I recently read
this article about turning a side hustle into a main gig that really inspired me.
Reading it made me realize just how many of my generation are innovative, resourceful, and intelligent. I am totally inspired by the members of my generation who are not afraid to get out there and work hard to make their career something that has meaning to them, or just to make it on their own in a world where it is increasingly hard to do that.
I decided to go diving, and I found out that I am only one of many millenials who seek out a side hustle or two.
For me, this is the result of a restless, curious, and entrepreneurial mind (the second part was recently discovered and came as a complete surprise to me), but many do things on the side to pay down debt, to get more experience, or are in pursuit of a professional goal such as licensing or certification.
Whatever your reasoning for wanting a side hustle, I have compiled a list of things you can do (most of them from home) using the skills you have to make extra money.
1.
Make money on your hobby.
Do you love to bake? Pickle or can things? Make jams? How about making jewelry or sewing? If you have a food-related or crafty hobby, you can bet that there are people out there who will want to buy something handmade. For food items, look up your state's cottage laws and see what you can and can't sell using a home kitchen. Google a list of farmer's markets in your area and do some research on what you need to do to be a part of one. For craft items, craft fairs are an option for selling your items, but for all the other times when those aren't happening, list your items on
Etsy or even on
eBay.
2.
Online Tutoring
If you are good at math, or really good at writing, or you have an MBA and can tutor graduate-level business courses (and sooo many more subjects), you should consider online tutoring. The one that I have the most experience with is
Tutor.com. Simply decide what subject you'd like to tutor and take their test. Once approved, you will have to do a mock session (all online, no audio or video). Once you have finished that and passed, you can start tutoring. Basically, you log on when you want to work. I think this is great experience for someone who wants to teach online college courses someday as an adjunct professor and does not have online teaching experience.
3.
Freelance Writing
I will admit that this isn't a side gig I have personally done, but my husband does some freelance writing. So through my research and my discussions with him, I can at least provide a jumping-off point for your research. Something I noticed when doing research is that writers are not paid enough! One benefit to freelancing is that you can build your portfolio while still making money on the side, even if it isn't amazing amounts of money.
The following articles will help start you off:
How to Make Your First $100 as a Freelance Writer
The First 5 Things to Do to Start Freelancing
25 Sites that Pay for Guest Posts
4.
Secret Shopping
I have done this, and while it doesn't make big money, it is legit. I have met many people who have looked into this and either think it is a scam or find a company that requires you to pay a subscription to work for them (whaaaat??). Don't pay a subscription, you can find a good company for free. Here are a couple of companies you can shop with starting as soon as you create a profile:
Sinclair Customer Metrics
BMA Mystery Shopping
5.
Clean out your house
Do you have some barely-worn stuff? Consign it! Do you have a whole bunch of stuff sitting around the house that you don't use? Someone will want to buy it! List it on eBay. Or Craigslist, or the Wallapop app. There are so many possibilities. This won't be a steady stream of income, but the benefits of it are two-fold: some extra money in your pocket, and a much more organized house!
6.
Transcription
This is another one that I haven't done myself yet, so if anyone who has done it would like to comment below and let us know how you feel about it, please feel free! I found
this article on transcription over at
the Penny Hoarder and was really interested in doing it! It requires a lot of studying the company's style guide and rules for transcription to pass the tests (which you must pass before you start working), and it requires a lot of attention to detail and time. If you have this, go for it! This is a great option for people who want a flexible job that allows them to work from home. The Penny Hoarder's blog post on transcription has a much more complete list of transcription companies to work for, but one of the ones that allow you to work from your home computer without a foot pedal and transcription equipment is
TranscribeMe.
7.
Pet Sitting/dog walking
If you love animals and have some free time, this is for you! It is a great way to earn money on the side and spend time with a lot of different animals. This is especially lucrative if you live in a large metropolitan area (like the Washington, D.C. area), as people commute a long way for work and are gone from their houses for long hours. Get the word out: advertise on Facebook, tell your friends. Word of mouth is the best advertising.
8.
Art modeling
Not for the shy!! Art colleges usually need nude models for their drawing classes and pay by the hour (pretty well). The time you can do this is limited, so it isn't going to be a full-time job, but if you aren't shy and you can sit still, call your local college art department and see if they need art models!
Here are a list of other articles I found inspiring, all from Levo:
Why You Should Hail the Side Gig
5 Ways a Side Hustle Can Advance Your Career
Legit Ways to Make (Good) Money on the Side
Why Millenials Need Side Businesses
Working on a Second Job? You're *So* Not Alone
I hope these inspire you! Do you have a side hustle? Did I miss it here? If so, and you'd like to comment, please do!
