My 8 Year Old Neighbor Made More Money Than Me Today

While this pandemic has been a wave of grief, uncertainty, and financial insecurity for many, for some, it has become a beacon of opportunity. Case in point, my 8 year old neighbor down the block who has started selling homemade face masks. She sells them for $1-$3 depending on the size and materials used (Sorry, the awesome Harry Potter ones will cost a pretty penny!). She also offers complimentary lemonade with your mask. Needless to say, this cutie is rocking one of the most ingenious, successful lemonade stands I’ve seen so far this summer. She’s helping others stay safe while they cool down, and it is paying off big time!

Now you might not think so, but this has actually been wildly successful for her! She’s made a profit of over $200 in the past week being out 1-2 hours a day. Then just like the awesome #bossgirl she is, she went straight to Target and purchased her very own SNES Classic. Now she can play all the fun games we played as kids and make me feel a little less old.

The reason I’m sharing this story with you today isn’t so you can be jealous of an 8 year old though. It’s so you can find inspiration! I firmly believe that every single person on this earth should have a side hustle of some sort. Whether it’s selling painted rocks on Etsy or designing the newest addicting app game, I believe having a hobby that also creates income can be so rewarding!

According to a study done by Bankrate, 43% of Americans have some sort of side hustle that brings them income. For many, this income is instrumental in ensuring their quality of life, while for others it is more or less a hobby. I have always been fascinated by how people make their living and think that start-ups and entrepreneurship is so cool! However, side hustles also include working for services like Uber or Grubhub as a driver since it’s not a full time job for most drivers and they are freelancers.

So, let’s say you’re intrigued and want to start your own side hustle, but you’re asking yourself, what can I do? Luckily, there is a side hustle out there for just about anybody. Below is a list that is not even kind of comprehensive given the limitless possibilities, however, it should be a great start to get your brain spinning with awesome ideas!

  • Become a tutor (tutoring via Skype is great for this crazy time!)
  • Sell homemade goods on Etsy
  • Start a blog on a niche topic
  • Resell thrift store finds on Ebay
  • Drive for Uber, Lyft, or another ride sharing platform
  • Rent your spare room on Airbnb
  • Refinish furniture
  • Make jewelry
  • Take online surveys
  • Weed your neighbor’s garden
  • Babysitting
  • Shovel snow for people
  • Start a pet grooming business
  • Take online surveys
  • Become a ghostwriter
  • Volunteer for medical studies
  • Walk people’s dogs on Rover
  • House-sit
  • Create a Youtube channel
  • Deliveries for Postmates
  • Make and sell homemade meals
  • Become a personal trainer
  • Grow a garden and sell your harvest at a farmer’s market
  • Make cakes and cupcakes for events
  • Teach music lessons
  • Create a smart phone app
  • Become a social media management freelancer
  • Post affiliate links on your social media platforms
  • Sell freelance services on Fiverr
  • Create an online course
  • Start a podcast
  • Do website design for small businesses
  • Write an e-book
  • Become a personal chef
  • Do mystery shopping
  • Be a yoga instructor
  • Clean houses and office buildings
  • Host a garage sale
  • Write resumes
  • Film Youtube tutorial videos
  • Freelance graphic design work
  • Wash and detail cars

Any of those sound like interesting side hustles? Awesome! What are you waiting for? Go make some money!