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There are bills to pay, screaming kids to feed and send to school; the numbers just keep adding up. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some extra cash at the end of the day to spend on something you enjoy? Since what you make at your 9-5 job usually goes straight to paying the bills or to the family, you need to get creative when it comes to making extra money for yourself – enter the side hustle.
The Art of the Side Hustle
A side hustle is a job you’re able to do while maintaining a full-time job as well. It should be something that plays on your personal assets: if you’re good at something, why not make some money off of it as well? You wouldn’t be alone; in fact, a 2017 study by Bankrate showed that in 2017, 44 million Americans had a side hustle. Now, you’re probably thinking, how can I do this? With a little planning and organization, anything is possible and you too can join the millions of Americans making extra money on the side.
Turning Your Hobbies into Something Lucrative
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Think about what you’re good at. The best side hustles are ones that don’t feel like a job but rather are an extension of hobbies you enjoy doing already – it’s smart to choose something you like so that it doesn’t become a chore; that’s what your day job is for.
Are you great at embroidery and make personalized clothes for fun? On Etsy, there is a huge market for this. From birthday gifts to bachelorette favors, people turn to Etsy for personalized products like shirts, hats, jackets and more, and you could be the seller.
Of course, nothing is ever as easy as 1-2-3, you’ll need to put a bit of work into your side hustle. If you’re looking into starting a store on Etsy, the first step is to create an online store, figure out pricing and then decide, realistically, how long it will take to make your creations and what kind of demand you can keep up with. Hopefully, you retained some of the knowledge you learnt at school in economics. Once you’ve figured out all the details the easy part begins, creating, which you already love doing, and can now receive an income while doing so!
Taking the E-commerce Route
A great way to get your foot in the door with e-commerce is through drop shipping. This means that you create an online storefront of a certain product, say snowboards, while customers will place orders through your storefront. The inventory comes from an independent supplier who you simply notify each time an order is placed. This takes away the need to worry about inventory or creating your own products. In order to make money through drop shipping, you’ll just need to charge more than the supplier to turn a profit.
To get started with e-commerce, you’ll need an online store platform. Shopify is a great place to start, with affordable pricing and an easy-to-use platform. Brands like Rebecca Minkoff, Kylie Cosmetics and Fashion Nova use Shopify and you can as well.
Letting your Voice Shine Through
If you’ve always fancied yourself a writer, well, there’s a side hustle for that, too – multiple in fact. Consider blogging, perhaps about being a mother or one of your other hobbies, such as travelling. If you gain enough readers and traction, you can earn revenue from advertisers.
Another path to go down if you enjoy writing is freelance writing. This is a great option as when using sites such as Upwork, you can pick and choose what types of articles you want to write and decide what kind of timeframe you’d like to work with.
Are you Outgoing?
If you’re someone who likes being around and interacting with people, then perhaps a more social side hustle would be right for you. There are many flexible jobs that you can do outside of normal work hours, such as at night clubs serving drinks or hosting at restaurants. If fun and games are more your speed, consider hosting quiz nights or even working as a bingo caller. The great thing about games such as bingo is that you’re able to moderate games in person and at sites such as Lucky Pants Bingo online, which has an active and social chat community.
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So whether you’re into arts and crafts, e-commerce, writing or something else entirely different, there is a side hustle that will and can work for you if you simply give it a chance. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so why wait? Start your side hustle today and be on your way to earning money for yourself while also supporting your family.
