Time and time again, you will hear about the importance of side hustling when on the journey to financial independence. Whether you are reading one of our side hustle articles, listening to a personal finance podcast or reading a FIRE book – the point is made clear. Side hustling allows you to earn more money and ramp up your savings rate. However, for a lot of people side hustling can seem really intimidating.
It can definitely seem like another daunting task to add to your to-do list. As if you don’t already feel busy enough. Plus, you work enough as is, you don’t want to go to work more hours, right?
For the best time management strategy to free up for more to freelance, check out this article!
Even just committing a couple hours a week towards a side hustle can seriously help increase your savings rate. I use the strategy listed in the linked article above that gives me a couple hours a day to put towards my side hustles.
One of my favorite ways to side hustle is to freelance. Freelancing can be applied to just about anything, whether it’s writing, bookkeeping or photography, there is likely a freelance job that fits you. Also, in a lot of cases, it can be done remotely. That means at home, in your pajamas, on your comfy couch with a pup snuggling next to you… at least that’s my preference. đŸ™‚
Below is a compilation of the best freelance websites Jake and I both use to find freelance jobs. There are hundreds of other websites you can use to apply to freelance jobs, however the ones below we have used first-hand.
Before diving into any freelancing gig, make sure it is something you are interested in. Otherwise, your motivation can quickly dwindle and pretty soon you won’t want to put any of your precious minutes towards it, even if it means giving up potential earnings.
Best Freelance Websites
#1. Problogger
I have found a lot of great freelance writing opportunities on this website and it’s free to apply to as many jobs as you would like. An added benefit is not having to create an account just to apply to jobs. Postings can be scarce however they are normally quality offers.
#2. Craigslist
Jake and I both always find random gigs on Craigslist. From writing to dog walking, if you’re flexible you can definitely find something that interests you.
If you really wanted to, you could always start a retail arbitrage business using Craigslist however, we’ll save that for another post. đŸ™‚
#3. Indeed
Indeed is top dog when it comes to volume. There are thousands of opportunities to freelance on this site. Not only that, but it has a really simple user interface so that you can drill down your searches into exactly what you are looking for.
It is also worth noting that FreelancingWriting.com uses indeed for their application process. All of the jobs listed on Freelance Writing are on indeed, however the site pre-sorts them for you so that you don’t have to go through the hassle.
#4. Google Jobs
Truthfully, I didn’t really start using google’s job search feature until somewhat recently while searching for some extra freelancing writing gigs. It scours through popular job boards (like indeed, monster, etc.) and combines them all onto a single dashboard. This feature is also easy to drill down into further job specifics. I really enjoy this tool.
#5. Flex Jobs
The downside is that you have to create an account to apply for a job. The bright side is that the jobs that are available are (for the most part) top notch, high paying and interesting options.
In some cases, you may be able to go directly to the company’s site and apply through there, that is only if Flex Jobs leaves the company’s name on the job posting.
Bloggingpro.com uses Flex Jobs for their application portal as well. All jobs on BloggingPro can be found on Flex Jobs, however the benefit is that BloggingPro sorts all the postings on Flex Jobs for you.
#6. Guru
Guru does make you create an account so you can bid on jobs. This website is more gig focused rather than finding full-time positions, you search the site – find a job – send in a quote for you to complete it and wait for approval. I really like this site for smaller projects and trying new freelance gigs.
I find this site to have less competition when it comes to quoting a job in comparison to many other bidding sites.
#7. Contena
Contena does make you sign up for an account and right now (as of 7/17/19) there is a waiting list. However, the waiting list I think shows how seriously they take their applicants and the precaution they take by not letting just anyone apply to these job postings.
I have found some of the most compelling freelance writing opportunities on this site.
#8. Fiverr
This one isn’t my favorite due to the high amount of bidders on every job. You do have to create an account to be eligible to apply for a posting. There is a wide-variety of jobs on the board, just about something for everyone.
As far as I have noticed, lower paying job opportunities.
#9. Up Work
Similar to Fiverr above. Lower paying opportunities with higher competition rates. However there is a vast array of different freelancing jobs.
BONUS 1: If you have a favorite blogger, YouTuber, influencer, etc. try reaching out (in a complimentary way) and letting them know how much you appreciate and support them. You can tell them you are looking for a freelance job in a specific field and if they know of anyone in need of that to please let them know. You never know how much this could help you!
BONUS 2: Networking Events! Meetup.com is a great way to learn about meet ups near you. Although networking events can be draining, this is a great way to get your name out there as a freelancer for any given topic so when people find themselves needing your skill, they call you first!
Final Thoughts
Once you have utilized the time management skill outlined in this article and realize how much time you really have open to dedicate to a side hustle, this whole process will seem far less strenuous. Honestly, Jake and I both really enjoy freelancing. It gives our savings rate a nice boost and if we weren’t filling our time with that we would probably just be doing something unproductive.
The list above contains the best freelance websites that have worked for us. If you have a freelancing site not listed above that you prefer, please share it in the comments!
For more wicked reads, check out these articles!
