 freelance writing. Ted Rossman, Bankrate senior credit card analyst, says some take on these gigs to develop a hobby or fill their free time. He says it is unfortunate, though, that most are doing it simply to fund their expenses. I often recommend side hustles as a way to pay off credit card debt because the average credit card debt is about $6,000. He says the average side hustle would pay that off in about seven months. Sandy Kozel, WTOP News.