When I first added up my debt — a crushing $154,000 — I knew I had to make changes. Budgeting was part of it, but it became clear that increasing my income would move the needle a lot faster. So I turned to side hustles.
This post is a breakdown of what I’m doing now, what I’ve tried, and what I’m exploring next to speed up my debt-free journey.
💸 Why I Turned to Side Hustles
I have a full-time job and consulting gig, but with the amount of debt I’m carrying, it’s not enough. I needed to create extra cash flow — money that would go straight toward debt. No lifestyle upgrades, no splurges — just cold, hard payments.
My ultimate goal: generate $5,000/month in side income to cut years off my debt payoff timeline. But I am going to start small with a goal of $1000 month and go from there.
🔄 What I’m Currently Doing
1. Reselling/Flipping Items Online
I started with what I already had at home — clothes, gadgets, and random home items — and began listing them on:
- eBay
- DePop
- Facebook Marketplace
- OfferUp
I’ve made about $500/month on good months, and it’s been a great low-cost way to generate cash. It has also been slower lately, I found I need to be consistent and just keep posting.
2. Consulting
I use my 9–5 skills in systems to help small businesses part-time. I bring in around $300–600/month from this depending on the month.
At the moment I Just have one main client, but I am open to looking for additional clients if my time permits. This has been one of my most consistent streams of income.
Other Side Hustles I’ve Tried
- Survey sites – Easy but low return ($5–$20/month)
- Ibotta, Fetch, and Rakuten – Not really a side hustle but for any purchases online, groceries, etc that I make, I get cash back. I’m trying to not spend more than I should but I will use these to get extra cash.
📈 My Side Hustle Goals
| Month | Side Hustle Income Goal |
|---|---|
| April 2025 | $500 |
| May 2025 | $750 |
| June 2025 | $1,000 |
My goal is to consistently hit $5,000/month in side hustle income by summer. That would allow me to throw $60,000/year at debt — almost 40% of my total! I know this is a big goal, but I want to be able to tackle this as quick as possible but still at times enjoy life..
💭 Final Thoughts
I’m not going to pretend this is easy. Balancing multiple hustles with a full-time job is a lot. But with each extra payment I make, I feel lighter — like I’m finally taking control.
If you’re on a similar path, remember: even $50 or $100 extra a month makes a difference. Start small, be consistent, and don’t be afraid to fail forward.
✨ What’s Next?
I’ll be posting monthly hustle income updates on my Progress Page and sharing more about what’s working (and what’s not). If you want to follow along, join my email list or drop your favorite side hustle ideas in the comments!
