In a world of side hustles and quick-cash grabs, more and more people are turning to some really peculiar ways to make a little extra money outside of their day job. From selling vintage clothes online to driving for Uber, offering up “handyman” services on platforms like TaskRabbit, and even writing, publishing, and selling their own eBook on Amazon, the internet has given people the opportunity to do more and earn more. 

And while these all seem harmless enough, there are certain side hustles that are grabbing people’s attention for all the right - or wrong - reasons.

Something like, say...selling your feet pictures online. 

Oh, yeah. I’m not kidding.

Finding your footing

It’s become a running joke between my friends and I that we should all resort to simply selling our feet pics online when work feels like it’s gotten too much. 

“I can’t take another day at the office, I’m gonna quit and just sell my feet pics online…”, one of us would say at brunch. 

“I’ve already found a website where I can sell my feet pics, ladies. Might as well just go for it and hope for the best”, someone else would casually bring up the subject over drinks one night.

But between the jokes and the throw-away statements, the truth is that there are thousands of women out there who are already making money from selling their feet pics to anyone who’s willing to buy them.

From feet in socks to feet in heels, flat feet to long toes, or nail polish to dirty feet (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg), women (and some men) are finding their niche - there’s something for everyone - and perfecting their craft. 

This side gig has even become so popular and in-demand that there are people out there making up to $70k a year by snapping photos of their feet, posting them online, and getting paid by their followers.

If that doesn’t make you dream up countless scenarios of quitting your day job and getting a pedicure ASAP - what will?

From Facebook to OnlyFans...

Thanks to the rise of platforms like Facebook and Instagram, everyday Janes and Joes can now find dedicated communities who are interested in similar things: feet, feet pics, feet videos, used socks...the list goes on.

Whether they decide to monetize it, however, is a different story.

A quick search on Facebook brings up dozens of groups dedicated to sharing feet-related content. And, if you’re brave enough, a look around the #feetpic hashtag on Instagram is an intimate - albeit public - look at how feet connoisseurs interact with each other.

A step in the right direction (ha!) getting started within these two platforms the most easily-accessible way to see if the world of feet pics is for you. Everyone has Instagram, after all. And as long as grandma isn’t following your every move, it should be relatively easy to transition your content from photos of your latte art into something a little more...feet-sy.  

Now, in a league of their own, there are also dedicated websites like FeetFinder and OnlyFans that cater to these specific interests and allow creators to actually make money off of their content. Plus, with secure payment platforms and a (usually) respectful community behind it, it might help some people feel more comfortable in comparison to hopping on Instagram or Facebook to do so.  

Even better news? You can remain as anonymous as you’d like - without the algorithm of other social media platforms ratting you out.

Foot fetish or foot model?

Still an incredibly taboo subject, though, the people who are more open about their “on-the-side modeling job” say it’s not as grizzly as it might sound to an outsider.

And while the strange requests do come in - like followers asking for a specific video of feet squishing a cake or stepping on ants - selling feet pics online doesn’t necessarily have to be a sexual or fetished thing. 

Enter: the stock photo companies. 

From feet on an operating table that can be used by a doctor to feet kicking up sand that’d be perfect for a travel company ad, stock photo websites like Shutterstock and Alamy will pay you every time your picture is downloaded from their platform. 

Usually, these involve much less risqué poses and there’s also no need for direct contact with whomever is buying the snaps. A safer alternative for someone who’s just starting out in the world of feet pics, or for someone who wants to remain as PG as possible, this is probably the friendlier route to take.

Porn or not, the world of commercializing feet pics online has cemented its place as of late, making it one of the most sought after side gigs for people today.  

So maybe my friends and I are just joking around when it comes to quitting our adult jobs to start trafficking in feet pics. Or maybe one of them already is, playing along with the laughs when the subject comes up. 

Whatever it may be, one thing’s for sure: there’s something out there for everyone.

Written by Camila Perez