Now more than ever, we need hustles and side jobs. Aside from supplementing our regular income, making money on the side could also help us save for emergencies or important buys. Given our challenging economy, it is just wise to have other sources of cash.
You can do these gigs in your free time or sometimes even in the comfort of your own home. Harness your skills in doing these jobs so you can increase your rate or even turn these sidelines into a full-time job. Check which of these options is ideal in your situation.
This article talks about 24 fast and easy ways to earn cash. Please note that some of them require specific skills, so you have to find out which of them works best for you.
There are helpful websites and mobile apps you can use to make money from these jobs. You may ask yourself how I make money in the online industry? Well, we listed the ways. You can use any tool to make your time and effort worthwhile.
1. Sell items on eBay
Probably the easiest way to make money today is to turn your trash into cash. You can sell things that you no longer need at home on sites like eBay. Now that you are spending more time at home take this chance to clean your house from items that you have not been using for at least in the past five months. You will be surprised that these things collecting dust in your home can turn into extra money.
2. Recycle used smartphones on Gazelle
Let’s face it, even if our phones are perfectly well and functioning, we tend to buy the latest ones. As a result, we end up with a pile of phones that can still be used. To make money out of this, you can check out Gazelle and sell them your used smartphones. The best thing here is that you are ensuring that your devices do not end up in landfills.
3. Drive for Uber or Lyft
The boom of the sharing economy has propelled tech giants like Uber and Lyft. The business model of these two companies remains profitable as Millenials choose to get rides this way instead of buying their cars. One good side hustle is to drive in these companies. With a few hours you spend a day, you could earn around $364 a month.
4. Deliver for PostMates
If driving around people isn’t for you, you might want to deliver food and goods instead. Postmates is a great way to earn income, especially if you are from a high-traffic location like New York or Los Angeles. You don’t even need to have a car to deliver. Although working for Postmates isn’t necessarily a high paying job, you can make money from the customers’ tips.
5. Rent your spare room on Airbnb
If you have a spare room, house, or a condo, you could make extra cash through renting it on Airbnb. This side hustle can give you quick money because you get paid 24 hours after a guest checks in.
Once you have built an excellent rating through lots of positive reviews, you can increase your daily rate. Make sure to provide the best service to your customers so they can become your regulars.
6. Manage social media for small businesses
If you have time to spare and is an expert in social media and online marketing, offer your service to small businesses in your area. You can start looking for potential clients on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
You can also be a virtual assistant if that service is required. If you become excellent in your role, you can turn this side hustle into a full-time job.
7. Answer questions on JustAnswer
If you are an expert in a field like medicine, law, computer science, or information technology, you can make money from what you know through websites like JustAnswer. You have to help people looking for help or answer particular questions. The site works 24/7, which means that you can make extra money anytime you wish.
8. Sell services on Fiverr
If you wish to start your freelancing career, Fiverr can the best place for you to start. Whatever skill you have, writing, graphic design, marketing, and many others, you can indeed find individuals willing to pay for your service. One good thing with Fiverr is that it has a global reach. This means that you can work from home, assisting companies or businesses all over the world.
9. Do micro-jobs on Mechanical Turk
Amazon has this incredible platform called Mechanical Turk, where users are paid to complete virtual tasks. These tasks are not necessarily challenging to achieve. You have to spend time working on them. If you happen to dedicate most of your day completing tasks, you can make tons of money online.
10. Tutoring Services Online
Gone are the days that you have to go to another house to provide tutoring service. Now, you can be online making money through teaching students virtually. The easiest way to get students is to reach out to friends and neighbors who have children who need tutoring. You can also opt to advertise your service on social media sites or your website.
Tutorial services are not only meant for teaching academic lessons. There are clients (old or young) who wish to learn other new skills. When you advertise your service, be sure to give them a curriculum vitae or resume where they can see your expertise. If you wish to teach more difficult and challenging skills like programming, you can indeed charge a higher rate.
11. Get a part-time job
Probably the surest way to make money fast is to get a part-time job. Look for job postings online that require only a few hours each week. Be sure that you want to do this because this might mean that you will have to lose your time and your social life. Take part-time work during weekends or after your office hours.
Try to look for jobs where you already have experience. If you are right on household work like cleaning, plumbing, or upholstery, look for jobs that require such knowledge and expertise. In this way, you get decent pay for each hour you spend on your career.
12. Start a blog and monetize it!
If you are into writing and are fond of any particular topic, why not start a blog, grow it, and eventually monetize it. Earning from a blog can take a long time, but once you have enough readers visiting your blog, you can get paid through the website’s affiliate marketing program. You can also earn through getting advertisers to sponsor your blog posts.
13. Build a sales funnel with ClickFunnels
This is for entrepreneurs who wish to get started to make money online. ClickFunnels helps people who do not have skills and knowledge on programming to build their website’s sales process.
If you have an existing product or service that you wish to sell online but do not know how to create your website for such purpose, they are the best company to help you out.
14. Write an ebook and sell it
Unlike traditional book writing, where authors only get paid when a copy of their book is sold, writing an ebook pays you cash as soon as someone buys your book. This means less risk and quick money. If you have a passion for writing, check out platforms like CreateSpace and KDP to begin your book writing journey. If you make a name for yourself, you can eventually make this as a full-time job.
If you are into book writing and are confident enough to make money out of this skill, you can choose to write an ebook for other people. You can apply as an ebook writer for private clients or companies. Make extra money making something that you are good at. Some clients are willing to pay a large sum of money if you can produce quality output.
15. Produce an audiobook
Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, there are various ways to release and sell audiobooks today. Even with a not-so-fancy microphone, you can create audiobooks that can be sold on Spotify, iTunes, Audible, and many more. Here’s a tip, talk about issues and topics you are passionate about and find a niche or community willing to pay you for your work.
Related to creating an audiobook is to create a podcast. You can choose to make a podcast on any topic that you are passionate about. You can then post your podcast on sites like Soundcloud, Spotify, or iTunes. You can also post your podcast with video on Youtube.
16. Sell on CafePress
CafePress advertises itself as the world’s best online gift shop primarily because of its millions of items sold. This tells you how this online store accepts any item you are willing to sell. Their biggest hits are items like shirts, cups, bags, pillows, and many more. Hence, if you are a graphic designer who has creative concepts in mind, try to make extra money selling your items here.
17. Become a mystery shopper
Mystery shopping is a fun and easy way to make money on the side. You have to buy items or products secretly, document your experience, and give your feedback. There are apps and websites dedicated to people wanting to be a mystery shopper. But, you can also reach out to stores and shops in your local area to apply as a mystery shopper.
18. Babysit or become a nanny
You can also spend your extra time as a nanny or a babysitter. This job is relatively fun and easy. One way to become one is to apply on websites like Care and Sittercity. Another option is to reach out to your friends and neighbors who need a nanny or a babysitter.
If you wish to professionalize your babysitting or nanny job, you can also make social media pages or a website where you advertise yourself. Remember that employment as a babysitter or a nanny relies heavily on trust. Hence, you have to project yourself as someone who can be trusted with a kid or a child.
19. Have a garage sale.
A quick way to turn your extra items and personal belongings into extra money are to make a garage sale. One technique to choose which items you can sell is to gather together items that you have not used in the past five months.
Sell things like old furniture, books, or clothes to make extra money. Let go of your attachment to these household items so you can put a reasonable price on them.
If a garage sale does not work for you, you can always try to sell them on the Facebook marketplace. In this way, you can reach a bigger market. You can also send photos or what you are selling to your family and friends to see the items you are selling.
20. Get Paid with Youtube Tutorial
One growing platform in recent years is Youtube. Believe it or not, people can earn a good living making videos on the site. If you are looking for a side hustle, try creating Youtube tutorial videos. It might take several months or a year before you start earning, but you can start earning cash once you have built a sufficient viewership.
Note that there are multiple ways on how to make money on Youtube. You can also have an affiliate marketing program, where you partner with a business company and advertise its products and service. Again, you can ask companies whose products or services are related to your channel to sponsor your videos.
21. Sell products on Etsy.
Etsy is an online store for hand-made products. Here, you can sell your artwork, personalized items, homemade accessories, and a lot more. Even hobbyists and amateurs can sell their items here. There is no limit to what you can sell, which means that you have different options to get paid when you use this platform.
22. Become a freelance article writer
As a writer, you have a lot of ways to make money online. You can get paid writing SEO articles, essays, teaching materials, and a lot more. Sites like Freelancer and Upwork are two of the most available platforms where you can get started as a freelance writer. You can also reach out to business websites by sending them an email directly.
If you wish to be a freelance writer, you should build a strong portfolio. Try to diversify your writing portfolio so you can get gigs from various clients. You can even turn this side hustle into full-time work.
23. Become a local tour guide
Another way to make money is to become a local tour guide. Learn your local history and offer your services to tourists and other clients. Aside from checking out apps for tour guides, you can also set up your independent tour business where your clients can directly book your services. Create a website advertising your tours or make a social media page where potential customers can check out your services.
24. Become a virtual assistant
One job on the rise now is being a virtual assistant. The good thing about this job is that you can do it in the comfort of your home. As a virtual assistant, you get to help businesses manage their customer service. You can also choose to target online-based clients who need human interaction in running their businesses.
The good thing about this job is that you can get a higher rate once you gain a lot of experience. A first-time virtual assistant is more likely to get a smaller salary. Once you have built a fair amount of job experience, you can start to ask for a wage worth your time.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that today’s economy is making it difficult for many of us to earn extra cash. But, as you have read above, there are tons of ways to make extra money in your free time. There are tons of websites and smartphone apps to help you with extra cash. You have to look for which of these tools works best for you.
One crucial reminder is that many of the options mentioned above are meant only to make extra cash. Finding a full-time, stable, and high-paying job is still the best method for you to earn a living. Make sure that you do not leave your current job when doing these gigs. Just treat it as a way to supplement your regular salary.
