Have a Job? 10 Side Businesses and How Each Works

Clothing alterations side business

Extra money in off hours: ten side businesses to run next to your job. Here's how each one works, simplest first. Number ten: clothing alterations, where you fit, alter and repair clothes for clients. One wage table lists the median at $19 an hour.

You work by hand or on a sewing machine, often from a home workshop. It also takes working on your own and good people skills with clients. It usually takes several weeks of on-the-job training to learn. A second page lists $20 an hour, so the two differ a little.

By our count, three hours at that nineteen-dollar median comes to fifty-seven. That's a wage for scale, not a price: your price is what you agree. Discuss the cost and payment terms up front, before starting any work. Next, a business you run with a few hand tools.

Bike repair side business

Number nine: bike repair, where you service and fix all kinds of bikes. One wage table puts the median at $25 an hour. Another lists $20 fifty-seven, so the two differ. You take parts apart, adjust them and replace what's broken, using hand tools.

You also estimate the cost of each repair and give a quote. One page says there are no set entry requirements for this role. Say clearly what each quote includes, to avoid surprises. Say Maya fixes bikes for neighbors for four hours one Saturday morning.

By our count, four hours at that twenty-five-dollar median comes to a hundred. If these breakdowns help you plan, subscribe so you catch our next breakdown. Every figure here comes from official pages linked below. Next, a business that needs only a phone or a computer.

Social media manager for local businesses

Number eight: social media for local shops, with posts, clips and replies. One careers page says these managers create and edit articles, clips and reels. They also respond to posts, discussions and customer feedback. You could work evenings or weekends, at events or appointments, it says.

Its starter salary is 25,000 a year, for people who hold the job. The skill it asks for is writing engaging posts and scripts for an audience. To practice, it suggests managing a charity or community group's channels. Of the first three, it's the only one with nothing to buy beyond a phone or a computer.

One tax page notes side income isn't on your payslip, so check local rules. Next, keeping the books for a small business.

Bookkeeping side business from home

Number seven: bookkeeping, keeping a small business's day-to-day money records. One careers page lists a median of $28 an hour. Bookkeepers maintain financial records and help prepare accounts for filing returns. Some are self-employed and work from a home office.

You need a strong understanding of computers and cloud apps. Say Maya keeps a shop's books on two evenings a week, two hours each. By our count, four hours at that twenty-eight-dollar median comes to a hundred twelve. An invoice is the document you send to ask customers to pay for your work.

Send an invoice for each job, and use a separate business bank account. Some places require registration to offer accounting services, so check where you live. Next, websites for small businesses.

Freelance web design for small businesses

Number six: websites, built and kept up to date for small businesses. The median on one official table is $47 eighty-five an hour. That's for people who hold these jobs, not what a first client pays. Developers meet clients to discuss a site's needs, design and functionality.

When they build it, they make the client's vision a reality. You'll need a thorough understanding of HTML programming. Some need no specific credentials if they can show prior projects. Say Maya spends two hours one evening updating a local shop's website.

By our count, two hours at that median comes to about $96. Write the quote down: it helps avoid mix-ups and unpaid work. Next, a business built on photos.

Photography side business

Number five: photos of events, portraits and products for local clients. One page lists a median of $24 and four cents an hour. Another page lists $21 forty-seven, so the two differ. Photographers make images of places, products, events and other subjects.

Part-time work is common, and schedules can include evenings and weekends. Hours are often flexible, so you can meet clients or visit the places you'll shoot. Wedding and portrait photographers may also offer framing and albums. You'll need equipment, though many freelance photographers work from home.

The skill itself usually grows over years of practice. A portfolio, a collection of your best work, is essential, one page says. One page suggests a rate card with four parts: day rates, usage rights, retouching fees and expenses. On your own, you also schedule appointments, keep records and charge customers.

Business and accounting classes may help, that page suggests. Wedding photographers are usually busiest in summer and fall, so work can be seasonal. Say Maya shoots a family's portraits one Saturday afternoon, three hours with the visit. By our count, three hours at that median comes to about $72.

That's a wage for scale; her price is whatever her rate card says. Always use written contracts that say how long, and where, photos can be used. Even part-time, you still meet the tax and legal duties of a new business. Next, design work: logos, images and illustrations.

Freelance graphic design

Number four: graphic design, with logos, images and illustrations for clients. Design's median on one official table is $30 twenty-seven an hour. That's for people who hold design jobs, not what a shop pays you. Designers create visual concepts, by computer or by hand, to communicate ideas.

First, meet the client to agree on the scope of the project. Then present your concepts and work in the changes the client asks for. Self-employed designers may meet clients in the evenings or on weekends. A portfolio shows your creativity and originality.

And keep up with new design software, on your own or through training. Quote for profit, not just to win the job: include all costs and a fair margin. Say Maya designs a logo and a flyer for a local shop over two evenings. By our count, four hours at that median comes to about a hundred twenty-one dollars.

That's a wage for scale, not her price, which she agrees in writing first. Some time also goes to looking for new projects, that page notes. Although many work on their own, others join design teams at firms. The page says a bachelor's degree is usual for design jobs.

People with a degree in another field may take technical training in design. Certification programs are generally offered by software makers. Some employment contracts include an exclusivity clause, so read yours before you start. Next, planning parties and family events.

Event and party planning business

Number three: party and event planning, from reunions to anniversaries and other celebrations. On one wage table, the median is $29 forty-one an hour. Planners arrange every part of an event or a gathering. They meet clients first, to understand the purpose of the event.

Then they plan its scope, including the time, location and cost. They ask venues and service providers for bids. They inspect venues, to make sure each one meets the client's needs. And they coordinate services such as rooms, transportation and food.

They negotiate contracts with suppliers and coordinate plans with the venue's staff. After the event, they review the bills and make sure every vendor is paid. The page says work grows as events approach. In our comparison of all ten, it's the one where the client's date sets your hours.

For work over a long time, split the invoice into smaller payments. Say Maya plans a family reunion over a few weeks of evenings. By our count, four hours at that median comes to about a hundred eighteen dollars. That's a wage for scale; her fee is what she and the family agree.

It says a bachelor's degree is typical, and experience helps. Voluntary certificates exist, though they're not required. Public liability insurance covers injury or damage caused by your negligence, one page says, so check what applies where you live. Next, advice from the job you already do.

Consulting in your own field

Number two: consulting for businesses in the field you already work in. Consultants advise organisations on how to solve problems and be more efficient. They speak to staff, managers and customers to understand the issues. Then they prepare reports and present recommendations to the client.

They also support businesses as they put plans into action. One careers page says you can set up your own business if you have relevant work experience. Its starting salary for the job is 27,000 a year. Some career coaches also go into private practice as consultants.

To price it, one page suggests a similar salaried rate plus at least 20%. Its example: $50 an hour plus 20% is sixty an hour. A realistic rate covers all your expenses and hidden costs, that page says. Say Maya advises a local business in her own field for two hours one evening.

By our count, two hours at that sixty-dollar example comes to a hundred twenty. Have a contract for services with each client, that page advises. With experience, you could work freelance or set up your own firm. You might also apply to be a chartered consultant, for recognition of your skills.

Some employment contracts bar starting a competing business, one page notes. An employer page says a similar business in a different area might not conflict; check your contract. Insurance for professional advice covers claims about mistakes, one page says. And number one: gardens, designed and kept for your neighbors.

Garden design and maintenance business

Number one: garden design and upkeep, from sketches to planted flower beds. For this work, one wage table shows a median of $30 an hour. That's for people who design and build gardens and landscapes. Landscape gardeners draw sketches and build models of their designs.

Gardeners grow and look after plants in gardens and other green spaces. Gardeners dig, plant and weed flower beds and borders. They tidy overgrown shrubs, clear paths and control pests that damage plants. They also advise clients on things like irrigation.

You could work freelance and manage your own hours, one careers page says. Work can be in a client's garden or at their home. You'll use equipment like lawn mowers and hedge trimmers, safely. Employers value experience, plant knowledge and enthusiasm.

Working in a garden centre is one way to get practical experience. Say Maya plans and plants two flower beds for a neighbor on a Saturday morning. By our count, three hours at that thirty-dollar median comes to ninety. That's a wage for scale; she sketches the plan and agrees the price first.

Of all ten, it's the one with the most gear to buy, from mowers to trimmers. The work is outdoors in all weathers, so plan around the seasons. Chainsaw work needs a certificate of competence in some places. Keep full records of every sale, income and expense, one tax page says.

Which business model fits your schedule best? The next video shows how to price each service.