Unhappy with your current cash flow situation?
Before you quit your job or spend years (and thousands of dollars) on credentials that might lead to greater earning power down the line, consider a less drastic alternative: starting a side business that produces real income without requiring you to quit your day job.
Once you’ve considered the considered the pros and cons of picking up a side gig and determined that this is in fact the right course of action for you, it’s time to settle on a business idea that fits your skills and schedule. These six are particularly attractive to part-time entrepreneurs with busy personal and professional lives.
- Consulting in Your Field (Sticking With What You Know)
Why mess up a good thing? If you’re not sick of your 9-to-5 job, consider applying the skills you use every day to an independent consulting business that doesn’t conflict with your current employer’s work. If you’ve signed a non-compete, this might be a no-go, though laws governing these contracts vary widely from state to state.
- Fundraising Distribution
If you love working from home and enjoy raising funds for worthy institutions and causes in your hometown, working as a fundraising distributor could be your ideal side gig. Many fundraising distributors work full-time, but there’s plenty of opportunity for part-timers as well.
According to ABC Fundraising, distributors can earn anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per month, depending on their natural selling ability and the amount of time they contribute. Part-timers are likely to earn toward the lower end of that range — but a few hundred extra bucks per month is nothing to sneeze at.
- Event Planning
If you’re organized and driven, event planning could be the side business for you. Start by helping your friends and one-degree-removed acquaintances plan complex events like weddings and family reunions, then hang out your digital shingle and cast a wider net for clients. You’ll probably do most of your work on weekends, so you won’t have to worry about conflicting with your day job.
- Landscaping and General Contracting
Why putter around in your own garden when you can make money digging up others’? Buy a secondhand pickup truck, rent some tools, and get to work beautifying your friends’ and neighbors properties. If you’re so inclined, this is an easy business to scale — lots of high school and college kids need the work.
- Private Meal Preparation and Catering
Know your way around the kitchen? Advertise your services as a private chef or caterer. Well-heeled clients are willing to pay top dollar for exceptional home-cooked meals that accommodate their dietary needs.
- Photography
If you’ve got an above-average eye for a great frame, consider contracting with wedding parties, private companies, and public institutions for one-off photography projects or retained work. Plenty of digital and legacy publications need freelance photographers too.
Side Gigs for All
Don’t see a side business idea that appeals to you here? No problem. There are plenty of alternatives. Depending on your preferences and talents, there’s a good chance you’ve already thought of a few.
Here’s to a more lucrative year ahead. You deserve it.
