HUBER HEIGHTS — With prices on the rise, many people are looking for new ways to make ends meet.
News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson looked into whether these “side hustles” are legitimate ways to pad your paycheck.
“The bills were piling up and I think he saw me stressing a lot,” Ashley Washington said.
For many like Washington, this shows a sign of the times — trying to figure out how to pay bills when you live paycheck to paycheck.
More people look for side hustles to cover the cost of living.
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A lot of it comes down to skills— what are you good at that you can convince others to pay you for it?
According to Forbes, freelancing with those skills is the top side hustle option.
You can take on as many projects as your time allows, even if you are just doing it in your spare time.
Other classes like pet sitting and dog walking are other popular side hustles that don’t require specialized skills.
For Washington’s son, it’s mowing the lawn.
“Honestly I prefer to work over anything, especially when it’s something I like doing,” Aisaiah Washington said.
At just 15 years old Aisaiah started knocking on doors with his friends hoping someone would pay them.
Things changed for him in July of 2022 when a man saw him pushing his lawnmower down the sidewalk.
The man asked if he could take a picture and post it on social media to spread the word about Aisaiah’s lawn work.
His mom initially was hesitant.
“I was at the grocery store and he called me and he said this crazy man was taking pictures of me and he wants to buy me something and I said run!,” Ashley said.
But she agreed to let him create a GoFundMe for Aisaiah to help him buy a new lawnmower, pay to get his license, and save up for a truck.
“I think that same night 10 people texted me I was confused I didn’t know what was going on but after that phone was ringing constantly, more and more business,” Aisaiah said.
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“For him to be so young to be doing as much as he doesn’t, I feel like I wish he didn’t have to have so much responsibility,” Ashley said.
Early last year Ashley started losing her vision and went blind in her right eye.
With his mom becoming blind, Aisaiah knew he would have to become even more serious about his lawn care.
On top of caring for his mother, he has his side hustle, another part-time job at Walmart, and school.
While he is in a good spot, the Better Business Bureau said you need to be careful when looking for the right side hustle.
The BBB shared a few basics — screen anyone you plan to work for, research side gigs before applying, every pay to work, and get all the details in writing.
Aisaiah said one day he hopes his lawn care side hustle will become his full-time focus.
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