Side gigs

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Luke
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Side gigs

Post by Luke »

With things the way they are, does anyone here have other income streams aside from their day job?

I'm not in dire need of extra change and have no one to support but myself, still, I seem haunted about suddenly getting old without enough to live well. With a lot of extra time these days, I'm looking at things I can get into that would be great to keep some more money coming in. However, I'm a shit driver and average navigator so getting people around or dashing food to doors I ponder twice about.

Then I think - with the way things are and all - I might not even see old or a world where it's possible to live well at all.


motherjuggs&speed
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Post by motherjuggs&speed »

Onlyfans.com

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Bram
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Post by Bram »

I thought of the various people I know and if any of them had made decent money off side hustles....

A couple I know rented out three rooms in their (rented) four-bedroom house on AirBnB. At one point I believe they were making 10 grand a month. They really went above and beyond. They decorated, painted, etc. They put up a chalk map of all the fun things to do in the neighborhood (natural attractions, good restaurants, and so on). Sometimes they'd order pizzas and comp it to their guests then get a fire pit going and chill with them. Lastly, they got approved to do "AirBnB experiences." This would allow them to lead snorkeling expeditions and teach surf lessons (an extra 100$ a go). They estimated it took 20-30 hours a week of work with the cleaning, e-mail correspondence, and what not.

I've never had a side hustle, but I volunteered for a while. Just 2 hours a week. Met some really cool people and it always felt good to do something for free.
"If we are all going to be destroyed by the atomic bomb, let it find us doing sensible and human things—working, listening to music, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep." — CS Lewis


Boris
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Post by Boris »

I can make decent money coaching and doing private lessons, but i don't know if I'd be able to sustain that right now if I decided to make them a side gig. If a book store was hiring, I'd jump at that but being surrounded by books, I'd probably spend every $ I earned...

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Turdacious
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Post by Turdacious »

If you’re in a pretty dense urban area doing deliveries by bike is a decent side gig. If you’re in a hilly area it makes for a pretty good workout with lots of zone two cardio in the flatter areas. Also, when I did it for bike delivery the app would tell you where you were delivering to, so I didn’t have to accept deliveries to sketchy neighborhoods or to locations so far away from restaurants that I’d have to ride for 20 minutes after the delivery before the app would give me another one.
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Gene
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Post by Gene »

Luke wrote: Fri Oct 20, 2023 11:21 am With a lot of extra time these days, I'm looking at things I can get into that would be great to keep some more money coming in. However, I'm a shit driver and average navigator so getting people around or dashing food to doors I ponder twice about.
Door dash, Uber and the rest are shit propositions. Vehicle wear and tear and risk exposure from using personal vehicles for commercial work are where you get got.

Uber does insure their drivers. Can't say if Lyft or Door dash do.

I briefly lived with someone who delivered papers to make cash income. She damaged a string of cars through the stop 'n start driving. A lot of her bread went to keep a nearby tranny shop in the black.

Talk to a Labor Lawyer about the legislation and case law in your State regarding side work or "moon lighting". Be sure if you can do it that you get liability coverage if you are doing work for which you could be sued.

Don't mention that you talked to an attorney if HR bugs you about it. Begging for forgiveness goes a long way.

Some companies are batshit nuts about moon lighting. A previous employer of mine required permission for any side gig work. My current employer is solely concerned with conflicts of interest.

Cover your behind, talk to an attorney.
Don't like yourself too much.

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Ronald RayGun
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Post by Ronald RayGun »

I grew and sold not-that-great weed long before it was legal.
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motherjuggs&speed
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Post by motherjuggs&speed »

I killed a few cars doing delivery. It's a scam, essentially. The company makes money while you take all the risk, and you don't even make net money -- you trade the life of your car for short term cash and end up fukd when your car dies.


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Luke
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Post by Luke »

Growing up Boris my parents ran a bookshop - had no appreciation of it back then!

I could do Onlyfans while delivering food...Turdacious's method is a great hack - I had considered the beating a car would take and how any money would have to go back into that. Also, the liability Gene.

I was thinking how fun being a dealer would be. I get an insane dopamine hit when I sell 2nd hand goods and get the money. Can only imagine that rush several times a day, for way more pay! Ah fuck it, let's go with drug dealing...

Those AirBnb folk sound great, Bram. The bar is so low with how the public get treated on there, they would really stand out. Volunteering I was considering too recently to help reset how things have been going. I have a lot more empathy than I once did, particularly for older folk. I would happily take a fee to visit rich people's parents/grandparents and talk.

Funny, I have never met you of course, but you remind me a lot of a close friend through your outlook on life and hobbies. He volunteers and quit being a prison guard (for average pay) to become a nurse (maybe even less pay). I thought "Wow if he can by a house here on that salary with his wife, I could learn a thing or two. Plus, he's giving back to the world." I found out recently the guy is absolutely minted through his family. Had no idea for 20 odd years I've known him. Definitely could not tell via lifestyle or habits etc.

Quite grim how he'd be in poverty if he chose that line of work without the backup he has.

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Bram
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Post by Bram »

My family worked hard, made frugal choices, had fortune blow their way, and have been amazingly generous. Similar to your friend, I’ve been a lucky recipient.

Old people, really anyone, can be great to be around. One of the places I volunteered at was a retirement home. And I make dinners, do art projects, go to comedy shows, etc. with my personal training clients in their 70’s and 80’s. Good people are everywhere :)
"If we are all going to be destroyed by the atomic bomb, let it find us doing sensible and human things—working, listening to music, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep." — CS Lewis

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Dunn
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Post by Dunn »

I worked a side gig doing troubleshooting tickets for a NOC, network ops center. It was at night and eventually morphed into another full time gig where I worked 3 nights a week while doing my day job. It killed me, but we paid off some stuff. I’ve thought about trying to find a part time side gig but honestly I just don’t have the desire to spend any more time at work than is absolutely necessary at this stage of my life.

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Grandpa's Spells
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Post by Grandpa's Spells »

JMO, but if I were looking to do this, I would look for services people are willing to overpay for relative to the effort, and make sure I was taking care of my body.

Knowing people who work with their hands, that shit is very, very hard on the body. People will say shit like plumbers make more than lawyers, but you don't want to be a 50-year-old plumber with 25 years on your body doing that work.

There are people making a very nice side income power washing, installing trailer hitches, sharpening kitchen knives, PDR, installing TV wall mounts, etc. Relatively easy stuff that people won't/can't do themselves. Nick Huber, who is kind of an asshole, did some good writing on this subject.

In short, there are a lot of under-served tasks that need to be done where people will pay an outsized rate. I can't get a handyman to do repairs at my rental place to save my life, and no longer have the time to do it myself. I have essentially infinite people ready to give me a ride to the airport or deliver a pizza.
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Gene
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Post by Gene »

Grandpa's Spells wrote: Tue Oct 24, 2023 3:47 pm There are people making a very nice side income power washing, installing trailer hitches, sharpening kitchen knives, PDR, installing TV wall mounts, etc. Relatively easy stuff that people won't/can't do themselves. Nick Huber, who is kind of an asshole, did some good writing on this subject.

In short, there are a lot of under-served tasks that need to be done where people will pay an outsized rate. I can't get a handyman to do repairs at my rental place to save my life, and no longer have the time to do it myself. I have essentially infinite people ready to give me a ride to the airport or deliver a pizza.
Illinois has rules and regulations about home repair. You have to sign a contract for more than $1,000 of repairs.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/i ... ActID=2359

Pennsylvania has similar laws.

https://hic.attorneygeneral.gov/login.a ... eSupport=1

In PA, if you do more than $5000 of work a year you have to register with the State Attorney General's office. The fee isn't big.

I can see some merit to it, to keep the fly by night operators out of the game.

Probably keeps the part timers out of the game too.
Don't like yourself too much.

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