I rake in an extra £1,000 a month from my boozy side hustle – I’m doing what I love and have two incomes

A GIN-LOVER is raking in an extra £1,000 a month from his boozy side hustle. 

Brad Crompton distills and sells a 25 per cent spirit while maintaining his corporate nine to five. 

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The 28-year-old works full time in consultancy in London where he has a generous salary.

He didn’t want to disclose exactly how much he earns but the average annual income for someone in his position in the capital is £48,168, according to Indeed.

At the same time he is a director at low-alcohol brand Spirit of Bermondsey – which makes him more than a grand every four weeks. 

Brad said: “I have an extra £1,000 to £1,200 a month or so in my account on top of my wage at this stage.

“At the moment, I’m throwing all the revenue back into the business, but it is really tempting to cash in some months, especially when I’ve overindulged and costs are creeping up.

“I’m trying to remain strong though and keep focused.” 

Brad works on tipple Trinity25 alongside his pals Nick Johnson and Gareth Bell, who set the company up in 2019. 

Between them, they make drinks you can enjoy in the evening “without sacrificing the morning” – which Brad says is vital to his success. 

“One major challenge is the fact that working hours are the same for both my permanent job and Spirit of Bermondsey,” he said.

“There are times where I must work out how I can be flexible to accommodate the demands of respective meetings and calls that ultimately decide how successful I might be in both jobs.

“Burnout is another issue and the guilt that might come with not having the time or energy to focus on a task that I really ought to complete.

“But the satisfaction of being able to grind through and get it done is really worth it.

“And being able to do both roles at the same time brings a huge sense of excitement and energy to my life.

“But then also working a full-time job provides a sense of security and a cushion that allows me to be more adventurous than I might be otherwise, especially during uncertain times around Covid.”

Hopefully the business gets big enough to become our full-time jobs and we can offer employment to other enthusiasts too

Brad Crompton

Brad makes most of his extra cash by selling his drinks to bars and shops, but also directly to consumers, from which he makes a small cut per bottle. 

It’s knowing the more sales he makes, the more money he’ll make that spurs him on to keep going – and the hope that one day the drinks business might become his only source of income.

“Hopefully the business gets big enough to become our full-time jobs and we can offer employment to other enthusiasts too,” he said.

“We know it’s a very tough industry, but we’re very confident in our product and hope that we continue to move in the right direction.”

A staggering 10 million Brits are said to be considering taking on additional work or launching a side hustle to generate some extra income as the cost of living continues to rise, according to a study by GoDaddy.

But experts have warned people should think carefully before packing in their day job for good.

Darren Fell, founder and CEO at Crunch, who has put together some handy tips for setting up a business while working, said: “We’ve all seen those case studies in the news where someone has thrown in their day job to pursue their side hustles full time, and while it’s certainly possible for some, leaping from permanent employment to focus purely on your own business ventures isn’t always viable.

“The reliable income from a 9-5 is something that only a few can spare to ditch, especially amid the cost of living crisis, but the extra income and sense of fulfilment that can come from pursuing a side hustle or small business idea are nonetheless attractive.”

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk