Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Side Hustles That Are (and Aren’t) Worth It
Thu, 20 Mar 2025
📈 Are you on track with the Baby Steps? Get a free personalized plan. Whether you’re a weekend DJ or assembling boxed furniture, extra money is extra money. In this episode, find out how to pick a good side hustle that makes the most of your time and talents. Next Steps: 💸 Take the quiz to find out what side hustles are best for you! 💰 Take the Money Finder challenge and uncover extra cash today! 🎥 Watch our video Habits Wasting Your Time (and Money) in 2024. 🍸 Follow Smart Money Happy Hour on TikTok: @smartmoneyhappyhour 📱 Submit a Guilty As Charged question for Rachel and George! Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it. 💵 Start your free budget today. Download the EveryDollar app! Connect With Our Sponsors: 🔒 Get 20% off when you join DeleteMe. 🌿 Get up to 40% off with code SMARTMONEY at Cozy Earth. Today’s Happy Hour Special: 🥃 Kentucky Colonel Recipe: Difford’s Guide 2 ounces Bourbon whiskey 1/2 ounce Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur Instructions: Select and pre-chill an old-fashioned glass. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist. Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into ice-filled glass. Express lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as a garnish. Explore More From Ramsey Network: 💡 The Rachel Cruze Show 💰 George Kamel 🎙️ The Ramsey Show 💸 The Ramsey Show Highlights 🧠 The Dr. John Delony Show 🪑 Front Row Seat with Ken Coleman 📈 EntreLeadership Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What are strategic side hustles?
And what are we talking about today, Rachel? Strategic side hustles. Not just any side hustles. Strategy. I was like, I can grocery shop. It's not that hard.
I remember this. This is so embarrassing. God, I'm going to be judged by this, but this happens. Hey guys, I'm Rachel Cruz.
I'm George Campbell.
And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. This is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money. What do we got, George?
This is called the Kentucky Colonel. Don't let the O-L-O-N-E-L fool you. It's pronounced Colonel.
Colonel.
because Merica. Merica. I don't know why that word is spelled that way. It's very frustrating, but it's a delicious drink. Stick around until the end. We'll give you our rating and reveal the cost per glass.
That's right. Okay, so I think we should start off this by one of these questions that people ask a lot, and I'm going to ask you, George. What were you thinking? You told us about something recently, and I literally was floored, and I thought, George, maybe you're doing it for content. Maybe you're doing it for experience, but George, can I just give the punchline?
Yeah.
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Chapter 2: What was George's experience as an Instacart shopper?
Yeah, I signed up.
Because you're on baby step seven.
So yeah, they're confused. Because generally, you'd be doing the side hustle to hit a short-term financial goal. We're trying to get out of debt, so I'm taking all the jobs I can. This was not the case with me. I did it for fun, like a sociopath. But here's what happened.
So part of it was motivation, though, because of the job you do. And we talk about side hustles a lot, right? So actually, you're a very selfless person.
Thank you for saying that. You're the first.
And then also, tell us about the shopping experience.
Okay.
How hard is an Instacart shopper?
We might need all day to talk about it. Y'all, it is not for the faint of heart. Stop. I was like, I can grocery shop. It's not that hard. Little did I know, I'd be at the Sprouts bulk bin at 9.30 at night, picking out licorice with a plastic tong, and they're all stuck together. Oh, no. I had the most, every experience was horrific. Oh. Everyone had its own unique little challenge. Oh, no.
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Chapter 3: How much can you realistically earn from side hustles?
And I found that the more you're willing to get out there and bust your butt, the more you're going to make. You can take surveys at home and make four cents, you know, for every survey, or you can go do Instacart and, you know, have a little grief, but make 30 bucks an hour.
That's so good. Yeah. I know, and I hate to say it, George, you have more life experience than me in this arena. I mean, I can go back to like high school, college days. I mean, I started at Ramsey right after college, so I feel like I've been in the like nine to five world for most of my... Yeah, you grew up fast. For most of my life, I grew up fast.
No, but I think back even in high school and stuff, I worked at Libby Lou, you know, the little boutique.
We didn't have this in Massachusetts, but in the South, this was a delicacy.
It was, yeah.
What's the closest store you can think of that's mainstream?
Oh, that's a good question.
Was it like a limited to vibe?
It wasn't a clothing store. It was like a Claire's that would do your hair and makeup, if you will.
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Chapter 4: What are some common misconceptions about side hustles?
And you have to carry the beeper and have it on. Yes. And it's listening to all the media you're engaging in, radio, TV, movies, whatever. And that's how Nielsen gets its ratings. When they say, hey, we had high Nielsen ratings because 30 million people watch this. That's how they're basing it off of households like mine.
Just like yours.
So I'd carry it and they would give me like, I don't know, 30 bucks a month.
Yeah.
You know, stuff like that. I was also doing music at the time, so I would make money from streaming. I would sell my music to be used in films, like wedding films. You know, if your church is making a video, you can pay to license my song.
Yeah.
So I'd make some money there. Yeah. I got a few big hits. Ford used two of my songs for their YouTube channel.
No. No way.
They were legit. I got an email and I was like, hey, it might be not good enough for you, but are you okay with $2,500 per song for them? And I was like, yeah, we can make that work.
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Chapter 5: How do you determine the right side hustle for you?
Just like a few days ago. It was, wasn't it, every call was like, lost my job, a health scare. We had to move to go take care of my, like, life happens. Yeah.
While things were going well, they took on a bunch of debt going, we can afford the payments.
It's fine. We can do this.
And then life happened and they're calling us going, what do we do? We can't afford the payments anymore.
Not good, George.
Never go into debt for any side hustle. How's that for advice?
And you know, like if you go back to like simpler times, honestly, you think about like going straight to the customer and helping them with a service that's easy. Dog sitting, house sitting, babysitting.
Yes, they're tried and true. And people are willing to pay good money in your own neighborhood.
And can I say this? I pay a good amount for babysitting.
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Chapter 6: What are some tried-and-true side hustles?
Oh, totally. Yeah, that's my thing. Because I'm like, both sides. And I really do believe, I mean, genuinely, I'm like, bring it both. Because it's like, I want to throw off both. So then your pool is wider.
Yeah.
Right? You don't want to be selective. Big pool people. Viewership. I don't know. What do you think?
Yeah. I think influencer would be an easier choice for you. I think you'd be great at that.
You know, but can't you, like a mom influencer, you know, of like, hey, like here's the... Yeah, you know, but all this combined, I followed around when I was at the inauguration for 24 hours and did a lot of stories, a lot of stories. I was very tired.
I saw them all.
I was very tired.
It's exhausting.
It's very tiring.
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Chapter 7: How can you maximize your side hustle income?
Ah.
She won. I let her win, but she did win. Yeah. Let's not do that one. Photography. I am good. That's something that was a love of mine is photography, film. And so I have some nice cameras. I could do that on the side for sure. And then at home side hustles, freelancing, which I've done a lot of. Tutoring. So I could use online tutoring sites to do that. And transcribing. I am a good typer.
Like do you ever use Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing? Remember that software? Yeah. I think my dad got it for me. He's in the crowd today. I'm shouting out the crowd, hey.
Hey.
Yeah, I always loved it. You could try to work on your words per minute, and it would also track accuracy.
Yeah. What was it called?
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. If you know, you know.
Was it yellow? Do you remember when our computer softwares or games would come in a box, y'all, and you would open the box and take the disc out and put it in? Do you remember that? Is that what you're talking about?
this was show it to me because this could be they'll put it on the screen as well editors but this was she looks AI now looking back I don't think she was real she does look AI yeah I don't think that's a real person but maybe she isn't she's just perfect and beautiful I don't know but yeah Mavis Beacon is the one who taught me how to type okay go take it for yourself can I just say that go take the quiz and let us know in the comments what you got as your results
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