How to make a second income in Qatar

In Qatar, due to legalities, most people cannot have more than one job. However, there are several ways to legally create a second income. QL tips have created a list of options for those wanting to make some extra cash!

Selling unused items: You can advertise almost anything online. There may be several unused items in your household such as old books, electronics, furniture, clothes, etc. these can be sold on platforms such as Qatar Living, eBay, OLX, Depop, and more. In fact, qatarlivingclassifieds has multiple different categories for almost all items and is one of the biggest and most popular online platforms in Qatar.

Photography/Videography: If you have a talent with the camera, you can sell photos and videos on platforms like Foap, Twenty20, Shutterstock, and more. These platforms resell it to brands and businesses. The revenue earned could be a one-time payment or a recurring commission but this depends on the platform used. It is also possible to sell your footage or photo directly to interested buyers online.

Writing: If you have a talent and interest in writing, then your options are plenty! There is a high demand from websites, blogs, and other publications for writers. The revenue earned depends on how much you write and the research involved and this may increase if you are highly experienced and skilled in a particular topic. Online platforms that may be useful are Fiverr, LinkedIn, and Jora.

Blogging, in particular, requires knowledge in creating and maintaining a website, search engine optimization, advertisement earning, and more, but having a niche and a passion for writing makes this an option for your second income source.

Website Testing: It is possible to earn an income from website testing. The steps are straightforward, sign up, complete the test, and earn some cash! This is possible because to businesses, your opinion and feedback matter. One example is usertesting.com which allows you to earn an income by testing their websites and new features for popular brands such as Adobe and Facebook.

Farming: This is for those that have extra space to grow vegetables and greens! These fresh ingredients are in high demand and selling them is another way to make a second income source. The income earned will depend on the size of your garden and the variety of produce. However, animal farming is also an option by selling fresh eggs and milk to friends, colleagues, neighbours, and others using social media.

Tutoring: If you are good at explaining difficult subjects such as maths, science or a language, then this may be an option to make a second income. The demand for tutors in Qatar is high with decent pay. Your journey in teaching could start by using a platform like MyPrivateTutor to teach online or at peoples homes.

Cooking: The demand for custom-made high-quality foods such as cakes, cookies, dishes, etc. is high. Social media is also an excellent tool that can help. However, it is important to first get an opinion on your cooking by testing it with friends, family, neighbours, and colleagues. Many people in Qatar cook from the comfort of their homes and earn an income, this could be an opportunity to get your cooking skills out there! 

Art: Talented artists that spend hours making creative paintings, drawings, and designs could sell their art as a way to bring in some extra cash. The demand is fairly high and the community in Qatar appreciates such artistic talents. Social media can also be used to display your artworks and build a following to help make this a consistent second income source.

App Developer: Programmers and coding geeks! This is your opportunity to use your skills and develop an app or a game to earn a second income. The demand for this skill is particularly high, almost every business has an app and requires programming to keep up with the competition. There are plenty of online services that can help boost your income.

Paid Surveys: This is for those wanting to slowly but surely increase their income and avoid responsibilities like keeping track of trends, customers, selling, etc., completing online surveys is time-efficient and gives you much freedom. Opinionoutpost is a platform where this is possible.

Streaming: It is possible to earn a secondary income using online platforms such as Youtube and Twitch. Once you’ve built up a following, revenue earned could be huge. However, it requires a lot of consistency and dedication to build a following and get your content out there. 

Here are some ideas to attract viewers and possibly make a following: Gaming content, funny animal videos, how-to videos, product reviews and sponsorships, and collaboration with other content creators/streamers. 

The most common way streamers earn an income is from Twitch subscriptions, donations, advertisements, and merchandise sales.

Craft: For those gifted with their hands, this is a great opportunity to get your craft out there! The demand is surprisingly high and depending on your skills and personality, this could turn into a very successful second income option. 

In 2018, Mariam Al Majid, a fashion design student at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, decided to use her skills in crafting and designing by making paper and fabric wraps, customised cards, and gift-wrapping.

She realised that the market lacked such skills and that the demand was fairly high. This eventually turned out to become a successful business. However, this is just one example of using your skills to make an income and taking advantage of an opportunity.

The steps required to successfully earn a second income

Skill recognition: To make a consistent second income, it is important to recognise your skills. Once you’ve recognised your skills, it is important to plan out how to execute and where to promote them. 

Planning: Create a plan that details every step to be taken for success. For example:

1. What is it you will provide and to who?
2. How do you plan to promote and get your skills out there?
3. Are there costs involved? If so, how much?
4. The objectives, goals, and targets to be met.

Marketing: The opportunities and threats that can affect your demand must be considered. It is also important to be different from the competition and to display this difference to the customer.

Initiation: Once the plan has commenced, experiment, learn from the experiences, and with proper evaluation make the necessary changes during the process.

Kindly note, to check with your employer/HR before engaging in any additional income-generating activities.

Do you know of any other ways to make additional income legally in Qatar? Let us know in the comments below.

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Inline image source: Gulf Times