The secret to finding a good side hustle
The term “side hustle” is gaining popularity, especially among millennials.
What has commonly just been known as having a second job is becoming a regular practice among people trying make a little extra, and as the demand for more income grows, so does the creative ways people attain it. You don’t have to rent your home as an Airbnb or drive for Uber. Here are a few other options for pulling in a second paycheck.
Skill specific
If you have a particular skill set that you excel in or just love doing, seek opportunities to teach it at a community college level, work for a tutoring service or use online services like UpWork to freelance in your off hours.
Odd jobs
You may be surprised to see just how much people are willing to pay you for. For people who find it difficult to get around in and out of the house, you can help them with regular daily chores and make a nice profit. From cleaning or running errands to changing lightbulbs or painting a room, there are a lot of chances to do a one-off job that fits in your schedule. Check out apps like Thumback, Takl or TaskRabbit.
Public relations
Many marketing or public relations firms look for average consumers to give them unbiased, unfiltered feedback on their clients. Programs like secret shopping, participating in focus groups or filling out surveys can be a fast and easy way to make a few extra dollars. There are even opportunities to get paid just for taking a picture of a sales display — you are the secret liaison in charge of quality control.
Low maintenance income
Using free apps and stores you already visit, it’s actually possible to make money just by shopping. There are quite a few services out there that offer cash back in the form of points or gift cards when you shop the sales, like eBates.
In the end, side hustles can serve a number of purposes, and your motivation should be the first question you ask yourself. If you are aiming for a big financial goal, like paying down debt or saving for a major purchase, paycheck will need to rank pretty high on the list of factors in finding the right second job for you.
But if you’re hoping to make just a little extra for a trip or shopping money, you can be more flexible on income in favor of hours or type of work.
One last bit of advice for finding a side hustle: do your due diligence. Make sure you find agencies, apps and opportunities that are safe and reputable. If you feel like something seems fishy or too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t give your information to anyone unless you feel sure that they are a legitimate operation.
Maybe one of these ideas is just the ticket for you — or maybe this sparked some ideas of your own.
Either way, pack up the lemonade stand. There are new ways to get some extra cash this summer.
K at’s Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little ones, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, visit http://communityamerica.com.