Latest news with #sidehustle
Entrepreneur
3 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Teen's $200-a-Night Side Hustle Became $20M-a-Year Business
This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Charles Eide, 40, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based founder and CEO of corporate events company EideCom. As a teenager, Eide side-hustled as a DJ, then began to produce major events at the University of St. Thomas. Read more about his journey here. Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Image Credit: Courtesy of EideCom. Charles Eide. Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe to Money Makers, our free newsletter packed with creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here. What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle? I was raised by two sales-minded entrepreneurs who really pushed me to think outside of the box. My mom taught me that I needed to learn to sell. In high school, I waited tables and sold web development services full-time while building the beginnings of EideCom. I also shot wedding videos during peak wedding season. I was shooting weddings on the weekend and editing videos during the week with no downtime, which led to burnout. This pushed me to believe there was something bigger and better out there for me. While I didn't love the grind of the wedding industry, I loved being part of life-changing events. I always knew I was supposed to do something bigger in the events industry. When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it? I started EideCom in 2003. The inspiration came from attending a sales conference with my mom and falling in love with the impact that events have on humanity. At an early age, I had a high intuition when it came to large rooms of people and how they were feeling; it was like having X-ray vision. For some reason, I had a natural ability to understand the dynamics of audience engagement from a very young age. Related: I Took My Side Hustle Full-Time and Made $222,000 Last Year. Here's How — and Why Sometimes I Work Just 10 Hours a Week. What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch? I started by borrowing my dad's home theater system to DJ parties, which evolved into weddings. At one point, my dad told me I had to stop abusing his home theater system and buy a professional audio system. I remember maxing out my first credit card with a $2,000 limit for a trailer to connect to my Saturn L200 sedan to transport my DJ equipment — it was hilarious. Imagine this teenager showing up to your event pulling a trailer with a Saturn; no wonder my prices were so cheap. To me, it was a fortune if I made $200 in a night. Image Credit: Courtesy of EideCom If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you'd done it differently? I would have hired better people earlier. In the beginning, you think you can do it all. After gaining experience, I've realized some people are much better at certain things than I am, and I should have hired them sooner. I also would have clarified and enforced our ideal client profile much sooner. We wasted energy early on trying to be everything to everyone, which slowed our growth and diluted our brand. Related: This 29-Year-Old's Side Hustle Brought People 'to the Dark Green Side.' It Made $10,000 Within 2 Days and Sees 6 Figures a Month. When it comes to this specific business, what is something you've found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren't? The logistics. Live events don't get a second take. Coordinating hundreds of moving parts — gear, trucks, talent, timing — with zero margin for error is something most people underestimate. Also, sales and finance never get the attention they deserve in our industry. Most of that is left to the biggest players. We've realized that building a strong sales team and a robust finance team makes a huge difference in success or failure. Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong? How did you fix it? We were doing a show in Las Vegas for a massive client. They had Matthew McConaughey and several other large speakers taking the stage the next day. When their CEO came to watch rehearsals, the massive LED wall started glitching. It continued to be a problem, and the CEO and his team left in frustration. On his way out the door, he asked me if he could trust me to get it done. I assured him we would figure it out. Millions were on the line for us and him. Late that evening, after much troubleshooting, we realized there was a computer with a bad component in it. This wasn't an ordinary computer, but a supercomputer that was very specific to LED wall processing. We called everywhere and no one had one in town, but we found one available in Los Angeles, which was quite a drive or a short flight away. Luckily, I had spent my years learning to become a pilot and had my airplane with me. We headed to the tarmac to fly to Los Angeles at midnight to pick up this computer with only hours remaining before the show started. As we took the runway, we got a phone call that they had finally found one on the ground in Las Vegas, and it would be in the ballroom in minutes. We shut the airplane down, headed back and continued troubleshooting into the early hours of the morning until it was perfect. I sat on the sidelines waiting for the CEO to show up that morning, and when he did, he asked me if we were going to have a good day, and I assured him that 10 out of 10, we would get this right. Of course, I was sweating bullets and scared to death of the opening video about to play, hearing the countdown on the headset. I had never felt the anxiety I was feeling. Without hesitation, the video played back perfectly, and the rest of the conference went exactly as planned. At the end of it all, that CEO came up to me and admitted he was worried, but that he trusted us the whole way. We have now secured that customer for life. It's always about being willing to get the job done. You have to know your outcome. Related: They Started a Side Hustle Producing an 'Obvious' Food Item. It Hit $300,000 Monthly Revenue Fast — On Track for Over $20 Million in 2025. Image Credit: Courtesy of EideCom How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn? It took about five years to start seeing consistent revenue. We started with a few thousand dollars in revenue per year. Initially, it was a couple of hundred dollars at a time and turned into enough to pay the mortgage, but that was about it. What does growth and revenue look like now? We've been seeing between 30% and 40% year-over-year growth. Last year, we did $20 million in revenue, and we're heading to $100 million in revenue by 2030. We're the go-to premium production partner for Fortune 500 brands seeking high-end production for large-scale conferences, events and meetings. Related: 'Absolute Freedom': Siblings Behind a Self-Funded 8-Figure Brand Reveal 3 Secrets Aspiring Entrepreneurs Should Know About Growth and Success What do you enjoy most about running this business? I love the people. I really believe that our people are our edge. I've spent my entire life collecting amazing humans around me, and EideCom is the result. Most companies get this backwards. They say, "Always put the customer first," which is completely wrong. If you put your team first, the customer will always get what they need. What is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice? Sales is oxygen — without it, you die. So, learn to sell. Remember the acronym JET. Just Execute Today. While someone else is making plans, you execute. Get out there and build relationships, sell your product and hire the best people you can afford. Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The empty nesters making a mint on their children moving out
Have you used a spare room in your home for a side hustle? We'd like to hear from you. Email money@ When her two eldest daughters left home to go to university, it didn't take long for Louise Mardon to make use of the extra space. For the past 18 months, she's rented out her children's bedrooms to brands including Amazon and Lumie, as spaces to take product photos. The now-spare rooms have also been used as hair and makeup spaces for photography happening elsewhere in the house, and as somewhere to store clothes being worn by models. Mardon, 51, lives in a five-bedroom, mid-century house in Cambridgeshire with her youngest daughter Eliza and husband Tom. 'The shoots started when the older two had left home and I worked them around my youngest (now 18). I couldn't have done it with the other two living at home as well,' she says. For Mardon, not only does hosting photoshoots from her home help to bring in some extra money, it also served as a distraction when her home got much emptier. 'If you're used to having a house filled with noise, to get some more bodies in, it's really good,' she says. Mardon previously worked as a hedge fund recruiter in London but when the pandemic hit, she decided against returning to commuting. She spent the next few years renovating her home, but only considered using it as a location house after talking to an interior designer friend, who had done the same. 'My friend, who's now my business partner, suggested I make the house into a shoot location, and I said: 'Why would anyone want a house in the middle of nowhere?', but I opened up my space,' she explains. She's now paid between £800 and £2,000 a day, either arranged through agencies or direct via her website, and secures bookings every couple of months. 'It's proved to be very lucrative,' she says. 'Shoot lengths vary from one day through to a week.' While some people may have qualms about letting whole teams of people roam around their home, Madron hasn't had any issues. 'One of the best things is that the shoot people are so lovely and respectful. Anything that is moved goes back. It's like the fairies have come,' she says. 'I tend to be here [when shoots take place], but you don't have to be. I give them a call sheet with things like the WiFi code, and I also provide biscuits and cold drinks.' Mardon's daughters may have gone to university, but they still use their old rooms occasionally. '[They] don't mind having people here in the slightest. Their rooms are left tidy and they get excited about it… On the whole, it's been a really positive experience,' she says. Only one shoot has pushed things a little too far for them: 'There were photos of people in their beds, pretending to wake up, which they found 'funny weird',' she says. 'The flip side is that, if we did Airbnb, there would be people in their beds all the time!' Despite the enjoyment Mardon derives from hosting shoots, she admits to having mixed feelings about her children leaving home: 'I'm excited for them and it's a new chapter, a new book really, but I love it when they come home.' She's now expanding her empty nest side hustle into a whole new business. The Shoot Academy, which she's launched with interior designer friend, Suzie Tipple, helps people set up similar ventures. 'I now teach other people how to do this,' she says. 'The course goes through how to get insurance, how much to charge, how to market your home, everything.' And, according to Mardon, any home is suitable. 'The reason people hire a home is that they want the authenticity you don't get from a studio. Our house is neutral, and the rooms are a nice size but, in terms of house type, anything goes. 'You can have avocado bathrooms, odd features, brutalist architecture, anything… It's about knowing the unique selling points of your house – it might be the location or a certain feature,' she says. 'It's a popular side hustle with women of my kind of demographic, who want something to fit around their lifestyle.' Mardon is certainly not the only one with a spare room ripe for a new purpose. Nearly 10 million homes in England had at least two unused bedrooms, according to the latest English Housing Survey – many of which will be the result of children leaving the family home. While many people will choose to downsize to a smaller property when this happens, the common issue of 'boomerang children' returning home is on the rise. Since 2006, the proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds who live in their parents' home has risen from 13pc to 18pc in 2024, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). As a result, many parents hold on to larger homes for longer. 'We're not keeping your room as a shrine' When Lisa Baptiste found herself with a spare room after her eldest son moved out, she transformed the space into a craft room. 'I've got one side dedicated to textiles and the other side is mixed media, with a Cricut machine, easel and a table,' she says. She sells crochet creations, flower brooches, cardigans and watercolours at Christmas craft fairs, on her Etsy page and at local markets. Baptiste, who is 60 and lives in St Albans, has two sons, the eldest is 30 and left home three years ago to travel the world as a scuba diving instructor. Her youngest son is 26 and plans to move out next year. Getting the extra space finally gave her the opportunity to expand her long-held hobby. 'I painted for 20 years as it was part of my therapy. People always liked my work so I thought I'd see if I could grow it. When my son left, I did,' she says. While transforming her son's room has been emotionally and financially rewarding, there was some initial resistance from him. 'I explained: 'Yes, it's been your bedroom, but you've left home and, even though you don't have your own home yet, we're not keeping it as a shrine',' she says. She offered to either sell his possessions, giving him the money, or pack everything away until he wanted it back. 'He wasn't happy with his Lego being moved,' she explains. 'The Millennium Falcon got broken up and put into boxes. I couldn't do it until I'd had a FaceTime [call] with him and gone through how it would be dismantled and put back into the original box.' The Lego safely stored away, she then went to Ikea and bought some Kallax shelves, which she filled with baskets of yarn. 'I have a stash that would make the haberdashery at John Lewis look underwhelming,' she says. Baptiste previously ran a profitable pet care business but when it took off, the newfound success took its toll, with her working seven days a week. 'I want [the crafting] to be a side hustle; I've run my own business, and… it's all-consuming,' she says. Instead, she plans to just work when she wants to. 'Side hustles are a fantastic opportunity to dip your toe in without having to give up on other things. It keeps the brain active.' Baptiste estimates her business brings in around £250 a month, but she's also an after-school art teacher and uses her craft room to test out creative ideas for the children. 'The side hustle has always been about healing and wellbeing, rather than making a fortune… The way I sell it to my husband is that it pays for my nails, hair, coffee and girl day trips out, and I don't have to ask him for this money,' she says. Like Mardon, she would also recommend making the most of an empty nest – particularly because of the mental health benefits. 'It's a big change having your children leave home. Doing this gave me focus and kept me occupied,' she says. 'It took my mind off the loss of him, the banter and the fun times… That hobby you've been doing, take it to another level – turn that hobby into a business.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
The empty nesters making a mint on their children moving out
Have you used a spare room in your home for a side hustle? We'd like to hear from you. Email money@ When her two eldest daughters left home to go to university, it didn't take long for Louise Mardon to make use of the extra space. For the past 18 months, she's rented out her children's bedrooms to brands including Amazon and Lumie, as spaces to take product photos. The now-spare rooms have also been used as hair and makeup spaces for photography happening elsewhere in the house, and as somewhere to store clothes being worn by models. Mardon, 51, lives in a five-bedroom, mid-century house in Cambridgeshire with her youngest daughter Eliza and husband Tom. 'The shoots started when the older two had left home and I worked them around my youngest (now 18). I couldn't have done it with the other two living at home as well,' she says. For Mardon, not only does hosting photoshoots from her home help to bring in some extra money, it also served as a distraction when her home got much emptier. 'If you're used to having a house filled with noise, to get some more bodies in, it's really good,' she says. Mardon previously worked as a hedge fund recruiter in London but when the pandemic hit, she decided against returning to commuting. She spent the next few years renovating her home, but only considered using it as a location house after talking to an interior designer friend, who had done the same. 'My friend, who's now my business partner, suggested I make the house into a shoot location, and I said: 'Why would anyone want a house in the middle of nowhere?', but I opened up my space,' she explains. She's now paid between £800 and £2,000 a day, either arranged through agencies or direct via her website, and secures bookings every couple of months. 'It's proved to be very lucrative,' she says. 'Shoot lengths vary from one day through to a week.' While some people may have qualms about letting whole teams of people roam around their home, Madron hasn't had any issues. 'One of the best things is that the shoot people are so lovely and respectful. Anything that is moved goes back. It's like the fairies have come,' she says. 'I tend to be here [when shoots take place], but you don't have to be. I give them a call sheet with things like the WiFi code, and I also provide biscuits and cold drinks.' Mardon's daughters may have gone to university, but they still use their old rooms occasionally. '[They] don't mind having people here in the slightest. Their rooms are left tidy and they get excited about it… On the whole, it's been a really positive experience,' she says. Only one shoot has pushed things a little too far for them: 'There were photos of people in their beds, pretending to wake up, which they found 'funny weird',' she says. 'The flip side is that, if we did Airbnb, there would be people in their beds all the time!' Despite the enjoyment Mardon derives from hosting shoots, she admits to having mixed feelings about her children leaving home: 'I'm excited for them and it's a new chapter, a new book really, but I love it when they come home.' She's now expanding her empty nest side hustle into a whole new business. The Shoot Academy, which she's launched with interior designer friend, Suzie Tipple, helps people set up similar ventures. 'I now teach other people how to do this,' she says. 'The course goes through how to get insurance, how much to charge, how to market your home, everything.' And, according to Mardon, any home is suitable. 'The reason people hire a home is that they want the authenticity you don't get from a studio. Our house is neutral, and the rooms are a nice size but, in terms of house type, anything goes. 'You can have avocado bathrooms, odd features, brutalist architecture, anything… It's about knowing the unique selling points of your house – it might be the location or a certain feature,' she says. 'It's a popular side hustle with women of my kind of demographic, who want something to fit around their lifestyle.' Mardon is certainly not the only one with a spare room ripe for a new purpose. Nearly 10 million homes in England had at least two unused bedrooms, according to the latest English Housing Survey – many of which will be the result of children leaving the family home. While many people will choose to downsize to a smaller property when this happens, the common issue of 'boomerang children' returning home is on the rise. Since 2006, the proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds who live in their parents' home has risen from 13pc to 18pc in 2024, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). As a result, many parents hold on to larger homes for longer. 'We're not keeping your room as a shrine' When Lisa Baptiste found herself with a spare room after her eldest son moved out, she transformed the space into a craft room. 'I've got one side dedicated to textiles and the other side is mixed media, with a Cricut machine, easel and a table,' she says. She sells crochet creations, flower brooches, cardigans and watercolours at Christmas craft fairs, on her Etsy page and at local markets. Baptiste, who is 60 and lives in St Albans, has two sons, the eldest is 30 and left home three years ago to travel the world as a scuba diving instructor. Her youngest son is 26 and plans to move out next year. Getting the extra space finally gave her the opportunity to expand her long-held hobby. 'I painted for 20 years as it was part of my therapy. People always liked my work so I thought I'd see if I could grow it. When my son left, I did,' she says. While transforming her son's room has been emotionally and financially rewarding, there was some initial resistance from him. 'I explained: 'Yes, it's been your bedroom, but you've left home and, even though you don't have your own home yet, we're not keeping it as a shrine',' she says. She offered to either sell his possessions, giving him the money, or pack everything away until he wanted it back. 'He wasn't happy with his Lego being moved,' she explains. 'The Millennium Falcon got broken up and put into boxes. I couldn't do it until I'd had a FaceTime [call] with him and gone through how it would be dismantled and put back into the original box.' The Lego safely stored away, she then went to Ikea and bought some Kallax shelves, which she filled with baskets of yarn. 'I have a stash that would make the haberdashery at John Lewis look underwhelming,' she says. Baptiste previously ran a profitable pet care business but when it took off, the newfound success took its toll, with her working seven days a week. 'I want [the crafting] to be a side hustle; I've run my own business, and… it's all-consuming,' she says. Instead, she plans to just work when she wants to. 'Side hustles are a fantastic opportunity to dip your toe in without having to give up on other things. It keeps the brain active.' Baptiste estimates her business brings in around £250 a month, but she's also an after-school art teacher and uses her craft room to test out creative ideas for the children. 'The side hustle has always been about healing and wellbeing, rather than making a fortune… The way I sell it to my husband is that it pays for my nails, hair, coffee and girl day trips out, and I don't have to ask him for this money,' she says. Like Mardon, she would also recommend making the most of an empty nest – particularly because of the mental health benefits. 'It's a big change having your children leave home. Doing this gave me focus and kept me occupied,' she says. 'It took my mind off the loss of him, the banter and the fun times… That hobby you've been doing, take it to another level – turn that hobby into a business.'
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Reseller who makes thousands every year on eBay & Vinted reveals best brands to cash in on & two big mistakes to avoid
A SAVVY RESELLER who makes thousands of pounds every year by flogging tat has shared her top tips you won't want to miss. So if you could do with some extra cash but aren't sure where to start, you've come to the right place and will need to listen up. 4 4 Kirsty Quinn, 35, an office manager from Oxfordshire, began reselling when she was just 15-years-old and last year, cashed in £8,000 by flogging items on eBay, Vinted and WhatNot. Now, the side hustler sells all things from clothes and collectibles to beauty products, and here, shares an expert insight into the best brands that will make you cash quick, as well as which items are best avoided. Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Kirsty gets candid on her reselling success, as she explains: 'My first taste of reselling happened when I was 15. 'I purchased two Dandy annuals from a local village fete for the grand total of 2p each, I think they had so many books they just wanted to clear them. 'I researched online and found a book dealer who I sent photos to, I couldn't believe it when they offered me £50. 'A few years later, I started reselling on a small scale to help cover my car insurance. At the time, I was working part-time at Marks & Spencer, but as anyone who's just started driving knows, insurance costs can be through the roof. 'I needed a way to boost my income, and reselling seemed like the perfect side hustle.' Kirsty has been reselling ever since and even sells 'actual rubbish' she finds on the floor. She's a huge fan of buying cheap items to sell on for profit, as she adds: 'I really enjoy reselling, I love the thrill of the hunt - you never know what you're going to find, and every sourcing trip is a bit different. It keeps things exciting. 'As I have been doing it for many years I find it quite easy, but I am always learning new things. I have my 'go to' items that I will always pick up but every now and then I do step out of my comfort zone. I've made £18k on Vinted & a hack means I don't have to hunt for bits I've sold 'If I decide to dedicate a weekend to reselling, it can get pretty busy - I sometimes end up doing up to three car boot sales in one weekend. 'The buying part is the easy bit - it's finding the time to list everything afterwards that can be a bit of a juggling act.' The best items to cash in and brands to ditch Now, alongside her full-time job, Kirsty spends between five and seven hours a week reselling and makes £6,000 on average a year. She beams: 'I average around £500 a month, last year was an exception and I made more [£8,000] as I started selling on WhatNot.' The savvy seller often buys items to resell from car boot sales and charity shops, but also claims: 'I have found lots of profitable items to resell from Vinted and even in store clearance sections.' Do you need to pay tax on items sold on Vinted? QUICK facts on tax from the team at Vinted... The only time that an item might be taxable is if it sells for more than £6,000 and there is profit (sells for more than you paid for it). Even then, you can use your capital gains tax-free allowance of £3,000 to offset it. Generally, only business sellers trading for profit (buying goods with the purpose of selling for more than they paid for them) might need to pay tax. Business sellers who trade for profit can use a tax-free allowance of £1,000, which has been in place since 2017. More information here: So, which singular item has made her the most cash? Well, Kirsty reveals: 'One of the biggest sales that sticks in my mind is a Tamagotchi that I found lying on the floor in a pile of stuff at a car boot sale. 'It was 50p and when I got it home I put it in a drawer as I needed to buy a battery and completely forgot about it for a few months. 'When I finally got around to testing and researching it I found that it was an Argos exclusive release so was quite rare. 'I didn't know how to price it so in situations like this I will list the item as an auction as opposed to Buy It Now, that way the market can determine its price. When the auction finished it had ended at £260.' Brands like Hotter, Clarks, and Hush Puppies might not seem exciting at first, but they often sell quickly and for a decent profit Kirsty Quinn Not only this, but she also shares the other items that sell fast, as she explains: ' Retro toys always sell well for me. I grew up in the 90s so love selling things like care bears and Polly Pocket. 'I also sell a lot of mugs, Starbucks mugs tend to sell well and some Disney mugs can be really sought after. 'When it comes to reselling shoes, some brands tend to get overlooked - but they can actually do really well. Brands like Hotter, Clarks, and Hush Puppies might not seem exciting at first, but they often sell quickly and for a decent profit.' But if you're wondering what to avoid, Kirsty acknowledges: 'In clothing, I tend to avoid fast fashion brands like Shein and Primark as they do not hold as much value. 'I think when people buy second hand clothing they are looking for more quality pieces that are going to last.' Top tips for resellers Sharing her top tips for resellers, Kirsty first of all advises: 'Do your research and be consistent. The selling apps like a 'lister' - it keeps the algorithm happy and boosts your store and your listings. 'Rather than listing seven items all in one day, schedule them out so you have one listing go live every day. 'If I am posting on Vinted I will try to post at peak times when people are going to be scrolling. I find that the 'down' time just after dinner is great, so between 6:30pm and 8:30pm.' A little effort with your pictures and title can make a big difference Kirsty Quinn And where your images are concerned, she recommends: 'I try to keep things as simple and clean as possible - no clutter, just a clear background so the item stands out. 'I take pictures from every angle, and if there's any damage, I make sure to show it clearly in the photos and mention it in the listing. Transparency goes a long way with buyers. 'You don't need any fancy photography gear to get started, either. I take all my photos in the brightest room in the house - no light boxes or special setups. 'I just use whatever I've got lying around to help things look their best. For example, I'll use toilet roll tubes to shape shoes or even a dumbbell to prop up a hat!' Mistakes to avoid Kirsty also gets candid on the common mistakes sellers will need to avoid, as she warns: 'Always be thorough when picking up items. 'It is easy to get excited when you find an item at the car boot sale or at the charity shop and you do not check over it thoroughly for damage. 'With clothing, check over for holes and stains. Also check for shrinkage, if the bottom hem is curling this is a tell-tale sign that the item has been in the tumble dryer for too long!' Side hustles in numbers Based on new research from Finder, an estimated 22.8 million Brits are using side hustles to top up their income. Among those aged 18-23, 68 percent have a side hustle in 2024. Those aged 24-42 aren't far behind, with 65 per cent having an additional source of income. Side hustles are less popular among older generations, with 40 percent of those aged 43-54 having one. Whereas 23 percent of people aged 55-73 and just 7 per cent of those aged 74 and over are earning extra cash this way. She also sets the record straight on the importance of uploading the right images and the correct keywords, and claims that keeping things simple is a huge seller error, as she adds: 'Your photos and keywords really matter - they're what get people to actually click on your listings. 'I once bought a pair of Vans on an eBay auction for £10.50. The listing had dark, unclear photos and the title just said 'vans x spongebob,' so it didn't catch much attention. 'I took some brighter, clearer photos on a white background and changed the title to something more detailed: 'Vans SpongeBob Rainbow High Hi Top Lace-Up Trainers Shoes Size UK 7 EU 40.5.' I ended up reselling them for £38.99. 'Just goes to show that a little effort with your pictures and title can make a big difference.' Despite her financial success, Kirsty gets candid on 'receiving negative comments,' as she admits: 'I have had a couple [of comments] but not too many. 'I think at the moment people are having quite a tough time financially so can appreciate a side hustle. 'I am quite open with my reselling journey and like to share what I pick up so that other people can do the same. 'If just one person picks up something helpful from what I've shared - whether it helps them pay off a bit of debt, save for a holiday, or put something aside for a house deposit - then I'm honestly really happy with that.' Getting started And for those eager to get started, Kirsty explains: 'Doing your research really helps! There's so much information out there about reselling, and most of it is super easy to access. 'eBay is also a great tool for checking what things are actually worth - just search for the item and use the 'sold items' filter to see what people have paid for it recently. I do this all the time. 'I might be sitting on the sofa scrolling through eBay and will think about something that might be valuable so I will look it up. That way, if I see it while I'm out sourcing, I'll know if it's worth picking up.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club 4
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I make £2k in a few days thanks to my ‘cool' side hustle – I get to meet loads of celebrities & anyone can do it
A YOUNG woman has shared all on her 'cool' side hustle that sees her make thousands of pounds in just a few days. Chifae, a 23-year-old woman from London, explained that with her job, not only does she make cash quickly, but she even gets to meet loads of celebrities too. 2 2 And that's not even the best part - with this line of work, anyone can do it and no qualifications are needed. Eager to reveal more about how she earns a living, Chifae took to social media and explained that instead of a 9 to 5 job, she works as a film extra. In film and television, a film extra, also known as a background actor, is a performer who often appears in a non-speaking role, typically in the background of a scene. Film extras help create a sense of realism by populating scenes, whilst providing context for the main action. As Chifae filmed herself in the street, she beamed: 'If you live in London, this is your sign to start working as a film extra. 'I made almost £2,000 for just seven days of shooting and got to meet Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike.' While Chifae is a film extra in London, and has even met Harry Styles whilst out and about in the city, many other major cities in the UK and around the world will also be looking for people to star in the background of scenes. For those in London, Chifae recommended the following casting agencies - Rachel's People, Key Castings, Universal Extras, Extra People, Entertainment Partners and Slick Casting. Chifae's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ chifou02, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 179,700 views in just seven days. Not only this, but it's also amassed 18,300 likes, 212 comments and 2,952 saves. I earn cash by selling 'actual rubbish' on eBay - I flogged a freebie I found on the floor by a bin for £10, it's crazy Social media users were stunned by Chifae's unique side hustle and many were eager to 'learn' more about it and would 'love to know more.' One person said: 'I need to learn from you girl.' Another added: 'This is true, I miss being an extra.' A third commented: 'That's so cool!!' Meanwhile, someone else beamed: 'I do the same and it's the best thing ever. They feed you good food like three times on shift as well. I once got paid the full date rate for three hours of work too.' Whilst another chimed in and claimed: 'I did this for years and even a body double role, was fun and was on set with many big names.' At the same time, one user begged: 'Can you send the agencies please.' You have to sign NDAs - you're not allowed to post pictures of sets or anything, they're very strict on that Chifae And another asked: 'Do you need professional pictures taken to apply?' In response, Chifae wrote back and confirmed: 'I have professional photos but a lot of people don't. You don't need them.' In a follow-up clip, Chifae then shared more on her job as an extra, as she claimed that it is often 'very long hours' and shifts usually start from 4am or 5am and can go on until 8pm. 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. Although the hours are long, Chifae claimed that working as an extra is a great way to make 'a lot of money' as extras are paid 'very good extra money for the overtime.' She then added: 'You don't have access to your phone, so it's a good way also to make friends and meet people. 'You have to sign NDAs - you're not allowed to post pictures of sets or anything, they're very strict on that. 'But if you don't have a 9 to 5 and you wanna do this for fun or extra money, or just to gain some experience in film, it's a very good way to start because you meet a lot of people and you get to meet very famous actors, film directors and it's just a good experience.'
