Music Bingo? Selling Semen? Meet The Sidehustlers Making Rent

STORIES BY NAOMI CHRISOULAKIS

Rents are rising. Cost of living is increasing. But these women found inventive ways to bring in extra cash.

“I host bingo nights to make extra cash” Kimberley Manning, 35, Sydney. Side-hustle income: $11,000/year

I was a full-time artist for five years, and even through Covid things were going well, but in the past two years it’s been an uphill battle to sell my work. Increasingly, I’ve been feeling the pressure to have to make art to make rent. It was taking the magic out of it, and if I’m honest it was also a hit to my confidence. When a friend approached me about hosting a weekly music bingo night at the Enmore Hotel... I jumped at the chance.

“I take gigs as extras in films to make extra cash” Cherie Bennett, 40, Wollongong. Side-hustle income: $3000-7000/year

As a kid, I wanted to be an actress when I grew up, but I knew how hard it was to make it, so I became a nurse instead. I turned 40 last year, and something about that made me want to do more to fill my creative side – I also realised that you can actually make decent money from work as an extra and small acting roles. A gig for an ad might be $1000, and another $1000 if they run the ad for a second year. Due to the nature of the industry you can’t rely on the money.

“I started a business selling frozen horse semen” Karen Callinan, 48, Blue Mountains. Side-hustle income: $20,000+/year

I started my business in 2019 to help with expenses for my horse habit. I wanted to diversify my income. I recently undertook a course that encourages women not to have all their eggs in one basket, and instead aim for five sources of income. Setting up the business has taught me so much. I’ve learnt lots about website development. Plus it’s a heck of a conversation starter. People ask me: What do you do? Um, I sell frozen semen.

“I find and resell furniture to bring in extra income” Ellie Marks, 34, Sydney. Side-hustle income: $5000/year

I always have my eyes peeled for treasures. I’ve loved op shopping and restoring furniture forever, but when I was on maternity leave three years ago, I started selling what I’d found to make a little money on the side. I’m back at work as a clinical nurse educator now, but it’s not just for fun anymore; since we purchased our first home and the interest rate hikes happened, 60 per cent of our full-time wages go to the mortgage. After bills and daycare we have very little left over.

Meet The Women Making Thousands From Their Wardrobes

BY CAROLINE ZIELINSKI Arrow READ IT HERE

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