We all know that a little extra cash can go a long way! As women, we juggle between work and home and end up spending a considerable part of our time just around household chores. While the COVID situation has made us all work from home, there are different ways that you can earn a little extra income.

Here are 5 side hustles that you can consider picking up to fund that second income:

1. Content Creation: The whole world has moved towards content. Whether it is written or visual, content owns the job market. If you are into writing (either creative or technical) you can explore this option. Content roles range from blog writing to scriptwriting and much more. You can pick up gigs which are either authored or have portions of ghostwriting as well. In case you are wondering about the creative angle of the work, don’t worry. Writing ranges in creativity, some articles and content pieces are very technical in nature and follow a very path from creative content writing. So, simply choose what suits you best! Depending on the amount of work that you take up, you can earn above INR 20,000 in a month.

2. Become an Affiliate Marketer: Affiliate marketing is one of those side hustle ideas that can either make you a lot of money or nothing. So this is a tricky one. It’s not just about finding the right product to sell but is also about finding the perfect brand to partner with. Since affiliate marketing is all about commissions, make sure that you are cut out for this role before investing a lot of your time in it. Depending on the amount of work that you take up, you can anywhere 10 - 15% per campaign.

3. Monetise your art: Whether you paint, are into digital art, photography or make crafts, this could be your chance to shine! Concentrate on listing up your art pieces online (make sure that these are trusted websites like Etsy, a Whatsapp group or a Facebook trusted group) and get paid every time someone purchases your art piece. What’s more, you can make money by selling prints of the original as well. These are usually in the form of merchandise and are listed along with the original artwork. In case you are a graphic designer, you can also offer your services as part of projects and earn along the side.

4. Become a virtual store assistant/ customer care executive: All stores (especially boutiques) have gone online and what do they need most? To have consumers purchase their products. If you have a good understanding of the products that they sell, and a good command on speaking, this might be the perfect side gig for you. This job pays well and is a great stress-free way to interact with other people. Depending on the amount of work that you take up, you can earn above INR 15,000 in a month.

5. Take online surveys: With the startup boom in full swing, many firms are interested in getting honest, interesting feedback and insights on their products to improve customer experience - and they pay you for this. Right from design and copy, to user journey flow, companies are interested in understanding how someone feels while using their product. This is not just a lucrative gig, but in case you too, work in a similar field, it will help you judge your product better too! You can earn up to INR 250 per survey taken. But before you go out there and take up a gig, here are a few things you should get in order.

1. Make a list of all the things you are good at - Before you turn that hobby into a money-making machine, you need to understand your skill level and expertise. Rank all your preferences in order of skill and then sort them out by time. For example, if you are into creative writing, understanding how long this might take for you to finish a piece of content, is a good way to gauge your time.

2. Decide if you need investment - If you are taking up a side gig, you will need to have all the equipment in place. Like if you are planning to take up photography, make sure that you have all the cameras, lenses, tripods and so on. In case you think that you will need to get the equipment, do a cost-benefit analysis and see if it is worth it. You can also choose to rent equipment to keep costs under control. However, if you still feel that the initial cost is too high, then moving on to the next item on your list might be a good option.

3. Make sure there’s no conflict of interest - Most often you are running a typical 9-5 job. But if this new side hustle is going to be a problem, it is best that you look for something that doesn’t clash with the work that you already have. You do not want to make commitments and then burn bridges at both ends. So this is a tricky one, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

4. Schedule specific time - We know that work and the home might take up a lot of your 24 hours. But once you have decided to go all-in, make sure that you pull up a schedule and stick to it. Most often, we tend to overcommit and underdeliver. This is bad, really bad. So steer clear of falling into that.

5. Don’t ignore your day job - Your primary job is the one that is paying those bills. It is your career and the principle breadwinner. Even though you might take up a side hustle, always ensure that you do not slip up and fall short on the day job. If need be, try spacing out your side hustle so that you have enough time to spend over your actual job.

But where do you find work?

There are multiple places you can find such work. Some of the websites where you can find such work are Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, UrbanPro, etc.

Bottom Line

When an opportunity comes knocking, don’t forget to open the door. The COVID situation might have us all stuck in our houses, but think of it as an opportunity to save money, make more money and get smarter about investing that extra income. One great way to get started is by downloading the Basis app. Here you get access to exclusive financial content that will nudge you in the right direction of making smart money choices!