Have you been looking for ways to make some additional money on the side but don’t want to take on another job? Well you’re not alone…MANY people have been in your shoes, searching for that “something” they can do as a side hustle to add some cushion to the ole bank account.
Finding another part time job is one way of making this happen but, if you’re already working, it can be hard to find the kind of time and flexibility needed to make this happen unless you start taking working a graveyard shift or working on your scheduled days off.
So what other options are there? How about doing something you LOVE when YOU want to do it, not when a boss tells you to? Thinking of a part time side gig with this in mind allows you to consider things outside of the usual “shift” work. Being self employed as a second job is totally workable if you find the right options.
This could mean starting your own business, even it’s very small at first. Being self employed on a part time basis is far less scary financially, and allows you to get used to running your favorite business before scaling it up to something full time.
Let’s take a peek at some incredible (and affordable) self employment options you can start, part time, from home. Keep in mind that ANY of the following options can easily become a full time option if things pan out. Or you can combine one or more of these options to make a good living!
Uber Driver
Uber and Lyft (among other ride sharing companies sprouting up) are becoming more and more popular. I love Uber and have used it many times. Each time I use it I always check in with the drivers to see how they like it, if it pays okay etc. and the response is nearly always positive.
Part of the reason for it’s growing popularity is that the hours are so flexible – drivers decide when they want to drive. It’s as simple as that. Many of the drivers are doing this full time and loving it.
But many are also doing it alongside another job for extra money. Maybe this is something you could consider as well. As long as you love to drive, are personable, and don’t need health benefits, this could be a great option.
If Uber, Lyft or other rideshare companies ever add health benefits, it may be a much bigger draw for people wanting to pursue this full time.
To learn more about Uber and other driving opportunities see this article.
Affiliate Marketing/Blogging
Affiliate marketing and Blogging are great ways to make money on the side as well. It’s simple to get started – if you have a computer and an internet connection, you’re set! And it also offers a lot of flexibility in that you can work whenever it’s convenient for you.
Affiliate marketing is done by setting up a website and then promoting digital products (like ebooks, software etc) and physical products (like you see on Amazon, Ebay etc). When customers to your site buy a product, you get a commission. So the more people coming to your site, the better!
Blogging also requires a website as well and is more interactive with the user by encouraging dialogue or discussion about a topic or product you’ve written about. Comments you see below an article are part of a blog.
What you choose to write about is entirely up to you – most bloggers write about things that interest them since they have the most knowledge about things familiar to them and can talk more intelligibly about it.
You can earn money through your blog by having google Adsense ads somewhere in your content. Or you can link to sites like Amazon, Ebay, membership sites, and earn commissions if visitors to your site buy something from those vendors.
More information on affiliate marketing and blogging can be found here
Pet Sitting
If you love animals, this may be your thing! There isn’t a lot of overhead involved in this type of business, which makes it an appealing option for the animal lover.
A few examples of pet sitting include Dog walking, checking on Fido’s food and water, making sure they get exercise and attention, changing litter boxes, trips to the vet as needed, giving medications, outings to the dog park, to name a few. Of course each pet owner will instruct you on what’s important to them and their beloved pet!
To get established in this business, you’ll need to get the word out. Tell all your friends about this exciting new part time business you’re starting! And advertise wherever you can.
The services section on Craigslist offers FREE advertising and is great because it targets your local area. Also consider reaching out to local pet stores, animal shelters, letting them know about your business and they may let you post a business card in the store.
More information on setting up a pet sitting business can be found here.
Watching Videos
Yep you read that correctly! There are ways to get paid by watching videos on Netflix, Swagbucks, YouTube, Viggle, and more. And some of these businesses also pay you to take online surveys! Like other part time business options, this offers A LOT of flexibility. And since many of us enjoy watching TV after a long day of work anyway, why not get paid for it!
More on watching videos can be found here.
Work From Home
Many of the aforementioned ideas can be done at home. But there are a lot of companies looking to hire part time workers and offer flexible hours. Sales, telemarketing, taking surveys, medical transcription, and more can all be done from home. Job sites like Flexjobs, Indeed, and Glassdoor list dozens of ideas!
Type in “work from home” in the search bar and you’ll have plenty of options to sift through.
Freelancer
Whatever type of work you currently do, you may be able to earn some extra money by doing some online freelancing work to help pad your bank account. Sites like Upwork have a TON of different jobs you can do, like engineering, sales and marketing, writing, translation, customer service, legal, administrative, web design, and more. You can get paid by the hour or by the job, depending on your preference. Pretty cool stuff!
Other sites similar to Upwork are Freelancer, Truelancer, or Guru.
Mechanic
If you’re skilled at working on cars and trucks, this could be a great weekend gig. You can use your own garage if needed, or offer a mobile service and work at the customer’s home or business.
Free advertising is available by word of mouth and posting an ad in the Services area of Craigslist.
Sell Stuff On Ebay
Get rid of all that good old stuff sitting in your garage…I mean stop and think about the last time you’ve used that saw, canoe, golf clubs, tools etc. Why not make a few bucks from it! You can also buy some gently used items at garage sales and thrift stores and resell them on Ebay.
Think Outside The Box
There are MANY more ideas than the ones listed above…but I hope you can see the vast potential in finding a profitable part time gig! If you’re itching to get out of your full time job sooner than later, think of combining two or more part time jobs!
This is really your chance to try your hand at something you really like and make some money doing it. Whether it’s being a handyman, artist, computer programmer, therapist, plumber – there’s no limit to what you can do!
How To Market Your New Business
To market your business, you can use free advertising through word of mouth or Craigslist. You can also take out an ad in your local paper or online classifieds.
Another way of marketing yourself is by creating your own website – I’m quite serious here! You don’t need to know anything about building websites to build a beautiful one.
I know nearly NOTHING about building a website – I found a great website platform that sets it all up for me! Now THAT’S the way to do it for someone like me – all I have to do is add my content and the rest is taken care of. The site hosting I use is SiteRubix and they’ve given me great service for years!
Site Rubix works alongside Wealthy Affiliate which is an online training platform that teaches me how to grow my business – I love it and it’s THE reason I’m having success online. Read more about it here.
Final Thoughts
Thanks for visiting! I wish you the best of luck in finding your dream part time business. I hope the wheels in your brain are spinning now. I love researching different ways to make a living as a self employed person so I’m always thinking of new things…but I can’t possibly think of everything. If you have tried any of the above ideas or have other part time self employment options, please leave a comment. I’d love to hear about it.
