Your Side Hustles

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. We've been through the horrors in Gaza today, the intent of Trump's EPA to end all greenhouse gas regulation by the EPA, and the mass shooting in Midtown last night. In our last five minutes or so, we're going to end on a somewhat lighter note. We're going to open up the phones for a call-in on your side hustle. What's your side hustle? Tell us about it. 212-433-WNYC, 433-9692, and even this has a serious underpinning. There was a Wall Street Journal story in June that inspired this segment about how Americans are picking up side hustles at a rate not seen since the Great Recession after the financial crisis of 2008, 2009.

We want to know, we're inviting you to say, are you one of them, and what have you recently started doing for some extra change? Dog walkers, babysitters, food delivery folks, give us a call, tell us what your side hustle is, and maybe tell us why you need it in this economy. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Speaking of recessions, the story also linked the rise in side hustles to fear of another recession. Seems like everything from throwback footwear to flash mobs is getting called a recession indicator. We want to know what rings true for some of you. Did you pick up a side hustle because of the economy? Do you think it's an indicator of a potential recession to come?

212-433 WNYC. Just call up and shout out your side hustle. 212-433-9692 or you can text. We also want to hear and invite you to say how lucrative these side hustles are or not. How much money does your side hustle net you a month? Do you do it just for a little extra income because you feel like you want that, or because you need to, or maybe purely for the love of the game, taking all comers? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, or maybe this is old news to you veteran side hustlers out there, but we want to hear from you, too. Tell us what you do for doe.

If you've been at it a long time, we want to know, in the past six months, have you been side hustling even more or maybe less? 212-433-WNYC, 433-9692 with your side hustles to end the show this morning. Tiffany in Bergen County, you're on WNYC. Hi, Tiffany.

Tiffany: Hi. Can you hear me?

Brian Lehrer: Yes, we got you. Hi there.

Tiffany: I am a reseller. I get thrifted clothes from Goodwill or different other places, and I resell them on eBay, Mercari, Poshmark, and Depop. I am also an affiliate in which I promote other people's products via TikTok.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, so you're what they call an influencer, right?

Tiffany: Yes, I guess so, but it's strictly just here are the products, here's what I like about it, and I get commission off of if I make a sale.

Brian Lehrer: How do you get good enough at that to make a living at it or a part of a living?

Tiffany: Consistency. With the TikTok shop, honestly, I post about 10 videos every single day. With the reselling, again, it's consistency in having several products. I'm always sourcing for new products.

Brian Lehrer: Tiffany, thank you for your call. There's Tiffany's side Hustle. How about Erin in Windsor Terrace? You're on WNYC. Hi, Erin.

Erin: Hey, Brian. Thanks for taking my call. I started hosting a trivia night with my best friend in 2021, and we're still going. We started doing it every week. We make money doing it, but aside from the financial benefit, the community that we've built is just so rewarding. We love seeing the same people every week. We've grown to like a really big group of trivia fanatics, and it's a wonderful community to be a part of.

Brian Lehrer: Where do you do this trivia night? Did you hook up with a local restaurant or something?

Erin: Yes, we do it at Greenwood Park in South Slope, Brooklyn, every Wednesday night. They're friends of mine, and they liked the idea, and it just took off from there.

Brian Lehrer: There you go. Aaron, thanks for chiming in. Jeremy in Katonah, you're on WNYC. Hi, Jeremy.

Jeremy: Hey, Brian. Thanks for having me on. I'm calling to say that my side hustle is buying and selling vintage baseball cards, and I started doing it to cover childcare for my kids. I'm fortunately able to bring in a couple thousand dollars a month doing it, and most months take clear.

Brian Lehrer: How's the market for that? Are kids collecting baseball cards these days? I don't know. You're talking about vintage ones.

Jeremy: Yes. The market's hot, I would say. During COVID, it really exploded. Most of my buyers, because I do 1975 and earlier, they are a little older, 40s, 50s, 60s, and sometimes more senior than that. The kids are getting into it, too.

Brian Lehrer: There's a nostalgia component. What's the most expensive card you've ever sold?

Jeremy: Good question. Probably a 1952, tops. Eddie Mathews, the famous third baseman for the Braves. His rookie card is the last card in the set, and I sold that for about $5,000.

Brian Lehrer: Wow. Jeremy, thank you. One more. Leanne in Mendham, you're on WNYC. Hi, Leanne. What's your side hustle?

Leanne: Hi, Brian. My side hustle is I sparkle people with berry hair. It's like hair tinsel, and it comes in all different colors. I can sparkle anyone from three to upwards. My oldest client was about 90. It just makes people happy, it's fun, it spreads joy. I love it.

Brian Lehrer: You get the last word, spreading joy with your side hustle. Leanne in Mendham. Listeners, thanks for your calls on that and everything today, on a very heavy show. Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Stay tuned for All of It.

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