It can be hard to squeeze in a part-time job when you're still in school, but everyone can do with extra cash. Here are some ways to earn some money with a side hustle.
Contributed by Nigel,SEO Specialist of markon.
In Singapore, side hustles have become increasingly common. Even among students. In their “What’s Next For Work Trend” report, youth consumer research firm YPulse revealed that 66 per centof 18 to 39-year-olds looked for additional sources of income.
But are we really surprised? With the rising cost of living, it makes sense to earn on the side while on your search for a full-time job.
If you’re not sure how you can earn a side income in Singapore, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we list the 5.5 possible side hustle ideas for you to earn some extra pocket money. Some of these can even help you accumulate invaluable work experience.
1) Become a freelance content writer
This is probably the side hustle with one of the lowest barriers to entry.
In terms of logistics, all you really need is just good internet access and a working computer. This makes it a great way to earn money online and from home in Singapore.
The rapid digital transformation of businesses evoked by the pandemic saw many organisations establishing an online presence. This makes online content marketing skills increasingly valuable. Some of the different types of freelance roles you can try out include an SEO blog content writer, email content writer, as well as an ad copywriter.
Some of the great places to start getting freelance gigs are freelance platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and specialised sites like SEO Content Hero.
As with every freelance profession, you’ll have to start very small and charge a lot less for your work. You’ll need to use your pricing advantage to work with more people and collect positive reviews. Only then can you slowly build up your client base.
2) Provide tuition classes
In 2018 alone, the Household Expenditure Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics revealed that Singaporeans spent a whopping $1.4 billion on tuition. This presents a large opportunity for you to make some side income.
Caption: EdTech platforms like snapask let you list yourself as an online tutor.
There are many online platforms to list your tuition services. To start off, you can start via EdTech platforms such as snapask. These sites allow you to list your tuition services and how much you are charging. As with freelance writing, it’s best to start small and collect reviews before you can charge a higher rate.
3) Test websites and apps
For tech products and websites to do well, they absolutely need to prioritise user experience and become more customer-centric. This means that they will need a steady source of people to help them test their software and website.
Is the user interface of the product intuitive? Are the buttons to complete a task on the software obvious enough for the user to find? Can the site visitor find the correct service page? These are some questions that many companies are willing to pay money for to get answered.
To get started, you can try out online platforms like UserTesting. There are plenty of companies looking for users to help improve their sites and services.
4) Take part in paid focus groups
While we’re on the topic of providing consumer insights to companies, another way you can do so is to sign up for focus group discussions. These happen through group interviews that are carried out by an organisation to find out more about the UI/UX aspects of their new product or product feature.
For example, a business may conduct focus group interviews to identify features consumers desire for product marketing purposes. Some places where you can find opportunities to sign up include the Focus Group Singapore Facebook group and Surveys & Focus Groups Telegram channel.
5) Food delivery rider
Another trend brought about by the pandemic is the sharp growth in the food and groceries delivery business. In fact, a survey by Rakuten Insight revealed that about 71 per centof their respondents stated that they ordered food more frequently during the pandemic.
And depending on the company, you can earn up to $25 per hour. Becoming a delivery service provider is a good idea if you’re only to do a little something on the side. With the demand for such a service at an all-time high, there’s definitely a big opportunity for you to get a slice of the pie.
5.5) Get an internship
Wait, what even is a 0.5 side hustle idea?
Side hustles are activities considered to be, well, on the side. This typically means that those who take up side hustles have other full-time commitments like a full-time job or school.
For an internship to be considered to be a “side hustle”, it needs to be a part-time commitment. For instance, perhaps you are only taking two modules at university and have sufficient time to take on a part-time internship.
The benefits of both overseas and local internships cannot be understated and simply there’s no denying that internships are important. Not only can you earn a side income while doing a part-time internship, but you will also gain professional knowledge and skills that can help you build your professional portfolio.
That said, while part-time internships are great to do on the side, we’d strongly recommend that you take on full-time internship roles. Giving all of your attention to your work is a lot better than giving it partial attention. You have more time to learn more from the professionals at your workplace
If you’re looking for a platform to find local internships, check out our list of internship jobs in Singapore.
Try out some of these different ways to earn money in Singapore!
We hope this list has been helpful in providing you with some side hustle ideas you can start out with.
As we’ve mentioned a few times, several of these side hustles require you to start small in order to accumulate experience and positive reviews.
These days, you can monetise practically any skill as long as there is a demand for it. With time, patience, and practice, you can even turn your side hustles into full-time careers.
