For many of us, our 9-5 job simply doesn’t provide us with the financial freedom that we crave. Yet, side-hustles offer opportunities to earn extra money, as well as offering the chance to delve into your passions. The cost of living is extraordinarily high, especially when just starting out in your career, so try taking up a side-hustle to enable you to grow financially and potentially build a career in something you are passionate about.
Whether you’re aiming to make a couple of hundred or thousand pounds a month depends on your commitment, yet that extra money has the potential to go a long way! Take a look at some of the easiest side-hustles that could provide you with the financial freedom you have been longing for.
Proofreading
If you have always had a way with words and are great at spotting mistakes, then proofreading could be for you. Proofreading as a side hustle is one of the best ways to work around your schedule and do as much or little work as you’d like. People are willing to pay a lot of money for a sharp eye for detail and it is a great way to make money without needing much experience or many qualifications.
Start by offering your services to friends or family for free, or perhaps local businesses, to build your portfolio. Then, when you have a collection of recommendations, you can start to reach out to bigger companies who will be willing to pay you. There are also plenty of copywriting courses available online which could help you jump the queue and start working with clients sooner.
Freelance Writing or Blogging
Another writing themed side-hustle would be freelance writing or blogging. If you have a love for writing, then you might as well double up your passion with a part time job. As a freelance writer, you would be working with companies or individuals to get a sense of their brand and you would then put their thoughts into words that will draw in customers. You will need to have fantastic written English and a flare with words, and if you do, the returns can be fantastic. Whilst you might have timelines to work to, if you are organised, it can be easy to work this around your current job.
Setting up your own blog is a more flexible path that can still make great money. Blogging is definitely more long term and less secure, as it can’t be assured that your blog will take off and actually earn any money. Yet, if it is something you enjoy and are committed to, you have every chance of making it a success. Write about something you love and offer unique insights to give yourself the best chance of turning your blog into a source of income.
Dropshipping
For those who aren’t quite as good with words, dropshipping is a fantastic option and it can make a lot of money! Dropshipping involves you setting up a business and deciding on a product, and when you receive an order, you pass it onto a third party supplier who ships the order directly to the customer. This means that you don’t have to invest in buying supplies, nor do you have to store any, as this is all done by the supplier. This will also mean you don’t need to risk going into debt and get tied into default loans.
You basically act as the buffer between the supplier and customer in order to make the business a success. This will involve understanding where there is a gap in the market and fulfilling that need, as well as marketing the business and dealing with the customer service side of things. If you are savvy with digital marketing, this could be a great option for you, as that would be your main role in the business.
Another key skill you’d require is branding. Being able to build a consistent brand across products and platforms is essential to business success, so this would need to be a focus. As you won’t need to invest in stock, it might be worth using that money to work with a brand strategy agency who will be able to carefully craft the brand with you. Professional branding companies will know exactly how to target and please particular audiences, so it is worth the investment to get things right the first time around.
Photography
For those of you with an artistic side, photography can be a great route. The great thing about photography is that it is so simple to create a portfolio. Take out your phone camera and capture things that inspire you. You can put your favourites together for your portfolio to show off your talent. You can start with your phone camera and then eventually work towards investing in a good quality camera and equipment which would take your business to another level.
Firstly, you could work as a freelance photographer for weddings, photoshoots or projects, which can bring in a serious amount of cash. The average cost of a wedding photographer in the UK is between £1500 and £2000, so even if you did one wedding a month that could completely transform your finances. You could start by offering to take photos of friends and family at special occasions before branching out further.
Alternatively, you could sell prints of your photography online. Using selling platforms like Amazon, Ebay or Etsy are great places to start, and if it goes well, you could go on to have your own website. This requires less of a time commitment and could still make you a good amount of money.
Secret Shopper
Although spaces are limited, businesses do look for people to act as customers to analyse their customer experience. This might be eating in their restaurant, buying from their shop or buying a product online. Secret shoppers would be asked to look out for particular things as well as generally reporting on anything you notice.
You are likely to be paid for this per job you do rather than by the hour. In some cases you might not be paid but will be reimbursed for expenses. Although this route might not make you great amounts of money, you could benefit from free food and products! As you build your portfolio, you will be able to discuss increased payments.
Gardening
If gardening on your own property is a highlight of the weekend for you, why not start to garden for other people in your community? You can take your own equipment and offer to do the jobs that non-gardeners hate! It is easy to advertise, as you could either go old fashioned by posting leaflets through people’s doors, or you could register your gardening business on local directories.
This could also be a good seasonal job if you have time off during the summer, for example if you are a student or those who work in schools. Again, you can take on as much or as little work as you like with this so it is an ideal side-hustle that people are willing to pay quite a lot of money for!
Final Thoughts
There is no better time than now to set up your side hustle. The great thing about these side-hustles is that you don’t need much of an upfront investment at all to get started. You deserve to achieve the financial freedom you have always strived for, so give one of these ideas a go and see how you get on.
If it doesn’t work out, you always have your full time job to fall back on. Some people have been able to completely change their career thanks to their side hustles, so follow your passion and enjoy your financial freedom!
