A SAVVY mum battling the rising cost of living has found an easy way to pocket some extra cash.
Sifat Ruponty makes an additional £300 a month doing odd jobs alongside her career and parenting – and it’s enough to cover the price hikes in petrol, groceries and energy.
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The 28-year-old has already made hundreds of pounds by pet sitting, making deliveries and picking up items for her neighbours.
And her lucrative side hustle means she isn’t too concerned about any further increases as she can always pick up extra work.
Sifat, who lives with her husband Joy, 34, and their 20-month-old daughter Rabiha in Barking Riverside, east London, said: “I mainly spend the money on grocery shopping and petrol.
“The rising costs of these basic needs has meant I need to bring in extra income to support my family.
“It has certainly eased the stress and worry during these challenging times.”
Sifat, who earns £20,000 a year as a part-time customer service assistant at Transport for London, finds supplementary work through outsourcing company Airtasker.
She joined the website, a local services marketplace where people can earn money using their skills or get jobs done, in August after browsing ways to boost her finances on TikTok while on annual leave.
The mum-of-one landed her first gig almost immediately and has completed a load more since then, including looking after a family’s pet rabbit, cleaning homes, admin duties and driving.
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She can now make £3,600 a year, which more than covers the rise in their weekly food shop from £80 to £150.
Sifat said: “It has helped me earn some much-needed income while also giving me the freedom to choose my own hours so I can still look after my daughter.
“Living off one income in London is impossible and we have lots of expenditures coming up next year that we need to save for.
“And it’s so easy. I completed a job where I had to simply deliver a parcel for someone for £50 and the task took under an hour so it was quick and simple.
“I do a few hours of work a week on Airtasker, and it is great to be able to do it when I want.”
Not only does the additional income help with the day-to-day cost of living, Sifat, who pays £1,500 a month in rent, hopes it will help her family secure their dream home.
“The goal is to buy a house, somewhere permanent for our daughter to grow up,” she said.
Sifat shared her experience as part of Airtasker‘s Parent Power campaign which pledges to help 5,000 mums and dads by educating them about their earning potential and how they can turn their skills into side hustles.
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SIDE HUSTLES EXPLAINED
Having a side hustle which benefits you financially is similar to running a small business.
If you earn more than £1,000 extra a year, you’ll need to pay tax on your income.
You can operate as a sole trader, a partnership or a limited company.
And your tax rate will depend on whether your side hustle is registered as a limited company.
Trading through platforms such as Amazon, eBay or Depop also comes with different legal terms and policies which you should make sure you understand.
You can find out more about additional income on the government website.
