these days. Opening your fashion boutique is one of the best side business ideas.

13. Blogging

Personal blogging has no limitations. You can write blogs on anything you want your audience to read and post them. You can post your blog at any time of the day, whenever you feel like posting one, and if this side business idea is worth it, it will gain lots of reads, and the demand for your blogs will increase.

14. Skincare and haircare vlogging

Lots of people are suffering from skin and hair damages and looking for solutions everywhere. If you have correct knowledge of remedies, you can shoot a vlog of the same and post it and develop it into a home-based business.

15. Resume writer

People who are new on LinkedIn or are applying freshly for a job face a lot of issues while writing their resume, as they are neither experienced in it nor have proper guidance to make one. If you know how to make an effective resume, then you start a side business of writing the same for the people who approach you for help.  

16. Translator

Having a side business as a translator can help you use your skills and knowledge of different languages you know as it is much needed these days. There is a lot of scope for such a home-based business idea in India.

17. E-commerce store owner

You can open your online store of whichever products you want to sell as people these days prefer to do online shopping rather than going to shops physically and buying kinds of stuff as online shopping is more convenient.

18. Photographer

If you manage to create a social media account for your photography and gain a good amount of followers, then it will promote your work and attract various opportunities for you. You can even arrange photoshoots for aspiring models or any events taking place.

19. Thrifting

Thrifting is a step taken towards environment-friendly business. It includes selling your least-used items, which are in good condition, at a discounted price. This is a side business one should try.

20. Fitness coach

If you are a fitness freak, you can earn by giving fitness courses and teaching your audience the importance of fitness and proper yoga or exercises. This will help you maintain your routine, as well as others, will get benefit from it. This is one of the best side business ideas.

21. Baking

During this quarantine period, lots of people started baking at home. You can also be one of the people who have started such an online business idea from home. If you are interested in baking, you can prepare cakes and other baking items and take orders online.

22. Glass bottle decoration

You can easily get simple glass bottles from any store near you and give it a transformation by either painting it or giving it a form of a small artificial green space by adding mud, artificial grass and, whatnot. People will start buying these from you to add them as decorative pieces at home.

Try these cost-effective side business ideas from home and see your free time turn into something productive. It may be a challenging task to start up a side business, but once it blooms, you will be happier and more independent and will come to know your self-worth.

Also read:

1) What Are the Business Ideas I Can Look at If I Am an MBA Graduate?
2) 20 Business Ideas for Stay-At-Home Parents
3) 21 Successful Small Business Ideas for New Entrepreneurs in India
4) What are Some of the Best Online Businesses?
5) OkCredit: All you need to know about OkCredit & how it works.

FAQs

Q. How much should I capitalise on my business at the beginning?

You should have at least a capitalisation that can run your business smoothly for 6-10 months even if you don’t receive any income in that stretch as any business takes time to settle.

Q. How can I come up with a great name for my business?

Ans. Brainstorm with various names. Then google all the names if it has been taken by other businesses or not. This will eliminate 95% of the names. Choose a name most suitable to your business from the remaining slot.

Q. How do I know which side of the business I should select?

Ans. Select a side business that involves skills you are excellent in and enjoy doing (maybe you can choose your hobby as your side business) as it will produce more professional and precise output without you getting exhausted from doing it.