side hustle

Meaning

A 'side hustle' is a secondary job or project that a person does to earn extra income in addition to their primary, full-time job. It often involves freelance work, passion projects, or gig-economy tasks like driving for a ride-share app or selling handmade goods online.

Examples

• My day job is in marketing, but my side hustle is teaching yoga on weekends.

  My day job is in marketing, but my side hustle is teaching yoga on weekends.

• She started a side hustle selling custom jewelry on Etsy to help pay off her student loans.

  She started a side hustle selling custom jewelry on Etsy to help pay off her student loans.

• It's hard to manage a full-time job and a busy side hustle at the same time.

  It's hard to manage a full-time job and a busy side hustle at the same time.

• He's hoping his photography side hustle will eventually turn into a full-time career.

  He's hoping his photography side hustle will eventually turn into a full-time career.

• Do you have a side hustle, or do you just focus on your main job?

  Do you have a side hustle, or do you just focus on your main job?

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I have a side job hustle.

  ✓ I have a side hustle.

  Combine 'side' with either 'hustle' or 'job', but do not mix them into 'side job hustle'.

• ✗ I am doing a side hustle of graphic design.

  ✓ My side hustle is graphic design.

  It is more natural to say 'doing [activity] as a side hustle' or 'my side hustle is [activity]' rather than 'doing a side hustle of'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I design websites as a ___ to make some extra money on the side.

  💡 An additional job or business run in your spare time.

  Show answer

  side hustle

• Her candle-making ___ became so successful that she quit her day job.

  💡 A secondary business that generates extra income.

  Show answer

  side hustle