Starting Side Hustles in Tech and Balancing it With 9-5 Jobs

A Woman using Laptop Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels

A side hustle can be anything that adds funds to your usual income (typically, salary). So, it can be a service offered to clients independently online, or a hand-crafted product sold at a local garage sale. In particular, people have reported great success with tech-related side hustles they can run from home.

If this sounds right up your alley, we introduce some beginner-friendly side hustle ideas in tech and how to pair them with your regular job.

Giving these side hustles a go

If you’re not ready for a big commitment

Side hustles can require a lot of time and resources, and despite substantial investments, it takes time to see actual profits. If you’re more into flexible side hustles, why not an online earning app? You can find different candidates on the market, with some involving:

Options like Honeygain that let you share unused internet bandwidth and get paid for it.
Apps like Rakuten offer cashback on your purchases and provide coupons for discounts.
Various get-paid-to platforms provide various brief tasks (jobs) that can be performed online.

Before you step into shoes that turn out to be too big for you, see how your schedule suits these online earning opportunities. Furthermore, with the internet-sharing option, you won’t even need to spend any time on it.

If you’re into arts and crafts

On the surface, arts and crafts are more of a traditional side hustle. However, the technical part comes in when you begin exploring options for building new sales funnels for your product. Some options for taking your side hustle to the next level include:

Building an official website for making orders.
Running ads on social media and search engines.
Starting affiliate programs and partnering with content creators.
Building social media profiles.

These tech capabilities can guarantee more orders and revenue.

If you’re into posting and sharing your lifestyle

One of the most popular side hustles for many people is to start a career as a content creator. These people start building up content on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, and earn money from going live, entering affiliate partnerships, and posting sponsored content. Of course, building a following and scoring partnerships can take time, but if you manage to build a successful personal brand, which ultimately determines if people stick around.

If you’re a business person in the making

If your dream side hustle involves creating and running a business, you have a lot of homework beforehand. For one, you should be aware of relevant tax and legal considerations, the necessity of a business plan, and how to present your idea to potential investors.

Furthermore, you need to know the market that you are attempting to enter with your product or service. Recognizing your competitors and seeing how you outrank them is crucial for deciding if your idea will actually perform and can be measured against competitors. So, your journey from an idea to an actual side hustle and business should follow steps like these:

Research the current market and its needs.
Evaluate your offer and ways to improve it.
Prepare a business plan.
Consider the costs and funds needed to launch your side hustle.
If needed, prepare the information required to launch your business.
Prepare all the necessary licenses, permits, and other documents.

When it comes to tech products and services, you can have an advantage. For example, digital products don’t require inventory or space.

If you’re ready to offer freelancing services

Tech people have the advantage of offering their services to anyone worldwide. It also applies to a variety of specialists, be it marketing gurus or financial consultants. So, if you’re ready to hone your skills outside your traditional job, create freelancing profiles on multiple freelancing platforms, such as Upwork or Fiverr. You can also look for local forums, platforms, or announcement boards to post about your services.

How can you start side hustles with no initial funds?

Many side hustles require financial investments. For tech opportunities, it usually refers to equipment or software needed to perform the job. In the beginning, don’t shy away from using free software. If you’re interested in a costly product or software, search for dupes that perform the same (or similar) functions.

Manage side hustles with 9-5 jobs

As ide hustle is only one of your commitments. Thus, your schedule will likely require some clever planning to ensure everything goes smoothly. After all, you want to dedicate enough time to rest to ensure that you feel ready to tackle new challenges. Here are some tips on building a better routine for working:

Determine your most productive time of the day.
Use time-tracking apps and calendars to allocate time for specific activities.
Set working hours for your side hustle.

Conclusion

All in all, side hustles can significantly change people’s lives. What starts as a way to add some extra funds to your budget could end up being the primary source of your income someday! Of course, not every side hustle is bound for such success, so it’s also crucial to control your expectations.