23 Reasons Why You Should Start a Side Hustle

A Side Hustle is an activity that you do apart from your full-time job to bring in extra income.

Growing up I was expected to go to school, get a good education and eventually get a good job.

A government job especially was seen as the most secure and best option. Today, in these tough economic times, the government has been letting people go and employment opportunities can be in short supply.

Since I was little though, I always wanted to be able to earn some ‘small change’ by myself.

We did not have much money, just enough to get by. There were the very lean days where the dasheen bush (taro) that grew abundantly in the yard was all there was to eat. My brothers and I knew that when mum sent one of us to pick a bundle of bush, that there was little, if any, money left over from the last paycheck.

When I got my first job at nineteen years old, I saved as much as I could and started learning about how to make my very small salary grow and make my money ‘work for me’.

I did things like selling beauty products, bought a few shares in a company, and I even converted a portion of our home into a mini apartment and rented it out to a sweet older lady who needed a place to stay for a few months.

One thing I wish I did have was a mentor or someone to give me some guidance and encouragement as I tried to do all of these things on my own.

Years later I stumbled upon Robert Kiyosaki’s book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad and I benefitted so much from the teachings of his ‘Rich Dad’ that my relationship with money has been changed forever.

I highly recommend this book.

I think that we live in an awesome time. With the internet, we can learn so many things and explore and expand on our talents without having to step into a classroom.