This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
This essay, as told, is based on an interview with Grace Ryu, a 23-year-old content creator living in Houston. The following information has been edited for length and clarity.
In March 2023, I left my job in the tech industry to seek other sources of income. My 9-5 was taking up too much of my time and I wanted to focus on ways to make money while I slept or traveled.
Chasing different sources of income is consistent with my personality – it satisfies my desire to explore and try as much as possible. If I get bored with one area, I can focus on another, and if one stream isn't that profitable, I can pursue others.
Here's a breakdown of my eight income streams, with earnings, difficulty level, and time spent each week:
1. Luxury picnic business
Easy rating: 9/10
Lucrative Rating: 7/10
I run a luxury picnic business with my best friend and boyfriend. Initially, we posted our products on Facebook Marketplace and school flyers and even broke through the first week of promoting them.
We reinvested all this money into developing the business model, such as purchasing additional equipment for group picnics. Since then, we have worked with companies such as Kendra Scott, local hotels and Texas A&M University.
We have a six-person team, so I no longer do the physical setup and teardown and only spend one hour a week. During March through May, October and November (peak picnic months), I can take home up to $3,000 per month.
Getting started is easy and inexpensive, and doesn't require many skills beyond an eye for aesthetics. It is also lucrative because profit margins are very high because there are little or no variable costs.
2. Offers from influencer brands
Easy rating: 8/10
Lucrative Rating: 10/10
I am a micro-influencer and I have a TikTok account where I publish posts about my life, sources of income and product promotions.
Brands contact me and ask me to post a dedicated or integrated TikTok video. I used to create content for brands for free, but now I charge at least $1,000 per post.
I spend about an hour a week promoting brands. Creating content and editing was difficult at first because I had to get used to the software and apps. After two years, I'm doing it very quickly because I know exactly which clips to add and how to do the voiceover.
It takes time to build a following on the platform, but once you get to that point, it's very easy to work with brands for sponsorships. I make between $1,000 and $2,000 per post for about an hour of work.
3. Affiliate marketing
Easy rating: 7/10
Lucrative Rating: 9/10
I started affiliate marketing through Amazon's influencer program and am making anywhere from $500 to $2,000 a month.
In my TikToks, I share and link Amazon products that are essential for working from home. People then visit my store and buy through the links and I receive a commission.
Applying to the program takes about five minutes, but you must have a social media profile promoting the content.
If you never post anything, you'll probably get rejected. I have friends who only have a few hundred followers but they do unboxing videos so they got accepted.
Anyone can do affiliate marketing because it's easy to get started, but money isn't always guaranteed. On any social media platform, it takes a lot of time and patience for a post to go viral and bring in sales. Once this happens, the money flows in quickly within a few months and constitutes passive income.
4. User-generated content
Easy rating: 4/10
Lucrative Rating: 8/10
User-generated content (UGC) is different from sponsored content because it is content that brands can use directly. I used to work for an eyelash company that paid me to create TikToks, but I don't post the content on my account.
I have several repeat clients, which means I receive a fixed monthly fee in exchange for a certain amount of content.
I make about $6,000 to $8,000 a month on UGC. It takes about eight hours a week and can be more demanding than other sources of income. I have to create films that will sell well, which requires additional intellectual power.
5. Animal care
Easy rating: 10/10
Lucrative Rating: 10/10
I did animal sitting as a side job while working in the technical department. I started with Rover, an app that connects pet owners with caregivers. Setting up a profile and doing a background check is quick, and you can start earning money right after booking.
This is perfect for remote workers like me – getting paid to spend time with cute animals is great, and I can still do other tasks like checking on my picnic company, answering emails, or creating content.
In January 2024, I was caring for animals almost every day and I enjoyed it because it was an extremely relaxing job. The only downside is that I couldn't travel as much because I had to be around animals.
This is an extremely easy side quest if you understand the care and behavior of the animal. Pets are very easy to handle, provided they are not puppies – puppies require more work.
6. Airbnb Arbitration
Easy rating: 2/10
Lucrative Rating: 4/10
Airbnb arbitrage is my least favorite source of income – I may abandon it soon as the Airbnb market isn't as hot as it was a few years ago.
How it works is that I rent a property from a landlord for, say, $1,700, and when my business partner and I get the green light for a short- or medium-term rental, we advertise the property on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. We are tenants, but we act more like property managers and then we make money from these offers.
After splitting my earnings with my business partner, my net profit is approximately $600 per month. Because our main focus is on medium-term stays, which require less frequent changes, my partner and I spend about five to six hours a month on maintenance and cleaning, usually at the end of each stay.
This is my least favorite corner, because the financial risk is the greatest – you have to adapt to the needs of guests, and the work is not pleasant either. After the monthly expenses, I don't think the payout is enough to justify the effort.
7. Sale of digital products
Easy rating: 10/10
Lucrative Rating: 4/10
I created an e-book on content creation because many people on social media asked me for coaching. Whenever people ask me about creating content, I direct them to my link so they can purchase my e-book.
I sell it for $20 and make between $60 and $80 every month. I don't promote it very often because I only have it as a resource when people ask about it.
Anyone with enough knowledge about a specific topic can create an e-book or digital product, so it's easy. However, increasing sales takes time and effort.
8. Nanny
Easy rating: 8/10
Lucrative Rating: 9/10
I nanny for a family that flies me from Houston to New York three or four times a year. I stay for two to three weeks and make $1,200 a week.
My daily life is very simple – I take the girls to school in the morning, and when I come back I can write something or go outside and explore the city. When the girls come home, I eat dinner, play with them, and then put them to bed.
All of the families I babysit for in Houston, and the family I nanny for in New York, are amazing to me and compensate me generously, making my job fun and easy. It's hardest when my children are sick because I have to work harder. Plus, once you get used to their routine, he's super laid back.
I wish I had diversified my income sooner
Although it took a lot of effort to build income streams, I wish I had started sooner. I went from making $8 an hour doing labor-intensive ranch work to now making over $100,000 a year while only working about 40 hours a month.
Those considering creating more sources of income should not be reckless or stingy with their spending. Be brave in investing in yourself, your business idea or in others. If your dreams don't scare you even a little bit, they may not be big enough.
