Side Hustles & Personal Finance
Practical tools and resources to help you generate income, manage your money, and start your investment journey in South Africa.
This page provides public information and educational resources only. It is NOT financial advice, and we are not financial advisors. Never give money to any entity that is not FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre) registered in South Africa. Always conduct your own research. Some resources are affiliate links, you lose nothing by using them and they serve to support us.
Income Platforms & Side Hustles
A structured guide to finding online work and monetising your skills.
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Preply
Teach languages online and earn money. Ideal for those with language proficiency.
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Clickworker
Make money micro-tasking (data entry, research, writing).
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Toloka
Perform small tasks like image annotation and content moderation.
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EarnApp
Share your unused internet connection to earn passive income.
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Honeygain
Share your unused internet connection to earn passive income.
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TrustedHousesitters
Find pet-sitting and house-sitting jobs globally. Travel and save on accommodation.
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Monetag
Monetise desktop, mobile web, and social traffic audiences.
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Old Mutual Rewards
Earn rewards points by watching videos and completing surveys (SA specific).
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Paidwork
Find various freelance and part-time jobs, including data entry.
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Swash
Earn money for being active online by selling your data anonymously.
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M4Jam
Earn money with your phone by completing small tasks (SA specific).
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Cloudworkers
Find remote jobs in chat moderation or content creation.
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Easy Equities
Invest in stocks and shares with ease (Referral link).
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Linkcollider
Earn money by creating and promoting links, engaging with social media.
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Vehost
Create and host your website. Ideal for aspiring online entrepreneurs.
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Mzansi Biz 035
Find age-appropriate business ideas and resources tailored for SA.
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RecruitMyMom
Find flexible and independent contractor work for skilled professionals.
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TypeWhizz
Learn transcription and find transcription jobs. Develop valuable remote work skills.
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Jobvine Freelance
Find freelance jobs and opportunities in South Africa across various industries.
Financial Literacy & Resources
Curated tools to help you understand money, markets, and budgeting.
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Investment Education
Learn the basics of stock markets and ETFs.
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Budgeting & Banking
Tools to manage your daily finances.
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Market News
Stay updated with economic trends.
Best Way to Invest If You Are New to Investing
This is a beginner-friendly guide to investing in South Africa based on the safest investment instruments. We are not telling you to use it as this is not financial advice, we just want to open your mind to safe investment options based on practical experience.
I (Lungelo Shandu, founder of AK035) split my investments into three buckets:
Think of this as a high-interest savings account. E.g., Satrix Money Market B1. Pays monthly dividends.
My emergency fund. E.g., African Bank or Tyme Bank. Instant access, no risk.
Exchange Traded Funds for growth. Satrix 40, S&P 500, etc.
See how your money would be allocated using the 25-25-50 split strategy.
*This is a calculation tool based on the strategy above, not financial advice.
Money Market Fund
A communal savings pot where money is lent to reliable borrowers (governments/corps). You buy "units" (usually R1 each), so capital is safe. Returns come from interest paid monthly.
High-Yield Savings
A standard bank account that pays much better interest. No risk, instant access. The foundation of financial planning.
ETF (Exchange Traded Fund)
A basket of shares. Instead of buying shares in 40 companies, you buy one ETF share that owns a piece of all 40. Provides instant diversification and tracks market indices.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The investment strategy shared (25-25-50) is Lungelo's personal approach and is for educational purposes only. The stock market goes up and down. Always consult a certified financial advisor before investing your own money.
Rule #1: If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Rule #2: Never give money to an entity that is not FICA registered in South Africa. Legitimate platforms (like EasyEquities or Banks) will require verification. If they promise huge returns with zero risk, run.
Yes, but treat them as "pocket money" rather than a full salary initially. They pay in foreign currency (USD/EUR), so exchange rates affect your earnings. They require consistency and patience. They are great for earning your first capital to invest.
It depends on the platform (e.g., EasyEquities allows investing from as little as R10). However, to make the 25-25-50 split work effectively, having at least R1,000 to start allows you to allocate meaningfully across three buckets.
Use a strong, unique password for every site. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) wherever available. Be wary of sites that ask for a copy of your ID or bank details before you have actually earned money or opened an account. Read the Privacy Policy.