Gavin and Stacey star shares secrets of her ‘side hustles’

The survey , conducted by YouGov on behalf of Lloyds Banking Group, also found that one in 10 people in the UK are investing their side hustle income to grow their future wealth. However, this figure is much lower in Scotland with only 6 per cent doing the same.

Nearly one in five women (17 per cent) in the UK have a side hustle, rising to one in four (26 per cent) among Gen Z. In Scotland, one in seven (15 per cent) of women currently have a side hustle.

Joanna Page, who is set to feature in the upcoming series of Taskmaster, is no stranger to balancing a busy professional life with raising four children. From her early days working in a shoe shop while attending drama school, she has always embraced side hustles. Most recently, she’s been writing her autobiography ‘Lush!’ in unexpected locations, from pub car parks to her driveway.

Joanna said: “I wish I’d learned about investing earlier. What matters most is simply getting started - you don’t need everything to be perfect or to have a flawless plan. Even small steps count. The real progress comes from being consistent and putting in the effort. Before long, those efforts add up and you’ll find yourself moving closer to the life you want.”

Half of women with side hustles say they started one to increase their disposable income and one in 10 are hoping it becomes a full-time job, according to the research.

Saving for the long-term is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have become side-hustlers. Scottish Widows’ latest Women and Retirement Report found that women are on track to retire with £13,000 a year, £6,000 less than men.

Many financial providers, including Scottish Widows, offer a range of investment products to give people choice, whether they are first-time or seasoned investors. For example, Scottish Widows’ app users can access products including Ready-Made Investments, stocks and shares ISAs and SIPPs, as well as a range of digital tools to help customers see how their money could grow if they invested it.

Susan Hope, savings expert with Scottish Widows, said: “A side hustle can be a practical way to boost your income no matter what your situation is. Investing the income from your side hustle is a smart way to make your money work harder for you and grow over the longer term, helping you achieve your long-term financial goals. Thinking of investing as a side hustle could also help people build up their financial resilience, to face into life’s unexpected costs. It’s about small amounts that add up over time.”

Almost one in four (24 per cent) of women in Scotland make or expect to make under £50 per month, 30 per cent between £50 and £100, and 21 per cent bring in between £100 and £300.