I’m typing this with my left hand because I have an ice pack on my right hand. Side hustles are great. I have a few and I’ve tried many different ones. I have been so focused on my savings goals that I was really trying to step up my side hustle game. This put me in urgent care after a dog bite. Your safety and health are more important than saving money or paying off debt faster. Some people might not want to hear that but as I sit here typing like a snail because I can’t use my right hand, I am telling you your safety and health is more important.
I wanted to share with you some things to watch out for before choosing a side hustle.
- Watch Out for Strangers: Although I wasn’t dealing with people, in this case, I was dealing with dogs, I still didn’t know the behavior of the dog before. This wasn’t smart on my part and clearly was not worth the extra money. If you are unsure of what situation you are getting yourself into, the extra money is NOT worth it. I promise. Do not babysit or walk dogs for someone you haven’t previously met.
- Read Reviews: I know a lot of bad reviews are from angry ex-employees but some you have to seriously consider. If you are unsure about it, don’t do it. Find another side hustle
- Write Down the Risks: You might be so focused on money you don’t care about the risks, Even if it is “easy” money, if there is a risk of injury it might not be worth it
- Don’t Just Go for Easy Money: Sometimes the best side hustles take time to get started. Don’t just sign up for one because you can make $20 super fast. Sometimes the ones that are the easiest to get started have a lot of risks you need to consider.
There are obviously a TON of safe side hustle options but please make sure you put yourself first. Your safety and health are what is most important. Some side hustles that you can do at home are:
- Start a Blog: I have a post on some free blogging resources so make sure to check that out. You can create a blog for relatively cheap and there are multiple ways to monetize (affiliate marketing, ads, sell a product, etc.)
- Tutor Virtually: There are a ton of companies where you can tutor over Skype. You can even put up a Craigslist or ad in your community FB group if you want to do it yourself. I found a Chinese language tutor on Craigslist and we skyped once a week for about a year.
- Open an Etsy Shop: If you are super artistic or crafty, sell your products on Etsy. You can set your own hours and prices. Use your personal social media accounts to promote your items and you can even partner with local bloggers or influencers to get your name out there.
- Help Small Businesses with SEO & Social Media Marketing: I recently took a course by Bobby from Millennial Money Man on how to run a social media marketing business for local businesses. The course was extremely informative. I have been so busy with a secret project I haven’t been able to find clients yet but I definitely will start within the next few months. If you want to learn more about the course click here.
- Flip Items: I previously interviewed Rob who created Flea Market Flipper University and he offered some great tips for flipping items. Find items at your local flea market or thrift shops and sell them on FB or eBay.
You might think it was dumb of me to walk dogs I don’t personally know. I mean I am not going to sit here and say it was my smartest idea. I had successfully done it for a few weeks with no issues. I definitely won’t be doing it again. I am writing this for the person who might be considering any side hustle at this point just to pay down debt or save money. I was there too. You get tunnel vision and nothing else matters. You don’t even consider the risks because it won’t happen to you and you want the money. I want you to pick your side hustles wisely. Even if that means you have to pass on fast cash and take some time to find the right side hustle.
Like I said before, your safety and health are MUCH more important. Please remember this. You don’t want to spend your afternoon in urgent care. It’s not super fun. Especially if you have a fear of needles like me. If you need help picking a side hustle or you are considering certain companies and want to know my thoughts, send me an email (alli@financiallifocused.com). I would love to help and don’t want you to try something I wouldn’t recommend.
For more ways to make money, save money, and manage your money, check out my group coaching program, Flourish FinanciALLI
