Did You Girlboss Too Close To The Sun? How To Cut Out The Side Hustles That Aren’t Making You Rich
Ahh the ever popular “side hustle.”
I used to be the queen of side hustles. Every single hobby I had, I wanted to turn it into a money making machine. I can’t even count the amount of Etsy shops I’ve started, hobbies I’ve tried to turn into a job, and digital services I’ve offered over the years. Also, the amount of business plans I’ve fully thought out is insane. This is largely due to the fact that I LOVE learning new things, and sharing those new things with other people. Where We Summer is my lifestyle blog, and although it brings in collaborations sometimes, it’s still very much a hobby that I love. My other current “side hustles” are writing and social media management- both of which bring in enough money to consider them a side job.
Through trial and error over the years, I’ve been able to establish which of my hobbies actually make me money, which I just want to keep as a hobby for fun, and which I needed to get rid of altogether.
Now that I’m in my thirties, I find that more than ever I just want to relax and enjoy my time away from work. One of my main goals this year is actually to enjoy more hobbies for fun without the underlying “could this be a business?” thoughts. I want to work smarter, not harder. The “I’m so busy” culture is no longer where it’s at.
What’s the difference between a side hustle and a hobby?
Well for starters, one often stresses you out, and the other doesn’t. A hobby is usually a leisurely activity you do in your spare time. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and you very much enjoy doing it. You may or may not be GOOD at this hobby, but it’s something fun you like doing, and you look forward to it. Over time, you may become an expert at this hobby. For example, my boyfriend is a model train guy, and hes amazing at it. It’s a hobby he has been working at since he was a kid, and it brings him a lot of joy. Because he has so much experience, other people in the model train world often come to him for advice, information, and assistance. He could very easily turn this into a profitable side hustle if he wanted to. You may have a hobby you’re amazing at, and you may be wondering if it should go from hobby to job. But, just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
Some side hustles don’t stem from hobbies, but rather from the need to make more money. These are the jobs like cleaning houses on the side, taking a paper route, offering childcare on weekends, or joining an MLM (we’ll talk about MLMs in another post).
Ultimately the goal of any side hustle is to make money. This is extra money aside from your day job (hence the name), and it’s something you typically work part time at. If your side hustle isn’t making you money, it may be time to part ways. If you have a side hustle that you LOVE doing, but it’s not bringing you money or helping you advance your career in any way, it’s a hobby.
How tell if your hobby would make a good side hustle:
You’re already an expert in the field you want to start a side hustle for. People know you as the one to go to for this product/service. Just because you’re good at managing your own social media, doesn’t mean you are a marketing expert or social media manager. There is A LOT that goes into making sure your clients are happy, and that includes knowing what you’re doing.
The product or service you want to offer is in demand or in short supply OR you can make your product stand out from the others. I’ve noticed a trend that whenever there is a popular item going around, suddenly everyone is an expert and wants to make and sell it. I LOVE headbands and clay earrings, but how many clay earring and headband businesses does one town need?
You’ve already got the necessary supplies or means to get the supplies you need.
You’ve tested your target market and know this is something you can make money doing.
You don’t mind removing the leisurely aspect to your hobby and turning it into a job. This means you will now have deadlines, a schedule to follow, and people you need to make happy.
You have the TIME to commit to this. Your hobby may take up an occasional Saturday morning, but once it’s a side hustle, you may be spending a lot more time on it. This can potentially take away from time you could be spending with your family.
You’ve got people who can give positive reviews and you have examples of work you’ve already done.
You’ve done research on marketing your product or service and have a plan in place for getting the word out.
How to know when to DITCH a side hustle that isn’t working for you:
You no longer enjoy doing it. If creating a business out of a hobby you love has completely taken the joy away, it’s not worth continuing.
You feel stressed and anxious about fulfilling orders or delivering services. I’ve had side hustles where I was SO excited to get clients, but once I had them, I was nothing but stressed out when it came time to fulfil my commitment. If this is happening to you, it’s time to move on.
You no longer have time to spend with loved ones. If you work all week at your day job and then work all weekend on your side hustle- where is the time for YOU? Where is the time to spend with your family? Yes we want to be money magnets and bring in the $$$, but removing stress and taking care of yourself is a huge part of earning and manifesting more money. Don’t work yourself into a mental breakdown.
You aren’t very good at it. Self reflection is hard, but necessary sometimes. A good example of this would be the Facebook group “ That’s it, I’m cake shaming!” That group is full of examples of people who bake cakes as a side hustle but aren’t actually good at it. If you’ve promised your customer one thing but deliver something subpar, you should consider keeping this side hustle as a hobby.
You aren’t in it for the long haul. Why put money into buying supplies and spend time finding clients if you aren’t in it for the long haul? A goal of many side hustles is to turn it into a full business one day. A lot of people start out their side hustle while working a full time job elsewhere, but have the end goal of ditching the full time job eventually. I’m not saying you have to be one of those people, but why pump time and money into something you aren’t planning on sticking with? If this was already a hobby and you already had the supplies, that’s different- but don’t go full boss babe into a side hustle you won’t stay with long term.
You don’t have the space. If your entire house is being taken over by products you’re making, and you have no way to scale this or move it to another location, you may be in over your head. You and your family still need to live at your house- you can’t function in or enjoy your home when every surface is covered in wooden signs you painted, or molds from your resin pouring business.
It’s not making you MONEY! The entire point of a side hustle is to make extra money, otherwise why not keep it as a hobby? This is something I’ve struggled with in the past. I thought that enjoying doing something and feeling proud about my work would be enough to sustain me. NOPE. You need to be bringing in that cash, otherwise say goodbye to the hustle part and keep it as a hobby. Also, if you’re SPENDING more money on supplies, marketing, product etc than you’re making, you need to let it go. Spending money on hobbies is fine, but when you’re also putting extra time and money in on top of the usual expenses without making anything in return, it’s not worth it.
How to get rid of the side hustles you don’t want:
Rip the bandaid. We often hem and haw over letting a business idea go. It can make you feel like a failure to have a business you’re super passionate about, only to have it not be successful. The truth is, nobody cares about this as much as you do. Nobody is going to judge you if you say “I’m no longer taking clients, orders etc, thank you for your support.” Just let it go, and move onto bigger and better things. Or better yet, move onto spending more time with your family and doing things you enjoy.
Revise your budget. If your side hustle was actually bringing in some extra funds, you’ll need to revise your budget to account for bringing in less money. If your side hustle was actually costing you extra money, this could be a good thing for the ol budget.
Bow out quietly. If you’re feeling some anxiety about closing your side business because you fear you might be judged for “failing” or “giving up”, just silently close up shop. You do not need to make a big announcement about this. If you’ve got clients that have been regulars, communicate with them to let them know, and finish any jobs you have pending. If this is a service based job, you could also give them enough notice to find a replacement.
Sell any product or supplies you won’t be using. If this is a side hustle you won’t be continuing as a hobby, there’s no need to keep your house cluttered with supplies.
Take a deep breath and enjoy your free time. There’s literally no better feeling than getting rid of a side hustle that you aren’t enjoying. Literally the moment you decide you’re done, and you realize your weekends are free now is the best feeling EVER.
Remember, there is NO shame in ditching something that is no longer serving you! Maybe your side hustle is doing great and you’re on your way to having a full time business. Maybe it’s not doing so great and you’d rather have your time back. Either way, you are doing amazing! Just remember your worth, and act accordingly.