Side Hustles For Dummies

Side Hustles For Dummies

by Alan R. Simon
Released May 2022
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119870135

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Book description

Get yourself paid and broaden your skillset with this everyday guide to side hustles

The gig economy is growing by leaps and bounds, partly because it’s easier to find a flexible work-life balance. Those of us who don't want to leave our full-time jobs, however, can still grab a piece of excitement and extra income for ourselves by starting a side hustle. Or you can bundle your own personalized set of side hustles to replace your full-time job and take full control of your professional life.

Whether you're thinking about driving for Uber, developing apps, or starting an online boutique, Side Hustles For Dummies walks you through every step of the way of starting your own side gig. You'll learn about how to structure your new business and keep records, create backup plans, and steer clear of scams. You'll also:

  • Find out whether you need investment capital and learn what your new time commitments will be
  • Learn to create a business plan and patch any holes in it before you get started
  • Discover how to incorporate a vibrant side hustle into your already busy life
  • Learn how to adjust your side hustle to meet changes in your personal life and the overall business climate

Side hustles are for everyone, from high school and college students to full-time professionals to retirees. If you've been looking for an excuse to pursue your latest passion, hobby, or interest—or you're just in the market for some extra income—Side Hustles For Dummies is the easy-to-read, no-nonsense guide to creating a rewarding and engaging new life.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Foolish Assumptions
    3. Icons Used in This Book
    4. Beyond the Book
    5. Where to Go from Here
  5. Part 1: Getting Started with Side Hustles
    1. Chapter 1: Joining the Side-Hustle Game
      1. Getting Clear on What a Side Hustle Is
      2. Knowing What You’re Looking for from a Side Hustle
      3. Seeing the Connection between Side Hustles and the Gig Economy
      4. Recognizing That Side Hustles Are For Everyone
    2. Chapter 2: Surveying Your Options
      1. Your Side-Hustle Topical Area
      2. Running with Your Side-Hustle Idea
      3. Taking Your Side Hustle to Market
      4. Deciding Whether to Pursue a Side Hustle Related to Your Full-Time Job
      5. Show Me the Side Hustle Money!
      6. Your Side-Hustle Clock and Calendar
      7. Figuring Out Whether You Need Special Skills or Licensing for Your Side Hustle
      8. Filtering and Finalizing Your Side-Hustle Short List
    3. Chapter 3: Determining Your Side-Hustle Personality
      1. Understanding Your Personality
      2. Personality, Meet Side Hustle
  6. Part 2: Getting Your Side Hustle Up and Running
    1. Chapter 4: Putting Your Plans Together
      1. Starting with Free-form Brainstorming
      2. Transforming Your Initial Brainstorming into Your Value Chain
      3. Risky Business
      4. The Best of Times, the Worst of Times
      5. Building Your Business Plan
    2. Chapter 5: Taking Your Side Hustle for a Test-Drive
      1. Questions, Questions, and More Questions
      2. Establishing Success Criteria for Your Side-Hustle Test-Drive
      3. How Much Fun Are You Having?
      4. Deciding How Long Your Test-Drive Should Be
      5. Checking Out Some Side-Hustle Test-Drives
    3. Chapter 6: Putting Your Side Hustle in High Gear
      1. Your Side Hustle Is Cleared for Takeoff
      2. Stick to the Plan, Stan!
      3. Alert! Alert!
      4. Bracing Yourself for Your First Side-Hustle Hiccups
      5. Doing Your Three-Month Checkup
    4. Chapter 7: Running Your Side Hustle Like a Business
      1. Choosing Your Side-Hustle Business Structure
      2. Your Side Hustle by Any Other Name
      3. Technology and Your Side Hustle
      4. Playing It Safe on the Legal Front
    5. Chapter 8: Show Me the Money
      1. Do’s and Don’ts for Your Side-Hustle Finances
      2. Budgeting Basics for Side Hustles
      3. Funding Your Side Hustle
      4. Money Coming and Going
    6. Chapter 9: Keeping Track for You and Everyone Else
      1. Accessing Your Side Hustle’s Foundational and Tax Documents
      2. Keeping Track of Everything
      3. Digging Into Your Side Hustle’s Analytics
      4. Taking Those Old Records Off the Shelf
    7. Chapter 10: Pay Up: Side Hustles and Taxes
      1. Income Taxes and Your Side Hustle: The Basics
      2. Staying Legal and Staying Honest
      3. Filing Your Side-Hustle Income Taxes
      4. Calculating and Filing Estimated Income Taxes
      5. Tracking and Reporting Payments You Made to Others
      6. Sales Taxes and Your Side Hustle
  7. Part 3: Mastering the Side-Hustle Game
    1. Chapter 11: Avoiding Conflicts with Your Day Job
      1. Trouble Ahead, Trouble Behind: Navigating Issues with Your Employer
      2. Knowing Which Outside Activities Are Approved
      3. Making Sure You Don’t Use Your Employer’s Resources for Your Side Hustle
      4. Dodging Employer Tricks and Traps
    2. Chapter 12: Spinning Off Your Current Side Hustle into a New Side Hustle
      1. Spinning the Side-Hustle Web That’s Right for You
      2. Putting Together Your Side-Hustle Jigsaw Puzzle
    3. Chapter 13: Other People and Your Side Hustle
      1. Give That Side Hustle Proposition the Once-Over
      2. Howdy, Partner!
      3. Joining Someone Else’s Side Hustle as a Partner
      4. Your Side-Hustle Supply Chain
      5. Interacting with Your Side-Hustle Customers
      6. Divvying Up Your Side-Hustle Workload
    4. Chapter 14: Deciding When to Change Directions or Pull the Plug
      1. Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Side-Hustle Sign
      2. The Biggies: Time, Money, and Fun
      3. Roll with the Changes
      4. Turn Off the Lights, the Party’s Over
    5. Chapter 15: Deciding What to Do If Your Side Hustle Gets Really Successful
      1. Is Your Side Hustle Ready For the Big Time?
      2. Your Side-Hustle Business Plan, Take 2
      3. Looking at Key Financial Considerations
      4. Leaving No Going-Full-Time Stone Unturned
  8. Part 4: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 16: Ten Tips on Earning Passive Income from Your Side Hustle
      1. Remember That “Passive” Does Not Mean “No Work Required”
      2. Watch Out for Get-Rich-Quick Schemes
      3. Recognize That Some Side Hustles Are Mislabeled as Passive Income
      4. Know the Difference between Investment Ideas and Passive-Income Side Hustles
      5. Pay Attention to Your Fans
      6. Weather the Storm of a Failed Side Hustle
      7. Find the Right Flavor of Passive-Income Side Hustle
      8. Be Prepared for the Financial Ups and Downs of Passive-Income Side Hustles
      9. Calculate Your Passive-Income Side-Hustle Life Span
      10. Stack Your Passive-Income Side Hustles
    2. Chapter 17: Ten Leading Gig Economy Platforms
      1. Angi
      2. Fiverr
      3. FlexJobs
      4. Freelancer
      5. Guru
      6. 99designs
      7. TaskRabbit
      8. Toptal
      9. Upwork
      10. ZipRecruiter
    3. Chapter 18: Ten Signs That You Need to Adjust Your Side-Hustle Strategy
      1. You’re Not Making Any Money
      2. You Don’t Have Enough Time
      3. The Overall Environment Is Shifting
      4. You Experience a Major Life Disruption
      5. An Even Better Side Hustle Has Surfaced
      6. A Key Supplier Can’t Deliver
      7. You’ve Achieved Your Goals Sooner Than Planned
      8. A Business Partner Has Let You Down
      9. Your Early Test Phases Don’t Prove Out
      10. You’re Not Happy
  9. Index
  10. About the Author
  11. Advertisement Page
  12. Connect with Dummies
  13. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Side Hustles For Dummies
  • Author(s): Alan R. Simon
  • Release date: May 2022
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119870135