I have found that starting a blog is one of the easiest ways to make extra money on the side. I didn’t know I enjoyed blogging until recently, and I decided to use my passion for personal finance to share with others what I know about money management. Blogging is very easy to do, and you can start making money almost immediately. Best of all, web hosting only costs a couple of dollars per month! I highly suggest signing up for a Bluehost domain for $3.95/month (a discounted rate, which also comes with a free domain!) and starting your WordPress blog. Afterwards, head over to my guide on How to Start a Profitable Blog Using Bluehost and WordPress and follow the tutorial to get yourself up and running! Or, if you prefer, you can head on over to my services page and I can do it for you!
Money Hero is a great resource for personal finance tips, but it isn’t only about saving money and paying off debt. Another, less-talked-about aspect of personal finance is how to make extra money on the side. It may seem hard to find time to hustle in your free time, especially if you work full time, but it’s actually not hard at all.
You can make some easy money to supplement your income from the comfort of your own home (or car). Below I talk about 4 side hustle ideas to get you some more cash coming in, that you can put towards savings or debt.
1. Start a blog.
Seriously. Up until recently, I didn’t know that it was possible to make money blogging, but it’s definitely possible to make money with a blog. The best part about it is that startup costs are so low, and the potential for making money is so high! If you are interested learning how make money blogging, please follow the steps in my free, ultimate guide on How to Start a Profitable Blog Using Bluehost and WordPress. If you combine the methods you find here with the process on that page you will be up and running with a blog in no time, and in a good position to start bringing in money from your blog! I’ve only been blogging for a couple of months and I’ve already started seeing income.
Some of the ways to monetize a blog include:
Affiliate Marketing – Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to make money online. An affiliate is someone who promote’s a company’s product on their site. If a reader clicks that link and buys the product or signs up for the service through the blogger’s link, the blogger gets a commission from the sale. Affiliate marketing is a good way to make passive income. The Bluehost link at the top of this post is an affiliate link. Don’t worry, it comes at no extra cost to you. I genuinely like Bluehost and have used them for years, and I highly recommend their hosting.
Ad Revenue – This is a standard way to make money on a blog. Ad networks such as Google’s AdSense will let you display ads on your site. For each person that clicks an ad on your site, you will get paid a small amount. To be successful with ads, you’ll need a ton of traffic though.
Sponsored Posts – Sometimes companies will approach you directly to write a sponsored post. This is another type of ad, which is generally a review of a product or something that endorses that company. In this case, the company will pay you directly to write and/or post on your site.
Products and Services – When you get knowledgeable in your field, you can start selling products and services directly to consumers. This can include things such as eBooks and courses, or services such as helping people with their finances for a fee.
2. Sell stuff on Craigslist, OfferUp or eBay
Selling my old stuff is one of my favorite ways to make extra money. If you’re anything like me, you have a home full of old stuff that you don’t need or use. Selling some of it can be a great way to make some extra money on the side. eBay, OfferUp and Craigslist are great places to get rid of your old stuff and make some extra cash. Ebay is nice because it handles most of the transaction for you.
You just post your item, and when someone buys it, drop it off at the post office. The money will be dropped right in your PayPal account (after eBay takes a small cut, of course).
Craigslist and OfferUp, on the other hand, are a little more hands on. You post your item, but you have to meet up with the person to make the sale. I prefer to sell things this way, because it’s immediate, and I don’t have to deal with shipping or PayPal. If you do decide to go this route, make sure to be very careful when meeting strangers in person. Always meet in a public place with a lot of people around, and avoid meeting anyone at night. You can never be too careful.
3. Take online surveys
Taking free online surveys is an easy way to get a little more in your pocket each month. These surveys typically take a few minutes apiece, and are really easy. Carve out a little bit of time and answer some questions, and you can get a check in the mail at the end of the month. Also, the more survey sites you sign up for, the more money you can make!
I’ve included some of the more popular survey sites below, but don’t limit yourself to just this list. There are many more sites out there that are willing to pay for your opinion. Some popular survey companies include:
Swagbucks
Survey Spot
Survey Junkie
Inbox Dollars
Pinecone Research
Harris Poll
PanelBucks
PaidSurveys
Product Report Card
YouGov
4. Sell your services on Fiverr
If you have a skill, such as writing, video editing or graphic design, then I highly suggest you look into Fiverr. Fiverr is a site where you can offer your services to anyone in the world, and make $5 or more per gig. As the creator, you set the terms of what services you can offer, and how much you want to get paid.
There are tons of people and small businesses out there that are looking for quick, easy fixes for a problem that they have, and Fiverr gives you the avenue to serve those customers and get paid to do it. And the more jobs that you complete, the more you can charge in the future!
Bonus: Make extra money by driving for Uber
Uber is a super easy way to make money for a little bit of time. Simply sign up to become an Uber driver, and you can make decent side money driving people to and from their destinations. Uber has peak hours, when they sometimes double or triple the payout that you get from making a trip.
To get started with driving for Uber, all you need is a smartphone, and a newer four door car. Depending on your state, your car needs to be a 2006 or 2011 (or newer) model. After a mandatory car inspection at a local repair garage, you’ll be well on your way to making some spare cash!
I’m going to be putting together a list of 100 Top Side Hustles to Make Extra Money soon. If you’d like to get an email when these money-making tips are available, please feel free to subscribe via email below!
