The Power of the Side Hustle
We’ve all been there, we’re sitting at home, scrolling Instagram, + wondering how these acquaintances + influencers are managing to see the world + still afford happy hour. We’ve read the headlines that say millennials are crippled with student loan debt + still living at home. We’ve wondered how we’re going to afford to buy a house in a city where housing costs seem to be rising at exorbitant rates. How are we going to keep up with the Jones’, or anyone really?
This is where you realize the power of the side hustle. Should you have to work multiple jobs to afford to live? No, absolutely not. Can a side hustle be a way for you to afford to travel, have a social life, pay off student loans, or buy a house? Yes.
Note: If you’re picking up a side hustle with the intention to eliminate debt, save for your first home, begin investing or any other financial goal, be sure to check out our Money Bootcamp courses available for download HERE.
I have been the queen of the side hustle since I was 16. I have literally never worked just one job + because of that I’ve been able to afford a lot more than your average middle school teacher. I’ve also managed to create a great balance so that my side hustles don’t interfere with the quality of my life. There’s no point in taking on so much that you then cannot actually enjoy your life + the money earned from your extra jobs.
Currently, I work as a 5th grade teacher + while I absolutely earn enough to live comfortably in Seattle, I love to travel + enjoy my weekly happy hour with friends. I wasn’t willing to sacrifice another aspect of my life, such as taking in a roommate or living outside of the city, to afford my love of travel + margaritas, so I decided to have it all. With 3 extra hours of work a week, I bring in an additional $500 a month.
Most of us can probably think of 3 hours during the week that we waste…on a Sunday morning I often reach my 30 minute social media time limit on my phone…before I even get out of bed. So to say you don’t have time for a side hustle, is most likely a lie to yourself. Think of all the things you could change in your life if you took those 3 wasted hours a week + used them to reach your financial or personal goals.
For me, my side hustle is simple. I drive a girl from school to dance for $20/hr, 2 days a week. I also tutor another girl for an hour a week for $60/hr. That’s it. It’s that simple for me to bring in an extra $500/month. And thanks to my teaching schedule I still manage to make it to the 5:30pm Orangetheory class, even after working my side hustles. Come the summer, I will take on more tutoring students + pick up some nannying jobs to pad my teacher salary even more.
We realize, however, that not everyone has the luxury of having the summer “off”. Below are some of the side hustles that we’ve worked over the years while still working 9-5 jobs:
Nannying/Babysitting - Our personal favorite because it’s untaxed + you set your own rate. In Seattle, a good rate to set would be $20/hr, which if you can find a consistent date night job once a week or once every two weeks, can easily put you at an extra $200/month. Care.com is a great app to use to help you find jobs.
Tutoring - This is a great side hustle if you do not have a lot of time. You do, however, have to make sure that you are qualified to be tutoring whatever subject you commit to. The plus side, however, is that you can charge upwards of $50/hr depending on the subject area and your experience.
Retail - We’ve both worked retail on the weekends before + had a love/hate relationship with it. We loved being in an interactive work environment, meeting new people, + getting to learn a different business. It can be more challenging, however, to schedule around your current job or give up prime “social” hours to work retail on the weekends or evenings.
Bartending - While we’ve never worked in a bar, bartending can be a great way to earn extra money, especially through tips. This can be a challenging side hustle to break into though + many places require you to already have gone through training.
House Sitting - So many people would prefer to leave their dogs at home while on vacation vs. putting them in doggy daycare. House sitting can be a great way to earn extra income, stay in a house that’s probably nicer than your apartment, + cuddle with some cute pups. This is an easy one to get through word of mouth, once you have your foot in the door. Plus, if you do a good job once, they’re more likely to continually hire you since you already know the ins + outs of their home.
Monetize a Talent - If there’s something you love doing, whether it’s calligraphy, writing, event planning, etc. Turn that into your side hustle. Why spend time doing something you don’t enjoy when you can earn money doing something you love? With online shops such as Etsy, it is easier than ever to sell your talents.
Sell Your Things - Okay, not a side hustle, but still a valuable + easy way to earn extra income. Whether it’s selling clothes through ThreadUp or selling your old college textbooks on Amazon, you can probably easily earn $100 just by going through your home to see what you’re no longer using anymore.
A side hustle doesn’t have to take over your life after your 9-5 job, but it can be a a powerful way to help you live the life you’ve always wanted to.
