365 DAYS – that’s all it took for one cash-savvy mum to pay off her monster £12.5k debt, and it was all thanks to very easy but clever side hustles.
Like many money-strapped Brits, Lisa Danielle (@sidehustlesister) was struggling to make ends meet especially as she also had a huge debt worth close to £13,000.
After watching videos on social media shared by others who made cash from their jobs ‘on the side’ – aka side hustles – the 43-year-old decided to take the leap.
And they were so remarkably quick and easy to latch onto, mum-of-three Lisa managed to clear her sizeable debt racked up through loans, within a year.
From flogging mystery boxes to earning cash in return for family days out as well as trips to the supermarket, she even made enough to treat herself to a trip of a lifetime.
She said: ”It really does add up, so it’s all about consistency.”
The more Lisa, from Manchester looked into side hustles the more she bombarded with videos.
Others claimed they’d raked in a fortune in various ways – from creating random products to writing product reviews.
However, this was an alien world to Lisa who had to clear more than £5.4k in tuition fees, as well as an additional £6.8k for a car loan.
”I’ve always paid my student loan on time but with the interest it was still hanging around,” said Lisa whose ‘day’ job is in internal communication.
”It just felt like it was about time that I got rid of it – it’s more than half of my life ago that I graduated from university,” she explained.
”I just really wanted to be debt-free, it just felt like it was the right time.”
The start of the debt-free journey
It was in last year that Lisa landed on money-making accounts on TikTok – but none seemed feasible.
”One of them was a lady who was trying to make £100,000 in a year and the other one was a chap who was trying to turn £20 into £200,000,” said Lisa.
”I thought it was amazing – but it just seemed so far out of reach for me.
”So that’s when I focused on clearing my £12.5k worth of debt instead.”
After sharing her first video online, Lisa – who now boasts close to 60k followers on TikTok and goes by the name the Side Hustle Sister – received heaps of suggestions about how to make money.
Make money from pre-loved gear
Lisa became hooked and to kickstart the debt-clearing challenge she turned to sites like Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, as well as eBay where she sold several pre-loved items she’d found at home.
Next, she bought mystery boxes online and sold things she didn’t want.
Some of the best-known survey sites to try as a side hustle
- i-Say
- Swagbucks
- Crowdology
- Curious Cat
- Google Opinion Rewards
- PopulusLive
Side hustle that ANYONE can do
Then she turned to survey sites, including Attapol and Survey Pop, where she was paid to share her opinion which brought in between £100 and £200 extra cash a month.
”I still do surveys. They’re not for everyone – you’re definitely not going to be a millionaire by doing them,” said Lisa who completed them once her children were asleep.
”But it’s something that absolutely anyone can do. I’d put the TV on and then I’d just sit and complete a few,” she added.
”I’ve had so many messages from people saying how they didn’t have dinner money for the kids so they filled in a few surveys.”
Secret shopper
The money-smart mum then moved into secret shopping – a ”fun” way to rake in some extra cash.
It involves going into a shop and taking a photo of a particular aisle or fridge.
Lisa said: “I get asked to comment on specifics like stock levels or if I think something is missing,
“The options are practically endless, especially as there’s so many services around.”
Lisa earned between £3 to £20 from each store visit and also did the same at local leisure centres and pubs – where she also got to enjoy a completely free meal while she was there.
”I’ve also taken the whole family bowling on the secret shop,” she recalls.
“I was once given a budget of £60 to go bowling, play crazy golf and get something to eat in exchange for my opinions.”
Do I need to pay tax on my side hustle income?
MANY people feeling strapped for cash are boosting their bank balance with a side hustle.
The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to earn some additional income – but you need to know the rules.
When you’re employed the company you work for takes the tax from your earnings and pays HMRC so you don’t have to.
But anyone earning extra cash, for example from selling things online or dog walking, may have to do it themselves.
Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: “Caution should be taken if you’re earning an additional income, as this is likely to be taxable.
“The side hustle could be treated as taxable trading income, which can include providing services or selling products.”
You can make a gross income of up to £1,000 a year tax-free via the trading allowance, but over this and you’ll usually need to pay tax.
Stephen added: “You need to register for a self-assessment at HMRC to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax.
“The applicable tax bands and the amount of tax you need to pay will depend on your income.”
If you fail to file a tax return you could end up with a surprise bill from HMRC later on asking you to pay the tax you owe – plus extra fees on top.
Go digital
As well as raking in cash via TikTok Shop and getting paid for her content on the huge platform, Lisa also boosts her bank balance selling digital products such as music, e-books, and online courses.
”I’ve just launched a masterclass where I’ve got 50 students and I’m teaching them how to create digital products – and the success has been absolutely fantastic,” she revealed.
”I’ve got people who work in HR, I’ve got people who want to get out of teaching, I’ve got people with children with additional needs.
”The spectrum of those involved is absolutely fantastic.”
What proved to be a total waste of time
Although several side hustles proved to be lucrative, some others didn’t go to plan including Printing on Demand (POD)
It involves designing products, like a travel guide or a meal prep plan, and a POD partner prints and ships to customers on the seller’s behalf but it’s competitive.
Lisa said: “It’s easy for anyone to get started, and you don’t have to invest a lot of money into building your business – however, it’s worth remembering it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme.”
Lisa, who runs The Side Hustle Sisterhood page on Facebook and treated herself to a trip to New York exactly a year after clearing her debts added: “My most important tip when it comes to side hustles is consider what you do and what you enjoy – and don’t be disheartened when a survey pays you only a few pennies.
”It really does add up, so it’s all about consistency.”
