Side Hustle

One day, a British construction manager decided to start writing reviews of fish tanks. The reviews included hyperlinks to Amazon product listings, and he knew he’d get a small commission if readers clicked through and purchased them. But the reviews were posted on an obscure website and, busy with his other day-job work, he half-forgot he’d ever written them. So he was pleasantly surprised when, several weeks later, he received a check for $350. Even now, years down the road, he’s still getting $700 a month for the same reviews. In short, he has the perfect side hustle.

A side hustle can be defined as a profitable business venture that operates as an adjunct to other paid work or employment. No more than the bare minimum amount of time, money and effort should be invested. It shouldn't be a big deal.

You can even think of it as a kind of job security. The days of a "job for life" are over, and a side hustle ensures several incomes from different sources. You simply won’t be held to the whims of a single employer whose loyalty to you can’t be counted on.

Everybody needs a side hustle. It can make transitioning from your day job easier, too, if you decide to quit or are fired. Leaving may seem exhilarating in the abstract, but the reality can be difficult: you’ll lose a reliable income source and health insurance. A side hustle gives you a taste of entrepreneurship, but without all the risks of going it alone.

There’s also no reason to feel daunted when beginning a side hustle.

For starters, you don’t need to spend a lot of time doing it. No more than an hour a day maximum. Any more is probably a waste of time. Secondly, there’s no need to have a business degree to get going. Remember, it's your business you’re running, not someone else’s – you're the one setting the entry requirements!

So those are the basics. But what kind of idea makes for the best side hustle?