Living in the modern day can be tough. With house prices soaring through the roof, and living costs just as bad, being able to have money left over at the end of the month can be harder than you’d think. That’s why many of us are now having to resort to working overtime or missing out on the thing we love.

That’s why grabbing yourself a side job is a great option. It might mean spending extra hours working for a while, but if it allows you to finally pay for those driving lessons, a trip abroad or a deposit on your first home; it’s well worth it.

Working more than one job will require a lot of determination, caffeination and plenty of early mornings, but if you manage your time effectively, it can be a godsend.

Freelance Work

The first type of work you can pick up alongside your regular job is freelance work. Freelancing work is available in many different industries and using websites such as Freelancer and Upwork to apply for jobs around the world. The great thing about this is you can pick and choose how many hours a week you are available for working and tailor it to your own lifestyle.

Part-Time Retail

Another simple way to earn some extra cash is to work either at the weekends or in the evenings at a local retail store. Sure, it might not be the most glamorous job in the world, but you can earn some honest cash for a few hours of hard work a couple of times a week.

VA

A virtual assistant is someone who offers their services in web design, social media, blogging and marketing to a business or entrepreneur. It can also include handling finances and organising work material. Becoming a virtual assistant is great because you can stay in the comfort of your own home, in your pyjamas and work away at a number of different tasks. It’s an excellent learning curve and can teach you a host of different skills which are involved in running a business, and could even inspire you to start your own.

Blogger

A lot of people have this misconception that blogging is just writing and posting content on the web. They could not be further from the truth. Blogging is a skill, as is any craft; and it takes a creative mind and a flare for writing to create engaging content which appeals to a host of people. You can also earn cash from blogging by advertising and reviewing products, placing affiliate links in blog posts and posting on social media. Instagram models get paid ridiculous amounts for posting a selfie wearing a particular dress, so why don’t you do the same with blogging?

Photography

If you own a camera and have an eye for detail, then photography could be a great side hustle for you. Whether you want to invest in wedding photography, family portraits or sell your prints in a gallery- there are plenty of possibilities. If you want to stay at home, you can sell your photos to stock photo websites such as Shutterstock and be paid everytime someone uses it. You could attend small events and present your original wildlife and landscapes to the public, allowing them to purchase prints, canvas and greetings cards. It’s all down to the way you feel comfortable working and the type of photography you like to do. You could even be paid as a photographer for a fashion brand or a retailer part time.

Etsy

Do you create beautiful hand-drawn pictures or pieces of jewellery? Open up a shop on Etsy and sell them! You can make a nice bit of extra cash just by spending a few hours in the evening creating and processing orders. It’s an excellent way to share your work with the world.

Writing

You could decide to opt for another type of passion, writing. If you are more into fiction writing than for articles and blogs, then you can self-publish your work through Amazon and be paid for your own novel or novella. Similarly, you could create a book full of beautiful lettering or poems and publish that. You don’t even need to self-publish to be a writer- you could create an e-Book and create a link on your website where people can download it as a PDF for to read. If you have the creativity and the passion you can achieve anything.