Navigating Side Hustles: What to Avoid and What Works
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Chapter 1: The Reality of Side Hustles
In today's world, side hustles have become a necessity rather than a choice. As I stood in a chilly downtown alley, the icy Canadian air was numbing. My phone buzzed in my winter jacket pocket, displaying a text from my partner asking how I was faring. Should I reveal the truth? Here I was, freezing in a back alley on a Friday night, all in the name of a side hustle that barely paid off.
The Great Pandemic
During the early months of the pandemic in 2020, Forbes reported that 2 million Americans turned to side hustles. In Canada, we face an unprecedented housing crisis, with rents skyrocketing and wages failing to keep pace. This has led to extreme situations, such as university students in Victoria, British Columbia, resorting to living in camper vans.
Side hustles, once a means to earn extra income, have now become essential for many. My rent has surged nearly 50% while my salary remains stagnant. I’m not engaging in side hustles for extra cash; I'm doing it for survival. In my quest for a lucrative side hustle, I've encountered several that ended up costing me more than I gained. I want to share these experiences to save you from similar pitfalls.
Section 1.1: Food Delivery
My initial venture into the world of side hustles began with DoorDash. The job advertisement promised $25 per hour, more than my day job.
Major Downfalls:
- Waiting: The job relies on completing as many orders as possible in a short time, yet I often waited 20 minutes or longer for food.
- Idle Time: Required to sign up for three-hour shifts, I frequently found myself waiting with no orders, wasting precious hours and gas.
- Driving Distance: Many deliveries required long drives, often leading to round trips that weren't worth the effort.
Why It Cost Me More:
- Gas Expenses: Driving 30 kilometers for an $8 order while fuel prices climb is not sustainable.
- Customer Tips: While tips do come in, they often don't compensate for long drives, especially when delivery companies like DoorDash have been caught withholding tips from drivers.
- Wear and Tear on My Car: Constant driving resulted in costly repairs on my vehicle.
- Family Time: Perhaps the biggest loss was the time I missed with my family due to long shifts.
Section 1.2: Grocery Delivery
Instacart seemed a promising alternative, allowing me to work whenever I wanted with less driving involved.
Major Downfalls:
- Customers: Issues with missing or damaged items led to poor ratings, impacting my ability to secure better-paying jobs.
- Shopping Time: Busy stores could keep me shopping for over two hours.
- Stock Availability: Often, stores lacked items needed by customers.
Why It Cost Me More:
- Time Wasted: Long shopping times meant fewer jobs available.
- Low Batch Pay: The compensation per batch was often insufficient for the time spent.
- Tip Baiting: Customers would initially offer large tips to entice me, only to retract them later.
Section 1.3: Flipping Thrift Store Items
Flipping items from thrift stores can be enticing, with the potential for high profits. However, it’s not as straightforward as it seems.
Major Downfalls:
- Market Uncertainty: Profitability is contingent upon what’s available at the store on any given day.
- Need for Insight: A keen understanding of market trends is essential for success, something I lack.
Why It Cost Me More:
- Unsold Items: Sometimes, even desirable items don’t sell, leaving me with losses.
- Unpredictability: Relying on a side hustle income that can leave me with unsold inventory is risky.
Chapter 2: Successful Side Hustles
Despite the setbacks, I have found two side hustles that have proven to be worthwhile.
- Selling Custom Digital Prints: I create digital prints of songs, quotes, and portraits, taking less than five minutes to produce each one and selling them for $20 apiece.
- Creating YouTube Thumbnails: Working with several mid-sized YouTubers, I design thumbnails for their videos, providing a steady income.
I recognize that these side hustles may not suit everyone, but I encourage you to explore options that align with your skills. As a graphic designer, these ventures were a natural extension of my expertise.
I would love to hear about your side hustle experiences. Have you encountered any that cost more than you earned? Which ones exceeded your expectations?
The first video, "3 Side Hustles Nobody's Talking About - Millionaire Makers!" explores lesser-known side hustles that could be lucrative for you.
In the second video, "These 3 AUTOMATED SIDE HUSTLES make $2,000+/week," discover automated side hustles that can significantly boost your income.
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