Bella started her side hustle two years ago and loves it, but warned others to find something that they’re interested in or sparks enjoyment. (Source: Supplied)
Australians wanting to jump on the side hustle bandwagon are being urged to pick gigs that spark a shred of enjoyment or interest. People all across the country are picking up extra work on the side of their main jobs as a way to boost their finances amid the rising cost of living.
There’s no shortage of places to find this extra cash, but Bella Codsi warned it should be pursued after careful consideration. The Sydney worker has been moonlighting as a marriage celebrant, and you have to be ready to put your blood, sweat and tears into it.
“Your side gig has to be something you enjoy, or don’t actively hate, because it feels so much more personal than your day job when it’s just you,” she said.
Her journey to becoming a marriage celebrant started two years ago as a “happy accident” when friends of hers were getting hitched, and they wanted her front and centre for the ceremony.
But becoming certified was no easy process, and it took many months and thousands of dollars before Codsi was able to legally marry her pals.
After putting in so much work and money, she decided to do more weddings, and quickly realised she loved being part of a couple’s special day.
During the week, the 29-year-old is an account executive manager at online marketplace Hatch, and every few weekends, she’s getting two people to say ‘I do’.
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If she’s marrying friends, she might not make them pay anything for her services, while sometimes her bill can be as high as $1,200 for a wedding.
That fee includes possible travel to and from the ceremony, as well as the time spent speaking with the couple, writing their ceremony speech, and filing all relevant paperwork.
According to The Celebrant Society, you can earn $70,000 to $120,000 per year if you do it full-time.
Codsi said she wouldn’t be doing it if she didn’t have a passion for it, and urged others to find a similar interest when they’re looking for their side gig.
“If your side hustle is a little Amazon store selling gadgets, you can’t actively hate the process of listing those toys and talking to the manufacturer,” she told Yahoo Finance.
“You have to, in some way, take it personally.
“Unless you’ve come across a gold mine, it’s unlikely that the side hustle is going to pay you more or the same as your day job. So it has to be something that you’re getting value from outside of the dollars.”
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She said this is because your time outside your 9-5 is precious and it’s something you’re choosing to do compared to your main job.
Bella loves her side hustle, which she said is a key ingredient in helping your extra work succeed. (Source: Supplied)
Whether it’s picking up cans in your area, starting an Etsy or Amazon e-commerce store, tutoring people in languages or instruments, doing food delivery, completing random jobs on Airtasker, or filling out online surveys, there are plenty of avenues you can go down to find extra work.
According to Hatch’s research, 80 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial Aussies now have or want a side hustle.
This is due to cost-of-living pressures, exploring their interests outside of work, or creating a side gig that could develop into their main job one day.
Hatch said side gigs are a great way to pick up invaluable skills and experiences that could be used in your main job or even be recognised in the job hiring process.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data found recently that there are 948,900 multiple job-holders across the country, which is up from 638,000 at the start of the decade.
There could soon be even more people jumping on this trend, with Amazon research finding two in five Aussies are considering taking on additional work in the next six months.
Almost half (49 per cent) of people surveyed said their current income is not enough, and are chasing a $614 per week boost to their finances.
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