5 Side Hustles That Make the Most of Your Free Time
Doesn’t the utopian dream of the future involve working as little as possible, yet still having plenty of money for shelter, food and fun? If you’ve had to wear a financial helmet recently to protect yourself from economic turbulence, you’re not alone, and probably among the majority of people seeking multiple passive income streams.
To make sure you are weekly paycheck-maxing, yet not investing all of your time, here are five side hustles you can work part-time but feel like you are making full-time money.
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1. Freelance Writer
Freelance writing, though often remote and flexible, is a big umbrella, as it can include writing articles, copywriting, starting a blog or creating website content for businesses and individuals. That's why Caitlin Agnew-Francis, commercial sales manager at Desky, said you can make bank with this side gig on a weekly basis.
“A LinkedIn ghostwriting client pays for three to four posts per week, and most clients pay on a rolling weekly or biweekly basis, as that is the way the content is delivered," she said. "Copywriting works similarly. You complete an e-mail series or a landing page, you invoice, [then] you get paid typically within a week or two [instead of] after some 60-day project cycle.”
If this sounds up your alley, or at least within your skill set, then as Ernest Hemingway would say, just start writing.
“Freelance copywriters make $4,000 to $7,000 per month after they have established a steady roster of clients, and each LinkedIn ghostwriting client pays $800 to $1,500 per month, Annew-Francis explained. "Now, if you have two copywriting clients paying you $2,000 per month, then you have $4,000 right there. Throw one LinkedIn ghostwriting client on top of that ($1,200 per month) and you have $5,200 per month. All this for about 10 to 15 hours of work a week, which is broken up into smaller, more frequent deliverables that are paid out weekly or biweekly instead of one big payment months later. It's a true full-time income from part-time work."
2. Event Staffing
People love to throw parties, but good help can be hard to find. That's why companies looking to staff events shell out what feels like full-time pay for a gig you work on the weekends. Alexis Gomez, Owner of Parlani Party Rentals, knows just how in demand these positions are, and why you’ll easily be able to fall into this side hustle.
“I suggest looking for industries that have demand, such as event staffing, serving, setup and teardown teams, delivery assistance or freelance event coordination," said Gomez. "Most employers and staffing agencies in these fields pay weekly or faster payouts based on the agreement with the employer. You'll have the potential to earn a significant amount of supplementary income working nights and weekends. How much you earn will depend on the local market, your skill set and how often you are booked."
3. Personal Chef
Speaking of working in a more catered service position, being a personal chef is a growing niche industry, as many households are filled with people who work full time and want to come home to a nice meal.
If you have skills in the kitchen, you can cook meals for individuals or families multiple times a week, and they would pay for the supplies and your time -- and that pay potential is high. According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a personal chef ranges from $55,000 to $92,000, with an average hourly rate of $30 to $44 per hour. In addition, this gig often pays out per week.
4. Rideshare Driving
Though it can be a saturated market, there is demand in bigger metropolitan areas. Demand is important, and Gomez said, “The biggest mistake is chasing gigs that promise fast money rather than work consistency, with a chance to build long-standing relationships. Consistency and how that leads to more financial security are more valuable than just getting paid faster.”
Remember that you use your personal car to drive individuals to different locations. Your pay is instant, and rideshare driving allows flexibility in your schedule. Plus, the more you drive, the more you make, so you can really rack up a paycheck, especially when making up to $49 an hour.
5. IT Support
Everyone is living in a digital world, and with technology ever-evolving, companies and individual workers can get overwhelmed when any program or piece of equipment starts glitching. As a Market Strategist at Sovereix, Mahendra Balal claims there is ample opportunity to make money in the fields of emergency technical or handyman support.
“Routine IT support or maintenance is usually billed monthly, but emergency support —fixing a crashed SMB server, repairing a broken POS system or emergency plumbing — is different," said Balal. "When businesses or homeowners face an emergency, they do not ask for Net-30 invoice terms. They pay immediately via credit card upon resolution. Realistic earnings are [between] $100 and $250 [or more] per hour.”
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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