Your full-time job pays your bills. Barely. There’s nothing left for savings, investing, or building wealth. You need more income, but you’re already working 40 hours per week.
Here’s the math most people miss: Ten extra hours per week at $30/hour equals $15,600 annually. That’s a Roth IRA maxed out. That’s a new car paid in cash. That’s debt eliminated in months instead of years.
Welcome back to The Clever Wallet’s Money Moves series. You’ve built your emergency fund (Move #1), found hidden money (Moves #2-3), automated savings (Move #4), checked your credit (Move #5), attacked debt (Move #6), and discovered spending leaks (Move #7). Now it’s time to increase the amount of money coming in.
This is the Side Hustle Money Move, and it’s the difference between hoping for a raise and creating one yourself.
The Money Move: Monetize 10 Hours Per Week Outside Your Day Job
You have skills people will pay for. You have time you’re currently wasting. The side hustle connects the two.
10 hours weekly × $30/hour × 52 weeks = $15,600 annually
That’s not pocket change. That’s life-changing money for most people.
The $14,400 Raise You Give Yourself
Meet Ryan. He’s 28, makes $52,000 at his marketing job, and lives paycheck to paycheck. After taxes, rent, car payment, student loans, and basic expenses, there’s $200 left monthly. He’s tried budgeting. He’s cut expenses. There’s nothing left to cut.
Ryan’s reality:
- Can’t build savings beyond $1,000 emergency fund
- Can’t invest for retirement beyond 401k minimum
- Can’t pay extra on student loans ($28,000 at 6.5%)
- Can’t take any financial risks or opportunities
- Stuck in cycle of barely making it
He needs more income. But his company gives 3% annual raises. That’s $1,560 pre-tax, about $100 monthly after taxes. At that rate, meaningful financial progress takes decades.
Ryan’s friend mentions freelance writing on weekends. Ryan brushes it off. “I don’t have time. I’m already busy.”
Ryan’s actual time audit:
Monday-Friday after work:
- 6:00 PM: Home from work
- 6:30 PM: Dinner and TV: 2.5 hours
- 9:00 PM: Social media scroll: 1 hour
- 10:00 PM: Netflix: 1 hour
- 11:00 PM: Bed
Saturday:
- 9:00 AM: Wake up
- 10:00 AM: Errands and chores: 2 hours
- 12:00 PM: Lunch and scrolling: 1.5 hours
- 1:30 PM: Netflix and gaming: 4 hours
- 5:30 PM: Social plans or more TV: 4 hours
- 9:30 PM: Bed
Sunday:
- Similar to Saturday
Total “leisure” time per week: 45+ hours
“I don’t have time” actually means “I’m not willing to trade TV time for money time.”
Ryan decides to try it. One month experiment. 10 hours per week of his Netflix time becomes writing time.
Ryan’s Side Hustle Journey
Week 1:
- Creates Upwork profile
- Lists skills: Blog writing, social media management, email marketing
- Applies to 15 jobs
- Gets 2 responses
- Lands first gig: $125 for 4-hour blog post
- Hourly rate: $31.25
Week 2-4:
- Completes first gig, gets 5-star review
- Applies to 20 more jobs
- Lands 3 more clients
- Works 10 hours, earns $350
Month 1 total: $475 (still learning, building portfolio)
Month 2:
- Previous clients request more work
- Raises rates to $35/hour
- Works 12 hours per week
- Earns $1,680
Month 3:
- Now has steady client base
- Works 10-12 hours weekly consistently
- Averages $1,400 monthly
Month 6:
- Raises rates to $40/hour for new clients
- Retains old clients at $35/hour
- Works 10 hours weekly
- Averages $1,500 monthly
Ryan’s Annual Side Hustle Income: $14,400
What Ryan does with it:
First $5,000: Pays off highest-interest credit card
Next $6,000: Maxes out Roth IRA
Next $3,400: Emergency fund boost to $4,400
In 12 months, Ryan:
- ✅ Eliminated $5,000 in high-interest debt
- ✅ Fully funded retirement account
- ✅ Strengthened emergency fund
- ✅ Still has his full $52,000 salary for living expenses
From 10 hours per week he was spending on Netflix.
“I don’t have time” was a lie. He had 45 hours of leisure weekly. He traded 10 of them for $14,400.
That’s the Side Hustle Money Move.
Why Side Hustles Work Better Than Raises
Most people wait for their employer to give them more money. That’s a mistake.
Raise at Day Job vs. Side Hustle Income
Asking for a raise:
- Depends on employer’s budget
- Depends on company performance
- Depends on your boss’s mood
- Requires justification and negotiation
- Typically 3-5% annually ($1,500-2,500)
- Takes effect slowly
- Can be denied with no recourse
Starting a side hustle:
- Depends only on your effort
- Depends on your skills
- Depends on market demand
- Requires execution, not permission
- Can generate $10,000-30,000+ annually
- Takes effect immediately
- Can’t be “denied”—just find different clients
Ryan’s comparison:
If he waited for raises:
- Year 1: 3% raise = $1,560 pre-tax ($1,170 after tax)
- Year 2: 3% raise = $1,606 pre-tax ($1,205 after tax)
- Year 3: 3% raise = $1,654 pre-tax ($1,240 after tax)
- 3-year total: $3,615 additional after-tax income
With side hustle:
- Year 1: $14,400 pre-tax ($10,800 after tax)
- Year 2: $14,400 (maintaining same hours)
- Year 3: $14,400 (or more if he raises rates)
- 3-year total: $32,400 additional after-tax income
The side hustle made him 9X more money than waiting for raises.
Plus:
- He controls the income
- He can scale it
- He owns the client relationships
- He’s building skills
- He’s reducing career risk (not dependent on one income source)
The Side Hustle Money Move: Complete Guide
Ready to turn spare time into real money? Here’s the exact system:
Step 1: Inventory Your Marketable Skills (30 minutes)
You have skills people will pay for. You just haven’t thought about them as products.
Skill categories that pay:
Writing & Content:
- Blog posts ($50-300 per post)
- Social media management ($300-1,000/month per client)
- Email copywriting ($100-500 per email)
- Resume writing ($50-200 per resume)
- Proofreading ($25-50/hour)
Design & Creative:
- Graphic design ($30-100/hour)
- Logo design ($100-500 per logo)
- Social media graphics ($25-75 per graphic)
- Video editing ($30-75/hour)
- Photo editing ($25-50/hour)
Tech & Development:
- Web development ($50-150/hour)
- WordPress setup ($500-2,000 per site)
- App development ($75-200/hour)
- Tech support ($30-60/hour)
- Database management ($50-100/hour)
Business Services:
- Virtual assistant ($20-50/hour)
- Bookkeeping ($30-75/hour)
- Data entry ($15-30/hour)
- Transcription ($15-30/hour)
- Customer service ($15-30/hour)
Teaching & Tutoring:
- Academic tutoring ($30-80/hour)
- Music lessons ($40-100/hour)
- Language tutoring ($25-60/hour)
- Test prep ($50-150/hour)
- Online course creation ($1,000-10,000+ per course)
Local Services:
- Pet sitting ($25-50 per visit)
- Dog walking ($15-30 per walk)
- House sitting ($50-100 per night)
- Lawn care ($30-75 per yard)
- Handyman services ($40-100/hour)
Ryan’s inventory:
- ✅ Writing (from marketing job)
- ✅ Social media (from marketing job)
- ✅ Email marketing (from marketing job)
- ✅ Basic graphic design (Canva)
- ❌ Coding (no experience)
- ❌ Video editing (no experience)
He had 4 marketable skills immediately. So do you.
Step 2: Choose Your Hustle Model (20 minutes)
Three main models:
Model A: Freelance Services (Best for beginners)
- You do work for clients
- Get paid per hour or per project
- Platforms: Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer
- Pros: Fast to start, steady income, predictable
- Cons: Trading time for money, client management
Model B: Product Creation
- You create something once, sell it repeatedly
- Digital products, courses, templates, art
- Platforms: Etsy, Gumroad, Teachable
- Pros: Scalable, passive income potential
- Cons: Upfront work, marketing required
Model C: Gig Economy
- You provide local services
- On-demand work through apps
- Platforms: Uber, DoorDash, TaskRabbit, Rover
- Pros: Flexible, no skills required, instant pay
- Cons: Low hourly rate, car depreciation, physically demanding
Recommendation: Start with Model A (freelance services). It’s fastest to first dollar and builds skills. Add Models B or C later.
Ryan chose: Freelance writing services (Model A)
Step 3: Set Up Your Side Hustle (2-3 hours)
Platform setup (choose 1-2 to start):
For services:
- Upwork: Largest freelance marketplace, high competition
- Fiverr: Good for productized services, lower rates
- Freelancer: Similar to Upwork, different client base
- LinkedIn: Often overlooked, but many businesses hire here
Profile essentials:
- Professional photo (headshot or clean profile pic)
- Clear headline: “Blog Writer Specializing in Finance & Tech”
- Detailed description: Skills, experience, what you offer
- Portfolio: 3-5 samples (create spec work if no client work yet)
- Pricing: Research market rates, price 10-20% below average to start
Ryan’s Upwork profile setup:
- Photo: Professional headshot from LinkedIn
- Headline: “Marketing Copywriter | Blog Posts | Email Campaigns”
- Description: 3 paragraphs about experience and approach
- Portfolio: 3 blog posts he wrote as samples
- Rate: $30/hour (market average was $35-40)
- Time invested: 2.5 hours
Step 4: Land Your First Client (Week 1-2)
The proposal strategy that works:
Don’t: Generic copy-paste proposals
Do: Custom proposals showing you understand their needs
Ryan’s proposal template:
Hi [Client Name],
I read your job posting for [specific project]. I noticed you need [specific thing they mentioned].
I have 5 years of marketing experience at [company type], where I [relevant achievement]. I’ve written [number] blog posts about [their industry/topic].
For your project, I would:
- [Specific approach point 1]
- [Specific approach point 2]
- [Specific approach point 3]
I can deliver [what they want] within [their timeline] for [your rate].
Here are relevant samples: [link to 1-2 most relevant portfolio pieces]
Would you like to schedule a quick call to discuss details?
Best,
Ryan
Key elements:
- Shows you read the posting (mention specific details)
- Demonstrates relevant experience
- Outlines specific approach (not generic)
- Includes clear deliverable and timeline
- Provides relevant samples
- Calls to action (schedule call)
Ryan’s week 1 activity:
- Applied to 15 jobs with custom proposals
- Response rate: 13% (2 responses)
- Interview rate: 100% (both wanted to talk)
- Close rate: 50% (1 hired him)
Industry average: 5% response rate
Why Ryan outperformed: Custom proposals showing genuine interest and relevant experience.
Step 5: Deliver Excellent Work (Ongoing)
Your first client is your audition for the next 10 clients.
Excellence checklist:
- ✅ Deliver on time (or early)
- ✅ Exceed expectations (add small extra value)
- ✅ Communicate proactively (updates without being asked)
- ✅ Ask for feedback
- ✅ Request 5-star review
- ✅ Ask for referral or repeat work
Ryan’s first project:
- Delivered 1 day early
- Added extra subheadings for readability (not requested)
- Sent draft for feedback before final
- Client loved it
- Got 5-star review
- Client booked 3 more posts immediately
One excellent delivery led to $375 in immediate repeat work.
Step 6: Scale Your Income (Months 2-6)
Three ways to scale:
Strategy 1: Increase rates
- Start: $30/hour
- Month 3: $35/hour for new clients
- Month 6: $40/hour for new clients
- Keep old clients at old rates initially
Strategy 2: Increase volume
- Start: 5 hours/week = $150
- Month 2: 8 hours/week = $280
- Month 4: 10 hours/week = $400
- Don’t exceed 15 hours/week or you’ll burn out
Strategy 3: Productize services
- Instead of “writing services” charge by the word
- “Blog Post Package: $200 for 1,000 words”
- Faster to quote, easier to sell, more predictable income
Ryan’s scaling approach:
- Months 1-2: Build portfolio, keep rate at $30
- Month 3: New clients $35, old clients $30
- Month 4-5: Stabilize at 10-12 hours weekly
- Month 6: New clients $40, productize blog posts at $250 each
Result: $1,500 monthly average by month 6
The Best Side Hustles by Skill Level
No Special Skills Required
Dog Walking (Rover, Wag):
- Pay: $15-30 per walk
- Time: 30-60 minutes per walk
- Effort: Low
- 10 hours/week = $200-400
Food Delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats):
- Pay: $15-25/hour after expenses
- Time: Flexible shifts
- Effort: Medium (driving, lifting)
- 10 hours/week = $150-250
House Sitting (TrustedHousesitters):
- Pay: $50-100 per night
- Time: Overnight stays
- Effort: Very low
- 2 nights/week = $400-800/month
Online Surveys & User Testing:
- Pay: $10-60/hour depending on test
- Time: Flexible
- Effort: Very low
- 10 hours/week = $100-300
Basic Skills Required
Virtual Assistant:
- Pay: $20-50/hour
- Time: Flexible
- Skills: Organization, email, scheduling
- 10 hours/week = $200-500
Data Entry:
- Pay: $15-30/hour
- Time: Flexible
- Skills: Fast typing, attention to detail
- 10 hours/week = $150-300
Transcription:
- Pay: $15-30/hour
- Time: Flexible
- Skills: Fast typing, good hearing
- 10 hours/week = $150-300
Social Media Management:
- Pay: $300-1,000/month per client
- Time: 5-10 hours per client monthly
- Skills: Social media familiarity, basic writing
- 2 clients = $600-2,000/month
Advanced Skills Required
Web Development:
- Pay: $50-150/hour
- Time: Project-based
- Skills: HTML/CSS/JavaScript
- 10 hours/week = $500-1,500
Graphic Design:
- Pay: $30-100/hour
- Time: Project-based
- Skills: Adobe Creative Suite or Figma
- 10 hours/week = $300-1,000
Copywriting:
- Pay: $50-200/hour or $100-500 per piece
- Time: Project-based
- Skills: Writing, persuasion, marketing
- 10 hours/week = $500-2,000
Consulting (Your Day Job Expertise):
- Pay: $100-300/hour
- Time: Project-based
- Skills: 5+ years experience in a field
- 10 hours/week = $1,000-3,000
Ryan’s choice: Copywriting (advanced skills from day job)
Side Hustle Tax Essentials
Side hustle income is taxable. Here’s what you need to know:
Tax Reality Check
Side hustle = self-employment income
You’re not an employee. You’re self-employed. That means:
- No taxes withheld automatically
- You owe income tax PLUS self-employment tax
- You must make quarterly estimated tax payments
- You can deduct business expenses
Tax rates:
- Income tax: Your normal bracket (12-24% for most people)
- Self-employment tax: 15.3% (Social Security + Medicare)
- Total: 27-40% depending on your bracket
Ryan’s example:
- Side hustle income: $14,400
- Tax bracket: 22% federal + 15.3% SE tax = 37.3%
- Total tax owed: $5,371
- After-tax income: $9,029
Still worth it. $9,029 he wouldn’t have otherwise.
Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments
When: April 15, June 15, Sept 15, Jan 15
How much: 25% of your estimated annual side hustle profit
Ryan’s payments:
- Q1 (April): $1,343
- Q2 (June): $1,343
- Q3 (Sept): $1,343
- Q4 (Jan): $1,342
- Total: $5,371
How to pay: IRS Direct Pay online (free)
Penalty for not paying quarterly: Yes, but small if you pay by year-end
Deductible Business Expenses
Lower your tax bill by deducting:
- ✅ Home office (portion of rent if exclusive use)
- ✅ Computer and equipment
- ✅ Software subscriptions
- ✅ Internet (business portion)
- ✅ Phone (business portion)
- ✅ Courses and education
- ✅ Professional services (accountant, lawyer)
- ✅ Marketing and advertising
- ✅ Business meals (50% deductible)
- ✅ Travel for business
Ryan’s annual deductions:
- Home office: $1,200
- Computer depreciation: $300
- Software (Grammarly, Hemingway): $180
- Internet (50% business): $360
- Phone (30% business): $216
- Course on copywriting: $200
- Total deductions: $2,456
Tax savings: $2,456 × 37.3% = $916
His actual side hustle profit for tax purposes: $14,400 – $2,456 = $11,944
Tax Filing
Forms you’ll receive:
- 1099-NEC from each client who paid you $600+
- (Some clients won’t send if under $600, but income still taxable)
Forms you’ll file:
- Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business)
- Schedule SE (Self-Employment Tax)
- Form 1040 with Schedules attached
DIY or CPA:
- DIY with TurboTax Self-Employed: $120
- CPA: $300-600
- Recommendation: CPA for first year, then DIY once you understand
The Side Hustle Time Management System
“I don’t have time” is the #1 excuse. Here’s how to find it:
Ryan’s Weekly Schedule
Before side hustle:
- Work: 40 hours
- Sleep: 56 hours
- Meals/personal: 21 hours
- Leisure: 51 hours
- Total: 168 hours per week
After side hustle:
- Work: 40 hours
- Sleep: 56 hours
- Meals/personal: 21 hours
- Leisure: 41 hours (10 hours moved to side hustle)
- Side hustle: 10 hours
- Total: 168 hours per week
He didn’t “find” time. He reallocated it.
The 10-Hour Weekly Template
Weeknights (Mon-Fri): 1 hour each
- 8:00-9:00 PM: Side hustle work
- Instead of: Netflix, social media scrolling
Saturday: 3 hours
- 10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Side hustle work
- Instead of: Sleeping in and aimless internet
Sunday: 2 hours
- 2:00-4:00 PM: Side hustle work
- Instead of: TV before evening activities
Total: 10 hours spread across 7 days
Keys to sustainability:
- Never more than 3 hours per day
- Build in breaks
- Not every weekend (plan off-weekends)
- Protect your sleep
- Keep day job performance high
The Energy Management Strategy
Not all hours are equal. Work when you’re energized.
Ryan’s energy map:
- Mornings: Highest energy → Save for day job
- Weeknight evenings: Medium energy → Light side hustle work
- Saturday morning: High energy → Heavy side hustle work
- Sunday evening: Low energy → Admin work only
Match task difficulty to energy level:
- High energy: Client calls, complex projects, learning
- Medium energy: Writing, routine work, communication
- Low energy: Admin, invoicing, email responses
Common Side Hustle Mistakes
Mistake #1: Underpricing Your Services
The trap: Charging $10/hour to “be competitive”
The reality: Cheap prices attract bad clients and you can’t sustain the volume needed
The fix: Research market rates, price at 80% of average to start, raise rates every 3 months
Mistake #2: Not Tracking Time & Income
The trap: “I’m making money!” but no idea of actual hourly rate
The reality: You might be making $8/hour after expenses
The fix: Track every hour worked and every dollar earned. Calculate real hourly rate monthly.
Ryan’s tracking:
- Week 1: 8 hours, $125 earned = $15.62/hour (learning curve)
- Week 10: 10 hours, $400 earned = $40/hour (experienced)
Mistake #3: Saying Yes to Everything
The trap: Taking every job offer to maximize income
The reality: Bad clients, scope creep, burnout, resentment
The fix: Say no to:
- Clients offering way below market rate
- Projects outside your expertise
- Clients with red flags (demanding, unclear, disrespectful)
Mistake #4: Not Setting Boundaries
The trap: Clients texting you at 10 PM, expecting weekend responses, endless revisions
The reality: Your side hustle invades your life
The fix:
- Set communication hours: “I respond to emails within 24 business hours”
- Include revision limits: “Two rounds of revisions included”
- Charge rush fees: “48-hour delivery costs 50% more”
Mistake #5: Spending Side Hustle Income
The trap: “I made $1,500 this month! Time to celebrate with purchases!”
The reality: You worked 10 extra hours weekly for stuff you don’t need
The fix: 100% of side hustle income has a job:
- 50% to debt payoff or investing
- 30% to emergency fund or savings goal
- 20% to taxes
- 0% to lifestyle inflation
Ryan’s allocation:
- 40% to debt: $576/month
- 30% to Roth IRA: $432/month
- 20% to taxes: $288/month
- 10% to guilt-free spending: $144/month
Mistake #6: Neglecting Day Job
The trap: Side hustle takes over, day job performance suffers
The reality: You get fired, lose primary income source
The fix:
- Day job always comes first
- Never side hustle during work hours
- Keep performance high
- Don’t burn out—protect sleep and health
Your Side Hustle Action Plan
Ready to create $10,000-15,000 in annual income from 10 hours weekly? Here’s your exact action plan:
This Weekend (3-4 hours)
✅ Inventory your skills (what can you monetize?)
✅ Research market rates for your skills
✅ Choose your side hustle model
✅ Select 1-2 platforms to start
✅ Create profiles with photo, description, pricing
✅ Build portfolio (3-5 samples)
✅ Set up time-tracking system
Week 1 (10 hours)
✅ Apply to 15-20 jobs with custom proposals
✅ Research clients before applying
✅ Follow up on responses
✅ Book intro calls with interested clients
✅ Goal: Land first client
Month 1 (40 hours total)
✅ Deliver excellent work for first client
✅ Request review and testimonial
✅ Continue applying to new opportunities
✅ Goal: 2-3 clients, $400-800 earned
Month 2-3 (80 hours total)
✅ Build steady client base
✅ Increase rates for new clients
✅ Set up quarterly tax payment system
✅ Track all income and expenses
✅ Goal: $1,000-1,500/month consistent
Month 4-6 (120 hours total)
✅ Optimize processes (templates, systems)
✅ Raise rates again
✅ Consider productizing services
✅ Goal: $1,200-1,800/month on 10 hours weekly
Ongoing
✅ Make quarterly estimated tax payments
✅ Raise rates every 6 months
✅ Track real hourly rate
✅ Deploy 100% of income strategically
✅ Never let it interfere with day job
The Side Hustle Challenge
I challenge you to earn your first $500 from a side hustle in 30 days.
What you need:
- 1 marketable skill
- 1 platform profile
- 10 hours per week
- 15-20 proposals sent
What you’ll gain:
- Proof you can make money outside your job
- Experience that builds into bigger income
- Confidence to scale further
- $500 toward debt, savings, or investing
The timeline:
- Week 1: Set up
- Week 2: Apply
- Week 3: Land client
- Week 4: Deliver and earn
Most people won’t try. They’ll say “I don’t have time” while watching 4 hours of TV tonight.
Don’t be most people. Start this weekend.
Want to see side hustle setup step-by-step? Watch our Money Moves video showing exactly how to create your profile, write winning proposals, and land your first client.
The Bottom Line
The Side Hustle Money Move isn’t about working yourself to death. It’s about strategically monetizing 10 hours weekly you’re currently wasting.
Ryan turned Netflix time into $14,400 annually. That’s:
- $5,000 to eliminate debt
- $6,000 to max out Roth IRA
- $3,400 to boost emergency fund
From 10 hours per week he was spending watching TV.
You can’t budget your way to wealth on a limited income. At some point, you need to increase what’s coming in. Your employer won’t do it fast enough. You have to do it yourself.
The side hustle is your self-directed raise.
This is Money Move #8 from The Clever Wallet. Build on Move #1 (Emergency Fund), Move #2 (Budget Audit), Move #3 (Subscription Purge), Move #4 (Savings Automation), Move #5 (Credit Score Check), Move #6 (Debt Avalanche), and Move #7 (No-Spend Challenge) by creating additional income to accelerate every financial goal.
What’s your next money move?
Related Money Moves:
- The Income Diversification Money Move
- The Skills Investment Money Move
- The Passive Income Money Move
This is part of The Clever Wallet’s Money Moves series—financial strategies that actually work. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video versions of every money move, and download our free Side Hustle Income Tracker at TheCleverWallet.com.
