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Making a side income (also known as a second income) is a great way to supplement your full-time job to make more money. Depending on what you want, there are many different ways to make a side income. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 ways people can do it. These include:
- Website design
- Paid online surveys
- Start a blog
- Online tutoring
- Freelance writing
- Virtual assistant
- Ridesharing
- Freelance graphic designing
- Joining a focus group
- Freelance labour jobs
The tricky part about side incomes is that they require a lot of time outside of one’s day job, but if you’re willing to put in the work, it can be very rewarding financially.
Making a side income (also known as a second income) is a great way to supplement your full-time job to make more money. Depending on what you want, there are many different ways to make a side income.Click To TweetBenefits of making side income:
- Side jobs are more flexible than a full-time job (you can take on as much or little extra work as you want).
- Side jobs are generally easily accessible online, meaning that you can work from the comfort of your home and don’t have to attend in-person meetings with clients.
- Side jobs usually have a low barrier to entry and don’t require a lot of money investment.
Limitations of making side income:
- Side jobs usually require a lot of time investment outside of one’s day job.
- Side income can be challenging to find through traditional means (mostly online for flexible work).
1. Website Design
Website design is a side income opportunity that many people enjoy. It provides the ability to work from home and you can set your own schedule, making it easy for someone who has an unpredictable work schedule or young children at home. However, website design does take time and effort, so don’t expect to wake up in the morning and start making $$$ right away!
Another thing to consider with this side business is that you might need some experience before getting started, especially if you want to put yourself out there as a freelancer. This means developing skills either through learning-by-doing or taking formal courses (which will require more upfront investment), but once you have developed a sound skillset, no one can stop you from making an extra bit of money on the side of your full-time work.
The money side of things varies depending on how much time you put in and your experience level. This side business can take a long time to develop for newbies before they make any real money (we’re talking months or even years). However, once you have built up your skill set, you can command more per project! Check out Freelancer to see if there are any jobs that connect with your creativity.
2. Paid Online Surveys
Paid online surveys are another excellent side job option that people often choose if they want some extra cash but don’t have too much free time. They usually pay between $0-15 per survey, not a ton of money, but hey, it’s a side income! These surveys are effortless to do and can be found on sites like Swagbucks or Pawns.app or InstaGC – there is also the option to make more through referrals which increases your earning potential!
The downside with paid online surveys is that you don’t get to choose what kind of survey you want to take (it will show up at random). It might not fit in well with your schedule either because some companies send out their surveys during work hours while others may ask for them after midnight when most people have gone to sleep. The main benefit here is that you can do these surveys from your phone or laptop, so they’re super flexible and easy to fit into a busy schedule (e.g. during the kids’ nap time).
3. Start a Blog
Starting a blog requires more initial upfront investment than other side jobs like website design or paid online surveys, but it has other benefits such as building a long-term residual income stream over years of hard work!
If you’ve already got some experience with blogging, then this side business might be something worth looking at, especially if you want to make money by writing about topics that interest you while also working full-time elsewhere. This side job isn’t for everyone though; bloggers need strong self-discipline to write regularly and meet deadlines, meaning there’s no room for distractions.
The benefits of building a blog are making serious side income through blogging, especially if you have a brand or website that attracts readers/subscribers. You could even go down the route of launching your own products (e-books, courses etc) to generate passive income over time from all traffic on your site too!
You can build your blog using free tools like WordPress, which are super easy for beginners! However, if you want some more flexibility and provide readers with extra features, then it might be worth investing in something premium instead (options like Weebly will do this, but the monthly fees quickly add up).
4. Online tutoring
If you have some experience in education or enjoy teaching, becoming an online tutor is a fantastic way to generate a side income. It’s an easy side job to get started and often requires no upfront financial investment. The best part about online tutoring is that it can be 100% flexible to your busy work schedule, meaning that you can work whenever you want.
Tutors can expect to make anywhere between $15 to $30 an hour. The only downside is that you will need to prepare for your classes by creating a lesson plan which often goes unpaid. If online tutoring sounds like the best option for you, there are plenty of platforms looking for online tutors that can be flexible to your schedule. For example, Cluey Learning can offer great hourly rates and provide you with the ability to choose when you want to work.
5. Freelance writing
The benefit to becoming a freelance writer is that it’s much more flexible than other side jobs as your schedule is entirely up to you (and, if necessary, dictated by when clients want their assignments). In addition, you generally don’t need any experience or education to become a freelance
There are plenty of online marketplaces that help connect freelancers and employers. So, if you have a knack for writing and a flair for creativity, check out Blogging Pro’s job board to see any available writing tasks.
6. Virtual assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant (VA) often takes a small investment of both time and money to get started. However, once you have established yourself and have everything set up, clients will come looking for your services without any extra effort on your part (or, at least, within some degree of marketing). The job will require you to be organised, as well as have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. The type of work varies depending on your client’s wants and needs. However, generally speaking, you can expect administrative jobs such as social media management or customer service.
Depending on the client and your level of professional experience, VAs can make anywhere between $11 to $30 an hour. The best part about being a VA is that you can work remotely through email or over the phone, making it easy to fit the job within your busy work schedule.
If this sounds like the side gig style for you, LinkedIn’s job board can help you connect with potential clients and get the money rolling in.
7. Ridesharing
To become a rideshare driver, you will need your car and the proper insurance coverage. The benefit of becoming a driver is that it can be done in addition to your full-time job so long as you have enough hours in the day. Ridesharing companies often require you to keep your car tidy and therefore, you may be required to pay for a professional cleaning every 2 to 3 working days.
You will also get paid right away instead of waiting for a monthly paycheck since you receive money from customers directly. However, this job does come with a lot of responsibility as you are required to drive people from place to place safely and ensure they have a good experience the entire time. Uber is always looking for new drivers and it is easy to join up, all you need is your own car along with all necessary documents.
8. Freelance Graphic Designing
If you have a passion and background in design, plenty of companies are always looking for freelancers. The benefit of being a freelance graphic designer is that there are an infinite amount of ways to make money, whether by creating flyers for your local community or designing your local cafe’s menu! The possibilities are endless; they just require your motivation to search for them. Alternatively, you can consult Fiverr for any freelance design work.
Building a portfolio is a key strategy to gaining jobs, as potential clients can consult your style and previous works. The work is often rewarding as you can choose the job yourself. For example, if you have a passion for environmentalism, you can consult a non-profit environmental organisation to help them design their brand. Finally, the pay often varies from client to client, so it’s a good idea to establish the price that you think is fair (based on how big the job is, your experience and your skillset).
9. Joining a focus group
Focus groups are another great way to boost your income. A focus group is a collection of people companies gather to discuss a product or service before it is launched to the general public. Political campaigns can also use focus groups to help provide feedback on certain slogans or advertisements.
Focus groups are formed based on particular criteria, so you must match a gender and age range. The benefit of joining a focus group is that people get paid right away, which can help you meet any bills or build your savings straightaway. The only downside is that many applications often go unheard, so expect to wait a while before you are finally called to the group. Keep in the loop for any opportunities with Focus People to help you get started.
10. Freelance labour jobs
Finally, freelance labouring work provides good flexibility and allows people to make extra money on the side of their full-time job. If you have a big car and a strong set of hands, plenty of people are looking for help to move their stuff in or out of a home. Online platforms like Airtasker can help connect these people to you and also allow you to set your own rates.
The benefit is that it can be completed in addition to your regular work schedule, and you get paid quite well too! Many freelance labourers are left to charge their own rates, just be careful not to set your price too high otherwise it will be hard to find work.
The bottom line is that there are many different ways to earn some side cash while still holding down a steady career. It all comes down to personal preference and what kind of work best fits your lifestyle.
Freelance to Freedom is the book on how individuals can reconstruct their life to create financial and time freedom.
