Something that I have been doing for years now is spending time with service based businesses in my area. They know me well and know my work ethic. So, these businesses will reach out to me personally with odd jobs and gigs at random times. It isn't consistent or reliable money. But it adds up quick!
Here are some I have done this year.
- Installed wooden signs at local businesses for a local Print and Graphics shop
- Removed branches and debris for a removal company that was too busy at the time. (Rented a dump trailer and borrowed a friends truck as well as hired a guy with a tractor to do the heavy lifting for $75 an hour... still came out with $850 profit after all that.)
- Replaced insulation and a vapor barrier in a crawlspace for a local realtor. ( I bid almost $200 less than the next guy got it done in about 3 hours, and still made $260 AFTER buying my materials.)
- Computer repair. Someone's computer was running super slow and they got my number from their insurance agent I just happened to know. A quick SSD install later, and I made $50 for about 20 minutes of work.
You can make money in so many ways. Build your skillset and you become much more capable to do a wide variety of things. This is great, but a dedicated side hustle will make you more money in the long run.
THE BIG LESSON: Get to know people. "Your network is your net worth". What has made me more money than anything else, is having people know and recognize me. If they think your name first when they have a problem, you will beat your competitors nearly every time.