What if I told you the recipe for a side hustle that earns you extra income every month?

Mix two parts of passion to three parts of hard work. Add a dollop of luck and take the first nibble. You have your first shot at a side hustle success if you get the sweet taste of joy.

Thanks to the web, finding an extra source income isn't difficult. You have a creative idea. You can work hard. But, when you hold a regular job, time is a perk. So, steal time for your personal projects and move a few steps forward with your plans for a side job right now.

Ideas are in plenty. If you like words, you can be a blogger or a ghost writer. Love visuals? Your studio could be on YouTube or in front of a mic. Programmers have their pick of side jobs.

These five Udemy classes are for anyone interested in a passion project that makes money. Treat the first two as homework and the next three courses as examples of what is possible on the web with a bit of guidance.

From now through March 1, you can get all courses at a $10 discount with code BREAKTHRU!

1. How to Come Up With Killer Business Ideas

Discover: How to get unstuck with a good business idea.

Killer Business Ideas

Yes, you want to start a side gig. But you haven't the foggiest ideas where to begin. Start with a bad idea. The secret to a successful idea is to have lots of bad ones. James Altucher nails it: "The way to have good ideas is to get close to killing yourself".

There is a simple way to go after ideas. You can grab a pen and paper or try a more deliberate approach. Follow a few mental models when you are brainstorming alone and you just might find a germ of an idea amidst your skills, passions and hobbies.

An 11-hour course that is spread out across 68 lessons might seem like a heavy lift. But even common techniques like problem identification need a track. You will also be taught deeper methods like disintermediation, local modifiers, and market enablers to mine for ideas. The course is well-reviewed by the 24,000 students who have taken it.

Try this complete workshop. It just might help you find an opportunity you hadn't thought of.

2. Seth Godin's Freelancer Course

Discover: What it means to be a freelancer.

Seth Godin's Freelancer Course

Seth Godin needs no introduction. He is a unique voice when it comes to any conversation on digital marketing. We had featured this very course when we talked about Udemy courses for freelancers. But the popularity of his preaching isn't out of date. Now it is a bestseller on Udemy with 21,000+ students enrolled.

So take on the practical tips and exercises if you have decided to start a side hustle. As he puts it: "Dig your well before you're thirsty."

This three-hour course will help you develop an overarching system for your freelance side job. Start by thinking about your personal brand and the purpose that will scaffold it. For instance, the series of short sharp lectures on storytelling will help you focus on how you connect to your consumers.

As Seth Godin says, this is not a course for people who seek shortcuts and an easy path.

3. Start and Run a Successful & Profitable Home SEO Business

Discover: How to start your own home based SEO business without any experience.

Profitable Home SEO Business

Search is a bigger engine of internet traffic than social media. Google's algorithm can make or break an online home business. Search engine optimization can be a lucrative side job from home and an essential technical skill to scale any other digital business.

As an SEO specialist, your marketable skills should include knowledge of website design, on-page coding expertise, and off-site digital marketing skills. It takes a few years to master but you can take the plunge now.

A working knowledge of SEO can help you negotiate for better rates if you have some allied online business skills. It will walk you through all the options of starting a SEO business with little or no experience. You will learn how to apply pricing strategies and market your services in the combative world.

At the end of the 55 lectures, you should be able to walk away with a clear path with the help of materials like the step-by-step action checklist for your SEO business.

4. 2017 Blog Blueprint: How to Turn Blogging Into a Career

Discover: How to turn your blogging into a money earner.

Blog Blueprint

Kath Younger makes nearly $40,000 documenting her every meal. It is getting harder to make yourself heard above the crowd, but one secret from her holds true: blog about something no one else is writing about.

So can you turn your blogging idea into a money spinner? Your first effort will just be a grain of sand at the corner of a big white beach. But stay the course and the small blogging attempt could even turn into a nice lump of change, if not a serious income. Even when you have any other side hustle, a website and a blog help you communicate with your audience. Let go of your blogging fears and start with the first of the 48 lessons here.

The course is divided into bite-sized chunks. One standout feature is how Daniel Boehm has gone into a few of the creative long term strategies for traffic. Several bonus features like a low traffic troubleshooting checklist wrap it up in the end.

And if I have succeeded in making you write, then the next course could be the big step.

5. Kindle Launch Plan: Publish and Market an Amazon Bestseller

Discover: How to get yourself noticed in the biggest bookstore in the world.

Market an Amazon Bestseller

Lise Cartwright writes about side jobs among other things. But she is a side hustler who knows the impact of using ebooks for side income. Kindle Direct Publishing has its share of hyped claims. You must put in a lot of work from the first word to promoting it to the world at the end.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to go into it fully educated and informed. An Amazon book launch has its own game plan and this course will help you understand it. The lessons are not about marketing alone. Everything from researching a topic to the nitty-gritty of the writing process is covered.

If you have every researched side hustles, you would have come across Nick Loper. He runs Side Hustle Nation which is a great blog to bookmark and also a podcast that I recommend you listen to for extra inspiration.

Have You Identified Your Skill?

Quitting your job and going to work with your hobby sounds like a shortcut to heaven. But you cannot bypass the hard work. The good news is that with the help of the web and some smart time management skills you don't even have to leave your day job. Don't let your hidden talents waste away. Polish it with a side hustle and find a way to shore up your paycheck.

One of these courses can spark an idea. Come back and tell us if any of the lessons help you to think of a side job or even a project. Remember, every paid course on Udemy comes with:

  • Lifetime access.
  • 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Certificate of completion.

Do you have a side-gig? Or do you have an idea but are holding back? Share your thoughts here and find some inspiration.