Many of us have toyed with the idea of earning some extra cash on the side, from selling artwork to penning short stories or even trading snaps of our feet.
Yet, one woman’s profitable sideline has left others envious, as she seemingly does next to nothing and reportedly rakes in £85 each time, which could allow her to hold down a regular 9-5 job, too, if she fancied it.
TikTok user @LatieshaJoness1 declared “it’s a lifestyle” while demonstrating how she earns by inserting a cotton swab in her ear, revealing that people pay for these gross used items.
In her video, she displayed the message: “Your friends all work serious 9-5s and you spend your days selling used ear buds,” as she demonstrated using the swab, then sealing it in a bag ready to dispatch to a buyer. She even adds a personal touch with a card featuring her kiss and signature for those who collect ear wax.
However, this unusual business venture sparked curiosity and bewilderment among viewers, with questions extending beyond the simple “How can I get involved?” One person was utterly perplexed, asking: “But what do they do with it?”
Another commented: “This is the lifestyle I need”, to which Latiesha humorously replied: “There are enough weird men for us all.”
A further query came from someone pondering the pricing strategy: “How do you know what to charge? And what if the earbuds come out with ear wax? ” Latiesha’s response was cheeky: “You charge whatever comes into your head X2, and the more wax, the better LOL.”
A potential businesswoman posted: “Off to get mine out of the bin”, demonstrating her entrepreneurial spirit, while others expressed enthusiasm, commenting they “could do this all day” for the fees charged by a TikTok user. With just 10 ear buds, one could potentially rake in £850 if you set your prices akin to what the TikToker did.
Additional comments from social media users included “This is my dream job”, “Wow, I’m up for that”, “I’m glad I’m not the only one selling weird stuff”, “Stop it right now”, “I’d make a killing”, and “Another side hustle idea”.
While the idea might appear attractive and an effortless way to rack up savings, healthcare professionals have cautioned against the use of such tools for ear cleaning due to potential health risks.
Experts at Harley Street ENT specifically highlighted the dangers, pointing out overly forceful insertion of a cotton bud into the ear can lead to immediate perforation of the eardrum, which is extremely painful.
Moreover, they warned: “Scraping the cotton bud along the sensitive inside of your ear can cause bleeding, which is difficult to deal with in the ear, as well as internal bruising. While cotton buds might look like the ideal ear tool, they are actually far from it.”