I had no idea that what I’d been doing for years was called a “side hustle.” This is simply earning extra income in addition to your full-time job. We used our side hustle money to get debt free. Read about how we paid off over $50,000 in our monthly Debt Free Payoff Update! While developing more of a minimalist mindset did help us get debt free as well, our side hustles helped as well.
1. Blogging. One of our biggest side hustles was obviously our blog. Read more about how we earned $32,000 in one year from affiliate marketing on our blog. We also have a tutorial on How to Start Your Own Blog for Pennies. This has been my favorite side hustle by far, and I still love blogging even though we are debt free, so our blog has been one of our biggest blessings. Make sure to join our 31 Day Spending Freeze challenge!
2. Direct Sales. We have utilized Young Living essential oils to not only become more healthy, but we have also developed the business side of this hobby into an income producer for our family. There are so many awesome Direct Sales companies, but I think the secret is loving the product. I was looking for a way to bring more health and wellness to my family, and we implemented essential oils along with our other healthy lifestyle choices, and it has revolutionized our lives for the better. Make sure you find a product that you love and are willing to share!
3. Side business. Our side business is our family photography business that we started locally this year. (Check us out at Brandt Family Media). This has not been as income producing yet because we are still in the process of building this business. So, try to figure out all of the hidden costs before you start a home based business. We already had many photography supplies, which made our initial investment much less than the average photography hobbyist.
4. Couponing. While it doesn’t earn us money, it definitely saves us money. Read more about how we save $7,000 from using coupons. Keep in mind this can be a part-time job if you let it consume you (working deals, stocking inventory, etc.). Couponing takes time, and many times I have had to plan how I’m going to purchase my deals, print more than one coupon, etc. Please know that couponing can be somewhat time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be if you do it wisely.
5. An extra job. Many people work two jobs (one full-time and one part-time). While I prefer to make money online since I have little ones at home, this is also a great way to earn money and pay off debt more quickly. However, I do advise taking on a side job that you love, and also one that won’t make you spend more money. I had a family member get an extra job in retail and ended up spending more on the clothing than saving money or paying off debt.
6. Swagbucks. My friend actually paid for an entire Christmas for her four children one year from Swagbucks. She was a stay at home mom and had time to complete searches and tasks each day. While I wouldn’t consider this income, it’s certainly a side hustle that saved her family money. I have earned hundreds of dollars from Swagbucks as well over the last five years. My current balance is over 3,000 SB.
While these are the side hustles that helped us become debt free, read our list of 50+ Side Hustles To Help You Get Debt Free! Comment your side hustles below!
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