Have you ever wondered if a side hustle is really worth your time? SideHusl.com researches, reviews and rates more than 500 online platforms that allow you to make money on the side.

For a lot of people, a side hustle is a great way to pay for things you otherwise couldn’t afford — luxuries such as vacations and dinners out.

But side hustles are a necessity for roughly one-third of all Americans who engage in them because they’re using the money to pay day-to-day expenses, according to recent research from BankRate. So, while many workers may prefer higher-paying side hustles, even if they’re inconsistent, some side hustlers just need reliable side hustles for regular income.

Reliable side hustles are not always the best paying. They involve providing help with a lot of day-to-day activities, from delivery to serving, tutoring to watching pets. However the best reliable side hustles pay considerably more than minimum wage — even after expenses — and can bring in between $500 and $1,000 a month like clockwork.

The one caveat is that it can take six months or so to get established before you start working regularly. That’s typically how long it takes to generate enough reviews and ratings to make your profile stand out on some of the top side hustle platforms. But after that, freelancers maintain these gigs are so reliable that they can turn into full-time jobs, if they want them to.

Animal care

Walking and watching pets is one of the most pleasant and reliable side hustles for animal lovers. Even casual side hustlers tell us they regularly earn $500 to $1,000 with Rover, the largest and best established of the pet-watching sites.

Potential dog walkers and pet sitters sign up and create a profile that tells customers about them and their experience with pets. Side hustlers also choose the type of pets they’re willing to watch; whether to offer ancillary services, such as pet grooming and transportation; and the rates to charge. You’re even able to set different rates for weekends and holidays, if you so choose. Rover takes a 20% commission on all bookings.

Pro tip: Set your rates low — maybe $5 nightly below the median in your neighborhood — in the beginning to get those first customers. Once you have multiple reviews, gradually raise your rates. At that point, you don’t need to be the lowest-cost provider to continue winning business.

Tutoring

If you like academics more than animals, consider tutoring. With roughly 50 million school-age children in America, the need for academic tutors is great.

And tutoring opportunities have become more attractive in recent years as the world has increasingly moved to online tutoring, which saves tutors the time and expense of traveling to their students. They simply flip on a video chat and go.

There are a number of good online tutoring sites. Our personal favorite is the industry giant, Wyzant. What makes Wyzant stand out? Millions of monthly customers, as well as the freedom to choose what you teach, when you teach and what you charge. The site takes a 25% commission on bookings.

Pro-tip: As we suggested to animal sitters above, the key to standing out in a crowded marketplace is reviews. But to get those reviews, you probably need to offer your services a little more cheaply than the better-established competition. But that’s temporary. Once you’ve got good reviews and a regular stream of students, you can start raising your rates.

Explore four more reliable side gigs at: https://sidehusl.com/reliable-side-hustles-for-regular-income/.

The Banner will include an occasional column from SideHusl.com as part of a sharing agreement.