Side Hustle

RS3579

WKR
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Apr 2, 2020
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On the Kentucky side across from Cincinnati Ohio. There is a trade school I have thought about going to just to learn a trade. I don't really have any hobbies outside of backpacking/hunting and would like to make the extra money to go out West every year with a tag or two.
Pick a trade and contact the local union. Free training and you can do side work in that particular field.
 
Joined
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Timberline
Thanks for all the replies soo far. My real goal is to learn a new skill that will be helpful in my life in general and something I can use to make money on the side when I'm not at my main job or backpacking/hunting.
I've always liked refinishing furniture and building stuff so my next step is to look into those skills.

That's a side business that's manageable, until you tire of it. You may drum up so much work that you get sick of it.

Just something to consider.
 
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Joined
Dec 27, 2019
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I would seek out a trade school of some type. Learn a new skill. Electrical, plumbing, welding, etc. you can save yourself a ton of money later in life by doing your own. Also, if you check around folks are always looking around for someone to fix things, wire in a new outlet, etc, etc. at some point you may want to get serious with it and form your own small business. I have a friend who is doing minor home remodeling on the side. If it’s a skill that you can use yourself it’s a win/win. All the best.

Another really good skill to learn is Taxidermy.. Good money and it is relatively seasonal.. Do as much or as little as you want from home..
 
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def90

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Till you factor in insurance, specialized equipment cost/licensing, Certifications, etc. Just like any other industry.

Plus add on the fact that taking trees down in crowded neighborhoods next to houses, power lines, parked cars, busy roadways and everything else isn't exactly a beginners job.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2022
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Location
Spokane, WA
What side hustles do you guys do with spare time to make some extra money.

I am 23 years old and live near Cincinnati Ohio. I currently work as a field technician for a cable company. Not much experience with anything obviously but love to learn new skills and looking to see what has worked for you. Willing to work any amount of hours.
Been flipping furniture. Buy it cheap, sell it high.
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
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Kirtland, NM
Want to learn a new trade? Contact a local established meat processor and learn that during wild game season. Most will have extended hours and open weekends during our busiest time of year. You can work evenings and the weekends you want if you are part time and establish that from the beginning. It’s only for a few months and you can make decent cash. Just don’t let them pay you by the animal. Request an hourly rate. Once you get the hang of it then you could invest some money in equipment and open your own small WG processing. Only take in the amount you want to do so it still gives you a lot of freedom to go on hunts. Cut before you go on a hunt to get caught up while other animals can hang in the cooler and age for a week or more till you get back.

The problem I had was that I would have over 150 animals hanging at one time plus the domestic stuff. After 30 years I was burned out and now don’t process any WG except about 6 a year I do on the side for a few extra bucks. I would have 100-150 hanging pretty steadily from October to January. If I did it as a side gig then I would only take what I could do in 3-4 evenings and a weekends here and there.
 

DunnCoHunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
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139
What side hustles do you guys do with spare time to make some extra money.

I am 23 years old and live near Cincinnati Ohio. I currently work as a field technician for a cable company. Not much experience with anything obviously but love to learn new skills and looking to see what has worked for you. Willing to work any amount of hours.
Do you enjoy your current job? Is there overtime opportunity?
 
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Xerute

FNG
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Do you enjoy your current job? Is there overtime opportunity?
Don't really enjoy my current job as much as I thought I would. Pay isn't bad, benefits are good, but not something I could see myself at for 20 years. Kinda just sticking it out to save up money.
 

DunnCoHunter

Lil-Rokslider
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Jun 23, 2020
Messages
139
Don't really enjoy my current job as much as I thought I would. Pay isn't bad, benefits are good, but not something I could see myself at for 20 years. Kinda just sticking it out to save up money.
Gotcha. I was asking because in my opinion, it is always easier for someone to just put a little bit more time in at their current job if that opportunity is available. Probably will make more money per time spent than a lot of side hustles. But I completely understand that if you don’t like your current job or see growth opportunities, it might be worth starting a side hustle to see if you enjoy something else.

I will second what everyone else said about looking at going to school for a trade. However, there are tons of other opportunities out there that don’t require more schooling. Since you’re young, I would look for a job that has overtime opportunity, performance based salary, or commission based.

Example- I have a friend who runs a pest control company and his pest control guys are paid on commission. He said his good guys are all making over $100,000 a year because they are organized and aggressive about taking on more work
 

Jon Boy

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May 25, 2012
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Paradise Valley, MT
I went the carpentry route. In my opinion it was the fastest and cheapest route into making great money (as far as being self employed) i can build a million dollar home from form to finish (minus mechanicals and dirt work) with around 5 grand worth of tools. How ever it can take quite some time to learn the right ways to do all facets of that job cleanly and efficiently.

I used to fall trees and had felled thousands of hazard and fire weakened trees on the fire line but a lot of residential work I found required a bucket truck, climbing and rigging experience, and a chipper. It was a bit out of my wheel house for stuff like that and the risk wasn't worth the reward.

I mowed lawns and money can be great if you can get a decent clientele lined up but requires minimum of 5k worth of equipment but more like 10-20 for good equipment that makes you look like you know what you're doing.

If i could do it all over at your age I'd either start in the plumbing or line men apprenticeship. A self employed plumber that has even a tiny bit of hustle in Montana can charge what they want (like $100/hour) and have a full schedule pretty much immediately. Journeymen lineman can chase a few storms in the winter and take the rest of the year off.

I have to have employees and build several houses a year to make the same money as the two described above.

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Jon Boy

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Another thought if you were to move out west, my buddies are all fishing guides and make 40-60k a summer guiding fishermen to 13 inch trout all summer.

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Xerute

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I went the carpentry route. In my opinion it was the fastest and cheapest route into making great money (as far as being self employed) i can build a million dollar home from form to finish (minus mechanicals and dirt work) with around 5 grand worth of tools. How ever it can take quite some time to learn the right ways to do all facets of that job cleanly and efficiently.

I used to fall trees and had felled thousands of hazard and fire weakened trees on the fire line but a lot of residential work I found required a bucket truck, climbing and rigging experience, and a chipper. It was a bit out of my wheel house for stuff like that and the risk wasn't worth the reward.

I mowed lawns and money can be great if you can get a decent clientele lined up but requires minimum of 5k worth of equipment but more like 10-20 for good equipment that makes you look like you know what you're doing.

If i could do it all over at your age I'd either start in the plumbing or line men apprenticeship. A self employed plumber that has even a tiny bit of hustle in Montana can charge what they want (like $100/hour) and have a full schedule pretty much immediately. Journeymen lineman can chase a few storms in the winter and take the rest of the year off.

I have to have employees and build several houses a year to make the same money as the two described above.

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Linemen make good money but definitely not something I would ever want to do. There is a program around me at a school that teaches remodeling, so a bit of everything that I am probably going to go into this summer.
 

Jon Boy

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Remodels sounds great if all they want you to do is replace floors, trim and paint. Rarely that is the case and when you start peeling the layers back on a 50 year old house you better be prepared for a mess. Get used to working with things that are out of plumb, level, square, flat etc and know how to do every facet of construction because you probably aren't getting a sheet rock guy over to mud and tape one small wall. I hate remodels with a passion.

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Xerute

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Remodels sounds great if all they want you to do is replace floors, trim and paint. Rarely that is the case and when you start peeling the layers back on a 50 year old house you better be prepared for a mess. Get used to working with things that are out of plumb, level, square, flat etc and know how to do every facet of construction because you probably aren't getting a sheet rock guy over to mud and tape one small wall. I hate remodels with a passion.

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Oh, probably won't be doing remodeling. More of handy man stuff is the route I would go.
 
Joined
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Idaho
The side work that I do is in line with the skill set that I have accumulated through life. It’s not about the money for me, it’s really about keeping my wits sharp and doing something that is fun for me.
Being a handyman, or doing remodels is going to be a full time gig. When you tear into someone’s bathroom, they are going to expect you to finish in a reasonable amount of time. In the evenings and on weekends probably wouldn’t cut it for most clients. If you are looking at it as a full time job,it’s a great field to get into. As a part time, on the weekends kind of thing…maybe not so much on the client side.
 
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Apr 7, 2021
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I’d look into the electrical or instrumentation route at the trade school. You will always have a good paying job. I’m really encouraging my teenage son to go for instrumentation since he doesn’t want to do anything else.
 
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