How much are you really earning from your side hustle?

So you’ve started a side hustle - But what’s the real payoff?

Freelancing. Reselling. Tutoring. Online stores. Side hustles come in many shapes and sizes and they're now more popular than ever.

In fact, over 7.5 million people in the UK now have some form of side income. Whether you're looking to escape the 9-5 rat race, build a business, or just make ends meet, a side hustle can be a powerful financial tool.

But here’s the part that many people overlook: Your top-line revenue isn't the full story.

That £2,000 you made last month? That’s great! But that’s not what you actually earned.

Gross vs net: The hidden story behind your income

When we talk about income, most people think in gross terms, the total amount earned before anything gets taken away.

But when it comes to side hustles, there are a lot of “hidden drains” on that number:

• Business expenses – software, tools, transaction fees, marketing spend

• Time spent – unpaid admin, emails, revisions, customer support

• Taxes – self-employed tax, National Insurance contributions

• Mental energy – context switching, stress, and burnout all carry a cost

That’s why it’s so important to understand your net income, which is what you actually take home, and your effective hourly rate.

Real-world example: Side hustle breakdown

Let’s say you’re freelancing on the side while working full-time. Last month you:

• Invoiced £2,000 for design work

• Spent £300 on tools, subscriptions, and stock images

• Estimate a tax rate of 20%

• Worked 10 hours/week for 4 weeks (40 hours total)

Here’s the breakdown:

• Gross revenue - £2,000

• Expenses - £300

• Net profit - £1,700

• Estimated tax (20%) - £340

• Take-Home pay - £1,360

• Effective hourly rate - £34/hour

So instead of “£2,000 a month” — you’re really bringing home £1,360, or £34 per hour of actual work.

Still great? Probably.

But now you’re dealing in reality, not assumptions.

Why you need to track this

Knowing your true take-home income is the difference between:

❌ Charging £500 for a project and working 25 hours (earning £13/hour)
✅ Charging £500 and working 5 hours (earning £100/hour)

This insight helps you:

• Price your time better

• Avoid burnout

• Drop low-value clients

• Raise rates with confidence

• Plan for taxes and savings properly

And once you know your numbers, you can make smart decisions — whether that’s scaling up, outsourcing, or pivoting to a different income stream.

Meet SideCalc: Your side hustle reality check

We built SideCalc to help you do the maths, fast.

Instead of messing around with spreadsheets or guessing, you just plug in your:

• Monthly income

• Business expenses

• Estimated tax rate

• Hours worked

And SideCalc will show you:

• Your net monthly profit

• Your estimated tax

• Your true take-home pay

• Your effective hourly rate

It’s simple, free, and takes 30 seconds.

🤖 👉 Try it now and see what you really earn.

What most people miss

Let’s be honest: it’s easy to feel like your side hustle is going great when the money’s coming in.

But a few mistakes can lead to a very different reality:

• You’re working more hours than you think

• You forgot about tax (and now it’s April…)

• You’re buying tools and subscriptions you don’t use

• You’re pricing based on emotion, not value

Sound familiar?

Even if you love the work, your side hustle needs to be sustainable — financially and mentally.

That starts with clarity. That starts with numbers.

Final thought

A side hustle can be a launchpad to financial freedom, creative fulfillment, and long-term independence. But don’t fall into the trap of focusing only on revenue.

What really matters is:

What do you take home? And is it worth the time?

So before you invoice another client or set your next price...

Run your numbers with SideCalc.

Your future self will thank you.

FAQs

How do I calculate my side hustle income?
Use a tool like SideCalc — enter your income, expenses, and hours worked, and it will estimate your take-home pay and hourly rate.

Does this work for part-time freelancing or full-time self-employed?
Yes! SideCalc works whether you're doing a few hours on evenings/weekends or running a full-time solo business.

Is this just for UK users?
SideCalc is designed with UK tax rates in mind, but you can adjust the tax % manually to suit any region.