Did you know that in 2017, about 15 million Americans made over $500 a month doing a side hustle? Impressive, right? According to a 2017 from website research, 44 million Americans earn extra money by doing supplementary work or having a small business aside from their full-time jobs. The demographic shows that those older than 40 are more likely to generate an average of $1000 extra every month while the younger age groups typically make more or less than $500. Across age groups and gender, most respondents of the study cited paying expenses as the primary use for the extra income, I can imagine that the list would’ve included paying off debt or saving up for a purchase, or if you’re aged 30 and below, funding for your next vacation. Whatever the reason is, it’s amazing how driven these people are, to have found motivation and spend time and energy earning more than what their 8-hour job can offer.
The fact is, having a side hustle is not always easy. It’s hard enough to maintain a 40 hour work week plus the all too often over time, then you’ll have to hustle some more after office hours. If you factor in the time and energy required to do this you’ll realize how demanding this lifestyle can be. That is why it takes more than just bright ideas to make it work, because much like your day job, your side hustle requires a commitment to make it successful, or at least productive.
But before we get into that grit, right now what you need is to find a side hustle that will earn you the most money (or other tenders), and still keep you from getting overly exhausted. Here is a list of easy side hustles when you have a 9-5:
Part-time telecommuting clerical job
It’s no secret that there are currently thousands of online job offerings today. The most popular tasks among a wide ranging variety include spot-checking, QA/auditing, content creation, or part-time project contributor. Depending on your skill set and availability, you can earn from $29 to about $60 hourly. The rate goes up depending on the industry so brushing up on dusty programming skills and utilizing multilingual capabilities may land you a well-paying side hustle. Pro-tip: Language premiums make online side hustles worth your while!
To make it easier for you, I have listed down the average freelance income as presented by Sarah Szczypinski in her 2019 article, “What Is the Average Annual Income for a Freelancer in the U.S.?”
- IT and Programming: Average hourly rate: $49
- Design and Multimedia: Average hourly rate: $41
- Writing and Translation: Average hourly rate: $48 and $47
- Sales and Marketing: Average hourly rate: $44
- Finance and Management: Average hourly rate: $49
- Administrative and Customer Support: Average hourly rate: $29
Be an online retailer, create an online store
The use of online purchasing apps has risen recently and has become popular worldwide. In fact, experts predict that the online market will reach 4 Trillion shoppers by the end of 2020. Its popularity is mostly attributed to convenience and the reachability of products that were once only available if you visit a certain region and if you pay a hefty shipping fee. Nowadays, online and mobile platforms empower buyers and sellers to connect with a click of a button. Take advantage of this development and spare some time to sell items online. Don’t worry about competition because while there are over a thousand sellers on each platform, one is always bound to have a customer in a market of 4 Trillion buyers. Just take a quick course on retailing and you should be set.
Retailing is one of the easiest ways to earn as a side hustle. If you happen to have a unique product offering, then you can focus more on selling and marketing. There is a substantial amount of information on online marketing and there is a really successful literature on this subject so it’s not that hard to figure out how to get your product out there. According to DotCom Secrets, there is a formula for online selling, no matter what industry and they claim that there are rules you can follow to be successful in this venture. Market your way for online users via your own website or social media platforms and lets satisfied customers reel in more buyers for you. Who knows, maybe this won’t just be a side hustle for you in the near future?
Share your knowledge and offer your expertise
Our world has really become a global community with the rise of online platforms that allowed us to connect farther and faster. This means that not only can you buy or sell using online tools or do jobs over the internet – you can also share your skills and earn while doing so! They say that teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs one can do, and the truth is that with the world at your fingertips, you can easily reach the right students who want to learn what you know so well.
There is a huge demand for online language tutorials, “how-to” guides, and even skill-specific courses. You can record presentations or lessons and upload it to learning platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Aside from concepts, you can share your best practices, insights, and experiences in the subject/field you choose to discuss. This is what makes these short courses really popular for professionals.
You can teach part-time as a language instructor on language teaching platforms that offer tutorials to those who want to learn basic or business English. Or, if you are multilingual, you can customize your offerings and do online course tutorials for those who want and need a more personal approach to learning new languages. The plus side is you meet new people, cultures, and help bridge the language gap for your students.
I understand how hard it is to manage a schedule, especially when you have big responsibilities in your workplace. As such, the list I outlined for you can be mostly done at home, or anywhere else that has an internet connection. These side hustles require less travel nor manual labor. The bottom line is that doing a side hustle has never been this convenient. All one needs is a computer and an internet connection to reach a global market. It is up to you to be resourceful, creative and committed to the venture you will undertake. Remember that some of the most successful businesses, professionals, and celebrities have started by taking a 9-5 job, and passionately pursuing their calling after office hours. Maybe you are the next big thing! Good luck!