Looking for a way to earn a little extra income? Whether you need a lot or just a little, we'll show you how to make extra money by turning your skills into a profitable side hustle!
You may not know what it is right now, but we all have a set of skills we've learned or acquired over the years. Just think about it! Did you learn to sew from your grandmother? Are you an expert in nutrition, baking or even pet grooming? Maybe you are a gifted teacher without a classroom.
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Well, it's time to put that knowledge to good use! Stop keeping those valuable skills to yourself and turn them into a money-making side hustle. Not only will this provide you with extra income that can help you pay off debt, save for a rainy day or even pay for that beach vacation… it can be so rewarding and fun!
WHY START A SIDE HUSTLE
There are so many people who want… no, NEED a way to earn a secondary source of income. Well, starting a side hustle is a great way to remedy that. We'll show you how to make extra money the RIGHT way so you aren't wasting your time or your money on empty ventures.
DETERMINE YOUR GOAL
Before you jump into any side hustle, you need to determine your goals and find your WHY (this post will you find a little motivation). Why are you looking for ways to make extra money? Is your goal to help provide for your family's basic needs, contribute to a savings account, or pay off debt? Have you recently come upon hard times and need to learn how to make extra money on the side? People begin side hustles for many reasons, but you must know your reason to be successful!
Once you have determined your why and your goals, nail down exactly how much you need to make each month to meet that goal. Understanding this will help you know what next steps to take.
IDENTIFY YOUR SKILL SET OR TALENT
When looking for an additional stream of income, you need to think about what you are qualified for. If you LOVE to bake, but only every other batch of cupcakes turns out right… that probably isn't your forte. However, if you've been honing your artistic abilities for years as a hobby, you may just be ready to take that skill to the next level!
Keep in mind that your skill doesn't have to result in a physical product. You do not have to actually create things to sell… you can sell knowledge! Are you an expert in anything? Write an e-book or start a video blog and work to monetize it with ads!
CONSIDER YOUR IMPACT
While deciding on a side hustle venture, consider what value you can bring to those around you. Whatever you are “selling” has to be worth something to others… and not just your generous Aunt Sally! Will people actually benefit from it? Does it fill a need for people somehow?
Another thing to consider is if you know someone who will be interested immediately. If you can't get your parents, siblings or best friends on board right away, you probably won't get anyone else on board either!
COST TO BEGIN YOUR SIDE HUSTLE
The last thing we want to do is break the bank or stretch our finances thin just to make extra money. There are plenty of ways you can use your skills to make extra money without investing much, or anything at all! Refer back to your “why” and your goals to help you determine what you are willing to put into this side hustle and what you expect to get out.
HOW WILL YOU GET THE WORD OUT
So, you have decided to put that love of animals to good use and begin a dog walking service. Hooray! Now think about how you will get the word out to your friends, family, and the total strangers in your community.
The BEST way to get the word out is by referrals. This means you need to pick up your phone and call. You can do it! Tell your family and your friends what you are doing and ask them to please refer you to their friends. See… easy!
You can also utilize free resources like social media. Always begin with free marketing or you may end up spending money on ads that you never get back.
BEST SIDE HUSTLE IDEAS
Now that you have a good foundation for how to get started, let's take a look at some of our favorite side hustle opportunities!
- Tutor Over Skype or Zoom – Put your teaching gift to good use from the comfort of your home.
- Sell Baked Goods – Everyone loves decorated cookies for a party!
- Write an Ebook – Let that education shine! Look into online ebook publishers to find the best avenue for you.
- Meal Delivery Service – Offer delicious, home-cooked meals to your busy neighbors.
- Walk Dogs – Walk dogs or offer pet-sitting services.
- Illustrate Books – Try freelance websites like UPWork.
- House Cleaning Services – Have you always been a neat freak!? Get paid for that skill!
- Create a Video Blog – Offer your valuable expertise.
- Create and Sell Education Tools – Teachers Pay Teachers and Etsy are great places to start.
- Sewn goods – Blankets, bibs, burp cloths, quilts, etc. Find your niche and stay in that lane.
- Make Candles – Candles make great holiday gifts!
- Find a Direct Sales Company – Find a company you truly believe in. It's hard to sell something you're not passionate about!
There are SO many incredible ways to make extra money with a side hustle—check out more ideas here!. Take control of your budget and your financial situation the best way you can and put those skill to good use. You may have something more valuable to offer than you think!
BUDGET BOOT CAMP
Does all of this sound amazing, but also overwhelming to you? If you’ve found yourself in a tough financial situation and don't know where to turn, then I’ve got you covered! Budget Boot Camp will be right up your alley.
It’s my really fun online video program that walks you through everything you need to know about money, setting a budget, paying off debt, saving for your goals, and muuuuuuch more! I’m so confident that you’ll love this program that it’s got a 100% money-back guarantee if you don’t save at least how much you paid for it. Yep, I’m that sure that you’ll love it! You can also save 10% at checkout by using the code FCFBLOG, just because. 😉
Looking for other ways to save money?
- Learn how to do a spending freeze and save money FAST!
- Use these tips and tricks to save on your water bill this month!
- What the heck is a Health Savings Account and why should you have one?