Financial independence and self-employment have become life goals for a lot of people lately. The disruption caused by the pandemic of 2020 was a wake-up call for many, and showed them how having only one income stream can leave them and their family vulnerable.
Side hustles are now commonplace, and many people are trying to find new ways to bring in a little extra, and even start their own small businesses full-time. Here are three simple side hustle ideas that could be a route to financial independence.
eCommerce For The Win
If you spend any time scrolling through social media you must have seen reels and advertising posts talking about selling products online. This is much more than a get-rich-quick scheme, it is a revolution in commerce. With the help of modern technology, third-party logistics services, and some hard work, anyone can become an eCommerce giant.
eCommerce sites buy products at wholesale prices and sell each individual product on their own website or through popular online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Most use a third-party logistics (3PL) service to warehouse and distribute their products, never having to pick up a box or mail products themselves.
Choosing the right 3PL for your eCommerce business is vitally important to provide consistent customer service and timely deliveries. Schulze Container Houston Carton (SCHC) is a Texas-based 3PL that is an expert in logistics. They warehouse and distribute products for a variety of businesses. They help eCommerce sites save money selling on Amazon too, offering better packaging rates.
Monetizing Your Skills
Everyone has more talents and skills than they realize, and many of them can be a way to make money. Speaking, reading, and writing a second language can be incredibly valuable; a lot of the work is online.
Being able to translate from English to Spanish is a common skill, and businesses across the world need documents, marketing, and product descriptions rewritten from one language to the other. Translating legal documents is always in demand. If you know two languages well, you can earn money online easily working for both municipal courts and legal firms.
Even having a good command of the English language can be enough to make a little extra online and start a small business. Freelance writing jobs are common on sites like LinkedIn and Upwork. This simple side hustle can quickly grow into a blog writing career.
From Side Gig To Small Business
There are small business opportunities in the physical world as well as online. Working a side gig around your existing job is a smart way to get started. You will have to sacrifice some free time, but this investment can pay dividends down the road.
Take gardening for example. You could start a landscaping service working around a 9-5 job and slowly build up a small business. When you are ready and the business is big enough you can go full-time and turn your side gig into self-employment.
These simple side hustle ideas all have enormous potential if you are willing to put the work in and commit to them. By investing some time and effort into a side hustle, you can create a new revenue stream to support you and your family.