Most of us love the idea of running our own company and being the boss. Real life doesn’t always work out like that for our main job, but side businesses allow you to get extra income and run your own show when you’re off the clock.
For fraudsters, no target too small [Get Rich Slowly]
Photo by Lin Mei
As personal finance blog Get Rich Slowly points out, the modern world has made it easier than ever to make money on the side:
A lot of people I know get at least part of their income from a side business. For instance, before I quit my job, I was freelance-writing on the side. I have friends who give private yoga lessons, who sell handmade items on Etsy, and who pet-sit. Before my mum retired, she started her sewing business and sold clothing online and at trade shows.
Technology has made it easier than ever to run these small businesses. There’s an inexpensive and time-saving solution for everything from the proposal to invoicing. In fact, my invoicing software even helps me track income and expenses, which makes life a lot easier come tax time.
How about you? Do you spend your weekends making money for yourself in something you love? Or would you prefer to let work be work and have fun in your down time? Tell us in the comments.
Comments
13 responses to “Do You Have A Side Business?”
I started a graphic design business on the side. At first it was just a few hours a week but now it’s crept up to around 20/30. I just can’t say no to people. And the more people you work for the more clients you get by recommendation. But the idea of quitting my job to do it full time is just terrifying.
Exactly the same situation for me.
Also a designer here, with a bit of web work thrown into the mix. A majority of my work winds up being volunteer-based, or in exchange for whiskey/beer, but between working full-time and the odd freelance paycheque I’m more than happy to work for drinks.
I run a photography business, (trying to) sell landscape prints.
http://goo.gl/15F2U
I also do website design, but I’m scaling that down in favour of making and selling Concrete5 templates online. It’s not a highly profitable business (though it could if I went “mainstream” and did WordPress or Tumblr themes, but it paid for my Galaxy Nexus last year, so I consider that a win.
Shameless plug time?
ninjadeliveries.com
It might be a good idea to make the name of the city in which you work a bit more prominent; I got sucked in and then – ooooh, Perth. Also, do you deliver by car or bike? How quickly you could get to my place (hypothetically) would make a difference to me.
But definitely good on you for being so enterprising; I’m guessing you’re a uni student?
Points taken.
Nah, I’m actually massively overpaid working in the mining industry (Perth). Uni is a dstant memory at the moment.
I’m a reluctant office drone by day, but a published author by night, and I engage in frequent self-promotion in an often-futile attempt to sell more books.
For example: http://shanewsmith.com/
Some casual contract work with small businesses, some computer/phone/tablet repair, and occasional hardware reselling.
It won’t be replacing my real job. A lot of the work comes from people I meet at my day job, and I tend to pick and choose projects that interest me more even if the pay isn’t great…which has led to a fair bit of work at non-profits. I’m pretty sure that puts it right in the ‘hobby’ category.
Plug? Sure. I work at an online marketing company during the day and just took over a fledgling e-comm selling mens wallets – (walletsonline.com.au if you must know) . Turns out there’s a fair bit to do! Trying to transform it by getting in new logo, new site, cooler stock, and reverse sliding rankings at a time where Google give all the ranking love to the big brands !
More hours in the day please.
I carry a money clip and want a leather holder for my cards, so I want something like this:
but without the money clip attached. Do you have anything like this? I have searched high and low!
I use this myself http://www.walletsonline.com.au/weekend-wallet-id-window-black.html which is similar. Is tough to compete purely on price with those international sites (which is why I’ve gone for nicer quality stuff and quick delivery!).
i started hire out spits, worked out well so far, but not well enough to quit my day job.
I run a small business consultancy on the side. Seems to work well, but probably won’t replace the day job. Plug: http://www.progenitor.com.au
For a while I was fixing phones etc. But it became more of a worry than anything. Next venture will probably be an engineering/design drafting business…. Anyone need anything drawn up 😉