In Nigeria today, we have all survived harsh economic conditions. From increase in Naira-Dollar exchange rate, to hike in fuel prices, to rising transportation costs and even price hikes in FOOD! We all seem to be paying more and getting less value for what we spend money on in this country.
Your monthly salary is already gone before the middle of the next month. It’s not your fault really, things are just too expensive and you are trying your best to stick to that monthly budget that never works.
The temptation to spend more money on wants rather than needs is ever-so-present. Is it that lovely designer bag you are eyeing at the boutique on your way home from work? Or those beautiful shoes. Omg! I love shoes. The makeup kits, the human hair wigs/weaves, etc. The list is endless. Hey, as women, it seems as though our wants are insatiable. It is in our nature I guess!
When I hear the term, “live your best life,” I say to myself, “how is that supposed to happen if I’m not able to cater for my basic needs?” I’m not saying being high maintenance but at least, looking good and the ability to take care of oneself and feel good amongst peers.
If you are struggling to manage your monthly income I think it’s high time you started looking into a side hustle.
A side hustle is any type of employment undertaken in addition to one’s full-time job. It’s a job that provides supplemental income.
But please bear in mind that the fact that you have a side hustle doesn’t mean you should quit your current full-time job.
I’m not going to sit here and write a list of side hustles you should do. Rather, I would say that you should discover yourself and know what works best for you.
Find a way to monetize your hobby: For instance, I make beads for fun, and I was surprised to visit an art exhibition and saw some handmade beaded necklaces being sold for N5000 and above. That gave me the idea of turning my hobby into a side hustle. Ask yourself what do you do for fun? Some of you can make beads just like me, bake, sew, write, make hair, do makeup, and the list is endless. This is the time to turn it into a cool side hustle.
Create something new: Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, once said, “there is no point in starting your own business unless you do it out of a sense of frustration.” If you need a side hustle badly you can start where you are. We are in the digital world, use it to your own advantage. Once you have an idea of what you want to do — take a moment and Google “How to Make Money Doing x,” where x is the thing you want to do. I guarantee you’ll find plenty of content to help you along your way.
Give it time: No business is magically successful overnight. Not even your side hustle. It takes time to grow. Sometimes business may be slow, but don’t give up.
I hope you find a side hustle that works for you, and enables you to live your best life regardless of the economic situation.
Photo Credit: Black Beautiful
