Both financial and lifestyle gurus talk a lot about “side hustles.” It’s actually quite a popular buzzword. But, what is a side hustle? And is it the same as choosing to freelance part-time?
Basically, a side hustle is a small business (or a sole proprietorship) that helps you bring in extra money in your free time.
Many people choose to start a side hustle as a way to supplement their full-time income, either temporarily or indefinitely. Or, they may begin with the goal to eventually turn their side business into their main income stream.
Anyone can start a side hustle. It’s a flexible way to earn money, whether you already have a full-time job, are a student, a homemaker, or have a steady part-time job. Many people even put several side hustles together to equal a full-time income.
One question we get asked a lot is whether side hustles apply to freelancers.
Is it possible to freelance part-time?
The short answer is: yes! Freelancing is a great side-hustle! You get to work with clients from anywhere, and you get to determine your own schedule. Not only can you flex your creative muscles and have a ton of fun, you can also adapt your workload based on what’s happening in other areas of your life.
(If you have a full-time job in the field you want to freelance in, we do recommend verifying your company’s rules around freelancing before you get started.)
But there are some caveats.
From your clients’ perspective, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re freelancing part-time or full-time. But it does matter that you are a pro.
Lots of side hustles don’t require professional training: Dog walking, food delivery, blogging. But in order to build an effective freelance career—even on a part-time basis—you need to produce high-quality work for the businesses that hire you.
For example, if you want to freelance part-time as a tax preparer, you better know what you’re doing! The same thing goes for bookkeeping, graphic design, copywriting, and any other service which requires a set of skills.
Businesses will hire freelancers if they’re good at what they do.
I hope you’re encouraged by this! Once you’ve acquired and honed a set of skills, you can put them to work as a freelancer. And you can absolutely choose to freelance part-time.
When you have expertise and experience to back up your offer to your clients, you are miles ahead of the competition. Your clients won’t care how many hours you spend on your freelance business, or whether it’s a side hustle for you, as long as you can deliver on the work promised.
Your turn! What would you with the extra money you could earn as a part-time freelancer? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on July 1, 2023.
