Start the Side Hustle of Your Dreams

Many of us have dreams we wish to pursue, whether it’s developing an artistic talent or exploring our love of gardening. There are as many dreams as people but most of us don’t make a living off those passions, for any number of reasons. So, we often put our special interests on the back burner and end up wishing we had done more with them. 

Well, the good news is that you don’t have to land your ideal job in order to develop those interests. Instead, you can realize your dreams through a “side hustle” and even make money while doing so. Sounds pretty good, right? Keep reading to learn more about how you can turn your interests into extra income.

What is a side hustle?

In the most basic terms, a side hustle is work you do in addition to your regular job to make extra income. It can be anything from walking your neighbor’s dogs to selling art online to various forms of freelancing. The possibilities are endless, as long as you’re passionate and creative about how you can apply your talents. 

Do What You Love

Successful side hustles take time and resources. Which is why we recommend you explore something you already like or are interested in. Say, for example, you love history. Maybe you can write about history, tailor historical costumes, start a cooking blog or YouTube channel based on renewing old recipes, become a local tour guide for historic sites and more. Play to your strengths as well as your passions in order to find the ideal side job for you.

Start Small

When exploring a side hustle, try not to spend all your savings at once or quit your day job. Instead, start small and build up. Use existing tools and sites which are available to you, rather than reinventing the wheel. For instance, if you’re interested in selling your artwork, you don’t need to spend money on a website just yet. You can start by opening a Facebook or Instagram account especially dedicated to your art and using the messenger feature to interact with customers. Plus, go where there are already customers. If you see a lot of folks seeking dog walkers on Craigslist, post your ad for a dog-walker there.  

Charge What You’re Worth

We all have to build experience to be trusted in any field. But, as you get more time under your belt, don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. It can be hard to assign a monetary value to something we love. We do it because we’re passionate about it, not because of the money involved. But if you work on something, that labor has value. Every picture you took at your friend’s wedding deserves recognition for the skill and knowledge you put into it. Each button you sewed into that customer’s coat is the product of years of study and practice. Don’t short-change yourself or your services. Do plenty of research to evaluate what your products and services are worth and set your prices reasonably, of course, but never too low.

Prioritize Your Side Hustle

Be prepared to spend time on your side gig so that it can flourish. Consider committing a set number of hours a week, such as Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 pm to 9 pm. By carving out time, you give yourself the chance to devote energy to your passion and truly nurture it. While you’re at it, you can set important deadlines for yourself, such as “post ad to Craigslist” or “take pictures of artwork and post to Instagram”. Deadlines are crucial to focusing on your goals and growing your side hustle. 

Invest in Your Dreams With HeightsExploring your passions through side gigs can be exciting and fulfilling. And if it really starts to take off, you can always turn to Heights for a helping hand. Through a small personal loan we can help bolster your passion projects and provide you even more opportunities for you to grow. So, if you’re curious about getting some extra capital for your side hustle, stop by a friendly local branch today and see what we can do for you!