MAKE EXTRA MONEY
113 Legitimate Ways to Make Extra Money on the Side
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VAKSMAN VOLODYMYUR | SHUTTERSTOCK
Obviously, earning extra money is something that can really change your life. Money can buy you freedom in more ways than one, despite what people may say.
Earning extra money on top of your day job can improve many areas of your life:
- Less stress from living paycheck to paycheck
- Reduce the burden of crippling debt
- More opportunities to save for a dream vacation
- It can be passed on to others for social good
- You can retire earlier
- It can be snowballed into even more wealth
The purpose of this post is to serve as a source of ideas for you to make extra money. Let this list be a source of inspiration to you!
Whether you’ve only got a few spare minutes to make a quick buck or if you are willing to burn the midnight oil in the hours after your full-time job and put in maximum effort, there are so many ways to make extra money.
There is a ton of information on this page, so I suggest bookmarking it and coming back periodically.
Alright, let’s get to it!
Easiest Ways to Make Extra Money Fast
There’s something on this list for everyone, but I wanted to start things off with my personal favorites in terms of making extra money. If you’re looking for ways to make money without investing a lot of time or effort, these are for you.
1. Get Paid to Do Online Surveys
Companies are willing to pay money to get inside the heads of consumers. If you’re looking for how to make extra money fast, look no further. They’re free to join and free to use.
Pro Tip: Signing up for several survey sites will help you earn the most money. You’ll be eligible for more surveys, and it will allow you to pick the ones that pay the most money (helping you make the best use of your time).
Survey Junkie — Survey Junkie works much in the same way that Swagbucks does. All you have to do is sign up to be eligible for surveys. Once you complete a survey you earn a certain amount of points that you can exchange for cash paid directly to a PayPal account, or you can redeem your points for gift cards. Super simple.
Swagbucks — Perhaps the most well-known and trusted of all the survey sites, users earn “Swagbucks” (also known as SBs) for each survey they complete. Swagbucks even gives you a FREE $10 as an incentive just for signing up.
Vindale Research – Vindale Research asks for information about you in order to match you with fitting surveys. At up to $50 a pop for some surveys and a free $1 just for signing up, it pays to check in daily to see which ones are available to you. Cashouts are through PayPal.
Inbox Dollars – Cash and simplicity. Those are my two favorite parts about Inbox Dollars. After a few minutes of answering questions and watching a couple tutorial videos on how the site works, I had $5 added to my account. Good stuff.
OneOpinion— signing up is completely free, as it should be. This survey site, like many others, works on a points system: 1,000 points = $1. Once you reach 25,000 ($25), you can choose to cash out via PayPal or an Amazon gift card. OneOpinion also offers product testing, which means you have the opportunity to test new products at home before they hit the market.
Survey Club — Participate in the latest & highest paying research, product tests, focus groups, clinical trials, and survey opportunities. Get paid each time you take part in a paid research study (deposited directly to your PayPal account).
EarningStation — Earn points by taking surveys, shopping online, watching videos and signing up for great products. Redeem your points for gift cards to your favorite stores like Amazon and Walmart.
VIP Voice — You use the points you get from completing surveys to enter into sweepstakes and auctions for great rewards. Prizes include vacations, electronics, appliances, and much more.
MyPoints — rewards members when they shop online, take surveys, play games, watch videos and more. Similar to Swagbucks, plus they give you a $5 gift card for free after signing up.
GlobalTestMarket — They pay up to $5 per survey just for sharing your opinions. Joining is easy — just enter your email address, fill out some information about your household, and you’re in. GlobalTestMarket has paid out over $34 million to members worldwide since 2014, so needless to say they’re the real deal. When you sign up with GlobalTestMarket, you’ll be automatically entered into their sweepstakes to for a chance to win $2,000.
Harris Poll Online— This isone of the oldest and most prestigious market research companies around. In addition to giving your own opinion, you can compare your answers to the answers of other people who’ve taken the same surveys.
As for rewards, for each survey you take, you’ll receive HIpoints. Redeem your points for gift cards to places like Starbucks, iTunes, and Amazon. For every survey you complete, you get an entry to the Harris Panel sweepstakes, or HIstakes, for a chance to win a much larger cashout.
2. Invest Your Spare Change with Acorns
Imagine every time you swipe your card, you could round up to the nearest dollar and invest that change towards your future. That’s exactly what Acorns does for you.
Those nickels and dimes add up, and they’re especially better than nothing if your current investment strategy is I’ll think about that later.
Aside from everyday round-ups, Acorns lets you set recurring and one-time investments, earn cash back on your everyday shopping, and rewards you for every friend or family member you refer. They’ll also give you $5 just for signing up.
3. Let Dosh Save You Money
Dosh gives members cash back on things they do every day. Whenever you shop at a Dosh partner location using a card connected to your account, you receive cash deposited straight to your Dosh Wallet.
There are no coupons, no promo codes, and no receipt scanning receipts. Just download the app and shop! You also get $8 for every friend you refer to the app.
Cashing out is easy, too. Transfer your earnings to a bank account, PayPal, or donate to your favorite charity from within the app.
4. Let Trim Negotiate Your Bills
Rather than combing through your bills for ways to save a couple dollars here and there, let Trim do it for you. Trim connects to your account using bank-level security, analyzes your spending and subscriptions, and finds ways you could be saving money.
Just ask Trim to cancel a subscription and it’s done. It can even negotiate your bills and find you a better rate on car insurance! And the best part — it’s completely free.
5. Switch to a Money Market Account
Speaking of interest, if you’re saving for a goal or a large purchase, you could earn even more by keeping your funds in a money market account.
CIT Bank offers an interest rate of 1.85% on money market accounts — more than 15x the national average. Just like with a checking or savings account, your money is FDIC secured, there are no monthly service fees, and you can access your funds any time. All you need is $100 to open an account and start earning more money on the cash you already have.
6. Automate Your Savings
The hardest part about saving money is actually transferring the funds out of your checking account and into a savings or emergency fund. No one wants to see their savings account drop without an immediate benefit! But with Rize, you can automate saving so you never have to think about it. Just set a savings goal and a date, and Rize will do the rest.
But don’t worry — if your checking account dips below a certain limit, Rize will notify you and put your savings on hold. That way you never have to worry about overdrafts. Sign up for Rize for free to automate your savings.
7. Make Sure Your Credit Isn’t Costing You
Bad credit could be costing you hundreds of dollars per year. Fortunately, you can make that money back by staying on top of your credit score.
Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies, offers a free CreditWorks™ Basic report updated every 30 days. Checking your report allows you to stay on top of your credit history and make sure nothing is awry.
For day-to-day credit monitoring, I like to use Credit Sesame. The Credit Sesame app provides a snapshot of your credit situation all in one place. It also gives you personalized savings advice in areas where you could be overpaying, such as car and student loans.
8. Apply for a Small Personal Loan
While this isn’t exactly a long-term solution for making money (since you have to pay it back), it is a reliable way to get some extra cash when you’re in a pinch. It’s also a great way to make money by saving money if you use a personal loan to pay off high-interest debt, such as credit cards. Since getting a loan is one of the easiest ways to make extra money, we felt we had to include it.
When it comes to applying for a loan, you’ll want to go with a reputable, trustworthy source. Stay away from payday loans at all costs. Instead, look for well-known companies that provide legitimate short-term loans at low interest rates, like the ones below:
SoFi — SoFi’s fixed-rate loans start at a low 6.57% APR. There are no origination fees, no penalties for paying off your loan early, and no hit to your credit for checking your loan rate.
Prosper — Prosper has loaned over $12 billion to 750,000 borrowers. They offer 3- or 5-year loans with fixed, low interest rates. You can pay your loan off any time with no penalty, and checking your rate does not impact your credit score.
PersonalLoans.com — Personal Loans offers loans up to $35,000 and connects you with lenders from around their network. The process is simple with just a few steps. Once you’re approved, you have anywhere from 90 days to 72 months to pay back your loan, depending on the terms you select.
9. Invest Online with a Robo Advisor
Robo advisors use technology to efficiently manage your portfolio. That means fewer fees and no hidden costs, so you get to keep more of what your investments earn. There’s no minimum deposit required to start investing with Betterment, a top-rated online investing platform.
Already have a portfolio? Use Personal Capital to see how well your investments are performing and where they could improve. Their free Investment Checkup tool compares your current portfolio allocation to the ideal allocation needed to fund your goals.
10. Buy Bitcoin and Refer Your Friends
Cryptocurrencies aren’t going away any time soon. You can now use bitcoin to buy pizza, pay for your travels, and shop online. Why not use take advantage of this new form of currency to make some extra cash yourself?
When you sign up for Coinbase and buy $100 worth of bitcoin, you get an extra $10 bonus. For every person you refer to bitcoin, you get another $10.
11. Drive People Around
This is a really good use of your time if you are open to trying creative ways to make money. I live in a college town and on game weekends, I can make upwards of $200 for just a few hours of driving with Uber. Check out this article to help you get started with Uber.
Lyft is another great way to make extra money by using your car. Right now, new drivers who sign up with Lyft earn a $300 bonus after their first 100 rides. If you have weekend and evening availability, you could easily reach that in a few short weeks. Sign up with Lyft to claim your $300 bonus.
12. Rent Out Your Car
Think of this as Airbnb, but for your car. By listing your vehicle on Turo, you can make extra money by renting your car to people who need to borrow a ride. You get to choose your own rates, and you’re also covered with $1 million in liability insurance. Check out Turo’s earnings calculatorto see how much you could make per month.
13. Get Cash Back When You Shop
Technically you’re not getting money, but you’re getting money back on purchases you would have made anyways. The cool thing is, this is on top of any discounts/coupon codes you already have. The two best sites that offer cash back on your online purchases are Ebates ($10 free signup bonus) and Swagbucks ($5 free signup bonus).
Another option that isn’t quite cash back but is along the same lines of “make money by saving money” — the Honey Chrome extension. Whenever you head to your cart to check out, Honey searches for online coupon codes or better deals from different retailers. That means no more wasted time Googling “[insert store name] coupon code” just to come up empty-handed. Honey does all the legwork for you!
14. Sell Gift Cards You’ll Never Use
We all have them. That random store that you never go to, but your grandma thought you’d love. Raise is a marketplace for buying and selling gift cards online. It’s free to join, and consumers can either buy discounted gift cards or sell their gift cards in exchange for cash.
15. Earn More Interest on Your Savings
One easy way to make money is to move your savings over to a bank account that actually pays you a decent interest rate on your savings. Discover Bank’s online savings account has an APY of 1.75% — 5x higher than the national average.
Take 10 minutes out of your day and do this — over time, it really does make a difference. It won’t make you rich, but extra money is extra money.
16. Invest Your Savings
Depending on your age, you should be netting around 7% a year with a balanced investment portfolio. Have $50,000 in savings? That is $3,500 dollars per year that you are missing out on by not investing.
Getting started is easier than you think. Check out How to Make Money in the Stock Market, courtesy of Mr. Money Moustache. And FYI, Ally Invest has a promo going on right now where you can start investing in stocks for only $4.95 per trade (one of the cheapest around).
17. Peer to Peer Lending
Using the money you already have to make more money is usually a pretty smart move. A service like Lending Club is a great way to act as a lender and earn interest on your money. Essentially, you act as the bank, which is pretty neat. Lending Club is the world’s largest online credit marketplace connecting borrowers and investors. Definitely something worth looking into!
Use Your Phone to Make Extra Money
If you only have a few minutes here and there, you can still use that free time to make extra money right from your smartphone. Here are some free apps that pay you just for using them.
18. Install the ShopTracker App
ShopTracker was created by Harris Poll, one of the oldest and most well-respected market research companies in the game. As the name suggests, this app tracks your shopping habits (anonymously) for market research companies. What’s even better — you get a free $3 just for installing the app!
19. MobileXpression
Similar to ShopTracker, MobileXpression tracks app and Internet usage on your smartphone or tablet. Once you’ve been an active member for a week, you’ll be rewarded with your first gift card. Each week you keep the app on your phone, you’re eligible for additional credits you can exchange for more gift cards.
After 90 days, MobileXpression will donate a tree to Trees for the Future in recognition of your participation, and an additional tree for each month you remain an active member. So not only are you contributing to the future of the Internet, you’re also contributing to the future of the planet. How cool is that?!
20. Decluttr Your Stuff
Most of us are guilty of hanging onto things that we never use, myself included. Take a day and go through all your old stuff and get rid of some of it! One tool that is really helpful for this is Decluttr. You can enter your items barcodes into their valuation engine and they’ll give you an instant offer. Then you simply pack all your items into a box and ship them off for free.
21. Nielsen Digital Voice
Nielsen Digital Voice gauges how people spend their time using technology. When you install the Nielsen app, you earn points for every hour you spend on your smartphone! You’ll also get entries into their monthly $10,000 sweepstakes.
22. Cash Back with Ibotta
The Ibotta app gives you cash back on the groceries you already buy. Some deals are brand specific, while others give you cash just for purchasing a certain type of item, like a loaf of bread from any brand. Choose your deals before you check out, then submit a picture of your receipt and get paid via Venmo, PayPal, or gift cards. Sign up with Ibotta to claim your $10 welcome bonus.
23. Scan Items for Shopkick
With Shopkick, there’s no purchase necessary to earn cash back. In order to make money with Shopkick, all you have to do is download the app, enable your location services, and start earning kicks. You’ll earn points just by walking into a store, and even more points for scanning items or making a purchase. Payout comes in the form of gift cards to your favorite stores, including Walmart, Target, Sephora, and Starbucks to name a few.
Ways to Make Extra Money Online
All you need is a computer and an Internet connection for these money-making ideas.
24. Start a Blog
This can be just a simple side hustle, or it can turn into something really special; it’s up to you. I’m a huge fan of blogging because I love writing and connecting with people all over the world.
If you want to get started, read my post From 0-$100k: How Anyone Can Start Blogging. If you need some inspiration, check out how we made over $17,600 in one month from blogging. Seriously, don’t discount the incredible opportunities that blogging can provide!
HostGator has one of the best deals on the internet right now for getting a money-making blog up and running. They make it simple and easy to get started (and have everything you need all in one place), which is why I like recommending them to ambitious new bloggers. Zero tech knowledge needed!
Use coupon code “BTOP42” to get 42% off the price of your blog (this offer expires soon!)
25. Use Swagbucks for Online Search
Swagbucks is a great way to passively earn cash and Amazon gift cards with very little work. They have a search tool, which is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded “SBs” for the things you do through their website. Redeem SBs for rewards. And by signing up through our link, they give you a free $5. Boom.
26. Become a Freelance Proofreader
In 2014, Caitlin Pyle made over $43,000 by working as a freelance proofreader…part time. When she wasn’t working, she even had time to go on several fun vacations. After she had a ton of success doing that, she decided she wanted to teach others how to do the same thing, so she started up Proofread Anywhere. Sign up for one of her free workshops to learn more about making money as a proofreader.
27. Become a Freelance Writer
Content is what drives web traffic. Websites are always pumping out fresh, new content for their readers, and they are always looking for writers! If you aren’t quite ready to launch your own blog yet, this might be a good option to see if writing is for you. Since competition is high, we don’t recommend starting from scratch as a freelance writer. Want to see success faster? Learn from a veteran, six-figure freelance writer.
28. Start a Facebook Ad Side Hustle
Facebook ads are invaluable to both online and brick and mortar business owners these days. You can easily bring in $1,000 or more per month with just a handful of Facebook ad clients.
How are we so sure?
Because we know someone who does. Bobby was a band director when he started his blog and digital marketing side hustle. Now he makes several times his previous salary running Facebook ads and providing other services for local businesses, along with running his own blog.
29. Become a Virtual Assistant
Online business owners are always looking for help with tasks (myself included). There is a wide range of services a VA can offer, from graphic design, blog editing, responding to emails, etc. Here’s a list of 150+ services you can offer as a virtual assistant.
30. Sell Custom Designed T-Shirts
I recently stumbled upon a really neat website, Teespring.com, where you can design t-shirts and sell them online. If you can come up with some cool designs and use Facebook ads to target exactly who would love your designs, you can definitely make extra money with this side hustle.
31. Manage Social Media for Businesses
This can include advertising, but many businesses also need help just filling up their social media profiles with relevant (and consistent) content. If you enjoy learning about social media and want to take things a step further and make extra money, social media management is a great option. If you’re good at it, it can also open up a lot of doors for you down the road. This is a great article from Small Biz Trends on How to Start Your Own Social Media Business.
32. Rent out your belongings
This is one of my new favorite ways to earn passive income. Think Airbnb except instead of listing your house for a few days, you list items like cameras, bikes, scooters, you name it.
Got a DSLR just sitting in your closet collecting dust? Rent it out for a few days.
Have a 500-watt sound system you think someone may need for a wedding party? You can rent those out, too.
Have a 500-watt sound system you think someone may need for a wedding party? You can rent those out, too.
It’s worry free (they have comprehensive insurance that covers your item) and it’s an amazing way to have someone else pay for your belongings. Take this Londoner for example — he made over $30,000 renting out his camera equipment and ended up buying his mom a house with it.
Better yet, they’ll pay you $25 just for signing up and they award you an additional $25 for each member you refer that successfully completes the rental process.
And now you see why this is one of my new favorite ways to make extra cash on the side.
33. Be a Search Engine Evaluator
Leapforce is always looking for people for this work at home role. Their Search Engine Evaluators “conduct research, evaluation, and feedback on search engine results by measuring the relevance and usefulness of web pages in correlation to predefined queries, by providing a comparative analysis of sets of search engine results and various other techniques.”
34. Consulting for Local Small Businesses
This side hustle can easily become a full-time job! If you’ve got expertise in an area and think you can help small businesses near you, give this a shot. For instance, Ben and I know a lot about running Facebook advertising campaigns, so we approached the owner of our gym if he would let us design a few campaigns for him. And of course, he was thrilled to get the help! Here’s a useful 18 Step Checklist for Becoming a Small Business Consultant.
35. Affiliate Marketing
That’s how this website is able to generate thousands in revenue each month without selling anything. It’s one of the easiest ways to make extra money online. Setting up an affiliate-focused website is fairly simple, but it will take quite a bit of time and effort to draw in enough traffic to make decent money.
Our article From 0-$100k: How Anyone Can Start Blogging is a great starting point!
36. Write an Ebook and Sell it On Amazon
It doesn’t have to be long! Many popular ebooks are less than 50 pages. The Penny Hoarder has a great article that outlines How to Publish Your Ebook and Earn Money. Beyond writing a book, there are dozens of other ways to start building a business off of Amazon.
37. Create an Online Course
If you’ve got expertise in a certain area, package up your knowledge into an online course and sell it. This has become a very popular business model for online entrepreneurs over the past several years. The two big websites that are used to sell online courses are Udemy and Teachable. Check out this awesome article by Regina on How to Create an Online Course that Sells.
38. Offer Resume Help
This can either be done locally or through an online service like Fiverr. Resumes are something that people can be very insecure and self-conscious about, which means there is always a demand for services that will help spruce them up. Holly Hanna from The Work at Home Woman wrote a really useful article on How to Make Money from Home with Resume Writing.
39. Copywriting
If you can persuade people to act on something via the written word, you can make really good money. Copywriting is a skill that takes time and effort to perfect, but once you get the hang of it, you become very valuable. Here are 10 Ways to Find Your First Copywriting Clients, courtesy of Make a Living Writing.
40. Offer Web Design Services
For non-tech people (myself included), web design can cause a lot of stress. And stress means opportunity. If you have a knack for web design or web development, you should definitely be capitalizing on it. And since it’s such a foreign concept for many, it can be a really lucrative side hustle. You can find all sorts of gigs on Upwork. Also, you need to read this article: How to Make $5,000+ a Month Building Websites Part-Time
41. Develop an App
Ok, obviously you need some pretty serious technical chops to pull this off, but it can be a very worthwhile endeavor. If you aren’t a coding ninja just yet, though, don’t despair. Here are 3 Options for Creating Mobile Apps Without Coding.
42. Buy and Sell Domain Names
Jeremy Green registered ClintonKaine [dot] com in 2011. When Hillary announced that Tim Kaine would be her running mate in 2016, all of a sudden that domain name became pretty valuable. If you’re interested in buying domains, check out HostGator.
43. Advertise on Social Media
Do you have a ton of followers on your personal Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media? “Influencer Marketing” is becoming really popular these days as brands are looking for more authentic ways to connect with their target audience. Check out this (free) Step-By-Step Guide To Becoming An Influencer In Your Industry.
44. Test Apps and Websites
Companies want to know how easy their websites are to use and the information you give them about the process is extremely valuable. If you’re looking for one of the easiest ways to make extra money online, this is it.
- Whatusersdo – Pay is $8 (or more) per test. Tests take around 15-20 minutes (you need a Mac or PC + mic).
- Enroll – Get paid to test websites before they are published. Earn cash rewards.
- UserFeel – This company pays around $10 per test.
- Analysia – Tests take around 15 minutes to complete. Pay is $10 per test.
- TryMyUI – Tests takes around 15-20 minutes to complete. Pay is $10 per test.
45. Help Google Improve
Get Google’s Screenwise app here. If you don’t care about letting Google know what you do on a daily basis, you can get free money. They use the information they gather to help them market and increase the functionality of their advertising programs when targeting users that are similar to you.
46. Data Entry
It’s not fun work, but there is always some money to be made in data entry. Especially if you are fast and accurate. You can find a ton of data entry jobs on Upwork.
47. Get Paid to Watch Online Videos
Sites like Swagbucks ask you to watch certain videos and like them. You have to watch for a certain number of minutes which you’ll be told ahead of time. They even give you $5 just for signing up.
48. Enter Online Contests and Giveaways
Use a separate email address for when you register for all of these so you don’t drown in the notifications. Online-Sweepstakes.com has a list of a bunch of current sweepstakes. Have fun!
49. Crowdfund
If worse comes to worst, you can always just ask for money. Be creative, though! Like the kid who held up a sign during College GameDay asking his mom for beer money.
50. Become a Translator
Upwork always has gigs open for translators. If you are bilingual, put your skills to use and make some extra money!
51. Launch Your Own YouTube Channel
Your topic area can be literally anything. From pranksters filming their antics to chemistry professors sharing their how-to videos, anyone can make money from YouTube. Here’s a list of 10 Ways You Can Make Money from YouTube, courtesy of Compelling.tv.
52. Sell Crafts on Etsy
Have an arts and crafts hobby? Start earning money from it! Use Etsy to sell your own handmade stuff. It’s one of the most popular ways to make extra money online around.
53. Logo Design
Between Fiverr and Upwork, there is never a shortage of demand for logo design work. Start building your portfolio, charge competitive rates, and make extra money designing logos.
Make Extra Money Offline
So far we’ve covered ways to make extra money online, using your phone, and with little to no effort at all. But sometimes it’s nice to take a break from technology, especially if you’re on a computer all day for work. Here are some ways to make extra money that don’t involve staying glued to a screen.
54. List a Room in Your House
Have a spare room in your house that you’re not using? You could be missing out on extra money by listing it on Airbnb. On game weekends where I live, homeowners make an easy few thousand just by turning their house over to eager game-goers for a couple days.
I’ve known people to stay with friends for the weekend and split the rental profit. Check out Airbnb’s calculator to see how much you could make.
55. Bet on Your Own Weight Loss
What better way to lose weight than to avoid losing a bet? HealthyWageallows you to place a wager and make extra money when you successfully lose weight.
56. Walk Dogs in Your Neighborhood
Pretty self-explanatory. You can start making money playing with dogs today using Rover. Rover lets you set your prices so you can charge fair rates for your services. In addition to walking, you can also offer doggy daycare, house sitting, and boarding through Rover. If you’d rather start your own thing, check out The Balance’s How to Start a Dog Walking Business.
57. Babysit
This one comes with a bit more responsibility than watching dogs. You’ll probably get paid better, though, since you’re caring for an actual human being. Hard to beat one of the most old-fashioned ways to make extra money around.
Care.com and Sittercity are the two leading online job sites for finding high-paying babysitting jobs. Set up a profile on each to access to the most families in your area.
58. Donate Plasma
Donating your body is a great way to help other people in need, and some donation centers even pay donors. I regularly donate platelets and plasma with the American Red Cross (who unfortunately do not compensate donors). It’s a great way to give back to the community.
To find a plasma donation center near you that compensates donors, visit donatingplasma.org.
59. Become a Bartender
If you live in a college town, this can be a really lucrative side hustle. Get a better idea of how much you can expect to earn as a bartender here.
60. Pet Sitting
Especially around the holidays, this service is in high demand. People want someone they can trust to look after their pets while they are out of town. The Simple Dollar has a pretty nifty guide on how you can make money pet sitting if this sounds like something you’re interested in.
61. Start Personal Training
If you have a passion for fitness and love helping others improve their health, you might consider becoming a personal trainer. With social media, there are now more ways than just 1-on-1 training to make extra money in the fitness industry. Smart Asset wrote a great piece on The Economics of Personal Training.
62. Become a Notary
It’s usually less than a hundred dollars to get registered in most states, but once you’re registered, you can charge whatever fees you want for your services.
63. Car Washing and Detailing
You can take this side hustle as far as you want. Car detailing has the benefit of recurring work, assuming you don’t get fired! Money Connexion has a great article on How to Start a Car Detailing Business if you’re interested.
64. Be a Coach/Trainer for a Specific Sport
During my high school days, I was a pretty decent golfer (about a 2-3 handicap, for you other golfers out there). I was asked by my local club professional if I would help him teach his junior golf clinics that summer. If you have specialized skill in any sport, there are definitely opportunities out there for teaching others the fundamentals (and getting paid).
65. Prepare Taxes
There are always lots of individuals and businesses willing to spend a few hundred dollars a year to have someone else prepare their taxes. That someone could be you. There are a lot of resources out there to learn tax preparation and all its complexities.
66. Become a Wedding Planner
It just takes one wedding to get started. Have a friend getting married? Help them plan it, get pictures, create a sweet portfolio, and market yourself to other soon-to-be newlyweds! Check out How to Become a Wedding Planner here.
67. Become a Photographer
If you have a passion for capturing moments and relationships on camera, becoming a photographer can be a great way to make extra money. All you need is a decent camera and perhaps some photo editing software, which you can get for about $10/month. Then it’s up to you to drum up clients.
If client work isn’t your speed, you can sell your images online for passive income. Landscapes and beautiful scenery are always popular amongst stock photography websites.
68. Interior Design Consulting
Have a knack for making a room “pop?” You can start a local interior design side hustle, create an Instagram following, and grow your audience and clientele online. LearnVest has a great interview in their article Entrepreneurship 101: Building an Interior Design Empire.
69. Edit College Admissions Essays
If you are smart about your marketing and focus on targeting parents, you can make a lot of money in this niche. Most parents are more than happy to pay for an extra set of eyes on their kids’ writing.
70. Sell Your Old Textbooks
Use eBay, Amazon, or your local college bookstore for this. If your books aren’t too old, your best bet is Amazon. In my experience, college bookstores don’t sell your books as quickly. They may also donate your items if they’re not sold within a certain period of time.
71. Sell Your Recycling
Used glass bottles go for a few cents each in many places. That can add up quickly, though, especially if you find a way to scale up your collection efforts. Here’s a List of Things You Can Sell at the Recycling Center.
72. Do Event Staffing
Want to attend fun sports events, concerts, etc. for free and get paid? Look into temporary event staffing gigs. SnagAJob is a good resource for finding these kinds of (very) part-time jobs.
73. Grocery Shop for People
Busy people who don’t have a lot of free time like to outsource tasks. Grocery shopping is one of them. Enroll with service like Instacart and make extra money by grocery shopping for people in your area.
74. Snow Removal
Self-explanatory. But instead of just knocking on doors once the snow falls, try to get a few “clients” to reserve your services before the snow hits. If there’s a nice little storm coming, make a Facebook status and tag everyone in your neighborhood.
75. Place Ads on Your Car
Believe it or not, there are companies out there that will pay to essentially use your car as a billboard. MoneyPantry has a good informational article on “car wrapping.”
76. Deliver Newspapers
It sounds old-fashioned, but delivering newspapers is a great way to get a little exercise in while earning some extra cash. Pick up the phone, call your local paper, and see where they need help.
77. Find Odd Jobs on Craigslist
If you can sift through the scams on Craigslist (you shouldn’t have to pay any money upfront for anything. And don’t fall for the nude modeling ads…it’s probably serial killers posting those), there are a lot of legitimate odd jobs that can help you make extra money.
78. Exploit Facebook “Yard Sale” Pages
Most towns have at least one Facebook group dedicated to buying and selling unwanted stuff (similar to Craigslist). Every now and then I like to go through those pages, and I can almost always find something that is way undervalued. Buy low, sell high!
79. Sell Your Hair
My hair is about a quarter inch long so I’m assuming this is a no-go for me. However, you might have better luck. Check out HairSellon’s Hair Price Calculator here.
80. Trade Baseball Cards
Or Pokemon, or whatever else you’re into. If you are knowledgeable about the value of certain items, you can flip a quick deal! Check out How to Make Money Selling Baseball Cards.
81. Do Chores for People
Sign up at TaskRabbit and get paid to help people with daily household chores. Popular services include interior painting, helping people move, mounting and installation, and general handyman repairs.
82. Become a Brand Ambassador
This is a really popular one for college-age students. Check out Budgets are Sexy’s Ultimate Guide to Making Money as a Brand Ambassador.
83. Join a Focus Group
Think of this as taking surveys, but on steroids. Companies are willing to pay consumers to provide feedback on products or share thoughts on a new idea. Often this is done through focus groups, which usually compensate members for their time. FindFocusGroupsand FocusGroup are two really good websites where you can find focus groups near you.
84. Flip Things on Craigslist
There are always mispriced things on Craigslist! This is just like garage sale-ing. Check out the 10 Best Things to Buy and Sell on Craigslist.
85. Maintain Yards in Your Neighborhood
Depending on where you live, there can be a pretty strong demand for this type of thing. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, this is definitely something to consider! Read more about the Pros and Cons of Starting a Lawn Business.
86. Become a Tutor
Students will always be willing to pay for extra 1-on-1 help, which means there will always be opportunities for work as a tutor. Here are some tips on how to market yourself as a tutor and get clients. You can also sign up for an online tutoring platform like Chegg. Chegg reports that their tutors make $20+ an hour.
87. Start a Podcast
Maybe your writing isn’t all that great, but you are a great conversationalist. If you have a topic you’re passionate about, why not start a podcast? As your audience grows, you can land some pretty sweet sponsorship deals. Here’s the complete scoop on How to Start Your Own Podcast.
88. Refurbish Antiques and Resell Them
Moms and grandmas, this one is for you. If you love poking around in antique shops all day, why not try buying a few things, refurbish them, and sell them on eBay? That could be a fun gig if you’re into that sort of thing. Here’s How to Start an Antique Restoration Business.
89. Event DJing
There are many events that need DJs: weddings, corporate outings, college parties, etc. If you have a big selection of music and can mold it to your crowd, DJing might be a fun side business to get into. Here’s How to Start a Mobile DJ Business and Make Extra Cash.
90. Meal Prep Services
For health-conscious people who are also strapped for time, eating healthy during the week can be a tricky task. A startup near us in Roanoke, VA, Food Prep Service Roanoke has done a great job of capitalizing on this opportunity. They address 3 different pain points: they’re low cost, the meals are healthy, and they deliver.
91. Train Dogs
As I’m writing this article, I have two bad dogs sitting right next to me (Annie and Sydney, if you’re reading this, I really do love you). I would definitely pay someone who has the patience and the skill to train these two rascals. Read How to Start a Dog Training Business from Top Dog Tips.
92. Groom Dogs
Now that I think about it, these two also need a bath. And I don’t have time to do it today. There’s another business opportunity.
93. Rec Sports Referee
Local rec leagues, whether it’s softball, flag football, soccer, etc. need people to officiate games. Working a game or two each weekend is a great way to make some extra money.
94. In-Home Help for the Disabled
You need maximum levels of patience and compassion for this one, but the rewards go far beyond just the extra cash.
95. Participate in Clinical Trials
You can make some pretty decent cash from this. Check out ClinicalTrials.gov for more information.
96. Estate Sale Service
Skim the obituaries in the paper, track down next of kin using social media, then contact them and offer to help with sorting through/moving/selling possessions that have been left behind. Be tactful and respect that these families are going through a tough time.
97. Electronics Repair
People crack their screens and otherwise damage their phones/tablets/etc. all the time. With a little bit of training and the right equipment, you can easily start your own mobile electronics repair biz. Here’s a great article from JerryRigEverything on starting a cell phone repair business.
98. Window Cleaning Service
It’s not glamorous work, but pretty much all brick and mortar businesses need it. And you can provide that service.
99. Become a Coach or Mentor
If you have experience in a certain area, you might be able to provide your guidance and expertise to others. Areas of focus are virtually unlimited — nutrition, business, happiness, relationship, and everything in between! Read more about How to Become a Professional Mentor from The Guardian.
100. Direct Sales Consulting
This is stuff like MaryKay, Avon, Beachbody, Tupperware, etc. If you aren’t quite ready to start your own business but you want to get a taste of entrepreneurship, one of these options could be a reasonable choice. Here’s a helpful write-up from Single Moms Income on How to Earn Money as a Successful Direct Sales Consultant.
101. Substitute Teaching
I was surprised to find out how minimal the requirements are for many substitute teaching gigs. Even teaching just a few classes each month can really add to your income! Check out How to Make Money Substitute Teaching at Live Like You are Rich.
Creative Ways to Make Money
For the more unconventional, here are some uncommon and creative ways to make extra cash in your spare time.
102. Play Poker Online
If this is the first time you are hearing about this, though, then we actually do not recommend trying it. The average skill level of players on the Internet has improved so much over the past few years that it’s virtually guaranteed that a new player will lose money over the medium to long-term. But hey, Ben made upwards of 6 figures playing online in poker in college, so we had to list it. 
103. Become a Mystery Shopper
The job description is pretty straightforward: visit a specific business or make a transaction with a certain company and share the results of that experience. For the right person, this can be a great way to make extra money. The Krazy Koupon Lady has an awesome article on How to Make Money as a Mystery Shopper.
104. Transcribe Audio into Writing
There are several websites that will pay you to listen to audio and write down what is being said. It’s not the most fun work in the world, but if you are looking to make extra money, this is a viable option.
105. Participate in Paid Research Studies
If you live near a university, there are likely all sorts of research studies looking for participants. While I was an undergrad at Virginia Tech, I got paid $500 to participate in a 6-week dietary study. The study provided all my meals and paid me, but I had to eat a 5,000 calorie diet of 50% fat for 6 weeks, plus I had multiple muscle biopsies, urine/blood testing, etc.
106. Sell Roses for Valentine’s Day
If you start growing them in mid to late December, they should be ready by February 14th. Set up shop outside of a Starbucks or a romantic restaurant the week of and make some quick cash.
107. Be an Online Juror
Sign up to become a mock juror through eJury and you can get paid to help attorneys practice their skills in a mock trial.
108. House Sit
This is pretty much the easiest money you’ll ever earn. Just don’t let the house burn down.
109. Real Estate Crowdfunding
You can buy individual shares of real estate property through a website like Fundrise. According to their site, investors can earn an average of 12 to 14 percent annually on their investment.
110. Invest in Sectors You Like
If you are looking for a unique way to put your money to use, consider a service like Motif Investing. If there’s a particular sector you believe in, such as cancer research, Motif lets you invest in stocks related to that particular sector.
Ways to Make Extra Money at Your Current Job
What better place to look for extra money than the job that’s already paying you?
111. Get a Promotion
Easier said than done, I know. But if you’re willing to go above and beyond and prove yourself to management, you can move up the corporate ladder. Paul Sloane wrote a great article over on Lifehack about How to Get a Promotion.
112. Ask for a Raise
In my (unpopular) opinion, getting a raise is harder than getting a promotion. Think about it from your boss’s perspective, would you rather a) pay more money for the same service, or b) pay more money for additional responsibilities. Alas, if you feel you’re overdue a raise, check out Dr. Randall Hansen’s article on Getting the Raise You Deserve. There are some really useful strategies there.
113. Work Overtime
I’m not a huge fan of directly trading your time for money, but sometimes the offer of working overtime is too good to pass up. Ask your boss if you can pick up some extra hours each week.
My Advice for People Looking to Make Extra Money
Do something that actually matters.
Create something valuable.
Help someone else live better.
We only get one life, and it shouldn’t always be spent trying to make a quick buck. That’s why most of the ideas on this list are things that you can run really far with if you like the activity enough.
Even if it’s a mundane task like walking dogs, you could start the next (or only) full-service dog walking and grooming service in your town, where dog owners rave over your business and always refer you to others. You can hire other dog walkers as you grow, and turn your side hustle into a sustainable enterprise. You just have to do the work, and do it well.
Do the little stuff (surveys, apps that pay you, etc) to get a few extra bucks, but always be thinking about how to level up your life and create a ton of value for people (who will then pay you). We’re huge fans of entrepreneurship, as it truly is one of the best ways to escape the 9 to 5 that you hate.
Two Last Questions:
Which of these ideas on this list are you going to try out?
How are you going to leverage the money you earn into even more success?
Related:
- 11 Best Ways to Make Money from Home
- 18 Smart Ways to Quickly Boost Your Income
- How this RN Built a $100,000+/yr Side Hustle at 28
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43 Responses
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2) it would likely be easier to emulate what some of these big MLM girls are doing with their FB groups. Rather than advertise your products on FB, look for ways to build a page with a large following of interested users. A lot of these Lula Roe girls that do exceptionally well have large facebook pages with 10,000+ likes they “go live” on facebook and have Lula Roe parties showing off their goods/sales.
Stephanie