What do you do when you have a “side hustle” that just seems to take up more time than you ever expected? What if this same “side hustle” produces great money for you household, but takes you away from your family even more than you thought it would? In these times, would you keep it or would you let it go?
What is a side hustle? Well, it’s the little jobs that you may take on to help add to your house’s income. Mowing the neighborhood lawns, sewing quilts, or babysitting kiddos.
My side hustle is modeling.
I’ve been print modeling since I was 19 and it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. It also provided a great side hustle for me, even though I didn’t realize it until I started planning my own family. I pretty much squandered the money I got from it up until that point. Now, that I understand the value of a dollar, the opportunity is much more appreciated.
Now, especially since the start of the recession, I have noticed that this “hat” has caused such a strain. Although it is extra income, it feels like a job. Better yet, a job a hate, and I have a hard time staying in a job I hate.
So, I’m letting it go. I hate to do it. So many people out there are struggling to find a side hustle, better yet a job, and here I am, just letting go of income. But, I’m tired of missing things.
Tired of having to miss weekends at home with my husband that works so hard and long all week. Tired of being so tired at the beginning of the week, that I can’t do all the things I want to do with my boy. Tired of wanting to pay more attention to the other aspects in my life and having to put them on hold for almost 24 hours to do shoots. Just so tired.
Now for the frugal aspect of it: income may be lost, but we’re planning to supliment it. With Hubby’s promotions(another one coming this July) and the amount I am making with my main career in the military, we will be able to keep up with our savings. At this time in our lives, while we are still a small family, we decided that me being burned out will only hinder the smooth sailing in our house. Plus, although I love to think I am. I’m not superwoman(rats!).
How much will this effect us in the long run? I see me being effected the most. With my rank in the miiltary bringing in what it does, and what I was bringing in with modeling, I still felt like I was neck and neck with Hubby when it came to contributing to the household. Now I know that won’t be the case. Even with all that I do as CFO (chief financial officer) of our household, I still love to bring in the cold hard cash. I’ll just have to get over that. Besides, that means that I can dedicate even more time to this here blog! :o)
As much as I loved being her:
And posing as her:
I think being her makes me the happiest:
How about all of you? Do you have a side hustle? Have you recently acquired it? Has it increased the stress level in your household?
Plan Your Year Now!
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I don’t have a “side hustle” (btw…never heard that phrase before, but I love it!) however, I did just recently quit my full time job. The commute to said job was one hour each way, and I felt guilty being gone 12+ hours per day (for a job that didn’t fully satisfy me to begin with). I felt bad quitting right away, and putting all of the “breadwinning” responsibilites on hubs, but it was something I needed to do for us and our household. But The Lord has shown that when one door closes another does open…today my husband was offered a job making over twice what he does at his current job, so I can stay home and be a homemaker (and hopefully soon a stay at home mommy). He wants me to get a part time job just so I don’t get bored…and I will also have time to take on a ministry project that I have been dreaming of doing!
So, I applaud you for following your heart…because home is really where it’s at! Especially when you have your darling son’s face to spend each day with 🙂
God bless, and good luck!
MoneySavinDiva
You both look so happy in the last picture. Go with it. After all, being happy is what we are all striving to do.
Good for you for listening to your heart. I used to work full time and make the decision to go part time. Money is tight, but I can be with my kids more. I drop them off to school and pick them up.
As you close this door another will open up for you.
I love your blog – keep up the good work.
So glad you made this post! We just got back from a vacation we had to cut short because of my “side hustle”. Mine is hard because its helping my dad’s business. (I am the only child who has offered to help at all, so I feel obligated to stay!)
But, it is putting so much strain on keeping my household together, I think it has to end. When I saw 12 & 14 year olds report cards this year, that told me something has to give so I can help them more.
Its great to know someone else is going through this type of decision making.
I would love to have a side hasle or any kind of a job for that matter but then again, I don’t have a kid to worry about so if this is what you need to do then more power to you! If it means more to spend time with hubby and a kid then you shouldn’t feel too bad about steping away from a side job. You already have a full time job being a mom.
Congrats to you! You have to do what is best for your family. Money is not always what is needed the most.
BTW, you are stunning!
Amiyrah, I could write you quite a few sentences here, but I’ll save it for an email. Suffice it to say, you went with your heart and I admire you for that.
You are a beautiful model, but I gotta say… you are most beautiful in that last picture! I can see where this would be a difficult decision. But, it obviously was the decision you needed to make. Good luck!
What a hottie you are! 🙂
I would have made the same decision. Family comes first.
Your pictures are amazing!
Im in the middle of trying to decide between staying at my job which has been threating a downsize since dec and my position will be the first to go or going ahead and quitting to stay at home. Im so scared of not contributing “cash” to the family so i understand your dilemia. Im glad you are happy with your decision!! sonnyboy it too cute!
Baautiful pictures, but you do look the happiest in the last one. I guess I have two “side hustles”— cashiering at Wal-Mart on Saturdays and tutoring elemtary kids. I like the tutoring, but not cashiering so much. Right now I’m just thankful to have the extra income!
Your modeling shots are definitely beautiful- but as that old phrase goes…”True beauty comes from the inside.” If your heart was elsewhere, then it was time to go. I quit my full time job 6 years ago- and was terrified because it was the first time in my whole life that I had to depend on someone else to make all the income and carry the load. Thank God I am married to a wonderful man who is truly happy with me being home- and I am way happier here at home with my family than I ever was in an office! As far as “side hustles” go- I babysat a family friend’s son for 2 years- I just gave that up about 2 months ago because I was having the same feelings that you have felt about modeling- my kids are 12, 7 and 2 now- I need to be able to put all my time and attention into them now- before they are grown up and I’m left wondering where the years went. I have recently increased the amount of online surveys I do in an effort to at least bring in a little extra money each month for savings. We’ll have to see how much money I’m actually able to bring in- but it is something I can do while my son is taking his nap or at night after everybody is in bed- so it isn’t interfering with my main job- wife/mom! Everything happens for a reason- and I think you will truly be happier.
You have made a wonderful decision because IT IS THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY! No matter what you do in life, you have to have balance. If you feel stressed then something has to give. Your family will be so thankful to have you home on the weekends. You will feel so much healthier without that stress in your life. I applaud your decision!
Years ago DH and I together made the decision that I was not going to work while my children were growing up. It was the best decision we ever made. When I estimated what a job would actually bring in after taxes and childcare considering the real # of hours you put in with commute time and all, it just didn’t seem worth our family life to us. When my oldest son was a sophomore in a very expensive private high school, I finally went back to work to help pay the tuition and fees for that education for both boys and then continued on to pay for their college. I did this so that we wouldn’t have to touch our retirement money and other savings for their schooling. The last few years of that job started to stress me out. I burnt out and finally quit 2 years before my youngest graduated from college.I actually quit the very day that my boss told me I could not have the one day off from work that my son was going to be home from college for a visit. I decided he was much more important than that job. But I had saved enough to pay for his last two years, so that I had that option. I never returned to the work force again.
We fought for women to have the right to choose. Sometimes I am not so sure that was a good thing because I see so many women who choose to work doing it all….work, nurturing the children, taking care of the home with little or no help from their DH, running the errands and the list goes on and on. When you have so much on your plate, something has to give. Many times that is the health of the woman and that is just sad.
You have been frugal so you have set yourself up to be able to choose. Some people will say you are so lucky but it isn’t about luck. You and DH have worked hard to make this happen so enjoy your new way of life. But make sure that you keep your saving up. In this economy, I believe you need at least 8-12 months of savings in case of a job loss. It is more important than ever now that you have given up this income.
Sorry,I have taken over your blog. But you asked my opinion! LOL!
Congrats to you, DH and your son! We come into this world with nothing and we go out with nothing so ENJOY the journey!
I’m looking into a ‘side-hustle’ as you put it, doing the grocery shopper for ppl or coupon classes, but the more I think about it, the time put in can be used on my family (furbaby and DH). I can be selfish, but I’m already run down w/ my full time job that I don’t know if I can handle a true side-hustle.
FYI….those first few pics look NOTHING like you! I think you look a lot prettier then those pics, that’s why I didn’t think it was you! But you do have that ‘model’ prettyness quality 🙂 Too bad it’s too time consuming for you though 🙁
Amiyrah: Now I know why your son is so gorgeous — he gets it from his mom!
Seriously, when I saw a picture of your little boy the first time I read your blog I thought, “That is possibly the most beautiful child I have ever seen.”
I think you’re right to give up the job if it’s harming more than it helps. Good for you for making an informed choice.
I have a side hustle: Babysitting. I consider it “time-share grandchildren,” as I only work for families whose kids I genuinely like being with, and also as “getting paid to study” because I do my homework and course reading after the kids are in bed. Here in Seattle you can make $10 to $12 an hour.
I modestly affirm that I am the world’s best babysitter because:
1. I drive myself there and back.
2. I don’t turn on the television.
3. I play games, read stories and tell knock-knock jokes.
4. I straighten up the house after the kids are in bed.
5. I never call boys.
Seriously: Those of you who are looking for a little extra coin should consider taking the occasional babysitting job. I’m doing less of it because school is reaching critical mass and I have two part-time jobs (managing an apartment building and writing “Living With Less” for MSN Money). But I find it very agreeable to spend an evening visiting with nice kids, then lying on someone else’s nice sofa doing what I’d be doing at home anyway: Reading or doing homework. Most evenings I make $40 or more. Once, when I was watching two sets of kids at once, I came home with $82 for about three and a half hours of work — and the kids played together all evening so I really didn’t have to do a darned thing except make sure that no one ran with scissors.
More money isn’t always the answer. You made the right decision for you and your family. That;s the most important thing.
I may have found my new most favorite blog. I have been doing home child care since my daughter was 2 years old. It is excellent income and a great way to be at home with your children. Yet after 18 years of small children and their parents in and out every day I am ready to do something else. My husband and I started an office janitorial service 3 years ago- it takes about 6 hours per week for the two of us to clean 3 buildings for $1,950/month. My daycare brings in a little over $2,500 per month so the plan is in September 09 we will stop using all daycare income and stash it into our savings/EF so that May 28th I can take the summer off and decide if I want to return to daycare in the fall. I will continue to keep my CPR and licensing requirements so I can substitute for other providers and earn occasional spending/Christmas money. As long as the next 10 months will be I have not been so excited in years!! It is definately nice to have that side hustle/new career (no I never dreamed cleaning toilets would be a career but working 6 hours a week for nearly the same pay as 50 is well worth wearing rubber gloves)to fall back on when the main job/career just wears you down. Thanks for the wonderful article.