Yahoo Finance Side hustle earning Aussie mum an extra $400 a month
Rachel Ben is using her side hustle to help cover the rising cost of living, including fuel, groceries and everyday bills.
Aussie mum Rachel Ben started renting out her baby equipment nearly five years ago and has built it up into a profitable side hustle.
The mum of two had originally received a travel stroller as a baby gift and said it was a “gamechanger” for her family when they went overseas.
After reading an article about people sharing their baby gear, the teacher decided to see whether she could do it too.
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With the strollers retailing for $700 each, Rachel said she hoped offering it as a rental would provide a more affordable option for parents.
“You don’t have to splurge, and travel can be easier, because travelling with kids is already hard in itself,” Rachel told Yahoo Finance.
Rachel quickly had people renting out her stroller. She eventually used the money she made to purchase more strollers to rent out.
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The Melbourne mum now has three strollers listed on the rental platform Kindershare, which can be rented out for $60 a week. This nets her up to $400 per month. Her own kids, who are four and six years old, have since outgrown the strollers.
“Over the years I’ve managed to pay off the YOYO [strollers] and any extra finances goes towards the cost of living,” Rachel said.
“Everyone is feeling that pressure so any little bit extra that I make really just goes into bills, petrol and groceries. It goes right back into my family.”
Side hustle boom
More than a third of Aussies are currently earning extra cash through a side hustle, according to recent Finder data.
Selling pre-owned goods was one of the most popular ways for Aussies to make extra cash, with 36 per cent of those with a side hustle reporting this.
This was also the most lucrative side gig, with the average person making $897 a month by doing so.
And there’s definitely a market for it, with an increasing number of Aussies wanting to shop sustainably.
“According to the Greener 2023 consumer trends report, 84 per cent say climate commitments and actions influence their purchasing decisions,” Green Friday CEO Melissa Drennan said.
“Yet, despite this, shoppers often have no idea where to start because they think they need to ‘do it all’.”
Buying items second hand and renting or borrowing were some ways Aussies could be more sustainable, Drennan said.
She also recommended people consider quality over quantity, opt for local brands where possible and choose reusable products to minimise waste and your carbon footprint.
For those looking to pick up a side hustle, Yahoo Finance has spoken to Aussies doing everything from renting out their garages to renting out their clothes to earn some extra cash.
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