Life is expensive. I remember when I was a kid and I thought it would be fun to grow up, was I wrong. As an adult in 2020, I find myself hustling more than I have ever before. Truth is, I have always been bout that life. My friends had this running joke about me in college being a Jamaican because of my ability to always find a job and gigs. How stereotypical, but it’s true! I had money coming in lump sum and residual.
In 2020, the need to hustle has become even greater. While I am no longer hustling to pay for college tuition and books, the stakes are higher. As an adult, there’s health & life insurance, mortgages, electricity bills, grocery, and school fees, I don’t see how my friends with families do it!
I live in The Bahamas where the cost of living is as high as you can get. Using the words of Jimmy McMillan, “the rent is too damn high!” Do you want to know what else is high? Everything. As a nation that imports everything, the markup on basic living necessities is astronomical. Coupled with the pay, one paycheck is not enough. If you don’t live on an island like me, but you live in expensive cities in the United States like New York, San Francisco, Washington, or Boston, this may also be your cry.
One paycheck in 2020 is not enough. You need to diversify your income. Invest your money in stocks, build a new business, learn a new trade. My life’s goal has always been financial independence. To me, that’s real wealth and success. The ability to wake up and not have to worry about where my next dollar is coming from or how I’m going to pay a bill. That’s the goal.
If you need a few small ideas on how to generate additional income, keep reading.
- Sell Your Services – Find what you’re really good at (or just good) and sell it. It could be proofreading, makeup application, baking, sewing. Stop doing things for free.
- Drive Uber/Lyft – If you have a reliable car, sign up for a ridesharing service and use it to make some extra cash,
- Start A Blog – If you’ve got something to say and people gravitate to you, start a blog and harness your talents. Read more on how-to here.
- Pick Up Shifts – If you have the ability to, pick up extra shifts at work. It’s the easiest way to start creating more income for yourself.
- Sell Your Things – Thrifting is a big business. There are tons of sites you can sell old and gently worn clothing, bags and shoes. Ebay, Poshmark, and local businesses will give you $$$ for stuff.
- Cashback Services – Not necessarily “income” this is more a saving method. If you shop online, Rakuten helps you to save money, which is better than just shopping with no return. Read more here.
- Amazon – If you’ve got the time, open up an Amazon shop and start selling things.
- Become An Affiliate – If you absolutely love a certain business, many times that business has an affiliate program that pays you to refer customers. While it might be a small fee, it adds up!
Let’s take advantage of every opportunity to build the life we not only want but what we deserve!
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