Three Side Hustles That Are NOT Worth Your Time or Effort

In today's gig economy, the allure of side hustles is stronger than ever, promising extra income and the flexibility to work on your own terms. However, not all side gigs are created equal, and some may end up costing you more in time, effort, and resources than they are worth. Here are three ventures that might not be the lucrative opportunities they appear to be:

Drop-off catering.
Unless you live in a wealthy area—where clients will pay $5/cookie or $50/person for meals—it’s not worth the time/effort to shop, prep, cook/bake and deliver food items. Food ingredients and fuel are too pricey in a high-inflation economy, and you wind up making less than $2/hour for your efforts.

Music for weddings.
On top of the Bridezilla potential, most wedding parties expect musicians to (1) meet to discuss music options, (2) constantly change the ceremony set list on a whim, (3) attend the rehearsal, (4) accompany an amateur singer, and (5) do all this for less than $100…because brides/grooms only want to pay for the actual ceremony—not the consults, prep, and rehearsal. And it’s very difficult to get paid on a timely basis, if at all.

Custom art.
The average consumer has no idea how much time/effort goes into custom artwork. They shop at discount stores for prints (not actual paintings or illustrations) or lightweight sculptures (not actual wood, ivory or marble), so they scoff at the high price. It takes artists days/weeks to complete one custom piece, and they need to be paid for that time/material investment. The term “starving artist” is on-point for a reason.

I have been stacking side hustles to make a full-time income for over two decades and I share a comprehensive list of side hustle ideas that actually WILL make you money in my #1 bestselling book QUEEN OF THE SIDE HUSTLE.  Find a side gig you love, start hustling, then rake in the dough. Who knows? You might just get to kiss the corporate world goodbye!