One of the latest trends for working professionals is to have a side hustle. Everywhere you look, there’s an article, ad or financial expert encouraging you to find a part-time job, or side hustle, to be doing in your spare time outside of your full-time job. So, I told myself I needed to jump on the bandwagon and give it a try. Here’s my journey and five Portland side hustles for you to consider.
Many companies have latched onto the side hustle trend and made broad claims like “you can make $1,000+ a month all from the comfort of your home.” Or my least favorite: peer-to-peer carsharing and transportation. I was not convinced that I needed to stay up until 12 a.m. every night or subject my vehicle to the unpredictability of strangers. Then I moved onto part-time jobs at local businesses.
I applied for a part-time jobs at a coffee shop and a gym. I quickly learned that “part time” meant anywhere from 15 to 35 hours a week. Both of these jobs wanted at least a 25-hour a week commitment. With a full-time job, this would not work for me.
About a month ago, I saw a post on Twitter about a job opening with a local trivia company. They were looking for a new trivia host one night a week, which is perfect for me. I get a flat amount for the night plus tips. For me, this side hustle is fun, low stress and will bring in an extra $200+ every month.
Contrary to belief, or job postings, finding a Portland side hustle that works for you won’t happen overnight. Thankfully, I’ve done a lot of footwork to help you hit the ground running. The opportunities below may not have openings right now, but I encourage you to submit your resume, fill out an application or publicize your services.
Five Portland side hustles you should consider
Become a Trivia Host
Portland has five prominent trivia companies. Each come with a long list of locations around the city and in the greater metro area. The place where I host trivia is a few miles from my house. I host one night a week for a flat amount and I get to keep all the tips I make for the night. It is a fun, low stress environment. Plus you get to know the regulars at your location and create a fun comrarderie. Oh, and I forgot to mention I get a free meal from the restaurant as well, which usually covers dinner that night and lunch the next day. This side hustle takes 3 hours of my time a week. For most of these trivia companies, the compensation is $50 a night plus tips and $20+ bar/restaurant tab each night. If hosting isn’t your gig, some trivia companies also have opportunities to write trivia questions.
Click here to contact each company:
Become a Prime Now Associate
Did I forget to mention I applied for a job at Amazon, too? This one was very promising with part-time jobs under 20 hours a week. The one I applied for paid $12+ an hour to fill prime now orders at New Seasons. Prime Now Associate jobs can be for anything from groceries to apparel. Many of the commitments are 5 hours a day with weekend opportunities. When I applied, it was a simple application, a 1-hour in-person information session and then I was notified when new shifts were available. I was only obligated to choose one recurring shift a week. One key to this position is to log in as soon as you are notified via email about open positions. That is where I missed out and was not able to make the commitment. Amazon gives you a 30-day grace period to find a position, then you have to reapply. Visit Amazon Jobs to learn more.
Sign Up for Focus Groups
If making a weekly commitment to a side hustle is not in the cards for you, consider signing up to be part of a focus group. The sign up process is easy and the company will reach out to you when they have a study that meets your demographic criteria. Many companies will pay $100+ for your opinion. Keep in mind there is no guarantee you’ll be called upon. Here’s a list of companies:
- Opinions Ltd.
- Vupoint Research
- Food Innovation Center
- Consumer Opinion Services
- Market Decisions Research
Sell Your Stuff
This may seem obvious, and to some dreadful, but I’ve found there is a method to the madness of selling your stuff. I was amazed at how many items I had taking up closet space that people actually wanted. I made $245 in three weeks selling a variety of things I no longer needed. Find out what method worked best for me.
Manage a Vacation Rental
Are you a member of your neighborhood’s Nextdoor social networking service?There are countless money-making opportunities that arise in your neighborhood, from housesitting to child care. One that always stands out to me is managing vacation rentals. This requires you to clean the rental, collect keys and reset lock boxes, and be on-call if anything happens. One posting I saw was offering up to $200 a week to manage a vacation rental during peak season. I’d recommend either posting that you are available to provide this service on Nextdoor or checking in every few days to see if there are any opportunities out there. You may be surprised at the variety of side hustles available.
Become a Taste Tester
Oh, it is a good as it sounds. The OSU Food Innovation Center in Portland is searching for local taste testers to try a wide range of culinary delights. The center facilitates qualitative research in the form of focus group sessions and individual interviews. The pay will vary, but one tasting at the center paid $40 for 30-minutes. The center is located in downtown Portland. Fill out an application today.
There are countless ways to make extra money, but I encourage everyone to look for a side hustle that fits your lifestyle. No need to stretch yourself thin if it compromises your happiness.
Have you found a unique side hustle in Portland? Share in the comment section below!
Want more Portland freebies, events and deals? Subscribe to my newsletter (only one email a day), and follow me on Facebook and Twitter!
If you liked this article you may also enjoy:
Portland Living on the Cheap is a member of 