There are loads of side hustle ideas on the internet, but how many of them are any good? Ideas such as ‘write a book’ or ‘become an influencer’ sound cool, but in reality, they can be a very difficult way to make money. It’s no fun wasting your time and energy, so focus on ideas that will work.
A good side hustle can provide you with more than just extra cash. According to Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich, it also gives you security in case your full-time job dries up. It could even become your full-time job if it’s successful. But, according to Ramit, the most important aspect is that a side hustle gives you extra money to invest and get rich.
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Here are eight ideas that can make real money:
Website and app tester
Machines haven’t quite taken over yet! Humans still need to test how well technology works, allowing companies to improve their products or services. Your honest thoughts can earn you money as a tester for websites and apps on platforms such as usertesting.com, userpeek.com or testerwork.com.
You’ll have to register and do a short test before being approved. Tasks usually take less than 30 minutes, and you can work when it suits you.
Be paid for your expertise
If you are an expert in a particular field, earn money answering people’s questions. Experts in many areas such as cars, computers, social media, wellness and home improvement are in demand.
There’s a stringent verification process, and you’ll earn a percentage of the fee that users are charged when asking a question. You select the questions you wish to answer and when you want to work. Look at prestoexperts.com or justanswer.com.
Chat moderator
If you love conversing on social media, how about being a chat moderator? You’ll create an engaging experience for users and build a strong rapport between the company and its clients. Some companies offer coaching, so you don’t need experience to get started. You can work part-time or full- time; you simply log on when you’re available to work. Get more information at cloudworkers.company/en.
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A transcriber
If you can accurately type 65 to 80 words a minute, earn cash as a transcriber. People are always needed to type, ranging from lengthy documents to transcribing captions for videos. It’s a great side hustle, but you may have tight deadlines to meet. The better you are at meeting deadlines and client expectations, the more work you’ll get. There are quite a few places to register, so check these out typewhizz.co.uk, toptranscriptions.co.za or rev.com.
Location matters
Making money out of your home can be a great side hustle. Film, TV and photo scouts are always looking for locations, including commercial buildings, private homes and even gardens. There’s no one type of look; different settings are needed, and your home may just fit the bill.
It can be disruptive with a film crew taking over your space for a day or more, but there’s good money to be made with minimum effort. Check out shootmyhouse.tv, everyspace.co.za, cherrypicked.co.za, or tlcsa.co.za for more information.
Tutoring
For a few hours of your time, you can make a huge difference in someone’s life while earning extra money. South Africa has a great shortage of skills in subjects such as maths, science and languages, but many other subjects, such as accountancy, are also in demand.
You don’t have to be a teacher, but you must know your subject matter. You can work online and set hours that fit into your schedule. Connect with students through websites such as turtlejar.co.za, superprof.co.za, tutorssa.co.za, or brightsparkz.co.za.
House or pet sitting
This can be a good money spinner if you love animals, are flexible with your time and can work remotely from someone’s home. Finding regular gigs can be challenging when you start; you can advertise your services privately or register through one of the many agencies, such as trustedhousesitters.com, petandhomesittersnorth.com, or mindmyhouse.com. There are also regional agencies such as house-sitters.co.za in Cape Town and majormom.co.za in Johannesburg.
Turning your passion into cash
If you’re a pro with plants, a whizz in the kitchen or even good at restoring items, there’s money to be made. There are loads of ideas here, ranging from cultivating plants to sell to making delicious home-made treats, such as biscuits or chocolates, and upcycling old items. If you’re selling foodstuffs, you must comply with legal food hygiene requirements, so make sure this is in place. Whatever you decide to sell, start small and adapt as you see demand increasing. You can advertise on Facebook, or if you’re crafty, look at moksi.co.za or handmadehub.co.za.
Tax matters
You’ll need to declare your side hustle income in your tax return, so it’s wise to set some of it aside for tax each time you’re paid. How much depends on your tax bracket, but aim for at least 30% to be safe. Remember, you can deduct expenses incurred in generating that income, so keep all records of materials, ingredients, Wi-Fi, etc. that you need to earn the money. You may need to register as a provisional taxpayer, so speak to a tax consultant if you need advice.
Make your money work
As tempting as it is to blow the extra cash, use some of it to build your wealth. Each time you’re paid, take a further 10% or 20% and deposit it into a separate savings account. Your side hustle income isn’t guaranteed, so you can build up a nest egg for times when there’s less cash coming in. Every six months or so, invest a good portion of these savings in an equity-linked investment such as a unit trust, so you can start building long-term wealth.
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