Financial Freedom in 2021! Take Action: Day 16
The term “side hustle” has become very common in the last couple years. It seems that every other person has a small side business, MLM venture, after-hours hustle, You Tube channel, Etsy shop, home bakery, or blog to try to add to their regular W2 income. If you type “side hustle” into google, there are thousands of articles and websites dedicated to sharing ideas on maximizing your earning power with a second, third, or fourth stream of income. I’ve found a list of 100 side hustles that can make you $500+/month and 50 ideas for a lucrative side business. There are even several weekly podcasts dedicated to making extra cash on the side.
The underlying theme is that in our modern culture, in which 80% of Americans carry debt, people need to make even more money. Sometimes a side hustle is a passion project or a hobby. Sometimes it’s a long-sought-after dream slowly coming to light. Sometimes it’s a way to reach financial independence much faster. However, many times, people launch into side hustles to pay off student loans and consumer debt. With the cost of living (and spending) today, many W2 jobs don’t offer a salary that allows people to get out of debt and get ahead quickly enough.
The ultimate goal of financial freedom is to let your money work for you, not the other way around, but in order to reach that goal, it may be necessary to trade some of the extra time you currently have for some extra cash.
Today’s action step is to review the articles and lists linked above to determine if there’s a way for your family to earn a side income from a side hustle. But before launching into anything, calculate what your time is worth and what you could really earn. Also, remember that it’s usually best to stick with what you know and utilize your current skill set.
Which side hustle seems most feasible for you? Or, if you already have one, what do you love about it? Please share!
Frugal with Four 