The world is chaotic, groceries cost what vacations used to, and many of us are digging deep into our pockets, and then deeper into our imaginations. We are dreaming about taking our finances into our own hands, preferably hands that can also hold coffee.

Food trucks, tiny shops, porch stands filled with cake pops and cookies—small businesses are blooming everywhere. Yard sales, once reserved for moving day or sorting through a life’s changes, appear more often now. Resale is its own little universe, with Facebook Marketplace and countless other platforms giving almost everything a second chance.

Some people want a traditional job in a brick-and-mortar place. Others dream of working from home in slippers, with no commute beyond the coffee pot. My own side hustle is a resale booth in a shop downtown, stocked with vintage finds gathered while doing what I love: thrifting and wandering flea markets.

It is no small commitment. Finding, hauling, cleaning, repairing, pricing, and arranging those treasures can turn joy into chores… especially as I get older. A booth may be called a side gig, but if you expect it to make money, it asks for real-job energy.

My sister dreamed of having a baked goods stand, but she passed away before she could see it come to fruition. I think of her when I see today’s cheerful little stands. Part of me wonders if I could carry that dream forward, but reality taps me on the shoulder: I live in a tiny house, my kitchen is smaller than some closets, and enthusiasm for sweets does not automatically make one a master baker.

A food truck once floated through my mind, too. Both of my sons are chefs, so the idea had flavor. What it lacked was enough do-re-mi to put the dream on wheels.

If I am honest, my side gig idea is quieter… a column to write, books that earn their keep, words that pay for a little travel. I still sell pieces from my collections online now and then, although every no-show buyer is a reminder that even a virtual storefront can test your patience.

So, I am looking for work I can do mostly from home… something that leaves room for a life, not just a living. To each their own hustle. Still, every tiny entrepreneur I see gives me hope. Maybe the dream is not to work every hour under the sun, but to find the thing worth moonlighting and dare to give it a go…