Whether you are a musician, roadie, talent manager or anyone else in the crazy and wonderful music industry, you undoubtedly love what you do. Most people who make music for a living are truly devoted to their craft, and enjoy sharing their talents with others.
Working as a Musician
At the same time, unless you are performing regularly and album sales are really taking off, your bank account might not exactly be overflowing with cash. While you know you could probably get a part-time job to supplement your income, you need to find something that is really flexible and can be done either on the road or during downtimes back at home.
Fortunately, it is quite possible for people in the music industry to earn extra money while on the road, or between shows. Here’s how:
Watch Craigslist for Gigs
One of the coolest things about Craigslist is that it offers city-specific websites from all over the country. This means that whether you are performing in Texas, Florida or Minnesota, or are back home, you can check a local Craigslist ad online to see if anyone is hiring musicians for short-term work. Jobs for musicians are usually listed under the “talent” tab, as well as in the “gigs” section for “bands” or “musicians.” The jobs that are posted do vary in size and pay, but if you will be in another city for several days performing, you might find a day-long gig performing at a local party, or a longer job for when you are back home for an extended period.
Look Into Direct Sales
Another solid way to supplement your income is through direct sales. One of the cool things about this type of work is that you can do most of it online, on your own time, and from literally any city in the country. For instance, you can partner with Amway to become an Independent Business Owner and sell the company’s products directly to others. If you are curious about how Amway works, this YouTube video explains more about the company and how you can be your own boss, on your own time.
Offer Online Music Lessons
If you love the idea of teaching others to play an instrument or sing, you may find fulfilling work as a music teacher. You can start by signing up with Wyzant; this site connects budding musicians with tutors who can help them learn a variety of instruments, music composition, singing and more. Lesson Face is another online tutoring website that allows you to work with and teach students all from the comfort of your computer. Regardless of whether you are at home between gigs or on the road, if you have a solid internet connection, you can earn money by teaching music over the computer. For longer down times in your home city, you can also offer in-person lessons in your home studio; this can also lead to taking on other students through referrals from your happy students.
Pursue Your Passion with Side Hustles
You should be commended for following your dream to work in the music industry—you clearly have what it takes to pursue your passions. Now, thanks to some flexible and online side hustles, you can supplement your income and make it possible to pay your bills and even have a little money left over at the end of each month—now that is definitely something to celebrate.
