A Side Hustle! This is a popular phrase these days and you have probably heard of it too. So what does a side hustle actually mean? What is its importance if there is one and who needs to have it? Everyone has a different take on this topic and as you know we are all different and also on a different path to our individual success.
A side hustle is any form of work or employment that one engages in outside their normal full-time job with the sole purpose of providing themselves with supplemental income. In most cases, side hustles are the things that an individual is passionate about rather mandatory jobs you do to make ends meet. They also differ from part-time jobs where you have an employer.
The side hustle obviously works differently from your normal job as it’s done outside your formal full-time job time. It mostly occurs in the evenings, over the weekend and sometimes even when you’re holidays (vacations). The main reason that is common for everyone starting a side hustle is usually to have extra or supplemental income to allow you to reach your financial goals and do other extra things without disturbing the family income budget.
To start a side hustle one can start by trialing different things you’re passionate about as a freelance, on a contract or part-time contractor with a company and see how things go. You may have the desire to become an entrepreneur but you’re not how things will work… a side hustle is the best to go about it while you still have your full-time job. This will give you the ability to explore your options and see what you’re really passionate about or even realise side hustle is not for you!
Different Types of Side Hustles
As mentioned before, most side hustles are the things that an individual is passionate about and maybe doing as a hobby. However, there many other different things that can be done as a side hustle and remember the idea is to something without quitting your full-time job. The list goes on and on but here is just a few hustles that will help you earn some extra income on the side:
- Sell crafts on Etsy
- You can sell clothes online
- Sell items on eBay or Amazon FBA
- Start a Blog about something you’re passionate about
- Write an eBook of something you like
- Teach a Language online or any course you enjoy
- Translation Services
- Create and sell an online course
- Run Facebook Ads for businesses
- Photography (freelance)
- Babysitting and/or being a nanny
- Become a brand ambassador
- Be a Virtual Assistant
- Become a Freelance Proofreader
- Baking services if you like to cook
- Recipe Builder
- Sell Stock Photos
- Be a delivery person
- Rent out your garage or driveway
- Dog walking/sitting
- House sitting
- And many more …
According to a study by Bankrate in the US, close to 37% of adults say they have a side hustle and these hustles can pay quite well up to $700 a month. In a separate study, about two-thirds of the population said they would consider having a side hustle on top of their full-time job.
Why You Should Consider A Side Hustle?
“For things to change, YOU have to change. For things to get better, YOU have to get better, For things to improve, YOU have to improve. When YOU grow, EVERYTHING in your life grows with you “~ JIm Rohn
As mentioned above, many people think they would benefit from having something on the side. However, they still don’t take the first step to actually start hustling to get themselves where they want. I know for me it was the best thing to do and the side hustle has helped me achieve something I wanted. At the same time, I know that it’s not for everyone but again no one can say no to having extra cash flow!
Having said that, I still believe that everyone should have a side hustle, WHY? Here are the reasons below:
The Cost of Living Is High Nowadays
Let’s face it, life is expensive nowadays and whatever you do doesn’t seem to cut it enough to cover all your expenses. Rent is expensive, housing prices have sky-rocketed and wages are not growing at the same rate as your expenses! Healthcare, education and travel have all become more expensive and that is why you need a side hustle to help you get some extra income to give you some relief.
It can be daunting to start as you don’t know where to begin but once you have taken that first step, you’re on your way up as long as you’re willing to keep going and never give up. If you find something you enjoy or are passionate about, you’ll find a way to learn how to do it and you’ll be surprised at how many people out there have information to help you.
Side Hustle Can Help You Become More Skillful (Personal Development)
When you side hustle, the benefits are not sorely on extra income only as one may think. As you learn how to do your hustle, you learn and gain experience along the way hence boosting your curriculum vitae (CV). When you work for someone, sometimes it becomes monotonous and draining that when you finish work, you’re so exhausted that you can’t be bothered to do anything when you get home!
You then resort to watching television until you go to bed.
However, when you’re hustling you can’t wait to get home from your day job because you know you have something brewing. You come home, have some rest and then start your hustle. You learn things more because you’re building your empire.
I call a side hustle a personal development adventure where you learn how to start a business, implement it and then manage it. You become educated on the things that you would otherwise never knew about especially when it comes to business management, marketing, and selling. The fun thing is that you’re learning by yourself without being pushed and for yourself because it’s your hustle and you want it to work.
It Helps You Pay off Your Debt (Sooner)
Unfortunately, many people live on debts that end up tieing them to the jobs they hate only because they need the income for repayments. This may be in the form of credit card debt, car finances, and mortgages. Because of these debts, we don’t actually enjoy our lives the ways we want to.
By having a side hustle, you allow yourself to have some extra cash that will allow you to accelerate your payment plan for your debts. When you allow yourself to work hard on your hustle for a period of time, you’ll be able to directly reduce the debts with that income from it. Imagine you being able to supplement more income into your Superannuation/IRA contributions, Student loan, etc! Nothing happens overnight but your willingness to persevere will aid you in your successful venture.
Remember the idea is for you to have less worry about your finances, so you use the money you make from your hustle in any way you want, as emergency funds or maybe you want to enjoy it and have fun with your family or treat yourself; if that’s the case then so be it, you’ve earned it!
It Elevates Your Satisfaction
As I said before, a side hustle is not for everyone especially if your content in what you do in your day job and earn enough money. In saying that though, you may not be fulfilling all you want to achieve because your day job doesn’t give you the chance to do all you want. When you side hustle with something you’re passionate about, besides the money side of it, you’re helping someone out with your expertise.
For example, if you’re a great cook, you can bake a yummy cake or even share your recipes. Taking them to the local Sunday market will have you filled joy as you share with your community or whoever you sell to. You’re sharing your knowledge and at the same time help someone!
Your work is not your life so you should allow yourself to do the things you’re passionate about, whether you’re making form them or not. It breaks down the monotonous feel of going to do the same thing every day.
It Allows You To Meet New People and Connections
This is one of the best things I have learnt since I started my hustle! and I as we know no man is an island! I have met some great people and learnt quite a lot from online engagements, conference meetings, webinars, collaborations and more. I wouldn’t have met these people let alone learn what I have already if it wasn’t for my side hustle. I’m forever grateful to everyone I met or worked with so far. They have helped me immensely and I was also able to help them with my shared knowledge.
What I have noticed si that when you go to a meeting or conference from your day job, you meet new people which is great. However, we actually talked about the same things because we’re from the same field. But as I attend different things through my side hustle, the amazing this is that you met different people from different industries. This allows you to learn totally unique things from what you do and even the social talks are just a breath of fresh air
From these connections comes relationships and acquaintances that lead to so many productions and personal development.
You Have A Chance to Start Your Business
Maybe right now you’re or have been contemplating starting a business! Why not start with a side hustle while trying to figure out what you really want to do. You never know, if your side hustle is something you’re passionate about, it could become your full-time business. You will never know until you give it a go.
The best way to start is now while you still have your regular job so you don’t have to worry about all the bills of starting a business and focus on building your content and ideas of your success. We all know that it’s always hard to do anything when you have a money worry!
There are so many online hustle opportunities out there as mentioned, you just need to find one that suit you and your needs, then start. You can have all the ideas but until you implement them by starting, they’re of no use to you. So if you don’t start a side hustle, someone else will!
A Chance To Become Happier and Healthier
There is so much peace of mind in knowing that you have your finances under control. As you, finances can be the greatest stressors in our lives especially if you don’t have control over them because of debts or not having enough to live by. On the flip end of the coin, knowing that you have control over your finances is the best feeling you get.
Side Hustle allows you to earn extra income that you can use on the things you WANT to and not worry that you eating away your salary which you should be using on the things you HAVE to. Even if your hustle brings you $100/month when you start, you celebrate it and go out for dinner with your partner, you’ve earned. There is so much joy when you see the results of your hustle no matter how small it may seem, especially in the beginning when you don’t expect much.
Now when you work hard on your hustle and see profits, then you can take a step hight and do things like paying for your family holidays, attend shows your family enjoys or and just look after yourself to be able to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. All these activities allow you to have a peaceful healthy mind, hence a healthier you. Your chance to happier and healthier is now, you just need to move and take a step by finding your side hustle.
Final Word
“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change” ~ Jim Rohn
Whatever you decide to do after reading this blogpost, I sincerely hope you find something that you enjoy and are passionate about. I am sure there will one thing and think about it carefully and find ways you can use that thing to help someone with your expertise and make money at the same time. Remember, you don’t have to be doing your hustle every day or every week, you may just need a couple or few hours a week to get it done. The important thing is for you to love what you decide to do.
Side hustling is today’s norm and it’s an opportunity for you to make extra income to allow you to have the freedom and who knows if you build it well may lead you to both financial and time freedom. You also have the opportunity to learn new skills while working on your hustle and you will have the opportunity to learn more about yourself in the process. One thing to remember though is that when you start a side hustle you’re giving up on some of your free time but with some huge benefits to come later. There are quite a lot of prons than cons fo starting a side hustle.
Let today be the day you find about what you’re really passionate about that could be your side hustle. Once you have an idea, then start, don’t leave it for tomorrow. There are so many resources you online to help you start. Keep in mind that an idea is just a fantasy until you actually implement it. Let today be your day. Happy Hustling!
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