I Tested ChatGPT’s 10-Hour Plan for Making $1,500 Monthly With a Side Hustle
If only money actually grew on trees. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, so the only thing you’ll be able to put in your bank account is the fruit of your labor.
As inflation continues to stretch household budgets and more people look for flexible ways to increase their income, side hustles remain one of the most popular strategies for earning extra cash.
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Therefore, I asked ChatGPT to create a step-by-step side hustler roadmap designed to generate $1,500 a month in extra income while working just 10 hours per week. Could artificial intelligence provide a practical blueprint for building a profitable side hustle, or would the advice be too generic to be useful? Ultimately, the results were a little from column A and a little from column B.
Step 1: Evaluate Your Skills and Generate Fast Cash
Considering the typical side hustler earns $1,122 per month working 11 to 16 hours per week, according to a recent survey by Side Hustle Nation, you’ll have to boost your efforts slightly to beat the average and get to $1,500. ChatGPT suggested devoting three months to building a solid foundation for your long-term gig while generating some quick cash.
To do this, you can start by listing skills that might help you land side gigs that could realistically pay $37.50 per hour (that's $1,500 divided by 40 hours per month). If you have an academic background or professional license or certification, a tutoring platform like Varsity Tutors might be a good place to start. If you're a programmer or a creative, a money whiz or social media maven, get on freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. You might even do some pro bono work for a charitable organization. The goal here is to identify markets for your skills and start building a portfolio of work.
In the meantime, consider signing up for a quick-start side gig like rideshare or deliveries. The extra cash will help tide you over while you develop your long-term plan.
Step 2: Choose Your Side Hustle and Raise Your Rates
By month four, you should have a good sense of what's working and what isn't. ChatGPT said this is the time to "pick one lane." Over the next four months, shift your efforts from freelance platforms to marketing directly to potential clients.
With that shift comes a rate increase -- no more competing against freelancers willing to work for peanuts. Not surprisingly, the chatbot suggested using AI to "speed delivery without sacrificing quality" as you craft marketing materials like email and social media posts.
Step 3: Create Your Systems
Your business needs standard operating procedures, a budget, an efficient workflow and a marketing funnel. ChatGPT recommended getting these systems in place by month nine so you can scale up quickly.
At the same time, look for opportunities to "productize" your services. For instance, a web designer might create a four-page starter package that includes a template-based homepage and "About," "Products" and "Contact Us" pages for a flat fee.
How To Decide if This Plan Is Right for You
ChatGPT ignored important considerations like taxes, business insurance (risk mitigation), and the potential for burnout. It's a good idea to ask yourself whether these aspects of a side hustle align with your goals and other priorities. If they do, then full speed ahead. If they don't, you can always continue your quick moneymaker or platform work while you revise your long-term plan.
Daria Uhlig contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. It was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy; however, AI-generated content may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated. You should independently verify important information through reliable sources before making any decisions based on this content.
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