A Millennial's Fun and Easy Side Hustles: How They Built a $5,000 Portfolio

• Steph Thompson is putting more effort into side gigs after finding success with them in supplementing her income during studies.
• She has finished surveys, visited shops covertly for evaluations, and marketed digital goods.
• She spoke with Business Insider about her favorite experiences at work.

Many people are trapped in inflexible 9-to-5 positions Others seek a more adaptable timetable and transition into freelancing instead. At 31 years old, Steph Thompson enjoys maintaining a blend of both worlds. side hustles .

Thompson, residing in Australia, mentioned side gigs enabled her to be self-sufficient while she was enrolled in a one-year educational course.

She mentioned that during weeks with more available time, she could dedicate additional hours to it, whereas times without extra moments weren’t an issue as these part-time gigs would persistently await her attention.

Between January 2024 and last month, she earned over $5,000 through various side gigs like taking surveys and joining in user-generated content , recommendations, and marketing digital goods. Thompson finished her course in November, and since then, she has been focusing intensively on additional ventures. It’s common for individuals to engage in a secondary occupation while maintaining their primary employment, with numerous part-time workers diving into these extra activities. stay-at-home parents aiming to earn some extra cash. Some individuals have left their jobs to concentrate solely on making additional income through side projects.

Thompson motivates individuals to seek out part-time work that aligns with both their passions and availability.

She stated, 'There will generally be something suitable for most individuals out there. You might need to search for it somewhat, but eventually, you'll discover something that aligns with your character, matches your mind, and fits into your schedule.'

Here are some of the side projects Thompson has explored along with reasons why they could be appealing to others.

Assessing and examining goods and offerings

UserTesting, a platform claiming individuals can earn income during their free moments by assessing and giving insights on various products and services, is among Thompson’s top picks. side hustles She earned more than $400 in the last twelve months through this platform.

Certain tasks might require providing input via video or audio recordings, whereas some could be simple surveys without such requirements.

Karan Mavai, who serves as the vice president of product management at UserTesting, mentioned that "think-aloud tests" are the most commonly used method on their platform. He explained that participants vocalize their thoughts while they explore a digital interface, prototype, or app. According to Mavai, clients looking for insights receive a recording that captures both the actions taken on the screen and the spoken comments made during this process.

"Thompson mentioned that she enjoys appearing on videos and interacting with individuals, which aligns well with her personal traits," adding that this aspect of UserTesting and market research fits perfectly for her. side hustles .

She is also fond of User Interviews, an alternative site where you can share your opinions. The platform offers several methods for earning money such as completing online surveys, joining focus groups, and participating in multi-day research projects. Certain studies might necessitate the use of a webcam, whereas others could entail telephone conversations.

"Should you enjoy sharing your thoughts on various topics, this could be the perfect part-time gig for you," Thompson stated.

She mentioned that the compensation could be quite generous; according to the platform, the typical payment exceeds $50 and is issued via gift cards. Thompson has earned some income through referring people to User Interviews and joining various studies. Her payouts have varied from around $10 for a 15-minute session up to about $50 for extended sessions. She noted that these chances often come up during regular working hours, which means this opportunity could work well for individuals able to take part in activities throughout the daytime.

Mystery shopping

Thompson stated that mystery shopping is a method used for easy side gig To attempt this since you might discover chances via an application and swiftly begin a task. She earned six Australian dollars, roughly equivalent to $4 USD, for one mission and AUD$8 for another. These tasks entailed photographing the chocolate and confectionery sections in two separate stores to document their display arrangements.

Thompson believes that this additional job is perfect for those who frequently do their grocery shopping. She mentioned, "'It’s a fantastic small addition to your routine without significantly deviating from your usual path just to make a few extra bucks.'"

Digital products

Thompson has additionally generated income by selling a meal planning template and a budget spreadsheet, both of which are digital products Over a period of seven months, she managed to earn approximately AUD$1,418 from all her digital creations.

She mentioned that it started as something created for her own use and then she thought, 'Actually, others might find value in this too.'

Ebooks , budget trackers, printable planners , and artwork can also be marketed as digital goods. Thompson believes that having a sizable following isn’t necessary when beginning to sell such items.

"As long as you follow what genuinely interests you, I believe you will likely create superior products due to this authentic enthusiasm," she stated.

Surveys

Thompson mentioned that although surveys can serve as a decent part-time job, she considers them dull. surveys While these aren't her top choices for side gigs, she has a liking for two specific platforms: Prolific and the Australian platform Octopus Group.

Thompson mentioned that keeping an eye out for those with higher payouts generally makes it worthwhile to spend your time on these survey platforms.

The website for Prolific states that the lowest hourly wage they offer starts at around $8 per task. However, according to information from Prolific shared with Business Insider, numerous researchers actually pay above this rate. The company mentioned that most of their research projects typically last anywhere from five minutes up to about thirty minutes.

Thompson thinks survey sites Would be perfect for someone looking to earn some additional cash or who can't dedicate much time.

She mentioned that it’s certainly not the highest-earning part-time job, but if you’re someone who can easily multitask between watching television and browsing your phone, then you’ll manage just fine.

Delivery

Though certain individuals might relish earning additional money from delivery jobs It could also involve reinvesting part of your earnings back into it. Thompson noted that for a delivery side gig, you’re probably accumulating higher expenses compared to other freelance opportunities since you have to account for fuel costs, vehicle upkeep, and additional expenditures.

One alternative for food delivery is through services like Uber Eats. According to Thompson, using Uber Eats might be enjoyable for those who like driving. It could serve as a casual job that’s relatively simple to begin with provided you clear the background verification process; however, she feels it isn’t quite as advantageous now compared to before.

She mentioned that she hasn’t been doing it much over the past one or two years since the compensation has noticeably dropped below what would be considered worthwhile given the time and effort involved, especially with alternative opportunities present.

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