With a new year starting, most people usually lay out plans on how to make more income and make their lives better.
Of course, most people start the turn of the calendar by saying,’ This year is mine (Hii mwaka ni yangu).’ To some, their manifestation comes to fruition while others fail to accomplish their goals.
But with a well-paying side hustle, one can easily manoeuvre and set themselves up for the biggest success.
A side hustle is an additional job or income stream outside of one’s regular employment. With Kenya’s high unemployment rate, especially among the youth, side hustles provide an avenue for creative ways to make money.
Here are some side hustle ideas to try out in the new year;
Sell products on TikTok Live
TikTok has grown exponentially in the country from just an online tool for sharing short entertainment videos to a major force in the entrepreneurial world and commerce.
Early adopters in the country already embraced the idea of TikTok Live selling where individuals and small businesses reach their customers in ways much different from traditional social media.
If you log into the social media platform, you cannot miss a few people showing off their products and asking hundreds of users to place their orders. This mostly happens around 7 pm to around 11 pm depending on the target customer.
TikTok Live selling has allowed users to showcase their products in real-time, interact with potential buyers during their lives and then complete transactions instantly.
This has revolutionised the online marketplace allowing people who work even from 8 am to 5 pm get time to sell their products at night to hundreds of thousands who use the platform.
Some sell clothes, shoes, paintings, utensils, electronics and other household items.
With TikTok Live selling proving to be a reliable tool, it can be a great opportunity to venture into 2025 and try and raise extra income just in the comfort of your home.
One can further expand and sell on Facebook and Instagram where over 1 million videos are watched daily. But the best thing to do is first carry out a market survey and get proper knowledge on which products are in demand and with better returns.
Proper execution of the idea can turn out to be a well-paying side hustle which can help one use the money to settle small household bills.
Online tutoring
Most parents and students are still struggling with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) which is still taking shape in the country.
To help their kids compete and gain more experience, some are resolving to seek the services of tutors to teach their kids some extra skills and even what they are not taught in a normal class set-up.
So, having prerequisite knowledge in a specific field can help one get extra income through conducting online classes.
One can offer personalized tutoring sessions through platforms like Skype or Zoom, catering to student’s individual learning needs while earning a substantial income from the comfort of their home.
Online classes have peaked especially in areas where parents want their kids to learn foreign languages such as French, German and Spanish.
Some tutors also teach soft areas of specialization such as music online.
Whether one is proficient in academic subjects, language skills, or specialized fields like coding and digital marketing, one can leverage online platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Teachable to create and sell courses.
This is also another sector that people with skills especially teachers can use to earn during those long holiday breaks or after classes and on weekends.
Kitchen Gardening
Most people want fresh vegetables from the farm. To become a supplier and fill the void in some places, one does not need to own a huge tract of land.
A small kitchen garden can be utilised to plant different types of vegetables, especially traditional ones.
Then by creating online groups and using small community groups, a small-scale farmer can tap into the demand of fresh farm produce to create additional income.
In satellite towns such as Syokimau, Katani, Athi River, Kitengela, Juja, Ongata Rongai, Ruaka, Joska, Malaa, and Kamulu where people own small pieces of land, this business can help them earn additional income.
With the advent of delivery guys, they can market their farm produce and sell them to customers in neighbouring estates with ease.
Some are even selling their produce in their car boots and are making a killing out of it as a thriving side hustle.
Get paid to chat with lonely people online
With the rise of social media, many relationships lack depth. While people may have hundreds of friends online, they often miss out on meaningful, face-to-face interactions.
Major changes, such as moving to a new city, starting a new job, or experiencing a loss, can disrupt social networks and lead to feelings of isolation. People in the state tend to create friends online whom they can chat with. On TikTok, there are live sessions where people working abroad chat with their locals even in their native languages but they are not paid.
Conditions like depression and anxiety have exacerbated feelings of loneliness, making it harder for individuals to connect with others thus forcing others to seek new connections.
This trend has allowed developers to create applications where people get paid to chat with lonely people online.
Some of the applications and websites where a person can earn extra income by chatting with strangers include Fiverr, Freelancer and Rent a Friend.
However, for one to excel, one needs to master specific topics and how to cope with certain life conditions. So far, professionals in different fields working abroad have benefited from these platforms.
Becoming a virtual assistant
With extra free time after work, one can make money online by becoming a virtual assistant offering services to various clients.
This can include tasks such as copywriting, social media management, and administrative work.
By working flexible hours and leveraging freelancing sites like Upwork, individuals have the opportunity to build an audience and make good money.
Promoting products or services on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram can create an extra stream of income.
