I've previously shared several posts about working in the media industry, and today I'd like to share my side-hustle lifestyle with you.
First, let me explain why I needed a side hustle. My first job actually paid enough for me to break even, but after switching jobs, my salary dropped. Looking back now, I probably made a thoughtless "impulsive decision" without considering reality.
I call it impulsive because my expenses were enormous. Beyond my monthly student loans, rent, insurance, credit card bills, and living expenses, I also had to help my family pay off their mortgage for a while. In that situation, I was just barely breaking even each month—I couldn't save anything at all.
Before I left, a rational coworker said, "I know this place is too comfortable, but you need to think about reality." But for someone fresh out of school, the word "reality" felt unbearably heavy and all too real. In pursuit of "ideals," I chose to give up my salary, and my monthly income dropped by 10,000 yuan—10,000 yuan!
I once read an article that said: If you're choosing between earning 26,000 or 36,000 yuan per month, and the former is work you love while the latter isn't, by choosing the latter, aren't you essentially telling yourself that your ideals or interests are only worth 120,000 yuan a year? That piece deeply influenced me and led to this crazy decision. Honestly, if I had to choose again now, I'm not sure I could make the same call.
"Because of ignorance, we find courage. And some things, if left undone, we'll regret our whole lives!"
Of course, this was the beginning of my side-hustle life. With experience from my first job and nearly a thousand articles under my belt, I started looking for side work in copywriting and content creation. Here are some side-hustle channels and real examples I'd like to share (I'm not doing side work anymore, though):
1. PTT SOHO Board
https://www.ptt.cc/bbs/soho/index.html
There are plenty of clients posting here looking for talent. They usually post clear information about salary, project details, and collaboration format, with applications sent via private message. (Note: the PT board is a different story and not in scope here!)
Like this ↓
Client information and budgets are quite transparent. I actually landed a project here writing and distributing press releases.
[Project Process]
[Negotiation Phase] No in-person meeting—we communicated via LINE and phone to confirm the execution plan.
[Collaboration Phase] Online contract signing, budgeting, and project execution planning (this is something the contractor needs to provide)
Since it was relatively simple work with about a month's timeline, with the client's approval, we drafted a simple quote. But we still included all the essentials: personal info, company details, scope of work, amount, dates, and notes—it's a safeguard for both parties!
For the press release distribution, I outlined two main angles and nine headlines so the client could preview the content direction and feel confident about what would be delivered.
After completing the press releases and successfully distributing them to media outlets, the final step was submitting the project closure report.
[Completion] Project Closure Report
For the closure report, I created a table in Word with screenshots, headlines, and dates to show results and impact.
[Follow-up] Labor form and payment transfer
Finally, I signed the labor form, attached my ID, and waited for the payment—project complete!
Through PTT, I also picked up a SPSS statistical analysis project, which was a nice bonus. However, projects through PTT tend to have a few characteristics:
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Individual clients: This means the client may not be very experienced, but they're usually willing to invest time communicating since their reputation is at stake.
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Tight deadlines
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Low budgets
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Client identity requires verification, so signing a contract is essential.
[Benefits]
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No extra cost to view project information—you can assess whether you can handle it first.
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You can post a self-introduction, and many clients will see it and reach out directly.
2. 104 Outsourcing Platform
Eventually, I felt PTT had limited project types. Clicking through each one and sending private messages was getting tedious, so I decided to pay for membership on 104's outsourcing platform.
You can search relevant projects directly from the homepage.
↓Below the homepage is where clients post projects
↓Click on "Find Projects" to browse all listings. You can filter by category, time, frequency, and number of bidders.
↓Without membership, you can see the budget but not project details or client contact info
↓As a member, you can see full details and client contact information
You can bid directly on the platform or contact the client via email. Platform bidding ensures both parties have contract protection. Of course, remember to sign an agreement. The benefit of private communication is avoiding commission fees after a successful transaction.
Actual membership pricing
Charges vary by short-term or long-term plans, and short-term plans do include commission. Below is how transactions are calculated:
Since 104 is a commercial platform, transactions incur a percentage commission. The first transaction is charged at a higher rate. I once forgot about this—I bought a three-month membership, took on a cosmetics review project for 500 yuan, and ended up with 500 yuan in commission, earning nothing! After that, I made sure to keep this in mind. Of course, it also depends on whether the client actually completes the transaction.
[Project Process]
[Browsing] Before deciding to pay, I checked if there were enough projects I could realistically handle. After all, I only had time for side work after my regular job, so I had to weigh difficulty levels. But the pay couldn't be too low either—you need good value! And value is subjective—some people prioritize interest, others prioritize earnings.
[Payment] I saw a few projects that looked promising, so I paid for membership twice—once short-term, once long-term.
*Pro tip (don't tell anyone): To avoid commission fees, I chose a three-month plan this year, but paying 3,000+ yuan for membership was really tight on my budget. So I found two friends to split the cost—this way they could also log into my account to view projects.
[Negotiation Phase] I followed the listing information and emailed the client. Some don't provide phone numbers and only accept 104 bids—they usually respond pretty quickly. If you have a portfolio on the platform, many clients will contact you directly with project invitations.
[Collaboration Phase] Last October, I took on a book-writing project and became a media contributor. The media company, being a formal business, sent me a proper contract in duplicate, signed with upper management. It included complete collaboration terms, quotes, payment methods, and breach clauses—very reassuring.
For the book project, with a three-month timeline and greater complexity, we actually met in person. We discussed their vision for the book, then I went home to develop an outline and proposal.
After creating the title, outline, etc., I again made sure to put the client at ease.
Later I heard they consulted with two or three other writers, but felt my direction best matched what they wanted, so they chose me. During writing, since it was a book about volunteering overseas, I conducted about four interviews based on the information they provided.
[Preparation Work]
Each interview was scheduled for two hours. I recorded and sent an outline in advance so the client could prepare and we wouldn't waste each other's time. After each interview, I'd go home and write. The whole process took about three months, and the final word count exceeded expectations. However, since we'd already quoted and signed a contract, I didn't charge extra.
Final Product: Fearless at 19: Chasing Dreams Across 18,300 Kilometers
[Experience Summary]
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Diverse project types and higher budgets—often starting at 5,000 or 10,000 yuan. But be careful to avoid sketchy projects.
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Most clients are companies—Of the five projects I took through 104, four were from companies and one from an individual. Companies communicate more clearly upfront, explaining internal rules and work requirements. During execution, they adjust direction as needed through constant communication. While there's some pressure, remember—they're paying you, so just follow their lead.
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Build your portfolio and skills. As mentioned, since most clients are companies, your work gets exposure. This is a great way to gain experience if you want to switch industries in the future.
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Strong protections. While the platform can't guarantee you'll get projects, if you do transaction through them and a client goes silent, 104 can help. Regarding contracts, the platform offers templates you can reference and modify—different templates for different industries. It's a thoughtful service, though only available to members.
(Contract templates available for free download >> https://case.104.com.tw/contract/)
That's my summary of the platform.
How Do You Balance Full-Time Work and Side Hustles? A Painful Life Story
Many people complain they don't have enough money but spend their evenings watching K-dramas or having dinners. I figured instead of giving up, why not take action and increase my income? I used to think there was no way—I was stuck earning 20k something. But that defeatist mindset kept me from acting, which only made things worse. Through team collaboration, I could spark new creative ideas.
Once I started freelancing, sometimes handling multiple projects at once, some became fairly regular. At my peak, I made an extra 27,000 yuan monthly—nearly equal to my regular salary! With three income sources, I briefly became a 50k-earning young professional (though only for a month or two...).
But the downside was huge: my quality of life plummeted. My regular job had very long hours and enormous stress. After work, I couldn't relax—I had to dive into freelance projects, often working until midnight. Day after day, constantly exhausted, waking early to do it all again. I genuinely thought I was losing my mind.
Also, my regular job and side work were in similar industries but involved different approaches. When my thoughts got tangled, it affected my performance. I had to constantly adjust my mindset throughout the day. It took me a solid month just to adapt. Honestly, it was so tiring—exhausting beyond words. But for survival, there was no choice. (Thankfully, I'm not doing side work anymore.)
