--- title: "How to get your side hustle on" description: "The rising cost of living is forcing many South Africans to take on more work. Almost three-quarters of young people say they do extra paid gigs after hours. Here’s what you need to start your own." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "PERSONAL FINANCE" author: "Neesa Moodley" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/neesa-moodley/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-08-25-how-to-get-your-side-hustle-on-to-earn-extra/" published: "2024-08-25T18:45:26" updated: "2024-08-25T18:45:28" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 716 --- # How to get your side hustle on > The rising cost of living is forcing many South Africans to take on more work. Almost three-quarters of young people say they do extra paid gigs after hours. Here’s what you need to start your own. By Neesa Moodley · Published 25 August 2024, 20:45 SAST · Updated 25 August 2024, 20:45 SAST ## Key points - South Africans are embracing the side hustle trend, with a significant portion diving into 'polyjobbing' to boost their income, as the lines between work and retirement blur in a world where post-career plans increasingly involve staying in the game. - More than half of working South Africans are engaging in side hustles, with 57% across all age groups taking on freelance work or running side businesses. - The side hustle trend is growing among older age groups as retirement savings fall short, with 50% of pre-retirees planning to work after retirement age. - Tips for starting a side hustle include committing time, finding a niche, staying informed on market trends, adding value, using debt wisely and registering your business. - Daily Maverick readers shared their side hustle experiences, from part-time tour guiding to starting businesses in foreign countries, highlighting the challenges and rewards of pursuing additional income streams. ## Content According to the [Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor 2024](https://www.oldmutual.co.za/savingsmonitor/), more than half of working South Africans are now “polyjobbing” or taking on side hustles to generate more income. As many as 57% across all age groups have taken on freelance work after hours, or are running side hustles – up from 54% last year. However, those aged 18 to 29 have really embraced the side hustle culture, with 73% saying they are “polyjobbers”. However, the idea is also starting to catch on in older age categories, as retirement savings prove insufficient. [The 2024 FNB Retirement Insights Survey](https://www.fnb.co.za/blog/investments/articles/RetirementSurveyeBook-20240710/docs/FNB-Retirement-Insights-Survey-2024-eBook.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOorCTXjxI0RV_HdvialyZYknD5PaagaMaorXgawW33JeOTCLCbR2) shows that an increasing number of pre-retirees say they will need to continue working after retirement age. About 50% of respondents plan to supplement their retirement income with full- or part-time work. “The relatively high proportion of respondents who intend to continue working indicates that retirement is increasingly being seen as a transition phase rather than a complete withdrawal from the workforce,” says Lytania Johnson, chief executive of FNB personal segment. If you are thinking of starting a side hustle, these are things to keep in mind: **Commit the time.** If you can only set aside two hours a week, it might take you longer than someone who has more time. However, consistency is the key. **Find an idea.** Identify a gap or how you can leverage your own skills. Many of the greatest business ideas have stemmed from people wishing that something worked better and then figuring out how to make it happen. **Do the research.** This doesn’t just mean researching the market before you start your side hustle. A successful business means staying on top of trends, and moving ahead of the market rather than following. **Use value-adds in a high-inflation environment.**If you find you want to increase your prices, think of ways to make your product or service more attractive than your competitors’. The key to this is finding ways to make your client’s experience as seamless and easy as possible. People will pay more for convenience. **Use debt wisely.** Ideally, you should save up to fund the start of your side hustle. However, if you need equipment such as cameras for a photography side hustle, debt may be unavoidable. In that case, shop around for the lowest interest rate and try to pay off the debt as quickly as possible rather than stretching out the repayment terms. **Register your business.** Registration is a good way to reserve the business name you want to use and trade under. Registering your business means you can open a bank account in the name of the business and separate your business and personal finances. #### **Reader feedback** Daily Maverick Money Cents readers shared their side hustle experiences with us. Chris says he started working as a part-time tour guide for German tourists in Cape Town five years ago – armed with enthusiasm and a tourist guide badge. “My German has certainly improved, given the almost once-a-week tours I do with mainly German-speaking guests. Many have become friends, and I visited some of them when I went to Germany on holiday in June. I love being in touch with what’s new in Cape Town,” he said. He added, however, that with the strengthening exchange rate, he receives fewer rands for his dollar fee, so he has branched out into content creation for hotels and restaurants. Johannes works in the publishing industry and hopes to branch out with a side hustle that can generate a second income stream, “preferably in foreign currency”. However, he notes that trying to start a side hustle while having a full-time job has not been easy because of time constraints. Toni says she and her husband relocated from South Africa to the UK two years ago and have a dog homecare business in a small town. “It takes up a lot of our time. The business is thriving and, as animal lovers, we have the best of both worlds,” she says. **DM** *This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.* *You may write a letter to the DM168 editor at heather@dailymaverick.co.za sharing your views on this story. Letters will be curated, edited and considered for publication in our weekly newspaper on our readers’ views page.* ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DM-24082024-001-scaled.jpg)