The economy isn’t the same as it used to be and with all that has happened in 2020 side hustles will grow in popularity. If you want to make an extra $1000 to $5000, a side hustle is the best to do it. This is a beginner’s guide to starting side hustles in 2020. The reason why many people are skeptical about side hustles is because they often are attached to stories that seem fake. You know the story of the man who made $50,000 from playing Twitch in the basement of his parent’s house. That screams scam a mile away.

Side hustles aren’t scams. The internet is full of stories about people overcoming debt, but you will also find stories that make you want to run away. Unless you are the type to look something straight in the eye. What most people don’t realize is that we all have to start from somewhere and successful people first started with a side-hustle. Why? Because they don’t require as much effort and capital.

The benefits of a side hustle

There are a lot of benefits of a starting side hustles. The main one is that it protects you financially just in case the economy crashes, you lose your job or your health is compromised. Side hustle enable you not to be stranded and the more money you can make, the more you can do.

If you want to travel then you have extra money to help you do that. If you want to buy a house, you can save enough money to do that. You can also invest money because you will be making extra income. One of the reasons why people start a side hustle is to help them save enough money.

In the beginner’s guide to starting side hustles, I want to make sure you understand that they are more pros than cons to starting a side hustle. That is why it is so important that you do. If you want to take care of your family more than a side hustle is the best way to do it. In the next coming years, a side hustle will be one of the best ways to starting a business.

Another benefit is that less risk is involved in starting side hustles. All you have to do is put in one to two hours per day on your side hustle. This will put you ahead of the pack and give you a consistency edge that will help you out in the long run.

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Best types of side hustles

There are over 101 ways to make money online. As unbelievable as that seems, side hustles have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, some aren’t worth your time. There’s a lot of information about side hustles, often at times, though the information is misleading. For example, people who tell you that you can become rich from surveys. Hmm, unless you spend years taking surveys then maybe, but even then the people who get rich from that is rare. This guide to starting side hustles wouldn’t be complete without looking at types of side hustles.

There are two types of side hustles you should be aware of;

Type one: This is the type that you can spend months or years doing and it will never replace your 9-5 job. You are likely to earn a few dollars from this, but that is about it.  (Examples are mystery shopper, food delivery, surveys, small tasks etc)

Type two: This can easily change your life. The barrier of entry is also not as wide as people believe. In time this can easily surpass your income from your job as long as you are consistent with it. The sky is literally the limit. 

In this blog post, we will discuss the second type.

What works for you?

I want to make this easy for you. Since this is a beginner’s guide to side hustles, we need to go to the start. Not every side hustle is equal and therefore you must find something that works for you. This is guide to starting side hustles will help you understand which direction you should go in.

For example, for many people, the idea of starting blogging seems too taxing. Therefore, if you are one of the people who have the same belief a blog isn’t right for you. What you need to consider is how much time do you have? You should also consider what you enjoy doing. If you love talking more than a podcast would be better for you or maybe you love being in front of the camera then YouTube would work for you.

Here are the two businesses you can make from a side hustle:

Service Business: You offer a service to someone. This means turning your skill set or someone else’s skills into service. For example, if you trained as a lawyer you can provide legal services. This can be anything from web design services to coaching. I would say this might be the easier one to get into for beginners. As part of the beginner’s guide to side hustles, I want to give you the best option to start. Most people start with this one.

Knowledge Business: Many influencers get into this one. This one is more advanced because you need to know how to use software and have money to invest in platforms to help you sell your product. It still isn’t as hard as you might think it might be. You take your expertise and package it as a course, template, software or coaching program.

Also Related: Start a Service Business

What’s next?

To create the best side hustle, you need to find out what works for you and use your skills as a way to package the side hustle.  Once you realize, what works you can figure out how to go about this the right way. A side hustle shouldn’t exhaust you. It is there to take away the stress of not having enough money. Once you start making money from your side hustle then you can replace it as a job. 

Method one: Selling services

What skills do you have? When I first started, I knew a little about web design and so I started a service where I built people’s websites for them. I made a bit of money from that. I didn’t charge a lot of money because I wanted the reviews and also to build my skills. If you think you don’t have any skills you could start a business from think again. Many of us underestimate our ability to push forward. In the beginner’s guide to side hustles blog post, you have to understand how possible it is to change your life. 

Look at the books you read, the websites you visit and your general interests. You would be shocked at all the things that you like and the skills you have. Here’s an overview;

• Legal services
• Accounting services
• SEO
• Website design
• Graphic design
• Social media
• PR
• Tax
• Copywriting
• Event planning/promotion
• Video editing
• Digital advertising
• Project Management
• Travel planning
• Pet services
• SAT prep/ school prep
• Music lessons
• Wedding planning
• Private chefThe list above is by no means exhaustive, but I do hope you get it. When I started this blog post, I needed to make sure that as a beginner’s guide to side hustles you understood how you can make money from anything. If you thought you couldn’t I hope the list above helps you realize how possible it is.

  Method two: selling knowledge

  Things take a different turn here. This is where you take something you have a skill in, for example, cooking and package it. It can take different forms depending on the level you are at. Beginners should take it slow. Don’t rush the process. It can take time to get to the point where you charge $500 for your program. Most people start at less than $100 and move up.

  What most people forget is that when you are selling your knowledge you need to have somewhere to reach your audience. You need to also have a website where you can house your programs or at least showcases it. Below I will list the best knowledge-based products you can sell. This is, after all, a beginner’s guide to starting side hustles, so nothing too complicated.

• Create and sell an eBook
• Launch an online course
• Webinars/workshops
• Coaching or consulting

Hope you have a few ideas buzzing around. As I keep saying I wanted to write a beginner’s guide to starting side hustles to help you know that creating a side hustle is easier than you think. When I was starting I was clueless about the direction I should take and I struggled finding my footing. What is the side hustle that stood out to you the most? 

Also Related: Quick Side-Hustle Ideas To Start At Home

What is the main takeaway from this and what do you like most about side hustles? Let me known in the comments section. 

                                                           KEEP  P USHING

                                                               VANESSA