If you’re looking for ways to earn an honest living, here are some side hustles I’ve personally tried and learned from over the years. My journey hasn’t been a straight path, but each experience, whether big or small, has taught me valuable lessons. From working as a part-time coffee barista after high school to freelancing, designing, and even selling products, every side hustle has been a building block for where I am today.
I believe that earning a living doesn’t always require a typical office job or a degree. It’s about seizing opportunities, working hard, and continuously learning. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to explore a variety of side hustles that not only helped me financially but also developed skills and deepened my understanding of hard work and perseverance.
In this article, I’ll share some of the side hustles I’ve earned money from, the challenges I faced, and the lessons I learned along the way. Whether you’re looking to earn extra income or are simply curious about other possibilities, I hope these experiences can inspire and guide you on your own path.
1. Worked as a part-time coffee barista after SPM.
I still grind my own beans & froth hot oatmilk til today. Hourly rate then RM 4/hour. Taught me how to stand the whole day, mop the floor, wash dishes, say hello to strangers.
2. Designed t-shirts, biz cards, flyers, then print them.
Cost RM10/unit for tees. Selling price RM30/unit. My designs were I PJ & I KL. I joined bazaars & sold it online (Blogspot). Probably this was the early days training that groomed me to be fussy about designs & colours for Women & Wealth today.
3. Worked with radio stations & event organisers as usherette & flyer-distribution girl.
RM100/day for 8 hours of work. No wonder I can stand & teach for 8 hours/day today!
4. Became a ghost writer.
I used to love writing so much (I still do, but now I use this skill to write modules for Women & Wealth, my speech, transcript, etc). RM500 for 2,000 words article.
I got this image from IG (source as per the bottom right corner). I wrote for many years even before I explored ghostwriting (once).
That was because someone had an article to publish but she didn’t have the time, so she paid me to do it instead. If you haven’t written your first article, start writing, brand yourself accordingly on professional platform like LinkedIn where your clients can find you. Not about being lucky, it’s about strategising your move & executing. Just do it.
5. Freelance talent as and when required.
RM1,500/job usually. Probably this exposure taught me to be shameless on our own Women & Wealth stage today.
6. Joined MLM.
For example, Luxor, Premium Beautiful, only to realise it wasn’t sustainable for me. But this path taught me to grasp the mechanics of passive income.
7. Became a Unit Trust agent for Public Mutual (average sales were 7-figure yearly) & General Insurance agent for Allianz (ok pardon my ignorance about riba’, but l’ve learnt my lessons).
This was the much-needed steppingstone to the path that I uphold & embrace today, no longer an agent, now I carry the mark of Licensed Islamic Financial Planner
Lessons learnt:
1. No job is beneath you, as long as it’s halal. Pay attention to your sources of income, including side hustles that can help you diversify your earnings.
2. It doesn’t matter what certificates you graduate with—if you have the means to work, THEN WORK! Even from home, side hustles can be a great way to increase your income and gain valuable experience.
3. As a woman, I am a firm believer in earning my own income. Whatever I get from my spouse is mine to keep. By earning through side hustles, I can help support my family, parents, and others, while building my own financial independence.
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Reserve your seat now at womenwealthworkshop.com.my
