What is a side hustle? What Does Side Hustle Mean?

Hello again! This is your Side Hustle Private Investigator and I am excited to present to you - My First Blog!!

In this blog I will explain:

what is a side hustle
where does the term side hustle come
why you should do a side hustle
some things to keep in mind when doing side hustles

... And much more!

Before we dig into discovering side hustles, below is a short YouTube I created explaining my side hustle journey. While you are there, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don't miss any FREE side hustle tips!

Hustle has been an English word since the late 1600s. From Dutch, hustle originally meant “to shake,” but evolved over the years, including “push roughly,” “move quickly,” and “give one’s full effort,” as seen in the sport of basketball.

By at least the 1920s, hustle came to mean “to defraud or swindle,” like a con job. In the 1940s in black slang, hustle signified a “paid job” (and legitimate one, at that) more generally. We have evidence for side hustle, or a source of money one has on the side of their main job, by the 1950s. Side hustle took off in the 2000s thanks to two forces: the internet and the gig economy.

The internet allowed people to earn money through projects on social media, such as making money on blogs or selling crafts on Etsy. The gig economy, like driving Uber or freelancing on Fiverr, allowed people more opportunities for a side hustle outside their main income.

To quote the infamous side hustler... "I got 2 jobs and a side hustle because that’s what it takes to get ahead in this economy". I just made that up! :)

Well everyone has their own reason as to why they do their side hustle but if you need some help deciding on why you should jump on the "side hustle bandwagon", here are a few:

Supplement your income: in this economy some folks just need the extra money to make ends meet and instead of a traditional part-time job a side hustle may be the way to go.
Having multiple streams of income is empowering: if there's anything our recent pandemic has taught is that having multiple streams of income is easier on the financial front when things don't go as planned. Besides unplanned life changes, it can also make you feel more empowered while you have other options for job opportunities.
Use extra money to pay off debt faster: now I'm no financial expert but I know enough to know that being out of debt is a good thing in this economy. This extra income can help you do just that.
Use extra money to build wealth: instead of buy the latest Jordan's with your extra money, how about building your wealth and savings? Again, not a financial expert but this is not a bad thing to do.
You may actually like it: you never know how much you will like this side hustle until you try it. It can actually become your permanent gig if that is what you want!

Before you get all caught up in the side hustle game, there are some things to keep in mind - and I'm talking from experience here!!

Time is priceless and precious: you can't really put a price on time! Be careful not to get lost in the side hustle so much so that you are not spending time with your loved ones or taking care of yourself! Make sure you have enough time to complete the side hustle and have margin in your life.
Does it require extra training or certification?: some side hustles may require this so keep this in mind! There are places online where you can get free certifications as well. Do your research.
Work smarter not harder: this one is important to keep in mind. Try to work efficiently whenever possible. Research before doing the side hustle and keep learning ways to make it as easy as possible.
Time verses income ratio: keeping in mind #1 on this list, ask yourself this question, "Does the pay justify the effort?". If you are working for 1 hour and only getting paid 5 cents, is that good enough for you? How much is your time worth to you?