I’ve got a monkey on my back, y’all and his name is Mega Millions.

You know how every 17-about-to-be-18 year old says, “Oh, as soon as I turn 18, I’m going to go buy some cigarettes, visit a strip club, (register to vote, hopefully), and buy some lottery tickets.” Well, that was me five years ago.

I didn’t do any of that except register to vote. (What can I say? It’s my civic duty.)

Mega Millions

I bought my first Mega Millions ticket earlier this year when I was pregnant with my second kid and living with my husband and daughter in the place the size of a dorm room. No, really. We did live in a college dorm.

We had to get out of there fast, and being pregnant didn’t help. Sooo, when I saw the neon lights advertising that “Mega Millions jackpot: $150 million” I was drawn in and glided toward the counter.

I didn’t even know how to buy tickets, so I just held out a dollar and said, “I want to play.”

The cashier looked at me and said,”Play what?”

“Mega Millions.”

“How much?”

“Um…a dollar?” Didn’t she see I was holding a dollar? Just give me my ticket!

We did the exchange and I went home giddy as hell. Ooh, I’m ’bout to be rich, I told myself.

When I didn’t get a match on any numbers, I was so deflated. I’m still poor. Damn.

But then the next Tuesday I found myself at the same counter, with the same exchange.

And then that Friday.

I took a break from playing while I was on maternity leave (well, my husband bought the tickets). But now that I’m out and about again, it just keeps calling me, man. IT.JUST.KEEPS.CALLING.ME!!!

I have to tell myself, “Self, the Mega Millions is not a sound investment strategy.”

Then the devil on my right shoulder says, “Have you SEEN the stock market lately? Is THAT sound?”

Angel:  ”But it will rebound – eventually. It always does.”

Devil: “But her babies need food and stuff now. If she wins this, she won’t ever have to work again. That means more time with the babies.”

Angel: “Hmmm, he has a point, Tara. Put $5 on it this time!”

Thanks for reading Part 2 of my “Side Hustle” series. Here’s Part One. If this goes well, I might just make it a regular post, highlighting new or interesting ways to make money on the side. Whaddayathink?

But for real, before I dive into the list of ways to make extra cash, I have to say that I started this post as a way to help out my fellow young moms. But I got a startling look at some parenting statistics today and now my post feels more relevant than ever.

Since a lot of my readers (and young moms) are single parents, I found these statistics to be particularly sobering, discussing the link between single mother households and poverty. While I don’t necessarily believe that a child born to a single mom is destined to be poor, I do think that it is harder, and therefore requires more work, to be a single mom who with excellent kids. I hope my blog helps you in some way.

So without further delay, here’s my list to help you make extra money quickly:

Five side hustles to help you increase your cash flow:

1) Become a niche blogger. Now, I know this isn’t as easy as it sounds, but it IS possible to make money as a blogger. (As I will soon be able to share with you.) You might not be making six-figures right away, but at least at first, you’ll make enough to afford a night or two out each month. To get started, think about what your expertise is and what you’re good at. Like to bake? Start a food blog. Got a knack for finding the best deals on any item? Start a shopping blog and share your secrets. To get started, I recommend you start with the new book by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett, ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.   It’s packed full of info you need to know to get your blog started right.

2) Clothes designer. No, you don’t have to go to fashion design school to make and sell clothes! Lots of online shops, like Cafepress, allow you to design your own T-shirts and other products and sell them! Let your creative side emerge and see how much you can make!

3) Ebay hustler. Shop at thrift stores and see what bargains you find. A friend of mine found some Rock & Republic jeans (normally retailing for around $300) for $5 in the bargain bin, tags still on and everything. She could easily turn around and sell them for $100, making a nice little profit in the process. Make sure you hit up thrift stores in specific areas, however. Not every thrift store is going to have steals like that.

4) Become a writer. I know, I know. The first side hustle also had to do with writing. But, if writing is your thing, there are a ton of avenues you could go into. Freelancing, for one, would be a good option if you have the dedication and the passion for what you’re writing about. Contact online sites and read publications like Writer’s Digest, which give you tips, advice, and help improving your writing. Get started with its list of “Top 101 Websites for Writers.” You can also write e-books, which cost nothing to write and $0 to publish. Check out Self Made Chick’s e-book on building a freelancing business. She regularly makes $6,000 a month just from writing alone. If you come anywhere close to that, I’d say it’s worth your time.

5) Memory maker. Do you know how big scrapbooking is? It’s easily a $3 billion a year industry, with tons of people just looking for new and creative ways to preserve their memories. With online sites like Shutterfly and Snapfish, it’s easier than ever to upload photos, add some decorative touches and voila! There you have your own digital scrapbook, hardbound like a real book. But people don’t have a lot of time to gather the photos, upload them all, test different designs, add captions, etc. That’s where you come in. Offer your services to people you know are busy. New parents are perfect for this. We spend all our time taking photos but then never get around to putting them in albums. Online photo services charge around $30 for one of these books, add in $15 or so for your time and you’ll be providing a huge benefit to people.

So, let me hear in the comments if you have a side hustle and how much it makes you each month.

One of the issues young moms face is lack of cash flow. We’re typically not as advanced in our careers as our older counterparts, so our salaries are usually lower, yet we still need to pay for the same things moms in their 30s do: food, doctor visits, diapers, daycare, etc. Adding a baby to a budget can be a tricky thing, but adding a side hustle to your life might help stretch things out a bit.

This blog is my side hustle. In addition to starting a dialogue among all the young moms out there, I’m trying to make a little money that I will ultimately invest. (Don’t get me started on how worthless savings accounts are – especially the kind with no interest whatsoever…argh!) I don’t have the time (or energy) to get a regular second job.

So what is a side hustle? Basically, a side hustle should be something that you do part-time to help bring in extra cash. It can be a hidden talent that you have, or something that you secretly (or openly) desire to do full-time but are too timid to take that huge leap. For me, I enjoy writing and while I get to do a little bit of that at work, my ultimate goal is to create my own magazine. This blog gives me that creative outlet and in the long run will provide me with a nice stream of side income.

How do you get one? The great thing about side hustles is that you generally make them yourself. Here’s a set of steps to get started:

1) Analyze: What do I enjoy doing? Notice that the question isn’t “What are you good at?” By asking yourself what you enjoy doing, you’re probably going to come up with an answer that’s a lot more vague and can lead you down more avenues. For example, you might enjoying spending time doing your girlfriends’ makeup before you all go out. Why not create a website, print some flyers, and do makeup for high school girls before big dances and events?

2) Discover why you think you need a side hustle. If you’re thinking of getting a side hustle to save up for a big trip or a nice Gucci bag, you might be better off logging in a few extra hours at work. But, if your ultimate goal is to strengthen your financial standing, or pay for some big-ticket item (like a house or college savings plan) then a side hustle might be where you want to focus your energy.

3) Think about your current job and how you could do some freelancing in that field.  Sites like freelanceswitch.com have great advice on freelancing and how to make extra money doing what you already do. Work in retail? Start an online shopping blog. Got a job as a secretary? Put those memo-proofing skills to work as a proofreader for college students.

Next: 5 Side Hustles That Can Make You Extra Cash Fast