Need a Side Hustle? Here's an Easy One to Check Out

It could be a pretty painless way to boost your income.

These days, many people are struggling with sky-high living costs. If you're tired of having to dip into your savings and rack up giant credit card balances just to stay afloat, then it may be time to consider a side hustle.

The upside of getting a second job? You get a chance to boost your income to not only cover your essential bills, but also, potentially carve out some extra spending money for yourself. The downside of getting a second job? The time commitment.

The hours you spend working your side hustle are hours you won't have left over to take care of household chores, run errands, socialize, or kick back with a good book or streaming service. And so it's easy to see why you might shy away from a side hustle, despite the financial benefits.

But if you don't want to sink a lot of time into a side hustle, here's some good news. There may be a way for you to boost your income without having to break a sweat in the process.

Put your outdoor space to good use

During the pandemic, there was a big uptick in dog adoptions. But many pet owners without their own outdoor space are now realizing how challenging that can be. Walking a dog isn't the same thing as allowing it to run off-leash. And that's where you come in.

If you own a home with enclosed outdoor space, like a fenced-in backyard, you may be able to rent it out to dog owners on an hourly basis and score some sweet cash in the process. You can register your property with sites like Sniffspot, and from there, all you really have to do is sit back and wait for dog owners to sign up to use your space. If the idea of having to wait tables every night until you're ready to drop or plug away doing boring data entry work doesn't appeal to you, then renting out your outdoor space is a side gig worth considering.

It's not just your yard you can rent out

Renting out your yard is one relatively easy way to score yourself some extra cash. But it's not the only part of your home you can monetize.

If you have an extra driveway spot in an area where parking is hard to come by, you can see about renting out that space. And that's just one example. You may be able to explore other options for turning your home into a cash source. At a time when living costs are way up, that creativity could really end up serving you well financially.

Remember, these days, the gig economy is booming, and there are plenty of side jobs you can sign up for. But most of them require you to put in a fair amount of time, which will mean making sacrifices. Renting out your backyard, or another part of your home, could help you boost your income without giving up the free time you very much need.