This some bullsh*t.
No, for real, I’m serious. These gas prices are ridiculous and it’s a shame that the average income in today’s society gets no relief. While it may be unfortunate, we have to be able to maneuver within these ever changing new rules. The world never ceases to move forward, so being able to shift and adapt with the times is crucial now more than ever.
Don’t fret though, we got you!
THE BLOCK has taken some time to compile a short list of side hustles that you can add to your arsenal and help ease the squeeze on them pockets.
Rent Out Your Extras
With the way Airbnb has been seamlessly integrated into the hospitality industry, dozens of new apps have been following their lead and developing similar ways for everyday people to rent out their space, time and even vehicles. If you have a storage shed, garage or perhaps even a plot of open land, consider signing up at Neighbor.com and generating some money off of it.
With the way the gas prices have skyrocketed, you might not hit the road as much as you used to. If that’s the case, you’ll want to check out apps like Turo.com and Getaround.com where you can rent out your car, spare car, specialty vehicle or maybe even build your own fleet. Some people have made a nice bag over the last couple of years, don’t miss this one if you can help it.
2. Delivery & Rideshare
It’s safe to say that Uber, Lyft, Doordash and Instacart are here to stay. As these cities continue to consolidate their populations into hyper-condensed, condo laden “corridors” one can only expect these services to continue. That means more opportunities for you, the Side-Hustler, to make some extra cash.
Sign up is relatively easy if you have all of your vehicle and license information up to date, and most of them guarantee $20 per hour. Sure it seems counterproductive using your car when the goal is raising money for gas, but a couple of them like Lyft and Instacart are attempting to help drivers offset the rising costs at the fuel pump.
3. Online Reselling
Do you have closets or storage bins full of stuff? Old cellphones, gaming systems, kitchen appliances, shoes, clothing and almost anything else that you can think of has the ability to sell online if priced right. OG’s like Ebay and Amazon have proven to be extremely profitable when used correctly. People even make a living by cleaning out Walmart clearance aisles for Amazon reselling.
Newer apps like Mercari, Let Go, Poshmark and even Facebook Marketplace let you connect with people in your local area (or nationally) to offload unused items for some quick bucks. Even broken or heavily used items can generate some dough. I’ve personally sold some absolute beaters of shoes on Mercari for $10 and a broken studio microphone (yes, I disclosed what was broken in the description) for $200, plus I had the buyer pay for shipping too! I’m telling you, try to sell it online before you throw it away or donate it to Goodwill.
4. Microtasks
One of the newer, more obscure entries to the side-hustle game is called ‘microtasks’. Some of these larger companies have processes that still need a human touch in the midst of this computer ran, digital age and that’s where you, the Side-Hustler, comes into play. Companies like Amazon MTurk and ClickWorker rely on human input or oversight to complete menial online tasks like clarifying a website’s CAPTCHA information or comment moderation amongst several other repetitive operations.
If sitting behind a computer isn’t your thing, then perhaps you’ll want to give EasyShift a go. This app supplies you with a list of small tasks from retail or foodservice companies like checking endcaps, in-store signage or in some cases even mystery shopping.
5. Handy Helper Apps
Are you handy around the house? Like, seriously though. I’m not talking about looking it up on YouTube for the first time ever and then trying it. I’m talking about genuinely knowing your way around a toolbox, power tools and standard, residential level jobs? If so, then apps like TaskRabbit and HANDY are just for you.
Help someone move, put together a new piece of furniture, clean a room, fix a squeaky door, mount a tv – anything you can think of around the house, someone needs help with and is willing to pay. You just have to put yourself in position to get hired and of course, do good work!
What do you think about these side hustles? Do you think any of these can help put some extra coins in your pocket for the gas pump? Or maybe you know of some other come ups not listed here? Let us know in the comments!
