Rake in $2,000 every month with a side hustle!

A whopping 40% of Americans now earn extra income through a side gig, according to a new survey. These part-time freelance jobs often tap into skills or hobbies you already enjoy, making them more fun and flexible. Best of all, they can seriously pad your wallet: Side hustlers earn an average of $1,000 to $2,000 a month. Ready to give it a go? Read on for simple ways to get started!

- GABRIELLE LICHTERMAN

Tally your passions

To discover the best job for you, take an inventory of your interests, encourages entrepreneur expert Nick Loper, host of the The Side Hustle Show podcast. He recommends asking yourself four key questions:

• What have I been paid to do in the past?

• What do people ask me for help with?

• What do I enjoy or never get tired of talking about?

• What comes easily to me that others struggle with?

These questions will help you zero in on what you're good at. Maybe friends often turn to you for resume help or you have a knack for knitting or you love spending time with dogs. Whatever your passion, there's often a way to turn it into income. “For example, a friend of mine in California loved baking, so she launched a custom cookie company called So Here's the Dough (Instagram.com/SoHerestheDough),” shares Loper. “Now, she makes cookies for special occasions like birth announcements and holidays—it’s a thriving business.”