When people consider setting up a side hustle they often think they need a large sum of money to get started, I know I did. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You can start a side hustle by investing your time, not your money.
With social media and the internet at our fingertips, setting up a side hustle for free, or with very little money, couldn’t be easier.
If you’re not sure where to start then read on…
Why start a side hustle?
People start side hustles for many reasons. Some want to make extra money without the commitment of taking on a second job. Others want to monetize a hobby that they have by. While some people want to ‘test the waters’ of their business idea before committing to it full-time.
Side hustles provide an opportunity to conduct a mini-experiment and see what works and what doesn’t without a huge cash investment.
Of course, there’s always some that require a lump sum of cash to get started, but if you’re able to start something for very little money or even free then you’re risking much less.
If you’re willing to invest your time, then a low-cost side huste could be for you.
Five simple side hustle ideas
Here are some simple side hustle suggestions to get you started…
Sell pre-loved stuff – This is such an easy one to begin with. Firstly clear out any of your pre-loved items – hold a garage sale or take advantage of online marketplaces such as Ebay or Facebook.
Once you’ve generated some cash, then take a look online, in charity shops or at garage sales to see what you can get for free or very cheap, purchase them and resell them. It’s possible to double your money using this method once you become familiar with the marketplace and learn what sells.
Create print on-demand books – This is something I currently do. There was an initial outlay of $40 for the course but I’ve already made it back via sales from Chicken Roulette Press. I found the course to be invaluable and a huge time-saver. If I hadn’t purchased it, it would have taken me so long to find all of the information that I’d never have got started. So take a look if this is something that interests you.
Share your skills – Whatever skill you have, you can guarantee there’s someone out there who needs it. With a bit of time you can create a course or ebook to support others in learning the skill. Whether you self-publish via Amazon or create an ebook or course to sell on Gumroad, the only investment you need to make is time.
Get crafty – If you have a creative talent, then considering selling your creations at craft fayres or on an online forum such as Etsy. Use Canva to create a professional looking logo and banner for your Etsy store for free. I’ve recently launched an Etsy store with my partner. It’s been so much fun, we’ve enjoyed every step of the creative process. If you want to take a sneak peek, then you can check it out here.
Where there’s muck, there’s money – As my Grandad always used to say. The idea behind it is that people will pay you to do jobs they don’t want to do. Whether that’s washing their car, cleaning their home, doing their ironing, gardening or even walking the dog. If you’re prepared to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in then you can create some extra cash.
What are you waiting for?
Hopefully this post has given you some inspiration to start your own side hustle. If there’s nothing here that takes your fancy, then hopefully you’re starting to realise that a world of possibility awaits you.
Make a plan and put it into practice, it doesn’t need to be perfect, just get started. Who knows where the path will lead you!
Best of luck in your new ventures. But more importantly – enjoy it!
Image courtesy of Kevin Ku on Unsplash