As we continue to highlight practical options of generating income to make ends meet or save towards future goals, today we will look at some of the ways to earn from providing personal services. Depending on your background or natural talents, you may find one of the following opportunities ideal for you:

Self-defence Training

In today’s society, there is a high level of anxiety caused by crime and violence and the perception that personal security is at risk. While others focus on worrying about the problems that exist, true entrepreneurs pay attention to the opportunities that they present.

One possibility for income earning is teaching others how to defend themselves in the event of an attack. If you have training in the security field or excelled at a self-defence course, you could provide this worthwhile service to help persons overcome their fears.

Weight-loss Coaching

For many persons, the battle of the bulge feels like a never-ending war. Unfortunately, it often takes more than just personal desire to succeed at eating properly and exercising consistently. If you are lucky enough to be a self-motivated fitness buff, why not provide a service to encourage others who may find it challenging to achieve a healthy lifestyle?

You could be an accountability partner who accompanies them to the gym and helps to monitor their diets. The great thing about this opportunity is that you would earn while doing something you normally do anyway!

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Life/Personal Coaching

In this age of Oprah, people are more conscious of their personal shortcomings and are constantly seeking ways to improve themselves and experience more fulfilling lives. This self-awareness has led to the growth of the life or personal coaching industry. Life coaching can help persons to improve their careers and relationships, deal with stress and overcome time challenges.

If friends are always asking you for advice and you have a desire to help people to reach their full potential, then this sideline could be ideal for you. Search online for details on becoming a life coach.

Chauffeur/Errand Service

The ability to move around easily to accomplish basic chores is something that many of us take for granted. However, there are several elderly and incapacitated persons who don’t enjoy this flexibility. If you have a patient and caring personality along with careful driving habits, you could offer a chauffeur service to meet this growing need.

You could take your customers to their desired locations, or carry out their errands such as supermarket shopping or bill payments for them. If you have a valid driver’s license but don’t own a car, then simply look out for clients who do.

Personal Organising

If you have a passion for keeping things neat and orderly, and you instinctively straighten items in the homes and offices of your friends and colleagues, then you could make money from this talent. Many people are now realising that disorganised personal spaces can negatively impact their efficiency and productivity.

You can gain a satisfying income by helping customers to de-clutter closets and rooms, create space plans for small areas, design custom storage units, develop filing systems and eliminate waste.

Clothes Care

Isn’t it wonderful when we discover someone who loves to do things that we absolutely hate? Doing the laundry would probably rank high among the list of necessities that most people dislike intensely, yet there are some persons who find this task relaxing.

If you consider pressing a perfect pants pleat to be a pleasurable pastime, you may be well suited to launder clothes for extra income. Some persons are reluctant to have strangers working in their home, so providing a service where you take away dirty clothes and bring them back clean might be an irresistible offer.

Beauty Care

Even in a cash-strapped economy, people will always have the need to look and feel beautiful. The challenge with many businesses in the beauty industry is that service prices usually reflect the inevitably high overhead costs. If you’re thinking of earning money part-time in the beauty business, you can have the advantage of providing great care at lower costs.

Hair styling, nail care, spa treatments such as facials and waxing, as well as make-up sessions for special occasions, are all practical services that you can offer for less, right in your customers’ homes.

Therapeutic Massages

If you love helping people to feel better physically, then another opportunity for extra earning is the provision of therapeutic massages from your home or as a travelling service. Whether your clients have health concerns such as muscle injuries, or just need to de-stress after a hard day’s work, this option has tremendous potential to bring supplemental income. There are several places available locally where you can get training on therapeutic massage techniques, or look online for instructional videos.

The key to making money in personal services is to search for people’s unmet needs or urgent problems and figure out ways to resolve them within your natural capabilities. Next week we continue to reveal more exciting ways to earn more.

Copyright © 2010 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, August 19, 2010