To get you started, we’ve rounded up five ways you can make extra money. Keep in mind that with every side hustle you will need to know how to manage your time effectively – poor time management can lead to burnout (here are tips on how to come back from burnout).
For more tips, check out these great reads:
Start freelancing
Do you have a skill you could monetise? If you have expertise in areas like writing, design, programming, content creation or social media management, you can offer your services as a freelancer. Websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com connect freelancers with clients looking for specific skills. Another good place to look for gigs or advertise your services is Facebook – the Freelance South Africa group is a great starting point.
Sell your unused items
When was the last time you did a proper spring clean? It’s highly likely that you’ll have a pile of clothes and accessories to sell – plus, you’ll have cleared some space. Facebook Marketplace is a great way to make money from your secondhand stuff, but scamming is rife.
Popular marketplace-app Yaga allows you to sell anything from clothing to beauty products, books and pet accessories. The app offers payment protection by only releasing payments to the seller once the buyer has confirmed they’ve received the item on the app. You can sell almost anything as long as it’s in good condition.
Become a micro jobber
Did you know that you can get paid to give your opinion? Many brands depend on focus groups and surveys for market research and work through agencies to gather important information about a product or service. If you fit into the target audience, you could sign up to participate in an at-home or virtual focus group, complete an online survey or visit a store as a mystery shopper.
M4JAM is a local crowd-sourcing platform that pays you to complete small tasks (micro jobs) that include providing data or answering surveys for big corporations – all you need is a smartphone.
Work as an extra on a film set
If you have a lot of free time, signing up with a talent agency will be worth your while. You’ll be able to attend castings for TV commercials, series and movies, which you wouldn’t be able to do with a full-time job.
To be an extra, you don’t need to be tall or photogenic. Agencies welcome people of all ethnicities, genders and ages and there are no costs involved – you just need to be a South African citizen and have a registered tax number. Colt Talent is one of the country’s leading character and background extras agencies. Visit the website to register.
