Just curious as to what others do 'on the side' to make extra income, either because you need the extra $, or because you love to do it.
What do you do?
How long / How did you start?
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Double post.
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I've been doing graphic design on the side since college, mainly through work colleagues, or past clients from past jobs. I've worked with a realtor from Florida for almost 10 years now designing postcards/ads usually once a month. I also have a client in Australia (so cool) that I hooked up with through 99designs.com.
I do other design jobs for friends/family or friends of friends, wedding invitations and grad postcards.I recently started doing photography as well, just through people who have seen my photos and asked. I'm getting more and more requests though so am afraid I'll get too 'busy' with it, although I LOVE doing it.
Its tough to have the 8-5 job and then come home and work more when I should be spending time with my family.
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My sister-in-law has a sweet design business tailored for weddings. She started a few years ago and once she built out the templates, she's able to quickly create the final design. She makes a pretty nice profit and I wish I had her design skills
For a little while I did freelance web development on the side. But that's really petered out now that I have two young kids. I liked the extra spending money though, so I'm taking a look at upwork for some smaller efficient things I can do with my skillset.
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My husband restores / finishes vintage maps for hanging on walls. He is on Instagram at michaelsmaps, I think. He sells them at 2 local stores and does outdoor craft markets every other month or so. His monthly hours range from 15-40 hours. I do not like the busy months and whenever they happen I pressure him to back down bc he runs himself ragged. It is a hobby that turned into a side job and it definitely helps with $$. AZ teachers are on the verge of striking, and we are both teachers, so we will need the income.
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@DesertDreams88: Wow, that sounds really cool! Does he get stressed during those busy months too, or still love it? Its hard to balance it all out.
@codeitall: Does she sell on etsy? I had always thought about doing something like that but just haven't looked into it any further, and yes, free time with two littles, not much of it! -
She doesn't sell on etsy, she has her own website with pricing and a form they fill out with all the details of what they want. She's been featured on a few wedding planning sites and really that's all she's needed. I'm a little jealous since it is almost on autopilot for her now and it is not a lot of effort, but it did take her a lot of time to build up her reputation and a good set of templates to work from.
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I don't do it anymore, but I ran a personal chef business for about 5 years on nights and weekends. Basically, the client and I would set a menu over e-mail, I would send a grocery list (or I would do the shopping for a slightly higher rate), and then I would come cook the meals fresh in their homes, package them up for the fridge, do the dishes, and leave. Some clients wanted a hot meal prepared that night for dinner and maybe 1 more meal to reheat during the week. Some clients wanted 3-4 meals half prepped to cook each night themselves (for example, I'd do all the sides and sauces and they'd have to bake the fish). Some wanted completely cooked dinners to reheat plus some lunch salads prepped. This was in the age before meal kit services and I was living in the Washington DC metro area where everyone worked crazy hours, so it was a fairly brisk business. I was working as a congressional staffer making not too much money, so it was a great side hustle. I also baked basic homemade birthday cakes for a while.
I stopped doing it once I moved away from DC.
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I wish ** I had a skill that I could cultivate into a side business!!!
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@codeitall: That's awesome.
@gingerbebe: So cool! My aunt had done something similar for awhile, she is an amazing cook, and she hosted parties and would help everyone make a few freezer meals for the week. -
@josina: I'm also a graphic designer, I keep wanting to pick up side jobs, and I do once in a while, but with a full time job and two kids and a 1+hr commute, I just can't fit it in... i'd love the extra $$ though.... i keep trying to find a job closer to home, it probably won't pay as well and that's when I keep thinking I can pick up some side jobs.
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@josina: He doesn't get stress exactly, but he gets tired. But he still truly enjoys it. For example, last Saturday he had a market. He worked 20 hours that week (in addition to a fulltime job) and only got 3 hours of sleep the night before. However he was jazzed the whole day because he did well.
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I know someone who does home cooked take-out meals once a week with a focus on local and healthy ingredients. I think she does it twice a week now- you just sign up at the beginning of the week saying you want to pick up, which night, how many people. It works because its kind of a small town, and there aren't a lot of options for take out (basically just pizza or Chinese food).
I think its a pretty good idea! -
I am doing a fellowship for an ed policy organization, became a National Board Certified teacher mentor/support teacher and helped assess some professional development courses. So side hustles but helps be build my skill set as a professional.
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@Ajsmommy: Same!
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Before kids, my day job was graphic design and on-air motion graphics for TV networks, and my "side business" was illustrating/selling stock illustrations, photographing/selling stock photography, and some side illustration / design jobs (eg. I was the illustrator for Weddingbee a decade ago).
After having DS, I couldn't keep up with the demanding nature of the broadcast industry, so my side business has morphed into my main business. I am now a full time illustrator for children's books, gifts, products, home decor, greeting cards, stationery...etc. My "main business" is being a mom
(or vice versa) 
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Another graphic designer here! I’ve been freelancing since I graduated from college and made it a full(ish) time gig in 2007. I scaled way back when I had my son in 2014, and mainly work during preschool or nap time.
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My husband buys, refinishes, and sells wood stoves in addition to his regular job. It's a pretty lucrative business where we live (Maine) and has been a good source of extra income for us. The only issue is that it's pretty intensive - takes a lot of time finding and refinishing the stoves and the "inventory" takes up a lot of space in our garage and basement! He's been doing it for about 2 years now (started shortly after DD was born).
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@hellobeeboston: @irene: @Mrs.Someone: Hi fellow designers!
@irene: So cool you illustrated for Weddingbee! (and turned your 'side job' until your main job.)
@Silva: That sounds awesome, I would love something like that! Our in-home daycare usually has dinner ready when I pick the kids up, and I've thought before how nice it would be if she made a to-go dinner for us too, lol.
@DesertDreams88: I can be the same, I get stressed about having to do the work, but still love doing it!
(or vice versa) 
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