Hi, I’m Ariel, Michelle’s editor. Over the last few years you may have seen me here on Making Sense of Cents writing about real-life frugality, living in a small house, and writing and editing strategies. I’ve worked as a freelance editor for Michelle for several years, and recently I turned that side business into my full-time job.
Although I began freelancing for Michelle three years ago, it wasn’t until about six months ago that I committed to doing it full time. Today I want to share the honest story of how I made that leap—from a modest side hustle to a reliable source of income.
Full disclosure: Michelle is more than a client—she’s my sister-in-law. We’ve known each other for almost 15 years. Years ago she and Wes rented a room from us while she spent late nights working on various side projects, and Wes and I often stayed up too late watching Lost on Netflix.
That memory highlights her relentless work ethic, something I’ve come to admire the more time we’ve spent together.
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I had a side job, but I didn’t fully understand “side hustle.”
Before I worked for Michelle, I didn’t read many personal finance blogs. To get to know the space, I started reading more, and I noticed how often authors talked about side hustles as a path to financial flexibility.
At first the phrase “side hustle” bothered me. I’d always had multiple part-time jobs—sometimes two to four at once—and most paid little more than minimum wage, with fixed hours and no obvious path for growth.
Over time I learned the real distinction between a part-time job and a side hustle. The word “hustle” isn’t inherently negative; to me it now means working hard toward something you can grow and control. A side hustle isn’t just a fancier name for a part-time gig. It’s a venture you can expand, manage, and potentially turn into full-time income.
I didn’t grasp this fully until the summer I finally decided to try scaling my editing work.
Backtrack: how my side hustle began.
When I began editing for Michelle, my husband and I were struggling financially. We’d made some poor decisions earlier in our marriage—maxed out credit cards and bought a house before we were ready. Our finances were tight and extra expenses usually led to more credit card debt.
Working for Michelle brought in an extra $300 a month at first. That amount didn’t sound huge, but it was life-changing for us. It prevented more debt and helped us finally pay off our credit cards.
That kind of financial relief is part of what personal finance writers talk about, but it comes from hard, often exhausting work. Between side jobs, family, and other commitments, time is limited. Many side hustles—mine included—are things you manage outside of your primary responsibilities, which can be a challenging fit.
On top of freelancing, I went back to school to finish my bachelor’s degree. During that period I was juggling school and multiple jobs, sometimes working 80–90 hours per week. My husband and I rarely had real downtime together; we prioritized our three kids, and our “date nights” often meant sitting side-by-side on the couch working. He was also back in school for his graduate degree.
Related: 15 Of My Best Working From Home Tips So You Can Succeed
As graduation approached, I had to decide.
My husband and I were graduating just a week apart. He would likely earn more with his graduate degree, and the original plan was for me to pursue full-time employment to help cover our combined student loan burden—more than $100,000 across our degrees.
But I didn’t want a traditional full-time job that would reduce my availability to our children. I considered cobbling together multiple part-time positions to maintain flexibility, but that didn’t feel like a long-term solution. I wanted to make a meaningful financial contribution while preserving family time.
Then my father died.
My father had been ill for about a year, and his passing crystallized my desire to be present with family whenever possible. It also meant I became responsible for his estate, which included selling his home.
I don’t like framing his death in financial terms, but selling his house changed our financial situation. The proceeds allowed us to pay off our mortgage and strengthen our emergency fund—factors that made it possible for me to try freelancing full time. This was a privilege and a turning point I don’t take lightly.
That turning point gave me options.
With mortgage and credit card debt eliminated, and while we were still in a student loan grace period, my husband and I had the flexibility to consider alternatives. In addition to editing for Michelle, I had two other part-time roles totaling about 20 hours weekly. With school completed, I dedicated my extra summer hours to see whether I could grow my editing work into a full-time income.
If it hadn’t worked out, I planned to pursue something else and likely keep editing on the side. But I needed to increase my earnings.
My business grew—slowly, then steadily.
Through my website and word of mouth I picked up a variety of clients. I accepted every editing and writing opportunity I could—editing an eBook for a ghostwriter, compiling a poetry collection for a nonprofit, and taking on occasional writing assignments. Most were one-off projects, but they proved I could expand the business.
Eventually I signed two consistent clients who required regular work—Millennial Money Man and Laptop Empires—which significantly boosted my income. Freelancing still means income can dip when I take time off or a child gets sick, and I now have added business expenses like hiring someone to edit my work occasionally. But the payoff has been large: from roughly $300 a month when I began to consistently gross about $4,000 a month, with my first $5,000+ month recently. That milestone convinced me this is a full-time income.
About the other part-time jobs.
I kept one part-time job through the end of 2018, and I still hold onto one now because I enjoy it and it provides stability while my business grows. Running your own business can be unnerving, so I’m cautious about leaving that safety net. Because some of my work pays hourly, I can compare the immediate earnings from that job to the potential longer-term income if I invest the same hours in growing my business.
Can anyone turn a side hustle into a full-time job?
There’s no single magic side hustle that guarantees success. Anyone promising a one-size-fits-all path to riches is misleading. That said, many opportunities exist: I recently spoke with people making money through MLM, using TaskRabbit to save for retirement, and someone who unexpectedly turned an Etsy shop into a sustainable income.
Personal finance bloggers aren’t selling fantasies—they’re sharing realities that require effort. Many started with a small side project, and with time and persistence it grew into something bigger. That’s how my story unfolded.
My financial future, the side hustle, and the role of privilege.
With our mortgage, credit card debt, and car payments gone, my husband’s income now covers most of our bills and savings. We intend to use much of my freelance income to pay down student loans, though we’ll also take a few more family trips. I return to my father’s passing not to dwell on it, but because it visibly affected our trajectory. The financial help we gained from selling his home is a form of privilege—not everyone gets that chance. It changed the outcome and made taking the freelance leap possible.
I don’t claim to have achieved success entirely on my own. I feel a deep responsibility to honor my father’s legacy by using the resources he left wisely. That sense of duty amplifies my commitment to make the most of this opportunity.
Do you have a side hustle? Do you want to turn it into full-time work? Have you already made the transition? Share your experience in the comments below!
Recommended reading: How I Made My Side Hustle My Full-Time Dream Job