By George Hyland
With finances being squeezed in every which way, there is little wonder why one in three Americans has resorted to finding side hustles and additional income streams to help them pay the bills each month. It is no longer viable to rely on a single income stream to support yourself in a world where even the most prominent employers can go bust in the blink of an eye.
With this in mind being able to support yourself isn't merely a consideration but more a necessity. Whether you are looking for an active side hustle you can tailor to your needs, or you would rather generate a passive income like 20% of Americans currently do, you need to look at your skills and see how you can apply them to your lifestyle to help you earn a living and diversify your income.
The following tips are proven ways you can earn an additional income via a side hustle or to create a way to make a passive income.
Ebooks
Ebooks are becoming increasingly popular ways to generate a residual income that can top up your bank account on a regular basis. The beauty of ebooks is that you can self-publish them, and they can be on quite literally any topic. Are you an expert on a specific subject you can write about so others can learn from your knowledge and expertise? Or do you fancy yourself as a fiction writer and want to spin tales people can't get enough of? Either way, you will need to put a lot of effort into getting your book(s) ready so they are something people want to buy. This could mean making sure you know the literary elements of fiction that every story needs, researching your chosen topic or genre in detail to ensure you are writing a factually correct nonfiction book or guide, or putting together a memoir, for example, to share your life story with others. Ebooks can help you to generate an ongoing income for sales each month, and there is no time limit on how long you can keep earning via this method.
Virtual Assistant
Personal assistants have been around for a long time; however, thanks to the internet, more and more people are choosing to add virtual assistant tasks to their repertoire to help them sell their services and skills to benefit others. The beauty of virtual assistants is that you do not need to venture to an actual place of work, and you can work for any given time zone on your schedule. If you are adept in services such as replying to emails, scheduling, call handling, bookkeeping, and more, you can tailor your skills to meet clients' needs and help you create another income stream.
Dog walking
If you want to get more hands-on with your side hustle and be active in your free time, then walking dogs can be a great option for you. Many people are asking for others to walk or sit with their dogs while they are at work or unable to walk their pets for other reasons. This is where you can come in and offer your services. You can charge per dog, per hour, or have set fees for block booking and regular clients, and not only do you get to spend your time with dogs, but you also get aid and get additional exercise.
Blogging
Blogging is extremely popular, and many bloggers are able to make a part-time or even full-time income via blogging. Blogging isn't a get-rich-quick scheme, and you must dedicate time and patience to build up readable content and ensure you find readers who enjoy and resonate with what you are writing. This means sharing your blog on social media and ensuring you get your posts in front of the right people.
There are multiple ways you can do this when it comes to making money with blogging. Bloggers can host ads on their website, paid for by the company. There is advertising; by hosting sponsored posts and affiliate links or ads, you need people to click on and make a purchase so you can earn a commission and make some money. How much you can earn blogging isn't quantifiable; however, there is a realistic chance of earning money via this medium.
Freelancing
Freelancing is much the same as a virtual assistant in that you offer services you excel at or have been trained in. Typically freelancing services include things like content writing, photography, editing both images and video, website creation, app building, SEO, and more. But in reality, you can offer your freelance services for pretty much anything that another person or company might seek to use. You can list your skills on popular freelancing websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and People Per Hour to build your client list and generate an income.
Tech set up
If you are a whizz with computers and setting up audio and visual equipment, for example, you can offer your services in the local community to help people hook up their new tech without the hassle that goes with trying to figure this out themselves.s you can also offer tutorials and lessons to teach people some basic skills, while providing support and even repair services too. It is essential that you, too, are up to date on your knowledge and skills to be able to build up a good reputation and keep your side hustle thriving.
Handyman
Again like the above point, for those who are handy at DIY and have skills and experience in all aspects of construction, repairs, maintenance, etc., you can fill your free time by offering your services to those who prefer not to do this themselves. Many people need the help of a handyman for many repair jobs around the home, such as hanging pictures, fixing damage to walls and doors, installing new appliances, making changes to the house, and so on.
Sell handmade wares
Handmade products are becoming increasingly popular of late, and more people are looking for unique gifts and special items that you cannot buy in bulk at large chain retailers. Knitting and crocheting are becoming increasingly popular for things like cushions, blankets, hats, etc., and the rise of popularity of sites like Etsy proves there is still a thriving market for these types of products. So whether you are a crafter, baker, or upcycle, sell your creations and help generate an income stream that you can rely on for many years to come.
Influencer marketing
Whether you love them or hate them, influencers are still at the height of popularity as far as advertising is concerned, and being able to cash in on this trend can prove to be highly lucrative. Like blogging, you must put time and effort into cultivating an excellent social media presence and feed with amazing photos, videos, captions, and engagement. From here, you can work with brands on a range of different advertising options, all of which you can set a fee for. The payment will depend on you, your follower count and engagement level, and the brand's budget for the work required.
Conclusion
There are so many different side hustles and passive income streams to look into when it comes to diversifying your income. To make it work for you, you need to identify your strengths so you can find ways to capitalize on your talents to help you to generate a viable income that can support you now and in the future.