With Unemployment among African-Americans hovering around 15 percent, traditional jobs, particularly in urban and rural areas, are almost impossible to find. One way to improve your money flow in 2012 is to go unconventional. Side hustles have always been a staple of the Black community. Here are seven that could boost your bottom line:
1. Sell Unwanted Stuff Online
Web sites such as eBay and Craigslist have made the neighborhood yard sale international. With so many eyeballs, you are almost assured that somebody somewhere will want whatever you are selling.
2. Prepare Tax Returns
Learn the skills you need to jump-start your tax preparation career—even if you have no experience, and it’s perfect if you’re a student, retired or at home with children. H&R Block holds an 84-hour course that’s offered days, nights or weekends, plus you may even get to inter- view for a job with the company. Other private companies and com- munity colleges offer similar courses.
3. Tutor
Good at math? Science? English? Foreign languages? You could make good money as a tutor. Busy parents are always looking for someone who can make these subjects more understandable for their kids.
4. Install Holiday Decorations
Got some extra time this holiday season? Start a decoration- installation business. Because hanging lights and setting up yard decorations is time consuming and tedious, homeowners are often willing to pay quite well. Work could pay around $50 per hour—and you might even get paid to come back after the holidays to take down the decorations and pack them away for next year.
5. Get Schooled
Get trained in a burgeoning area, or get a certification that could lead to a promotion. You could also go back to school and get an undergraduate or graduate degree.
6. Use Handyman Skills
With the growing number of seniors choosing to stay in their homes rather than moving to a retirement community and an increasingly robust rental market, skilled handymen are in high demand. For the most part,
all it takes is basic carpentry, painting and plumbing knowledge.
7. Start a Blog
If you’re passionate about a particular subject, write about it. If it becomes popular, you can set up advertising on the site and make money. Travel, money and medical topics are blogs with good advertising potential.
