Best Side Hustle for Accountants: 26 You Can Start Right Away

  • Time to read: 16 min.
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It’s no secret that as an accountant you can supplement your income with a side hustle. And in this article, you will learn about 20 side hustles you can start right away and hopefully, by the end, you’ll find the best side hustle for accountants.

From teaching to coaching, there are many ways you can make money on the side with little or no experience. As an accountant with accounting experience, you have a ton of options when it comes to getting paid for all of your talents. You just have to know where to look and where to start.

In this post, we will explore how you can leverage your skillset with some creative thinking so you can start getting paid for your accounting side hustles today.

Offer Freelance Accounting Services

One of the easiest ways you can start a side hustle as an accountant is by offering your freelance accounting services. The good news is you don’t need to have your own business or website; you can simply provide your services on sites like upwork.com, freelancer.com, and other freelancing websites you prefer.

With these types of websites you can not only offer your accounting skills but you can also market yourself if you are looking for long-term clientele or short-term gigs to make some extra cash.

Teach as a Part-Time Tutor

Another great way you can earn money on the side as an accountant with teaching experience is to teach at your local college or part time. You may even be able to get paid to teach an accounting or tutoring class online.

If you have a degree and you would like to pursue teaching you can also become a substitute teacher and provide your services this way. Of course if you don’t want the responsibility of being a full-time teacher, you can simply offer your services at places like schools, preschools, and even through websites like tutor.com.

Coach People Online Or In Person in Accounting

Best side hustle for accountants.

If you don’t mind coaching people face-to-face you can go old school and just start offering your coaching services in person or you could get creative with it and coach people online.

Either way, if you are passionate about leadership development, then coaching others might be the perfect side hustle you can start and you can do it in your free time.

You don’t necessarily need to have a degree, you just need the skills and knowledge you gained from studying accounting and you will likely find that people will be willing to pay you for your coaching services. If you want to become a popular coach on YouTube or Instagram you could also leverage social media platforms like these too.

If you don’t like the idea of coaching you could simply offer your accounting knowledge to people by creating an online course on Udemy, Teachable, or you can even try selling your eBooks on Amazon.

Sell Your Own Accounting Products

You could also sell your own products as an accountant. This would be especially great if you have some good information you know that people are willing to pay for or you can create your own product with you being the expert within that industry.

Now you don’t need a fancy website or anything like that, you can simply sell your products on just about any platform you prefer using which includes launching your own online store through e-commerce stores like Shopify and Etsy, you can market yourself on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and you can even use influencer marketing platforms like Viralstyle to start making sales right away.

Work On Freelance Accounting Projects

If you want to really make some extra money you can even work on freelance accounting projects for various companies you love. This means you will be able to help out organizations you believe in while making a little bit of extra cash.

You don’t necessarily need to have your own business or website, you just need a talent and accountants are in high demand these days so you could likely get picked up pretty quickly based on the fact you have accounting experience.

Create A Virtual Assistant Business

Side hustle jobs for accountants.

There is a huge demand for virtual assistants right now so if you want to start a side hustle as an accountant you should consider leveraging your skills into creating your own virtual assistant business. You can either hire employees to work under you or you could simply use freelancing platforms like Upwork and Freelancer to find clients you can work with.

Once you decide you want to find your first client you only need $5 as a deposit and you can start offering your virtual assistant services right away. The best part is you never even set foot in their office, you simply just help them do what they need done from your own home or wherever you prefer working.

Offer Your Accounting Services Through A Website Or App

If you don’t really want to go through the hassle of setting up a business and all that jazz but you would still like to offer your accounting services using something like Upwork is certainly an option for you. This is certainly one of the quickest ways you can get started making money doing bookkeeping online.

Basically this means you will be able to help small business owners you connect with online who need help managing their books. The great thing is you can make your own schedule and you will get paid well for the work you do as bookkeepers are in high demand these days.

Offer A Virtual Bookkeeping Service

If you don’t really want to go through the hassle of setting up a business and all that jazz but you would still like to offer your accounting services you can simply just sell your bookkeeping services using Upwork.

This is certainly one of the quickest ways you can get started making money doing bookkeeping online, you only need $5 as a deposit and you can start offering your virtual assistant services right away. The best part is you never even set foot in their office, you simply just help them do what they need done from your own home or wherever you prefer working.

Create Your Own Blog Or Website To Share Accounting Advice & Tips

Create blog as an accountant.

Another way you could make side cash as an accountant or you could simply use your knowledge to create a blog or you can even build an e-commerce store you can use to share your expertise with other people.

This is another great way you could earn money but you have the added advantage of being able to grow your website into something bigger down the road if you want. The best part about this option is it doesn’t cost much at all compared to starting an actual business. The best place to get started with your own website is Siteground. This is what I use and I completely recommend it.

Create And Sell Your Own Accounting eBooks

If you’re more of a bookworm than anything else you might consider writing an accounting ebook you can sell online. You don’t specifically need special training or anything like that you just need to have a talent you can use to share your knowledge with the world.

You’ll need some discretionary time you could spend writing books you could sell online so you might consider completing your work for clients earlier than you normally would so you will have extra time you can use to write your own books at night or on weekends.

You’d be surprised how much money you can earn by simply sharing what you know, especially if you focus more of your time on one specific niche.

Create Online Courses Through A Platform Like Udemy

If you’re more of an educator than anything else you might consider creating courses people can buy online through platforms like Udemy. This is yet another great way you could money but keep in mind it you you will need to create at least one course you can sell before you start making money.

You’ll likely want to focus more of your time on creating one or two courses you can sell you could get started for less than $50 dollars you would simply need a laptop and internet access.

The great thing about this is you can continue selling your courses forever, you don’t have to create new ones every year because the content in your courses never goes bad so you could keep selling them for years and years.

Do Bookkeeping For Local Businesses

Bookkeeping for accountants.

If you’re looking for something that might be considered more hands on than anything else consider offering accounting services by doing bookkeeping work for local businesses you can meet with face-to-face.

This will require you to have a bit more work in you have to go meet with people you can offer your accounting services you can likely get started for under $100 you will only need basic bookkeeping software. The great thing is you can earn $100 per hour or more doing this so it’s an excellent option for working parents.

Sell Your Accounting Related Gifts & Merchandise

If you’re looking for something you could do at night or on the weekends consider selling some kind of gift people would be able to buy online that has anything to do with accounting.

If you’re good at making money charms bracelets, clothing, prints and even toys featuring your favorite characters you might want to try out Etsy. You’ll need time you could spend making your items you could always just use the spare time you have during breaks at work or you can even take a weekend day and dedicate it to making your own gifts you could sell online.

This is another great option for people who don’t need consistent hours, you can spend as much time you want working on this side hustle you might be able to get started for less than $50 dollars if you’re taking your time to make sure everything looks perfect.

The best part about this option is that you won’t ever run out of ideas for new gifts you’ll simply need to try something new until it takes off.

Do Accounting For Your Friends & Family

Do accounting work for friends and family.

If you’re looking for something more low-key than anything else consider doing your friends and family’s bookkeeping you could do this around your current work schedule.

You might even be able to get started for free you don’t need any special software you you could simply use the time you would normally spend on your phone looking through your Facebook feed, instead of scrolling through pictures of babies you’ll be looking at income statements.

People typically want someone they know to look over their finances you might have lots of friends who are struggling to manage their own books or they may just enjoy getting extra help so they can learn more about their money.

This is an excellent option for people with families because you can work around family plans you won’t ever have to miss out on family events because you have a client meeting scheduled that day.

Work From Home Doing Accounting Related Work

If you’re looking for something you could probably do from home you might consider working from home doing accounting related work you can find opportunities through Craigslist. As always you’ll you’ll want to be careful about the types of jobs you apply for and you will need to be able to prove your previous experience in accounting.

This is a great option for people who don’t like going into an office every day or don’t like dealing with bad weather when they commute, you won’t have any boss telling you what to do and how to do it but you will likely need your own software and it may take time to learn how everything works.

This side hustle is also excellent for parents because you get work around you you you you can do this job from home and you’ll typically be able to set your own schedule.

Promote Your Accounting Related Skills On A Side Business Website

If you’re looking for something you could start today you might consider building a side business website that promotes your accounting related skills. This is an excellent option because you can get started for free if you use WordPress and you don’t really need any programming background you only need basic design skills.

If you want to answer questions people have about bookkeeping or tax preparation you can include those sections on your site as well, then once it’s established offer the services through the site and other social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

This is an excellent option if you’re not comfortable talking about your skills you can simply provide the information you think people need to make good decisions you you you you could even promote your site on your LinkedIn Profile.

This offers a great way to build up your reputation online and it’s a great option for people who don’t want to go through all of the work of getting certified as a public accountant.

Become A Virtual Bookkeeper

If you’re great with computers you you you you you could consider becoming a virtual bookkeeper you’ll have to be at least somewhat familiar with QuickBooks online and you will need to be extremely detail oriented.

You might get started for free or for just $5 you can typically find work through Craigslist or Upwork but you could also look into the National Association of Forensic Economics which offers certification options.

This is an excellent option if your day job is already pretty demanding, because the hours required are extremely flexible and you don’t need any previous experience.

It’s also a great option for people who still want to go to networking events and promote their skills in, even though they work from home you you you you you you you you you you could also build up your own website to promote your virtual bookkeeping services.

Start a YouTube Channel

Start a YouTube channel as an accountant.

If you’re already pretty knowledgeable you you you you you you you you you might consider starting a YouTube channel to help people learn more about accounting. You won’t necessarily get paid unless your videos go viral but if they do they will potentially earn thousands of dollars you’ll be able to monetize your channel with ads and affiliate programs.

This is an excellent option for people who don’t want to go through all the work or study needed to become a CPA, you can still give great information and teach people what it takes to succeed in accountancy.

If your videos are particularly well done the right company could approach you with a job offer that pays very well, but even then it could take years before that happens.

Promote An Accounting Related Podcast

This is an excellent side hustle because it could easily supplement your income, even if the podcast only brings in a few hundred dollars each month that could be enough to offset some of your expenses or even pay for small purchases around the house.

This side hustle also has the potential to lead to other opportunities including sponsorships and consulting work down the line, but you could start this side hustle immediately by making videos for YouTube or writing articles on HubSpot or Medium.com.

You might not be able to quit your day job with this side hustle alone but it’s definitely something you can work towards.

This side hustle is excellent for people who don’t mind sharing everything about themselves online, you’ll also need to be somewhat comfortable public speaking and if you’re not you can always try writing articles instead of doing videos.

This side hustle could potentially lead to better opportunities but it will take some time before they appear so it’s important that you have a plan B ready as well.

Become A Freelance Writer

If you’re already pretty good with words you you you it might be time to start writing side hustle gigs that could potentially lead to full-time work down the line. You’ll need to have decent grammar and at least a tiny bit of SEO knowledge but if can provide quality content about accountancy companies will be more than willing to pay for your services.

This side hustle is excellent for people who already have some experience writing but don’t want to spend their free time building a blog, it will also take some time before you can build up regular side hustle gigs and eventually quit your day job, so this side hustle isn’t ideal if you don’t have the patience.

Write for Other Accounting Websites

You’ll be able to find side hustle blogging opportunities on places like Upwork.com and Flexjobs.com and although most of these side hustles won’t pay very well they will help you establish your writing portfolio with potential employers down the line.

This side business is great for beginners or anyone with limited skills because there’s not much required to started aside from an internet connection and a few free minutes every day.

Advertise Services On Your Blog

If you’re already blogging about topics that people are interested in, advertising side hustles could help your side income grow faster than you might expect.

You’ll need to have a few hundred subscribers before this side business becomes worthwhile but if you do get the right side hustle gigs it could lead to new opportunities including paid sponsorships and promoting services on your YouTube channel or podcast.

This side hustle is great for people who already have an audience of at least several hundred subscribers or viewers, without one you won’t be able to generate the same kind of revenue with this side business idea.

If you don’t mind spending some of your time building up your blog consider adding side hustle blogs to your content to help get the side hustle ball rolling.

Sell Services On Fiverr

If you have some side hustle gigs, the odds are Fiverr.com is where you’ll find potential clients. You might not be able to quit your day job with this side business alone but it’s a great way to get started and can lead to new opportunities down the line if you’re willing to put in the work.

This side hustle is excellent for beginners because all you really need is a PayPal account and a little bit of side hustle experience under your belt before getting started. There’s also no shortage of people who want services from freelancers on this site so this side business idea could potentially be very lucrative over time if done right.

Sell Tax Preparer Services Online

Side hustle as an accountant.

If you’re an accountant that already does tax preparation for side side hustles, moving your side business online could help you get more clients than ever before. You’ll need to be good at what you do but having your side hustle services available on the internet is definitely something that will benefit your side income in the long run.

This side hustle is best for accountants who already have side side hustles and are looking for new ways to attract potential clients.

Sell Your Own Material On Amazon or CreateSpace

If you already create side side side hustles it can be quite lucrative to sell them on platforms like Amazon and CreateSpace. This side business is excellent for side side side hustlers who don’t mind putting in the work to create their own products because you’re looking at a potentially very profitable side income over time if done properly.

This side business idea could lead to increased opportunities down the line that could include promoting your own material on your website, blog, YouTube channel or podcast.

Conclusion

As you can see, side hustles for accountants come in all shapes and sizes so what side business idea will work best for you will depend on your current side side side hustle experience and personal preferences.

As long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort required to find and create side side side side businesses that people are interested in then finding the right side business for you shouldn’t be too difficult.

The best side hustle is one that aligns with your interests, skill set and available time but if none of these options sound appealing it’s also worth considering starting a blog about accounting or finance because even if it doesn’t bring in much money directly there are still plenty of benefits that come with having a successful blog when it comes to side side side side hustling.

There are many side hustles for accountants but what makes this one stand out is the fact that it’s so hands off. This side business idea is perfect for people who want to make money online with little to no effort on their part because all you really need is a computer with internet access and you’re good to go!

Aside from the lack of initial effort required in starting up, another great thing about this side business idea is that it can work just as well in your spare time depending on how much you’re willing to work when it comes to finding clients.

FAQ – Best Side Hustle for Accountants

What side hustle for accountants are most popular?

Tax preparation is without a doubt the most popular side hustle for accountants right now but it’s also the most competitive. If you want to make a lot of money as an accountant, tax preparation might not be the best side business idea because it is so competitive.

What side business idea for accountants offers the most side side side side hustling opportunities?

Selling your own material on Amazon or CreateSpace is without a doubt the best side business idea for accountants who already create side side side side hustles but it’s also possible to make decent money with services like TaskRabbit if you’re willing to put in the side side side side side side hustle of finding clients.

Do a lot of accountants have side hustles?

Yes, side hustles are very popular among accountants right now so if that’s the type of business idea you’re looking for then you should have no problem finding something that works.

Question: What side hustle is best for non-creative types?

Amazon affiliate blogging is great for side hustlers who are not creative because all you need to do is write reviews or summaries about the products being sold on Amazon.