Ideal for students, new grads, or anyone searching for an easy side gig that’s easy to learn.
Let’s be honest: The internet is drowning in “work from home” lists that recycle the same tired jobs—Uber driver, dog walker, sell your plasma, blah blah blah. But what about the weird, offbeat, or strangely fun jobs that actually require no special skills (besides a pulse and a bit of Wi-Fi)?
If you want side gigs that are a little less soul-sucking and a little more “wait, people get paid for that?!”—keep reading. Here are four offbeat jobs you can jump into with basically no training, no degree, and no boss breathing down your neck.
1. Stock Photography Contributor
Get paid for your camera roll clutter.
What it is:
You snap photos (even on your phone), upload them to stock photo platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or iStock, and get paid every time someone downloads your image. Wedding cakes, moody sunsets, your cat sitting on a laptop—anything could sell.
Skills needed:
- Basic photography chops (honestly, just don’t take blurry photos)
- Some sense of what looks good in a frame
- The patience to tag photos with relevant keywords like “hipster breakfast” or “awkward family gathering”
How much you can earn:
- About $0.10–$2 per download, sometimes more for premium shots or exclusive content
- The real magic: passive income. If your photos are decent and hit the right keywords, they’ll keep earning while you sleep (or binge Netflix).
How to get started:
- Sign up at Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or iStock.
- Focus on what people search for—business settings, people laughing, “diverse teams,” food trends.
- Don’t stress about equipment—new iPhones are totally stock-worthy.
2. Mystery Shopper
Secretly judge restaurants, stores, and hotels—and get paid for your opinion.
What it is:
Companies hire regular folks to pose as customers and evaluate service quality, product availability, or cleanliness. You go, you observe, you report—sometimes you even get reimbursed for whatever you buy (hello, free snacks).
Skills needed:
- Ability to follow instructions (“order a decaf latte and ask about dairy-free options”)
- Basic memory and note-taking
- Mild acting skills if you want to ham it up (“I have a coupon but I left it in my car!”)
How much you can earn:
- $10–$30 per assignment, plus any purchases you get to keep
- High-end gigs (like test-driving cars or staying in hotels) can pay more
Where to find gigs:
- Market Force, IntelliShop, BestMark
- Major warning: Never pay to join. Real gigs don’t ask for upfront fees.
Pro tip:
Mystery shopping is a rabbit hole—forums like Reddit’s r/beermoney and r/mysteryshopping have the inside scoop on which companies actually pay (and which are a waste of time).
3. App/Website Tester (User Testing)
Get paid to poke holes in websites and apps from your couch.
What it is:
Tech companies need regular humans to test their apps and websites. You’ll be asked to do stuff like “sign up for a fake account,” “find the refund policy,” or “buy a hat and talk through what you’re seeing.” Your feedback—usually spoken aloud and recorded—helps designers fix annoying issues before they go live.
Skills needed:
- Basic comfort with the internet (if you can open tabs and click buttons, you qualify)
- Ability to describe what’s annoying or confusing (“Why is this menu so tiny?!”)
- Following step-by-step instructions
How much you can earn:
- $5–$60 per test, usually $10 for a 15–20 minute review
- The rarer your demographic, the more you might get picked for niche tests
Where to start:
- UserTesting, TryMyUI, UserFeel, PlaytestCloud (for mobile games)
Tips for extra cash:
A good microphone can mean more gigs. Being honest (“this button sucks”) and clear (“the checkout is confusing”) gets you better ratings—and better pay.
4. Transcription for AI Training
Help robots learn language (and get paid to type what you hear).
What it is:
AI companies pay ordinary people to transcribe short audio clips, label data, or rewrite phrases for their language models (think ChatGPT’s distant cousins). If you can type and follow instructions, you’re in.
Skills needed:
- Decent typing speed (bonus points for 40+ words per minute)
- Good ears for different accents
- Ability to follow picky rules (“don’t transcribe background noise!”)
How much you can earn:
- $5–$20 per hour, depending on the platform and complexity
- It’s not glamorous, but you can do it at 2 a.m. in your pajamas
Where to start:
Pro tip:
Some tasks get repetitive, but audio transcription is a gateway into higher-paid AI microtasks once you prove yourself.
So there you have it—four genuinely unusual jobs that don’t require a degree, a résumé, or even pants. Most are perfect for that awkward in-between space between jobs or when you need a little extra money (without sacrificing your dignity on Craigslist).
5. Transcription for AI Training
Get paid to review legal cases online—no law degree, no courtrooms, just your opinion from your couch.
What it is:
Lawyers preparing for real trials often use “mock juries” online to test their arguments. As a virtual juror, you’ll read (or watch) case details and give your honest reactions—just like you would in a real courtroom, minus the dress code and uncomfortable chairs.
Skills needed:
- Basic reading comprehension
- Ability to answer simple questions (“Who seemed more believable?”)
- An open mind—lawyers want a mix of regular people, not legal experts
How much you can earn:
- $20–$60 per case review (sometimes more for longer or video-based cases)
- Sessions usually take 30–90 minutes
Where to find gigs:
- eJury, OnlineVerdict, JuryTalk
- You’ll need to be 18+ and a U.S. citizen (for most platforms)
