Tips for Making a Living After a Battle with Addiction

Addiction affects every part of your life, from your personal relationships to your financial health. Getting your life back on track can feel like an uphill battle as you struggle to find work and get started in a career you find fulfilling. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to make ends meet, from starting your own business online to selling your skills in your community. Here are some great ideas to get you started!

Use Your Skills for Freelancing

Good at writing? Graphic design? Marketing? You may be able to use your skills to make some money online. Freelancing can be a profitable way to make an income if you market yourself effectively and have the motivation you need to work independently. According to Forbes,two-thirds of freelancersmake more money than they did when they were employed. Plus, working from home gives you the flexibility to get back into the workforce at your own pace and control your environment to reduce stress. The easiest way to get started is to post your profile on afreelancing platformincluding Upwork or Freelancer, respond to job ads online and cold-call potential businesses who could benefit from your services. If you don’t feel confident in your current skills, consider taking a web development class or offering your services as a virtual assistant.

Learn About Sharing Economy Business Platforms

The sharing economydescribes business models that connect people who have resources or services to sell to people who need them. For example, you can get value out of your car by giving rides to people who don’t have a car. Or, if you’re going out of town, you can rent your homeon Airbnb to someone who needs a place to stay while visiting your city. Getting started on a sharing economy platform is a seamless and quick way to start making cash. If you have a car, look into joining Uber or Lyft. If you don’t, all you need is a bike to get started with food delivery services such as GrubHub, UberEats, and Postmates. You can even get involved in dog walking, pet sitting and dog boarding throughgig platformssuch as Rover, Fetch, Pet Care, HouseMyDog and HappyTail.

Selling Online

E-commerce is a popular way to make side cash these days. Many people even turn this into a lucrative career. If you have a great idea for a product, enjoy DIY crafting, or have a particular hands-on skill such as woodworking, you can create an online store to sell your own products. It’s easier to get started on a major online sale site, such as these listed by NerdWallet, rather than building your own website. Etsy is well-suited to people selling handmade arts and crafts while Amazon may be better for selling manufactured products. If you do want to try out drop shipping, Oberlo can help point you in the right direction.

Teach Lessons in Your Community

If you have a highly sought-after skill, you can make money teaching it to others.Music lessonsare a common way for budding musicians to make money on the side. This is also a great way for you to get involved in your community and meet new people. To get started, try asking local music teachers if they have any requests for lessons that they have to turn down. If you’re willing to visit other people’s houses or teach online, you may be able to snag a few clients that they couldn’t take on. Advertise your services on Craigslist, set up a basic website to appear more professional, and pin ads on bulletin boards around your community. These tips can help you sell lessons or classes on a variety of topics including cooking, yoga or dog training.

It can take a while to find the perfect job when you’ve been out of the workforce for some time. Plus, getting thrust back into a high-stress work environment can make it difficult to maintain sobriety after battling addiction. Instead, try to find a more fulfilling way to make a living so you can stay motivated to maintain your health.