Side Hustles are a new type of part-time career available exclusively with The Sims 4 High School Years Expansion Pack. Reaching the top of a Side Hustle is a requirement for the final task in the Goal Oriented Teen Aspiration.
Getting to the top can be a grind, requiring a lot of work, patience, and dedication. If you’re struggling to get those all-important promotions, get the tasks completed, or even just can’t decide which Side Hustle to choose from, we have you covered in this complete guide to Side Hustles in The Sims 4.
1. Benefits of Having a Side Hustle in The Sims 4
There are plenty of reasons why you should get a Side Hustle in The Sims 4. Here are just some good reasons:
- Compared to many part-time jobs, Sims will earn more from Side Hustles due to regular shifts and higher pay.
- Sims will have regular shifts but with less hours. If heading into work, shifts only last 2 hours each, allowing Sims time to do other things.
- Can choose to go into work or work from home, giving more flexibility and freedom.
- Building valuable skills, primarily Entrepreneur but also Charisma and Video Gaming.
Side Hustles allow Sims to go into work or work from home.
2. How to Join a Side Hustle in The Sims 4
Enrolling in a Side Hustle is just like signing up to any other career in The Sims 4, via the Find a Job action.
- Select a computer and choose Career > Find a Job. Alternatively, open your Sim’s phone, select Business > Find a Job.
- Scroll down the list of careers until you find Video Game Streamer and Simfluencer.
- Choose the hours you’d like to do (5-7am or 9-11pm).
- Select Confirm.
You can only join one Side Hustle at a time. You cannot be both a Video Game Streamer and Simfluencer at the same time.
Be aware that if your Side Hustle clashes with an After-School Activity, you may be forced to quit the After-School Activity. If this occurs, cancel the Side Hustle sign-up and choose the other set of hours so you can keep the After-School Activity and sign up to a Side Hustle. For example, you may have to do the Side Hustle in the morning so you can keep your Activity in the afternoon.
Choose a Side Hustle that suits you and your Sim.
3. Differences Between Video Game Streamer and Simfluencer Side Hustles
The Sims 4 only has two Side Hustles to choose from: Video Game Streamer and Simfluencer. Which one you decide to go with is entirely up to you, but what’s the difference between the two? What tasks can you expect to do? What skills will you have to learn? What do you need to do to get promoted? Is one paid better than the other? To answer these questions, we need to compare the differences.
- Shifts: Video Game Streamers work 5 days (Mondays to Fridays), while Simfluencers work 4 days; Mondays to Fridays except Wednesdays.
- Pay: Simfluencers generally get paid better than Video Game Streamers.
- Skills: Although both Side Hustles require the Entrepreneur Skill, Video Game Streamers need Level 4 Video Gaming while Simfluencers need Level 4 Charisma.
- Tasks: Both Side Hustles share WFH assignments, but for daily tasks, Video Game Streamers are required to livestream video games, while Simfluencers need to post lifestyle reviews.
- Promotion Bonuses: Bonus rewards vary slightly. Video Game Streamers get to stream an unreleased game, plus 400 and 750 Simoleons. Simfluencers get 500 and 900 Simoleons and can receive commercial gifts.
The rewards received upon promotion differ between each Side Hustle.
4. Similarities Between Video Game Streamer and Simfluencer Side Hustles
Now that you know the differences between the two Side Hustles in The Sims 4, they do share similarities.
- Hours: In both Side Hustles, every shift lasts just 2 hours. You can also pick the hours when choosing a Side Hustle, working either from 5 to 7am, or 9 to 11pm.
- Levels: Altogether, both Side Hustles have 3 levels. Although the promotion requirements and daily tasks differ, you only need to get promoted twice from the bottom to reach the top.
5. Objects Needed for Side Hustles
To be in the Side Hustle career, you’re going to need to purchase some equipment, if you haven’t yet. You’ll need the following:
5.1. Computer
This is absolutely mandatory and required for both Side Hustles. Although computers can be accessed at community lots such as libraries, you are unable to write lifestyle reviews at these locations. The cheapest computer you can buy is 800 Simoleons.
The computer is a key piece of equipment for Side Hustles.
5.2. Objects for Lifestyle Product Reviews
If you are a Simfluencer, you must write lifestyle product reviews for your daily task, promotions, and building Entrepreneur Skill. To do this, you need access to “lifestyle products”, but what exactly are these? Essentially, they’re anything listed under Activities & Skills. The following objects are examples of “lifestyle products”:
- Musical instruments (violin, guitar, piano, microphone)
- Easels
- Woodworking table
- Chess table
- Telescope
- Exercise equipment (weight machine, punching bag, treadmill, exercise bike)
- School projects (Parenthood)
- Cross-stitch set (Cottage Living)
- Playground equipment (monkey bars, jungle gym)
You should have at least one of these items somewhere in your home, so you can use it for your reviews, even if you don’t plan to use it. You can write about the same object repeatedly; there’s no limit.
Electrical objects such as TVs, computers, stereos, and games consoles do not count as lifestyle products.
Plenty of items can be the basis of a review, but you can only do it from home.
6. Video Game Streamer
Video Game Streamers in The Sims 4 focus on streaming video games for views and followers. This Side Hustle is appealing to Sims who like Video Gaming and want to make money from it.
Doing this career is ideal if you plan for your Teen to join the Tech Guru career as a pro gamer. If you have Discover University, it’s one step away from joining the eSports Team when enrolled at college and gives your Sim some professional experience.
6.1. Level 1 – Casual Streamer
- Pay: 20 Simoleons per hour
- Work Days: Monday to Friday
- Hours: 5am – 7am / 9pm – 11pm
- Promotion Tasks: Reach Level 2 Entrepreneur Skill, Reach Level 2 Video Gaming Skill
- Daily Task: Livestream a Video Game
6.2. Level 2 – Speedrunner
- Pay: 43 Simoleons per hour
- Work Days: Monday to Friday
- Hours: 5am – 7am / 9pm – 11pm
- Promotion Tasks: Reach Level 4 Entrepreneur Skill, Reach Level 4 Video Gaming Skill
- Daily Task: Livestream a Video Game
- Promotion Reward: 400 Simoleons, Stream Unreleased Game
6.3. Level 3 – Pro-Gamer
- Pay: 61 Simoleons per hour
- Work Days: Monday to Friday
- Hours: 5am – 7am / 9pm – 11pm
- Daily Task: Livestream a Video Game
- Promotion Reward: 750 Simoleons
Livestream games such as Crypt Creeper and The Sims Infinite.
6.4. How to Stream Video Games
Streaming video games is a key task as a Video Game Streamer. It is required for promotion and work performance boost.
Video games can be streamed via a computer under Career > Stream… At first, only Crypt Creeper is available, but after the first promotion to Speedrunner, you can stream two more games: The Sims Infinite and Farming With Friends. The latter asks you to pick a Sim to play with remotely.
You can livestream video games infinitely. However, be aware that doing it for too long consecutively can result in a Tense Moodlet, but this should go away after a few hours.
When streaming video games, you build the Video Gaming and Entrepreneur Skills simultaneously, although Entrepreneur appears to increase more slowly.
Livestreaming builds both Video Gaming and Entrepreneur Skills.
6.4.1. Video Game Streaming Ban
Sometimes, when you’re away at work, you may get a random chance card. Failing this chance card can result in your Sim receiving a temporary ban from streaming video games. This means that you cannot stream any games under Career for a period. After a day, the ban should be lifted and you can resume streaming.
A failed chance card can lead to a temporary ban.
7. Simfluencer
Simfluencers in The Sims 4 are responsible for writing and posting “lifestyle reviews”, focusing on building their Charisma Skill alongside their Entrepreneur Skill. It’s similar to other careers such as Style Influencer, Critic, and Social Media (the latter two from City Living).
7.1. Level 1 – Nano-Simfluencer
- Pay: 26 Simoleons per hour
- Work Days: Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Friday
- Hours: 5am – 7am / 9pm – 11pm
- Promotion Tasks: Reach Level 2 Entrepreneur Skill, Reach Level 2 Charisma Skill
- Daily Task: Post a Lifestyle Review
7.2. Level 2 – Macro-Simfluencer
- Pay: 55 Simoleons per hour
- Work Days: Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Friday
- Hours: 5am – 7am / 9pm – 11pm
- Promotion Tasks: Reach Level 4 Entrepreneur Skill, Reach Level 4 Charisma Skill
- Daily Task: Post a Lifestyle Review
- Promotion Reward: 500 Simoleons
7.3. Level 3 – Mega-Simfluencer
- Pay: 74 Simoleons per hour
- Work Days: Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Friday
- Hours: 5am – 7am / 9pm – 11pm
- Daily Task: Post a Lifestyle Review
- Promotion Reward: 900 Simoleons, Receive Commercial Gift
You cannot write lifestyle reviews at community lots, even if computers are present.
7.4. How to Write Lifestyle Product Reviews
A Simfluencer’s main responsibility is to write and post lifestyle product reviews. This process takes a few steps, but generally doesn’t take very long and is for the most part quite straightforward.
For a list of objects that count as “lifestyle products” see the list above under Objects for Lifestyle Product Reviews.
- Select any “lifestyle product” and choose Write Lifestyle Product Review. Make sure the computer is free and not broken.
- Wait for your Sim to finish writing on the computer.
- In your Sim’s Inventory, select the USB stick with the written review and select Post Lifestyle Product Review.
- Wait for your Sim to finish posting on the computer.
If you have more than one computer at home, when writing and posting the review, you don’t choose what computer your Sim uses. They’ll head to a random computer, available or otherwise. If your Sim attempts to use a computer that’s not accessible (i.e. another Sim is using it or it’s broken), try the action again and they may use the other free computer.
Writing lifestyle product reviews builds the Entrepreneur Skill.
Make sure to post the review from your Inventory after writing it.
7.5. How to Build Charisma Skill
To level up in the Simfluencer Side Hustle, you’ll need to increase your Charisma Skill. There are a few key ways to quickly build this:
- Practice speech in front of a mirror.
- Use socials such as Flatter, Brighten Day, and Compliment. These have the Charisma Skill icon next to them.
- Read Charisma Skill Book (Vol. 1).
- Have your Sim Confident before building Charisma to gain the skill faster.
The Psych Self Up interaction gets your Sim Confident, building Charisma faster.
8. How to Build Entrepreneur Skill in The Sims 4
The Entrepreneur Skill is new to The Sims 4 High School Years. Building it is a must if you want your Sims to get promoted in their Side Hustles. The Entrepreneur Skill has a maximum of 5 levels, but you only need to reach Level 4 to get the highest promotion.
Certain activities help build the Entrepreneur Skill, including the following:
- Livestreaming video games (Video Game Streamer)
- Writing and posting lifestyle product reviews (Simfluencer)
- Selling paintings
- Writing songs via musical instruments (unlocked at musical skill Level 8)
- Publishing books
- Completing odd jobs (Island Living)
- Selling items on Plopsy (Nifty Knitting)
- Selling listed items on Trendi
- Gaining tips from playing music
Building the Entrepreneur Skill is a slow but rewarding process.
Gaining levels in the Entrepreneur Skill can take time, but you just need to be patient and persistent.
If you’re a Video Game Streamer, streaming games steadily increases the Entrepreneur Skill while also building Video Gaming.
For Simfluencers, consider getting an easel or musical instrument. Not only can you use these for your product reviews, but selling paintings can boost Entrepreneur Skill, and playing musical instruments in public can help build it as well.
9. Work From Home Assignments for Side Hustles
If you opt to work from home instead of heading into work, you’ll be given an assignment to complete before your next shift is due. Doing this gets you paid and increases your work performance, so make sure to do it in plenty of time.
Work from home tasks are randomized and vary between the two different Side Hustles, but these are the tasks you can expect to get:
- Upload a new business headshot. Take a Selfie via your phone, then in your Sim’s Inventory, select the photo and choose Upload Business Headshot.
- Spread the word on Side Hustles. Interact with another Sim and choose Spread the Word on Side Hustles. You’ll find it by going past Friendly, Funny, etc. as a standalone social.
- Promote a venue. Head to a community lot, select your phone and choose Business > Promote Venue.
- Livestream a video game. To ensure the task counts, start livestreaming after the task is assigned and for as long as the meter is filled up.
- Write a product review.
Work from home tasks are given out randomly.
10. Final Tips on Side Hustles in The Sims 4
To finish off this guide, we’ll leave you with some final tips to help you in the Side Hustles of The Sims 4:
- If you’re working on the Goal Oriented Teen Aspiration, sign up for a Side Hustle as soon as you can and start building your skills up. This will save time when completing the final task (Reach Level 3 in a Side Hustle). Just make sure it doesn’t clash with the After-School Activity! To avoid this, choose the 5-7am shifts for the Side Hustle, so you can do the Activity in the afternoon.
- If you are struggling in a Side Hustle, you can always switch over to the other via Find a Job on your phone or computer.
- To build Entrepreneur Skill, consider selling paintings for extra cash as well as skill building.
- For Video Game Streamers, think about joining the Computer Team at High School so you can also build Programming Skill as well as Video Gaming, required for Tech Guru careers.
- When choosing between part time jobs and Side Hustles, remember that Side Hustles allow you to work from home, the hours are short, you choose your shifts, and they pay better.
