Beekeeping, Thrifting and 5 Other Unique Side Hustles to Help Make Ends Meet in These Tough Financial Times
It is not a secret that times are a little tough right now. The ailing economy is putting South Africans through the wringer, and the average salary just isn't enough to get through the month.
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With the South African Reserve Bank's unrelenting hikes of the repo rate causing bonds and loans to skyrocket and the exceedingly high food and fuel prices making pockets lighter, more and more South Africans are looking for alternatives to make ends meet.
Enter side hustles: a wide array of ventures which can be used to supplement incomes without requiring too much effort.
The list of possibilities is endless, so to make things a little simpler, Briefly News has compiled a list of unconventional and cheap side hustles that can make your wallet a little thicker.
1. Make and sell products - Make the most out of your talents and hobbies
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E-commerce has created a wellspring of opportunities for South Africans to buy and sell things online.
If you have a product in mind and have the talent to make it, they are always willing consumers who will purchase your products.
Multiple websites offer a service that connects you directly to the market, from bespoke earrings to tailor-made pieces.
Aside from expenses incurred from purchasing materials to create the product and data costs, the overhead for selling materials online is relatively minimal. This means you will pocket most of the money from your online store.
2. Beekeeping - To make money, sell that honey
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If you have extra space in your backyard, you can venture into the business of honey beekeeping. SABC News reported that SA beekeepers are struggling to meet the local demand for honey in the country, so the market is ripe for the picking.
Becoming a beekeeper in SA requires a little more effort than other side hustles, but the reward is worth it.
An aspiring beekeeper needs a bee colony, a hive and a food source for the bees (AKA plants and water, which are usually readily available).
Besides learning how to care for the bees and expertly extract the honey, the little yellow and black workers do most of the hard labour for beekeepers.
The honey produced can be sold at markets or directly into the market.
3. Installing solar panels
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South Africans have been enduring unrelenting loadshedding for the past 16 years. The rolling blackout and electricity tariff hikes have become so frequent that people have started looking toward alternative, more reliable electricity sources.
In 2022 Mail and Guardian reported that the above reasons, coupled with the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease the price of solar technology, have seen a spike in citizens installing solar panels in their houses.
Could there be a better time to jump foot-first into the rooftop solar market?
Becoming a solar panel installer would require patience because you would need some training on adequately installing the panels.
However, with the number of people moving to the renewable source of electricity, the business, and money, will come rolling in as soon as your training is done.
4. Weekend food stall - Feed hungry festival goers
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South Africans are always looking to get their hands on the tastiest, proudly South African food.
If you love cooking and are a wiz in the kitchen, starting a food stall might be up your alley.
Because South Africans love a good time, there are ample opportunities for quick, easy and delectable meals at various social gatherings.
Every province has a range of food markets that attract scores of festival-goers who are always looking for fresh street food.
Though rolling blackouts make cooking a hassle, investing in a gas stove is a smart way to get a food stall business off the ground.
From Kota's to bunny chows and boerewors rolls, there's always a fan favourite that can attract customers.
5. Watch videos for money - Make social media work for you
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We all spend hours watching videos on our phones, tablets or laptops, so why not kill two birds with one stone and make money from it?
News24 reported that several online platforms pay users a little extra cash to watch videos.
All you would require is a reliable device, a stable connection and excellent hearing, and the money will start pouring in.
The publication reported that after creating a profile with a company looking for the service, you could earn points for every video you watch, which can be turned into money.
6. Voice-over artist - Your voice, your money
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Becoming a voice-over artist is another excellent way to make extra money online. Even better, it can be done anywhere, anytime, with minimal experience.
You don't even need to buy expensive equipment; most smartphones have great microphones that can be used to create samples.
But the real question is: how do you get your voice recognised?
The answer is pretty simple. One of the ways is to register with a voice bank which will store your samples and recommend you to clients for specific projects.
7. Thrifter - Scavenger-hunting couldn't be more profitable
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With more and more South Africans becoming conscious consumers, the world of thrifting began to boom.
More citizens are opting to buy second-hand and pre-loved clothes instead of buying from retail stores.
But it's no secret that going from one thrift store to the next and rifling through piles of clothes just to find your size and style is a bit of a schlep.
Here's where the opportunity to make money through thrifting comes in. Like becoming the middleman, you can visit thrift stores in your area, buy items you think look good and post your finds on social media or platforms like Yaga to sell online.
Inflation drops to lowest level in 13 months as food and fuel costs decrease, prices still incredibly high read
In another story, Briefly News reported that South African consumers are in for good news as the annual inflation rate has shown some easing.
Lower food and fuel prices have contributed to inflation dropping to 6.3% in May from April's rate of 6.8%, the lowest since April 2022.
While food inflation, the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages, eased from 13.95 to 11.8% in April and only increased by 0.3% in May, prices remain incredibly high, Mail & Guardian reported.
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Source: Briefly News
