A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the basics of budgeting. This involved analyzing our wants versus our needs. We used that information to form a basic plan for our budgets. Since many of us have to cut back when we create a budget, we then discussed living frugally. This helps to lower your expenses to widen the gap between what you earn and what you spend. But maybe you want to widen that even further. So that leads us to side hustles!
Are you starting to notice a theme here? I’m trying to go “in order” of the events you’ll experience on your personal finance journey. That way, you won’t be left high and dry with no answers for your questions. (Hopefully.) And I know I don’t tell you exact numbers or percentages to use. But that’s intentional. Why? Because I find that it can be super discouraging! Many “pros” will tell you to invest 20% and save 30% and blah blah blah…
But I Don't Have 50% Leftover After Bills
EXACTLY. Most of us don’t have 50% or whatever magic number they toss out there leftover. (I know I don’t!) And that can be super discouraging for beginners. It makes the idea of reaching financial freedom seem impossible. But it’s not! You can reach financial freedom. It may take you longer than someone else. But you don’t need to worry about that. As long as you get there, who cares?!
Seriously, I don’t. So do what you can when you can. There may be weeks you can only put $10 away. Or they may be weeks you put $200 away. Then, there could be a whole month that you don’t have a penny to put back. It happens to all of us. You can’t let other people’s success make you feel bad. Especially when the secret is that they’ve been at this a lot longer than you have!
But They Also Have Another Secret
“What’s that?” you ask. Multiple income streams. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Or not, that’s fine, too. And I know it sounds like a lot. But it doesn’t have to be! The glorious part of this is that you get to choose. You decide how many income streams you want. And you decide what you want to do to achieve those.
So how many income streams do I need? We both know I’m not going to tell you that. The experts will tell you 7. But maybe between the full-time job, 3.5 kids, 2 dogs, and a llama, you can’t do that. And I think that’s totally fine! Because if you can handle only 2 streams of income, then that’s still better than 1!
That Leads Us to Side Hustles
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Now, I’m not going to tell you to go join some MLM scheme. (Seriously, please don’t!) I’m also not going to say you should jump into the stock market. Although what’s happening with Gamestop is pretty awesome! I definitely won’t tell you to invest in real estate, either. Unless of course you’re interested in those things. And I think that’s the point.
You shouldn’t be creating multipe income streams if you’re not interested in them. Hence, why I’m not going to tell you to have 7 income streams on day 1. You need to find something you’re passionate about and go from there. Because if you’re not interested, then you won’t stick with it. And any side hustle will require some additional cost. Whether that’s money or time. Which you definitely don’t want to waste.
Which Side Hustle Should I Pick?
I think you should write down a list of things that interest you. That could be a job or hobby. Or maybe even something you’ve seen someone else do. For example, I saw a lot of people on Instagram that are Amazon affiliates. So I did some research and applied. Spoiler alert: they accepted me! Which brings me to my shameless plug. You can check out my storefront here.
But don’t worry. If you’re not interested in blogging or social media, that’s fine. I’ve still got plenty of interesting ideas for you. Read these top 50 side hustle ideas below to get inspired!
Side Hustles for Crafters
- Make printables and sell the PDF (hello passive income!)
- Design and sell stickers
- Start a blog with instructions to make your DIY crafts
- Make home decor using pallets
- Create handmade clay jewelry
- Sell your own custom art pieces
- Start a candle making business
- Design and make t-shirts using your Cricut
- Make a YouTube channel for children’s craft ideas
- Design temporary tattoo sheets
Side Hustle Ideas for Foodies
- Make your favorite recipes and post them on Instagram
- Become a food critic on TikTok
- Deliver food for Postmates or Doordash
- Deliver groceries for Instacart
- Start a food blog
- Open your own food truck
- Create themed foods for holidays
- Write a food column
- Start a farm for fresh produce
- Make meal plans for specialized diets
Side Hustles for Beauty Lovers
- Make bath bombs
- Do makeup tutorials on YouTube
- Show off intricate makeup looks on TikTok
- Create a blog comparing expensive and cheaper products
- Become a freelance makeup artist
- Create homemade beauty products
- Start a spray tan business
- Give skincare tips on YouTube
- Do makeup for children’s parties
- Start a dropship makeup line
Side Hustle Ideas for Book Lovers
- Become a proofreader
- Start a book review podcast
- Write your own books
- Review books using various apps
- Become a narrator
- Design book covers
- Create book layouts for new authors
- Start your own publishing company
- Become a freelance writer
- Start translating books into other languages
Side Hustles for Tech-Savvy People
- Use your coding skills and become a web developer
- Offer technical support services
- Start designing websites for businesses
- Become an IOS developer
- Get a job as a technical writer to create instructions
- Be a user experience analyst to test websites for bugs
- Become a search engine evaluator
- Get a job as a support associate for customer information
- Become a data analyst
- Get a job as a cyber security analyst
Those were 50 work from home side hustle ideas to give you some inspiration! Did this list help you pick a new income stream? Let us know by leaving a comment down below!
This is a REALLY GOOD list! I loved reading about actual things that people could realistically do. And for people with all interests. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you! I tried to come up with more relatable side hustles people would actually enjoy.
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