Remember the day you landed your first full-time job? You may have felt so proud to start your career journey. Now that you're working full-time, you might find yourself wondering if there are other ways to bring in income outside your full-time job.
Whether you want to raise your earnings because you want to pay off your student loans faster (if you have them), you want to have money to invest, or you want extra spending money, know that you have options to bring in cash should you want to.
Let's break down some options on how you may be able to earn extra income while working full-time.
Bring in extra income by starting an online side hustle
With access to the internet and a working computer, you can consider various side hustles that will allow you to potentially start making additional income in your free time from the comfort of your home.
Though there’s no online side hustle, gig, or job that suits everyone, you may consider trying a few to see what works for you and what you like doing.
1. Freelancing
You've probably heard the buzz about freelancing — it's a way to earn money without committing to an employer. Sometimes freelancers work on one-and-done projects, and others work with clients for an extended period. The big benefit of freelancing is that it does give you the freedom to take ownership of your time while earning money.
To get started, take an inventory of your skills and what's in demand in the market. Skills to consider include freelance writing, graphic design work, and social media management, among many others.
Often, you don't need a fancy website to tout your services and can tap into a third-party virtual freelancing platform (some of which are very specialized) to find work. On these platforms, sometimes within minutes, you can post your bio, skills, and work samples. Clients may search for your unique skills and contact you, or you may be able to bid for available jobs. Sometimes, these platforms also make it easy to get paid in exchange for a small cut of your earnings.
Know that, like with any other business, it may take time to build your client base. But, if you make a go at it, you'll belong to more than a quarter of the global workforce already doing freelance work, according to Harvard Business Review.
2. Online tutoring
Another route for using the skills you already have to make money is to become an online tutor – something you can do around the hours of your full-time job. Like freelancing, there are third-party tutoring sites you can join to start tutoring students. If your credentials fit the tutoring company's needs, they'll pair you with clients. You can also build up your client base tutoring via word of mouth.
"Tutors can earn anywhere from $15 to more than $100 an hour, depending on the subject that they teach," Kathy Kristof, founder and editor of SideHusl.com, told CNBC, pointing to the flexibility of rates and availability of online tutoring opportunities.
Please keep in mind that these rates may vary, sometimes quite substantially, depending on the market you’re tutoring in and what you’re specializing in.
3. Become a social media influencer
In today's age, everyone can start a social media account to start to build a following. While it may take some people months and others years to build a community, if you’re able to, you may be able to make money as an influencer and get paid by brands to start advertising their products.
Don’t think you necessarily need millions of followers to be able to do this, either. Micro-influencers – those with a following between 10,000 and 100,000 – may be able to monetize their social media accounts and followings.
Some social media platforms even have funds for creators. Based on how many views your posts or videos receive, you may be able to be paid by the platforms themselves.
4. Become a virtual assistant
Another way you can make extra income while working full-time is taking on virtual assistant jobs. Those in these roles may help companies or individuals with tasks such as inbox management, social media management, online customer support, and more — remotely.
Like freelancers, virtual assistants can find work on third-party platforms or job boards. You can also set up a freelancing virtual assistant business, doing your own marketing. Or you may work for a single company or individual as a virtual assistant. However, regardless of which route you choose, it may take some time and networking to get your foot in the door.
5. Consider selling items online
There are a few avenues to start making money by selling items online. If you have anything from books to furniture to appliances and clothes in your home that you don’t use anymore, you can consider selling them online. Many online marketplaces will allow you to list used items in good condition.
If you’re crafty, you can also consider selling items that you make online. Another avenue to pursue is re-selling used or vintage items online – for instance, vintage clothes that you source at second-hand stores or antiques that you find at garage sales.
Work a part-time job alongside your full-time job
If you prefer to make extra income but want a job that isn’t virtual, consider getting a part-time job either on the weekends or after your day job.
12 part-time jobs you can consider if you already have a full-time job include:
- Barista
- Babysitter
- Front desk clerk
- Bookstore cashier
- Driving for a ride-share service
- Pet sitting
- Personal trainer
- Retail sales associate
- Restaurant server
- Dog walking
- Food delivery
- Bookkeeper
You can search what’s available in your area on job boards for even more options.
Consider passive income streams while working full-time
You may be a person who works full-time and feels exhausted by the end of the workday. With additional responsibilities in your personal life to also consider, adding more work to your plate may feel impossible. For this reason, you may want to consider pursuing passive income streams. Here are some options to consider.
1. Rent your home
Depending on your living situation, consider renting out your home when you travel or even an empty room full-time if you have one available to you. There are a variety of rental websites online that let you create listings for homes or spare rooms in order to turn your living space into a passive income stream.
2. Rent your car
Like renting out your home, if you realize you’re not using your car that often, you may consider letting someone else borrow it in exchange for money. There are several peer-to-peer services, which allow you to rent your car to another individual. This is a passive income stream because it doesn’t require any work on your part.
3. Sell digital products
Consider creating a digital product like an online course, e-book, or even a digital printable, to sell. While this may take upfront work – writing an e-book isn’t easy – once you have it, you’ll be able to sell it in perpetuity.
It's important to note that a digital product on its own doesn't guarantee income but relies on a variety of factors, such as customer demand and how optimized your marketing is, among other factors. But with the right product, and the right marketing strategy, you may be able to earn extra income this way.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, there are numerous ways you can make extra income while working full-time. Sometimes, the only way to know which option will work best for you is to try a few. Your ability to bring in additional income may not happen overnight, but with the proper amount of patience and a proactive approach, you may be able to find the right-side hustle that meets your needs.
