Have you ever wondered if a side hustle is really worth your time? SideHusl.com researches, reviews and rates more than 500 online platforms that allow you to make money on the side.

Beginning last year, roughly 11,400 individuals were expected to retire every day — a “Silver Tsunami” as the giant Baby Boom generation hits age 65. But what if you want to retire, but aren’t quite sure you can afford to? You may want to consider housing hustles.

Housing hustles involve monetizing your home or yard by renting out access to all or part of it. And since nearly 8 in every 10 65-year-olds is a homeowner, this generation is uniquely well positioned to do it. (Notably, you can engage in some housing hustles, even if you’re a renter. But you’d need to consult your lease or your landlord to ensure you’re not contractually barred from doing so.)

However, before jumping in, it’s worth considering what type of housing hustles you’re willing to tolerate. That’s because each type has its own list of advantages and drawbacks.

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Renting a room in your house through Airbnb, for instance, can bring in fairly steady income. However, unless you have separate guest quarters, it could also demand that you regularly share your kitchen and other public areas with strangers. Some homeowners enjoy the company — and the money — while others consider the arrangement too intrusive to be viable.

You’re in the later camp? No worries. There are plenty of housing hustles that don’t involve having strangers in your living room. Here are the options, starting with the least intrusive.

Renting storage space

The housing hustle that requires the least disruption to your daily life is renting our spare space as storage or parking.

Several sites, including Neighbor, Stache, and PeerStorage, promise to help you find people who simply need to store their extra goods in a clean and dry environment. All three sites allow you to determine what type of space you have to rent and set your own rates.

You simply describe and photograph the space, provide dimensions, and set the rules on when renters can get access to their stuff. You can literally rent out space in your attic, closets, shed or even under the bed.

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But if you have a large dedicated space — like an empty garage or space for an RV or boat — you earn considerably more. With a reasonably large space, you can charge hundreds of dollars a month — even in relatively rural areas. (In some urban areas, space is so precious, you can charge more than $100 a month for renting out a closet.)

You set the rates. However, some of the better sites, such as Neighbor, have smart pricing tools designed to help you set your rental rates on going market rates.

Event parking

While you can rent out a parking space as long-term storage with sites like Neighbor, if you happen to live near a stadium or popular restaurant or event area, you may make more by renting space by the day or hour.

Several sites, including Pavemint, CurbFlip and ParqEx can help you find short-term renters who are attending an event such as a football game or concert. You set your own rates and determine when your parking spot is available.

Leasing a pool or yard

People who have big grassy yards or swimming pools can rent this space by the hour through Swimply and Sniffspot.

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As the names imply, Swimply is geared to people who want to rent out a swimming pool. Sniffspot connects people with yards with pet owners willing to pay for hourlong visits to your “private dog park.”

In both cases, pool/land owners set the rates, the schedule, terms and amenities available for renters.

For Swimply, the terms include how many people are allowed on the property at one time. The site also encourages owners to note whether there are “amenities” like bathrooms or barbecues available for renter use.

With Sniffspot, amenities include things like water bowls, tennis balls and a bench where pet owners can sit down.

Both sites expect renters to clean up after themselves in the time allotted for their visit. And both sites brag that popular rentals bring in more than $1,000 a month.

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Read about more housing hustles at: https://sidehusl.com/housing-hustles/

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