In order to give your income a slight boost, you won’t have to take up a second job, in fact it might simply involve monetising something that you already do. If you’re looking to make a little bit of extra money on the side, here are some of the ways you can do so.
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| Image credit: Pexels |
Sell your unwanted stuff
There are a few ways of earning extra money that also come with added benefits – and selling your unwanted stuff is certainly one of them. Over the years, everyone acquires a few items that they no longer want or need but which they inexplicably hang onto. These items are not only useless, but they also take up space, meaning a good clear out is in order.
There are now a wide range of online outlets that let you sell your unwanted goods and the fast-paced consumer-centric life that many of us lead suggests that there are plenty of items worth selling. Old gadgets such as laptops and mobile phones are one of the most popular items people trade in for cash, however, if you're looking to sell something like your laptop then the one main question you'll have is 'Where can I sell my laptop?"
Blog
There are now more blogs than ever before, with every conceivable topic being covered, from technology to travel. If you enjoy writing then there really is no barrier to you starting your own blog. There a variety of free hosting options available to you and you can write as often as you like, about whichever topic you like.
In addition, if your blog starts to gain a dedicated online following, there’s a strong possibility that it could make you some money. Advertising revenue is one way of generating some extra cash and you could also let brands pay for guest blog posts. Although you should always start your blog because you’re passionate about your subject matter, the extra income certainly comes as a bonus. Plus, all you need for it to become successful is to write regularly and from the heart.
Offer a helping hand
If you’re the sort of person that enjoys helping others, then you could offer your time in exchange for a small fee. Apps like TaskRabbit let you create a profile where you list your particular skills, the hours you are able to work and your rate. Once that’s done you simply match up to people that need a task completed and head on over. Tasks can range from the relatively straightforward, like taking out the garbage to more complicated like DIY projects.
Other outlets, like Fiverr, host a similarly broad range of jobs, with prices starting from as low as $5. While this may not seem like much, many of the jobs will not take you long to complete. This means that anytime you find a spare moment you could be earning yourself a bit of extra cash. It might not be a lot, but every little bit helps.
Take up a creative hobby
If you have a creative hobby, then you could already have a money-making method that is going untapped. Whether you knit, write, paint, or express yourself in any other way, you could turn your creations into cash.
Arts and crafts are very popular at the moment and you’ll be able to sell your wares through online auction sites or specialist outlets like Etsy. Alternatively, if you’d rather take the old-fashioned approach, a local market or car-boot sale also provides the perfect opportunity to make a bit of extra money on the side.
Make some shrewd investments
When you hear the word “investment,” you might think of huge corporations or suited individuals running around Wall Street, but small scale investments can work well too. There are a host of online resources to get you up to speed and mobile apps are available to let you manage your investments from your smartphone.
Of course, no investment is without risk, so only use money that you can afford to lose. On the plus side, however, a successful investment counts as passive income, so there’s not much work you have to do, except for keeping an eye on those share prices.
Share the knowledge
If you have knowledge in a particular field, then sharing it could also make you some extra cash. Digital technologies have opened the teaching field so anyone can get involved. You could start off by creating a few YouTube tutorials on the subject of your choice to see if teaching suits you before moving on to more bespoke tutoring platforms.
Website like Udemy let you create your own online courses, which you sell to interested students. The great thing is that you get to choose the subject and teach the material in any way you like.
Or share your home.
The sharing economy is big business and you could get in on the action by sharing your home. Airbnb lets you rent out a room, or the entire property, to tenants on a short-term basis. On the one hand, this does mean inviting strangers into your home, but on the other you will get to meet lots of interesting new people.
Renting out your home in this way works particularly well if you are going on holiday. While you're away and your property remains empty, you can pay off part of the holiday by letting a fellow traveller stay in your home.
Answer a few questions
Information is worth money to businesses and brands, which means that you could earn some extra cash simply by answering a few questions. Research studies and online questionnaires won’t take up much of your time, but will result in you having a little bit of extra pocket money. And what could be easier than answering a few questions?
