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Your full-time job isn’t as safe as you think it is. The world of work is changing, and you need to have a side hustle or two.
I actually really dislike the term “side hustle,” but it’s one term that a lot of working mommas know. So I’ll use it here. I actually think of it as working a side gig, or finding a path to financial freedom.
Anyway, that’s not the topic of this post. It’s why you need something on the side while you’re working full-time. That job you have isn’t as safe as you think it is. Sure, you may be in an industry that is pretty much recession-proof, but that doesn’t mean things won’t change.
The business may close down or be sold. Your boss may just not like the way you do your job. A new manager can come in and make life difficult. You could end up in an accident and be unable to work. Absolutely anything could happen, and you need to be ready for it.
You deserve to have a side pot of money
Let’s just start with the initial reason to have a side hustle. We all know the cost of living is going up. Inflation has been a bitch this last couple of years, and it’s not slowing down the way people hoped. The problem is wages are not keeping up with inflation, and there’s only so many coffees that you can cut out.
Why are you still living paycheck to paycheck? With a side income, you can end up enjoying the life that you want. You have extra money to safe for the future, or you have that money to allow you to keep up with the lifestyle you’re used to.
It could just be an extra $100 per week at first. That could change to an extra $1000 per month or more. You could even end up being able to double the money you make at your job if you put in enough effort.
You’re ready for anything that could happen with a side hustle
As mentioned, anything could happen. In 2008, I graduated university with a secure job. Then my life changed when I was medically discharged from the Army and couldn’t get that secure job I had. I needed to figure out what I was going to do.
Then I moved cities. I moved 400 miles away from the city I did have a full-time job in, so I needed to find something else to do. Of course, this was right as the recession that was supposed to be once-in-a-lifetime happened.
I ended up starting my writing business while I tried to find a job. I did work at McDonalds for a time, but it was soul-sucking. I ended up making what was supposed to be a side hustle into my full-time work. And I worked goddamn hard to do it.
Even now that I have a business that pays for everything, I still look at side hustles. I don’t just rely on my writing work to ensure I have a good life. I’m currently looking at setting up an Etsy shop, and I’ll talk more about that as I do it. Anything could happen, and it’s important to be prepared.
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You show your kids what they can do
We all take inspiration from our parents. When I grew up, I saw that my mum was able to work a full-time job and raise my sister and me. I wanted to be that mum who had both. I also saw my dad who worked hard to provide for the family (and yes, he was still a parent to us at home).
I saw my grandmother who was a single mum in the 50s before she remarried and had to figure out life as that. My other grandmother raised six children, one of whom was severely disabled, and my grandfather worked all the way up until he had a series of strokes that left him housebound for the last decade of his life or so.
All these people in my life inspired me to work hard, be a good parent, and make sure I was ready for anything that life could throw at me. My dad’s interest in technology as it came in made me interested in it, and my parents encouraged me to work with what was happening in the world of tech.
We are the inspirations for our children. I’m teaching my daughters that it’s okay to carve your own path while everyone else is struggling with the 9-to-5. Is it easy? Not at all! Do I sometimes work longer hours than I would while employed? Of course! Do I regret anything that I’ve done? Nope! Not one single bit.
Mcenter>You gain some joy in your life with a side hustle
Don’t you deserve to have joy in your life? Wouldn’t you love to do something meaningful with a hobby that you have?
Now, I’m not saying that every hobby has to be profitable. If you love adult coloring books, go for it! Enjoy that time that’s just for you. I do Sudoku and play other mind games on my phone to just enjoy some me time.
However, if you have a hobby that you would love to turn into work, go for it. For example, if you love knitting using Chunky yarn materials, you may start selling knitted products online or to your friends. You end up with something that you enjoy doing on a daily basis. You could eventually do a job that makes you happy every day. That’s what I did with writing. I love to write regularly, so I turned it into a business. Now I don’t think “oh, man, not another day of work. What can I make up this time?” Instead, I’m ready for work each morning.
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What are you thinking of turning into a side hustle? What are you struggling with at work right now? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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