# Any side businesses or jobs?



## fromragstoriches (Dec 31, 2016)

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had any side jobs or businesses where they make a steady, recurring revenue stream? If so, what is it?


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

If one is an employee, particularly in the public sector, a side job or business is an essential survival tool. 

Once upon a time, s. 50 of the BC Public Service Act ordained that one could not have anything on the side without the consent of the Public Service Commission. Yeah, right. Government employers love that kind of stuff, to keep the workers in their place. Keep them subjugated. A serf with no other options will take orders _sans_ question. 

Today, I think it's less common for an employee to stay with one employer for decades. Having a second source of income when fired, laid off or when one just feels like telling the boss to pound sand gives one a great feeling of security. Having more than one string to your bow is a _sine qua non_ of independence.

I suppose one could temper the above comments by adding that having the second income source might be a bit less important if one is employed in a job where one's skills are very much in demand over the long haul and landing on one's feet and getting re-hired is guaranteed to happen within 24 hours of leaving one job. If you are not in that category, definitely get yourself set up with the insurance policy of another income source. 

Once set up, don't broadcast the fact. It builds resentment. It can make you smug and self-assured and the envy that results can be awkward to deal with.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I think that rule was to prevent graft and controversy. What if a public employee set up in the stationary business and "just happened" to get a contract to supply envelopes to the government? Or a consulting business on how to get grants from the same department he works in? If a government employee wanted to sharpen saws or sell in flea markets I don't think anyone would object. That is why they need to ask permission.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Mukhang pera said:


> If one is an employee, particularly in the public sector, a side job or business is an essential survival tool.


As a fall back, especially where employment is not stable ... it is of benefit for everyone, public or private.

Most I know in the public sector may agree it might be a good fall back but they are not doing this and probably would question the "essential survival tool".


The one I always shake my head at is the computer consultant that helped with our upgrade. He was a civil servant, was fired on questionable grounds, was hired by the software company and ran into the HR person who had fired him less than a week later. When asked what he was doing there - he responded "upgrading your computer systems".


Cheers


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> I think that rule was to prevent graft and controversy. What if a public employee set up in the stationary business and "just happened" to get a contract to supply envelopes to the government? Or a consulting business on how to get grants from the same department he works in? If a government employee wanted to sharpen saws or sell in flea markets I don't think anyone would object. That is why they need to ask permission.


While that could have been part of it, it would not be very effective. Take the stationery business. The day I ask permission, I sell exclusively to some customer in the U.S. Fine. Permission granted. The next day I take that government contract. Now there's a potential conflict. Just about any sideline you can imagine has _potential_ for graft, controversy, conflict of interest. Even sharpening saws. I work for Ministry of Forests. I decide who gets timber licenses. You need a supply of timber for your mill. I subtly suggest that you give me the contract to sharpen all the saws in your mill and you just might find you get favourable decisions regarding timber supply.

I know from first-hand dealings that what they wanted to assess was the income being derived. If it was peanuts, and did not allow you any degree of independence, no problem. If you were honest and revealed that your side gig paid as much as the salary they were paying, they would send a letter saying the "level of activity" required to make that income would be considered as detracting from your full-time job with government. Permission would then be denied. This coming from people who have never worked in the private sector, who have never been self-employed and who, themselves, maintain a "level of activity" that would guarantee failure if they worked anywhere else.


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## indexxx (Oct 31, 2011)

I deliver food on Sundays for one of the app-based courier companies. It's pretty OK for some extra cash. I've actually been considering doing it full-time for a while just to get out of the bar business.


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## vega (Mar 22, 2017)

I work as a day time trader and teacher. On my spare time, I sell baked desserts with my sister to help her earn extra income in her baking business. I deliver also if there are pending orders that need the products to be dispatched.


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## GreenAvenue (Dec 28, 2011)

I do taxes on the side in my spare time and advise a small group of seniors what to invest in. My normal job is in sales and customer service. I hope to find a job as financial analyst at one time (I have a finance and accounting background) but haven't been very lucky. Probably my age.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

I do some retail in-store merchandising / auditing work in my area for a national 3rd party type company.
Gets me out of the house for a few hours a week. pays for my golf and poker....and when i run into friends at a wal-mart or shoppers drug..I can say:
"Well, at least I'm getting PAID to come here"


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## redsgomarching (Mar 6, 2016)

GreenAvenue said:


> I do taxes on the side in my spare time and advise a small group of seniors what to invest in. My normal job is in sales and customer service. I hope to find a job as financial analyst at one time (I have a finance and accounting background) but haven't been very lucky. Probably my age.


what..........


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

I applied for a job with Wrigley's gum company filling local Walmart stores with their products as needed.

Didn't get the job though. Some lucky bugger is earning a fortune in the gum business instead of me.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

sags said:


> I applied for a job with Wrigley's gum company filling local Walmart stores with their products as needed.
> 
> Didn't get the job though. Some lucky bugger is earning a fortune in the gum business instead of me.


...hey sags ... "stick" with it....
(besides...as one who's been there...those jobs are not as glamorous as they may seem...the "Extra" & "Bubble Yum" guys play rough)


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I try to avoid work.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

I've spent most of my life trying to figure out ways to get out of working. I'd rather have other people or my money working for me so I don't have to.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

I love work.....it fascinates me... I can sit and watch work all day....


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## tiffbou2 (Jul 4, 2013)

I got my fitness instructor certification 20 years ago when I was still in school, and it's served me so well through the years. I taught in several gyms and rec centres, and pay ranged from nothing (as a volunteer for the YMCA - their instructors are unpaid) to $25 per hour class. Not exactly raking in the big bucks, but it kept me healthy and I loved doing it...it never felt like "work" to me. About 6.5 years ago, Zumba fitness got really big and I rented a big hall and started my own classes...no kidding, at the height of the class popularity, I had 50-80 people each class paying $5 and my hall rental was $45 per class. I had insurance and licensing fees but still made a tidy profit and it was so much fun! I still run the classes, but World Gym and Goodlife both moved into the neighbourhood and Zumba isn't the big fad that it was so the classes are a lot smaller now. I still enjoy it, but I'm feeling like taking a break from it soon. 
My retirement dream is retiring from my day job in my mid 50s and running fitness programs for my region's ageing population.


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## PrairieGal (Apr 2, 2011)

I have a couple of bookkeeping jobs that I do on the side. I also re-finish furniture, and although I have sold a few pieces, it is more of a hobby. When I retire I hope to do more of it. I wish I could earn a side income from my photography, as that is my true passion.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

I have taught at a local college for years. I do it because I like it, it gives backyard to the community, and it pays not too bad. I use my vacation days or weekends to do it though, so don't do it very often. I have to say I have always had a side job since I started working more than twenty years ago. 

Other side things I have done, and gave up or have reduced because of time are:

EBaying or online selling I used to find get bulk deals and resell. Too many high fees now, and silly buyers, and competition. I used to make up to $1000 month pocket money. It took time setting up my system so I could get the listing, and pictures, and shipping out quickly. 

Mystery shopping. I did thing when I was on mat leave and wanted to get out more. Didn't pay that much, but I got free food and merchandise and little money. I had to be well planned so I didn't spend time wasted diving around. I still do the occasional mystery shop, but didn't have the flexibility anymore when I returned to work. Sometimes you had to be there at a certain time and date. Also, some you had to eat the food, and some of it was kind of gross. 

Food demonstrator. I thought it would be neat. The times were not great for someone working, but I was on mat leave. I didn't really like it that much as I got bored once I learned the product. 

Retail. I did his in my younger days, and still had my regular day job. This was mostly in high school, I worked retail part time. They wanted me to stay after university. So I got whatever shift I wanted, plus a good discount. 

Tutoring - I did this for years after graduation. I was strong in math, and that seems to be where high school students need the most help. 

Kids birthday parties. I used to do kids birthday parties as a clown and face painter, balloon sculpture. I learned it as a kid, and was pretty good at it. It paid well. Like $100 a party. I stopped because I didn't think it was very respectable in a professional setting, though I did the kids work party for the first two years, and they thought it was pretty awesome. Also, the technology surprising has changed.

Consulting - I get asked to consult quite frequently because of my teaching because of my regular day job, I have said no, but it's my goal when I take t next step. 

Taxes preparation. I graduated in accounting, and files taxes for years. I stopped doing it only after my taxes because more complicated, and I hired someone for my self. 

I was really good at making kids specialty baked goods. I hate baking though, but peoe ask me to make them themed cake pops. I do it for free for those I like, but I have been paid for them. I found I was too picky, but will do it for fundraisers. 

My next thing I have been considering is creating a kids finance class in my local community centre or something computer relating and kids. This is more because I find a lot kids clueless, and parents too, so I think I could help. I haven't quite done it yet, as time is too busy right now. 

My point, find something that interests you, that you enjoy or are good at, and see if anyone will pay you for it.


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## cashinstinct (Apr 4, 2009)

I teach accounting at University (3 credits course) for side job, pays around $8,000 gross per session (12 nights of 3h each + 2 exams marking).I tend to teach fall, winter and summer session.

Maximum allowed is 5 courses total per year (University rules), but for now the maximum i did is 4.

Most of my savings in maxing out RRSP/TFSA for the last few years can be explained by my side job.

I have DB pension plan at full-time work, 10% employee contribution.


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## zylon (Oct 27, 2010)

PrairieGal said:


> ... I wish I could earn a side income from my photography, as that is my true passion.


Not sure how much _Youtube_ is paying these days,
but this gal has almost 1.5 million views for 40 photos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVA-ddZ0q8c

1,494,988 views
(a lot of guys have trouble getting past #1)


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## tygrus (Mar 13, 2012)

I dont work for money. Money works for me.


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## nobleea (Oct 11, 2013)

PrairieGal said:


> I wish I could earn a side income from my photography, as that is my true passion.


The only way to truly make side income from photography is to take pictures of people's kids, families, pets, babies, etc. Almost no one will spend money on a custom photo landscape print from a photographer when they could get something similar at Ikea or a print store for a fraction of the price. Not too many Peter Lik's in the world (he's sold almost half a billion$ of his prints - yes billion with a B). But proper family portraits run from $200 to $5000 for a session. People will pay money for their passions. I've seen several automotive photographers do very well. Fitness photographers. Unique specialties like rock climbing or surf photographers, aeronautical photography (not drones).

I've been doing photography as a side job for several years now. Mostly families and newborns, but some weddings and a few corporate events. Monthly income can be anywhere from $300 to $8K. It is very seasonal. Average is about $2K a month. It ends up being about 80-110$/hr. I know several people who had careers as nurses or teachers, and made more as part time photographers than they did in their careers. Mostly wedding stuff. They eventually quit and went full time in to photography.

I'm going to try residential development as a side job. I have a few other side jobs that are percolating that I wouldn't mind trying as well. Urban farming, screenwriting, house decor manufacturing.


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## bass player (Jan 27, 2016)

I used to shingle houses with a couple friends as a side gig...it was great money but it's very physically demanding. Now that I'm in my 50's I don't do it any more. I'm still physically capable, but just don't feel like working that hard any more. 

I'm now retired but occasionally do handyman work for a friend with rentals. What's nice is that I can pick and choose if I want the job or not. If I don't take it, he finds someone else.


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## PrairieGal (Apr 2, 2011)

> The only way to truly make side income from photography is to take pictures of people's kids, families, pets, babies, etc. Almost no one will spend money on a custom photo landscape print from a photographer when they could get something similar at Ikea or a print store for a fraction of the price. Not too many Peter Lik's in the world (he's sold almost half a billion$ of his prints


Thanks for your thoughts Noble. I mostly do still life, but I suspect you are right. I did some grad photos of my niece two years ago that turned out nice, so that may be somewhere to start, and grad season is right around the corner.


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## ykphil (Dec 13, 2009)

I wish I had been more frugal and financially savvy when I was making big bucks so I could say my money works for me, but it took me a long time to learn. 

Nevertheless, at 59 now, I don't really need to work much but I have a few sweet gigs so there is no incentive for me to FIRE: one is with my regular employer who due to a downturn in the economy, downsized my job to part-time and agreed to a remote work arrangement a year ago, allowing me to work pretty much anywhere in the world, as long as I have cell reception and a bit of internet. I also am into year-1 of a couple of 3-year federal appointments that involve "working" on average 4-6 days a month @ $375 per day. Last winter we were able to take off for a 6-month road trip through Mexico and the US Southwest. Because my schedule for my two gigs is flexible, I also have an awesome spring-summer gig with a community association involved with persons with disabilities. As I love the outdoors, I am the to-go guy for all sorts of sports and outdoors activities for our clients. When I got back to Canada this past March, the job was waiting for me and I got back just in time to do a weekend snowshoeing program with our clients. I will soon start swimming pool and bowling as part of the Special Olympics program. Last summer, my job was to take groups of 2-3 clients out on light overnight camping and daily canoe outings. I had to pinch myself every day, realizing I was getting paid to take people paddling 4-5 hours a day, then camp at night on the shores of a Northern lake. I'll resume camping-canoeing in June but meanwhile, I work an average of 10 hours per week taking clients out for fitness classes and other physical activities. If my health keeps up, I could see myself continuing this kind of arrangement well into my 60s without having to touch my stash. At the end of September, we will be back on the road, this time to Belize and Guatemala for the winter.


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