You may already have a job, yet still find yourself struggling financially at the end of the month.
With inflation, rising house rents and children’s tuition fees, many people now find it difficult to manage their household expenses on their primary income alone.
As a result, many young professionals, and even those with full-time jobs, are now looking for additional sources of income. What was once known as ‘tuition’ or ‘small jobs’ has evolved into the more formal idea of ‘side income’. And this is no longer just an additional income source, as many people are now earning over hundred of thousands taka a month from it.
A recent survey by LendingTree found that 40 per cent of Americans have side jobs, and 61 per cent say they can’t manage without that extra income. The same trend is growing in Bangladesh as well. However, young people here see side jobs not as a source of extra income, rather as a way to gain additional security and fulfill their dreams.
1. Graphic design: Turning creativity into income
Designing logos, posters or social media visuals online- many freelancers are earning substantial amount of money per month through such work.
Monthly earnings: Between Tk 30,000 and Tk 100,000 or even more.
Platforms: Fiverr, Upwork- these sites connects you with international clients mostly.
Many start with just a smartphone and gradually invest in a laptop or tablet as they grow professionally.
2. Online courses and e-books: One-time effort, long-term returns
If you can teach English, make videos or know photography, you can turn your skills into online courses or e-books and then sell them.
Monthly earnings: From Tk 20,000 up to Tk 100,000.
Platforms: Udemy, Gumroad.
Once you create good content, it can generate income month after month, meaning you’ll be earning even while sleeping.
3. Content creation and digital marketing
Creating YouTube videos, running Facebook pages or promoting brand products, all of these are now legitimate income sources.
Monthly earnings: From Tk 25,000 to over Tk 100,000.
Some make video contents and earn through ad revenue, while others get paid for brand promotions. Even youths from small towns are becoming millionaires by making videos on their phones.
4. Website and app development: The most in-demand skill
If you know web or app development, finding work from local and foreign clients is not difficult.
Monthly earnings: From Tk 50,000 up to Tk 200,000.
Platforms: Upwork, LinkedIn.
Many engineers and even general graduates are now earning independently by learning these skills from YouTube.
5. Print-on-demand and selling digital products
If you can design T-shirts, mugs or stickers, you can upload your designs online and start selling instantly.
Monthly earnings: from Tk 10,000 up to Tk 60,000.
Now, with AI tools like ChatGPT, it’s possible to create book drafts, video scripts or presentations in just a few hours. AI has become more than an assistant now, it’s a powerful tool for generating income.
In this new reality, side income can be your gateway to a career change also. You can start small alongside your job, but if you stay consistent, this extra stream of income could one day become your greatest strength.