I’ve recently noticed an excess of articles (usually including the word “millennial”) depicting a recent uptrend in the amount of people (again, mostly “millennials”) participating in a variety of side jobs, either in addition to or instead of a “real” job. 

As a person who has been doing this for years, the recent fascination with having more than one source of income is hilarious to me, especially since comments on the aforementioned articles always seem to correlate the “side gig economy” with an example of millennial laziness.

Eye roll.

For those of you who don’t know, a “side hustle” is just any job that gets you a little extra spending money in addition to (or instead of) a steady, hourly job. 

As someone who has at one point had three side hustles in addition to two part-time jobs, I can tell you that the benefits are boundless and the cons are virtually non-existent. 

If you don’t have a side hustle, you should definitely think about getting one.

To help you figure out whether side hustling is the right choice for you (hint: it probably is), here is everything you need to know about this noble (non-) profession.

Table of Contents

What makes a good side job?

A good side job is typically one that allows you to express your creative side; does not consist of a set, hourly schedule; and essentially lets you be your own boss. 

It should also be something that you can do in addition your regular gig, and doesn’t cause you undue stress. 

Just think about things that you like to do normally, and figure out which ones can be monetized. Here are just a few examples:

• Opening an Etsy shop for something you like to craft
• Tutoring in a subject you know
• Freelance writing or blogging
• Paid performance work (like singing at weddings or paid acting)

What are the benefits? 

Side jobs are great because YOU get to pick what interests you, YOU get to set your own hours and workload, and YOU get make some easy extra money while rounding out and building up your resume’.