It’s 2023 and gig culture is here to stay
As a millennial, I feel like growing up I always had a side hustle. First it was (and I kid you not) a ride service I offered the neighborhood kids where I would take them around the block in my fathers wheelbarrow for 5 cents. I earned maybe 10 cents in total that day but that was my first glimpse into entrepreneurship and I was intrigued.
Then when I was around 11 or 12 I had a lemonade stand at the end of my driveway during a neighborhood garage sale. It was at this age when I began to understand the economics (and importance) of supply and demand, when I made a killing that first week but when I tried to do it again the following week I only made 5 dollars (and it was from my own dad). Then at 14 I started a pretty lucrative side hustle for the time, babysitting. I say side hustle because school was my first job as an adolescent, even though I got paid in knowledge instead of cash.
In college I made and sold custom bracelets and shirts for football games. I also orchestrated the best parties where I would charge 5 dollars per red solo cup to enter (sorry mom). I was lifeguarding in the morning at the YMCA, going to class during the day and making $300+ in cash with my frat party circuit at night. That lemonade stand really started something.
I’ve always loved doing a bunch of different gigs to earn cash and when Uber became a thing, I jumped on it. I was working minimum wage office job at a school when I started to Uber on the side. I really loved the extra cash it allotted me but didn’t always love the people I had to drive around. I then tried Doordash so I could deliver food instead of people. I really liked it and still do it on occasion today.
The biggest side gig that became a full time gig for me was Rover. I started using it to walk and watch dogs as I am a huge fan of animals. It didn’t feel like work to get to hang out with an awesome pup, get exercise and get paid at the same time. I did it for 14 months before I started my own pet sitting service. I’m still through referral only but it has grown enough to allow me to quit my toxic AF job at school and start down that path of being my own boss that I fell in love with years earlier.
I found this great graph and I hope it inspires you. 150 different side gigs to earn money. These work! Find what works for you, I am proof! Do you love to write? Here you can see 14 different apps for proofreading and writing gigs. Maybe you are super smart in math or a language. You can find a bunch of different tutor apps on here as well. Selling stuff, investing, babysitting and my personal favorite pet care. See what you think you would like best and try it out. It may become your new favorite way to make money.
