Successfully becoming an entrepreneur is no walk in the park.
When faced with student loan debt and living expenses in a city where you need to work full-time in order to afford your cage-free eggs, staying afloat in this slowly recovering economy can be a near impossible feat.
Perhaps it’s time to throw in your barista apron and reconsider your method of making ends meet.Don’t be put off by the negative connotation the word “hustle” may have—a side hustle is a way to make some extra dough and actively pursue what you’re most interested in. It can also be your true passion or an opportunity to dive into writing, food or DIY crafting.
So what are some side hustle jobs you could consider picking up while you work your day job?
Make the best use of your owned space.
Does your job require you to travel frequently and leave your homefront vacant and unattended? Rent out your room on Airbnb to keep your space occupied and make extra cash on the side. Have a vacant parking space in your driveway? Rent it out. Major cities are always teeming with online deals for monthly parking spaces to be filled and, trust me, there is demand to satisfy the supply.
Become a service hustler.
A few friends of mine spearheaded their own landscaping and cleaning businesses over the summer that yielded an income that will last well into the next school year. If you have free time on the weekends and are capable of doing some heavy lifting, you could join up with a moving service and get paid to help people move.
It’s grueling labor, but the tips for your service will make it worth it.Babysitting is a gold mine waiting to be discovered.
This is a perfect hustler job for anyone that loves to be around kids. Register yourself on Care.com and witness with your own eyes the hundreds of part/full-time sitter positions needed to be filled by busy parents. While there is more of a demand for nannies and sitters during the summer, parents need help year-round. Without babysitters, date nights and adult get-togethers wouldn’t be possible.
Have an eye for design?
Etsy is a solid place to make a generous income off your DIY crafts, photo frames, wallets and other kitschy tchotchkes. This website is always crowded by millennials searching for the next avant-garde decoration for their room or gift for their significant other. If you have experience with crafts or have an inclination towards design, take your skills and turn them into a business you can profit from.
Become someone else’s hustler.
Finally, if you don’t wish to grind on your own time, spend your time and energy hustling for someone else at a part-time job. I hustled three part-time jobs during one summer: two at ice cream shops and one in a retail setting. While I often worked myself to the bone for minimum wage pay, I came out of those experiences with friendships, stories to tell for years to come, and a stronger work ethic than I had before. While not ideal for some, it is the most practical way to earn extra money on the side.
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