Enterprising folk from across the country are setting up side hustles to help them combat the cost-of-living crisis.
From performing magic tricks to making soap for dogs, thousands of people are turning their passions into extra income – and generating billions for the economy to boot.
Dr Grace Lordan, associate professor at the London School of Economics and the author of Think Big, said: “What is beautiful about side-hustling is people are discovering new things they are good at and getting paid for it.
“During the pandemic, there was a huge focus on death and people realised life is short, and started converting hobbies or finding new hobbies and turning them into cash.
“That has only become more popular now with the cost-of-living crisis. Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation so having a side hustle is much more appealing than having a second job.
“They allow people to have an extra salary, on their own terms, without a terrible boss or long hours – it’s the modern way to safeguard yourself against an uncertain future.”
In 2018, research by Henley Business School found that side hustles contributed £72billion to the UK economy. Then, one in four Brits ran at least one business project alongside their full time job – and experts predict that number could double by 2030.
Dr Lordan believes that, as the years go by and prices keep going up, side hustling will become even more popular.
She said: “We have had the rise of mega firms and large corporate employers but I see the side hustle as a kind of step back to the way it used to be in Britain with so much entrepreneurship.
“Side hustles don’t just bring people extra money, they bring joy. Ultimately, side hustling is a new facet of life we need to get used to. It’s part of our economy that is here to stay.”
Here, we speak to several successful side hustlers from different generations to find out exactly how it works…
The life model
Accounts assistant Ollie Dean started posing nude for life drawing classes as a side hustle in March 2019 – and now rakes in £1,000 a month.
Adding this to his £1,500 take-home pay means he can enjoy more trips abroad. Ollie, 26, of Gloucester says: “I wanted to make a bit of extra cash and save up to go travelling.”
Initially, Ollie worked as a naked butler before becoming a life model at weekends through the company Nude Life. The money he earned funded a trip to Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia in late 2019.
Ollie, who lives with his girlfriend Yasemin, 28, says: “I was really nervous doing my first life painting class but it ended up being fun. They even applauded me as I left the room. I made £95.
“It’s crazy… Monday to Friday, I sit at a desk and don’t talk to anyone then at the weekend, I am naked with strangers.”
The dog soap maker
Graphic designer Nicola Wordsworth earns £2,500 a month from her day job – but takes home an extra £1,500 by making natural shampoo bars for dogs. She was inspired to set up her business after struggling to clean Bertie, her three-year-old Tibetan terrier, after seaside walks in lockdown.
Nicola, 55, now whips up 100 vegan doggy soap bars in her kitchen every evening, and her £10 PupSuds bars are stocked in pet shops across Europe.
The divorced mum-of-one, from Minnis Bay, Kent, says: “When lockdown happened, I didn’t want to be sitting around doing nothing. I had a mountain of dog products that never worked on Bertie so I started playing around with ingredients.
“After two months, I had my product. People on the beach started saying how good Bertie looked and asking what I used, so I started to make it properly.”
Nicola’s passion for her side hustle keeps her going. She says: “I am stuck in front of my computer all day, then I come home and get creative.”
She has even roped in her daughter, Emily, 28. She says: “The extra money has made my life a lot easier. I’m hoping to go to Turkey for a week next year… I can’t wait!”
The jewellery maker
Back in 2011, mum-of-one Laura-Jayne Grey turned her jewellery-making hobby into a thriving side hustle, Small Dog Silver. The 46-year-old earns £1,500 a month from her side hustle. That’s on top of the £3,000 she takes home from her full-time job in the IT industry.
Laura started off working with beads because she “wanted something more creative to do” in her spare time. When friends became interested in her work, she took a two-day course to learn to solder then started selling her creations on online marketplace, Etsy.
Laura, of Shropshire, says: “My hobby gives me extra pocket money to go out for a meal or for Christmas and birthdays. I love it.” Since last September, Laura has also been giving back by mentoring students on an online jewellery diploma.
She says: “I spend around 10 hours a week at evenings and weekends looking at their pieces and doing all their marking. It’s lovely to be able to pass on the skills I have built up over the years.”
The magician
Engineering manager Dan Lewis treats his two children with money from his side hustle as a magician. He perfected his magic tricks during a period of redundancy in 2016 and now tops up his £2,700 monthly take-home pay with around £400 by performing at house parties and black tie events once a month.
Dan, 37, says: “I’ve always liked magic but learned some tricks in between jobs. I joined a magic society in 2017 to develop my hobby.” After earning £170 performing at a ball in November 2021 – plus free food – he decided to pursue it further.
Dan, who lives in Worcester with his wife Bryony, son Theo, six, and four-year-old daughter Izzy, said: “It’s nice to have the extra money because it means we can stretch to the odd luxury and treat the kids. But I do it because I really enjoy it.”
The online tutor
Former driving instructor Chris London makes at least £3,000 a month from his side hustle selling online driving theory courses.
Chris, who is the boss of a social media marketing agency, has made an incredible £300,000 since March 2017 by enrolling 13,000 people on to his online courses.
Dad-of-two, Chris, 38, whose day job brings in around £5,000 a month, says: “I spotted a gap in the market because there was no support for people with their driving test theory online.
“I started to teach myself marketing on social media in the evenings and created an online course with videos talking them through road signs, motorway rules and roundabouts. There are also questions so I can monitor their progress. The first full month, I made £474, then £1,000 the next month and it just grew from there. It was life-changing.”
Chris, from Gloucester, now spends just one or two hours a day on his courses. He says: “We got a loft conversion this year, doubled our garden’s size and bought a hot tub, which wouldn’t have been possible without that money.”
The market researcher
Office manager Demi Jackson has saved £23,000 in just four years, thanks to her side hustle. The 27-year-old makes around £1,000 a month doing everything from surveys to competitions and product testing to boost her £1,700 take-home pay.
Sometimes, she earns as much as £2,500 a month from her side hustle. Demi, who lives with her boyfriend, Jack, also 27, in Worcester, says: “I started doing surveys around five years ago as I ran out of money towards the end of the month. My salary was £16,000 then, so I did surveys and market research every evening, signing up to lots of sites and apps.
“I’ve product tested things like deodorant. And I was paid £20 to £30 for trying some chocolate!”
This year alone, Demi reckons she has saved nearly £9,800 from her side hustle. She says: “It really makes a big difference.”
