Best Side Hustles You Can Start for Under £500 in the UK
A few hundred pounds changes what is available. It is not enough for a van or a commercial machine, but it is enough to buy basic professional equipment, and that immediately puts you in front of a smaller field than the zero-cost options where anyone can compete.
The useful question at this budget is what the money actually buys you. Equipment that lets you do a job faster or better than a customer could themselves is worth paying for. Branding, a website and business cards, at this stage, generally are not — those come after someone has paid you.
The figures shown against each idea are the typical startup range from the full guide, and some of those ranges extend beyond £500 at the top end. The usual approach is to buy the mid-range item, or hire equipment for the first few jobs, and upgrade from earnings once bookings are proven.
One sequencing point worth taking seriously: get one paying customer before the largest purchase, even if that means doing the first job with hired kit at a slim margin. It converts a guess about demand into evidence.
What helps and what gets in the way
What works in your favour
- Enough budget for equipment that genuinely differentiates you from a DIY alternative
- Access to local services with real, visible demand
- Fewer competitors than in zero-cost online categories
- Equipment retains resale value if the idea does not work out
- Can often charge properly from the first job rather than discounting to learn
What gets in the way
- Not enough for a van, trailer or commercial-grade machinery
- Money spent before validating demand is money at risk
- Equipment needs storage, maintenance and sometimes transport
- Insurance and possibly licensing add cost beyond the equipment itself
- Local services usually mean travel, which eats the effective hourly rate
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
Mobile car valeting
Local serviceHands-onPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £300–£2,000
- Typical income
- £400–£2,000 a month
- Time needed
- 8–16 hours a week
Read the full mobile car valeting guideWhy it fits
A solid starter kit of a machine polisher, vacuum, chemicals and a water container puts you in genuine business, and the whole operation fits in a car boot. Customers book appointments, so the diary is yours.
Time commitment
Three to five bookings on a working day.
Main advantage
Repeat customers on a regular cycle from a modest kit.
Main drawback
Water access and parking limit where you can work.
Best for
Anyone with a car and free days who wants appointment-based work.
Idea 2
Ironing service
Home-basedHands-onPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £40–£350
- Typical income
- £150–£900 a month
- Time needed
- 4–20 hours a week
Read the full ironing service guideWhy it fits
A good iron, a stable board and a decent steam generator are the whole business, and the money buys speed — a proper steam unit does in one pass what a domestic iron takes three to do.
Time commitment
Whatever hours you choose, in blocks at home.
Main advantage
Done entirely at home with no fixed hours.
Main drawback
Modest hourly value and it occupies a room while you work.
Best for
Those wanting home-based work with total timing flexibility.
Idea 3
Domestic cleaning
Local serviceHands-onPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £50–£400
- Typical income
- £300–£1,800 a month
- Time needed
- 6–25 hours a week
Read the full domestic cleaning guideWhy it fits
Professional-grade products, a good vacuum and a full caddy of equipment let you work far faster than a customer would with their own kit, and speed is what makes the hourly rate work. Costs stay low after the initial purchase.
Time commitment
Two to four properties on a working day.
Main advantage
Reliable recurring weekly or fortnightly bookings.
Main drawback
Physically demanding, and building a full round takes time.
Best for
People who want dependable repeat customers close to home.
Idea 4
Window cleaning
Local serviceHands-onPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £150–£2,500
- Typical income
- £400–£2,200 a month
- Time needed
- 8–25 hours a week
Read the full window cleaning guideWhy it fits
At this budget you can buy a basic water-fed pole setup or start traditionally with ladder, squeegee and bucket. Either way, the round you build afterwards is the real asset — customers on a fixed cycle who require no re-selling.
Time commitment
A full round day on a repeating four to six week cycle.
Main advantage
Genuinely recurring income once the round exists.
Main drawback
Slow to build, and largely dependent on door-to-door canvassing.
Best for
Those prepared to spend months building something that recurs.
Idea 5
eBay reselling
OnlineHome-basedPotentially within 7 days- Startup cost
- £50–£700
- Typical income
- £150–£1,400 a month
- Time needed
- 5–18 hours a week
Read the full ebay reselling guideWhy it fits
Here the budget is stock rather than equipment, which is unusually forgiving: unsold items retain value and can be relisted or sold on. It is one of the few ideas where the initial spend is recoverable.
Time commitment
Sourcing trips plus short listing and packing sessions.
Main advantage
Your startup spend is stock, which holds resale value.
Main drawback
Profitability depends on sourcing skill that takes time to develop.
Best for
People who enjoy sourcing and want a recoverable initial outlay.
Idea 6
Furniture flipping and restoration
Hands-onLocal service2–4 weeks- Startup cost
- £150–£1,200
- Typical income
- £200–£1,500 a month
- Time needed
- 6–20 hours a week
Read the full furniture flipping and restoration guideWhy it fits
Sanders, paint, brushes and a first couple of pieces fit comfortably in this budget, and margins per item can be strong. The constraint is usually space to work rather than money.
Time commitment
Several hours per piece, spread across free days.
Main advantage
Good margin per item on pieces sourced cheaply.
Main drawback
Requires workspace, storage and a way to transport furniture.
Best for
Practical people with a garage, shed or driveway available.
Idea 7
Google Business Profile management for local businesses
OnlineHome-based1–3 months- Startup cost
- £0–£100
- Typical income
- £200–£1,100 a month
- Time needed
- 3–10 hours a week
Read the full google business profile management for local businesses guideWhy it fits
Almost nothing needs buying, so the budget goes on the things that actually win clients: a decent camera or phone for listing photos, and perhaps a small amount of local advertising to reach business owners.
Time commitment
One to two hours per client per month.
Main advantage
Recurring monthly fees for a small time commitment.
Main drawback
Requires explaining a service most prospects have not considered.
Best for
Those who prefer investing in client acquisition over equipment.
Spend the budget on the right idea
These ideas suit a few hundred pounds of startup budget, but your strongest match will depend on your skills, budget, available time and preferred type of work.
Common questions
- What can I start with £500 in the UK?
- Enough for a starter kit in most equipment-light local services: valeting, cleaning, ironing, window cleaning or furniture restoration. It is not enough for a van, trailer or commercial machinery, so avoid ideas whose viability depends on those.
- Should I buy equipment before I have customers?
- Ideally not the expensive items. Hire or borrow for the first job or two, prove the bookings are real, then buy from the proceeds. Buying first is the most common way a modest budget disappears without producing any income.
- Is it better to spend the budget on equipment or marketing?
- Equipment that lets you do the job faster or better than the customer could themselves is usually worth it. Branding, printed materials and a website generally are not, at least until people are paying you. Spend on capability first, presentation later.
- What ongoing costs should I plan for?
- Public liability insurance, fuel, consumables and replacement equipment are the usual ones, plus platform or listing fees for reselling. These are often underestimated — budget for them separately rather than assuming your first income is profit.
- Do I need a van to start a local service?
- Not for the options listed here. Valeting, ironing, cleaning, assembly and traditional window cleaning all fit in a car. Ideas that genuinely require a van — house clearance, larger deliveries, waste removal — sit above this budget.
- Can I get the money back if it does not work?
- Partly. Equipment and stock hold resale value, so a large share of a few hundred pounds is usually recoverable, unlike spending on advertising or branding. That is another argument for putting the money into tools rather than presentation.
Related guides
Best side hustles for under £100
Skill-based ideas that need little more than what you already own.
Best side hustles for people with a van
Work that turns a vehicle you already own into your main competitive advantage.
Best side hustles for shift workers
Work that tolerates rotating rotas, nights and days off that land in the middle of the week.
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.