How I make an extra $10,000-$50,000 each year with side gigs.

How I make an extra $10,000-$50,000
​each year with side gigs.

For those of you looking to earn some extra income in the coming years, you've come to the right place. I'm going to walk you through exactly how I make an extra $10,000 - $50,000 each year. Let's get into it!

First off, if you are looking for easy money, this article is most likely not for you. This route requires a higher than normal work ethic as it entails HARD WORK. You will also need to be (or learn to be) a reliable and organized person as this route adds more responsibility to your plate. Lastly, you will need to humble yourself because most side gigs (especially the ones I do) are projects that most people don't want to do, hence why they are hiring me.

Rules for Success:

1. Be humble.
2. Be disciplined.
3. Work hard, consistently.
4. Be organized.
5. Be professional.

Step 1
Decide Your Niche

What are you good at? What do you like doing? What could you see yourself doing to earn extra money? These are all good questions to help find your niche. When I first started out the answer to those questions were "Not much". All jokes aside, not everyone has talents or hobbies that have the potential to earn income. This is where you need to think outside of the box. Are you physically healthy? There are a number of jobs that simply require physical labor and no skill. Do you love sports? There is a high demand for sports memorabilia out there and maybe you could buy and sell all things related to sports. Get creative and find a niche.

The list below contains my go-to side gigs as they seem to have a high demand every year. I recommend learning about landscaping and organizing as it provides guaranteed Summer work. everyone needs help with their yards and homes. However, website building is a more niche skill that took me time to acquire. Even now, I have a very niche market for websites because I don't use WordPress which is the most common website building tool on the market. Again, find what works for you even if it is only one thing to begin with. 

Greg's Side Gigs:

• Website Building
• Small Business Development
• Stocks / Cryptocurrency
• Re-selling (Flipping)
• Landscaping
• Odd Jobs: Cleaning, Moving, etc.

Website Development

Re-selling (Flipping)

Landscaping

Above are 3 examples of work that I have done this year (2021) to earn side income. The first picture is of a website for the Story Matters Podcast that I built for a customer. This is the second website I have built for them and I'm sure it won't be the last. The second picture is of an item that I bought at a garage sale for $10 and later sold online for $60. The last picture is of my vehicle filled up with mulch for a landscaping job that I just finished up this past weekend.

Step 2
Marketing Yourself

The goal here is simple; find people who need your services. There are two ways of doing this: 1. by reaching out to ads requesting help wanted and 2. by advertising the services you offer. Websites such as Craigslist, Facebook, Fiver, Upwork, LinkedIn and more allow you to do both. I highly recommend using the Craigslist "Gigs" section when first starting out. I've done all sorts of random jobs from Craigslist that require little to no skill.

One of the most important and effective ways of marketing yourself is by constantly talking about what you do to people you meet or already know. For example, when my family found out I was doing landscaping side gigs, they all wanted to hire me. That then led to their friends and neighbors hiring me as well. Once people know you as "that guy" or gal, you will be surprised how often people call you when they need help with something. Just last week a friend of mine reached out for help with one of his clients because he knew I was "that guy".

As you grow your skills and client base, you may want to market yourself even more. I have chosen to build a brand around myself and that's exactly what this blog is. Since creating this blog, I have had a large handful of people reach out for help with small business development and personal growth. Some jobs were taken on and others were not. As the years go on, you will begin to say no to projects that don't fall in your wheelhouse.

Step 3
Discipline

The single most important tool that you need to be successful here, is discipline. Before I started doing side gigs, I had plenty of nights to sit home and relax on the couch. I went out with my friends often and some nights after work, I would do absolutely nothing. Now, that doesn't happen very often. For example, I now workout at 6am to free up my evenings. Once work cuts out at 5pm, I am off to the races. In order to have time for work, family, friends, health, passions and side gigs it takes real discipline. One of the ways I manage this is with a classic Cambridge planner because it lets me lay out my entire day, week and year. I would be lost without my planner. If you want the same one, it's linked below:

Buy NOW!

More tools for success:

• ​Positive attitude
• Reliability
• Great communication
• Fair pricing & honestly

Step 4
Evaluation

When you first begin doing side work, it's OK to take any and every opportunity, even if it doesn't pay well. However, as time goes on and you have more opportunities, you need to choose wisely. Opportunity cost is the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen. For example, if you have 2 hours of time on a Saturday morning and two side gigs present themselves, make sure you choose the one that is better suited for you. It may pay more, take less time or is easier on your body. Do what's best for you.

Good luck and thank you for reading.

Reach out if you have any questions: Contact Me

Support my blog by purchasing merch from my SHOP. (All proceeds support www.GregSmolka.com)

Buy Now!

Buy Now!