Podcasts are all the rage, and they’re poised to become even more popular in 2025. As many as 141 million Americans are projected to listen to podcasts in 2025, according to data from Emarketer. That’s up from 135.4 million in 2024.

For those making podcasts, the venture is not without its challenges. “In the beginning, everyone’s excited to start their podcast,” says Angelique Rewers, CEO and founder of small business consulting firm BoldHaus. “And then they realize what a grind it really is.”

That’s why for anyone considering picking up a side hustle in 2025, Rewers says, “being a podcast assistant is a huge opportunity” that’s growing in demand. Here’s what the gig could look like and how to dive in.

Podcast assistants take on any of the various tasks of producing a podcast.

They could be responsible for researching and booking guests, answering emails, editing audio and posting the finished product, marketing the show across social media and traditional media, writing up show notes, finding brand deals, etc.

Many podcasters are also “starting with video,” says Nicaila Okome, host of the “Side Hustle Pro” podcast, about the trend of posting your podcast on YouTube. Hosts now need video editors, too.

Depending on the tasks you take on, the gig can also be called podcast producer or, if you’re more specialized in your services, podcast editor, podcast marketing strategist, or other titles.

Consider what kind of skills and experience you have, then start researching how best to offer your services.

“You can easily go onto Fiverr and Upwork and see what people are charging,” says Okome, “and then develop your packages from there.” On Fiverr, professionals often list their rate per project, while on Upwork they often list their rate per hour.

Both sites feature project opportunities, and Okome also recommends going on Facebook groups dedicated to podcasts to see what kinds of job offers people are posting. You can look for openings on sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter or Google Jobs as well. Projects differ in length. Some are one-time and less than 30 hours altogether, others are weekly and ongoing.

One podcast producer on Upwork is charging as much as $100 per hour.

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After leaving the White House in 1981, former President Jimmy Carter spent his next 43 years living in a much more modest abode.

Carter, the nation’s 39th president, died on December 29. 2024, at age 100 — the first U.S. president to ever reach his centennial birthday. Carter’s funeral will be held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on January 9, and President Joe Biden has declared it a day of mourning for the nation.

By all accounts, Carter lived a fairly normal and frugal life until his death. He passed away in the ranch house he built himself in 1961, and will reportedly be buried on the property next to his late wife, Rosalynn, who died in 2023.

The home, in rural Plains, Georgia — about a two-and-a-half hour drive south from Atlanta — is a two-bedroom ranch most recently assessed at just $167,066, according to public property records. That is “less than the value of the armored Secret Service vehicles parked outside,” the Washington Post reported in 2018.

Today, the house has an estimated price tag of $239,700, according to real estate platform Zillow — far below the median home price in Georgia, which is $326,280, according to the website.

The Carters’ other frugal tendencies included spending weekends dining with neighbors on paper plates with bargain-brand wine, and making their own yogurt, the Post wrote. Carter bought some of his clothes at his local Dollar General store, according to a 2011 Rolling Stone article — he showed up for the store’s opening in Plains in 2004 — and he often flew commercial.

In his later years, Carter made much of his income from writing books, the Post reported. Thriftbooks.com lists 66 books with Carter as the author, including a children’s book and others reflecting on his presidency. He also received a $246,400 annual pension, as do all former presidents.

The federal government gives all ex-presidents an allowance for expenses like travel and office space. Last year, Carter received around $118,000 in such allowances, according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, a conservative advocacy group.

Carter’s modest lifestyle was sharply different from those of the remaining living former presidents.

Donald Trump, the most recent president to vacate the White House — who will return later this month to begin a second term — has spent most of his time out of office living on his 17-acre South Florida luxury resort, Mar-a-Lago, which Forbes valued at roughly $325 million in 2023.

Barack Obama purchased an $8.1 million mansion in Washington, D.C. in 2017. The Obama family reportedly followed that with the 2019 purchase of a nearly $12 million estate on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard, and a “multi-million deal” — as described by Billboard — with audiobook and podcast service Audible.

Current President Joe Biden, has a net worth of roughly $10 million, according to Forbes’ most recent estimation. And while Bill Clinton once said he left the White House $16 million in debt, he swiftly erased it with lucrative paid speeches and book deals. In Clinton’s first year out of office, he gave 57 speeches and raked in $13.7 million from his “speaking and writing business,” NPR reported in 2008, citing a 2001 tax return.

Clinton’s real estate portfolio includes a home in Chappaqua, New York he purchased in 1999 for $1.7 million, and a home next door they reportedly bought in 2016 for $1.1 million. They also own a home in D.C. that was purchased for $2.85 million in 2000.

Former presidents can earn significant income on speaking circuits. George W. Bush pulled in roughly $15 million in his first two years out of office, according to CBS. Bush’s primary residence is his sprawling, 1,600-acre ranch in Crawford, Texas. And, after leaving office in 2009, the former president bought a four-bedroom home in Dallas that’s currently valued at $2.5 million, according to public property records.

But fancy living was never Carter’s style. The former president reportedly declined most speaking fees, and when he did receive payment for an appearance, he often donated that money to his charity.

Instead, the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner told the Post in 2018: “It just never had been my ambition to be rich.”

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U.S. home prices have surged in recent years, putting the idea of a home out of reach for many first-time buyers and middle-income buyers generally.

Still, pockets of affordability remain, particularly in mid-sized cities and suburbs, where smaller homes in up-and-coming neighborhoods can be found for less than $250,000.

Realtor.com recently ranked the 10 best markets for buying a first home, based on affordability, supply, projected price growth and job availability, as well as quality of life factors like commute times and access to amenities such as daycares and shopping.

Here are the top 10 cities for first-time buyers, each with a median home price below $250,000:

1. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: $140,000
2. Rochester, New York: $129,900
3. Villas, Florida: $236,950
4. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida: $154,850
5. Altamonte Springs, Florida: $229,400
6. Lansing, Michigan: $135,000
7. North Little Rock, Arkansas: $160,000
8. Baltimore, Maryland: $210,000
9. Tonawanda, New York: $229,900
10. Wilmington, Delaware: $222,000

All cities in this list have median priced homes that are well below the U.S. median of $402,502, per Realtor.com’s most recent data.

Three cities in Florida make the list, which shows that homeownership is still within reach in a state that continues to see a strong influx of movers from other parts of the country.

While home prices in major cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale are higher than the U.S. median, smaller areas like Villas, Lauderdale Lakes, and Altamonte Springs offer more affordable options.

The capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, tops the list of the 849 real estate markets ranked by the study for affordability and livability. With a home price-to-income ratio of 2.6, homes are well within reach for local buyers. For context, that ratio is closer to 10 in big cities like Los Angeles or New York City, where many younger buyers have been shut out of the housing market.

Other regional hubs on the list include Rochester, New York, which has benefited from a rebounding economy and offers one of the lowest median home prices in the country at $129,900, and Lansing, Michigan, a state capital with affordable homes and ample job opportunities in government, education, and manufacturing.

For the study, Realtor.com analyzed cities with at least 5,000 residents and 500 homes for sale, using data from December 2023 to November 2024. Home prices and inventory came from Realtor.com, while location factors like amenities were assessed with Local Logic data. Population, income, and commute times were based on Claritas estimates and unemployment projections relied on Moody’s Analytics forecasts.

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When Shoji Morimoto was fired from his office job in 2018, his superior had criticized him for lacking initiative and “not doing anything” of value for the company. Joke’s on him, because Morimoto, now 41, has since spun a lucrative career out of doing nothing.

Known as the rental “do nothing” guy in Japan, Morimoto’s day job involves loaning himself out to strangers who seek someone’s company for almost anything at all. These requests can range from waiting for a marathon runner at the finishing line, to being video-called while a bored client redecorates and cleans her room. Once, a client who could not attend a concert with a friend rented Morimoto to take her place.

From the ludicrous to the mundane, Morimoto will simply show up and “do nothing” other than what he was asked to do — except sex.

“I have been put in objectively difficult situations, such as standing in line under the blazing sun, standing for hours in the freezing cold, attending parties with only strangers, and standing alone on a stage in front of a large audience without doing anything,” the father of a seven-year-old told CNBC Make It.

“However, no matter what misfortune I have experienced, I feel that it is something special that only happened because I do this job, so I can still cherish it,” he said.

Morimoto’s longest one-off task was a 17-hour trip sitting on the same rail line, end to end, from early morning until the last train. “We made 13 laps on the Yamanote (train station) Line,” he said.

There have also been several requests for Morimoto to be a listening ear on clients’ bad days. However, when it comes to conversations, Morimoto offers the bare minimum and the simplest of answers. In other words, he nods and listens attentively, but makes it a point not to play therapist. 

Morimoto told CNBC he receives about 1,000 requests per year, and lets his clients decide how much to pay him. He used to charge a flat rate of between 10,000 yen and 30,000 yen ($65 to $195) for a two- to three-hour session, and earned around $80,000 last year.

Morimoto introduced the pay-as-you-wish model late last year.

“I charge a voluntary fee, so I don’t know if it will be sustainable, but I’m having fun trying to see if it’s sustainable,” said Morimoto, who added that his goal was not to make a living or sustain himself but to “simply live life and enjoy it.”

To put his services to the test, CNBC Make It accompanied Morimoto for two hours, taking him to a piglet cafe in Tokyo where customers can sip on a drink and interact with litters of piglets. 

I’d initially planned to go by myself, but entering a packed cafe and seeing customers in pairs and small groups made me feel a tinge of relief I had Morimoto’s company.

There was another perk: He could take photos of me while I played with the pigs.

After a few initial exchanges in my broken Japanese and translation assistance from Google, no further small talk was needed as I left him to his own devices and concentrated on my pig. I then realized the appeal of Morimoto: Clients like me get to enjoy an activity in a social setting without being judged for going solo. Even better, I don’t feel obligated to sustain a conversation with anyone when I’m really just there for the pigs. 

While there are no official stats tracking the rental person industry in Japan, the country is home to a slew of rental services for temporary girlfriends, boyfriends, friends and even family.

“This is a good match with the recent needs of Japanese people, who do not seek love or marriage, and do not want the hassle of such relationships, but want someone they can casually go on dates with or have dinner with,” Ai Sakata, consultant at Nomura Research Institute told CNBC.

Loneliness may be a reason that some pay for such services, but it’s not the only one, said Morimoto and experts CNBC spoke to.

Certain individuals may desire companionship, but others may just be a bit “socially awkward,” said Hiroshi Ono, professor of human resources at Hitotsubashi University.

Most Japanese people do not necessarily deal well with confrontation, or even direct communication, the professor added. “People are maybe just too awkward to say, will you be my friend? And so to avoid that awkwardness, they’re just willing to pay for it.”

Morimoto said a woman once paid him to sit in a corner of a cafe, within her line of sight, while she served divorce papers to her husband — without drawing his attention. The paper signing went smoothly, and Morimoto said the divorcee got an extra dose of courage from having someone she knew nearby.

His presence serves as a security blanket of sorts, temporarily socializing those who are uncomfortable in certain settings, the 41-year-old observed.

“There are many different [favorite] moments in this job, such as when I receive an offer message, when I meet a client, when I accompany a client to an unknown place, when I just listen to a story, and I feel happy in every moment,” Morimoto said.

“There was nothing else I truly wanted to do,” he said.

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Former President Jimmy Carter was the longest living president in U.S. history, and credited his longevity in part to marrying the best spouse, his wife, Rosalynn Carter.

James Earl Carter, Jr., served as the 39th U.S. president. Carter died at the age of 100 on Dec. 29, 2024. His funeral will be held on Thursday, Jan. 9, in Washington D.C. and the date has been declared a day of mourning by President Joe Biden.

Carter’s wife, Rosalynn Carter, died in November 2023 at the age of 96. The pair were married for 77 years and had four children and a total of 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

What was the secret to the Carters living a long and happy life? Each other.

When asked what he thought leads to a long, happy life, Carter told People Magazine: “I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life.”

The former president and first lady actually weren’t super focused on longevity, he told People; they spent most of their time searching for opportunities to serve their community and pour into each other.

Their love story began in their hometown of Plains, Georgia, Mr. Carter told The Washington Post. After meeting at Plains United Methodist Church, he asked Rosalynn on a date to the movies, and told his mom that he was going to marry her the next morning, he said in his interview with The Post.

During his presidency, Rosalynn sat in on his Cabinet meetings, according to Rolling Stone.

The couple also founded The Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization devoted to improving lives, in 1982. The center has built thousands of homes in over 10 countries alongside Habitat for Humanity.

“What Rosalynn and I wanted to do was fill vacuums, resolve problems others weren’t able or willing to do,” Carter told Rolling Stone.

Later in life, the Carters enjoyed quality time together through activities like tennis, downhill skiing and bird-watching: “Rosa and I have seen about 1,300 different species of bird,” he said in his interview with People.

After his presidency, the couple moved back to their hometown and bought a modest $167,000 home.

“Now when we have a quiet moment, like a birthday or something, we like to stay at home, just by ourselves,” he added, “And enjoy a quiet day in our own house without any visitors and with minimum phone calls and emails coming in.”

They even celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in July 2023 at their Georgia home, making them the longest-married first couple.

The dynamic duo lived in their home until their passing. Carter will be buried on the property next to his wife, Rosalynn, according to PBS News.

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