As the cost of living rises and job uncertainty increases, more women are turning to side hustles out of necessity. Bankrate's Side Hustle Survey finds 27% of U.S. adults earn income from a secondary source beyond their full-time job. Many workers navigate informal or low-wage digital labor that demands constant online engagement but yields minimal return, perpetuating income gaps. Side hustles can offer flexibility but often cause burnout without financial freedom. The creator economy expands opportunities for side hustles to become viable alternatives when paired with passive income systems. Affiliate marketing enables commissions by sharing product links that lead to purchases.
As the cost of living rises, and job uncertainty is also increasing across industries, more women are turning to side hustles not as a choice, but as a necessity. According to Bankrate's most recent Side Hustle Survey, 27% of U.S. adults (more than one in four) report earning income from a secondary source beyond their full-time job. But even as side hustling becomes increasingly normalized, the income gap persists. Many workers are still navigating informal or low-wage digital labor that demands constant online engagement but yields minimal return.
However, the creator economy is broadening the space for certain side hustles to evolve into viable alternatives to traditional employment, especially when paired with systems that generate multiple streams of passive income, where earnings are not tied to an hourly rate. I sat down with Ella Maegraith, a content creator who transformed what began as a creative outlet into a sustainable digital business. What started as casual content creation has grown into a network of low-cost income streams that now generate at least $2,000 a month, including affiliate partnerships, brand deals, and advertising revenue.
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