The rise of the side hustle: How to find yours

The rise of the side hustle: The number of people that I’ve spoken to that have a side income has risen so much over the years. Literally, everyone I know has a job and a half these days. And I’m not talking multi-level marketing huns – that doesn’t count. 

This is possibly because it is so bloody expensive to be alive, and online shopping has made it so easy to slip and fall into a lunchtime ASOS spending spree. 

The rise of the side hustle: What actually is it?

Is it contagious? Does it hurt? No of course not. Well maybe it hurts your ability to switch off and chill out, but that’s about it. Urban dictionary coins the term as: “ A sideline that brings in cash; something other than your main job”. Basically, an income that supplements your main salary. A side-job if you like (not to be confused with side-chick).

The rise of the side hustle: How do I get one?

The best way to find your side hustle is to think about what you enjoy doing out of work, any hobbies or interests, or any hidden skill. The reason why I say your side hustle should be linked to a hobby or interest is that if you choose something you’re not passionate about, like origami, for example, you’ll start to resent those teeny tiny squares of paper and give up pretty much right away.

Whereas if you’ve always loved to make jewellery, sitting in on a Saturday evening glueing and sticking won’t phase you in the slightest – is this how earrings are made? Who even knows. 

Some ideas to get you on your way with an additional income:  

Blogging 

Of course, this is my first suggestion as this is where my side hustle lies. I’ve bored you before with my passion for writing and storytelling so I don’t mind spending the evening sorting my damn SEO and researching keywords. So if your passion lies in writing why not give it a try and who knows, it could end up being your thing! You can check out my post here which should help you on your way to starting a blog. 

Opening up an online boutique 

If you have a passion for fashion why not open up your own online boutique? You can pick up good quality stock cheaply from wholesalers, for example, the kimono shown in these photos is available to buy as a wholesale item (a pack of 6 would set you back £57) and is perfect to throw over shorts and a crop top, or over your swimmers. So all you’d need to is find a seller of wholesale fashion in the UK, open an Etsy seller page, create some Instagram promo and come up with a catchy name!”

Instagram

I’ve mentioned previously that I’d never want to be seen as an “influencer” I think the term is wanky and doesn’t mean anything. That being said, there is money to be made on Instagram. Whether you’re into shoes, clothes, working out or dogs – if you have an engaged audience, brands will pay to join the party. Instagram also works as a promotional tool, so it’s a good idea to have a social platform to promote whatever product or service you are selling. 

Walk a dog

This one is slightly rogue but almost anyone can walk a dog and if you love furry four-legged friends as much as I do, it might be the perfect weekend or evening job for you. If you have neighbours that have a dog why not offer your services? They might be glad of the help and this could work particularly well if you work shifts and could be around during the day as this is normally when people need pup care! 

Become a beauty technician  

Maybe your passion lies in all things beauty? One of my uni friends took an evening course in the application of individual lashes, and bloody hell was she good. So good in fact that the extra money helped to save for a house. Impressive huh. So whether its nail art, lashes or makeup that floats your boat, there’s a whole host of courses you can find online to hone your talent. 

Basically, there’s something for everyone out there so you just need to think about what you enjoy and where your strengths lie and tap into that. And you never know, your side hustle might one day become your full-time job!

*[AD-Gifted] The kimono featured in this post was been sent to me by J5 Fashion to include in a review, but all opinions are my own.