ORLANDO, Fla. â Are you looking for a way to make some extra cash this summer?
There are options that include ridesharing, meal and grocery delivery, even some remote customer service jobs.
When it comes to side gigs, you want to get the most out of your time as well as money in your pocket. Savingâs Angel Josh Elledge, host of the family savingâs podcast and blog, has some advice for those looking to take on a side job.
âThereâs an Infinite number of opportunities to earn side income, thanks to great platforms and technology we have today,â said Elledge. âLike ridesharing, delivery type of work like Instacart and Uber Eats. You can jump into it and make money very quickly. Itâs not a lot of money, but if youâre just trying to make a few hundred extra dollars a month to help make ends meet, itâs a great option.â
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Want to make some extra cash? Elledge suggests you keep it simple; trade some time for dollars.
âWhatâs so wonderful about the platforms that exist today is that weâve democratized all of these little services that are needed throughout the country and some of these services you can do completely remotely. You can step into a role like customer service or teaching online and youâre participating in the gig economy globally, potentially,â said Elledge.
Elledge also suggests you take advantage of your assets.
âYou donât even have to trade your own time to make that money if you have assets that are available. For example, you may have a car just sitting in your driveway collecting dust or an RV. Just like how you can rent out a portion of your home like Airbnb, you can rent out your car or RV,â said Elledge.
Just be aware of the liability, additional insurance and taxes involved.
Josh also said itâs important to start small so you donât overwhelm yourself.
âYou can go the entrepreneurial route. My recommendation is donât do that initially. You can, but itâs higher risk and youâll have to spend more than half your time getting business,â said Elledge. âIn some cases, people might decide they want to start a store on Etsy for example, or sell items on eBay. You can go nuts on buying products and tools and paints for the craft, letâs say you invest $1,000, then you put it on the platform and realize itâs not selling, now youâre in the whole.â
Elledge said those looking for a side gig should steer clear of direct and network marketing.
âAny gigs that involve direct selling or network marketing, if you look at Federal Trade Commission statistics on people who go into those areas, itâs not good. Close to 99% of people who go into network marketing donât make any money or end up losing money,â said Elledge.
Most importantly, before committing to another job, do your research!
Research the company, read the reviews and understand how youâre going to get paid.
Elledge said there are so many groups on social media for each of these side gig options where you can reach out to those who have experience in the business. Those who can give you realistic insight on the expectations, so you can make the best decision for your lifestyle.
Whatâs your take on side gigs? Let us know by leaving a comment about your experiences below.
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