5 easy side hustles to start with little to no money

A low-cost side hustle is a great way to generate extra income ahead of an economic downturn.

Now is a good time to start a business.

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With the possibility of a recession on the horizon, experts say it’s time to start saving. This advice may prompt many to find additional streams of income.

Starting a side hustle can be a great way to earn that extra cash, founders told Insider. What’s more, many businesses today have zero startup costs and cheap options for scaling up.

“At the early stage, the capital needs are at their lowest ever,” Dave Mawhinney, an entrepreneurship professor and executive director at Carnegie Mellon University, previously told Insider. “So if you can bootstrap it yourself, you can do that at any time, in any economy, under any situation.”

He added that today’s costs were especially low thanks to digital technologies like social media and online marketplaces.

From blogging to selling vintage clothes, here are five side hustles to start with little or no money, as well as advice from founders who’ve done it. 

Read more: Amid talk of a recession, here are 5 reasons why now good time is to start your own business, and which industries are the most promising