I do some light bookkeeping on the side, in addition to some very basic graphic design and email marketing.
I spend a ton of time writing. Occasionally I even get paid for it. 
For many years I did quite a bit of water color painting on the side. I always made enough to report to the IRS, but not enough to justify quitting architecture! I haven’t had time in the last few years to do much painting at all. I miss it. See the new avatar for an example. It’s called “Nine Square/Flyover Country”
I’m sure it must be a legit term, since it seems well-embraced on this thread. I’m just sharing some of the negative connotations I associate with the term hustle and just think I may not be the only one in the universe that may think negatively about the term hustle.
Lovely Mathmom
I haven’t heard the term used much. I first hear it used when I was listening to NPR. I think it was a segment on “On Point”.
After retiring from my full time job I started a half time job in the same field. I’ve now added several recurring independent contractor gigs also in that field…These are great side hustles as they are usually fairly short term commitments that I can pick and choose as I like. During some parts of the year I’m working nearly full time again, but each little gig is something I want to do…Less money/no benefits, but WAY more job satisfaction and flexibility.
Ha ha, I love thinking of my very straight laced mom as a side hustler. During my entire childhood she sewed beautiful custom draperies for extra cash. Lots of wealthy people hired her and she developed quite a reputation. I hated going with her to shop for fabric, or endless minutes holding the other end of her tape measure (never quite to her satisfaction), but she always funded the extras that our family had with her side hustling earnings. Thanks mom!
When D was in elementary school, I did before-school care for a few nurses that had to leave the area by 5:30 am. It was a great gig, they dropped their kids off in their pjs and I got them ready for school and put them on the bus. Paid well. Because my primary job is only 30 hours I always have a side hustle. Until May I was working a per diem social worker job, in the summer I worked as a detail supervisor for some really gorgeous homes on the ocean, this week/month/hopefully most of the winter I’m working as a prep cook and per diem social worker.
Connotation is in the eye of the beholder. To me, a hustle, side or not, isn’t a good thing.
@mathmom that’s a beautiful, unusual watercolor.
I think my entire life has had at least one side hustle going on in addition to my regular jobs. So, take my 9-5 (ish) jobs (model, copy editor, director of software support for a small orthodontic company, mom), and add artist, writer, freelance copy editor, ghost writer, ebay seller, model.
Currently considering teaching art classes, but really hesitating because adults have so many hangups with regards to making art. May focus more on kids. I find it difficult to just be doing one thing.
I was a group excercise instructor for over 10 years. Accountant by day, Zumba instructor by night.
Teaching didn’t pay a lot but my gym memberships were free. Gave it up a little while ago…I miss it a lot, and not just the free memberships.
I don’t know what teaching adults would be like for several years I taught an after school PTA sponsored class. I enjoyed it until the year I had the first grader from hell. Her goal in life seemed to be to make sure someone was in tears before the end of the class. Unfortunatedly there was also a kid who was always willing to be her victim. In retrospect I should have asked her to be removed as I did not have the tools to handle her. I’ve often wondered what happened to her.
I taught them very much the way a traditional waterclass to adults is taught. I’d do a short demonstration - how to do a wash, or here’s what happens if you put these two colors side by side and let them bleed into each other. I’d ask them to do one painting of whatever I’d shown them and after that they could do what they liked. I always had good paper for them to work with.
When I was a stay at home mom, I made gift baskets and created jewelry to sell. I see “hustle” as meaning a way to make extra money that may be out of the conventional way. You are working hard to make money.
I’ve always done this, although the term is relatively new as far as I know, and sounds odd to me every time I hear it.
Until all my editors took buyouts, I did a lot of freelancing for the Washington Post. More recently I’ve done content writing for websites, mystery shopping and evaluating SAT essays. This last one, I heard about from a CC thread very much like this one. Initially, they had a ton of work and were paying bonuses. Then it trickled off, and a couple months ago I got an email saying they didn’t need freelancers anymore. If anyone has any info on if there are still essay grading jobs, please let me know.
Currently, I’m writing the calendar for a local magazine, which is kind of fun and oddly lucrative, at least for this type of work.
I am very impressed and intrigued that so many of you have varied side positions. Especially the writing/editing ones. Always wonder how you pursued these or how they fell in your lap!
I’m a vacation planner and memory creator (aka travel agent - yes, we do exist!). I have a pretty decent client base, and hope to turn it into something bigger when I retire from my day job.
My husband had a side job stocking shelves in a supermarket for 25 years. He recently quit. Of the many uniformed NYC workers I know, I don’t personally know any who don’t have side jobs. One is a grave digger, several drive tow trucks, many are contractors/plumbers/electricians, many firemen do the fire safety training seminars in high rise buildings, many cops work for building or personal security, several own restaurants, and a handful own seats on various exchanges.
I’m old fashioned - I still moonlight! Full time pastor, part time caregiver for a home care agency. I go from highly esteemed in the morning leading worship to changing adult diapers later in the day.
Nothing right now, but spent eleven years working a side hustle as a Director of Christian Education at a church in addition to my full-time position in IT at a university. Worked under two interim pastors, and two installed. The fourth (installed) was incredibly difficult to work with, and after trying for over a year, I came to the realization that I was never going to do things “right”. The pastor wanted to change my position from 10 hours a week to 15 (with no pay difference) and I couldn’t manage five extra hours a week, so I resigned. They advertised the position but never hired anyone. It was an incredible relief and made me wish I had left sooner.