Best Side Hustles You Can Start for Under £100 in the UK
A budget under £100 sounds limiting, and in one sense it is: you cannot buy your way into a service that needs a machine or a van. But it also forces the single best habit in starting a small business, which is proving that someone will pay before spending anything meaningful.
What fits this budget is work where the value is your skill, your time or your attention rather than equipment. Typically the only genuine costs are a domain, a platform fee, a DBS check where relevant, or basic public liability insurance. Everything else is time.
The figures shown against each idea are the typical startup range from the full guide, which in some cases spans higher than £100. Where that happens, the usual route is to start with borrowed or second-hand equipment, or to take the first jobs manually, and only buy once paying customers exist. That sequence is the point of a small budget rather than a limitation of it.
The realistic trade-off is speed. Low-cost ideas tend to build slowly, because you are substituting effort for investment. That is a perfectly reasonable exchange, but it should be a decision rather than a surprise.
What helps and what gets in the way
What works in your favour
- Almost nothing to lose if the idea turns out not to work
- Forces you to validate demand before spending money
- Can usually start within days rather than weeks
- No debt, no finance agreements and no equipment to resell
- Easy to run two ideas in parallel and keep whichever gains traction
What gets in the way
- Low barriers mean more competition from others doing the same
- Growth is slower because effort replaces investment
- Income is usually capped by your available hours
- Some higher-paying services are simply out of reach without equipment
- Free tools have limits you may eventually need to pay to remove
7 side hustles worth considering
Costs and income figures are estimates for guidance only. Actual results depend on your location, experience, pricing, demand and execution.
Idea 1
Freelance proofreading and copyediting
OnlineHome-based1–3 months- Startup cost
- £0–£400
- Typical income
- £150–£900 a month
- Time needed
- 3–12 hours a week
Read the full freelance proofreading and copyediting guideWhy it fits
The only genuine requirements are literacy, care and a computer you already own. There is no equipment, no stock and no premises, so the entire startup cost is whatever you choose to spend on finding clients.
Time commitment
Two to five hours per job, whenever suits.
Main advantage
Essentially zero cost to test whether anyone will pay you.
Main drawback
Building a client base takes months of consistent outreach.
Best for
Accurate readers who want the lowest possible barrier to entry.
Idea 2
Online tutoring
OnlineHome-based2–4 weeks- Startup cost
- £0–£150
- Typical income
- £200–£1,200 a month
- Time needed
- 4–10 hours a week
Read the full online tutoring guideWhy it fits
Your subject knowledge is the product. A laptop, a webcam and a quiet room are usually all that stand between you and a paying student, which makes this the highest hourly rate available at this budget.
Time commitment
Two to six one-hour sessions a week.
Main advantage
Strongest hourly rate of any low-cost option here.
Main drawback
Fixed session times and seasonal demand around exams.
Best for
Anyone with a teachable subject and evening availability.
Idea 3
Local social-media management
OnlineHome-based1–3 months- Startup cost
- £0–£150
- Typical income
- £300–£1,500 a month
- Time needed
- 6–14 hours a week
Read the full local social-media management guideWhy it fits
Free tiers of scheduling tools and a phone camera are enough to run a first client properly. What you are selling is consistency and judgement, neither of which requires spending anything.
Time commitment
Three to eight hours a week per client.
Main advantage
Recurring monthly fees from a standing start.
Main drawback
You need results to show before most businesses will commit.
Best for
People already comfortable with the platforms and willing to sell a retainer.
Idea 4
Selling digital products on Etsy
OnlineHome-based2–4 weeks- Startup cost
- £20–£400
- Typical income
- £50–£900 a month
- Time needed
- 4–15 hours a week
Read the full selling digital products on etsy guideWhy it fits
Free design tools and a small per-listing fee mean the whole cost of launching a shop is measured in pounds, not hundreds. Nothing is printed, stocked or posted.
Time commitment
Concentrated creation, then light maintenance.
Main advantage
Sells repeatedly without further cost or delivery work.
Main drawback
Frequently slow, with little income in the first months.
Best for
Patient people with a creative or organisational skill.
Idea 5
Virtual assistant services
OnlineHome-based2–4 weeks- Startup cost
- £0–£120
- Typical income
- £300–£1,400 a month
- Time needed
- 5–12 hours a week
Read the full virtual assistant services guideWhy it fits
Clients supply the systems; you supply the organisation. Beyond a laptop and possibly a professional email address, there is nothing to buy before your first retainer starts.
Time commitment
Five to fifteen hours a week.
Main advantage
Predictable monthly income without upfront investment.
Main drawback
Competitive market, so a specialism helps considerably.
Best for
Organised people who want steady retainers rather than one-off jobs.
Idea 6
Dog walking and pet sitting
Local serviceHands-onPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £50–£600
- Typical income
- £250–£1,300 a month
- Time needed
- 6–15 hours a week
Read the full dog walking and pet sitting guideWhy it fits
Realistic costs are insurance, some basic kit like leads and waste bags, and possibly a DBS check for key-holding — modest, and mostly payable once you have a first client rather than before.
Time commitment
One to three walks a day, an hour or so each.
Main advantage
Repeat customers who book the same slots every week.
Main drawback
Ties you to specific daytime hours, which many people cannot offer.
Best for
Anyone with free daytime hours who wants to be outdoors.
Idea 7
Babysitting and evening childcare
Local serviceCustomer-facingPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £0–£150
- Typical income
- £60–£500 a month
- Time needed
- 2–12 hours a week
Read the full babysitting and evening childcare guideWhy it fits
Beyond a DBS check and possibly a paediatric first aid course, both optional but worth having, there is nothing to buy at all. Demand is local and found through networks you already belong to.
Time commitment
Two to four evening bookings a week.
Main advantage
Can genuinely be started this week for almost nothing.
Main drawback
Evening-only work with modest hourly rates.
Best for
People with evenings free and experience around children.
Which low-cost idea actually fits you?
These ideas suit small budgets generally, but your strongest match will depend on your skills, budget, available time and preferred type of work.
Common questions
- What side hustle can I start with no money in the UK?
- Skill-based work: proofreading, tutoring, virtual assistance, social media management and babysitting can all be started with equipment most people already own. The genuine costs are usually insurance, a DBS check where relevant, and platform fees rather than equipment.
- Is a low-cost side hustle worth doing?
- Yes, particularly as a first step. Low-cost ideas prove whether people will actually pay you before you commit money, which is the most common failure point. They typically grow more slowly, so treat the reduced risk as the trade for reduced speed.
- Do I still need insurance if I spend nothing to start?
- Usually yes. Public liability insurance is standard for any work in someone else's home or with their property, and is inexpensive. Some clients and platforms require it before your first booking, so factor it in even on a minimal budget.
- How do I start something that normally needs equipment?
- Hire or borrow for the first few jobs, or start with a manual version of the service. If the jobs sell and the money comes in, buy the equipment from the proceeds. Buying first and looking for customers afterwards is how most small budgets get wasted.
- Do I need to register with HMRC straight away?
- Once your gross trading income passes the trading allowance in a tax year, you normally need to register for Self Assessment. Below that threshold you generally do not, though keeping records from day one makes life easier. Check current guidance on GOV.UK.
- How long before a low-cost side hustle makes money?
- Service work with local demand — tutoring, babysitting, dog walking — can produce a first paying customer within weeks. Product and content-based work usually takes months. The determining factor is how quickly you can put an offer in front of people who already want it.
Related guides
Best side hustles for working from home
No travel, no premises and no equipment beyond a laptop and a desk.
Best side hustles for under £500
Equipment-light local services where a few hundred pounds buys a real advantage.
Best side hustles for parents
Options that fit school hours, nap times and evenings, without paying for extra childcare.
This is general guidance rather than legal, tax or insurance advice. Requirements may vary, so check current official guidance or speak to a suitable professional.