Ask the Readers: Do You Have a Side Gig?
Editor's Note: Congratulations to Donna D, Susan, and Dawn for winning this week's contest!
For a secure financial future, you need to have multiple streams of income. One way to make extra money is to take on side jobs in addition to your day job. This often means less time for yourself and your family, but extra income can be worth it.
Do you have a side gig? What is it? What kinds of challenges have you faced since you started doing extra work? Do you have any plans to turn your side gig into a full-time job?
Tell us whether you have a side gig and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards
We're doing three giveaways — here's how you can win!
Mandatory Entry:
- Post your answer in the comments below. One commenter will be randomly selected to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
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Giveaway Rules:
- Contest ends Monday, September 14th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Winners will be announced after September 14th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
- You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
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Good Luck!
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Starting to teach some classes on freezer and crockpot meals at our local library and technical school.
We also deliver yellow phone books as a family to pay for dance classes.
I like to sign up for research studies in my area to get paid for companies to hear my opinions on new ideas or products. It is always good to receive extra cash from time to time.
I do online surveys
My side gig is that I enter giveaways and win prizes!!
I wish I had a side gig! I do sell a lot of unused items around the house on eBay, but would love to have a legit side job.
I don't have a side gig.
Yes!
Freelance writing and editing
Blogging
Arts and crafts
Almost all of my side-job income goes right to the mortgage Soon I'll be able to quit my "real" job and go full time on the fun stuff.
I tutor math and physics for some side income. I'm lucky to have a flexible schedule as a graduate student, but also that means I don't make much to start off :).
It's a tough job because I get so invested in the students success but I can't be there on test day.
No side gig for me. I'm too tired after work. When I was younger I always had a little side job.
Would love to have a side gig but I haven't come up with an idea for one.
My side gig is babysitting and entering sweepstakes.
I have never had a side gig. I am fortunate to be able to volunteer and follow my passion rather than work for an extra paycheck.
I create pottery, both hand built and wheel thrown. Unfortunately, I don't have room in my home for a wheel and kiln so use our city community center for classes to use their equipment. I'd love to turn it into a full time job.
Online surveys and focus groups are an easy side gig.
Also, selling stuff on Craigslist and Ebay. It takes a little time and you have to know how to market things.
I do online surveys for a little extra money.
I don't. But I've been able to use Yerdle to rid our household of lots of superfluous stuff and shop for lots of goodies for cheap, in return.
No side gig, but put out a decent size garden which saves us money and we get to eat wonderful fresh food.
i stay at home, but i do clean a salon on the weekend. i've thought about doing it as a side job because i do enjoy cleaning, but have always hesitated because of other people's expectations of cleanliness.
My side gig is my online blogging and sweepstakeimg.
I do all the sidegigs I can get, usually data entry work. I'd love to work from home full time but need to gain more skills and sidegigs.
I do not have a side gig, have been considering making my hobby one though.
I sew children's items and sell them on Etsy, Amazon, and in children's boutiques around the US. Also, I teach sewing. I like my FT job, which is in finance, and I have no plans to leave it.
My blog Simply Save is my main side gig and time is my major challenge to making it a full time job, so no plans for that right now. Another side gig is pet sitting. I can control how many clients I take on at a given time, so it's flexible. When I lost my job last summer I did a lot of pet sitting for extra cash.
I don't have one, but I would love to have one. I just don't have time as a grad student right now.
I have a couple side jobs - one is selling on ebay the other is making bracelets and selling locally. Proceeds go to pay off student loan debt. Every little bit helps!
I think I'm going on about three side jobs now!! LOL! I sew, I coupon, I enter contests, I work as a social media manager...
Yes I babysit for dogs when their owners go away. In between I also walk dogs.
I have been able to go back to a grad school job putting together medical records for a law firm. It is not a job I will turn into more, but it is very flexible and potential for long-term extra money. Challenge is getting in hours with full-time work as well.
yes my sidegig is writing and editing for a professional magazine
I don't have a side a gig now.
I do not have a side gig
I sell used items from around the house, like textbooks and furniture. It can be time-consuming and people who might buy can be flaky, but it's a good way to make a little extra money off of things that are just sitting there collecting dust. And they get put to use by someone else. I've gotten the place pretty cleared out, so I will run out of inventory soon!
Yes, I enter sweepstakes.
I am a fan on facebook.
I do focus groups when I can and a few online surveys but i wish I had something better such as pet sitting.
Bookkeeper with jewelry on the side
I enjoy doing Photography as a part-time job. I don't have my own website yet but that is my goal. I would love to do it full time.
I don't have a side gig. I used to tutor kids in English but haven't done that in a couple years.
I do not have a side gig.
I do not have a side gig, but it sounds like a good idea. If only I could make the time...
I was dog sitting for friends/neighbors for about 3 years, but that ended when my last clients moved away recently. I'd like another dog sitting gig (actually, I'd prefer cat sitting), but currently, nothing's happening.
Do proofreading for people hoping to get published.
I don't but I wish I did I sure could use the money!
I don't but I wish I did I sure could use the money!
Yes - I enter contests & complete surveys!
I work with local Parks and Wildlife to help teach a class to teachers. We spend tons of time outside for 4 days teaching about how to use the outdoors as a classroom and I get to meet all sorts of people who have great ideas!
I don't have a side job but I think it's a very smart idea if you have the time and energy. I do try to save our family money - couponing, selling unused items, entering contests!
I find amazing good deals and resell them online and to friends. The extra money pays for our family fun adventures.
I do. I work 3 jobs actually :)
Job 1 - Full time in the Insurance field
Job 2 - Part Time assisting with Retail Sales for Home Décor
Job 3 - Performing IT for a school online.
I think working three jobs has not only taught me a lot about work-life balance, but it has helped my performance at each job increase dramatically. Since obtaining job #2, I've been promoted twice at job #1! My skills with public speaking and talking to people on a intrapersonal level were pretty sucky until I began working in sales again, part time. The IT position has really helped with my strategic thinking, overall. :) I just hope I won't have to work so many jobs forever! It was all in the process of being able to afford and finish school.
I don't have a side gig.
I don't have a side gig right now, but I"m looking for one. Especially with Christmas coming.
I do have a side gig. In addition to my full time job, I have a part time private practice as a marriage, family, therapist. I don't face too many challenges because I enjoy this work and keeps me tied to my purpose in life. I did do it full time and found the inconsistent income to be challenging financially. I feel fortunate to have this as a back up.
My current side gig is participating in research studies. They tend to pay really well. I am also getting ready to start teaching Zumba again, which will be a great side gig because I can make money doing something I enjoy. The challenges I face are keeping my side gigs private from others (i.e. my supervisor) who would try to sabotage my efforts of having additional income. I ABSOLUTELY have every intention to going private with my dance aerobics/acting and will quit my job. And then I’ll be free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty I’ll be free at last!
No I don't have a side gig. With 2 kids and a full time job I can't find the time.
I do not have a side gig.
No I don't, I work a lot of hours at my current job.
I offer mail services (I check, sort and forward as needed) for an online out of state business. I get $75 a month for it.
I'm an English student in graduate school, so for me it's a labor of love to be a tutor PLUS it pays so well! I almost (ALMOST) feel guilty for making money doing something I love and that is rewarding AND helps others. Plus the pay starts at $30/hr. Where else can I make that and make my own hours. Sweet.
No I don't have a side gig at the moment.
Teaching a couple of piano lessons while I'm in law school and working as a legal assistant.
I earn pocket change from online surveys, but would love to do something a little more formal and lucrative. I will add that passive dividend income is actually more lucrative than the surveys, but neither is enough to live off of. Back to the grind.
I own a rental property! It's a great source of extra income and the property is an investment.
I'm planning to do some tutoring once we move.
I sell books on-line to pay for my chemo expenses. I found an article on Wisebread that talked about doing that. Love it!
I do not have a second job, but worked two jobs for many many years to help make ends meet. I think the biggest challenge is time at home with family!
I don't have a side gig now, but need to find one!
I do surveys and sweepstakes on the side.
Not right now, but I'm working on it. I'd love to turn it into full-time, but the struggle is time - a full time job and a preschooler don't allow for much spare time.
No I don't have a side gig
I don't have a side gig; I appreciate my little bit of free time way too much.
I don't have a side gig