An estimated 65% of Americans—at the middle-class level—are struggling financially and do not anticipate their situation changing for the better any time soon. They expect to continue struggling for the rest of their lives, according to findings from the National True Cost of Living Coalition's recent survey.

What's shocking is that the poll revealed that many of these professionals—coming from a mixture of rural and urban communities, have both high-school diplomas and graduate degrees, but it appears that their education has done little for their financial success beyond enabling them to afford the basics.

Regardless of the fact that inflation has moderated somewhat as of spring 2024, U.S.-based workers are facing a financial crisis, with 40% of all Americans being unable to plan beyond their next paycheck, and close to 50% of American middle-class professionals not even being able to have as much as $500 saved for a rainy day.

Consequently, many workers are turning to side hustles to complement their paychecks and enable them to have more freed up money, so they can afford occasional luxuries, save for large purchases such as buying a dream home, put money aside for retirement, and be more in control of their circumstances in case of emergency.

Why You Should Start Your Side Hustle With Little To No Money

Regardless of your motivations for starting a side hustle—whether for a rainy day, or for a buffer to help you clear debt and afford daily expenses—you likely don't have much money to spare, to even consider a major investment.

In part, that is actually a positive thing. Here's why:

1. Creativity

First, when you have little capital to invest into your business, you are compelled to think outside the box and get super creative. You start maximizing your existing resources and any free tools that are available, and this forces you to remain disciplined and focused on your goal, until you start to achieve some level of success with your side hustle and extra financial resources become available.

This is an excellent habit to build because as you start making more money from home, you will be so accustomed to budgeting and being efficient with your resources that you will be able to make your money stretch further.

2. Less Risk

Another reason why it is good to start your side hustle with little to no money is because you will have minimal financial risk, and this is especially beneficial if you are simply testing the waters to explore possible career paths, or to examine the state of the market and its responsiveness to your proposed idea.

3. Skills Development

Finally, starting small is useful because you are able to gain practical business experience and have the opportunity to build new skills in a low-stakes environment, which is beneficial as you scale your side hustle (if you choose to) and helpful to your overall career growth.

Side Hustles You Can Start Today Without Any Capital

Here are some high-paying side hustles you can launch today with your laptop, phone camera (in some instances), skills, and a good internet connection.

1. Blogging
2. Vlogging
3. Affiliate marketing
4. Copywriting
5. Freelance strategy consulting
6. Freelance management consulting
7. Freelance IT consulting
8. Business coaching
9. Health coaching
10. Online tutoring
11. Teaching another language
12. Print-on-demand products

These side hustles can be started relatively quickly without any initial investment; all you need is to get creative with your existing skills and expertise, and leverage your resources.