Fairchild PT-19
My Side Hustle High, plus some Side Hustle Resources
My Dad grew up in the little town of Cuero, Texas which hosted a World War II Army Air Corps primary training field.
He shared of watching PT-19’s fly around the local skies and how he grew to love aviation.
Many times he said he wanted to learn to fly and earn his Private Pilot’s License.
He never did.
It’s not that he couldn’t afford to, he just didn’t do it. Dad was frugal and didn’t spend much fun money. He did learn to fly, but only radio controlled model planes, with me being his Flight Instructor. Dad passed the aviation “Bug” on to me, but it hit me harder. I HAD to learn to fly. Not just RC planes, but the real ones, AND I was going to own my own plane.
Okay, let’s get real. My profession has been in education as a Teacher, Counselor, and sometimes Principal. Educators, at least Texas Educators, don’t make a ton of money.
I was married and the father of two. My Wife was in retail, so our combined incomes were not that high, but I still pulled it off.
Oh, I forgot to mention. When I was earning my pilot’s license and building an airplane, I was also working my Master’s Degree.
Yeah, those were busy times.
If it wasn’t for Side Hustles, which wasn’t a term in the early ’90’s, I couldn’t have done it. Side Hustles and some Career Ladder money made it possible. You can read about my more recent Side Hustles at my post, Side Hustle Success.
The only year I earned Career Ladder money (a Texas Educator Incentive Program) was the last year it was offered. I earned $1300.00, the very amount an airplane builder was willing to sell his abandoned project.
My $1,300.00 Career Ladder Money investment.
I’d been taking flying lessons for a year when my little “Jewel”, an Evan’s Volksplane VP-1, fell into my lap. I had also started work on my second degree. I was funding the three through Side Hustles, as we couldn’t afford for me to pull the funds from our family funds.
I was making vacuum form molds for a plastics forming company and antique truck replacement wooden bed floors and wiring harnesses. I also did Handy Man stuff, here and there.
I was working 40 plus hours a week, taking flying lessons, going to classes, and running my side business while sharing the parenting and adult responsibilities with my wife.
I’m proof that it can be done.
I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but if I can do it, so can others.
If you want something bad enough, you’ll figure out how to do it. I wanted to move up in education, I wanted to learn to fly, and I wanted to own an airplane.
Side hustling was the answer. That and determination.
Nothing happened fast. I started my Counseling degree in 1992 and completed it in 1998. I began my pilot’s license in 1992 and earned it in 1994. I began building my airplane in 1993 and finished it in 1997.
Me and my Volksplane VP-1, “Passed ‘Round,” not long after its July 1997 completions. Since the grass is green, I’m thinking Spring of 1998.
I also forgot to mention, my Son and I built a shop in the back yard, big enough to assemble the airplane. That was 1996.
I didn’t keep complete records, but I estimated that “Passed ‘Round” cost me under $4,000.00 to build. I flew her from 1997 to 2009, almost 1000 hours. We ventured around Texas and even from the DFW area to Oshkosh, WI in July of 2003, to attend the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Air Venture.
It was the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight and the 35th anniversary of the release of the Volksplane plans. I had the only VP at Air Venture that year.
Dan Zini tries “Passed ‘Round” on for size at Air Venture 2003. Yep, that’s me on the right, shouting at somebody.
Man, I wish I had the energy that I had back then.
A few years back, I taught a first-year student class at a local college. One of the sections we covered was personal finance. I covered increasing one’s income when there wasn’t enough money.
One of my students asked how she could do that when she was going to school, already had a job, and kids that she couldn’t spend more on child care for. My answer? “You can figure out a way to do it. There are ways to make more money.” Kind of a lame answer, huh?
Back then I hadn’t gotten into online side hustles, so I couldn’t tell her about that, but it’s definitely an option. Wish I’d known then what I know now.
So, do you have something that you really want to do, but don’t have the money? Side hustling is the answer. There’s really no reason that you can’t make extra money.
Okay, Shin, what can I do to make more money? Well, here’re some resources to help you pick up some extra cash.
- Hustle Away Debt – David Carlson’s book Hustle Away Debt is packed with ideas on how to make money to pay off debt. Even if you don’t have debt, you can learn how to make some extra coin.
- 10 Websites That Can Help You Start a Side Hustle – Written Rachel for Young Adult Money: “Luckily, there are some websites that can bolster your side hustle gig, and some websites even act as side hustles themselves. If you are looking to jump right in and start making extra money through a side hustle, here are 10 websites that can help you.”
- 7 Side Jobs to Make You More Money – By Courtney, of Your Average Dough, “Whether you have a full-time or part-time job, or maybe you’re currently not working at all, sometimes you may find yourself strapped for cash or you just have a never-ending desire to make more money.”
- 24 Awesome Side Hustles you can do while working full time – by Lauren Greutman a: “Whether you are looking to boost your income, pay off debt, or increase your savings, side hustles might be exactly what you need. A side hustle is a second job that not only brings in money but also allows you the flexibility to work your full time, regular job. Any of these 24 awesome side hustles can give you the income you need while also working a full time job.”
- 15 Easy Side Hustles Millennials Can Start This Weekend – Forbes.com: I’m not a Millennial, far too old for that, but even this Baby Boomer could do some of these. There’s a nice variety of ideas here.
So, there’s a little about one of my Side Hustle adventures and some resources to help you make some extra money.
Check them out, let me know what you think, and shout back about your Side Hustle adventures.
