The side hustle is no longer on the side
Not so long ago, a side hustle was just that. On the side. Extra money to make the month easier, pay for something you wanted or give you a little breathing room.
That’s changing.
Today, earning a living doesn’t always come neatly packaged in one salary. It might be a salary and a small business. Day job plus consulting. Selling online. Content creation. Or all of those things.
The latest Old Mutual Savings & Investment Monitor (OMSIM) shows how quickly this way of earning is becoming part of everyday life for South Africans.
61% now earn income from more than one source, up from 57% a year ago. 48% own or co-own a business. And 51% are monetising social media platforms, compared with 37% in 2025.
People aren’t waiting for one salary to do everything. They’re finding new ways to earn, using their skills, imagination and technology. It’s a mindset that’s very South African and we’re good at it.
BUT there’s a big difference between earning more and building more.
Anyone who has ever earned a little extra knows how quickly it can disappear. Groceries. School costs. Fuel. Repairs. Medical costs. Things your kids just “really, really” want.
And that’s ok. But when even a small part of it can be held back, it can start doing something different.
It can build.
It can become an emergency fund. Pay down expensive debt. Start an investment. Contribute to growing a small business. Over time, money earned on the side can start building something that lasts.
And there are signs that this is already happening.
6 in 10 people with additional jobs say that income has increased over the past year. Three out of four business owners report that their businesses are performing better. And the proportion of consumers earning meaningful income through digital channels has grown from 16% to 27% in a year.
The pressure is real. But so is the resilience. And so is the progress.
The side hustle has grown up. Now it’s time to make it count.
Click here to learn more about the Old Mutual Savings & Investment Monitor (OMSIM).
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