6 Reasons Summer Is the Perfect Time to Launch Your Side Hustle

We know it's not uncommon to find yourself a little strapped for cash in the summer. And it's definitely not uncommon to want to work for an additional line of income to fund an upcoming big trip or to be able to afford that one-bedroom apartment you've been eyeing and retire from living life with roommates. Getting yourself a side hustle is the best way to put some supplemental money in your pockets. It's not always fun or easy, but it can definitely be rewarding.

With summer in full swing, starting a side hustle is as appealing as ever. Have a beach vacation planned but low on funds? Get a side hustle. Want to be able to take a few Fridays off but worried about missing out on the income from your nine-to-five? Get a side hustle. Going to one too many rooftops for after-work drinks with coworkers? Get a side hustle to pad your wallet, and use budgeting apps like Mint to track your progress. If you share finances with a partner, you can even see where your household could benefit from some added earnings by using Turbo's Household Income feature.

Here are some popular side hustles you can start this summer and smart ways to make those dollars work for you.

1. Become best friends with your neighbor's dog. With dog-walking apps on the rise, it's becoming more and more popular to help out your fellow neighbors by walking their dog when they need it most. Whether it be early in the morning, during the middle of the day when you're working from home already, or for an extended weekend, you can likely find some time into your day-to-day schedule. With tools like Rover and Wag, you can sign up to be a dog walker when it's convenient for you (good for in between classes and after work). A 30-minute stroll through the park costs a pup's human $20 (sometimes more in larger cities), and an hour costs $30.

2. Turn that brain into money. Whether you're a recent graduate looking for extra cash or looking to give back academically, there is definitely money to be made. Colleges are becoming more and more selective in who they admit, making parents more motivated to shell out for tutors across all subjects. Tutoring in specific topics can make you good money, but parents are willing to pay the big bucks for SAT/ACT tutors. If you did well on either of those tests, you can leverage that into charging anywhere from $50-$100 an hour.

3. Have car, will travel. If you look at the apps on your or your best friend's phone, you're more than likely to see an entire folder dedicated to transportation, e.g., Lyft, Uber, Curb, and Via. The trend of ridesharing and on-demand cars is all the rage, so why not capitalize on it? It's easy to sign up for Lyft and Uber, with one catch: You do need a car. Once you're signed up and ready to hit the road, you're able to turn on the app and pick up passengers whenever it makes sense for your schedule.

4. Be your own boss and start your (fill in the blank) blog. It's not a simple task to start your own blog and gain a strong following, but if you are a subject matter expert in a certain industry (design, travel, fashion, etc.) and have a passion to share your story, it can be very lucrative. If you're passionate about writing in general, you can also look for freelance postings at your local newspaper or an online publication you follow religiously.

Do you have any tips for earning some summer money? Share them with us @BritandCo.

(Photo via Getty)

Is this the year you make the leap and become your own boss? Having a side hustle could be the way you do it. So if you love to cook for a crowd, know how to bake killer cookies, or want to bottle the salsa that friends and coworkers all say you should sell, jam on. To help you get started or take your business to the next level, we tapped five female entrepreneurs in the food industry to share their best tips for creating a successful side hustle.

Start slow

Getting to the point where your side hustle is your main source of income takes time. Megan Gordon, founder of Marge Granola, says, “Honestly, unless you have an impressive financial cushion, give yourself a break and start slow (preferably even while working for someone else to ensure you have some solid income). I see a lot of under-funded businesses and struggling small businesses, and making smart fiscal decisions for the company can become really hard if you’re in a desperate spot yourself.” Gordon started her granola company in 2010 after making a transition from teaching in a high school to food writing and catering. She sold Marge Granola in 2017, all the while writing about food for income and as a creative outlet. Gordon stresses the importance of keeping an eye on finances. “While it’s awesome following your passion and seeing a dream through, it’s important to realize you may not pay yourself for at least a year (I waited two years), so as unsexy as it is to think through the financial reality, it is really critical,” she says.

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Mary Capone of Bella Gluten Free shared her new #glutenfree sugar cookies with food editor Beth Hillson and me at #ExpoWest. DELICIOUS! No wonder these two look so happy. #aneditorslife #expoblogger

A post shared by Gluten Free & More Magazine (@glutenfreeandmoremag) on Mar 15, 2017 at 9:12pm PDT

Fulfill a need

“Today there are hundreds of gluten-free mix companies alone,” says Beth Hillson. When she started Gluten-Free Pantry in 1992, none of that existed. She’d been recently diagnosed with celiac disease and that diagnosis kick-started her packaged mix company, which she ran from her basement for the first three years so she could keep costs down and take care of her son until he became school-aged. It took two years to make it her primary business, and she eventually sold the company in 2005. Over time and as a result of building a customer base, she found community with her customers too. “Gluten Free Pantry filled an important need for them. As Gluten Free Pantry grew, our relationships grew stronger. Our customers became my best sales force,” Hillson says.

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Roosevelt Square 12-3 come visit!

A post shared by meganjgordon (@meganjgordon) on Aug 2, 2014 at 12:22pm PDT

Allow yourself freedom to pivot

Gordon didn’t start with granola as the focus of her company. Instead, Marge began as a baked goods company which offered pies, cookies, and brownies. “I narrowed it down to just granola a few years in as it was extremely popular and shelf-stable, and I could see a way to market to wholesale clients (pie is hard!),” says Gordon. “Plus, I became tired of all the overly sweet granola and cereal on store shelves, and knew I could make a superior product.”

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Just met the new neighbors for the first time and happened to be wearing this shirt. At least they'll know what they're in for with us next door! 😋 #Glutenfree #ilovetobake #glutenfreebaking #celiac

A post shared by jules shepard (@gfjules) on Jul 10, 2016 at 1:09pm PDT

Be a part of your customer market

Jules Shepard of gfJules says, “This business is too hard, too time consuming, [and] too draining to do it because you think you’re going to make a buck. You may, or may not, but your heart has to be in it to get you through the tough times, and the best way I know to have your heart in it is to be a part of the group you’re serving.” Shepard started her original flour company in 2008 before dissolving it over a disagreement with investors and later creating gfJules, a gluten-free flour company, in 2014. She currently augments her flour business by writing and working as associate editor at Gluten-Free & More magazine, as well as consulting on recipe projects.

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Hey! Marge is now making gluten-free granola (this small batch available online beginning tomorrow!) 👋 to @jmerrillblount , my awesome baker.

A post shared by meganjgordon (@meganjgordon) on Oct 22, 2013 at 4:37pm PDT

Phone a friend

Gordon says that when you’re in the planning stages of starting a new business, it’s key to talk to people who are in the field you want to be in. “Don’t be afraid to reach out! You’d be surprised how many people will be willing to talk with you about their journey — or even field specific questions,” says Gordon. She’s paid it forward and finds it inspiring when others reach out with food business questions, as it reminds her of when she started out and the people who helped her.

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Happy to report we raised 400 BUCKS for Hood River County Search & Rescue in our Gorge Fire fundraiser last month! They brought 153 people to safety when things got real, and you chipped in to help us show our gratitude to the brave men & women of this wonderful organization. And you can bet we'll be volunteering come springtime! • #redduckfoods #elevateyourfood #byok #elevateyourbbq #organic #artisan #condiments #sauce #craftfood #pdx #pdxlife #pdxnow #portlandoregon #madeinoregon #madeinportland #smallbiz #shoplocal #buylocal #womanowned #homegrown #eatrealfood #junkfree #cleaneats #eatclean #northwestisbest #gorgefire #oregonlove #fundraiser

A post shared by Red Duck Foods (@redduckfoods) on Oct 5, 2017 at 2:41pm PDT

Keep your head

While she was a full-time graduate student in 2013, Jessica Hilbert co-founded Red Duck Foods, a line of ketchups and BBQ sauces. She and her collaborators wanted to start a company from the ground up, be their own bosses, and set their own schedules. Since then, she’s learned that there’s no way to get around the fact that running your own business is hard. “There will absolutely be times when the water seems like it’s continuing to rise at such a fast rate that you aren’t sure if you can keep your face above its surface,” Hilbert says. “But then you have a really good day and that water level falls just as fast as it seemed to rise.” For the first two years after co-founding the company, she worked there part-time, working several “odds and ends jobs” on the side as well for about three years before being solely at Red Duck. Hilbert also emphasizes the importance of sharing the wins and losses of running your own company. “I learned how important it is to really like and respect your team (no matter how big or small) as people first and foremost because it makes the highs taste that much sweeter and the lows that much less bitter,” she says.

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Spotted while visiting my old haunt @wholefoodsmarketsf where I used to shop 11 years ago when #adampascal was shooting the #rent movie. Thrilled they carry our @cybelesfreetoeat cookies. We 💖 @wholefoods who were our very first customer!

A post shared by Cybele Pascal (@cybelepascal) on Oct 30, 2016 at 12:24pm PDT

Be Patient

“Tenacity goes a long way. Many people quit. It’s the ones who hang on who make it,” says Cybele Pascal of Cybele’s Free to Eat, a food-allergy-friendly pasta and cookie company started in 2012 that grew out of her cookbooks and subsequent reader requests. It took her two to three years after conception for her company to become her main thing. “It’s really true that success, the kind that sticks, usually takes a long time to build. Be patient. Know there are cycles. And things shift quickly,” Pascal says. She suggests finding a mentor or two who have been where you want to go and can provide insights about what they’ve learned.

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Hey we're at a really huge (!!) factory advising on the printing of new #margegranola boxes

A post shared by meganjgordon (@meganjgordon) on Oct 18, 2013 at 2:04pm PDT

Create lasting relationships

To make her granola company great, Gordon discovered the secret sauce came down to cultivating good relationships across the board. “Food trends come and go, but to really hang in there and become a strong regional (and even national brand), you’ve got to put in your time and connect with people,” she says. By the time she sold her company, Marge Granola, her granola was available in Whole Foods in the Pacific Northwest, as well as in regional grocery chains and nationwide via her website. For her, that meant connecting with customers personally online, [and] strengthening ties in-store with grocery team members knowing “who to call at a particular store if there was an issue and [being able to] chat with them about the weather or their mom’s health.” Connecting in-person when possible with her maple supplier forged a friendship and also helped her better understand the sourcing of the ingredient.

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Look who I found in the #press room... the lovely and talented #bethhillson She is such an inspiration as a #ladyboss #author #businessowner and #academic #expowest #editor @glutenfreelivingmag #naturalproductsexpowest #expoblogger #anaheim

A post shared by Jennifer | GF Go-To Guide | 🍑 (@gfgotoguide) on Mar 9, 2017 at 7:14pm PST

Don’t try to do everything yourself

Begin to delegate functions to others so you can free yourself to focus on growing the business,” Beth Hillson says. By the time she sold her company, it had national distribution in natural food and grocery stores, along with international coverage. Growing and scaling her business didn’t mean necessarily adding to the head count, but rather entailed smart thinking about where she could outsource. “Every day hundreds of problems and distractions come up,” she says. “The more you can build resources like a payroll service, co-packer, [and] sales team, the more you can stay focused on the primary goals of the company.”

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Am I weird to crave banana bread at night? Weird or no, I needed a late night banana bread fix & the easiest way I know is with my muffin mix. Added a few ingredients (like banana!) & voila! Mix: https://shop.gfjules.com/products/gfjules-gluten-free-muffin-mix-0-85-lbs (link in bio) . #glutenfree #glutenfreebread #bananabread #glutenfreebananabread #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreelife #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreeeats #eeeeeats #latenightmunchies #munchies #celiac #glutenfreeliving

A post shared by jules shepard (@gfjules) on Jun 30, 2017 at 6:30pm PDT

Know your worth

Over the years of working in the food business, Shepard has learned a valuable lesson: “You have to stand up for yourself and not allow yourself to be put down. You know what you’re capable of, and never let anyone take that from you.”

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Getting our Monday morning fix. #coffee and #cookies #FreeFrom

A post shared by Cybele's Free To Eat (@cybelesfreetoeat) on Nov 16, 2015 at 10:19am PST

Hire other women

“Female-led businesses have better success rates. So I’ve been told,” says Pascal. “I have an all-female team except for my sales manager. And he grew up with four sisters and a single mother.” Above all, Jessica Hilbert keeps it real. “Don’t forget to laugh. At the end of the day, it’s just ketchup and BBQ sauce. Or cupcakes. Or granola. Or whatever your food business ends up being,” she says.

Find ideas for starting your own side hustle by following us on Instagram!

(Photo via Brittany Griffin / Brit + Co)

Now this is a cause for celebration: after 8 long, agonizing years, the McDonald’s Snack Wrap is officially coming back!

João Vitor / PEXELS

In an interview with Good Morning America, President of McDonald's USA Joe Erlinger revealed the chain’s plans to bring back the fan-favorite menu item, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier about the news. I practically grew up on McDonald’s Snack Wraps.

“The Snack Wrap will be back in 2025,” he said in the interview. “It has a cult following. I get so many emails in my inbox about this product – it will be back in 2025.”

McDonald's

Though its construction is quite simple – just chicken, lettuce, and shredded cheese sandwiched within a tortilla with the sauce choice of ranch or honey mustard – the Snack Wrap has always held a special place in many McDonald’s fans’ hearts, myself included.

Samuel Figueroa / PEXELS

Though Erlinger excitedly revealed the Snack Wrap’s return, he didn’t say exactly when they’ll be back in 2025, citing “competitive reasons.”

Erlinger also addressed McDonald’s recent struggles with food safety in his interview with GMA. In late September and October, an E.coli outbreak ran its course via onions on the chain’s Quarter Pounders, with most illnesses reported in Colorado and Nebraska.

The outbreak has since been contained and officially closed by the CDC as of December 3.

“We let people down,” he said. “I want to apologize to all of our customers out there who were harmed by this incident.”

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