Side gigs are one of the most efficient and valuable ways to make extra money, whether you’re between jobs or are just looking for an additional stream of income to complement your full-time gig. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can be pursued by practically anyone with the right tools and set of skills.
If you work to build your client base and invest enough hours, you could easily make a full-time income with them—and they’re becoming so popular, they’re having a significant effect on the economy at large.
That said, for most people, side gigs are about convenience. The ideal side gig is one that can be done in the comfort of your home, with a tool you already have—like a Mac. If you use your Mac and your existing skills to get side gigs, you won’t be forced to pay extra money to get the right equipment, nor will you need an office or a retail location.
The question is, what side gigs can your Mac best support?
The Basics
Before you get started in any side gig, you’ll need to have the following, at a minimum:
- An internet connection. This should go without saying, but most side gigs will require you to have a reliable internet connection, as well as access to email, and possibly your own
- A personal brand. You’ll also need some kind of Even if you’re not building a full business, per se, you can spend time building up your personal brand by fleshing out your social media profiles and demonstrating your expertise in your field of choice.
- Invoice templates. You won’t generate revenue unless you’re submitting invoices, and for most side giggers, having professional invoice templates is a must. Not only will these templates make you look more professional, they could also play a role in helping ensure you’re paid on time (and consistently).
- The right programs. Most side gigs will require you to have a specific type of program or app to complete your work successfully, such as design software or a word processor. Many of these are inexpensive, but you’ll need to build your familiarity with them before you start using them to create things for your business.
Ideas for Side Gigs
These are some of the best side gigs for Mac owners:
- Graphic design. While graphic design software is available for both Mac and Windows devices, it’s generally accepted that Apple operating systems and user interfaces are more favorable for graphic designers. As a graphic designer, you’ll be responsible for creating logos, branding, advertisements, or possibly even full websites. You can specialize in one industry or one type of business, or serve a broader population.
- Freelance writing. You can also make money by freelance writing. You could write journalistic articles or onsite blog posts for various clients, or attempt to go your own path by writing and updating a blog of your own. If your personal blog gets popular enough, you’ll be able to make money on advertising or through affiliate links.
- Photography and editing. If you like the art of photography, you could use your Mac to build your business. With a Mac, you can easily store, organize, edit, and/or touch up all the photos you take. Depending on the nature of your work, you may be forced to leave the house for this one, and you’ll also need a decent digital camera in addition to your Mac.
- Social media management. Social media management is more complex than simply playing around on Facebook or Twitter, but if you have a background in marketing or communications, it’s a viable career path. You can start with the basics, like monitoring and responding to people, and work your way up to managing full-blown ad campaigns.
- Taking surveys. Companies are always eager to learn more about their target demographics, including which products they’re interested in and what they think about shows and movies. Taking surveys could be a quick way to generate cash, though don’t expect to make a fortune this way.
- Translating. If you’re bilingual or multilingual, translating could also be a lucrative side gig. People pay top dollar for good translations of common languages.
There’s no limit to what you can accomplish with your Mac, since it can be a gateway to lead you to practically any other side gig. You can use it to research new ideas, connect with new people, and look for job openings related to your interests. You can also use it to build websites using online website builders, and flesh out your personal brand. This golden age of side gigs is ripe with opportunity; it’s on you to decide how best to leverage it for your own life.
Let’s see.. where to find al this work? Here’s one place: https://www.upwork.com
Or how about programming? I learned Objective-C (with just a background in C) after retiring in 2012 and have made $50,000 since then working about one day a week.
Where do you find the work? Since I retired I have learned HTML, CSS, C++ and currently C#.