anyone with a side hustle?

[fdrinca]

I've been generating side hustle ideas for a few months, and am on the verge of acting on one or two in the next week.

 

I'm wondering if anyone here has a solid side hustle, and, if so, how has it been for you? Curious about time, setbacks, familial support, your ability to balance working with school responsibilities, and all the other types of questions that come in with starting your own business. 

 

FWIW, my "hustle" ideas all fall in the field of formulating digital products for sale (templates and the like).

[Reefgazer]

My "side hustle" is my part-time job as an adjunct professor that I have been working at for about 15 years now.  I am able to achieve balance, so I guess it's working out.

[Tap]

I have never heard this expression before.  I finally figured it out from context, but in the beginning I was a bit lost as to what you were talking about. 

 

Nope.  No 'side hustle' happening here. 

 

FWIW....no front, rear, up or down hustling either LOL 

[EndOfOrdinary]

I sell used athletic and outdoor clothing on ebay. We live in a super outdoorsy area. I go to thrift stores, purchase gear, then mend and flip it.

 

For the most part, it is a pretty sweet gig. Ebay can be a bit of a frustration sometimes due to the nature of those chosing to purchase. In any kind of retail you cannot make everyone happy. It does seem that some individuals are out to get something for nothing. That is hard for me to not call them on.

[Cecropia]

I have my Etsy business, although if you look at my shop now it is pretty sad.  I still call it solid though, because I have a craft that sells consistently, and I have figured out SEO well enough to land on front page search results (helpful when one is competing with 10,000 relevant items).  I've had 10 sales since Jan 1 without putting hardly any effort into it.  My views-to-sales ratio is really good.  I'm actually doing better than the average Etsian. So many great ideas to expand the product line are in various stages of development, staring at me accusingly from my craft table.  My problem is that I just don't have enough free time to make the things!!  Well, it's mostly this cute, squirmy baby's fault, and he's just about ready to crawl so it will be a little while longer until I can sit down and work with delicate paper for more than 15 minutes at a time.  I wish I could do more to harness the potential.  Besides the baby, the next most frustrating time-sucking obstacle to my business is probably product photography, which I hate...

 

Dh has been very supportive from the beginning.  I asked him to give me a year to play around with an Etsy business and see if I could figure it out and turn a profit.  Having low material/start up costs was a big plus, and I created my product line with that in mind.  I like Etsy's low fees and seller protection.

[Guest]

it seems like we spent the first half of our lives spending time and money to get stuff that I am now spending time and mine to sell. Lol. We gave away a ton of stuff we could have sold for about $10,000 but we didn't have the time. Now we have the time. We bought good stuff but we will ultimately lose money,... but not as much as just giving stuff away.

 

If all goes well I will pull $10k in over the coming year.

 

I am pondering setting up an Etsy site but the pricing issue is so hard for me that it will take some time.

[eternalsummer]

I had a side hustle that turned into our main hustle (our Etsy shop, ananemone labels). It takes a massive amount of time.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I sell used athletic and outdoor clothing on ebay. We live in a super outdoorsy area. I go to thrift stores, purchase gear, then mend and flip it.

 

For the most part, it is a pretty sweet gig. Ebay can be a bit of a frustration sometimes due to the nature of those chosing to purchase. In any kind of retail you cannot make everyone happy. It does seem that some individuals are out to get something for nothing. That is hard for me to not call them on.

 

 

I watched a Vlog about a woman who does this- fascinating stuff!  It's amazing how people can produce money with practically nothing but elbow grease.  I mean, it shouldn't be amazing, hard work should pay off, but I do still find it amazing!  

 

I work as a doula, but haven't taken any jobs since my youngest was born.  Prior to that, I would do a few moms per year, which either paid for our homeschool materials or partially paid for our plane tickets to California each year.  

[DawnM]

No, just a return to full time employment, with benefits.  

[MamaBearTeacher]

For those who sell online, I am wondering if it requires a lot of trips to the post office?

[Joyofsixreboot]

I teach yoga very part time. Should I count the time I spend helping dds get baked goods and bath/ soap items for their farmer's market table.

Edited February 14, 2017 by joyofsix

[kewb]

I used to have a side hustle making all natural dog treats. The kids were younger then and it took too much time away from family to be profitable. I ended up shelving the business. Now I am a very part-time dog walker. I could easily pick up more gigs but at the moment the amount I work is more than enough to balance family needs. After my dd gets her license I will consider more. At that point I will also be considering going back to a job with benefits.

[EmseB]

For those who sell online, I am wondering if it requires a lot of trips to the post office?

I used to sell online, and no. Scheduled pickups with my carrier, had supplies delivered to me, etc. I didn't ship internationally, though.

[EmseB]

Mine is currently freelance transcription. Doesn't pay much, but I love the work, and it is good pocket money. I can literally work whenever I want and do as much or as little as I want. It was a steep learning curve, but once I got up to speed I found something I'm decent at and that I like.

[kathy_overman]

For 2016, I set a goal to earn $1 - literally $1. I wanted to earn something for me - done by me.  I had not worked in years.  I missed the feeling of accomplishing and contributing.

 

I sent out resumes, responded to care.com adds, and talked to friends - finally I was hired to be a pet sitter.  I take care of 1 dog every day.  It has blossomed into 5+ dogs and it is too much work.  I earn $15 a visit, but could probably charge $18-$20.  

 

Since then, several other things have ended up in my lap - being an Admin for a small non-profit, and doing bookkeeping for a friend of someone on the Board of the non-profit.

 

I love my little jobs!  I love working!  

[Lady Marmalade]

I do dance costume alterations this time of year.  I bought myself a new sewing machine right after Christmas, and I've done enough alterations in the last month to completely pay for the machine.  I'm telling myself that everything I make from this point forward is pure profit.  It literally takes me mere minutes to do most alterations, and most people have no trouble paying me nicely for doing it.  My going rate is $15 an hour, and I tell people that up front.  When I hand them the finished costumes I tell them how much time I spent. I almost always get handed a $20 minimum.

 

If I had the equipment, I could totally do real garment alterations.  The local options are terrible, and people are really willing to pay for the service these days!  I've done a few for people I know.

 

It doesn't pay the bills, but this is the time of year that DH gets laid off from his construction work.  Lots of years this has kept me in grocery money for a few months.  

[fairfarmhand]

I'm a freelance writer. I use content brokers mostly.

[Cecropia]

I do dance costume alterations this time of year.  I bought myself a new sewing machine right after Christmas, and I've done enough alterations in the last month to completely pay for the machine.  I'm telling myself that everything I make from this point forward is pure profit.  It literally takes me mere minutes to do most alterations, and most people have no trouble paying me nicely for doing it.  My going rate is $15 an hour, and I tell people that up front.  When I hand them the finished costumes I tell them how much time I spent. I almost always get handed a $20 minimum.

 

If I had the equipment, I could totally do real garment alterations.  The local options are terrible, and people are really willing to pay for the service these days!  I've done a few for people I know.

 

It doesn't pay the bills, but this is the time of year that DH gets laid off from his construction work.  Lots of years this has kept me in grocery money for a few months.  

 

Can I ask you a question about this?  I know there is a market in my area for dance costume alterations.  I have a friend whose preschool daughter is in ballet/jazz, and the costumes they ordered were just freakishly huge on her.  There were three outfits.  I offered to alter them for her and it wasn't too hard or time consuming.  She told me about other kids in her daughter's class who also had fitting problems.

 

The thing is, I'm mostly self-taught and a real seamstress would probably chuckle at my work, but I can get it done and the outside of the garment looks nice, hems are straight etc.  When you do these alterations, do your customers care mostly about utility for their child's performance, or are they concerned about how professional it looks inside and out?  I have to say that the original quality of the outfits (not the material so much, I'm talking about the sewing), for the price my friend paid, was appalling.   I figure the costume is only for a few uses and most dance parents are just in a panic about having it fit, not about having it be a nice long-lasting garment.  I remember as a dance kid how many times my mom had to rig up my costume with safety pins and a prayer!

[bettyandbob]

I have never heard this expression before. I finally figured it out from context, but in the beginning I was a bit lost as to what you were talking about.

 

Nope. No 'side hustle' happening here.

 

FWIW....no front, rear, up or down hustling either LOL

I think it's a relatively recent term. I usually here it as a job to bring in a little extra income. Or it could be a business you start on a part time basis.

 

Tap you work full time and have a DC with significant needs. I'd call that totally hustling all the time.

 

I'm don't have a "side hustle" I have three part time jobs doing similar positions for three different entities. One place I work enough hours to get partial benefits. I'm hoping for one full time position with full benefits one day. I'm trying to learn how to do more things at these jobs and find ways to show it so that I may one day work one place with full benefits.

 

I returned to work more than ten years ago. I started with just a few hours a week early morning or Saturdays. I've added through the years as dh's career had a downturn and my kids started and finished high school. I only have one DC at home now. He's in ninth grade and won't leave home due to disabilities. So, as child rearing slowed down, income earning ramped up.

[school17777]

I thought this post was asking about some kind of dance move!

[Selkie]

I have never heard this expression before.  I finally figured it out from context, but in the beginning I was a bit lost as to what you were talking about. 

 

Nope.  No 'side hustle' happening here. 

 

FWIW....no front, rear, up or down hustling either LOL 

 

I never heard it before, either. "Side hustle" does sound a bit unseemly, lol.

[xixstar]

I need to get mine going again. I've done various things over the years. But I need to get my main hustle going too. My side hustles have mostly been for fun. I love creating and making gnthibgs but don't want to keep anything I make. :)

[Wheres Toto]

I worked full time until March of last year.  Since then I've done a few projects for my old job.  I was an executive admin so it's usually projects involving really obnoxious merges, or large Excel spreadsheets.  Things that are not within the typical realm of what the admins can do.  This has only been 10-20 hours every few months done working from home but it pays really really well.

 

I also have been teaching afterschool enrichment classes through a company.  I was originally doing three classes a week this session but had to drop two of them because the timing didn't work out.  I've got one 8 week class left.  I've mainly been teaching robotics - Dot & Dash, Ozobots, and Lego Wedo.

 

I'm currently working on arranging a space to teach classes to homeschoolers.  I'm going to start with general robotics (I have robots of my own from 4-H) and STEM, and expand into Biology, Chemistry, and Physics classes.  If the demand ends up not being there (although it seems to be especially for robotics and coding), I may use the space to do drop-in childcare for homeschoolers. 

[zoobie]

I had a side hustle that turned into our main hustle (our Etsy shop, ananemone labels). It takes a massive amount of time.

I keep looking at these, and I didn't know it was a Hive shop. I need some but can't decide! I do crafty stuff, but it's not even a side hustle because I lose money on it. Mostly gifts.

[Lady Marmalade]

Can I ask you a question about this?  I know there is a market in my area for dance costume alterations.  I have a friend whose preschool daughter is in ballet/jazz, and the costumes they ordered were just freakishly huge on her.  There were three outfits.  I offered to alter them for her and it wasn't too hard or time consuming.  She told me about other kids in her daughter's class who also had fitting problems.

 

The thing is, I'm mostly self-taught and a real seamstress would probably chuckle at my work, but I can get it done and the outside of the garment looks nice, hems are straight etc.  When you do these alterations, do your customers care mostly about utility for their child's performance, or are they concerned about how professional it looks inside and out?  I have to say that the original quality of the outfits (not the material so much, I'm talking about the sewing), for the price my friend paid, was appalling.   I figure the costume is only for a few uses and most dance parents are just in a panic about having it fit, not about having it be a nice long-lasting garment.  I remember as a dance kid how many times my mom had to rig up my costume with safety pins and a prayer!

 

Ha! Timely question.

 

I am completely self-taught, but I do quality work and am getting pretty accomplished with my sewing abilities.   That being said, if needs be, I have no problems letting them know that from the inside or up close a costume might look strange, but I assure them that on stage no one will be able to see the alterations. 

 

Timely question because this week I have one of those special snowflakes.   The costume that was ordered for our large group production number this year is THE worst I have ever seen.  120+ kids in this costume and I've already had to adjust 20 of them- some with some major reconstruction.   One in particular actually almost fit the girl trying it on.  Mom wanted it adjusted and sat there and watched me like a hawk, critcizing every pin placement at the initial fitting.  And THEN messaging me 20 times the next morning to make sure that I didn't do anything else to the costume, and letting me know she didn't want any visible alterations on the outside.  I should have returned the costume and told her good luck.  I did the alterations, and the girl doesn't like how it FEELS inside the costume to have those extra little bunches of fabric where I took in the waistband.  (It's sequined, so cutting off the excess is a really bad idea)  Mom wants me to make further adjustments and keeps messaging me with suggestions and ideas like THIS costume is going to make or break the dance experience for this girl who has danced for 12 years.    It's a production costume, which means this girl is on stage for a grand total of 40 seconds plus ten seconds at the end for the big ta-da.    The whole experience has been terrible on my end.  I now know to be too busy for this particular girl.

 

But for the most part, most of the dance moms are just completely clueless with even basic strap attachment, so they are thrilled that I can do this stuff for me.  I've made moms cry when I take the costumes that really don't fit and work my magic.    Many of the costumes are terrible when they come in! Half attached straps, seams clunky, clasps upside down, etc.  One part of me feels a little bad knowing how much they've already paid for these costumes, and I'm asking for more, but I'm always significantly cheaper than trying to rush a whole new costume. 

[Ewe Mama]

Faith wanted to start up a business as an ARBA affiliated Holland Lop breeder for a 4-H project. Since she is underage, I have been sucked into the bunny breeding vortex. We all have, actually. Just getting started, so no profit yet but our first litters are available for reservation right now. Lots of debt (for us) pertaining to buying cages, buying breeding/show quality bunnies, high quality feed and hay, bunny toys, etc. A fair amount of time is involved in daily cage cleaning and playing with bunnies, taking photos for the website, and corresponding with potential clients. We really enjoy it! If she does as well as she has been, we should hopefully break even in three more months (after subtracting food and hay costs), then we can hopefully see a bit of profit. Our main customer base is 4-H families looking to do pet rabbit projects.

[kewb]

I think it's a relatively recent term. I usually here it as a job to bring in a little extra income. Or it could be a business you start on a part time basis.

 

 

 

Not a new term unless it is old enough to be new again. 

[TABmom]

I do dance costume alterations this time of year. I bought myself a new sewing machine right after Christmas, and I've done enough alterations in the last month to completely pay for the machine. I'm telling myself that everything I make from this point forward is pure profit. It literally takes me mere minutes to do most alterations, and most people have no trouble paying me nicely for doing it. My going rate is $15 an hour, and I tell people that up front. When I hand them the finished costumes I tell them how much time I spent. I almost always get handed a $20 minimum.

 

If I had the equipment, I could totally do real garment alterations. The local options are terrible, and people are really willing to pay for the service these days! I've done a few for people I know.

 

It doesn't pay the bills, but this is the time of year that DH gets laid off from his construction work. Lots of years this has kept me in grocery money for a few months.

 

I would totally pay someone to take in my ds's pants. He's so skinny that elastic waistbands are practically falling off of him and I don't own a sewing machine. This makes me wonder if any of the homeschool moms I know do this on the side and I just don't know that they do it.

 

Right now, my mom does them for me- but I don't get to see her as often as I'd like.

[Cecropia]

Ha! Timely question.

 

I am completely self-taught, but I do quality work and am getting pretty accomplished with my sewing abilities.   That being said, if needs be, I have no problems letting them know that from the inside or up close a costume might look strange, but I assure them that on stage no one will be able to see the alterations. 

 

Timely question because this week I have one of those special snowflakes.   The costume that was ordered for our large group production number this year is THE worst I have ever seen.  120+ kids in this costume and I've already had to adjust 20 of them- some with some major reconstruction.   One in particular actually almost fit the girl trying it on.  Mom wanted it adjusted and sat there and watched me like a hawk, critcizing every pin placement at the initial fitting.  And THEN messaging me 20 times the next morning to make sure that I didn't do anything else to the costume, and letting me know she didn't want any visible alterations on the outside.  I should have returned the costume and told her good luck.  I did the alterations, and the girl doesn't like how it FEELS inside the costume to have those extra little bunches of fabric where I took in the waistband.  (It's sequined, so cutting off the excess is a really bad idea)  Mom wants me to make further adjustments and keeps messaging me with suggestions and ideas like THIS costume is going to make or break the dance experience for this girl who has danced for 12 years.    It's a production costume, which means this girl is on stage for a grand total of 40 seconds plus ten seconds at the end for the big ta-da.    The whole experience has been terrible on my end.  I now know to be too busy for this particular girl.

 

But for the most part, most of the dance moms are just completely clueless with even basic strap attachment, so they are thrilled that I can do this stuff for me.  I've made moms cry when I take the costumes that really don't fit and work my magic.    Many of the costumes are terrible when they come in! Half attached straps, seams clunky, clasps upside down, etc.  One part of me feels a little bad knowing how much they've already paid for these costumes, and I'm asking for more, but I'm always significantly cheaper than trying to rush a whole new costume. 

 

Thank you, Lady Marmalade.  It's almost criminal, how shoddily some of those costumes are made.  One of the skirts I had to fix was so uneven that I thought it had to have a high-low hem until I consulted the catalog (and then the mom)... nope, straight hem!  And it looked like it had been pieced together from remnants.  Crazy.  Your snowflake story certainly gives me pause.  I hope that her outfit is soon done with and you can say good riddance!

 

[eternalsummer]

For those who sell online, I am wondering if it requires a lot of trips to the post office?

You can schedule a pickup so they pick up the packages at  your house.

[G5052]

For those who sell online, I am wondering if it requires a lot of trips to the post office?

 

Nope. Talk to your mail carrier though.

 

Mine says that they don't have to pick up packages that don't fit it the box, but he's a sweetie and is fine with that as long as I don't do more than three a day. Sometimes I put them in a big bag and hang them from the box, and he's good with that.

 

If you buy Priority Mail though their website, you can request pickup of any number of boxes, but I do a lot of Media Mail.

 

I have a good postal scale and buy the postage through Amazon or eBay.

 

I sold over $1000 of stuff last summer on Amazon and eBay. I still plug away at it during the school year, but I work and homeschool, so summer is the best time.

Edited February 14, 2017 by G5052

[Lady Marmalade]

Thank you, Lady Marmalade.  It's almost criminal, how shoddily some of those costumes are made.  One of the skirts I had to fix was so uneven that I thought it had to have a high-low hem until I consulted the catalog (and then the mom)... nope, straight hem!  And it looked like it had been pieced together from remnants.  Crazy.  Your snowflake story certainly gives me pause.  I hope that her outfit is soon done with and you can say good riddance!

 

 

Wow, that is incredible.  I've had to fix a lot of costumes over the years because they used the selvage edges of fabric and it showed.  One year a pair of shorts under a skirt was sewn in sideways...

 

After repeating myself for the FOURTH time as far as when I'd be at the studio to look at the costume in question, I finally told her that if I didn't have it in my hands by 9:00 am on Saturday, I was not going to be able to work on it anymore for her.  The first competition is next weekend and I have to finish making my DD's solo costume.  I'm really hoping they just forget to bring it for me.  Honestly, they paid me half what everyone else has been paying for alterations on this costume.  People always pay me extra, and if they'd given me extra I might be a little more inclined to assist further. 

[Rebecca]

I have started tutoring online. Live online college writing, college English, high school writing, high school English, and more.

 

I had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I do.

 

It has been a big help for us.

[KungFuPanda]

I teach dance classes in the evenings. There's usually no juggling with the school hours unless so done books a private lesson. There aren't enough of them to be a problem.

[creekland]

I've been subbing in our local high school for the past 17 years - usually working 2-3 days per week.  I've been so "in" with both the math and science dept that I get to teach rather than babysit.  I've loved it.  With homeschooling, my guys had to be quite independent, but they were, so no problems.  Anything I needed to help or deal with (grades, etc) were done on days I didn't work, evenings, or weekends.

 

My other "job" has been raising English Show Ponies.  This has been going on for 19 years.  In the beginning I had wild ideas of buying, training, and selling and that worked for a little bit, but took up a LOT of time (even with young farm hands helping as they got old enough).  It all morphed into just having broodmares, our stallion (had two for some years), and raising babies - selling them prior to under saddle training.  That worked much better for our lifestyle.

 

Both jobs brought in similar funds (taxable income-wise), but the subbing is more reliable paycheck wise.  Ponies give a bit of cash with sales - and a bit of money out in between sales.  Ponies are also only profitable because I do a bunch of the work myself (with my family, of course).  Most vet care we do, etc.  We also have pastures for free food half the year.

 

And now with empty nesting I'm more or less retiring from both.  We've sold down to just three ponies (two broodmares and our stallion) - down from 28 at our all time high, and I only go in to school now for a friend of mine as she goes through chemo.

 

In another year or two we'll be morphing into our next life - on a tropical island or perhaps a sailboat.  I'm sure I'll do something on the side.  I can't imagine not doing so.  I get too bored and in ruts with nothing to do.

[Laurel-in-CA]

My side hustle is doing at-home data entry for a local thrift store, which involves picking up bundles of clothes and photos, uniting the data with the pictures online, and returning for the next batch. Luckily I enjoy fashion, even when none of it fits me anymore, but I couldn't do it without dh and ds, who haul the bundles in and out and the guys @ the thrift warehouse who do the same with a smile on their faces. I net a few hundred a month, but it's allowing me to deduct a new computer and pay for some of dd's activities. And the thrift store supports battered/addicted women's shelters and family counseling programs, so I'm happy about that too.

[LucyStoner]

I do a little accounting work on the side. Everything from bookkeeping to taxes to audit prep/setting up accounting systems. I do this nearly exclusively for non-profit or arts organizations.

[JustEm]

I pet sit, which is a few thousand a year for me. Sadly, I think I'll be ending that because dh's work schedule is changing and he's going to be working off site 4 days a week which means he'll need the car 4 days a week. Well buying a second car just so I can continue to pet sit isn't worth it to me. However, one of my goals for the year is to start up an online side hussle. It is currently in the research phase.

[KarenC]

I tutor a few hours a week.  It's very flexible and has worked out well for me.

[mommyoffive]

Nope. Talk to your mail carrier though.

 

Mine says that they don't have to pick up packages that don't fit it the box, but he's a sweetie and is fine with that as long as I don't do more than three a day. Sometimes I put them in a big bag and hang them from the box, and he's good with that.

 

If you buy Priority Mail though their website, you can request pickup of any number of boxes, but I do a lot of Media Mail.

 

I have a good postal scale and buy the postage through Amazon or eBay.

 

I sold over $1000 of stuff last summer on Amazon and eBay. I still plug away at it during the school year, but I work and homeschool, so summer is the best time.

 

How do you buy postage through ebay or amazon?  

[unsinkable]

Pinch of Yum / Food Blogger Pro is looking for a remote worker...Visual Designer

 

https://food-blogger-pro.workable.com/jobs/423743