‘Side hustles’ more common in Oman

‘Side hustles’ more common in Oman

Muscat: Have you heard of the term 'side hustle'? According to Merriam Webster, it refers to work performed for supplementary income on top of a person’s primary job. And while it hasn’t been researched properly in Oman, side jobs are more common than you think.According to data released last year, the number of registered home businesses at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion reached 13,780. While the number of registered freelancers in Oman reached 355 as of November 2023.“Life is difficult and salaries are often not enough. A person cannot rely on monthly salary alone, and must search for other sources of income,” shared 40-year old business owner Huwaida al Shaikhani.Huwaida, an administration employee at a government entity, owns a home cooking business, where she supplies different kinds of food in a store and also takes orders from various clients.She started her business when she was 19 after graduating high school when she could not finding a job. However, even after getting a full time job, she decided to keep her business running.“Business is a hobby that I have invested time in and I enjoy it, but it also allows me to live comfortably especially amidst rising