Mitchell Tebo
As remote work solidifies its place in the economy, building multiple income streams from home has never been more attainable. Below, we explore four side hustles—each scalable to $10,000 per month—complete with data-driven insights and practical next steps.
1. 9x12 Postcard Method: High-ROI Direct Mail
What It Is
The 9x12 postcard method is easily our favorite side hustle for the summer of 2025, as you can make thousands of dollars from the comfort of your home. It is the perfect side hustle to work along side your main job, or you could probably replace your career if you are willing to work 4 hours per day on your 9x12 Postcard Business. We’ve found that with 2 hours per day, you can make about $4000 per month. With 3 hours per day, $8,000. Lastly, with 4 hours per day, around $12,000. Not to mention there is no long ramp-up period, and you don’t need any money to start!
How the 9x12 Postcard Method Works
Here’s how The 9x12 Method works: You simply connect local small businesses to split the cost of advertising. You assemble their ads onto a single oversized 9x12 inch postcard, and then mail them via USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) to thousands of homes in a defined area. This means that businesses only pay a fraction of the price of direct mail because they are splitting the cost with other non-competing respected businesses. This also means you get to keep a massive portion as profit (around $4000-$5000 per card)! Scale this to a few cards per month and you’ll never have to show up to your job again. It’s obvious why we think it is the best, and all you need in order to start is an email address and the 9x12 Method Youtube Channel – and maybe the 9x12 Method Course & Community if you want your hand held through the process.
Why the 9x12 Method Works
- Targeted Reach: EDDM lets you choose carrier routes by ZIP code or neighborhood, ensuring your mailer lands in the right hands Taradel.
- Superior Open Rates: Direct mail postcards see open rates of 80–90%, far eclipsing the 20–30% typical for email campaigns Focus Digital.
- Solid Response: While average EDDM response rates range from 0.5% to 2%, well-designed postcards can exceed 3% depending on the industry TaradelFocus Digital.
- Strong ROI: Direct mail delivers an average ROI of 112%, outperforming digital channels like email (93%) and search ads (88%) Focus Digital.
Getting Started With 9x12 Postcards
- Select Your Area
- Target towns of 15,000+ residents—ideally 40,000–80,000—to balance volume and manageability.
- Define a 15-minute drive radius for urban areas (20 minutes in rural markets) to identify businesses whose customers live nearby.
- Recruit Advertisers
- Approach non-competing businesses (e.g., one restaurant, one salon) for 4″x3″ or 4″x6″ ad slots.
- Emphasize cost-sharing: at $500–$900 per spot, each business pays a fraction of solo direct mail costs.
- Watch this video to learn how to get businesses to join with just email!
- Design & Fulfillment
- Use simple ad layouts. If design isn’t your strength, outsource to our Ad Design Service for unlimited revisions and top-tier quality: Learn More about our ad design services.
- Compile ads into the 9″x12″ template and submit to print.
- Print & Mail
- Opt for All-Inclusive Printing: we handle printing, banding, EDDM paperwork, postage (~$0.223/piece), and shipping to the post office—plus you get extra sample packs for prospecting: Print My Card.
- Track delivery and collect advertiser feedback to refine future mailings.
Scale Faster
Automate outreach, invoicing, and task management with the 9x12 Method CRM—complete with drag-and-drop pipelines and custom invoicing: Explore the 9x12 Method CRM.
