💸 3 side hustles you can start (and 2 that are a waste of time)

Last week we talked about cutting costs while prices are going up. But I also mentioned briefly that the real weapon against inflation is earning more. Saving ₱500 a month on groceries is fine. Adding ₱10,000 a month in income is better.

So this week, let's talk about side hustles ranked by how hard they are to get off the ground, income potential, and what skills you actually need.

In today’s edition, we’ll go over:

• 3 side hustles you can start this year

• overrated side hustles not worth your time

TLDR;

The Bottom Line

The best defense against inflation is earning more. Three side hustles worth starting now: short-form video editing and social media management for foreign clients, VA work for foreign businesses, and selling at weekend pop-ups. Two overrated ones are dropshipping and selling courses/digital products.

The content

The 3 Side Hustles Worth Trying

One thing before we get into it: we're not going to pretend this is easy. Even people who've been doing these for years still have months where opportunities are just slow. The job market for this stuff is competitive and getting more so. 

What this list is meant to do is show you what's possible with the skills you already have, so you can figure out which direction makes the most sense to start building toward. Now that disclaimer is done, let’s get to the list.

1. Short-Form Video Editing and Social Media Management

Difficulty: Medium to Difficult | Income Potential: ₱15,000–₱60,000/month

US-based podcasters and content creators are offshoring their editing to Filipino editors for one simple reason — cost difference. What they'd pay for one episode locally, they pay a Filipino editor for an entire month.

Don't sell yourself as a generic editor though. Position yourself as someone who understands hooks, retention, captions, and platform-specific formatting. That framing alone puts you ahead of most applicants.

Social media management works the same way. Two foreign clients at $300 to $500 a month each and you're adding ₱30,000 to ₱55,000 on the side.

How to start:

• Start with local SMEs. Easier to land, easier to manage, and builds your portfolio fast.

• Learn the tools. Free tiers are enough.

• Do your first two to three projects cheap or free. Document the results and use them as your pitch.

• Once the portfolio exists, go after foreign clients on Upwork or through direct outreach on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Where to find work: Upwork, Onlinejobs.ph, Facebook groups like "Freelance Video Editor Philippines" and "Social Media Managers Philippines."

2. Virtual Assistant (VA) Work

Difficulty: Medium | Income Potential: ₱20,000–₱50,000/month

Small businesses in the UK and US can't always afford a full-time employee for every role, so they offshore specific functions to Filipino VAs. We're talking part-time roles, 20 hours a week, handling email management, scheduling, bookkeeping, social media, customer service, research, or whatever niche skill you bring to the table. That 20 hours a week is enough to meaningfully augment your income without burning out on top of a full-time job.

How to start: List out every tool and skill you already have: Google Workspace, Canva, any CRM, Notion, QuickBooks, whatever. That's your starting point. Build a profile on Onlinejobs.ph and Upwork that's specific about what you can do. ₱200 to ₱300 per hour is a reasonable starting rate for a beginner VA with solid communication skills.

A word of caution: online job postings can be scammy and some aren't even real job offers. They exist purely to harvest your resume and personal data. If an opportunity looks too good to be true, it probably is. Legitimate hiring processes will never ask for sensitive personal information upfront, government IDs, bank account details, or any form of payment from you. If something feels off, trust that instinct. Cross-check the company name on Reddit or Facebook before engaging further, and never hand over personal information to a posting you haven't verified. Communities like r/buhaydigital and "Online Filipino Freelancers" on Facebook are good places to reality-check whether a client or job posting is legitimate.

Where to find work: Onlinejobs.ph, Upwork, and Facebook groups like "Virtual Assistant Philippines" and "Filipino Virtual Assistants."

3. Sell Something at a Weekend Pop-Up

Difficulty: Medium | Income Potential: ₱5,000–₱30,000 per event

The pop-up market scene in the Philippines has exploded and it's no longer just food. People are setting up booths selling crochet pieces, tarot readings, self-portrait photo studios, dried flowers, handmade jewelry, and everything in between. Weekend markets now run regular events that accept vendor applications for a single weekend or a few dates (no long-term lease needed!). It's one of the lowest-barrier ways to test whether people will actually pay for what you make or offer.

The product almost doesn't matter as much as the execution. Whatever you sell has to feel intentional and current. People at pop-ups aren't just buying a thing. They're buying an experience and something worth photographing. Your booth needs to look the part as much as your product does.

How to start: Figure out your costs first regardless of what you're selling. Know what you need to charge to make the event worth your time and what your break-even looks like per day. Then find markets in your area and apply as a vendor. Most post their vendor application forms on their Instagram page or have a contact email in their bio.

Where to find opportunities: Follow weekend market accounts in your city on Instagram. Search "weekend market vendor application" plus your city on Facebook. Market organizers post open applications regularly and turnaround from application to approval is usually fast.

Additional Content

The Overrated Ones

Drop shipping. Margins are thin, competition from Chinese sellers is brutal, and customer service will eat your time. 

Selling digital products — Notion templates, Canva packs, presets. Oversaturated. The barrier to entry is low which means everyone is already doing it. And the people loudest about how much money they're making from it are usually the ones selling you a course on how to replicate it. Approach with heavy skepticism.

Final Thoughts

The best side hustle is one you can start with what you already have: your current skills, your existing network, your free hours. You don't need a perfect plan. You need a first client or a first sale. Start there.

Do you like this content? Let us know if you want to know more side hustle ideas!