Hustle Away Debt Review
“Side hustling”—the trending slang for working a second job—is a hot personal finance topic covered in a new book, Hustle Away Debt, by David Carlson. His personal finance blog, Young Adult Money, focuses on ways for millennials to increase their income and manage money wisely.
Side hustles are great ways to increase the flexibility of how much you make. This is an important option for the many millennials who are drowning in student loans, or anyone struggling with debt. But side work is, well, more work. Carlson does a good job mentioning the pros and cons in his book, and offers realistic advice about how to choose the type of side work that will fit with your lifestyle.
We did some side hustling before we had kids, and even when we had one kid. This included photography (wedding, portrait, etc.), tutoring, coaching, babysitting, and writing. Now that we have two kids and a number of volunteer commitments, we aren’t focusing on this type of income, but it is a great option for tackling debt.
I like that Hustle Away Debt suggests side hustling for a purpose—to get out of debt. I’ve known a lot of people who felt overwhelmed and defeated about their debt, especially if they felt their income was out of proportion to their debt. Side work offers a way to take the reins and make a dent in debt when you might not otherwise be able to. If you are living off your current income, side hustle becomes “extra” that can all go straight toward repayment.
I believe any personal finance advice is best served with attention to motivation. Our motivation is what will carry us through all the extra hours of hard work and effort required when taking side work or changing financial habits.
Hustle Away Debt is short and sweet. It reads like a series of blogs, with bite-size, easy to read sections. The pictures and type spacing are even formatted like a blog. What’s better than a blog is that the material is one place, laid out in an organized fashion. I’m a linear thinker and don’t like clicking all over the internet (or even one site) in search of comprehensive information on a particular topic. I enjoyed the straightforward, logical flow of the book.
If you’re interested in tackling debt and willing to pick up a side hustle, this book will help you consider the options and pick the right approach for you. Hustle Away Debt: Eliminate Your Debt By Making More Money will be released on May 5, but is already available for pre-order on Amazon.
Has side hustling helped you reach financial goals? What type of work have you done?
13 Responses to “Hustle Away Debt Review”
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- - April 4, 2016
- - November 14, 2016
I worked as banquet staff at a country club years ago to help save for our adoption. It was great money, and it only required 2-3 nights per week…which was no big deal when it was just me and my wife. But now with 3 boys I have no time for side hustle. It’s frustrating because I desperately want to accelerate our debt payments, but it just wouldn’t be wise or healthy at this time.
I love those examples–side hustling for such an important purpose like adoption, and now laying it aside to focus on the family you now have. It can be frustrating to halt the side hustling, but I try to remind myself that this is a special season in life with a young family and try to embrace it.
Side hustling is literally a budget saver. I’ve been freelance writing for about 6 months and I’ve done graphic design freelancing in the past. The purpose of my extra earnings now is to contribute towards my student loans. You are right, it is much better to have a specific purpose when side hustling because it is a great motivator when things get tough.
I’m so glad you’ve found side hustles that are helping to balance your budget and repay student loans.
I’m so happy for DC about his book. Side hustling is definitely a great way to get rid of debt.
Yes, DC did a nice job on the book and I believe it’ll help a lot of people.
My family is living under one income. It’s hard sometimes to make ends meet. To address this issue, I take jobs on the side. These jobs don’t really interfere with my family’s time because the jobs that I pick are those that I can do at home and/or when my wife and baby are asleep. I do bookkeeping or proof-reading, which tend can be done when I have the free time, more or less.
I don’t think that my family will be able to save as much as we can without resorting to side hustles.
That’s wonderful that you’ve found a way to bring in more income without detracting from family life.
This is so important! I like the quote: “You can only save so much, but you can always earn more.” Saving only goes so far if you’re living on a low income. My husband “side hustles” by doing wedding photography and freelance graphic design work. I’ve started to make a little income through my blog. I like these options because the hours are flexible and we’re doing things we love!
It’s awesome to find ways to get paid for things you love! Even if it’s more work than just a hobby, I think it motivates you to excel more in that interest as well.
Thank you so much for mentioning my book! I’m so glad you enjoyed the format of the book. Side hustles have had such a huge impact on my life and I plan on pursuing them for a long time – I hope others find them to be as useful as me.