Five smart ideas to diversify your income

A bit of extra money always comes in handy and no more so that right now. If you’re worried about your finances or just want to try to get ahead and build up a bit of a buffer, then you can think about trying to find a second source of income.

A bit of extra money always comes in handy and no more so that right now. If you’re worried about your finances or just want to try to get ahead and build up a bit of a buffer, then you can think about trying to find a second source of income. It doesn’t have to be a major project or a second job – you can just use the skills you already have and spend a few hours a week on your alternative set of income. A second source of income is important for two reasons. First, the extra money is always handy and will allow you to achieve your goals more quickly, be that saving for a home deposit, paying off your home loan or buying an investment property. Second, it’s a form of insurance in case something happens to your primary source of income such as your job or small business, which unfortunately is an increased risk during this COVID-19 crisis.

Offer a service

As people work longer hours they are outsourcing some of the things they used to do themselves, and this provides an opening for you to earn some extra income. It needn’t be complicated. You could mow the lawns for people in your neighbourhood; maybe you’ve got a knack for putting together Ikea furniture – a service a lot of befuddled householders would pay for! If you have clerical skills you could work as a virtual assistant – doing typing, responding to emails and scheduling meetings for busy small business owners. Sites like Freelancer are a good source of this work.

Sell something

Is there something you can make that people would buy – such as knitting scarves or jumpers for winter? You might have a knack for restoring wooden furniture. You could buy it very cheaply at garage sales or even pick it up free from council throw outs and get it looking good again before selling it on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Gumtree.

Do something you’re already doing

Another way of thinking about an extra income source is to consider chores you’re already doing for yourself and whether you could charge other people to do the chores for them. For instance, if you own a dog, you’re probably already taking it for a daily walk, so why not see if there are two or three other people in your neighbourhood who would pay you a small fee to ensure their dog gets some daily exercise. This is how the Dinner Ladies started. They were already cooking meals for their own families and decided they could also deliver meals to time-poor friends in 2007. Now they – and their staff – cook about 10,000 dinners a week*.

Start a passion project

Is there something you’ve been dying to do for years, perhaps start up a cupcake business or make furniture? Now might be your chance. Luckily if these are already your hobbies, you’ll already have all or most of the equipment you need to start out on a small scale. If things take off, you can invest more time and money.

Investing

If you’re in the fortunate position where you have money to invest, you might be able to make an investment such as a rental property. Once you have paid off the loan, the rent you earn will provide you with another source of income for as long as you own it. If you need some advice, you can speak to one of our expert brokers who can assess your situation and advise on how to get started. Even if you’re not in a position to invest yet, the extra income you earn from your side hustle might just start you on that path to investment property ownership. Book in a quick call with our customer care teamSourceshttps://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/meal-delivery-firm-dinner-ladies-revenue-surges-40pc-eyes-expansion/news-story/30f4c34f8f1659dd56393de6bde91fc2Book a call in with UNO

5 stars for our service reviews from clients

Book Call Now

UNO home loans

Try Plans, by UNO
Mortgage calculators completely reimagined
Get Started
Considering a purchase or refinance?

Try Plans by UNO

Mortgage calculators completely reimagined
Get Started
☎️ 🚫 No cold call promise

Related Articles

TESTIMONIALS

What our customers are saying

Philip Smith
December 20, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons provided my wife and I outstanding service for our home loan. I have never dealt with someone who is so helpful and goes the extra mile and provides such excellent service the way Mike did. Highly recommend Mike as your broker for all investment/home loans you won’t be disappointed.
Read more
Neil Venkataramiah
December 20, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons: Working with Mike was amazing. My wife and I were a couple from Sydney that had a 7 year stint overseas. On moving back, our loan had gone from Interest Only to Principal and Interest. The challenge: to get 2 recently re-patriated Aussies on an Interest Only loan. With only 1 year of Oz financials. And with income from an overseas company. We had equity in our property, but the ability to service was the issue. A very tough brief. Step in Mike. He contacted all his lenders, knowing that this was a unique situation. He never let up and followed through with calls and whatsapps at every stage of the process. We simply could not have got our Interest Only loan if it wasn’t for Mike. I highly recommend Mike for any loan or re-finance that you’re looking at. His attention to detail and ability to find creative solutions is second to none. And most importantly - he's a good guy that will guide you through the whole process in what can be a stressful time. Steph and Neil
Read more
Stéphane Aumont
December 19, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Highly recommend Mike - great service, very responsive and helped us through the whole process from product selection, approval all the way to settlement. Mike is supported by a great team at UNO
Read more
Gemma Smith
December 19, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons was truly amazing when he organized our home loan. He offered service that far exceeded my expectations. He was on top of everything and was very organised. He has a true “do it now” attitude and ensured everything ran smoothly. He went above and beyond to make sure everything was in place. He was always contactable (even when he was on holidays!). Keeping us up to date at every step and his communication was great! Would VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND Mike!
Read more
David Thorn
December 17, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
I had a fantastic experience with UNO Home Loans. I want to personally recognise the work of Mike Parsons from UNO. Mike went above and beyond in helping me navigate and select a lender his attention to detail, knowledge of the Market, Excellent Communication skills matched by a patient and friendly personality made the whole process simple and painless. Thanks Mike and thanks UNO
Read more
Kathryn Cretney
November 14, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Paul helped us from day one before we even arrived in Australia so we knew exactly what we needed to prepare. He’s got a tonne of knowledge and was really lovely and supportive to deal with. Helpful and easy going. Would highly recommend - now in our first Aussie home and Paul made the process all very easy!
Read more
Sean O'Neill
November 14, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
We received excellent service and a tailored solution to our home loan requirements from Uno. Paul kept us informed at all milestone stages and throughout the process he demonstrated a ‘can do’ attitude that ultimately allowed us to get over the line and meet our deadline. We’re most grateful and very impressed. Highly recommend
Read more
Crush Huston
November 8, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Paul is an amazing broker. Communicative, responsive and knows his stuff! Highly recommend
Read more
Amanda Pearce
November 7, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
After just four months in Australia, our New Zealand home sold, prompting us to stop renting and invest locally. We found Paul through a Kiwi Facebook group, and his exceptional service exceeded our expectations. From initial contact, Paul provided clear explanations, friendly communication, and prompt responses to our queries, making our mortgage process remarkably smooth. We highly recommend him.
Read more
Dom Saric
November 3, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons went above and beyond to ensure that our refinancing journey was painless and successful. He was communicative, accessible (even working while on holidays!), and his knowledge of the systems at play meant that he picked up on things that other brokers missed. Would 100% recommend Mike, and will definitely be back next time we need a broker.
Read more
Ashleigh Breaden
October 31, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Mike Parsons handled our refinance of our home loan with ease and a depth of knowledge that ensured we got the best deal possible for our situation. We didn't have an easy one to solve for with my husband being self employed and we were consolidating finances as well for a car loan. But Mike handled it all for us and once we had provided him with all the documents we literally didn't have to do a thing after that, it was so easy and so quick we are super happy with the experience! Top notch! Highly recommend!!
Read more
Kyle Richards
October 10, 2024
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Absolute legend, helped me through the first home buyers scheme, explained everything in a way that made sense, was very knowledgeable and a joy to work with.
Read more