SWITCH FROM PLAY TO PAY

AUSSIES are turning their hobbies into side jobs in pursuit of more money and motivation. Research from web hosting company GoDaddy reveals extra pay is the biggest factor encouraging people to juggle their main career and side jobs (61 per cent) – followed by the desire to do something they love (55 per cent), the need for flexibility (32 per cent), and the potential for career progression (17 per cent). It finds the top 10 hobbies Aussies are hoping to turn into part-time careers and their chances look good as more than half lead to jobs forecast to have strong growth.

BLOGGING

BEST known for his role as Alf Stewart in Home and Away, Ray Meagher now has pursued a new passion – releasing his own brand of hot sauce.

He was inspired by his childhood growing up in Dirranbandi, in Queensland’s southwest. “I used to muster sheep with my older brothers and for lunch we’d have a couple of slices of bread and mutton and to keep it fresh and moist we used to smother it with Worcestershire sauce,” he says.

Meagher says he was given the opportunity to turn his passion into a side business by GoDaddy, which allowed him to set up his business website, with the profits from his Flamin’ Hot Sauce going to charity.

“A lot of people are challenged by (the idea of a website) but I am 73 and only have about three brain cells left and if I can do it anybody can do it,” he says. Meagher says for anyone thinking about pursuing a dream, “don’t wait because you will go to sleep at 25 and wake up at my age. Get on to it.”