Do you need to earn fast money, to pay a credit card, or to pay the rent?
Remember that making money in your free time doesn't mean making a lot of money or getting rich, it means getting an extra amount for your wallet. However, some of these ideas can help you generate wealth over time. Here are several ways to achieve this: participating in the sharing economy, selling things online, passive income techniques, and more.
If you want to earn some extra money in a relatively short period of time, check out these 15 slides.
1. Sell old or used items
One of the fastest ways to make money is by selling your old books, CDs (yes, there are still people who buy them), and DVDs as well as smartphones, chargers, and video game consoles.
Some of the easiest places to sell your stuff fast are the usual ones. Amazon, Craigslist, or eBay. You can also use platforms like Trendier to sell clothes or Free Market.
2. Sell unique crafts
You may know how to make beautiful hand-drawn greeting cards or you can knit cute baby hats. Or maybe you make costumes or Halloween sweaters for dogs. You can sell your uniquely designed crafts in online marketplaces like Etsy, Zazzle, CafePress, or Threadless.
3. Sell something valuable, such as jewelry or a watch
It's not easy to get rid of something that has sentimental and monetary value, however, it's good to know you have the choice. Remember that you will not be paid the exact value of your jewel or watch, but it is worth the piece before trying to sell it.
You can sell your jewelry or watches at local jewelry stores, pawnshops, or digital platforms (eBay or Free Market). Or just mark a local jewelry store to see if they know someone who buys the kind of pieces you want to sell.
4. Sell your time or experience digitally
Independent work platforms such as Fiverr, JustAnswer, and Upwork vary in the required range of experience and payments.
Amazon's Mechanical Turk (also known as M Turk) is a micro-tasking website, and what you're asking for doesn't require much skill, they pay little and it only takes a few seconds. To make money you have to invest time in it.
At Fiverr you can offer some creative services, such as editing or designing a logo, while the Upwork platform is for freelancers and can assemble their profiles and sell their services such as content, digital marketing, and virtual support. After you've created your profile, you can bet on work ads or wait for customers to pick you up.
If you already have a specialty, such as plumbing, or are a veterinarian or specialized in labor laws, you can make very good money selling that experience on existing consulting platforms like clarity.fm, in which experts make money for every minute they talk to their clients, either by phone or digitally.
Or sell your experience at JustAnswer, where potential clients ask questions and registered experts (doctors, lawyers, engineers, writers) bet to answer it.
5. Do market research
Companies want to know your opinion and are willing to pay for it. There are a variety of ways you can participate in this type of research:
- UserTesting.com: You provide feedback on apps and websites for up to $10 for each test.
- It can be a mystery shopper: you are paid to visit shops and report your experience. Find options in Market Force, Best Mark, Sinclair Customer Metrics.
- Join a study group or focus group: Companies can pay you to sit down and answer questions as a consumer.
- Answer digital surveys: Record your information to answer surveys and they'll contact you when there's one that fits your demographics.
6. Join the sharing economy
You can choose your schedules and earn quick money by driving an Uber or Didi. To become a driver you need a car in good condition, a driver's license, no criminal record, and pass company exams.
7. Become a food delivery man
If you decide to become a food delivery man, you'll need a bike or car, depending on the service you want to join.
8. Walk dogs or take care of cats
If you decide to earn extra money by weighing dogs, you have several options: you can subscribe to a service, or advertise yourself in the areas of highest demand by leaving ads in pet stores.
In the United States, there is a boom in platforms connecting dog passers-by with owners such as Rover, Wag, and Bark. They all operate similarly. You, as a dog walker, create your profile and wait for customers to contact you. Or you can apply for jobs you see on the platform (make sure you have a good reputation online with great reviews to get more people).
And on that same idea, you can take care of cats. You can register as a cat or pet caregiver in general in Facebook groups or by advertising your services at local stores or veterinarians.
9. Become a tutor
Tutoring is flexible. You can work weekends or evenings, and some areas are in high demand, such as languages, physics, math, science, etc.
Another trend is virtual tutoring to teach a language to someone living outside your country, something that gives you the flexibility to work from home and sometimes at strange times because of the difference in schedules.
10. Works for a catering company
You can join a catering company by helping as a waiter or serving. It's a flexible position and you can usually determine your schedules. (That's why many aspiring actors engage in this, leaving their schedules free for auditions.)
11. Donate sperm or eggs
To donate sperm and eggs you must be young, usually between 18 and 35 years old, and you can do so directly in a bank or fertility clinic.
12. Take care of children
Babysitting is something you can start doing right away. There is usually always a lot of demand for nannies, either for daily work or evenings.
You can offer your services from word of mouth, by recommendations of your acquaintances, or advertise on social networks.
13. Rent your space
Airbnb launched a sharing economy that continues to grow, and now you can rent not only your home but your car, your garage, your yard, and even your living room.
14. Offers maintenance services
If you know how to make basic home repairs (installations, repairs, paint, and lighting) you could make some money by giving maintenance to homes in your city.
To get customers you can do it a similar way, leaving flyers and earning a reputation from word of mouth, or advertising your services on social networks.
15. Moving services
This type of work is for someone robust or very strong. Get ready to work weekends, which is when most moves are made, and you can do so through an established moving company and offering your services via flyers or social media.