A savvy student transformed her side hustle into a profitable business, enabling her to purchase her first home in her twenties. With the cost of living rising, many young people struggle to enter the property market. Some turn to side hustles—like candle making or even being a 'social media witch'—to boost their income and achieve home ownership.
Becky Chorlton, now 28, started reselling vintage clothing six years ago while still a student. Today, it is a full-time business she is 'very proud of.' From Cheshire, Becky launched Becky's Bazaar in 2019 after finishing her undergraduate degree.
'With the bank of mum and dad officially closed and a summer to get through before starting my master's degree, I needed to make money fast,' she explained. 'I opened my wardrobe and realised how many clothes I owned that I never wore, many sourced cheaply from charity shops and car boot sales.'
She listed her first item on Depop and heard her first sale notification within 30 seconds. 'I was instantly hooked.' Soon, she began sourcing clothing at car boot sales and returned to university with one rail of stock. Before long, she was making £40, more than her part-time job paid.
When the pandemic hit, Becky moved back home and had more time to dedicate to reselling alongside writing her thesis. 'I was consistently making £1,500–£2,000 a month,' she said. Four months after handing in her thesis, Becky's Bazaar was officially born.
Becky has always loved finding bargains and prolonging the life of clothing. Being her own boss 'felt like the perfect fit.' Within six to eight months, she made her first £10,000 through 'slow, steady, realistic growth.'
Now, Becky is working with Santander to raise awareness of the My First Mortgage scheme, which allows buyers to purchase a home with a 5% to 10% deposit. She hopes her story inspires others. 'I started my side hustle out of necessity but stayed because I found something I genuinely loved. Reselling clothing combined my interest in sustainability, fashion, and bargain hunting, giving me financial freedom and flexibility.'
One year ago, she saved enough for a deposit and bought her first home. 'It all started with selling clothes from that rail in my university bedroom.'
