My 2017 Side Hustle Income Report and the Lessons From a Tough Year
Before breaking down the full year, it’s worth noting that I made $2,234.54 during the fourth quarter alone. That was a noticeable improvement over the third quarter and helped close the year on a strong note. Instead of publishing separate quarterly reports, I decided to roll everything into one annual breakdown.
A quick note for context: this post reflects what worked for me in 2017. Platforms, payouts, and strategies have changed since then, but the lessons behind the numbers still apply. This post shows one stage of my journey, but I’ve since created a more updated guide on how to start a side hustle today.
2017 Side Hustle Income Report
An Up-and-Down Year
2017 was not a smooth ride. I started the year doing extremely well with freelance work. For a while, it felt like that income stream was locked in. Then, by the middle of the year, every freelance client I had was gone.
Losing that income forced me to shift my focus quickly. Instead of panicking, I leaned harder into my other side hustles and started building them up. Despite losing my main income stream mid-year, I still ended 2017 making more money than I did in 2016. That was one of the year’s biggest lessons: diversification matters more than momentum. Building multiple income streams matters.
Why I Share Income Reports
I’ve never been completely comfortable sharing income reports, which is why I used to limit them to quarterly updates. The purpose was never to brag or flex. I shared these numbers to show real results, good years, uneven years, and everything in between.
If there’s one takeaway from 2017, it’s that progress isn’t always linear. You can lose one stream and still move forward if you’re willing to adapt.
2017 Side Hustle Income Breakdown
The numbers below reflect gross income and don’t account for expenses or time invested.
Freelance Writing – $6,368.10
For the second year in a row, freelance writing was my highest-paying side hustle, and it’s still one of the most common ways to make money online today. That said, I already knew this wouldn’t last forever. While I still did some freelance work toward the end of the year, my focus began shifting toward other income streams.
What’s interesting is that freelance writing was never part of my original plan. The blog played a huge role in opening that door. Without it, I likely wouldn’t have had the credibility or opportunities to get started.
eBay – $2,431.58
eBay was my second-highest income stream in 2017, and it showed real growth. I made nearly $1,000 more from eBay than I did the year before by expanding the types of items I sold. Reselling through platforms like eBay continues to be one of the most beginner-friendly ways to earn extra income.
That growth reinforced something I learned the year before: testing new categories and staying flexible leads to better results over time. This was exactly the kind of steady improvement I wanted to continue building.
Sponsored Posts – $1,663.96
Sponsored posts brought in more income in 2017 than they did in 2016. Even so, I turned down a large number of offers. I only accepted sponsored content from companies I believed would genuinely provide value to my readers.
Maintaining that standard mattered more to me than squeezing out extra dollars.
Affiliate Income – $546.67
Affiliate income increased by more than $100 in 2017. While it wasn’t my biggest income source, it was one of the most promising. I only promoted products and services I actually used or trusted, including programs like Amazon and Bluehost.
My long-term goal with affiliates was simple: slow, consistent growth without compromising trust.
Other Income – $384.94
This category included t-shirt sales, course sales, and a few other small income streams. It wasn’t a major contributor yet, but it was an area I was actively working to grow.
Advertising – $347.11
In 2017, I separated advertising income into its own category for the first time. In previous years, it was lumped into “other.” As my traffic increased, ads became a more noticeable piece of the overall picture, and I expected that trend to continue.
Other Sales Platforms – $204.90
Beyond eBay, I also sold items on platforms like Bonanza, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp. Listing items in multiple places increased the chances of making a sale and helped move inventory faster.
Total Side Hustle Income for 2017: $11,947.26
This year came after my 2016 income breakdown and set the stage for what changed in 2019
2017 was a good year, not because everything went perfectly, but because it didn’t. Losing clients forced me to build resilience and flexibility into my side hustle strategy. That adaptability is what allowed me to finish the year stronger than the one before.
Looking ahead at the time, I was confident that 2018 would be even better, not because I had everything figured out, but because I had learned how to adjust when things didn’t go as planned.
If you’re looking for beginner-friendly ways to start earning now, there are several apps and side hustles that still work today.
Jason Butler is the owner of My Money Chronicles, a website where he discusses personal finance, side hustles, travel, and more. Jason is from Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Savannah State University with his BA in Marketing. Jason has been featured in Forbes, Discover, and Investopedia.
