When money gets tight, you may wonder what you can do to bring some extra cash in. If you don’t have time for a second job, or childcare or other responsibilities keep that from being an option, there are a few other ways you can make some extra cash that let you clock in on your own schedule.
Make deliveries
Now that many people are taking advantage of food deliveries from their favorite restaurants, food delivery services are booming. You have a few to choose from, so do your research into what company you’d most like to jump into your car for. That’s the other side of this gig – you’ll need an available vehicle (or bike!) and active insurance to be valid. But after that, you can deliver for an hour or so, or all night, while earning an hourly wage plus tips.
Join a rideshare company
Similar to food delivery, you can deliver people, too! Rideshare services have revolutionized transportation, to the dismay of many cab companies. With low fares, easy accessibility, and features like splitting rides and adding extra stops, using a rideshare app became the preferred way to travel. Even with ridership lower due to COVID-19, people still need rides to the grocery store, to pick up prescriptions, go to the doctor, or to see family. The opportunity is still there to make extra cash driving for a service, just make sure it’s a safe, healthy option for you to have someone in your car – most drivers are wearing masks and sanitizing between guests.
Take online surveys
If using a car isn’t feasible for you or you don’t want to have strangers in your vehicle (understandable), a long-standing way to earn some bucks is by taking online surveys from the comfort of your home. If you type “paid surveys” into a search engine, you’ll get a million results – so read some blogs, do some research, see which ones pay the most for the lowest effort (this is just a side gig, remember). Then start sharing your opinions!
Sell old clothes, furniture, and more
Another great standby is to sell items you don’t want or need anymore. This can be anything – clothing, of course, but also linens, furniture, decorations, baby clothes or products, and more. Take a look around your house! Just because you can’t spare any clothing doesn’t mean you have nothing to offer. Consignment stores will offer to buy gently used, clean clothing or home products, but likely not at the original price. Keep that in mind if you’re thinking about parting with something you love… you probably won’t get your money’s worth, so consider something that you won’t miss. Another great place to sell (and buy!) is a social media platform marketplace. Check out what people are selling and for how much, and you’ll get a good idea of what sorts of things you can sell to get that extra cash.
Be a virtual assistant
Have a computer? Great organization skills? You may make a great virtual assistant! VA’s are personal assistants that work exclusively online and remotely. You won’t need to go to an office, but you’ll be planning travel, events, organizing finances, and whatever else your client may need. You can make $15-$30 an hour for tasks like making calls and scheduling appointments, and higher if you need to handle financials or executive assistant duties.
There are many creative, low-stress ways to earn some extra cash, whether you’d like a permanent, recurring cash flow or just some extra money for the holidays. See what works for you, and you’ll be seeing dollar signs in no time.
