Four side hustlers share their best $20 investments

With rising costs and high inflation, the value of $20 doesn’t seem a lot. However, if spent on the right things at the right time, it can go a long way. This is what many side hustlers shared when asked about the best $20 they have ever spent on their ventures. The stories showed how even a small investment can help businesses boost their revenue streams.  Here are the best of the stories shared by side hustlers.

Investing in Social Media

Julie Lacouture, a consultant for nonprofit organizations, also works as a potter. In her 10 years of experience, Lacouture has made several financial moves. She told GOBankingRates that the best $20 she ever spent was on a software subscription to Later.com. The subscription helped her schedule her social media posts and an entire week’s content in just an hour.

“I set it and forgot it,” she said in the report. She added that the $20 investment allowed to her go on with her original job through the week, and at the same time, it helped her grow a significant social media presence that brought her more opportunities.

Getting Canva Pro

A full-time travel agent and content creator for the platform HoneymoonAlways.com, Dan Bagby once freelanced as a content creator. His best $20 was spent on getting the Canva Pro subscription, which is now worth $15 a month. He said that he used his subscription for all sorts of things like making flyers, YouTube Thumbnails, proposals, and more which allowed him to land more gigs.

Thrift Shopping

Leverage Planning CEO Rhett Stubbendeck used to thrift and resell online to make extra cash. He told the publication that he started his side hustle with $20. He went to a local thrift store and picked up a few items that he thought were cool.

He got some vintage clothes and electronics and listed them on platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Since he posted decent images, the items sold quickly and Stubbendeck turned his $20 into $50.

Stubbendeck added, “I took that money, bought more stuff, and kept the cycle going,” he told GOBankingRates . He added that eventually, he built a steady source of income from that side hustle.

Getting into Pickleball

A Civil/Structural Designer at Allied Engineering and Design, Michael Chien saw an opportunity in the meteoric rise of Pickleball’s popularity. Chien started his side hustle about three years ago, selling pickleball equipment. He recalls that the inspiration for his business came from a $14 pickleball paddle from Amazon.

Chien who bought the paddle to play with it, realized that it didn’t meet his expectations. Thus, it prompted him to design and manufacture his paddles to make the gameplay better. He says the initial $14 paddle helped him understand the needs of players, enthusiasts, and eventually the market of pickleball equipment itself.

Today, Chein makes and sells his custom paddles through his company, 101 Pickelball. Thus, the mere $14 paddle led to the creation of a profitable and well-loved company for Chien.