Recession-Resistant Side Hustles To Survive The 2020 Slowdown

The stock market is in shambles. COVID-19 fears are shaking the economy. It might be time to find your hustle. 

If it seems like every other person you know has a side hustle, you're probably right. In a recent survey of over 1,000 people, nearly 500 reported having a side gig. Taking on additional work when you already have a full-time job is easier said than done, but now could be the time to find yourself an extra source of income. 

Personal Shopper For the Elderly

The elderly have a tough time waiting in long lines to get their needed items. They will need assistance in getting them needed items, as well as running errands.

A personal shopper is a person who helps others shop by giving advice and making suggestions. They are often employed by stores and boutiques, although some are freelance or work exclusively online. Their focus is usually on clothes and food items.

There are no formal educational requirements to become a personal shopper, though most outlets recommend related retail experience.

Census Takers

If you’re looking for good, steady work, there’s nothing like a government job. And, now, the federal government is on a quest to add 500,000 part-time and temporary workers to its payroll. Why? The 2020 Census demands mobilizing a small army of census takers, supervisors and fact-checkers. Pay is expected to range between $13 and $30 per hour, depending on where you live. If you’re willing and qualified to take a supervisory position, you can earn more. 

Motor Home, Trailer & Camper Flipper

There will be ten's of thousands of displaced people.

Many people will be desperate to sell the motor homes, trailers and campers that they don't use to generate some extra cash. And on the other side, there will be those who who need to downsize and find a place to live.

Most modern nomads need jobs to fund their new mobile life.

Some pick up “gig work” cleaning campsites, harvesting on farms or in vineyards, or filling in as security guards. People learn about gigs by word of mouth, on Workamper News or Facebook groups like one for Workampers with more than 30,000 members. Big companies such as Amazon even have programs specifically recruiting RVers to help at warehouses during the peak holiday season.

Helping Moms

There's millions of children at home and this is causing economic stress on parents. More than ever, tutors and babysitters will be needed to free up mom's time and stress levels.

Helping People Move

People will be moving in record numbers due not being able to pay rent or keep up with the mortgage payments. In particular, the elderly and single moms will need help loading and unloading their stuff. If you are strong and have access to a truck, you have a gig.

Delivery 

If you like to be mobile but don’t like carting people around, there are delivery services that you can drive, ride a bike or scooter, try Grubhub, Shipt, Instacart and DoorDash. With Grubhub and DoorDash, you deliver orders from restaurants, where with Shipt and Instacart, you deliver groceries.

Do What You Love

Whether you’re a skilled jewelry maker, yoga instructor or entertainer, there’s a gig economy platform for you, too. For makers, Etsy as a potential springboard to bigger business. Etsy is a low-risk way to test your idea in the marketplace with no need for high inventory or even to have products waiting on the shelves – the Etsy buyer is OK if it takes a few weeks to receive their goods.”

Then there’s Patreon, which offers you a way to make money off things you create online, from fitness videos to web comics. People become subscribers of your work, which is how you make money. Along those lines, Live.me is a live broadcasting app where you can engage with your followers in real time and earn “virtual gifts” – which eventually turn onto money – along the way. This platform is best suited for things can be done live, like singing, comedy, playing video games, etc.