Why You Need to Get Yourself a Side Hustle

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A side hustle, kind of sounds dirty, but I promise it’s not.  A side hustle is a gig that can help you reach your financial goals sooner.  A side hustle is a gig outside of your full-time every day job.  It should be something fun, something you enjoy and want to do, something that brings you a little extra income, and something that won’t break the bank if it falls through.  Here is Why You Need to Get Yourself a Side Hustle.

I first read about side hustles over at Budgets are Sexy.  J. Money has a list of 50+ side hustles that are interesting and some even a little out there.  So why would you want or need a side hustle?  You have a job, you pay your bills, you are on track to meet your goals.

• You want options.  What if your full-time job goes downhill?  What if your company moves or downsizes?  What if you just don’t like your current line of work one day?  A side hustle could give you the option to cut back at work or bridge the gap between jobs.
• You want to reach your goals in less time.  You have set financial goals and are well on your way to achieving them.  A legitimate side hustle could bring you extra money you can put directly toward, say, your mortgage or whatever goal you are working toward.
• You want out of your full-time job.  Pick the right side hustle, put the effort behind it, and you could be looking at a new full-time gig.

Bottom line, you don’t want all your eggs in one basket.  A side hustle gives you options while providing extra income.

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Here are side hustles that I am doing, or have done, and some that close friends have excelled in. My full time job is caring for my children so one stipulation for me is it has to allow me to spend the majority of my day with my kids.  Some of the links below are affiliate links, view my full disclosure policy here.

Blog – Creative Ramblings began as a hobby and creative outlet 2 years ago.  It has since turned into a side hustle that brings in a good bit of income.  Starting a blog, and monetizing it, is not easy.  If you are passionate about a topic and enjoy writing I would urge you to blog for that reason first, that is why I started.  Once you have a following and framework you can explore options for income.  I have used these books to help grow and monetize my blog.

Etsy – Are you creative?  Do you make something you could sell?  Etsy is a fantastic platform to sell handmade and vintage goods.  There is very little overhead and you can make, sell, and ship the items from your home. I have had an Etsy shop for a couple of years and have steady work every month.  I sell small items that I really enjoy making.  If you are interested in opening a shop, this link will get you and I 40 free listings.

Child Care – I am home with my children all day, taking on another child even for just a few hours a couple of days a week can provide extra income without too much effort.

VA – If you are tech or social media savvy consider working as a virtual assistant.  The duties of a VA vary widely.  Some work just a few hours a week doing tasks for bloggers or business owners.  Tasks such as filtering email, managing social media outlets, maintaining a website and so on.  You can sell your services on a site like Fiverr or through social media groups.

Exercise Instructor – We belong to the Y which has a child care area.  They are often hiring instructors for exercise and kids classes.  These are typically 1-3 times a week and my children could use the child care area while I work.  Check with your local Y or gym and see what opportunities are available.

Teacher – Maybe exercise is not your thing.  Do you sing, or play an instrument?  Maybe you bake or sew or have a skill that others want to learn. Consider teaching from the comfort of your own home.

Photographer – I have a couple of friends who picked up photography as a hobby, they took the time to learn the craft and have turned a side hustle into a full-time job.  If you enjoy photography, hone your skills and see what options open up.  You could do family, kids, couples, even food or product photography.

Writer – If you like to write, or even better have an education or background in a writing field, you have lots of options here.  You could freelance write, publish an ebook, or work as a freelance editor.  All options you can do on your own time from home.

I started my first side hustle 3 years ago and have tried many of the above in that time.  I love doing something that allows me to be with my kids (most of the time).  My hope is that one of these side hustles will turn into a full-time income someday soon.

Do you have a side hustle?  Tell me about it, I am always looking for new creative ideas.

Thanks for visiting!

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