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Online side hustles are turning young Brits' passions into profit

Photo: Tim Goode/PA Wire/PA Images
Selling items on eBay is one of the most popular side hustles among young Brits. Photo: Tim Goode/PA Wire/PA Images

Traditional part-time jobs like paper rounds, babysitting, and bar work are fading in popularity as young Brits make money with help from their smartphones instead.

A survey of 2,000 Brits aged 18 to 34, by mobile tech brand Honor, has found over half (55%) of young people now have a “side hustle,” such as buying and selling clothes or blogging, with a quarter (27%) using it to supplement their income.

Buying and selling items online, either on eBay or shopping app Depop, is the most popular side hustle among young people, the survey found.

READ MORE: How to have a successful side hustle

This is followed by arts and crafts businesses, which are typically hosted on online markets like Etsy and NotOnTheHighStreet.

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The reign of social media “influencers” will not be coming to an end any time soon, as blogging and YouTube were also among the most popular ways to earn a bit of spare cash.

Recent research suggests more primary school children now aspire to be famous YouTubers than pop stars or astronauts.

READ MORE: Here are 5 myths about side hustles you can't afford to ignore

Meanwhile, photography stole the final spot on the top five list. Photography jobs have also skyrocketed in popularity in 2019, perhaps reflecting the ever-increasing popularity of Instagram.

The survey also found nine in 10 (89%) young Brits could not do their side hustle successfully without the use of a smartphone.

In fact, smartphones are not just turning passions into profit but also help young people identify and hone their creative interests. Half of young Brits said they have uncovered artistic talents through the use of their phones.

READ MORE: How to turn your side hustle into a legit business

It’s clear young people see more benefits from using their phones for work, with 37% saying their phones make them more flexible, 34% saying they can multi-task better, and 36% saying their time management benefits from using their phones.

In contrast, 44% of Brits over the age of 55 said having a smartphone has not benefited their work in any way at all.

Perhaps this is the reason three quarters (76%) of 18 to 24 year-olds feel their smartphone usage is “totally misunderstood” by the older generation.