By As bills creep up and the cost of living increases, the crisis is on everyone’s minds. You may be looking for ways to make extra money. If you are into your fitness, have you considered turning passion into profit?
In recent years, redundancy and the desire to change jobs have led people like you to train to become PTs and start their own businesses from home or the gym. Have you considered personal training as a side hustle? It seems like a no-brainer. Using your passion to make money. There are some decisions to be aware of, and they are essential, so buckle up as we run through a few of these tasks you’ll need to know being a business owner.
Four reasons Personal Training is a good side hustle.
First, let’s examine why being a personal trainer could be a good idea and then move on to the primary considerations.
One – You are already into fitness and have a home gym or at least enough gym or strength and conditioning equipment to exercise with. If you are short or want inspiration, Miraift is a great UK-based gym equipment supplier. And if you are into fitness, then working out with your clients can be a great way to keep yourself fit and toned.
Two – You have the space in your home, garage or garden. However, you could go to people’s homes to train them, which is great for local business and means you do not have to commit to premises.
Three – It is something that you might have flirted with in the past and did not take forward. If it is something you are already passionate about, the chances of it being a success increase significantly.
Four – You can fit this around your everyday job, or your employment is flexible enough to allow for personal training. It is often common for clients to want to visit you before or after work. Some might drop in for lunch, so this might work too.
But do side hustles really work?
Yes, side hustles do work, and many turn into full-blown businesses. Seedling hobby businesses often grow into larger operations and soon become significant concerns. Some will remain small, and that is fine. It depends on how you wish to operate. Some people keep their side hustle business small because that is what they want to do, and it works for them.
Do you have to pay taxes on a side hustle?
According to the HMRC, you must pay tax if you exceed the threshold for your combined earnings to exceed £12,570 or if your side hustle exceeds £1000. This £1000 is called the ‘traders allowance’. However, the best advice is to find a bookkeeper or accountant to help you once your side hustle starts to look like it might go well and require financial support. A good accountant can help you avoid taxes correctly and ensure you operate within the law. They can help you save money and get tax back for using your home and car, etc. There are many ways for your accountant to help you with money management.
What are the best side hustles in the UK?
There are a few great side hustle options, and what you do will depend on your skills and personal preference. The following were some of the best side hustles collated by [countingup.com]
Besides becoming a personal trainer, other popular UK side hustles include:
Delivery Driver – Turn your car into a delivery wagon and pick up some delivery jobs. This happened a lot during the pandemic with job losses and for people to make extra cash. It is also seasonal on the lead-up to Christmas is a great time to look for pick up. Things to note, however, is that you must check that your insurer will cover your car for this type of use or if you need to review your insurance, many will, but you could need to add an additional premium for goods in transit and business use. Speak to your insurer about this for your safety.
Web Designer – If you can build a website, then you have the skills to support startup businesses and create small websites for companies with your ability. You can also host these companies and sell them website management. This is especially good if you are already interested in website design and coding. There are platforms out there that can help you build without code, and most are ideal for start-ups as the overhead is low. WordPress is one such platform, along with others like Shopify, Wix and Drupal. Your skill level will vary based on the platform.
Dog Walker – If you are active and love animals, then you could become a dog walker. This is a good way to optimise your revenue and guarantee regular income, 2-3 times a day. If you walked 4-5 dogs at once, for example, and charged 14ph, this could end up being £70 per session and doing this twice a day is £140 per day. It could be possible to do this a few times a week. Therefore, this has the potential to provide 420pw as additional revenue if you can work it around your working day. Perhaps this is suited to people with more flexible jobs and in areas where there is sufficient demand. Rural cities like Norwich, Peterborough, and Colchester, for example, would be sensible-sized conurbations.
Gardener – Can you landscape or just tidy and maintain? Then you could consider becoming a gardener for your side hustle. This type of work is more seasonal, but the hourly rate and opportunity to build this into a full-time business are real.
Becoming a PT or Personal Trainer in the UK
So, if you have decided that becoming a PT is for you, then you need to consider the following –
Training – To work with the public, you must pass your levels 2 & 3 in personal training. You can do this online or in person.
Insurance – It is critical to get cover for you and your clients. Injury is perfectly possible, so make sure that you are covered.
Website – Let others know you are available, create a website to look professional and take bookings.
Social media – This type of business works well on local social media, so pushing your service in the area on social should work.
Banking – Get an account to separate your day-to-day from your business.
Accountancy – Get an accountant ready, and be sure to get all the support you need during the early phases of your business development.
Next steps
If you like the idea of taking the next step, then look to gain your qualification before doing anything else. This can be completed online. Then, while you train, you can check that you have the right equipment. After this, set up your space and seek insurance when you open your doors to the paying public. Make sure that you check your rates, and you could try out personal trainers in your area to see what they cost and how they run their classes; there is no harm in doing this before you open up. You can start your website once you start your course because if you do happen to get a call – it is unlikely, as it takes time to rank for terms, and the sooner you begin, the better.
