Sept. 13, 2022 "The best side hustles for earning extra money with little time": Today I found this article by Hannah Logan on the Financial Post:
Many of us would love to add to our income, whether it is through
a raise at work,
passive income
or a “side hustle.”
A coveted source of passive income is a rental property but that’s not an easily attainable option for many Canadians.
As the cost of living has increased, more people are looking into second jobs or side hustles that will allow them to earn some extra income without taking over their lives.
So, for those who don’t have an extra investment property lying around or thousands of social media followers, here are five flexible and realistic ways to boost your income without draining all of your spare time.
Teaching English online
Estimated pay: $18-$28 per hour
If you have teaching qualifications and experience, one of the best ways to earn some extra cash is to teach English online. There are a number of websites that will allow you to do this, but one of the most established and popular ones is VIPKID.
VIPKID requires a four-year degree and two years of experience, along with being authorized to work in the U.S. or Canada.
The biggest draw to teaching English online is the flexibility. You can create your own schedule working when you want and as much as you want.
With VIPKID, there is also no minimum hour commitment.
Plus, the classes are only 25 minutes long.
Another advantage is that you don’t have to do any lesson planning, the company has that all taken care of and you just need to follow the curriculum.
The downside of teaching English online is that it can be incredibly competitive. You also have to sign a contract (for VIPKID it’s six months).
VIPKID’s contract does not guarantee a full schedule and does not impose requirements for how many classes you must teach.
The contract also includes stipulations for base-pay and details such as the fees for cancelling classes at the last minute, or not showing up at all.
Also keep in mind the peak teaching hours can be quite early in the morning or late at night as many of the students are in China.
Selling digital products
Estimated pay: Unlimited
If you are looking to make passive income then consider selling digital products. The possibilities here are endless.
Digital products can be anything and everything from
digital artwork
to travel itinerary planners, calendars
to place settings for weddings,
ebooks
to photo editing pre-sets etc.
If you are creative or knowledgeable you can easily come up with a product to sell digitally on a platform like Etsy.
The big advantage to this type of work is that you just have to create the product once and then you can sell it over and over again to your buyers.
Since these are online sales for digital products, you don’t physically have to do the work to sell or ship the item.
Everything is set up to go automatically, which means this type of work is considered to be passive income.
However, the downside is that you need to put in the work to make sure that your product is seen and stands out from the competition, which means dabbling in marketing and advertising.
Not only can this be time-consuming, but it also means it can take time before your products start to sell.
Those who are successful have the potential to make thousands of dollars per day. However, that’s not the reality for most people. That being said, if you have a good product(s) that targets a specific niche, you can make a few hundred or even a couple thousand dollars per month by selling digital products.
Virtual assistant
Estimated Pay: $20/hour
If you enjoy social media and online work then you can offer services as a virtual assistant (VA).
Many bloggers, influencers, and even local companies need some help with everyday online work.
This can include scheduling and posting to social media, responding to emails or doing research for upcoming projects or articles.
VA roles are generally pretty flexible with the schedule, which makes it an easy job to do after hours and from the comfort of your home.
Depending on who is hiring, they might offer anywhere from five hours a week to 20, which means you have a good chance of finding work to fit your schedule and needs.
Freelance writing
Estimated Pay: $30/hour
Another option to supplement your income in a work-from-home environment is to try your hand at freelance writing. While print journalism isn’t as common anymore, there are plenty of online outlets looking for writers and contributors on a variety of topics.
Pay can vary drastically depending on the
type of writing you are doing,
the subject,
and the client.
New writers can make as little as $0.01 per word while more established writers in a niche market can earn $1 per word
Since the work is freelance, it’s up to you to decide how much work you want to take on. You are also able to work around your schedule.
The trickiest part of being a freelance writer is finding clients. Pitching can be time-consuming and not always lucrative, especially if you are new to this type of work.
In this case, you can look to websites such as UpWork where you can browse through potential projects and clients and pitch there. The advantage of this kind of platform is that it’s easier to find clients.
The downside is that these tend to be low-paying clients and the platform also takes a cut of your payments.
Freelance photographer
Estimated pay: $25/hour
Having an online presence is a huge part of today’s reality, personally and professionally, meaning that photographers are more sought after than ever. There is demand for the usual suspects, like weddings and headshots, but also for small businesses looking to photograph products, or families looking for someone to capture their vacation memories.
While having an established presence is always helpful, there are a number of websites where you can advertise your services so potential clients can easily find you, such as Airbnb Experiences.
This type of work can be fun, flexible, and lucrative but depending on demand, it may not be as consistent as the other side hustle options on this list.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
What are the best side hustles for earning extra | Financial Post
Nov. 4, 2022 "How a little hustling on the side can help solve your budget woes as rates and inflation rise": Today I found this article by Sandra Fry on the Financial Post:
Rather than perpetuating the doom and gloom in the news about rising interest rates and inflation, it might be more useful to discuss solutions.
After all, we don’t have any control over the increased costs and there’s only so many things we can cut out of our budgets, so a better tactic would be to start thinking about how to increase our income.
Before we get ahead of ourselves and start worrying about where you’re going to get the time to work another job, let’s start with the one you already have. Maybe you’re overdue for a raise or deserving of one.
It never hurts to ask. It’s also good to see if your company offers the opportunity for overtime.
This is a great way to earn some extra money to help offset some of those rising costs or even plump up your savings.
If increasing your income with your current employer is not an option,
start brainstorming about what interests or talents you have that can be turned into a side hustle —
anything that provides an additional source of income outside your primary job.
This can vary from starting a side business to finding a part-time job. Before you hit the want ads, though, you will want to give some thought to
how much time you’re willing to commit to working your side hustle.
You also want to make sure it won’t conflict with your current job.
Now think about ways to monetize your interests, skills and talents.
Perhaps you love animals and enjoy going for walks.
Why not combine the two and start a dog-walking service?
If you work from home and have the room, consider offering doggy daycare for those pet owners who have had to return to the office.
Maybe you have a skill you can teach others?
One option is teaching English online.
Or maybe you have other talents that can be taught via workshops from home or online.
For example, a lot of fitness and other classes went online during the pandemic and are still very popular.
If you know how to do hair and makeup, but don’t have the time to work that kind of job part time, consider providing how-to classes/videos online.
Do you have a vehicle?
A great way to help offset some of the car-related costs is to use your vehicle for a side hustle.
Whether it’s for deliveries or Ubering, make sure you track the mileage and expenses you incur so you can claim them against income at tax time.
You can also offer your vehicle for advertising, which is a great way to earn extra money without additional wear and tear on your car.
What about all those crafts you’ve made over the years?
Christmas is a good time to get a booth at a local craft show and sell your creations.
If you like to bake, homemade goodies are popular at craft shows, too.
If your talents are more technical, consider offering IT support or computer help for the elderly or technologically uninclined.
If you’re really organized or a great planner, you can hire yourself out to help declutter a home or plan an event.
Do you own a home and have a spare room? Renting out a room for a student or short-term vacation rental can bring in some extra cash. I often recommend this for the seniors I counsel who are financially struggling on a fixed income but who want to continue living in their homes.
If you have a garage or parking spot in a desired part of town, you can earn extra income without inviting a stranger into your home.
Or maybe you have a vacation property or RV you can rent out when not in use.
Of course, if you’re short on time, you can get paid to do things you’re already doing, such as grocery shopping or meal prepping.
It doesn’t take much longer to cook a larger batch or pick up more items if you’re already at the supermarket.
Expertise in areas such as painting and sewing can also be marketed. One of my kids has a side hustle where he paints apartments for rental units in between tenants. It’s proven to be a very lucrative way to make some extra cash.
The only limitation to the things you can do for a side hustle is your imagination.
Do a little market research to see if your idea can be profitable.
Check into municipal business licence and insurance requirements.
Then be sure to put any money you earn from your side gig into a separate bank account. You will need to declare it at income tax time as well as deduct any expenses from it in a clear way.
Above all, make sure that earning extra money is not harming your physical and mental health.
It’s counterproductive if you burn yourself out and end up not even being able to work your main job.
Sandra Fry is a Winnipeg-based credit counsellor at Credit Counselling Society, a non-profit organization that has helped Canadians manage debt for more than 25 years.
A side hustle can help solve your budget woes as rates, inflation rise | Financial Post
In the mid 60's almost all households were single income....and they were able to manage home ownership, children, a car or two etc and maintained a debt to income (single income recall) of 55%
By this point almost all households are dual income, 34% of 'homes' are 700 sqft boxes in the sky and families need to maintain a income to debt ratio of over 181%. Translation: the average household needs to work twice as many hours and carry 3X as much debt to live the same lifestyle.
Going forward....not only will you and your partner need to work full time jobs.....but also a 'side hustle' (aka part time job on the side) to maintain the same standard a week. Translation: the average household will need to work 4 times as many hours and carry EVEN MORE debt to maintain the same life style.
The trend line seems pretty clear. What happens next? Is the government going to start promoting polygamy in order to cram more income earners into the same household......?
When i was young i always had some kind of side hustle going on to make some extra cash.........the jobs made saving for a down payment easier and i had a little spending money to boot!!! Nothing wrong with working a side hustle to get ahead but if you have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet then that,s another thing indeed.
Why is everything a "hustle" these days?
Until about two years ago, having a secondary source of income wasn't referred to as a "side hustle".
Is the media trying to wink and nudge people into engaging in coercive behaviour or outright swindling?
This week's theme is about side hustles:
"Millennial Money: 5 steps to level up your side hustle"/ "Reaching financial success through a side hustle"
Tracy's blog: "Millennial Money: 5 steps to level up your side hustle"/ "Reaching financial success through a side hustle" (badcb.blogspot.com)
"Pandemic spurs entrepreneurial boom in Canada: Poll"/ "Canadians seeking side hustles amid cooling jobs market: Nextdoor CEO"
My week:
"Hard-working B.C. toddler captivates millions on TikTok | The Moment": Tamara Pelletier has a 2 yr old son who carries these plastic water jugs to and from the truck.
- 18 hours ago
- News
- 1:08
Hard-working B.C. toddler Thomas Pethick is captivating millions of viewers on TikTok — all while helping his family's bottled water company.
Hard-working B.C. toddler captivates millions on TikTok | The Moment | CBC.ca
Feb. 19, 2023 "Richard Belzer, 'Law & Order: SVU' Star, Dead at 78": I used to watch Law and Order: SVU. He lived a long life with a long and successful career as an actor:
Richard Belzer, Law & Order: SVU Star, Dead at 78 (people.com)
The Company You Keep: I saw the pilot to this on CTV. This is a solid TV show. I like the action and romance. I will record the series and watch this all in a week:
"It tells the story of con-man Charlie and undercover CIA officer Emma. A night of passion ignites love between the pair, who are on a collision course professionally."
The Company You Keep (TV Series 2023– ) - IMDb
"'I was blown away': Teacher's viral video on student lunch debt prompts $30K in donations": Today I found this article by Ashley R. Williams on Yahoo:
Students can’t learn if they’re hungry, a Utah middle-school teacher shared in a now-viral TikTok clip.
Garrett Jones’ six-second video quickly sparked a wave of generosity that would pay off thousands of dollars worth of student lunch debt.
“School lunch should be free,” wrote Jones, a five-year educator of Heber City’s Rocky Mountain Middle School, in the viral clip’s caption.
The seventh- and eighth-grade teacher posted the video as a twist on a social media trend that involved people requesting small donations toward personal trips, weddings or dream cars, KSL News reported.
When Jones, a father of two, decided to use the trend for a charitable cause two weeks ago, he had no clue the video would help raise over $30,000.
“I was blown away," Jones told USA TODAY. "I was literally expecting, best-case scenario, maybe we'd get a couple hundred bucks."
The funds will go toward canceling outstanding lunch fees in the Wasatch County School District, according to Jones.
Taking lunch debt off students' plates
Students in Jones’ school district were among the 50 million who received free lunches for two years through the federal program that covered the costs during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think for middle schoolers, probably the only thing worse than being hungry is being embarrassed,” Jones said. “Being at the front of the line and hearing they have a balance is likely enough to dissuade some of them from even eating at all.”
Aware that some students go as far as skipping lunch to avoid embarrassment, he posted a TikTok video stating he could pay the outstanding lunch fees of each student at his school if 2,673 people each sent him $1 via Venmo.
Feb. 20, 2023 "Stunning 'AGT' aerialist Aidan Bryant makes Simon Cowell swear on national television: 'I am literally searching for words right now'": Today I found this article by Lyndsey Parker on Yahoo. I don't watch talent shows, but I do read about this here and there:
Part one of the America’s Got Talent: All-Stars finals took place Monday, and among the 11 acts was a contestant seeking “redemption,” one that many viewers believe should have won two years ago: Season 16 runner-up aerialist Aidan Bryant.
Back in 2021, Bryant, a small-town teen who taught himself Cirque du Soleil-level stunts by studying YouTube and swinging from sheets tied to trees in his backyard, appeared to have the best shot at winning that year’s $1 million prize and Las Vegas residency. But after the closest finale vote in AGT history, the championship instead shockingly went to underdog magician Dustin Tavella. Fans were disappointed, but not nearly as disappointed as Bryant himself.
Bryant, who was 16 years old when he first competed, admitted earlier this All-Stars season that when it came down to him and Tavella on the Season 16 finale and he heard the studio audience overwhelmingly “screaming my name,” he thought to himself, “Oh, I’ve got this” — and he was then “crushed” when he lost. Judge Simon Cowell also recalled the young acrobat being “in pieces” after his defeat, telling Bryant, “I’ve never seen anyone look so gutted in my life. And I remember going up to you after and saying, ‘I promise you, this is not the end.’”
Bryant could very well make it to the winner’s circle this time, but his biggest competition going into next week’s All-Stars grand finale will be blind and autistic musical savant Kodi Lee, the winner of AGT Season 14. Lee became an instant sensation four years ago with his Golden Buzzer audition of Leon Russell’s “A Song for You,” which became the U.S. series’ most viral moment of all time, with more 430 million online views; he’s since headlined in Vegas and amassed an even more devoted following. This week, Lee delivered a stark, haunting, and all-around exquisite rendition of David Bowie’s “Heroes” that had Cowell gushing, “That was just stunning — honestly, stunning. And I mean, boy, that lyric took on a whole new meaning for us just then. … Every time you perform, there’s just silence. Everyone’s focused, and they’re listening to every word.”
My opinion: Aiden Bryant's aerialist act was very difficult and dangerous. Even if he doesn't win this show, he can still get hired to perform in Las Vegas.
Kodi Lee sounded very good.
Tyler's birthday party: I went there last night. I first took 2 buses to get to my friend Cham's place. I got to her place early, so I went shopping at Shoppers Drug Mart for a bit.
Then I walked to her place, and she drove us to Save on Foods. She bought a small strawberry shortcake.
Then she drove us to Tyler's house. It's a big house. Kumar was there first. Then Cham and I. Then Ayfer brought pizza from Costco. Abbas and Henry came and brought beer and chicken to be cooked in the oven.
Shiya came with her bread, turkey slices, and mayonnaise. Anne came and brought breaded chicken from Costco. I brought all these ketchup, hot sauce, and plum sauce packets.
Tyler baked some egg rolls and corn dogs.
I was there from 7pm- 10:20 pm. I first called home to see if my dad could pick me up, but he wasn't home. I called a taxi from Co-op and it took 5 min. to get here. It costs $24.90 for like a 15-20 min. ride. I tipped him.
