Using your skills to find part-time income

My little sister is a dancer. She’s been dancing for pretty much her whole life. It is something she loves and is extremely passionate about. In fact, she’s so passionate about it, it was her minor in college and she was on her school’s dance team for 3 years. Even now, she still takes classes to maintain her skills.

She’s been able to do something else with her love of dance. She’s been able to turn it into a part-time income. When she relocated after college, one of the first things she did was find a dance studio and now, she’s a teacher at that studio. She is also working on a business endeavor that will incorporate her love of dance into her current position at another part-time job (have I mentioned that my sister works full-time, has a part-time job, goes to grad school and has an active social life? Yeah, she’s awesome). For her, dance is a skill she’s been able to maintain and turn into a money making side gig.

There’s a lesson in my sister’s story: if you have a skill, it’s possible to use it and parlay it into a part-time (or even full-time) job. This is especially important if you’re looking for a way to increase your income for savings, debt repayment, or if you’re saving up for a ridiculous kitchen renovation.  It’s also a counterpoint to the argument “there are no jobs”. I agree; it’s way harder to find a job now than it was several years ago. So, as talented, skillful, creative people, I encourage you to go out and make your own job.

You might be wondering if I have any ideas or suggestions for skills or talents that can be turned into a part-time job. It just so happens that I do. Here are a few:

• Music. If you can play an instrument or sing, you can have a part-time job. I had a friend in graduate school who taught piano lessons to supplement our meager stipend and my guitar teacher also had a day job. If you prefer not to give lessons, you can form a band and play various gigs. I have a friend who is a nurse by trade but is also the singer in a band. While the gigs may not make a fortune, people do buy their t-shirts and CDs and they do make money off of that. This is going to take some hustling and some self-promotion but it’s not impossible.
• Education. If you are a teacher, you can offer your services as a tutor, either freelance or through a company. I believe there are also online tutoring sites. You can get a part-time job teaching religious classes (if that is in line with your beliefs, of course); my mom used to do this. For extra money, she taught Hebrew school classes at her temple. My only caution for tutoring through a company is to pay attention to how much the company charges the clients versus how much you get paid. If you’re getting screwed, you might want to think about branching out on your own.
• Sports. There are opportunities abound for those graced with athletic ability. In my area, the school districts and sometimes even the local community colleges are always looking for coaches. I have a co-worker that umpires baseball games and a friend who is a soccer referee. My YMCA uses part-time staff to teach their group classes. My husband’s cousin was a lifeguard. Some of these options may involve a few dollars of investment in gear or certification, but the earning potential outweighs the upfront cost.
• Art. I know several people who have been able to earn part-time income from their craftiness. One woman started a handmade purse business and another would make one of kind picture frames. They would sell their wares on Etsy or at craft shows or home shows, and were able to turn a profit. Other ways you can make money through your craftiness is to teach classes either at a local community center or YMCA or even at in-home parties. I’m sure there’s a market for kids’ birthday parties in there, too.
• Cooking. If you have a talent for baking or cooking, you can sell homemade goods or start a birthday/wedding cake business. You can teach cooking classes.  Offer to cater small scale events. If you have a full-time job, this is a great place to start to drum up business.  And think creatively. Locally, there is a company that makes gourmet pet treats. It was a business that started in one of the owners’ kitchens. They peddled their goods and eventually landed an exclusive contract with the largest local pet store chain.

If you’re serious about any of these, make sure you do the research regarding business licenses, taxes, certifications—anything that may be potentially related to starting your own business (should you go that route). You don’t want to be faced with any problems that might crop up, wiping out all that you’ve saved.

I believe that even in the current economic climate (whatever that actually means), it’s possible to save money and get out of debt. I may be overly optimistic but I think that people need a dose of optimism. I look at it this way–even if you fail, you’ll still learn some lessons. And that’s not really failing.

What skills have you been able to use to create part-time income?