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45% of people now have a side hustle. Here are some ideas for yours

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  • Writer's pictureThe CareerBeacon Team

Do you need a side hustle? It probably couldn’t hurt, particularly if you live in one of Canada’s more expensive areas.

According to a recent survey by Bankrate, nearly half of working people in North America (45%) report doing work outside of their primary job. Many people rely on these gigs to make ends meet, while others do it as a source of disposable income.

For many, it feels like no matter how hard we work, it’s still impossible to stay afloat.

“We have seen income stagnation for quite some time,” Alexandrea Ravenelle, a gig economy researcher and assistant professor at Mercy College, is quoted as saying. “And even though incomes are finally back to where they were before the Great Recession, there’s still a perception for a lot of people that their income is just not hitting their expenses. Even if incomes are going up, expenses seem to be going up even faster.”

Sound relatable? It does to me. Just know, for what it’s worth, that if you feel like you’re running to stand still on a daily basis, you’re not alone.

Anyway, it seems that millennials are generally more likely to have a side gig than older people and that younger adults rely on those gigs for a larger portion of their income. About 40 percent of millennials with a side gig say it’s the source of at least half of their monthly income.

“Between the ever-changing nature of jobs and the stagnant wages in much of the past decade, young people have turned to side hustles to generate needed income and utilize skills and talents that are in demand,” Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate chief financial analyst, is quoted as saying.

I know a lot of people are on the hunt for the perfect side hustle. So, here are some ideas. Note that you’ll either have to work for someone else or start your own business, which will require hustling — that’s why they call it a “side hustle.” You’ll need contacts, word of mouth, and probably a website and some social media accounts to get many of these off the ground.

16 side hustle ideas:

Uber or Lyft driver – Pretty obvious. Drive people around and get paid for it. Must have a driver’s license and be able to tolerate having people in your car. Some say Uber drivers average about $25/hr, while this Globe and Mail article pegs it closer to minimum wage.

Food delivery – Uber Eats, Foodora, etc. Better for those who are less fond of the idea of having people in their cars. Rates may be $20-$25/hr or less.

Airbnb – If you have a room in your house you can rent it out for good money. Again, you have to be able to stand the idea of strangers in your home. Airbnb earnings range drastically from nothing to thousands of dollars a month.

Dog walker – You can charge about $12 for a half-hour walk and $20 for an hour-long walk. If you walk several dogs a day, this can be pretty lucrative. Must love dogs, obviously.

Virtual assistant – Work from home doing whatever an assistant can do remotely. Rates range from about $12-$50/hr

Childcare – Looking after kids is fun and rewarding for the right type of personality. You can charge $18-$20/hr in the right market.

House cleaning – People always say house cleaning is unglamorous, or something like that, which is ridiculous. It’s a valuable service that can pay $25-$35/hr.

Decluttering – A more specialized service than cleaning, decluttering can be a great job for a very organized person. You can charge between $25-$80/hr.

Translation – English to French translation is always in demand (less so the other way around), and there is a market for translation in just about any language. You can charge about $1 a word.

Transcription – You can charge $1 per recorded minute of transcription working for yourself. Or there are services that take a cut but find the work for you.

Tutor – Depending on your level of education and experience, tutoring can pay anywhere from $12-$85/hr.

Music teacher – If you play an instrument or sing and can teach others to do the same, you can charge anywhere from $20/hr to hundreds, depending on your skill level.

Handyperson – People always need someone to help with stuff around the home. If you’re handy, you can charge $30-$75/hr for these services.

Landscaping/gardening – A skilled gardener can charge up to $80/hr while for stuff like mowing, raking, and weeding you can charge about $25.

Personal trainer – Got a passion for fitness and getting others into shape? Personal trainers can charge between $75-$150/hr.

Window and eaves cleaning – There are companies you can work for, but if you’ve got a bucket, a ladder, and a squeegee, you can start your own. Window cleaners alone might make minimum wage, but you can charge $200-$500 for these combined services on a whole house, depending on the size of the job.

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