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Plenty of students and people in their twenties are building something on the side: a freelance practice, an online shop, a first startup. These 22 gifts help with the reading, the work and the business itself.
How we picked: things that make a side business work on a student or first-job budget, most of them under $150, plus four business books that are standard first reads.
Quick picks
- The Personal MBA (To read)
- MATEIN laptop backpack (To work from anywhere)
- Square Reader for contactless and chip (2nd gen) (To run the side business)
- Notion Side Hustle OS (To plan it)
To read
Four books that cover how a business works, how a small one starts and how habits make it last.
1. A business school reading list in one book: The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman.
- By Josh Kaufman, paperback
- 496 pages, published by Portfolio
- Anniversary edition, published September 1, 2020
2. For the one who wants the side project to become the company: Zero to One by Peter Thiel.
- By Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
- Hardcover, 224 pages
- Published by Crown Currency, September 16, 2014
3. Small businesses started on almost nothing, and how: The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau.
- By Chris Guillebeau
- Hardcover, 304 pages
- Published by Crown Currency, May 8, 2012
4. A side business runs on habits, which is why Atomic Habits by James Clear keeps showing up on founders’ shelves.
- By James Clear
- Hardcover, 320 pages
- Published by Avery, October 16, 2018
5. All four books above, and the next forty, fit on a Kindle.
- 6 inch glare-free display, front light 25% brighter at max
- Up to 6 weeks of battery life per charge
- 16 GB storage holds thousands of books
To work from anywhere
A side business happens in libraries, cafes and small apartments, so the gear has to travel.
6. Class, office, cafe: the MATEIN laptop backpack carries a 15.6 inch laptop through all three.
- 18 x 12 x 7.8 inches, personal item size for most airlines
- Separate compartment fits laptops up to 15.6 inches
- Luggage strap and a hidden anti-theft back pocket
7. Raises the screen to eye level and folds flat into a bag: the Nulaxy laptop stand.
- Fits 10 to 16 inch laptops
- Dual-rod support holds up to 22 lbs (10kg)
- Heat-vent upper panel for airflow
8. A second screen in the backpack doubles what fits on a dorm desk: the KYY 15.6 inch portable monitor.
- 15.6 inch 1920 x 1080 IPS screen, 178 degree viewing angle
- Two full-function Type-C ports and a Mini-HDMI port
- 0.3 inch slim profile, weighs 1.7 lb
9. Snaps onto the back of a phone and keeps it alive through a long day out: the Anker MagGo power bank.
- 10,000mAh, up to 1.8 charges for an iPhone 15 Pro
- 15W wireless charging pad and a 30W USB-C port
- 0.58 x 2.78 x 4.09 inches with a metal frame
10. Noise cancelling for the library and the commute: Apple AirPods 5.
- Active Noise Cancellation with Adaptive Audio
- Live Translation enabled by Apple Intelligence
- Voice Isolation improves call quality in loud conditions
11. Over-ear noise cancelling for much less than the big names: the Soundcore Space One headphones.
- Adaptive noise cancelling reduces noise by up to 98%
- 40 hours playtime with ANC on, 55 hours off
- 40mm drivers with LDAC for Hi-Res wireless audio
12. Client calls and interviews look sharper on a Logitech C920 webcam than on any laptop camera.
- Full HD 1080p video
- Autofocus, auto low light correction and noise reduction
- USB connection with a BSI CMOS sensor
13. Notes on paper that end up in the cloud: the Rocketbook Core wipes clean and starts again.
- Letter size 8.5 x 11 inches, 32 lined pages
- Scan notes to Google Drive, Dropbox or OneNote in the app
- Pilot Frixion pen included, pages wipe clean with a damp cloth
14. Light for the late shift and a charger for the phone, in one LED desk lamp with wireless charging.
- Built-in 10W wireless charger and pen holder
- 3 color modes with stepless dimming
- Up to 800 lumens, 85+ CRI, 50,000 hour lifespan
15. Turns any desk into a standing desk without buying a new one: the VIVO standing desk converter.
- 31.5 x 15.7 inch top with room for dual monitors
- Keyboard tray rises in sync with the top surface
- 33 lbs lift assist, adjusts from 4.5 to 20 inches
16. Keys, wallet, backpack: a Tile Pro finds whichever one went missing this week.
- Ring your Tile or track it in the free app
- Use the Tile to ring your phone, even when silenced
- Discreet SOS trigger for safety
To run the side business
The three tools that turn a hobby into something people can pay for and receive.
17. Taking cards at a market stall or a client’s office: the Square Reader for contactless and chip (2nd gen) works with a phone.
- Accepts contactless cards, chip cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Offline payments for up to 24 hours
- No monthly fees or long-term contracts
18. Once orders come in online, a Nelko Bluetooth 4×6 thermal shipping label printer replaces printing and taping a label on every parcel.
- Prints 4×6 shipping labels over Bluetooth or USB
- No ink or toner, uses thermal labels
- Up to 72 4×6 labels per minute at 203 DPI
19. Stickers, custom shirts and labels to sell: the Cricut Explore 5 Deluxe Bundle cuts them clean.
- 12 inch cutting machine, 30% more compact than earlier models
- Cuts over 100 materials including vinyl and cardstock
- Bundle includes supplies for up to 100 projects
To plan it
Digital templates, delivered the same day, for keeping classes or a job and the business on track.
20. Clients, tasks and income for the business on the side, set up in Notion: the Notion Side Hustle OS.
- 20+ ready-to-use side hustle templates
- List of 60+ popular side hustle ideas
$29 digital template, use it the same day See the kit
21. Know what the side business actually earns: the Notion Finance Tracker.
- Notion system to track and manage your finances
- Lifetime access and lifetime updates
$59 digital template, use it the same day See the kit
22. Classes or the day job, plus the side business, in one Notion Life Planner.
- Notion system to plan your life and work toward your goals
- Lifetime access and lifetime updates
$59 digital template, use it the same day See the kit
Picks checked on November 11, 2026. Amazon prices change too often to print; the link shows today’s.