Not making enough money at your job? Need extra cash for a vacation or for the holidays? For many people, that means finding some additional income to help afford gifts. There are many side jobs to make extra cash. While some are easier than others, all are guaranteed to put cash in the bank.
Side jobs that don’t take a lot of time
There are several opportunities out there to make money that do not take up a whole lot of your time, but do give you a lot of bang for your buck. These side jobs to make extra cash include:
- Selling your old stuff. Whether you use Ebay, Amazon or have a garage sale, you can make money off of the things you do not need want or have to have any more.
- Turn your hobby into cash. Whether you knit, do arts and crafts or write, there is money to be made.
- Have your spending make money. Find an app, website or credit card that will pay you back for your spending.
Have your money make you money
This side job for extra cash is not really a side job at all. With a bit of energy, time and determination, you can turn the money you already have into extra cash. It’s almost as easy as finding money in your clothes.
- Refinance your mortgage. Not only have interest rates dropped, but there are several federal programs that can help you lower your monthly payments.
- Rebates and coupons. Become a couponer. Read the ads from your favorite stores each week. Sign up for coupons and coupon blogs. Then use the sales and information to your advantage when making purchases.
- Switch providers or drop cable completely. See what the specials are at both the company you are currently using and at other companies. It may pay to switch, or to try and negotiate a lower monthly rate. You may also want to look into dropping cable completely and using a service such as Roku or ChromeTV.
Make a job out of helping others
With little effort on your part, providing a service to your neighbors and local community can help you get some much needed cash. These side jobs for extra cash allow you to help out and make money at the same time.
- Tutor. There are many different ways to tutor. Whether you go and hang signs at your local schools or join an online company and teach from the comfort of your own home, you will be helping out students in need.
- Sit. House sit, baby sit or pet sit. Whatever type of sitting you choose, there are websites and Facebook groups that can get you clients quickly and easily. You can even do all three.
- Become a part of the healthcare industry. This side job for extra cash is not for the faint of heart. For those willing to take the plunge, there is money to be made through clinical research of new drugs and through selling body fluids including blood, plasma and sperm.
- Share. You can share your car through a service like Uber and you can rent out an extra room in your home and make extra money that way as well.
Lesser known ways to make extra income
There are many other side jobs for extra cash out there. Some of the ways that often do not come to mind include the following:
- Become a reviewer. There are websites out there that will pay for your opinion. This can be through a written review of a business or it can be through taking surveys.
- Mystery shopper. Maybe not less known, but definitely less taken advantage of due to some websites that are not legitimate. While there are scams out there, be careful, do your homework and you could make a side job for extra cash out of shopping at your favorite stores.
- Hone your inner teenager. Rake leaves, mow lawns, shovel snow. These are just a few of the things you can do to make some extra money. You can also wash cars and dogs or get paid to run errands.
[Read: Remarkable Jobs for Retirees]
Non job ways to make extra income
There are two more, more difficult ways to try and secure some extra cash. These do not involve side jobs at all. They are to either ask for a raise or to try and find another, better paying job.
- Ask for a raise. Do not go into your boss’ office crying or begging. Simply go in prepared to discuss why you deserve to make more money.
- Find a new, better paying job. This may be difficult, but if your boss refuses to give you a raise, it may be time to look elsewhere for employment.
Whatever decision you come to, make sure you do your homework so that you make the money you deserve.