If you want to learn how to make money on the side, then you’re reading the right blog post. Learning how to make extra income completely changed my life for the better.
Due to the fact that I learned how to make money on the side, I was able to pay off $38,000 in student loans within 7 months, I was able to leave my day job in order to pursue my passion, travel full-time, and more!
On Making Sense of Cents, I talk a lot about how to make money on the side because I believe that earning extra income can completely change your life too. You can stop living paycheck to paycheck, you can pay off your debt, reach your retirement earlier, and more.
As you can see, I am a big believer that learning how to make money on the side can completely change your future for the better.
The crazy thing is that before I learned how to make money on the side, the idea never even crossed my mind! I didn’t realize side hustles and side businesses were even a thing people did. When I learned about it, I first thought that I wouldn’t have the time to even get started. Fortunately, I learned how to do it, and I wish I would have started sooner.
Whether you just want to make more money, you have goals that you want to reach (perhaps you want to retire earlier than the average person), you have big expenses coming up, or something else, finding ways to make extra money can really help you financially.
Learning how to make money on the side can change your life in some really great ways, such as:
Paying off your debt.
Saving for big purchases, such as a vacation.
Stop living paycheck to paycheck.
Help you retire earlier than originally planned.
Help you not feel as stuck at your job.
Help you to become more diversified with the way that you make money.
Whether you have just one free hour a day or if you are willing to work 40 to 50 hours a week on top of your full-time job, there are many options when it comes to earning extra money.
To make more money, you can learn how to make money on the side, work online, create a side business, find a part-time job, sell your stuff, make more money at the job you already have, and more!
Related posts on how to make money on the side:
Here are over 70 ways to learn how to make money on the side:
Making money online.
Some people may be skeptical when it comes to making money online, but there are many legitimate online jobs and business ideas where you can earn a full-time living or at least a side income. Yes, real work from home jobs do exist. I love being able to earn a living online, and it allows me to be location independent and/or work from home. So, if you are interested in learning how to make money online, start here.
Start a successful blog – The first thing I recommend to anyone interested in learning how to make money on the side is to start a blog! Blogging is how I earn a living, and just a few years ago, I never thought it would be possible. In fact, before I started my blog, I didn’t even know that blogs existed! I currently earn around $100,000 a month with my blog. You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as little as $2.95 per month, plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial. I even have a Free How To Start and Launch A Money-Making Blog Course you can join, and it will help you start and launch a successful blog!
Teach English – Did you know that you may be able to teach English online to children? VIPKID is a company that allows you to work from home, create your own schedule, and earn $18-21 per hour (many teachers are earning over $1,000 per month) all while teaching English online. You don’t need a teaching degree, but you do need to have a 4-year degree in something.
Answer surveys – Survey companies I recommend include American Consumer Opinion, Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, ProOpinion, Pinecone Research, and Harris Poll Online. These survey companies are free to join and free to use! You get paid to answer surveys and to test products. It’s best to sign up for as many as you can, as that way you can receive the most surveys and make the most money.
Create a course and teach others – Before you think that you have nothing to teach, I want to tell you that you most likely do! Online courses are extremely popular right now, and you don’t need to have a blog in order to be successful with an online course. I use Teachable for my online course platform, and I highly recommend it. Here’s How I’ve Earned $434,698+ From One Online Course Without Webinars Or Spending Money On Advertising.
Create an ebook – My friend Abby, from Just a Girl and Her Blog, explains how creating eBooks may be a great source income source for you. One year, Abby made over $110,000 from sales of digital products (such as eBooks). She started three years ago knowing nothing about blogging and now makes six figures a year, due in large part to her eBooks. She is now teaching others the process she uses to write and launch profitable eBooks, and you guys, it is genius! Learn more at How To Create A Profitable Ebook With Abby Lawson.
Edit content – Websites, books, courses, and more all need editors and someone to help them improve the quality of their content. No matter how many times a person reads a piece of content, something usually slips through. If you’re a grammar-nut, then this can be a great way to make money.
Manage social media accounts for others – Being a social media manager can be a fun job. Not everyone can do it, but if you have social media skills, then it might be something to look into. It’s not as easy as just sharing random content as you do need to create a strategy that works, but it can turn into a good career if you are successful. Learn more about How I Started a Pinterest Consulting Side Hustle.
Use Swagbucks for your online searches – Swagbucks allows me to earn Amazon gift cards with very little work. Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded with points called SB for the things you do through their website. Then, when you have enough points called SB, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. You’ll receive a free $5 bonus just for signing up through my link!
Proofread for a living – In just one year, Caitlin made slightly over $43,000 as a freelance proofreader, while also going on several fun vacations. If you are looking for a new job, or even just a side hustle, this may be something to look into. Learn more at Make Money Proofreading By Becoming A Freelance Proofreader.
Assist others with improving their resume – A few years ago, I interviewed a reader who ran a resume business. She showed me how others can learn to make side money by helping people create the kind of resumes they need to land their next job. If you are constantly reviewing resumes for your friends because you’re so good at creating them, then you may want to turn your skill into a paying job!
Post on social media – If you have social media accounts, even just a personal Facebook account, you may be able to make money by posting small ads on your accounts. One popular company that I recommend is Izea.
Become a freelance writer – A freelance writer is someone who writes for a number of different clients, such as websites, blogs, magazines, and more. These writers don’t work for one specific company, rather they work for themselves and contract out their writing. Learn more at How To Start A Successful Freelance Writing Career.
Moderate forums – Some online forums will pay you to moderate their message boards. If there is a forum you visit often, you might want to see if they are hiring.
Become a transcriptionist – Do you know what a transcriptionist does? Did you know that it is another way to make money? You can read more about how to make money on the side as a transcriptionist Make Money At Home By Becoming A Transcriptionist.
Become a virtual assistant – Virtual assistant tasks may include social media management, formatting and editing blog posts, scheduling appointments or travel, email management, and more. Basically, you get paid to do any task that needs to be done for someone’s business, but doesn’t need to be done by them. You can read more about how to make money on the side as a virtual assistant at Make Money Online as a Virtual Assistant.
Become a bookkeeper – Ben, founder of Bookkeeper Business Academy, explains how becoming a bookkeeper may be a possibility for you. Ben helps people start and grow their own bookkeeping business with his online bookkeeping course. And, guess what? You don’t have to be an accountant or have any previous experience! You can read more about how to make money on the side as a bookkeeper at Make Money At Home By Becoming A Bookkeeper.
Start an online store – Did you know that you can create your own online store to make money? Jenn, a reader of mine, started her online business a little over three years ago and since then she has developed and grown three successful online ecommerce stores earning an average of $19,000 per month. Learn more at How Jenn Makes Over $10,000 A Month With Her Online Store In Less Than 10 Hours Per Week.
Test websites – This is a relatively new online work at home option that I have heard about. UserTesting.com is a website that pays you to test websites. You get paid $10 for each website you review and test, and $15 per website that you mobile test. You do not need to be a super technical person for this online job, as they want real people to review websites to see what people really think.
Create a side business (or a full-time one!) in 2018.
Creating a side business can be a great way to learn how to make money on the side, and it may even lead to a full-time career.
Pick up trash – Did you know that you can get paid $30- $50 an hour to pick up trash? Read Get Paid $30 – $50 Per Hour To Pick Up Trash to learn more.
Sell on Amazon – If you want to learn how to make money on the side and online, then you may want to start an Amazon FBA business! Jessica Larrew, of The Selling Family, explains how selling on Amazon may be a possibility for you. She is a friend of mine, and I am blown away by her success! The first year that Jessica’s family ran their Amazon FBA business together, working less than 20 hours a week total, they made over six figures profit! If you are looking for a new job, or even just a side hustle, this may be something that you want to look into. Learn more at How To Work From Home Selling On Amazon FBA.
Maintain and clean yards – Yard maintenance is another way to earn extra money. You can make money by mowing lawns, killing/removing weeds, cleaning gutters, raking leaves, and so on.
House sit – House sitting is becoming more and more popular these days, and there are many websites out there for house sitting. You might not always get paid, but you are often compensated with a nice place to stay in a great vacation spot. In many cases, you do get paid to watch the house, water the plants, and so on.
Rent out your RV – Many RVs sit unused in storage lots, driveways, and backyards, so why not try to make a little money while you’re not using your RV? Learn more at How To Make Extra Money By Renting Out Your RV.
Walk dogs and/or pet sit for extra money – If you love animals, then you may want to look into how to make money on the side by walking dogs or pet sitting. With this side hustle, you may be going over to your client’s home to check in a few times a day, you may be staying at their house, or the animals may be staying with you. Rover is a great company that you can sign up with in order to become a dog walker and pet sitter. Learn more about this at Rover – A Great Way To Make Money And Play With Animals.
Groom pets – This is yet another animal related side business, and it could be a good one for you. With a mobile pet grooming business you go directly to the pets rather than needing to find and set up a permanent business location.
Become a landlord – Whether you rent out a room in your home or start buying up properties to invest in and rent out, this could be a way to learn how to make money on the side. Learn more in How This 29 Year Old Is Building A Real Estate Empire.
Scoop poop – Okay, this isn’t the most glamorous job, but someone has to do it. This can be an interesting way to learn how to make money on the side.
Become a cooking instructor – Healthy Hands Cooking is a self-paced cooking instructor certification program that can be completed from the comfort of home. This is an 11 module course that will help you create your own cooking business with the correct licensing, permits, background checks, food safety, marketing, and more. Healthy Hands Cooking is a movement to fight childhood obesity by empowering adults to teach children about nutrition and healthy cooking through entertaining and informative classes, camps, and birthday parties.
Shovel snow – If you get snow where you live, then you may be able to knock on your neighbors’ doors and see if they would like their driveways and sidewalks shoveled. If you want to go a little further, you could even invest in a plow and market your services.
Babysit and/or nanny children – When I was just 14, I was making $10 an hour babysitting for a neighbor. I babysat 40 hours a week and it was a great way to make extra money! If you have any special skills or provide extra work, such as cleaning up around the house, teaching the child how to speak another language, picking up the child after activities, and so on, you will most likely be able to charge more than $10 an hour.
Become an Uber or Lyft driver – Spending your spare time driving others around can be a great money maker. Read more about this in my post How To Become An Uber Or Lyft Driver. Click here to join Uber and start making money ASAP.
Help people fix things around their home – If you are a handy person, you may be able to get paid to repair broken items around a person’s home. Word of mouth is big when it comes to finding clients, but you can also post Craigslist advertisements that show your services, post flyers to bulletin boards around your town, and more.
Clean homes – Cleaning is something that many people dread. If you are good at cleaning, then you may be able to find clients who want you to come to their home to clean. This can pay around $20 an hour or more in some areas.
Move furniture – Moving is another task that many people dislike. Movers can earn a broad range when it comes to hourly pay, but it’s usually somewhere around $25-$50 an hour if you run your own business.
Become a photographer – Do you love photography? You might be able to make money as a wedding photographer, portrait photographer, event photographer, and more. Learn more at How To Make $25,000 – $45,000 A Year As A New Photographer.
Tutor on a subject – Similar to teaching a skill, you may be able to make money by tutoring someone. You may help someone with their homework, help them learn a language, prepare for an important exam, and more.
How to make money on the side with a part-time job.
If you’re looking for something a little more permanent than a side hustle, a part-time job might be a good way for you to learn how to make money on the side. There are many part-time jobs that may work with the schedule at your full-time job. You can find a job on sites such as Snagajob, Craigslist (yes, I’ve found a legitimate job through there before), Monster, and so on.
Deliver RVs to dealerships – RVs are huge, and the majority of the time they can’t be transported by semi-trucks because of their size. Due to that, someone has to drive them from the manufacturer to the RV dealership. We met a couple who did this for a living, and they both loved what they did. They were able to travel a lot, earn a living, and got to see new RVs all the time. To make extra income doing this, you can contact transport companies in your area, RV manufacturers, RV dealerships, and more.
Find a part-time seasonal job – If you have a job that gives you the summers off (or whatever season), then finding a part-time seasonal job might be a good way to fill your time while making some extra money. Some of the seasonal, part-time job options are listed below.
Bartend – If you have bartending experience, then you may be able to find a bartending job at a bar, restaurant, catering company, and more. Since the hours for this are usually later at night and on the weekends, you will probably be able to find a bartending job that works well with a regular 9-5 job schedule.
Work at a restaurant – You could be a host, wait tables, bus tables, and so on.
Substitute teach – I know quite a few people who substitute teach both part-time and full-time and love it. Sometimes the schedule can be tricky as you may be called at the last moment, but other times you may secure a long-term position. In some places, substitute teaching can pay around $100 per day.
Work at a hotel, motel, hostel, resort, etc. – There are many jobs in the hospitality industry.
Work at a retail store – I worked in retail for over five years, made lifelong friends, and I was able to make an okay income to live off of. Plus, you can usually receive a good discount when working in retail.
Lifeguard – You could lifeguard at a community pool, a private pool, a water park, and so on.
Deliver newspapers – Delivering newspapers can be a good way to make some side money. You may have to wake up early, but maybe those are the hours you are looking for.
Run errands for others – Being someone’s assistant can be an interesting way to make money. Someone may pay you to do their laundry, clean their home, pick up their food, answer phone calls, and more.
Related: 80+ Ways To Earn Extra Money
Sell your stuff to make money.
There are many ways you can make extra money by selling items. We all have things around our homes that can be sold instead of collecting dust, or you can even search for items that can be bought and resold for a profit. If you want to learn how to make money on the side by selling your stuff, then continue reading below.
Related post: 8 Things To Sell To Make Money
Flip items – Melissa’s family was able to make $42,875 in one year through buying and flipping items for sale, and they were only working about 10-20 hours per week. Learn more in How Melissa Made $40,000 In One Year Flipping Items.
Sell/donate blood, plasma, eggs, etc. – Yup, all of these can be sold for a price, and you can definitely make extra money by doing so. Women can earn anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 or more for their eggs, depending on their characteristics. Egg donors are typically under the age of 30 and healthy. African American women and Asian American women usually earn the most money as there is a larger need for their eggs. This is not easy money, though. There are a number of doctor’s visits, and extracting the eggs requires a medical procedure. For sperm, the average donation pays anywhere from $50 to $100. It can be quite easy to donate, and some men donate as much as 2-3 times each week.
Sell items on eBay – Whether you have old clothes you want to sell, a car, electronics, and so on, eBay can be a great way to sell many different types of items. eBay also has a worldwide reach, which can be great if the market in your area isn’t large enough.
Sell items on Craigslist – If you want to learn how to make money on the side, then you should look into Craigslist! Craigslist can be a great way to sell your items, while often earning a higher value for them too. However, be safe, because you will have to meet with strangers to complete the transactions.
Sell to secondhand stores – There are many secondhand stores out there that will take your clothing and shoes. Stores like Plato’s Closet, Hut No. 8, and Buffalo Exchange will pay upfront for on trend young adult clothing, and they take all of the legwork out of selling items, which is nice. There are also secondhand stores for designer items, women’s clothing, children’s items, and more. Some pay upfront, whereas others may not pay you until after the item has sold.
Sell on Etsy – Etsy is a great place to sell handmade items, vintage finds, and craft supplies. If you are a crafty person, definitely check out this website to learn how to make money on the side.
Sell your gift cards – If you have any gift cards in your wallet that you know you won’t use, you should think about selling them. There are many, many websites out there that will pay you cash for your gift cards.
Sell items through a garage sale – A garage sale can be an easy way to make extra money because everyone comes straight to you. The only downside is that usually you don’t make as much for your items as you would if you were to sell them on sites such as eBay or Craigslist.
Sell your old books – Back when I was in college, I would always sell my textbooks immediately after the class was over. This helped me regain the amount that I originally paid for the book. You can sell your books online, and most university bookstores have a buyback option.
Related:
Make more money at the job you already have.
If you’re already employed and not interested in learning how to make money on the side through starting a side hustle, online business, or taking part-time job, then you may want to see if there are ways to make more money at the job you already have.
Work overtime – One way to make more money at the job you already have is to see if your company will allow you to work overtime. In many cases, overtime is welcomed and you can earn a decent amount of money through this. Plus, what’s an extra hour or two when you’re already there?
Ask for a raise – Asking for a raise may be the best way to make extra money at your current job, as the work is the same and you most likely won’t be adding additional hours to your work week. Many people never ask for a raise, which is money that may possibly be left on the table. Over numerous years, this can add up to a significant amount of income!
Get a promotion – If a raise is not possible, then you may want to try for a promotion at your company that you know comes with a pay bump. Sometimes, there is only so much that a company can give you for the current job that you have, but perhaps a promotion with different and/or additional job duties, a possible move, etc. may result in an increase in pay.
Earn bonuses – Depending on the industry and the company you work at, you may be able to earn bonuses.
How to make money on the side in interesting ways.
If you’re looking for even MORE ways to learn how to make money on the side, then this is your spot. These are all of the other ways to make money that didn’t fit well into the above categories. If there is something that you do to make money that is not on this list, please share in the comments below!
Cuddle with strangers – Did you know that you can learn how to make money on the side by cuddling with people that you don’t even know? Surprisingly, there are many cuddling companies out there, and this option seems to be growing more and more each year. You can sell cuddles to strangers, and some people even make a few hundred dollars a day by cuddling with others.
Place advertisements on your car, home, or even on your body – Yes, there are companies out there that will pay you to place an advertisement on your car, home, or even your body (such as a tattoo on your forehead). If there’s space on your car or your fence that you don’t mind placing an ad on, then look into this!
Be an extra in a movie or TV show – If there’s a movie or TV show that is being filmed near you, you could always learn how to make money on the side by becoming an extra. You won’t have to do much, and it could be a lot of fun, especially if you are able to meet someone famous!
Invest – There are no guarantees when it comes to investing, but you should always start sooner rather than later. If you are looking for a good investment platform, I recommend Motif. Motif Investing allows individuals to invest affordably. This approachable investing platform makes it easy to buy a portfolio of up to 30 stocks, bonds, or ETFs for just $9.95 total commission.
Sell breast milk – Only recently did I realize that some women make extra money doing this. If you are breastfeeding, you may be able to sell your breast milk to make extra money. Breast milk often goes for $1 to $2.50 per ounce, and sometimes it sells for as much as $4 per ounce. There are many people who are looking to buy breast milk – not just mothers. Athletes, and those looking to boost their immune systems, are buyers as well.
Receive bonuses and rewards for using a credit card – There are many credit cards out there that will give you cashback just for using them. If you are good with credit cards (please skip this if you are not), this is something to look into as you can make money without having to do much. Read more at How To Use Credit Cards To Earn Cheap/Free Vacations.
Take part in medical research studies – Medical studies allow you to help with the research and study of diseases, medicine, treatment, and more. Studies ask for certain types of people for the different tasks needed to be performed. To find paid medical research studies, I recommend checking out your local Craigslist listings, contacting universities in your area, and seeing if there are any medical testing companies in your area. Most cities have these options, and you just have to look for them.
Use Ebates when shopping online – One of the easiest ways to learn how to make money on the side is to use a cashback website! If you shop online, you should always use a cashback website like Ebates so that you can earn free cash back and make extra money for the online shopping you already do. It doesn’t cost anything to use Ebates. Instead, you just click on a link through their website that leads you to the store you are interested in shopping at. They earn money when you shop through their link, and they give you part of what they receive as a thank you. You can still use coupons and discounts when shopping as well, so it’s just an extra way to make money back on your purchases with very little work. You can sign up for Ebates here.
Enter contests and giveaways – There’s no guarantee that you will win anything when entering contests, but it is possible to learn how to make money on the side by doing this. You may win cash, gift cards, vacations, electronics, and more. The key here is to enter as many as you can.
Mystery shop – Yes, you can actually get paid to shop at stores and eat at restaurants. A few years ago, I mystery shopped a lot to make extra income. I made anywhere from $150 to $200 a month mystery shopping and received free meals, makeup, and more. I only used Bestmark for mystery shopping, so I know that they are a 100% legitimate company. There are other legitimate mystery shopping companies that exist, but you do want to do your research.
Try InboxDollars – InboxDollars is an online rewards website I recommend if you want to find ways to learn how to make money on the side. You can earn cash by taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, searching the web, redeeming grocery coupons, and more. Also, by signing up through my link, you will receive $5.00 for free!
Travel the world and be an au pair – In 2016, my sister was an au pair in Italy. It was an interesting experience, and she shares how you can become an au pair and travel the world in her blog post. Learn more at How To Become An Au Pair And Travel The World.
Earn money with your FitBit – Did you know that you can earn money, points, gift cards, and more with your FitBit? It’s true, you can! I recommend signing up and connecting your FitBit to Achievemint and Walgreens Balance Rewards to make money easily. Read 4 Ways To Earn Money With A Fitbit to learn more about how to make money on the side with your FitBit.
Are you interested in learning how to make money on the side? How could learning how to make money online or any of the other ways help you and your life?
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