7 Unusual Side Hustles That Actually Pay (Don’t laugh – I was shocked too😀)

September 4, 2025

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Discover 7 weird but real side hustles that actually pay in 2025. Learn how you can get paid to cuddle, sell your hair, and even earn up to $500 per day from your stool.

Looking for a way to make extra money? You’ve probably heard the usual advice: drive for a rideshare, deliver food, or take online surveys. But what if you could earn money in ways you never thought possible? What if you could get paid to cuddle, to be someone’s friend, or even for what’s inside your gut?

It sounds fake, but it’s not.

I’ve dug deep to find seven of the most unusual side hustles that are 100% real and actually pay. Some of them are weird, some are surprisingly genius, and one of them can pay up to $500 per day if you qualify.

In this guide, I’ll show you how each one works, what you can realistically earn, and what you need to be careful about. Plus, stick around until the end for a quick bonus tip that can stack with most of these to boost your income with zero extra effort.

Table of Contents

1. Sell Your Hair Online

Let’s start with a side hustle that might have you rethinking your next haircut. Yes, you can actually sell your hair online for a significant amount of money. People buy real human hair for wigs, extensions, and even art pieces.

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How it Works:
Websites like HairSellon.com and BuyandSellHair.com act as marketplaces where you can list your hair for sale. Buyers are often looking for “virgin” hair (hair that has not been dyed or chemically treated), as well as hair that is long, thick, and healthy.

Earning Potential:
Prices vary wildly based on length, thickness, color, and condition. Looking at active listings, you can see prices ranging from $350 to over $1,500 for a single sale.

Important Tip: Do not cut your hair before you make a sale. Buyers want fresh hair. The standard process is to create a listing with photos of your hair while it’s still on your head.

Once you have a buyer, you cut it according to their specifications and then ship it. If you have long, well-cared-for hair and are planning a haircut anyway, this is a genius way to earn some extra cash.

ALSO READ: 12 Online Businesses You Can Start This Year to Make Money Online Without Experience

2. Get Paid for Your Stool ($500 Per Sample)

This is by far the most unusual—and potentially the most lucrative—side hustle on this list. You can get paid for selling your stool (yes, your poop) to be used for medical research and treatments.

How it Works:
A company called HumanMicrobes.org is actively looking for healthy stool donors. Your gut microbiome contains trillions of bacteria, and for people with certain diseases, a transplant of healthy gut bacteria (a Fecal Microbiota Transplant, or FMT) can be a life-saving treatment.

The company is looking for an extremely small percentage of the population (around 0.1%) who are in peak physical and mental health and have a disease-resistant microbiome.

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Earning Potential:
If you qualify as a donor, the pay is astounding. Human Microbes pays

180,000 per year.

The Catch: The screening process is incredibly rigorous and includes questionnaires, interviews, and extensive medical testing (which they pay for). While it’s very hard to qualify, if you happen to be in that top 0.1% of healthy individuals, this could be more than just a side hustle—it could be a full-time income.

3. Become a “Papa Pal” (Companion for Older Adults)

If you have a compassionate spirit and enjoy connecting with people, you can get paid to be a companion for older adults and families.

How it Works:
A platform called Papa connects “Papa Pals” with members who need help with non-medical tasks and social support. This isn’t healthcare; it’s about providing a helping hand and a friendly face.

Tasks can include:

Companionship and conversation
Meal preparation
Light household chores
Running errands and transportation

Earning Potential:
According to Papa, Pals can earn up to $22 per hour. This is a wonderful opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life while earning a solid hourly wage.

4. Get Paid to Be a Friend

In our increasingly digital world, many people are looking for genuine, platonic connections. You can actually get paid to be a friend for someone who needs a companion for an event or activity.

How it Works:
A website called RentAFriend.com allows people to hire local friends from all over the world. It’s important to note that this is strictly for platonic friendship. The site has very clear rules against it being used for dating.

ALSO READ: how to fix facebook content monetization policy

People hire friends for all sorts of activities:

Going to a movie or a bar
Being a workout partner
Attending a party or a wedding as a “plus one”
Showing a newcomer around town
Simply having a virtual chat

Earning Potential:
You get to set your own hourly rate. Rates typically start at around $50 per hour. The people hiring you have to pay a membership fee to use the platform, which helps to filter for serious clients.

5. Work as a Professional Pooper Scooper

This one might not be glamorous, but it’s a real and in-demand service. Busy pet owners are often willing to pay someone to do the one chore they hate the most: cleaning up after their dogs.

How it Works:
Companies like DoodyCalls operate as professional pet waste removal services across the country. They hire technicians to visit clients’ homes on a regular basis and keep their yards clean. You can apply for employment opportunities directly through their website or the websites of their local franchises.

Earning Potential:
While the company doesn’t list official pay rates, salaries reported online are generally around $15 per hour. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and working outdoors, this can be a steady and reliable side hustle.

6. Become a Professional Cuddler

Yes, you can get paid to cuddle with strangers in a safe, non-sexual, and therapeutic environment. Professional cuddling is a form of touch therapy designed to provide comfort, relaxation, and human connection.

How it Works:
Websites like CuddleComfort.com connect professional cuddlers with clients. The platform has strict rules of conduct to ensure the safety and professionalism of every session. To become a cuddler, you need to be a kind, caring, and understanding person who is comfortable with platonic touch.

Earning Potential:
The market rate is surprisingly high. According to Cuddle Comfort, the average rate is around $80 per hour. As an independent contractor on the platform, you get to set your own price and keep 85% of your earnings.

7. Work as a Background Actor (Even for Zoom Calls)

You don’t need to be a trained actor to make money in the entertainment world. There is a constant demand for background actors, or “extras,” to fill out scenes in movies, TV shows, and even corporate events.

How it Works:
In a modern twist, some companies and creators even hire people to be background participants in Zoom meetings and webinars. This is done to boost perceived engagement and make the event look more lively and well-attended.

ALSO READ: Steal competitor traffic for free in 2025 with AnswerSocrates

You can find these gigs through casting websites.

Central Casting is a major player for background roles in film and TV.
AllCasting.com is another platform where you can find hundreds of casting calls for various roles, including background work.

Earning Potential:
Pay can vary widely, but it’s not uncommon to see rates of $100 or more per day for a simple background role.

Bonus Tip: Stack Your Earnings with Passive Income Apps

Here’s the quick bonus tip. Most of the side hustles on this list require your active attention, but they don’t always use your phone or internet connection to their full potential.

You can “stack” your earnings by installing a few passive income apps that pay you in the background. Apps like Pawns.app, Honeygain, and Grass will pay you a small amount of money (in cash or crypto) just for sharing your unused internet bandwidth.

These apps won’t make you rich, but they can add an extra $20 per month to your total earnings with literally zero extra effort. It’s a simple way to boost your income while you’re out doing your main side hustle.

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