benefits: not having to figure out my own taxes and deductions; dedicated workspace; social contact; set schedule. drawbacks: even with a flexible workplace, i am beholden to someone else's schedule; salary negotiation; social contact.

honestly, this is the most basic thing that every adult is expected to do once in their life and i feel guilty for struggling with it. i think if i had a very simple job that i could do from home, i would be fine. i have yet to prove this.

benefits: semi-regular schedule; specialised roles; higher pay than regular administration roles. drawbacks: pay negotiations; unsteady employment; have to do your own invoicing, scheduling, and bookkeeping.

the biggest problem i had doing this is that my anxiety doesn't want to just let me live. i fold so easily under pressure, but it regularly can get so bad that making simple decisions, such as whether to get dressed or what to eat, can be overwhelming. how does this stop me doing my job? imagine you feel terrible every time you speak to someone, and you can't write a simple text message without having a crying breakdown.

benefits: stay fit; there's always work; little socialising. drawbacks: exposure to chemicals; people treat you like trash; my body extremely dislikes the physical nature of it and i am in pain the whole day after doing just 3 hours.

benefits: exercise; meet dogs; set your own schedule; set your own rates. drawbacks: low pay unless walking multiple dogs or petsitting in addition; getting paid can be difficult; unsteady employment; the commute is killer.

benefits: do what you love; meet people with similar interests. drawbacks: upfront costs; warehousing; can be dependent on ability (health, access to materials, access to adequate spaces); not reliable income.

my anxiety hates this so much. first of all, i'm a trash artist, and don't maintain a portfolio. and second, most of my sales have been from approaching smaller casual retail spaces and sharing market stalls with friends. generally to make an income in the beginning, you're selling your art for below industry standard rates.

skill should mean a lot, and it does in competitive spaces including online, but for wall art concept is really the selling point, and the most successful concept is usually one that fits a popular aesthetic.

my online marketplace presence is mostly for proof that i'm serious about maintaining and improving my practice, but ultimately my interest in art is a nerdy, personal interest one, one rather than a pecuniary one.

benefits: can do it on your own time. drawbacks: it's maybe a few dollars a day if you take all the surveys available and have a really in-demand profile.

i've been doing this for a while, but not consistently enough to consider it a real side hustle. usually i put on a movie and grab my phone and go through any available surveys. some sites will glitch out and mean i can't complete the survey, but that's a minority of surveys. i make about $20-$40 a month, and have been able to withdraw money to my bank account at least twice, including the last time i logged in for 2025. i would definitely recommend it to anyone who has the time, and if you're interested please consider using my affiliate link.

benefits: passive. drawbacks: you have to be an influencer of some kind or a trusted voice on a particular topic.

back when i was more active on social media, i had a few affiliate links i kept in my bio. i don't remember getting any commission, despite getting a fair few clicks every now and again.

but then, as i said, i am a shitty artist, and i didn't have a lot of followers and just was really friendly. so i guess that kind of explains it.

benefits: passive. drawbacks: variable, cannot just access the money whenever.

i have an account on plenti dot com dot au, which is incredibly easy to use and has been safe so far. in my experience the returns are generally slightly higher than if i'd dumped the money in a bank account and left it to accrue interest on its own.

according to the dashboard, i have put in $8500 total and earned $2930 interest in total. i assume this is including reinvesting interest earned, since the average interest rate is sitting at around 5%.

i probably am taking huge risks using this as a form of term deposit, as it would take a while to liquidate the funds and access them as regular savings.

benefits: guaranteed minimum payment; reporting and paperwork has become easier; concession cards; is a legal entitlement. drawbacks: the forms can be hard to navigate; not enough to live off exclusively; mutual obligations are hard to navigate if you don't have a regular employer and you're looking or if you're a seasonal worker.

benefits: passive; fairly easy to invest if you have an account with a major bank; regular dividends. drawbacks: ties up your savings; highly dependent on the market; if you haven't been doing tax returns you're going to have to learn fast.