There are many ways to make extra money on the side. Whether you want to earn a little extra spending money or you’re looking to save up for a big purchase, there are plenty of opportunities out there.
Here are 50 ways to make extra money on the side.
1. Do Short Surveys Online
Earn $10-$40 or more per survey from home by answering questions online about products and services including popular brands such as Netflix, Walmart, Disney, etc… The average consumer spends 30 minutes completing an online survey which earns approximately $5 – $12 depending on the length of the survey. If you’re looking for ways to earn money while enjoying dinner or while relaxing at home with family members, this is a fast and easy option that will add up quickly. A referrals program is available for this job, and you’ll earn $0.25 each time your referral completes a survey.
2. Get Paid to Drive Your Own Car
If you’re looking for inexpensive ways to make money, you’ve probably considered driving around with Bolt, Lyft, or Uber. If you’re not familiar, these are rideshare programs that allow drivers without commercial licenses to transport passengers for a fee. You simply download the apps, sign up and drive whenever you want!
3. Start an Online Business
Join the freelance workforce, sell your own products and services online, start an eCommerce website or blog. The possibilities are endless! Besides selling products of your own design and creation (think T-shirts), selling through marketplaces like Etsy is another great way to earn commissions on your creativity. For example, if you sew skirts as a hobby but post them on Etsy with catchy descriptions and appealing photographs, it’s likely that others will want to purchase your skirts. This is a great opportunity for anyone with the skills (and tools) for creating beautiful handmade items. You can even find more customers on Instagram!
4. Become an Online Tutor
Earn money through sites like Chegg Tutors, Tutor Hunt and Practice Test, where you contract directly with students who need help in certain subjects ranging from math tutoring to SAT preparation courses. What’s great about these websites is that you can work as much or as little as you want, whenever you want, all year round! If you’re good at teaching others and enjoy working with people online, this just might be the perfect side hustle for you!
5. Drive People Around Town
If you live in a busy metropolitan area, taxi driving may not be an option. However, if you live in a smaller town or suburb where people are generally dependent upon personal vehicles to get around, taxi driving may be ideal for you.
6. Rent your Room on Airbnb
Airbnb is the world’s largest network of local stay options offering accommodation in more than 34,000 cities and 191 countries!
People all over the world are using this platform to earn extra income by renting out their rooms, homes or apartments while they’re away for business or vacations.
If you have a space in which you can host guests, why not consider renting it out when you’re not home? For example, if you live alone and typically spend weekends at home but would like to escape town for a couple of weeks, consider renting out your room or apartment for a couple of weeks on Airbnb.
This is an easy way to make money doing something you already do and enjoy – but don’t forget to create a listing that highlights the space’s best features.
7. Do Graphic Design Work
If you are creative or have graphic design skills, then this option might be the perfect fit! Consider taking on freelance work through sites like Fiverr where you can complete projects starting at $5 per job offered by customers who are looking for help with logo creation, website development and other forms of online marketing. Doing these types of jobs from home may not provide a full-time income, but the extra cash is handy when it comes in and will add up quickly!
8. Find Work with Amazon’s Mechanical Turk
Mechanical Turk is an online platform that connects people who need work doing with people in foreign countries who are willing to complete these tasks for a few cents. If you’re in the US, you can register for free through the website and take on classifying, tagging and transcribing jobs which will occupy your time during slow hours at home or while sitting in front of the TV.
The extra cash is great when it comes in but won’t provide enough income to quit your day job! But if you really enjoy this type of work, consider making it more than just a way to make money – turn Mechanical Turk into your own successful business by learning how to create your own HITs (Human Intelligence Tasks) and eventually how to make your own HITs site!
9. Sell your Smartphone’s Photos Online
Sites like Shutterstock, iStockPhoto, and Fotolia are great places to sell stock photos because you receive a commission for each sale. If you find taking photographs relaxing and enjoy the process of editing them, why not consider making it a business?
With these sites, there’s no need to worry about paying for expensive professional photography equipment – simply snap away during slow hours at home or when you’re on vacation with friends because even amateur shots can become money-making images as long as they’re appealing to customers who are looking for certain types of photos.
For example, if you love going on city walks or spending time in scenic parks but don’t want to pay for expensive equipment, use your smartphone to snap photos of locations that may interest others.
Almost everyone has taken at least one good photograph at some point throughout their lives but unfortunately, most don’t even get looked at – with that being said, if you have an account with SlickPic, Foap or EyeEm then you should be uploading your best work instead of letting it collect dust!
These sites allow users to upload their photos for others to buy and as a result, you’ll be able to make some extra cash with very minimal effort.
10. Write an Ebook
Writing isn’t just a great way to express yourself – it can also be a great side hustle if you enjoy putting words on paper! Consider writing about personal experiences or interests and then sharing them with others online. You can either write and share free ebooks written specifically for online readers or charge fees through platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and earn royalties based upon sales volume and downloads.
11. Start a Personal Blog
Source: UGC
Blogging has become popular among those looking to share their opinions or thoughts with others online but what many people don’t realize is that blogging can actually lead to residual income as well!
Consider starting your own blog in a topic related to your passions or hobbies and create original content for site visitors. If you have the time to commit yourself to this, you can build up a strong following that’s interested in what you have to share with them which means that when it comes time to share advertising or sponsorship opportunities, there will be high demand.
As long as your blog is popular enough among search engines, revenue should begin to roll in overtime – just remember that if Google deems one of your articles irrelevant or too competitive down the road, it may decide not to leave your website out of its index which can directly impact traffic!
12. Start Selling on Etsy
Sites like Etsy are great for creative individuals looking for ways to sell their craft creations.
If you enjoy making personalized gifts or custom clothing but don’t want to spend your time trying to find customers, consider setting up an Etsy shop and sharing your items with the world!
As long as you keep in mind that competition is strong on this platform, you can create a successful store if there’s demand for what you’re selling – just remember that so many people use Etsy as their go-to spot for buying unique goods online which means it may be difficult to breakthrough!
13. Rent Out Your Car
If you own a car and aren’t using it all of the time, why not make money with it? Services like GetAround connect vehicle owners with those looking for short- rentals: simply register your car with the service, set your own rate when someone requests a time for renting it and GetAround handles the rest. The best part about this side hustle is that you don’t have to spend extra money on gas or car maintenance because you’re not actually using your vehicle!
14. Rent Out Your Clothes
If you’re interested in making passive income with your clothing, check out apps like ‘Rent My Wardrobe’ which allow users to buy and sell their clothes online without having to worry about shipping items.
With the app, people are able to snap photos of their favorite outfits or trend pieces and share them with others so if there’s something they like, they’ll be able to purchase it right away – plus each completed sale earns its respective user cash that can be deposited into a PayPal account.
15. Sell Your Unwanted Gifts
If you’re reading this post as part of your holiday shopping but have already finished buying presents, consider selling those that didn’t make the cut on eBay! This is actually something I like to do after Christmas each year (I try to sell things at around 50% of their original value) because it helps me clean up my room by getting rid of items that may be cluttering up space and also makes it seem like I’m getting a lot of gifts each year even though the truth is that I’ve purchased most of them myself!
16. Sell Your Old Phones
With companies like Apple, Samsung, and Motorola releasing new handset models every year, many people are looking to upgrade their devices frequently – however what happens to those old smartphones?
If you have an unused device lying around the house somewhere, consider selling it through companies such as Next Worth which offer cash for used phones! Depending on your carrier and condition, your device could be worth anywhere from $60-200 which isn’t a bad return for something that just took up space in your pocket or nightstand drawer.
It’s important to note that some carriers may not allow you to transfer your phone number over to a new device so it’s best to check with them first!
17. Sell Your Old Textbooks
If you’re anything like me, there are probably quite a few textbooks sitting on a shelf in your room that has been collecting dust for quite some time now – whether they’re from college or from high school, if you’ve got a perfectly fine copy of a textbook that no longer has any use to you, consider selling it through companies such as Amazon, Chegg, and Bigwords which offer both textbook buyback and renting services (depending on the type of book being sold).
Also, keep in mind that some textbooks (particularly ones published by McGraw-Hill) may be worth more if you decide to sell them on an international site like Bid4Books – however shipping these items can often be costly.
18. Sell Your Old Clothes, Shoes, and Accessories
Similar to media, clothing is another thing that many of us quickly accumulate over time which is why apps like Poshmark, ThreadUp and Vinted are perfect for those looking to make some extra cash by selling their old duds!
These apps work in the same way as eBay where users simply take photos of whatever they’re trying to sell (making sure to include dimensions and measurements) and set a price tag and/or schedule a sale – once someone purchases an item, it’ll be mailed out and payment will either be given through PayPal or with a prepaid shipping label.
What’s great is that these apps don’t charge users any sort of commission and the only setbacks is that they require items to be shipped out within 2 days (Poshmark offers slightly more time at 3 days) and there may potentially be issues if the item you’re selling has fake or replica tags/labels on them!
19. Sell Your Old Sports Equipment
From lacrosse sticks to hockey skates, most people play sports at some point in their lives – however, what happens when we get older and suddenly realize we don’t have much use for our old equipment?
Instead of letting all those old pieces sit around in your basement, why not sell them through companies such as Play It Again Sports, Kijiji, or Craigslist? Not only can you make a decent amount of money from these sales, you’ll also be helping other people stay active and maybe even discover new sports!
20. Learn Graphic Design
Source: UGC
Another major perk of the internet is that there appears to be a site for just about everything – if you’ve got some extra time on your hands and are looking to make some money (or maybe even start a new career), consider learning freelance graphic design. With sites like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour, it’s incredibly easy to find jobs related to photography, web or app design no matter what your level of expertise may be. Again, this industry requires specific skills but once someone has them they’ll likely always have work!
21. Get Paid To Watch Videos
If you’re looking for a very simple way to make money online without having to put too much effort into it, signing up for Swagbucks is definitely something worth considering. This completely free website/app works by having members watch sponsored videos, take surveys, participate in free trials and shop online for a small percentage of what they spend. While the pay is fairly low, it adds up fairly quickly if members are watching videos several times a day!
22. Sign Up For Mystery Shopping Jobs
An oldie but a goody – mystery shopping job has been around for decades but thanks to the internet, there are now thousands of companies willing to pay people just for going out and shopping at their favorite stores or restaurants. In order to sign up with one of these sites (which I suggest checking out Shopper Reports, Best Mark and Vindale Research ), you’ll need to verify an email address through a confirmation link sent in a message from your mystery shopping company of choice.
23. Join Amazon Mechanical Turk
Mechanical Turk was one of the first online work platforms and while it’s definitely a job that requires a significant amount of patience, there’s no denying that it’s a pretty good way to earn a little extra cash if you’ve got some free time. Simply put, this site enables users to complete micro-jobs (or HITs) such as transcription or data entry which can pay up to $0.30 each – depending on how many HITs you’d like to complete in one day, you might even make enough money for an extra Starbucks run!
24. Invest in Cryptocurrency
If you’re looking to capitalize on the booming cryptocurrency industry, there are a number of different ways to do so – some people use their own money to purchase bitcoin or Ethereum through sites like Coinbase while others invest in cryptocurrency-related companies. One of my personal favorite ways to earn money in this space is through mining – check out Genesis Mining, HashFlare, or Hashing 24 for more information.
26. Learn Web Development/Programming
There is a multitude of reasons why someone might want to learn web development or programming. Perhaps you want to create a website for your business or develop an app for your phone. Maybe you want to learn how to code so you can work from home, or simply because you’re interested in learning a new skill.
Whatever the reason, learning web development or programming can be a hugely rewarding experience. Not only do you gain practical skills that can be used in the real world, but you also gain a deeper understanding of how computers and the internetwork. This can be really useful for anyone who wants to work in tech, or just stay up-to-date with the latest trends. There are tens of Online web resources where you can learn how to code for free.
27. Start a YouTube Channel
Source: UNSPLASH
When it comes to YouTube, almost everyone has at least heard of it but very few people actually think about turning their channel into a money-making source – with that being said, if you’re looking for easy money then I’d highly suggest launching your own channel and monetizing accordingly.
YouTube has made quite a lot of young people millionaires and you can be among them! You can start by opening a Youtube Channel with your Gmail, then research the perfect youtube video idea to start, next create great and valuable content, and market your channel effectively, if you can be consistent and stick to quality, you can make a great career out of YouTube.
28. Start Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts.
The affiliate can be an individual, a company, or an organization. The affiliate marketer receives a commission for referring customers to the merchant’s website, and often for sales of other products created by the merchant.
Affiliate marketing is commonly confused with referral marketing, as both forms of marketing use third parties to drive traffic to the advertiser. However, referral marketing relies on unpaid clicks (or referrals) whereas affiliate marketing relies on paid clicks (or sales).
Affiliate Marketing is a great way to make passive income while you are working on other projects.
If you’re looking to make money with your own affiliate marketing website (such as this one), then you should definitely check out services AppSumo, Impact, JVZoo, CJ Affiliate – not only do they provide video tutorials for each of their courses that are completely free, but many of them also include a “bonus” which can be accessed by anyone who signs up!
29. Teach A course Online
If you’re like me and you love helping others learn, then this next money-making idea might be perfect for you – how does create an online course sound? Not only can it be a lot of fun but with websites like Udemy, Teachable, or Skillshare, it’s much easier than ever before to create your own lessons. I’d highly recommend checking out one of these sites if you’re interested in starting a new education-based business!
30. Sell Your Drawings/Artwork
I’ve been selling my artwork on Etsy for almost ten years now and not only did it help me pay off a bunch of credit card debt early on in college, but it also allowed me to travel the world while still maintaining a strong source of income – if you’re looking to make money with your own art, Etsy is definitely the place to be. Not only will you get access to millions of potential buyers but you can also promote and sell anything from prints & original paintings to clothing & home decor – no matter what type of artwork you create, I’d highly recommend checking out this site.
31. Build A Niche Website
If you’re looking for a long-term investment opportunity, then I’d highly suggest building up your own website which can either be monetized with ads or affiliate marketing (via sites like Amazon ).
To create your own site, all you really need is hosting and the ability to write articles – if you don’t know how to code but still want to build a website, you can check out platforms like Weebly or Wix, both of whom allow users to create professional websites without knowing any HTML/CSS! Once it’s built, just use SEO tools such as Google Analytics & Moz Pro to help drive traffic and let the earnings begin!
32. Invest In Stocks
If you have a bit of extra cash saved up, I’d highly recommend checking out the stock market since it tends to be an excellent source of long-term returns (especially when investing in solid companies). If you’re interested in learning more about this idea, I’d definitely check out The Stock Market Study Guide which is a great place to start.
33. Participate In Medical Studies
While I don’t recommend chasing studies just for the money if there happen to be several taking place near your home or office – why not sign up? Not only can it be a very easy way to make some quick cash but many studies also come with other perks such as free medical care & products. To find local studies in your area, I’d highly recommend checking out Find Me A Clinic or TrialX.
34. Become a transcriptionist
While transcription (the process of converting audio recordings into written documents) is usually an extremely tedious task, there are actually dozens of websites that offer to pay users for typing out what they hear – not only will this allow you to make money from home but it’s also a great way to build up your resume and gain some valuable writing & language skills.
35. Become a TikTok/Instagram Influencer
Source: Envato Images
If you’re looking to become the next big Instagram/TikTok sensation, there are actually dozens of websites that can help you get started (for free) and make some money along the way. While it might not seem like a lot, earning $50-100 per post is definitely possible depending on your following.
36. Flip Domains/Websites
With over 100 million yearly searches, buying and selling domain names can be a very lucrative (and fun) side hustle. It’s also one of the easiest ways to make money online since there is no need for any up-front investment or technical know-how. I
If interested, check out Namecheap and Hostinger are some of the best places online to find great domain hosting deals and start a web flipping journey without hassles.
37. Pick Up Freelance Work
While it might not seem like much, most people are actually surprised by just how much extra they can earn simply by giving their time to various freelance platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer & Fiverr.
While it will take some time to build up your reputation, you’d be shocked at just how much these little gigs actually add up over time – if you’re interested, here’s a great article on how to get started.
38. Sell vintage goods on Etsy
While most people either love or hate the popular online craft market, it’s hard to deny just how profitable an old bicycle, typewriter or even a 1950s dress can become. If you have a knack for finding unique items that people are actually looking for (and willing to pay money for), I’d recommend giving this side hustle a shot!
39. Stream games on Twitch
While it might not seem like much, streaming games on Twitch can actually be extremely profitable – in fact, some of the top players are making over $100k+ per year simply by playing video games in front of an audience. If interested, here’s a great list of all the equipment you’ll need to get started for less than $1,000.
40. Start a Dropshipping Business
While most people think they need to spend years sourcing and purchasing inventory, the truth is that several e-commerce websites such as AliExpress have made it incredibly easy for average joes to sell their own products with just a few clicks.
However, if you’re interested in something even more hands-on (or want to start your very own store), check out Shopify – a platform where you can start your very own website and begin selling products immediately.
41. Become a Tour Guide
Whether it’s for a small group of high school students or an entire tour bus filled with senior citizens, there are tons of opportunities out there that will allow you to earn money by simply showing others around your city. Simply Google “tour guide” in your local area and start contacting dozens of tour companies to see how much they’re willing to pay for your services.
42. Rent Out Your Bike on Spinlister
While it might not be a replacement for a full-time gig, renting out your bike on sites such as Spinlister can earn you several hundred dollars per month – all without having to do anything more than claim your bike and start setting rental rates!
43. Become a Virtual Assistant
While it might not seem like much, there are actually hundreds of people out there looking for part-time help with pretty much anything and everything. Whether you’re good at managing social media, writing, data entry, or even providing customer service, some of these sites can definitely be worth checking out – here’s a great list to get started.
44. Become a Chat Agent for Online Customer Service
While it might not seem like much, working for an online chat agent can be extremely profitable – especially if you’re good at managing tough conversations. If interested, here’s a great article on how to get started.
45. Help Others with their Resume
If you have a knack for writing, there are tons of opportunities out there to work as a remote resume writer – all without needing any prior experience. Simply contact local businesses that are looking for help and negotiate your pay rate!
46. Take on Modeling Jobs
Believe it or not, there are actually several sites out there that will allow you to earn a small side income by simply modeling for stock photos. While most of these gigs won’t pay the bills, if you’re good at looking “stylish” in front of a camera and have a large social media following, this could be worth checking out!
47. Learn UI/UX design
Source: UNSPLASH
If you’re skilled at Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, there are actually hundreds of small businesses out there looking for talented individuals to help build their new website or application.
There are a variety of ways to learn UI/UX design. One option is to take a course offered by a school or online platform. Another option is to read books or articles about the subject. Or, you could watch videos on YouTube or other online platforms.
Additionally, there are many tutorials available that can help teach you how to design user interfaces and user experiences. The important thing is to find a method that works best for you and that helps you learn the material in a way that makes sense to you.
48. Host a Podcast
Believe it or not, there are actually several hosting websites out there that allow anyone to start their very own podcast in just a few hours. From personal experience, I’ve always found Anchor.fm and Soundcloud to be the easiest and most affordable option if you’re looking for somewhere to host your podcast online (and they even have an Alexa rank of under 100,000 – which is great for SEO).
49. Learn Digital marketing & SEO
There are many reasons to learn digital marketing and SEO. Perhaps the most important reason is that these skills are in high demand and will continue to be in high demand as more and more businesses move online.
Another reason to learn digital marketing and SEO is that they are highly effective ways to reach customers. With SEO, you can rank your website higher in search engine results pages, which means more people will see your website. And with digital marketing, you can reach customers through email, social media, and other channels.
Finally, learning digital marketing and SEO is a great way to build your own business or grow your current business. These skills give you the ability to create or improve your website, generate leads online, and increase sales
Believe it or not, services such as Udemy offer hundreds of tutorials on how to make a full-time income from home through SEO. If interested, I suggest checking out the “Start an SEO Business from Home” course. For just $10, you can learn exactly how to get started – all without having to invest thousands of dollars into your own website.
50. Become a Virtual Bookkeeper
If you’re skilled at keeping books and can quickly learn new software, working as a virtual bookkeeper is one of the most profitable jobs out there – especially if you live in the United States. Simply Google “virtual bookkeeper near me” or check out this popular course to get started.
