Talking about money is always viewed as personal, even when it doesn’t have to be. This is because most people perceive money talk as something that should be done behind closed doors or in hushed voices as if it’s not the very thing that makes the world go round. But in reality, everybody can benefit from being able to talk about their finances.

Of course, it may not be the right conversation topic on most occasions because there’s a time and place for it. However, the mere fact that people know that they can talk about it will help them address their problems regarding their finances and money management. So, if not enough people are talking about it, take the initiative to start the conversation.

For instance, this can apply to how many people are only getting their money from their primary source of income, which isn’t enough to live a comfortable life nowadays. Realistically speaking, very few people are earning more than a livable wage, and it’s one of the biggest reasons why people are in more debt than they can repay.

But if they had the opportunity to talk about their money problems with other people freely, they might not be in the same financial situation they are in right now. Having other sources of income is necessary to cope with the continuously rising prices of commodities. So, if you need to diversify your income sources, here are three options you can look into:

Option 1: Dabble into Entrepreneurship

One of the best ways to increase your income sources is to open your own business. Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean that you have to be wealthy from the get-go. That will come after, when you’ve already made a name for yourself.

As an aspiring entrepreneur, you can open your first business by selling a product or service that you’re truly passionate about. But if you’re not confident that you can start a business from scratch, you can always look for companies that are franchising their established business models. This means that you can be a franchisee.

A good example of this is if you want to open your own restaurant, but you don’t know the technicalities of running one. To address this problem, you can look for restaurant franchises for sale and use their existing business models to familiarize yourself with the industry. At least this way, you won’t have to struggle with finding the right path in the dark.

Option 2: Consider Making Investments

If you’re not too keen on running a business, you can also consider investing to diversify your income sources. You can invest in the stock market or trade foreign exchange if you want to make short and long-term investments. But of course, you’ll need to learn about how to learn the basics first before you start trading.

Another option that you can consider is investing in real estate, especially if you’re determined to build your estate at the earliest opportunity. If you can score a good piece of land for a low price and wait until the value increases before selling, you’ll have a passive investment opportunity in your hands.

However, you need to understand that investing is all about timing and that in itself has a learning curve. But there’s no value in making easy money, so consider looking into investments if you want an additional income source that won’t take too much time off your hands and still require your hard work.

Option 3: Do Gigs, Freelance, or Sidelines

You may not be aware of this yet, but you’re actually living in a time when the gig economy is prevalent. This term refers to the practice of getting short-term gigs or jobs alongside a person’s full-time work as a way to get an additional source of income. If you’re not looking for long-term solutions to handling your finances, you can borrow into this culture.

In the gig economy, you can easily look for gigs, freelance work, or sidelines that will allow you to earn money for short projects. Of course, there will still be agreements or contracts that will outline the terms of the job, but the gigs aren’t too demanding nor time-consuming to be considered full-time work.

This means that you can earn money on the side without tying yourself to a six-month or annual contract, especially since most gigs will only last a day or a few weeks at the maximum. So, if you just need quick financial fixes, doing gigs or looking for freelance work will be perfect for you.

Having additional sources of income is important if you want to achieve financial freedom and live a comfortable life. This is not to say that you should take on more than you can handle, especially if you’re already earning enough for yourself. But if you’re like others who are struggling to get by, diversifying your income sources is key to better money management.