Small wins with side hustles

First, I want to say thank you. I've spent hours reading this sub for the last year and a half, and it has helped me pay off debt and start saving. This sub is a great community, and has been super helpful to me in my financial journey so far. I wanted to share my small wins, partly to encourage anyone who is just getting started with their finances, and to get feedback on how I can do better.<br><br>I want to say, I never thought I could have a side hustle. I don't have a lot of spare time, and I have a small kid who wakes up a lot at night. I struggle a lot with my mental health, and sweeping our living room can sometimes feel like the biggest accomplishment I've ever had. But I've found it's definitely worth it, and I think anyone can do it. <br><br>I work at a small, low-paying office job. I don't want this thread to turn into a complaint about my boss, or a vent about the economy, but I do want to say that I don't get a lot of benefits, and the pay is basically minimum wage. It's a great work environment, but I need more than they can give me. <br><br>So for the last year and a half, I've been trying to find ways to earn extra money. Maybe I won't be able to afford a new car, but maybe I can afford a nice dinner. Maybe I won't be able to get a down payment on a house, but maybe I can take my kid to the aquarium. I've tried several things, and I'm still trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn't. <br><br>1. Online surveys. I've tried a couple of different sites, like swagbucks and inbox. Both are fine, but I only get $10 every 2 months or so. At least it's something, and I can do it at night when I'm feeding my baby. <br><br>2. Selling things I don't need on Facebook marketplace. I've sold an old pair of shorts for $10 and some old baby clothes for $5. It's not a lot, but it has helped me buy things I need. <br><br>3. Dog walking. I love dogs, and I love walking. It's been much harder since having a baby, but I still do it sometimes when my kid is sleeping. I charge $20 for a 30 minute walk, and have a regular client. <br><br>4. Selling stock photos. I'm a pretty okay photographer, and I have a nice camera. I sell my photos on a website called Alamy. It's not a lot of money, usually $2-10 per photo, but I've had some luck with it. I've sold around 100 photos in the last year and a half. <br><br>5. Selling digital photos. I take photos of my kid, and of the town I live in. I then use those photos to make digital pictures, like cards or invitations. I email them to people, and it's been enough to pay for some of my kid's stuff. <br><br>6. Pet sitting. I love animals, and I love making extra money. I charge $10 per visit, and usually do a few visits a month. <br><br>7. Make up. I've been doing people's make up for special events like weddings. I've been lucky with this, I've had a couple of clients, and usually make $50-$100 per event. <br><br>8. House sitting. This is a little harder since having a kid, but I've had a few clients, and I charge $20 per visit. <br><br>9. Selling crafts. I've had some success with this, I made a few hundred dollars around Christmas last year. I don't always make a ton, but I can usually sell a few items a month. <br><br>10. Selling hand me downs. I've been selling my kid's old clothes and toys. It has been a huge help, and has helped me pay for things I need for my kid. <br><br>I feel like I'm still trying to figure out what works for me. It's hard when you don't have a lot of time. But I've had some success, and I wanted to share some of my small wins. <br><br>1. I've been able to pay off some debt. Not a lot, but I'm working on it. <br><br>2. We have an emergency fund. It's not a lot, but it's enough to cover a couple of months of expenses. <br><br>3. I've been able to take my kid cool places. I don't have a lot of money, but I was able to take my kid to the aquarium, a play place, a trampoline park, and I bought my kid a new pair of shoes. <br><br>4. I was able to pay for my kid's orthodontist appointment. It was expensive, and I couldn't have done it without my side hustles. <br><br>5. I was able to buy my husband a really nice card for our anniversary. It was so nice to be able to do something special for him. <br><br>6. I was able to afford a nice dinner. It was so nice to not have to worry about money, or to have to cook. <br><br>7. I've improved my resume. I'm trying to find a better job, and all of these side hustles have given me new skills. <br><br>8. It's been good for my mental health, and has made me feel more confident. <br><br>9. I've been able to save for the holidays. I don't want to give my kid a crappy Christmas, so I want to be prepared. <br><br>So those are my small wins. It's not a lot, but I feel accomplished. I feel like I'm moving in the right direction. <br><br>Here are some of the things I'm still trying to work on. <br><br>1. I want to make more money. I wish I could pay off debt faster, or save more money. I want to be able to afford more things for my kid, and I want to be more financially stable. <br><br>2. I want to do better when I'm feeling burned out. I struggle a lot with my mental health, and it can be hard to muster up the energy to do my side hustles. I'm trying to figure out how to do better with that. <br><br>3. I want to be more prepared. There are things I know I need to work on, like getting more money in our emergency fund, or paying off more debt. I want to be more prepared for anything that comes our way. <br><br>Thank you for reading! I hope this post was helpful, and I welcome any feedback or suggestions.