If you have been feeling the pinch from the cost of living crisis then you are not alone. There is a huge percentage of people who are struggling to pay their bills. If this is you then you may be looking for other ways to pay your bills. If you are looking for side hustles to help you earn some extra cash then take a look below for some ideas and inspiration.
Childcare
If you have a background in looking after children then you can make some extra cash offering your services to families who need childcare. There are plenty of families who will be looking for competent, qualified people to look after their children. This can be while they are working or going out on a date night. There are websites you can use to list your services so that parents can find you. Here you can say what your experience is and how much you charge per hour or session.
Tutoring
You may feel that looking after children isn’t for you but if you enjoy working with them then how about you offer to tutor? Tutoring can usually be done with children from the ages of around four to 16. If you have any experience or teaching experience with these ages then you can earn money from tutoring. Tutoring differs from usual childcare or babysitting as carers and parents usually want someone who is experienced in this field. Check out some of the various websites and companies that are hiring tutors.
Pet Sitting
If you love animals and have had experience with many different ones then you could offer your services as a pet sitter. There are people who are reluctant to leave their beloved pets in kennels or boarding places. They would much rather their animals be looked after in their own environment. This is where you come in, you usually have the choice of staying in the pet's house or popping in and out when they need feeding or walking. You might need certain experience and qualifications for you to get a steady list of clients. There are websites where you can list your availability for people looking for pet sitting. Alternatively, you can also list your services on your social media pages for friends and family that need care.
House Sitting
Similarly to pet sitting, you could also help out people with house sitting. House sitting is a little bit more serious than looking after someone’s pet. With house sitting, you will usually be situated in the house while the occupants are away. This means you will be using everything in the house and treating it as your own while you are looking after it. If you have no other responsibilities then this could be the perfect opportunity to earn some extra cash.
People often go away and leave their homes unoccupied but this is becoming more and more risky. If they hire someone to watch their home then there is less chance of something like a break-in happening. You will need to be a trustworthy and kind person in order to get a list of clients for house-sitting jobs. Try and gain references that you can show potential clients when you meet them.
Blogging
One way to make a bit of extra money on the side is through blogging. There are many subjects that you can blog about, it is all about finding your niche in the blogging world. If you are not sure where to start but know it is something you want to do then you can look up some blogging tips online. This will give you lots of advice on how you can create an award-winning blog with a huge following. The key to blogging is to find the things that people can connect with and want to read about. This could be anything from coping with medical conditions to cooking with the family. There is a lot of money that can be made through blogging, you can work with companies to promote their brands for instance.
Freelancing
There is something else that you can do in your spare time that will earn you some extra money and that is freelancing. You may be wondering what this is and how you can get into it. This is a very niche field and you will more than likely need a specialist subject to make money. For example, if you are great with numbers then you could look into becoming a freelance accountant. You can advertise your services on various freelancing websites, here you can list the hours you work as well as your hourly fee.
Paid Surveys
Something that pays very little but can build up if you leave it alone is paid surveys. You will only get a tiny amount per survey but it is all worth it in the end. There are a few sites you can join to take part in these surveys. Some sites will pay more than others so it is worth doing your research. For example, there are tv surveys where you get paid a bit more for watching something and giving your honest opinion on what you watched.
DIY Jobs
Finally, if you are a dab hand at all things DIY then how about you become a local handyperson in your spare time? You may be thinking about ways to make some money alongside your current job. If you have experience with flat-pack furniture or painting walls then local people will want to hear from you. You can advertise your services as a handyperson pretty much anywhere. This could be on your social media pages or even in the local shop window. If people struggle with DIY-related tasks then they will more than likely want to hire someone to take the stress out of doing it themselves.
We hope you found this article helpful and that it gave you some ideas on how you can earn some extra money on the side. This can be used for whatever you want, it could be your bills or a nice little vacation with the family.
