Got a bit of time on your hands and not enough income? Welcome to the side hustle.
A side hustle is a job or task you can do in your spare time or to make money from a hobby or past-time. Here are some ideas to get your motivation jumping.
Dog walker/pet-sitter
Like animals? Well, there is a vast market out there for you. Time-poor pet owners want to make sure their pets are well exercised and looked after.
Make up a flyer, and drop it into ‘walkable’ distances around your neighbourhood and you might be surprised how much interest there is.
If you are happy to dog-sit either at home or your client’s home, the range of services you can offer may make you even more appealing.
With a quick online search, we found dog walking rates are about $20-$30 an hour.
House-sitter
Many people want the personal touch when looking after their home and house-sitting is the answer.
You can either live in the property, or negotiate with the owners to regularly check or visit the property.
You can register with agencies, but quite often word of mouth will get you plenty of clients.
Get crafty
Do you have a creative hobby or craft skills? You probably have a skill that is no longer common. Sewing and woodwork come to mind, so why not make money out of it?
With the plethora of online selling sites, you don’t even have to leave the house.
If you want to get started, Etsy has plenty of tutorials and tips and the Australian equivalent, Madeit, also doles out plenty of advice.
If you prefer physical sites, this guide to selling at markets in Australia is your friend.
Walk the walk
Do you live in a historic area or buzzy suburb? Why not give walking tours?
With a little research, you will be amazed by what you find in your own area.
Sharing that wonder with others could be a great source of income.
Car rental
Got a car you don’t use much? Rent it out and make some money.
There are online agencies, but do your research. You may have to pay more in insurance and customers will want a clean, reliable car so maintenance costs should be included in your budget.
This is really only an option in urban areas with current demand.
Car park rental
If you have a car space sitting idle in a high traffic area such as near a train station or commercial district, you could be sitting on some passive income.
You can join an online platform, or advertise locally. If you live in an apartment block or block of units, check with the body corporate or strata scheme rules before proceeding.
Food for thought
If you like getting out and about a bit, why not sign up for a food delivery service?
You can choose your hours and most services ensure you only deliver to areas local to your preferences.
If you don’t want to sign up for one of the big-name services, check out if any local food providers are looking for delivery staff. If you don’t find anything straight away, don’t be deterred, these positions have high turnover so it could just be a matter of waiting.
Online selling
Do you have a vast store of ‘stuff’ weighing you down?
I’m certainly at the stage of life where I want to have less stuff, not more.
Why not try online selling? With little more than your phone, you could clear out your shed or spare room in no time.
And you might be surprised what sells. Vintage tools, rare porcelain patterns, vintage fabrics … they will all go.
Don’t be daunted about uploading them; these days all the online platforms make it almost idiot-proof. I should know, I’ve done it.
A good place to start is Facebook Marketplace, but a quick online search may reward you with a specialist collecting group that could be extremely keen on your dust collectors.
Childminding
You’ve probably done a few decades of this.
If you still feel up to it, why not make money out of that experience?
Hours can vary from a couple of hours a day from school pick-up to a full-time nanny, so the choice is yours.
Just be aware you will need at the very least a working with children check and probably a children’s first aid qualification.
Do you have one of these side hustles? Is it for love or money? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Work Bonus extended to the end of 2023
And don’t forget to inform Centrelink every cent you make so they can slash your pension payments accordingly. And the ATO in case you need to pay any tax remembering that all OAP payments are considered a taxable income by the ATO.
I think Jan forgot to mention those points.