Side Hustle: It’s the strategy du jour on how to make extra money in addition to your full-time job.
Most choose to use this side hustle money to pay down debt, save for an emergency fund, or to achieve some other financial goal, like buying a house.
Think of a side hustle as dabbling in entrepreneurship.
The simplest types of side hustles always seem to be freelancers, waitressing or other part-time jobs in minimum wage employment.
However, when it comes to side hustles, one of the biggest benefits is having a flexible schedule. Most side hustlers have full-time jobs, and they’ve realized that in order to pay off their debt, or save money faster to meet their financial goals, they need to earn more money.
If you’re researching ideas for a side hustle and have come up short, here are five successful side hustles you probably haven’t thought of yet.
Participating in focus groups is a great way to earn some extra cash. Focus groups are conducted by third parties who do research on behalf of companies. Essentially, they provide some products or information and ask you to give your opinion.
It’s very simply and doesn’t require a lot of skill—just your opinion, and everyone has got one of those.
On average, they pay anywhere between $50-$200 for a couple of hours of your time. I’ve participated in a few focus groups, one of which was my opinion a certain car manufacturer.
Find focus groups by searching for “focus groups + (your city)” or looking on Craigslist.
Lawyers and lawyers-to-be often need to practice their cases to see how a jury reacts to certain arguments. It’s essentially a fake jury, and you can easily earn between $100-150 a day to participate.
It’s easy to find jobs under your local Craigslist’s Jobs section.
Mystery shopping doesn’t pay much but it is often a really great way to get free groceries, coffee, or dinners out. And considering you usually don’t have a lot of spending money since you’re trying to side hustle, mystery shopping is a great way to have some fun for free.
Shops typically pay anywhere between $8-20 a shop, so you have to see if the time and gas money is worth it. A lot of shoppers combine shops in one trip to maximize earnings. The more you do it, the easier it is to get the hang of it.
If you want to learn how to become a mystery shopper, it’s easy to research companies online.
Uber is heating up right now. It’s a car service that allows you to connect with a driver within minutes simply with a click on your phone. Rates are often much cheaper than taxis, and drivers get your location through GPS on your phone. It is estimated that Uber drivers working 40 hours a week in New York, can make a median annual salary of $90,000; in Dallas, they could earn up to $60,000.
Uber does take 25% of your earnings, but it’s a great way to set your own hours. If you’d like to test it out, sign up here to get your first ride free.
While this isn’t really considered a side job, it is a way to earn money, and when you have a side hustle, every penny counts. I knew of one person who had no extra money whatsoever in her budget, so she used plasma donation as a way to earn just a little bit of extra cash so she could enjoy an occasional night out with friends.
Prices vary widely, but on average expect between $20-50 per donation. Simply do an internet search for plasma centers in your area.