<![CDATA[FI TRAVELGUY - Side Hustles]]>Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:26:51 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[How I Made An Extra $580 A Month In 2019]]>Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/side-hustles/how-i-made-an-extra-580-a-month-in-2019Could you use an extra $7,000 a year?

I know I can, and that's how much I made in 2019 doing my favorite side hustle. I was also gone for a month during the summer.

I started trying to find creative ways to make money at a young age whether that was collecting cans at construction sites, selling packs of basketball cards I made at garage sales, or just helping my dad lay tile. I've continued side hustlin'  through my life and in 2018 I doubled my income and made even more money in 2019. But of all the things I do this one is my favorite! 
As with most things you truly care about it is hard to pick a favorite and real estate investing gave this side hustle a good run for it's money. But, it's just so easy for the money I make!

Okay, drum roll please...

The winner of my favorite side hustle goes to..

USER TESTING!

When it comes to making easy money to me it gets no better than this. If you know of a better way please let me know!

I have tried numerous different testing sites and this is the one I've had the best success with and tell everyone about it!
How It Works
You'll have a window open on your computer, the site will ding anytime there is a test available, and you just take the screener to see if you qualify. It’s that simple. Because of all the things I do, I feel I qualify for a good amount of them.

 
If you qualify for a test you'll work through tasks on a website, prototype, or complete a live conversation. A test can range from a couple minutes to 20 minutes. From my experience tests typically last from 10 to 15 minutes and have done them for companies like Home Depot, Geico, and Verizon.

They also have options to participate in live conversation which can either be 30 or 60 minutes. You'll choose the time you want from options they have listed and simple walk through a new prototype or discuss your experience on their site.

I keep a window open throughout the day, whether at work or home, and like a true test subject when I hear the ding I come running!


 How Do I Get Paid
For each test you complete they'll pay you $10 or if its a longer one they may pay you $20. If you complete a live 30 minute conversation you'll get $30 and a 60 minute test pays $60.

In 2018 I made $5960 ($496 a month or $115 a week)
In 2019 I made $6995 ($582 a month or $135 a week)

Here is a month by month break down if you are interested:
January- $690
February - $550
March - $590
April - $490
May - $710 (I was also in Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel for a week. 
June - $430
July - $120 (I was in Asia from June 24th until July 24th)
August - $790 (I had four 60 minute convos and two 30 minute)
September - $530 (Three 60 minute convos and two 30 minute)
October - $915 (Two 60 minute convos, three 30 minute, and one extra money test for $15)
November - $710 (Three 60 minute convos and four 30 minute with and extra $100 test)
December - $470 (One 60 minute convo and three 30 minute ones)
Words of Advice
I started testing in 2016 and this is a great resource to earn extra money. From my experience they are becoming more strict on their rules so make sure you follow them! If you take a test you don't qualify for they will typically give you a one star rating and give you a warning. If you do it again you are kicked off the panel.

I had the thought, 'If I make so much off one account what if I did two?!' They eventually caught me and I was kicked off.  I used to be able to get back on the panel by doing the application tests on a different computer and completing the tests from my personal one. They have now figured that out and I got caught. I lost $180 this way as they void all payments, womp womp. 

If you are kicked off the panel the only way to get back on is to use a totally new computer. This is a great resource but I recommend you don't push your luck on trying to get extra money as you'll lose out on a great opportunity!

Summary
It really is that simple. You just have this page open, take a screener, if you qualify take the test and talk about the color schemes, layout, usability and get paid for it. I continue to try to get everyone in my life to do it because you can make good money doing something so easy. Just make sure you follow the rules!

If you want to see a complete list of side hustles you can see that here, which side hustles I think are best, how I doubled my income in 2018, or how I made even more in 2019. 
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<![CDATA[Side Hustle Income Report 2019]]>Mon, 13 Jan 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/side-hustles/side-hustle-income-recap-2019In 2018 I made $60,949.62 through side hustles which almost exactly doubled my income, let's see how I did in 2019!
If you are wanting to start your own side hustles I have an ultimate list here or to see which ones are the best for 2020 click here.
My Side Hustles
 
Side Hustle 1 – Real Estate Investing
Total Gross Income 2018: $37,508.83
Total Gross Income 2019: $50,615.9 
 
I moved out of my house hack in the quadruplex but still work as the landlord. ​It is really hit and miss on how time consuming it is. Turning over a unit is definitely the craziest part, especially when your tenant leaves in the middle of a lease.

What changed: My real estate income looks a lot better this year because there were a couple months where it was fully rented out which helps. I also got a full year of income from my out of state property with no vacancy.

Side tangent - Although I miss the free rent from my house hack I'm loving the space I now have living in deal 3. But what's cool is the rent I get from the unit I moved out of is $25 less than my portion of the mortgage payment.  could still basically be living for free if I wanted! 

Keep in mind, this is my GROSS (total) income not my NET (after expenses) income. My net income was less impressive and was a loss if you include mortgage payments and a lot of expenses. The high repairs are intentional as I want to increase expenses to reduce my taxable income while forcing appreciation, creating equity, and reducing future maintenance costs.  But, as with all things consult your tax guy! 

 
Side Hustle 2 - Healthcare Contracting
Total Gross Income 2018: $17,480.79 
Total Gross Income 2019: ​$5,145

This side hustle took the biggest drop in money earned. My work in the schools allows for a flexible schedule and I used my weekends, holidays, and/or over my breaks (you know, those spring, summer, and winter breaks I get) to work with a healthcare contracting company as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) in nearby hospitals, rehab centers, and skilled nursing facilities. I typically put this money toward real estate.
 
What changed: In 2018 I didn't do a big trip during the summer since I went to Australia and New Zealand that spring. In 2019 I worked a bit in the beginning of the year and start of summer before I went to Asia for a month. When I got back I never heard from the recruiter again and I never reached out either. I was kind of over it honestly.

Side Hustle 3 – Website Testing
Total Gross Income 2018: $5960
Total Gross Income 2019: $6995

This is my all time favorite side hustle. I have tried numerous different testing sites and the one I have had the best success with is Usertesting. I tell everyone about this!
 
The way it works is you have a window open on your computer, the site will ding anytime there is a test available, and you just take the screener to see if you qualify. It’s that simple. Because of all the things I do, I feel I qualify for a good amount of them.

This is another simple trade of my free time for money but is less restrictive. I use this money to help with life expenses such as concerts, travel, or new car tires. You can see my budget here to see why I may need help with getting “fun money”.

Side Hustle 4 This Blog
Total Gross Income 2019: $0

I didn't have this blog in 2018 and is one of the reasons I also contracted less this year, besides the travel of course. I see this as a better option long term and is something I actually enjoy. It does require A LOT OF WORK, way more than I thought, but it's something I genuinely like. I'm going to really try to monetize it in 2020. 

Summary:
If you don't have your calculators handy I'll show you the math.

Total in 2018: $60,949.62
Total in 2019: $62,755.90

This year I contracted less, traveled more, and still had more income. That couldn't have been possible without my rental units working like little oil fields to make me money! I'm hoping my 2020 side hustle income will increase also since the  quadruplex should be rented out more full time and hopefully continue to get good income from the property out of state. I'll continue to test website and hopefully monetize this blog. 

If you are looking for an ultimate list of side hustles you can see those here.
For which ones I think are the best for 2020 click here.
To see how I doubled my income in 2018 go here
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<![CDATA[Best Side Hustles For 2020!]]>Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/side-hustles/best-side-hustles-for-2020
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The end of 2019 is almost here so it's time to start looking ahead to 2020. If you've been thinking about starting a side hustle I have a massive list here to get your mind thinking but also wanted to narrow it down to what I think are the best!

Everything on this list you can start right away or after a quick online course
I italicized the ones I used to double my income in 2018 and will be close to doing the same in 2019!
What Is A Side Hustle?

A side hustle is anything you do to make extra money outside of your full time job.

You can do anything – mow lawns, walk dogs, babysit, drive people, teach yoga, sell on etsy, flip items on eBay, or a millennium other things.

Picking A Side Hustle?

When it comes to picking a side hustle there will be three things you’ll need to considerFirst, what is the goal for your side hustling? Are you trying to get a little extra spending money? Create passive income? Are you saving for a big one-time purchase? Second, you’ll need to look at whether you want to use skills you already have or if you are willing to learn a new one. Will you drive for Uber or are you going to learn something new, like coding? Lastly, you’ll need to decide how dedicated you are and how much time you are willing to spend.

After you have a few side hustle ideas just get started. Don’t overthink it. You’ll figure it out as you go. Remember, you aren’t stuck with any of your ideas, you can always test something and move on if it doesn’t work.

Improving Your Side Hustle

Side hustling is a simple trade of your free time for money.

I view this as an opportunity, not a sacrifice, to be able to create more money to invest and save now, which will change my life later on.

But if you want to increase your earning potential, permanently and exponentially, at some point you need to stop trading your time for money.

You need to think bigger.

I encourage anyone who is interested in side hustling to try and look at your side hustling as a business – and then build that business.
Trading Time For Money
Maybe you don’t want a long term side hustle and are looking for easy cash for a one time purchase, like a vacation, that you can start right away.
Driving Service
If you’ve considered a side hustle I’m sure you’ve thought of this. If you haven’t, all you have to do is download an app, do some registration, turn on the app and you can start to drive people around. This continues to be a good option as you can choose when you want to work using uber or lyft. When you want to make extra money it can be as easy as turning on the app and choosing when you want to work. 

Shoot, Uber even has a feature where you pick up people on your normal commute which may be a place to start.

You could also work for a food delivery service like ubereatsdoordashgrubhub, which is very similar in my opinion. You can work when you want and the busiest times are probably when you aren't working, like nights and weekends.

​Why I like it: It is easy to start doing and you can pick the times you work. 
Why I don't: The hourly rate may be low and factoring in car maintenance it may not be a good long term option.


Rent Out Your House
This one isn’t for everyone but I think it's a great option. If you have an extra room in your house, if you travel for work, you can rent out a room or your whole place. This is something I’ll look into once I am done rehabbing my deal 3. This might be my newest version of house hacking.

You can use either Airbnb or VRBO. With the added cleaning fee you might get someone to clean your house on a consistent basis for free!

If want to pair this with house sitting that may be a good option or for when you want to travel. You can get started on mindmyhouse,  trustedhousesitters or housesitters.

Why I like it: It is easy to start doing, you can pick the times you want to have people in there, and you may get a free cleaner or just paid to keep your place tidy.  
Why I don't: If you need the extra space or aren't comfortable with people staying in your house. 

Customer Interviews
These can be in person focus groups or online interviews. The focus groups look like they are in person and may be during they day which could be difficult. 
  • Respondent - This is a company I have seen in numerous places and tried but never got anything. 
  • Focusgroup.org - Looking online it looks like they have a lot of options for over $100
  • Userinterviews -  When I tried this I wasn't able to get a lot of tests. 
  • Survey Squad - Every 1000 points earns you $1.00 but I don't know how many points you get each survey. 
  • Findfocusgroups.com - A service that lists focus groups from around the country. When I checked the compensation for these ranged from $75 to $600. I tried to sign up for a few myself when I learned about this but they were across town and I'd be fighting rush hour traffic.
  • Usertesting.com  - This is one I use on a consistent basis! As of October 21st, 2019, I've made $5485 this year using this site. In 2018 I used it to make $5960  and I use that extra money to supplement my fun money or silly purchases.
          With this one you leave the window open on your computer and when it dings you take the survey to see if you qualify.            I have taken tests that are 3 minutes or 20 and you get $10. If you do a 30 minutes live convo you get $30 or 60                      minutes gets $60. That's where the real money is at!

Why I like it: It is easy to start doing and just requires you to talk about your opinions. 

Why I don't: Sometimes you have to be ready to drop what you are doing to take the test or they pop up in the middle of the day which can be hard to complete at work. 
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Teach A Skill/Passion
If you have a skill and/or a passion I’m sure someone will pay to learn it. I know I had piano teacher when I was younger and feel I wasn't alone. Maybe you know photoshop really well and can help teach that. If you don’t want to deal with the day to day teaching you can you can create a course on Udemy.

This could be as easy as posting your services online or reaching out to locals and picking up 1-2 clients a week. 

Why I like it: The schedule may be flexible and you'll be working with something you know and enjoy. 

Why I don't:  You may be only working a few hours a week and might have to travel to only work for an hour or so. 

Freelance
Fivver and Upwork are good places to get started with this. You can do anything from voice over work, editing, translation, proofreading, digital marketing and more!

This can be easy to pick up a couple tasks to easily reach your goal. 

Why I like it: You can apply for jobs when you want and work from the comfort of your home. 

Why I don't: There may be a lot of competition to get tasks and may take awhile to get reviews and build up. 

Potential To Grow Into A Business

Want to get out of your job and create a business of your own? These are all side hustles that can be time consuming but can grow into actual businesses if done right. All of these are things that can be started with a low barrier of entry. 
Create Content 
Obviously this is something I am trying as a side hustle. You can start a blog, podcast or YouTube channel.  From my experience it takes a lot more work than I thought but genuinely enjoy it.  I know it is possible to make money but the income potential can vary. I make $0 but I have seen people who make over $100,000 a month. 

You'll have to build up a following which can take time but you'll make income from advertising, affiliate marketing, selling courses, or creating your own branded products. When it comes to content creation there is so much out there that you can either get lost in the shuffle or find a niche that people are craving. Continuing to produce quality content.. at least that's what I hear!

Why I like it: You'll be dealing with a topic you enjoy and may be able to replace your full time income. 
Why I don't:  You need to be consistent with producing content and it can take a long time, like more than a year, to start to make money. 

Sell Things Online
The best option would be to create a drop shopping company. Which means you can sell a product directly to the customer without having to buy any inventory. Why is that great? You don’t invest any money to buy products which keeps your risk low. The manufacturer has the inventory AND ships it directly to the customer for you. You'll want to focus on marketing and customer service.  You can use it to promote home decor, clothing, fitness or beauty products. Oberlo is a place you can start. 

Another option would be create printables or teacher worksheets using Etsy or Teacherspayteachers.

Or if you are creative and into fashion you can try your hand at making T-shirts using Merch by Amazon or Teespring. Both allow you to create a custom-design and sell them through the site.

Why I like it: Once the content or the company is set up it can just exist and can be more passive income. 
Why I don't: I really can't think of any as it could be low risk and semi passive. If I was smart I'd take my own advice and do this.

Sell Your Services 
This may not be a glamorous option but still a good one. People are always looking for help around their house whether that is a handy man, painting, yard work, pool cleaning, walking dogs, snow removal, gutter cleaning, window washing, moving or junk removal. You can get started using either TAKL or Taskrabbit. These are service-based apps where you can sign up and perform services for people in your area. The app determines the going rate for the area and handles the payment.

Once you get going you can begin to package services like yard work, guttering cleaning, and window washing together. Once you begin to grow if you wanted to take a step back you could. Heck if it continued to grow and be successful companies like Two Men and A Truck are able to franchise. 

If you don't like working outside you can get started by cleaning the inside of a house during the day or weekends using sites like HouseKeeper.comYou can add on services like carpet cleaning or reach out to small businesses and help clean after hours. 

If all of that sounds awful you can be a virtual assistant for businesses. Virtual assistants work from anywhere in the world on a laptop making it the perfect side hustles for digital nomads or full time travelers. As more people are launching digital businesses there is an incredible demand for people who can help run them. Tasks can be helping with images on blogs, handling administrative support or customer support for businesses. You can get started on sites like FlexjobsBelay SolutionsEquivityva, or Fancy Hands

Why I like it: These are services most people don't want to spend their weekends doing and will always need help. If you provide good work and services your reputation can grow and you can step away from that portion of the business if you want.
Why I don't: Is it lazy if I say it sounds like hard work? That really is the only thing I can think of. 

Real Estate
This is such a big category that there are so many options to get started. Don't have money? Become a wholesaler. Find people that are motivated to sell their house by mailing campaigns, knocking on doors, or networking and getting a property at a discount and flip it to someone to buy it. For all your hard work you will get paid a fee that can be thousands of dollars. 

Does that sound hard? Try managing rental properties. This can be hit and miss on the amount of work you'll have to do but most people can charge 1st months rent to place a tenant and then 8-10% a month after that. Don't want to deal with long term tenants manage vacation rentals. This will require a lot of systems since you'll be  dealing with check-ins, cancellations, cleaning staff, and maintenance. I met a dude in Providence, Rhode Island that did this full time and said he stayed in whatever unit was empty that night. That's kind of house hacking?!

If you are good with interior design or decluttering you can help people sell their homes or rent out a unit. I know people that charge $500 to be able to help show a unit to rent. Try partnering with real estate agents to get a steady stream of clients.

You can purchase rental units. I'm up to 5 and have a property manger for my deal 2 while I manage my first property. 

Maybe you don't want any part of that? Lend on deals using sites like Fundrise. You can invest in projects or do peer to peer where there are numerous sites. You can choose the person you would like to lend money to and see their information. You could also partner with people who are doing real estate as a hard money lender. Naturally be careful as this could be very risky!

Okay, maybe you don't want to trust random people with money. I get it. Invest in notes! You purchase the mortgage of a property. They typically sell for less than what it is worth because people or companies want cash now. As long as the person keeps paying it can be an easy way to get consistent cashflow. At some point I'll try this. You don't get the appreciation of the house or the tax write offs but you can get consistent money which is always nice. Nervous about what happens if the tenant doesn't pay? Work with a company like PPR who can help you buy and has a warranty on their notes.
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My properties!
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Digital Marketing Agency
If you have the skills of building websites, social media management, running ad campaigns, and SEO you can do this. If you already work for a company and have experience than even better! You can start out side hustling with only a few clients you can easily turn this into a full fledged business. 

If you know how to do digital marketing (or willing to learn) you can offer your services managing ad campaigns on either Google or Facebook. These jobs are becoming more and more useful since many businesses don’t know how to get the most out of their campaign. This is generally a good skill to have and can very lucrative. There are courses out there if you give it a quick Google to get started. 


You could also help build website. There’s no shortage of crappy looking websites out there, heck you may even think this is one of those. Pitch the benefits of good design and help people out!

If you are good with graphic design you may be able to start off doing quick things like creating logos or designing pdf’s. They may not pay much to start but can add up to a decent side income as you grow a portfolio. Having a good website yourself or examples of your work will help. 
Get Started!

Unfortunately none of these will be easy and all require some effort and work but the end result will be worth it.

There are a lot of ideas within each of these categories so pick a direction and get started. If it doesn't work out you can always try a different one later! I've tried multiple and feel I've gotten to the point that I know what works for me as I double my income in 2018 and will be close in 2019. Stop procrastinating and start hustlin'!
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<![CDATA[Ultimate List of Side Hustles]]>Mon, 21 Oct 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/side-hustles/ultimate-list-of-side-hustles
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I love a good side hustle. To me it's that little extra that makes the journey to financial independence that much sweeter. It's that large scoop of Reese's you put on your mound of fro-yo. When you've optimized your budget, you're saving and spending on what is important a good side hustle will help you reach your goals faster. 

I've used side hustles to help save for my out of state rental property, my current live in flip, an all inclusive in Puerto Vallarta, multiple concerts, new car tires, and even doubled my income in 2018.

If you need extra cash to get out of debt, save for a vacation, or fund a passion project, this list has plenty of ideas for you to earn extra money while working. It’s time to stop saying, “I need a side hustle” – and start taking action!
What Is A Side Hustle?
 
A side hustle is anything you do to make extra money outside of your full time job.
 
You can do anything – mow lawns, walk dogs, babysit, drive people, teach yoga, sell on etsy, flip items on eBay, or a millennium other things.
 
Picking A Side Hustle?
 
When it comes to picking a side hustle there will be three things you’ll need to consider. First, what is the goal for your side hustling? Are you trying to get a little extra spending money? Create passive income? Are you saving for a big one-time purchase? Second, you’ll need to look at whether you want to use skills you already have or if you are willing to learn a new one. Will you drive for Uber or are you going to learn something new, like coding? Lastly, you’ll need to decide how dedicated you are and how much time you are willing to spend.

 
After you have a few side hustle ideas just get started. Don’t overthink it. You’ll figure it out as you go. Remember, you aren’t stuck with any of your ideas, you can always test something and move on if it doesn’t work.
 
Improving Your Side Hustle
 
Side hustling is a simple trade of your free time for money.
 
I view this as an opportunity, not a sacrifice, to be able to create more money to invest and save now, which will change my life later on.

But if you want to increase your earning potential, permanently and exponentially, at some point you need to stop trading your time for money.

You need to think bigger.

I encourage anyone who is interested in side hustling to try and look at your side hustling as a business – and then build that business.
This is going to be an ultimate list but excluded things that would be good in theory but may be difficult to execute, at least for me, like dog grooming. I will be putting together a new post of what I think are the best for a side hustles. 

The side hustles I've used or tried with be italicized. 

THE LIST

1. Driving Service
I wanted to get the obligatory uber/lyft recommendation out of the way. If you are looking for side hustles I would imagine you have thought about being a driver. This can be as easy as you turning on the app when you are looking to drive and choosing when you want to work. 

Uber has a feature where you are able to pick people up on your normal commute which may be a place to start.

2. Food Service Delivery
This could be for companies like ubereatsdoordashgrubhub. This similar to a driving service since you can work when you want and the busiest times are probably when you aren't working, like nights and weekends.

3. Vehicle Advertising
If you don't want to have people or food in your car maybe have something on the outside? According to Wrapify, you can make up to $500 a month by have it on your car?

4. Moving Service
Moving is never fun, but can be a good way to earn some extra cash on the weekend if you’re strong and don’t mind carrying other people’s stuff.

This is also a side hustle that can grow easily into a business that you can slowly work your way out of and even franchise out like Two Men and a Truck.

5. Car Flipping
If you have an interest in cars or fixing them you may be able to buy low and sell high. I don't know anything about spotting deals when it comes to cars but maybe you'll be better!
 
6. Car Wash and Detailing
A mobile detailing service would be a low cost startup and you could get clients in bunches at office parks, shopping malls, schools, sporting events, and other places where a lot of cars are.

7. Mobile Oil Changes/Repairs 
If you are already heading out there to wash a car and you’re comfortable fixing cars, you might check out YourMechanic.com, which helps match you with customers in need of car repairs

8. Scooter Recharger
If you live in a big city there is a good chance you've started to see Lime and Bird scooters around. Well, someone has to pick them up and recharge them and that someone could be you!

9. Renting Out Your Car
Okay, maybe you have a car but don't want to do any of those things, well rent it out! If you don't use it consistently you can rent it out through services like Turo or Getaround.

10. Rent Out Baby Gear
​I recently learned that you can rent out baby gear like strollers, carriers, car seats, and playpens. When you find yourself with a garage full of baby gear your kids have outgrown, look into becoming a trusted partner at BabyQuip. Once you get approved, you can rent and deliver your gear to families visiting your area.

​11. Rent Out Your House
This is another one you've probably heard of. Using sites like Airbnb or VRBO you can rent out a room or your whole house. This is a good way to make extra money if you have a spare room or are out of town a lot. If you have an rental property this can bring in more monthly income than a long term renter but can be more of a challenge if you don't have systems in place.

12. House Sit
Maybe you don't want people in your place but have no issue going to stay in other peoples houses. Honestly, a smart thing may be to house sit for people and then rent out your place. Places to get started would be mindmyhouse,   trustedhousesitters or housesitters.
13. Pet Sitting
When homeowners travel, it opens up an opportunity for pet sitting services to come by and take care of their animals. You can use sites like Rover or Wagwalkers

14. Dog Walker
Okay, maybe you don't want THAT much time with a dog or for them to be in your place. Well, just stop by and take them on a walk using Rover or Wagwalkers​​
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Did you say walk?
15. Renta friend
Are you an awesome hang? If so, someone may want to rent you to be their friend! RentaFriend.com let's you connect with someone looking for a strictly platonic paid companionship. Friends report earning $20-50 an hour to hang out with strangers. 

16.  Snuggler
Have you ever been told you are a good snuggler? Well, Dr. Kelso from Scrubs said, and I guess the Joker in Dark Knight, 'never do something you're good at for free' and here is your chance! SnuggleBuddies.com is an agency where you can charge $80 an hour or $60 an hour for over Skype. 

16. Online Surveys
Another thing you've probably heard of. From my experience these are good in theory because they are easy, you just log in and fill out some surveys while laying around the house. But, I found you typically do them for pennies and the time verse money ratio was never good enough for me but maybe you'll have better luck!

If you want to check them out here are some companies:
  • Springboard America – Higher payouts than many other survey sites, but requires a $50 minimum to cash out.
  • Survey Junkie – Popular online survey site with more than 3 million members.
  • Swagbucks - Free $5 bonus; earn up to $35 a survey
  • Prize Rebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. Just avoid the low-paying ones.
  • InboxDollars - Free $5 bonus
  • Opinion Outpost– Cash out at just $5 via PayPal or Amazon gift cards. Each survey enters you into a $10,000 quarterly drawing.
  • Cashcrate – Get a $1 bonus just for signing up!

17. Customer Interviews
This is bolded and italicized because if you want an easy side hustle to do at home these are what I do and am pretty successful with it. These can be in person focus groups or online interviews. The focus groups look like they are in person and may be during they day which could be difficult. 
  • Respondent - This is a company I have seen in numerous places and tried but never got anything. 
  • Focusgroup.org - Looking online it looks like they have a lot of options for over $100
  • Userinterviews -  When I tried this I wasn't able to get a lot of tests. 
  • Survey Squad - Every 1000 points earns you $1.00 but I don't know how many points you get each survey. 
  • Findfocusgroups.com - A service that lists focus groups from around the country. When I checked the compensation for these ranged from $75 to $600. I tried to sign up for a few myself when I learned about this but they were across town and I'd be fighting rush hour traffic.
  • Usertesting.com  - This is one I use on a consistent basis! As of this writing, so through October 21st, 2019, I've made $5485 this year using this site. In 2018 I used it to make $5960  and I use that extra money to supplement my fun money or silly purchases.
          With this one you leave the window open on your computer and when it dings you take the survey to see if you qualify.            I have taken tests that are 3 minutes or 20 and you get $10. If you do a 30 minutes live convo you get $30 or 60                      minutes gets $60. That's where the real money is at!
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18. Ibotta
This one may be the easiest one, you just take a picture of you grocery bill and that's it.  It’s basically a rebate app, so you can earn anywhere from 50 cents to $5 off everything you buy.  Ibotta isn't always brand specific, like a lot of coupons are and some time you can still get a rebate.

19. Mystery Shopper
Companies will pay you to check out their in-store or on-the-phone experience. 

20. Notary Public Service 
In most states the costs to get started are usually under $100. This is a job you can do in your down time to help people get documents signed. I actually used a mobile notary service to sign my mortgage papers on my out of state property and met them at a coffee shop.

21. Teaching English Online
This could be an easy option you can do if you are mobile and want to get paid. I know with VIPkids they help you with lesson plans so you don't have to come up with a lot of work. One thing to think about is that usually clients will be in Asia and the timezones are a little bit off. Some options for programs are:
22. Teaching Online 
Maybe you don't want to make up at 4am to teach English, I get it, do you have something else you are knowledgable about? Create a course about! Photoshop? IT? Excel? Create the course and post it to a program like Udemy.

23. Adjunct professor
This one may be harder and a greater time commitment. I've have thought about trying to teach a course at a local university but it just seems like a lot at this time. 

24. Tutoring
Maybe you aren't able to teach at a university but maybe you can tutor students on a more fundamental level. 

25. Teach Music
I know I had piano teacher when I was younger and feel I wasn't alone. If you know how to play an instrument I'm sure someone wants to learn how to play!

26. Proofreading
If you are into grammar or improving the writings for others, you can become an editor and proofread people's work on places like Upwork

27. Ghostwriting
There are a lot of websites out there constantly trying to pump out content. Someone has to create that and that could be you!  You can start out on your own, or find gigs through Contena

28.  Freelance
Fivver and Upwork are a good place to get started with this. You can do anything from voice over work to translation, digital marketing and more!

29.  Transcription service
Medical transcription, which involves typing out doctors’ recorded voice notes, is often a part-time work-from-home position.
Rev and transcribeme hire transcriptionists as well, and if you’re fast, you might be able to earn up to $15 - $20 an hour. Along time ago I applied for one of these jobs but apparently didn't do a good enough job and was never accepted.

30. Translation/Interpretation service
A translation service could be an excellent way to put your bilingual skills to good use. There are always translation jobs on Upwork.

31. Review Calls
Have you ever been on a call and they say “This call may be recorded for quality assurance.” I've never wondered but now I know, Humanatic are some of the people that rate the quality! This flexible job is now outsourced to be able to work from home, choose your hours, and increase your earnings.

32. Start A Blog
Obviously this is something I am trying as a side hustle. From my experience it takes a lot more work than I thought but genuinely enjoy it.  I know it is possible to make money but the income potential can vary but I have seen people who make over $100,000 a month. 

33. Start a Podcast
There are a million podcasts out there now a days and that can be a good or bad thing. You may get lost in the shuffle or you may find a niche that people are craving. 

34. Start a YouTube Channel
You'll have to build up a viewership which can take time but you make income with the in-platform advertising on YouTube, affiliate marketing, selling courses, or creating your own branded products. This kid from Ryan's ToysReview that makes millions. I'll just make travel videos and put them there. 

34. Create YouTube Tutorials
If you don't have things to do on a channel you can do tutorials. This can range from home repair videos (I watch these all the time) or how to use a certain product. This again will take time to get viewership but you just need to make the video once and it can just live there.  I'm considered making my own for home repairs but we can see if I get around to adding that in also.

35. Affiliate Marketing
This goes with all the things I have listed right above. Affiliate marketing is partnering with companies that you use and making a commission off someone purchasing that product.

36. Brand Ambassadorship
Big brands are always looking for assistance with their on-the-ground marketing efforts, and pay pretty well for the help.
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I used side hustles to pay for this view in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
37. Sell Things Online
This could be selling things you already have, find at thrift shops, printables, or teacher worksheets. Places to sell these might be amazon, ebay, Etsy or Teacherspayteachers.

38. Ecommerce
Maybe you have nothing to sell but you can create a marketplace to make some of those transactions happen. 

39. T-Shirt Printing Service
If you are creative and want to try your hand at making T-shirts, try using Merch by Amazon​ or Teespring. Both allow you to create a custom-design and sell them through the site. This would be cool but I am not just creative enough!

40. Dropshipping
I think this is one of the best side hustle job ideas. It allows you to sell a product directly to the customer without having to buy any inventory. Why’s that great? You don’t invest any money to buy products which keeps your risk low. The manufacturer has the inventory AND ships it directly to the customer for you. You'll want to focus on marketing and customer service. This could easily grow into a business if you do it right.

You can use it to promote home decor, clothing, fitness or beauty products. Oberlo is a place you can start. If I was smart I would pursue this. 

41. Virtual Assistant Service
Virtual assistants provide administrative support to clients from home.  You can get started with established VA companies like BELAY or Fancy Hands. You could also get work from place like Fiverr. I know people use them for helping with blogs to real estate deals. A lot of people can use help in some capacity of their business. 

42. Sell Your Services 
Speaking of people always looking for help you can help around their house using either TAKL or Taskrabbit. These are service-based apps where you can sign up and perform services for people in your area. The app determines the going rate for the area and handles the payment.

43. Cleaning Service 
These can be done through TAKL or Taskrabbit for either residences but you may want to check out businesses also. Cleaning homes or offices in your spare time is an easy way make extra money after hours. If you are a stay at home parent you could clean homes while the kids are in school or partner with people who are renting out their homes to come in the middle of the day and get it ready for the next person. This could be a flexible option where you can choose how many weekly clients you accept. You may need to invest a small amount of money up front for licensing and bonding, to legally operate in your jurisdiction. Having those things in place will help you appear professional enough to get your first contract. You can also list your services on a site like HouseKeeper.com and many others to promote yourself. This job may not be glamorous but word of mouth can travel fast and could easily turn into a business. 

44. Carpet Cleaning
If you are already cleaning the house you might as well see if they want the carpets cleaned also. If you only want to do the carpets you can put ads in the service section of the local Craigslist or similar site for a carpet cleaning service. You can rent a carpet cleaning machine once you get your first paying gig.

45. Yard Work Service
It may not be the most glamorous side hustle in the world but pretty much every yard in the country needs some sort of maintenance. That means there’s a big business opportunity.

Mowing lawns, raking leaves, and maintaining gardens is a great business to start if you enjoy being active outdoors. Depending on what tools you invest in, you can offer a variety of services and change up your advertising each season. If you do this well you could easily grow this into a business.  TAKL could be a great place to start. 

46. Gutter Cleaning
If you are already cleaning the yard might as well get the gutters. This could be a great way to get the introduction for additional services or clientele. You'll probably need a truck but for sure a ladder and a comfortability with heights. 

​47. Window Washing
If you are already cleaning the yard and the gutters might as well throw in the windows while you're up on that ladder. With all the added services it would be easy to hire a helper and grow that way.

​48. Junk Removal 
If you do have a truck and are hauling away yard and gutter trash you might as well see if they have junk also. This can actually be a costly service so a good way to make money also. Bonus points if you can re-sell some of the junk!

49. Pool Cleaning
If you have cleaned up their yard and gotten rid of their junk and live in Phoenix, Arizona like I do, they may have a pool and you can clean that also. This is on the list of things most homeowners don't want to spend their weekends doing. Get a few regular customers, and you’re on your way to a business in pool maintenance or full service business.

50. Snow Removal
Maybe you live in a colder place and they get a lot of snow! Well help people remove it along with a yard care business the rest of the year. If you already have a snow-blower for your driveway, you have everything you need to get started. If you have a truck with a plow, you can go further and clear more driveways in less time.

51. Decluttering and Organization Service
Maybe you don't like the idea of cleaning up the outside of the house, so let move inside! Help people get rid of their clutter and enjoy an organized living space. Use social media, local listings like Craigslist, or TAKL.

52. Party Planner/Wedding Coordinator
Does organizing people's lives or homes not sound appeal? Well organize their parties! Build relationships with venues, wedding photographers, or other service providers in the space. You might need to do your first couple of gigs for free or for a low cost to establish yourself.

53. Photography Service
Don't want to be the one planning the wedding well just take the pictures! You can make a side hustle from taking pictures at weddings, family photos or for other occasions. If you don't want to do that you can try and make them available for stock photography sites like Twenty20 or Shutterstock. There are plenty of sources for free stock photos, but many content creators pay for unique, high-quality photos to use in their websites and printed media.

54. DJ Events
Maybe you don't want to do those but want to get the party started!
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Side hustle money got me to see John Mayer
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and Dierks Bentley.

​55. Alterations
There is no clear and consistent pricing for alterations so you just need to build up a reliable customer database. Pro tip: Post flyers at the gym or other places where people may have lost a lot of weight and need their clothes altered.

56. Child Care
This may not be for me, even if I spruce up the name instead of calling it “babysitting”. You can get started by reaching out to people you know or register on sites like SitterCity to begin building a client base.

57.  Caregiving 
As people continue to age there is more need for them to be taken care of and websites like care.com can help to get you started. 

58.  Tour Guide Service
Do you know all the local hotspots? You can create your own unique tour experience using ToursByLocals.comVayable.comand LocalGuiding.com.

59. Travel Agent Service
Are you a seasoned traveler and love hunting for deals? Even though a lot of people have access to these sites some people just don't enjoy the booking process. Plus, they are looking for insider travel knowledge and the hands-off experience of letting an expert handle the booking.

60. Personal Chef Service
Could you imagine making food for other people and getting paid?  HireaChef.com connects you with families and events looking for private chefs, or you might just post on Facebook or NextDoor.

61. Baking/Catering
Maybe you don't want to cook the full meal but have a a specialty, like you make some really good cookies. Well you can partner with business or provide a catering service. 

62. Teach Yoga
This one is kind of a long play as you'll need to take classes, get certified, and work with a studio. But, if you are already into yoga you might as well get paid to teach it. I've tried to talk my mom into creating a yoga YouTube channel as the content is evergreen but she doesn't seem interested. At least I tried! 

63. Personal Trainer
Another one that may take awhile but if you are already going to be working out you may be able to start to train people. Depending on how you do it you may need a certification. Also,  the schedule may be nice as a side hustle because you could do it before or after work.. or maybe waking up to train people at 5 A.M doesn't sound as appealing?

64. Recreation Sports Officiating
Recreational sports leagues are often in need of referees and umpires and you can earn money working games on the nights and weekends. I was a ref while in college for a bit and it's harder than I thought. Plus, being a player the ref isn't everyones favorite person. 

65. Coaching
Maybe you don't want to be making the calls on the game but rather be coaching up the kids. This is always an option!

66. Lose weight
Through sites like healthywage you can get paid to get in shape. 
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Side hustles helped pay for my trip to Australia!
67. Staging Houses
If you are good with interior design or decluttering you can help people sell their homes or rent out a unit. I know people that charge $500 to be able to help show a unit to rent. Try partnering with real estate agents to get a steady stream of clients. 

68. Manage Rental Properties 
If you are already staging a unit you might as well help put a tenant in there and manage the property. This can be hit and miss on the amount of work you'll have to do but most people can charge 1st months rent to place a tenant and then 8-10% a month after that. 

69. Manage Vacation Rentals
If you don't want to deal with tenants you can deal with vacation rentals. This will require a lot of systems since you'll be  dealing with check-ins, cancellations, cleaning staff, and maintenance. I met a dude in Providence, Rhode Island that did this full time and said he stayed in whatever unit was empty that night. 

70. Real Estate
Currently I have one primary residence and 5 rental units and know this will be a side hustle that I do forever!

71. Real Estate Wholesaling 
If you don't want to put your cash or credit at risk a good way to make a lot of money is wholesaling. Basically, you find people that are motivated to sell their house by mailing campaigns, knocking on doors, or networking and getting that property at a discount and flip it to someone to buy it. For all your hard work you will get paid a fee that can be thousands of dollars. 

72. Lending 
You can either use sites like Fundrise and invest in projects or do peer to peer where there are numerous sites. You would be able to choose the person you would like to lend money to and see their information. You could also partner with people who are doing real estate as a hard money lender. Just naturally be careful as this could be very risky!

73. Note Investing
Okay, maybe you don't want to put you money into the house or lend to other people, then just buy the note! This could work  by purchasing the mortgage of a property. They typically sell for less than what it is worth because people or companies want the money now. As long as the person keeps paying it can be an easy way to get consistent cashflow. At some point I'll try this. You don't get the appreciation of the house or the tax write offs but you can get consistent money which is also nice. 
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My real estate properties!
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​74. Bookkeeping, Accounting, Tax Prep
This may be specifically for those accountants out there and I'm sure you've considered it. You could easily pick up clients and once you have enough income begin to branch out and start your own business. 

75. Computer Repair
If you know your way around a computer or really any technology you can fix them. I used to use some sketchy guy of Craigslist to fix my Xbox anytime it broke.

76. Build Website
There’s no shortage of crappy looking websites out there, heck you may even think this is one of those. Pitch the benefits of good design and help people out!

77. Graphic design
If you are good with design you may be able to start off doing quick things like creating logos or designing pdf’s. They may not pay much to start but can add up to a decent side income as you grow a portfolio. Having a good website yourself or examples of your work will help. 

78. App Development 
I wouldn't know the first place to start when it comes to this but new apps are popping up all the time. A freelance app developer will be paid whether the app goes on to become a hit or not.

79. Product Licensing
I think this may be one of the more cool ideas. You just come up with a great idea and sell the rights to large companies to use and collect royalties. I imagine you'll need a patent or something because if you just e-mail them they may just steal your idea!

80. Buying Websites
Okay, maybe you don't want to build a site and create a following, well, you can buy a site that is already producing through sites like EmpireFlipers.com

81. MLM sales
​MLM (multi-level marketing) programs are often thought of as pyramid schemes — and many of them are — but some people do well with them. There are a couple out there now like Rodan + Fields or Herbalife. When I was in college there was a company called Vemma that people tried to get me into and is now shut down under federal regulations for being a illegal pyramid scheme. Just be careful!

82. Voice Over Acting
If you have a nice sounding voice someone on Fiverr may pay you to make commercials and that sounds pretty sweet to me. 

83 Create Presentation Slides
Have you ever been told you make one heck of a power point presentation? This may be the side hustle for you! You can find people on Fiverr or just create them and sell them on Envato Market.

84 Data Entry
If you are good with spreadsheets, accuracy, and typing you may be able to do this side hustle from home. You can look for one-off jobs like pulling information from a pdf into a spreadsheet, researching online to create a list of data, or compiling a variety of sources into one database. You may see a lot of these jobs online so just be aware that you shouldn't have to pay to participate. 

85. Corporate Workshops
Corporations bring in people to run workshops on team-building, leadership, sales, wellness, and more. You can pitch your business skills to run the events or get creative and do team building activities. 

Growing up I knew a guy that did this and had like bounce houses and tricycles and would go around and do events for businesses. 

86. Party Rentals
Speaking of bounce house, do you have that or large canopy tents, inflatable play structures, foldable tables and chairs?

Do some research to find trending themes in kids parties and weddings, and what is popular in your area. You want to be sure there is a market before investing. This isn't exactly passive and I looked into it as you'd need a truck and hose down the equipment and some may be heavy. But, most large outdoor events will take place over the weekend, so you can start this side hustle and keep your day job.

87. Google Adwords Manager
If you know how to do digital marketing (or willing to learn) you can offer your services managing ad campaigns. These jobs are becoming more and more useful and available and generally isn't a bad skill to have. 

88. Facebook Ads Manager
​Similar to Google ad words, many businesses don’t know how to get the most out of their campaign and if you can this can be very lucrative. 

89. Digital Marketing Agency
If you have the skills of building websites, social media management, running ad campaigns, and SEO you can do this. If you can start out side hustling with only a few clients you can easily turn this into a full fledged business. If you already work for a company and have experience than even better!
Summary
​Hopefully this was helpful on giving you ideas to start side hustling, there really are so many options. I have tried a bunch and doubled my income in 2018 and will be close in 2019. If you felt I left any good ones off the list let me know in the comment section!
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<![CDATA[How I Doubled My Income In 2018 Through Side Hustles]]>Mon, 17 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://fiwiththetravelguy.com/side-hustles/how-i-doubled-my-income-in-2018-through-side-hustles
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Do you ever feel like you could use extra money?

I know I do! The school year of 2016 - 2017 I was working four 10 hour shifts when the district was shorthanded and I covered another school for half a day a week. This extra money came in handy as I increased my savings and loan pay down but also put away for my trip to Europe in the summer of 2017. 

This extra money was great because I had maxed out my defense (budgeting) and that was only getting me so far. I needed to develop a better offensive game (bring in more money). For all you NBA fans out there, think Kawhi Leonard. Started out as a solid defensive player who turned into a great all around player. Like Kawhi, I’ve been improving my craft and I think I’m starting to excel in all areas now and even my dog Harper has gotten on board!
Before we dig into how I doubled my income in 2018, let's talk a bit about side hustIes. 

What Is A Side Hustle?
 
A side hustle is anything you do to make extra money outside of your full time job.
 
You can do anything – mow lawns, walk dogs, babysit, drive people, teach yoga, sell on etsy, flip items on eBay, or a millennium other things.
 
Picking A Side Hustle?
 
I listed a few side hustle ideas above but the options are endless. I’ll be coming out with a massive list of side hustles to get your mind working and then another post about which ones I feel are the most realistic. Look out for those!
 
When it comes to picking a side hustle there will be three things you’ll need to consider. First, what is the goal for your side hustling? Are you trying to get a little extra spending money? Create passive income? Are you saving for a big one-time purchase? Second, you’ll need to look at whether you want to use skills you already have or if you are willing to learn a new skill. Will you drive for Uber or are you going to learn a new skill, like coding? Lastly, you’ll need to decide how dedicated you are and how much time you are willing to spend.
 
After you have a few side hustle ideas just get started. Don’t overthink it. You’ll figure it out as you go. Remember, you aren’t stuck with any of your ideas, you can always test something and move on if it doesn’t work.
 
Improving Your Side Hustle
 
Side hustling is a simple trade of your free time for money.
 
I understood this trade and figured weekend mornings or weekday nights I would just be watching TV anyways and might as well make extra money. I view this as an opportunity, not a sacrifice, to be able to create more money to invest and save now, which will change my life later on.
 
For it to be life changing though you need to move beyond simply trading your hours for a limited amount of money, and transition to thinking about side hustling as a way to become your own boss.
 
I encourage anyone who is interested in side hustling to try and look at your side hustling as a business – and then build that business.
My Real Job
 
Real Job- Speech Language Pathologist
Total Gross Income: $60,679.09
 
I work in the public school system as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP). This isn’t the most lucrative decision I could make. I know people making $80k working in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or over $100k in a hospital.
 
I actually feel really lucky because according to the census bureau the average household income in 2017 was $61,372 and I only work 182 days a year. Plus, the schedule allows me to work 6.5 hour days, which leaves enough time for me to work on everything else I do, and travel! I’ll also get a nice pension if I stay that long. 

My Side Hustles
 
Side Hustle 1Real Estate Investing
Total Gross Income: $37,508.83
 
I currently house hack a quadruplex and operate as the landlord. I have been living in one of the units for free so that hurts the overall numbers, but you can see them here.  Last October I purchased an out of state property and you can see those numbers here. Landlording can be hit and miss on how time consuming it is and I am also working to rehab the units. I am definitely looking forward to the days that all my units will be run by a property manager!
 
Side Hustle 2 - Healthcare Contracting
Total Gross Income: $17,480.79
 
The flexibility in my schedule allows me to work with a healthcare contracting company as an SLP in nearby hospitals, rehab centers, and SNFs. This side hustle is a simple trade of my free time for money. I work the occasional weekend, holiday, and/or over my breaks (you know, those spring, summer, and winter breaks I get.)
 
This situation is great because they will let me know when a shift is available and then I get to choose whether I want to work. For the summer of 2018 I decided to take a two-week real estate licensure class, a week trip to Boston, Rhode Island, and NYC and still had time to work full time for 5 weeks at a hospital.
 
I am paid $49 an hour and put all this money toward real estate or other savings. I use this trade of my time for money to grow a business that will provide me passive income.

Side Hustle 3Website Testing
Total Gross Income: $5960
 
I have tried numerous different testing sites and the one I have had the best success with is Usertesting. I tell everyone about this!
 
The way it works is you have a window open on your computer, the site will ding anytime there is a test available, and you just take the screener to see if you qualify. It’s that simple. Because of all the things I do, I feel I qualify for a good amount of them.
 
If you qualify for a test you will work through tasks on a website, a prototype, or complete a live conversation. I have done tests for companies like Home Depot, Geico, and Verizon.
 
A test can range from a couple minutes to 20 minutes. From my experience they typically range from 10 to 15 minutes. For each test they pay you $10. If you complete a live conversation test, a 30 minute test will pay $30 and a 60 minute test will pay $60.
 
I keep a window open throughout the day, whether at work or home and like a true test subject, when I hear the ding, I come to take the screener.
 
This is another simple trade of my free time for money but is less restrictive. I use this money to help with life expenses such as concerts, travel, or new car tires. You can see my budget here to see why I may need help with getting “fun money”.

Total Real Job Income: $60,679.09
Total Side Hustle Income: $60,949.62
 
I'm not going to lie, it sucks spending my weekends or nights doing yard work, rehabbing a unit, or working a second job. But, I also know these side hustles won't last forever and I'm using them to accelerate my financial goals. When I keep that in mind, I'll take any opportunity I can to get there faster! Figure out what works for you and just take action! 

What is that quote? Live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later.
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