Do the (side) hustle: Which second jobs in SA are worth it

Did you know you could make money from charging Beam and Ride scooters? Or by chatting with Chinese students over the internet? We explore the SA side-hustles — and which ones are worth it.

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It’s commonly called a side-hustle, an extra income stream that runs alongside your nine-to-five day job and helps to top up your salary.

While second jobs have been around forever, the side hustle is something different. Less formal, less structured and something a worker can dip in and out of at will.

The rise of the “gig economy” – where people are paid per task or on a short-term basis – has made the side-hustle more accessible.

Ironically, it’s also created an employment market where a job on the side might be a necessity, not a luxury.

Margie Hulse is a business coach and consultant who says an extra income stream is a must.

“I’ve always believed in multiple-income streams” Ms Hulse says.

“It seems really restrictive to go to a job, and have your pay determined by a company’s view on what you’re worth. There are always extra ways to make money, and often one of those takes off, and you don’t even have to continue with a regular job any more.”

But is it worth it?

Should we all be out hustling for an extra buck, or would we be better off putting our spare hours into something equally rewarding … like relaxing.

We took a look at some of the more common side hustles, and weighed up the pros and cons.

BECOME A JUICER

You know those yellow and purple scooters you see all over Adelaide’s street?

Well they all need to be recharged at night, and there are people making money doing it.

Essentially, you register to become a “juicer” and, once accepted, you rip around the city picking up scoots with run-down batteries and take them home to charge. Then you simply release them before early the next morning and collect the cash.

Payment: A few dollars per scooter, depending on the company and where the scooter is located. Realistically, perhaps $50 a night.

Pros: It’s like playing Pokemon Go for money.

Cons: Fierce competition from other juicers, collecting from dark, sketchy alleys, terrible hours (collect at night, rise early to deliver), low return on hours.

Reckon you could be a juicer? Picture Dean Martin

DRIVE THE ECONOMY

Ola is the latest cab off the rank (pun intended) in the ride share business, and it comes with the promise of a better return for drivers (15 per cent commission vs Uber’s 25 per cent). Many ride share drivers are registered with both companies, increasing their reach and – theoretically – their payday. All you need is a decent car, a driver’s license and high tolerance for people that have had more than a couple of beers.

Payment: $35 to $45, but Uber will take around a quarter of that in commission. Ola takes about 15 per cent. The driver is responsible for all costs associated with the vehicle.

Pros: Set your own hours, meet interesting people

Cons: Wear and tear on car, unfriendly passengers, late hours

BE A HUMAN EXPERIMENT

Clinical trials are important way for pharmaceutical companies and the like to make sure their products are safe for human consumption.

To do this they need guinea pigs – well, not actually guinea pigs, they need people.

While no test can be 100 per cent guaranteed to be safe, the medicines have been extensively tested before they reach the human trial stage in Australia.

Payment: Anywhere from a few dollars an hour to thousands for long-running clinical trials.

Pros: Helping to further advance medical knowledge, gaining access to cutting edge medicine.

Cons: Spending hours in hospital, potential unforeseen side effects.

Would you do this for cash?

#INFLUENCER

Yes, there are people making actual money from their Instagram accounts.

The reality, however, is that there are a lot more getting free beauty products and Buddha bowls than actual cold hard cash.

A “micro influencer” – someone with between 10,000 and 50,000 followers, can make some serious side cash by spruiking products.

Got a million followers? You can be looking at $10k and upwards per post. If you’re Beyonce you’re making roughly $700k. Per post. Hi Beyonce.

Payment: Anywhere from a free tub of moisturizer to millions of dollars a year.

Pros: It’s easy money – click, post, collect.

Cons: You have to tell people you’re an influencer.

TAKE ON A TASK

Airtasker is a website where people can post jobs that need doing for people who have the time and skills to do said jobs.

Some of the jobs available in the Adelaide region at the time of writing were assembling a bunk bed ($40), baking two dozen gluten-free fortune cookies ($45) and leaving a fake voice message on a guy’s phone who accidentally deleted the original message that he needed to show his boss ($10).

Payment: It runs the gauntlet, from are you kidding me to that’s actually good money.

Pros: You can make money doing something you actually enjoy, like assembling Ikea furniture.

Cons: That Ikea furniture has to be assembled in a stranger’s house.

CHAT FOR CASH

Australia’s time zone means we’re well positioned to teach English over the web to the millions of Chinese people looking to learn the language. There are dozens of company’s offering to put native speakers in touch with potential students, and in many cases they want nothing more than an hour-long chat. All you need a decent internet connection, a bachelor’s degree (in most cases) and a few spare hours at night. A tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows is a bonus, but not compulsory.

Payment: Some companies offer a fixed price (often around $15 an hour), others let you set your own price. Either way, you going to have to hustle hard and put in the hours to make real money.

Pros: If you’re a chatterbox you can finally get paid for it, and you might learn something about China too.

Cons: Repetitive work, larangytis.

RENT OUT YOUR CLOSET

Apps like Airbnb have completely changed the way people go on holidays, but they’ve also opened up a potential income stream for property owners. That granny flat at the back of your house that’s home to your filing cabinet and a spin bike you haven’t used in three years could be making you cold, hard cash.

Payment: Whaddya got? Airbnb could make you $40 a night for a spare room or $4000 a night for your luxury beachfront mansion.

Pros: It’s relatively easy money, requiring not much more than some spare space, an internet connection and a bit of post-stay cleaning.

Cons: While the apps do a fairly good job of making sure people are who they say they are, there is always the possibility of ending up with the Pablo Escobar Disco Roadshow in your sleep-out.