What we are
1Hustler is a small, independent publication that researches side hustles and shares the underlying math. Each guide takes one hustle, runs the realistic numbers (capex, time, margin, taxes), names the common failure modes, and stops.
We don't sell courses. We don't run a Discord. We don't have a "wealth-building program." If a guide here ever becomes a sales funnel, you should stop trusting us — and call us out.
What we won't do
- We won't republish income screenshots without sources. If a "guru" claims $40k/month from drop-shipping, we look for tax filings, marketplace receipts, or audited bank statements — not Photoshopped Stripe dashboards.
- We won't recommend MLMs. Period. The structural math is bad for the people at the bottom.
- We won't write thinly-disguised affiliate articles. If a guide mentions a product, it's because it's the practical recommendation. Affiliate links (when we use them) are disclosed and never change the conclusion.
- We won't fake urgency. No "doors close Friday" tactics. The hustles in our guides will still be there next month.
How we source numbers
Where we cite a stat — like "36% of U.S. adults have a side hustle" — the source is linked inline. Our preferred sources, in rough order of weight:
- Government / regulatory data: BLS, IRS, Census, SBA.
- National research panels: Pew Research Center, Federal Reserve consumer surveys.
- Reputable financial publishers with disclosed methodology: Bankrate, NerdWallet, Morningstar.
- Marketplace primary data: Etsy seller surveys, Rover community reports, YouTube CPM transparency posts.
Anything from a person trying to sell you something is treated as marketing, not data.
How the calculators work
All four calculators run 100% in your browser. We don't have a backend that captures your inputs — there's no analytics on the math, no "we'll email you the result" form. Open the page source if you want; the formulas are right there.
The 2026 tax calculator uses the IRS-published 2026 federal brackets and the standard self-employment tax (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare on 92.35% of net earnings). State estimates are approximations — file with a CPA for anything material.
When guides go stale
Side-hustle facts decay fast. Etsy fee structures change. YouTube's monetization rules change. Tax brackets change. We date every guide with a "last reviewed" timestamp and rewrite — not "refresh" — when the underlying reality shifts.
How we make money
The site is funded out of pocket by the broader 0data Network. We may eventually add narrow, disclosed affiliate links to tools we already recommend (Beehiiv, Ghost, Notion). We will never accept paid placements, sponsored guides, or "expert contributor" pieces. If that changes, it'll be disclosed prominently — and you'll have every right to be skeptical of us.
How to reach us
Found an error, a stale number, a broken calculator, or a guide that smells like marketing? Email hello@1hustler.com. We read everything.