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#  Generate Income with a Side Hustle

September 01 2011

Written by Janet Denise Kelly.

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![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2011/cw9-70n.png)URBAN PERSPECTIVE - The economy is slow to recover and people are getting anxious as they are looking for opportunities to increase their income. The jobless rate in California and Los Angeles are still in the double digits while the nation’s unemployment rate is about 9%. These unemployment numbers tell us that the market is still tough for anyone hoping to land a job in the near future.

When it comes to earning money, landing a job shouldn’t be the only thing on anyone’s mind. A little creativity or revisiting conventional money earning strategies can help increase a household’s income with little or no capital investment. For us urban folks, this is called the “side hustle.”

My side hustle is notary. For an investment of about $500, I established my mobile notary business. [\[link\]](http://janetdkellynotaryservices.yolasite.com/)

Most of my income comes from neighbors or small businesses in my neighborhood area that need a notary after hours or in an emergency. They give me a call and for a few bucks, I notarize documents for them. This is normally lunch money or recreational money for my kids. I don’t make a lot from it, but the income helps. On top of that, I can do it from home. I’ve done some traveling notary too after hours, which cover gas and time on the road.

My brilliantly gifted English professor girlfriend started an online business called [LoveLetter4Hire.](http://rebekahpierce.synthasite.com/love-letter-for-hire.php) For a nominal fee, she writes that romantic letter or poetry, or sexy content for your spouse or significant other. It’s a must have for anyone who is always at a loss of words to express how much you love and care about the person you are with. Oh, she does secret admirer notes too. It’s a good niche market and way to earn some money using an expertise – English.

My other girlfriend resurrected her Code Blue service. This is basically a personal service where she is hired to do emergency personal errands or activities a household or individual can’t get to like picking up dry cleaning, deliveries, ordering flowers, or paying bills. This income generator is for people who are always on the go or need time-added value.

My neighbor recycles everything. When I say everything, there is a litany of things he recycles for cash. He seems to make a substantial amount of money from it since he has tons of recyclable material every week in his yard. This money along with his pension pays the bills and pays for his yearly vacations to the South.

My favorite is the virtual office assistant. I’ve hired a virtual office assistant who is a student that helps me with my office needs. She makes calls and creates and read documents for me. I give her assignments and she completes them within the timeframe I ask. She’s a big help and only charges $10 an hour. The work she does from home is great income for any student looking for books, recreation, or even rent money. All it requires is a computer, phone, etiquette, and smarts.

The side hustle is for those who have an entrepreneurial spirit and a little bit of ingenuity. Yes, the job market is tight, but there is always money to be made from somewhere. If you have an expertise or a knack for something, translate it into some additional income.

*(Janet Denise Ganaway-Kelly offers more than a decade of accomplishments in the housing and nonprofit sector. Janet brings valuable insight in the areas of community and economic development. Additionally, she brings knowledge regarding the leadership and management challenges faced by large and small nonprofits that are struggling or growing organizations. She blogs at [jdkellyenterprises.org](http://www.jdkellyenterprises.org) )* –cw

Tags: notary, mobile notary, economy, income opportunities, income, lunch money, extra income

CityWatch
Vol 9 Issue 70
Pub: Sept 2, 2011

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