Economists have warned that human wants are insatiable. That means the more you earn, the more your wants skyrocket, irrespective of how much you earn.
In some cases, the law of opportunity cost may not work as you may find it difficult to draw a scale of preference. But to make ends’ meet, financial coaches have advised that it is safer to get other jobs one can do by the side, especially during your free time.
Below are some of the part-time jobs and services you can render, to make additional income.
Virtual Assistant (earn between N1, 000 – N15,000 per hour)
The required skill for this job is Secretarial/Administrative competence, computer-access literacy and good telephone manner.
A virtual assistant is someone who works for a business, usually in an administrative capacity, from home. The business is usually small, with no need for a full-time administrator and so hires a contractor (you) in order to save money on a full-time employee.
If you are interested, your duties will be typing, sending e-mails, drafting documents and business planning. The more specialised skills you have, the more you will be able to charge your clients. If you have specialised accounting skills, such as knowledge and understanding of Sage or related software, you could easily charge N15,000 an hour by marketing yourself as a virtual assistant, specialising in book keeping.
Uber Driver (Average of N3,000 per ride)
If you have a car or can drive, especially if you reside in Lagos, the best you can do at your spare time is to use your vehicle or others for Uber.
All you need to make an average of N3,000 per ride, is a reliable vehicle in good physical condition with an air-conditioner, a smartphone (or Uber can provide one) and a driver’s licence.
In Lagos, the global taxi app reportedly has 150 drivers in its database and is still counting. The trend of Uber Lagos drivers deviates from that of “traditional” taxi drivers as patrons subscribe. Most Uber drivers are regular people with good jobs, who choose to drive Uber to let their cars pay for themselves. Its unique selling proposition is that it pays its drivers weekly, so you’re not kept waiting till the end of the year.
Private Tutor (N2,000 per pupil or more per month)
A degree, references, patience, and an ability to tutor children and adults in specific areas are the requirements for this job.
After-school tuition is a great option for parents, who are worried about their wards’ grades at school, as well as students looking for extra help in preparing for important examinations. It is also a great option for graduates, who have some spare time, minimal resources and a desire to coach the next generation into succeeding.
Some of the green pastures for private tutoring in Lagos are Ikeja, Victoria Island, Lekki, Magodo and Surulere. Once you are established in any of these locations, for instance, you can continue to build your portfolio through independent listing of services in tutorial education.
Web Designer (N400 – N2,200 per hour)
Here, you need Web design skills, and access to a
computer.
It is one of those areas of specialisation where if you know your onions, you will never be out of a job for long. Remuneration doesn’t just come in terms of cash but also in opportunities like discounted products like iMac, an external hard drive, an iPad… and a free lunch, among others. While the competition is strong, established web designers are able to command more fees than beginners in the field, but the good news is that if you are open to a global audience, you will make more money than others, focusing on local markets.
Health Supplements Distributor (N5,000 – N250,000 per month)
To explore, you need an interest in health, a thirst for knowledge, and an ability to market verbally.
Health supplement companies in Nigeria have grown into multimillion dollar enterprises with little advertising through a heavy network marketing strategy. In the process, a record number of people have been able to turn their lives around by marketing health supplements to friends and
families.
More successful companies have been propelled by the observation that the high concentration of active ingredients in their products means that customers notice a reduction and even an elimination in symptoms, when on their products.
Pharmacists, bankers, traders, students and doctors are some of the people exploring the opportunities in the job. Some of them have abandoned their former jobs when they observed that some of the companies rewarded their marketers with brand new KIA Optima 2012 model and Sorento cars, among others.
Others earn over N300,000 every month or more, depending on their marketing skills.
