25 Proven Ways To Make Extra Money On The Side - Be The Budget (2024)

Looking for ways to make extra money on the side? In this post I reveal 25 of the top side hustles to help you make some extra cash in your spare time.

Whether you’re saving for a big purchase, trying to pay off debt, or just want to improve your financial situation, increasing your income is one of the best things you can do. And let’s face it, while cutting your expenses is a great way to boost your savings and achieve your financial goals, there’s only so much you can cut. Sometimes, you just need to make extra money on the side!

But how do you do it?

Well, in this post I am going to cover 25 of the best ways to earn additional income. So, if you’re ready to capitalize on your spare time and side hustle your way to success, then keep reading!

1. Start A Blog

The internet is getting bigger every day, which means your ability to make money online is only expanding.

Seriously, as a blogger, you can make anything from a couple hundred dollars a month, to six, or even seven-figures a year.

Yeah, you read that right. Some bloggers make over $1,000,000 every year.

In even better news, with such a massive amount of people searching the web at any one time, you can profit from a blog in just about any niche you can imagine — even if you think it’s small. In other words, if you’ve ever wanted to start a blog — no matter the niche — now is the time.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that blogging is easy. Like any other business, it takes time and a whole lot of effort. But, if you stick with it, a couple years from now, you could be making a full-time income from your blog. And beyond that, the income potential is pretty much endless.

If you want to start a blog, I highly recommend setting yourself up with a self-hosted WordPress blog. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry. Honestly, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. All you need to know is that all the successful blogs I have ever discovered (including the ones that generate 7-figures per year) are self-hosted WordPress blogs. So, if you want to be successful too, this is your best option. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Now, as a beginner, if you want to set up a self-hosted WordPress blog, I highly recommend doing so through Bluehost. They have phenomenal customer support, great setup guides, and if you don’t want to deal with all the technical stuff, they even have a service where they will set everything up for you so that you can get straight to blogging! The best part is, their WordPress hosting plans start at just $3.95 per month (billed annually). Also, if you sign up for one of their hosting plans, they offer free domain registration (i.e. your website name) for your first year. That saves you between $15 and $20 right off the bat.

If you want to make extra money on the side, or, potentially, a full-time income, I can’t recommend blogging enough.

Related Content:

• How Much Does It Cost To Start (And Run) A Blog?
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2. Complete Tasks On TaskRabbit

If you are a handyman, don’t mind helping somebody move, or enjoy assembling Ikea furniture, then signing up for TaskRabbit might be the perfect fit for you.

TaskRabbit is a marketplace for people who need stuff done, but don’t want to do it themselves. For example, if somebody wants to mount a new tv on the wall, or install a new router, they can post it on TaskRabbit, and you can get paid to do it for them. It’s a brilliant idea, and an easy way to find tons of different odd jobs in your area.

So, what are you waiting for? Go check it out, and start making extra money on the side by completing tasks that other people are willing to pay you for.

3. Do Voice Over Work

Voice over work can be a surprisingly lucrative career, so if you have a cool, smooth, soothing voice, you might want to pursue it. You might not realize how many commercials on tv and radio, use voice actors, but start paying attention and you will be amazed. Plus, with the explosion of video advertising online, there has never been more demand for voice over talent.

With a little bit of practice, and a few voice recordings, you could start doing some extra voice over work on the side.

Who knows, this little gig could end up morphing into a full-blown career!

4. Write Web Content

Along the same lines as developing websites, but on the less technical side, is writing content for the web. This is a phenomenal side job, because if you are good, you will never be short on work.

Every company needs written content that entices their website visitors to convert into buyers. So, if you have a knack for writing engaging content, maybe you should look into content development for the web.

Where do you start? Well, you could:

• Find some web development meet-ups in your area and start working with web developers.
• Talk to local business owners or marketing professionals and show them the difference between the bland content they are putting out in the world, and the colorful and engaging content you have to offer.
• Reach out to bloggers and influencers online and ask if they would be interested in having you ghost-write for them.

Or, if you are more of an introvert, start offering your writing services on sites like Upwork, or Fiverr.

Businesses all over are clamoring for more and better content, which is why this little odd job could be such a lucrative way to make extra money on the side.

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5. Build Furniture

Building furniture is a side hustle that’s near and dear to my heart, because even though I work as a web developer and personal finance blogger, my college degree is in Fine Woodworking.

But, you don’t need a degree to start selling furniture. If you have a few tools, a can-do attitude, and a taste for sawdust, building and selling furniture is a great way to make a few hundred extra bucks a month.

So, go out there and get your DIY on. Not only is it satisfying to complete a furniture project, but it’s awesome to know that you provided a piece of functional art that will sit in someone’s home for years to come.

6. Become a Translator

If you can speak multiple languages fluently, you should definitely look into becoming a translator. There are so many ways to use your multilingual talents. For example, you can travel abroad and translate for business executives. You can translate or edit translated text documents online to ensure accuracy and readability. Heck, you could get creative and work with a Realtor to help them sell homes to non-native speakers that are looking to buy a home. Maybe you could make a portion of the commission they receive after they sell the home.

Translation? Speaking multiple languages is a skill that you can easily use to make extra money on the side.

7. House/Pet Sitting

You know who’s more trustworthy than a teenager keeping watch over someone’s house or pets while they are on vacation? An adult; which is exactly why you should let your friends, and family know that you would love to house or pet-sit in exchange for a decent wage.

The best part about this odd job, is that you can easily do it in addition to your day job! You might have to head home during lunch every day for a week to let out their dogs, but that’s no big deal. And, instead of heading home after work, you just head over to the house you’re watching and earn a little extra money while by sleeping on their couch. It’s not difficult, and over the course of a week, you can easily make a few hundred dollars.

8. Babysitting

Similar to house or pet-sitting, if you can handle the craziness that comes with babysitting, you should definitely look into it. Kids these days can easily make a couple hundred bucks each week, babysitting. So, don’t let the 13 year olds monopolize the babysitting market. Babysitting is a great way to make extra money on the side.

9. Walk Dogs

Did you know you can make around $25 per dog for an hour walk? Talk about some sweet cash.

People are not afraid to spend money when it comes to their dogs, and with how hectic life can be, most people don’t have the time to go for an hour walk each day. So, get up an hour early, or spend an hour or two after work each night to walking dogs. You could easily make a few hundred dollars a week with this little gem of a side hustle. Plus, if you really want some motivation to get in shape, this money could be the extra push you need!

10. Teach Music Lessons

Can you play an instrument well? Whether you play the guitar, piano, drums, violin, trumpet, harmonica, or bassoon, if you have the patience to teach it to beginners, you can easily make some extra money on the side.

I remember early on when I was first learning to play the guitar, my instructor was charging $110 per hour. Granted, he only taught 30-minute lessons at a time, so he only charged $55 per lesson, but still, that’s an awesome wage. And that was over a decade ago.

Don’t be afraid to get out there and start teaching music lessons! People love music, and tons of them want to know how to play an instrument.

11. Sell DIY Plans Online

If you have skills in design programs like SketchUp, or other more technical CAD programs, you should start putting them to good use as a side gig. There are a ton of DIY’ers out there just looking for project plans, and you should be selling them.

So, next time you come up with a cool design for a piece of furniture, plan it out, export it, and place it for sale on a little website. It’s time to put your design skills to work and make some cash on the side selling professionally designed DIY plans!

12. Participate In Market Research Studies

I participated in a market research study many years ago that was researching the effectiveness of a couple different marketing campaigns for a particular brand of gum. I don’t really remember any of the ads we were presented with, but I definitely remember the $250 I made for 1 hour worth of easy work!

There are a ton of market research companies out there, but it is not guaranteed that you will get into any of the studies. So, go sign up for a couple of them, and when they call you, pick up the phone. Who knows, you may get the chance to make some of the easiest money you have ever made.

If this sounds appealing to you, check out Respondent, and start getting paid to participate in market research studies.

13. Clean Houses and Apartments

If the smell of a nasty bathroom, and the thought of scrubbing down a dirty shower doesn’t make you gag, cleaning houses or apartments might be a great odd job for you.

This job may be one of the more difficult of them all, because there are so many nooks and crannies in houses, and you have to make sure the whole place is spotless. But, if you are up for the challenge, go out and do it! Cleaning houses and apartments can be a phenomenal side hustle.

14. Tutor Somebody Online

If you are skilled in programming, math, writing, or really any other category of education, you can make extra money on the side by tutoring people online.

While I have never tutored anybody online, I have been tutored, and it was a great experience.

The online tutor marketplace I recommend is Wyzant. It is reputable, has a great selection of tutors, and covers almost every topic you can imagine. So, go become a tutor, and start making some coin.

15. Take Photos

If you have a nice camera, and know how to use it, you can make a good amount of money taking photos for people.

It’s awesome how much a good photographer can make shooting weddings, engagements, corporate events, senior portraits, or family photos. And I speak from experience when I say that a good photographer is totally worth it!

We paid $3,000 for our wedding photographer, and she was, honestly, on the inexpensive end of the spectrum. I also know that you can charge between $500 and $1,000 for senior portraits. Here is a list of 10 photography niches you could pursue to make extra money on the side; some are more common, while others are a little less competitive:

• Senior Portraits
• Engagement Photography
• Wedding Photography
• Maternity Photography
• Real Estate Photography
• Pet Photography
• Business Headshots
• Stock Photography For Web Design
• Corporate Event Photography
• Sporting Event Photography (e.g. High School and College Sports)

16. Become a Video Freelancer

If you take ten seconds to look around you these days, you’ll realize that video has become one of the most prominent forms of marketing. From TV, to YouTube, every business is incorporating video into their marketing mix. So, if you have skills in video production and editing, it’s time to put them to good use.

I realize that this is one of the more intimidating fields to pursue, because video production takes a lot of skill, know-how, and equipment. It can also be very expensive. But, before you give up on video freelancing as an odd job, keep in mind that most companies can’t afford a large video production team.
What they can afford, is a freelancer with a decent amount of video production experience that can film a few short videos, do some basic editing, and portray their company in a good light.

So, what are some video production niches you can tap to start making extra money on the side?

• Drone Videos – Drones are a big deal, and I don’t see them losing favor anytime soon. If you have a drone that can take quality video, and you have obtained a permit to fly it by the FAA, get out there and start spreading the word about your services. Aerial video is useful in industries like real estate, golf courses, outdoor sports and more. Plus, you can partner with a video production freelancer that doesn’t have a drone, and piggy back off of their success.
• Marketing Videos – You know all those pre-roll YouTube ads that pop up before every video? Well, somebody filmed those videos, and got paid to do it. That could be you.
• Training Videos – Training videos for small companies are a great asset when on-boarding new employees. And, the best part about these videos is that they are almost purely informational. They don’t need to be fancy, they just need to be functional. If you can film a training video, you can make some good cash.
• Video Interviews – Video testimonials are like gold for businesses, and you can be the one to capture these interviews. Most companies know that paying a videographer to film an interview with one of their clients, is a small cost when compared to the amount of business that video can bring through their door.

17. Referee or Umpire Kids Sports

Do you know the rules of a particular sport, inside and out? Well, you should think about becoming a referee, or an umpire for children’s sports. You can easily earn $25 – $50 per hour.

Fair warning though, parents can get overly passionate about their child’s sport, and at some point, you may end up on the receiving end of parental rage. But, if that doesn’t deter you, becoming a referee or umpire might be a ‘good call’ if you want to earn some extra cash.

Sorry for the bad pun.

18. Manual Labor

When I decided to write this post, I didn’t want to take the easy way out and list 25 of the same old odd jobs you’ve been hearing since you were a kid. Things like mowing lawns and shoveling snow, while they are effective ways to earn a couple hundred bucks, and shouldn’t be overlooked, are too common to list on their own. So, I lumped all those types of jobs into one category: manual labor.

If you are willing to get your hands dirty, get out in the elements, and do some things that very few people really want to do, you should look to manual labor. This might be the fastest way to earn a couple hundred bucks, and of all the jobs listed in this post, these have the lowest barrier to entry. So what are some manual labor jobs you can pursue to make extra money on the side?

• Mow Lawns
• Shovel Snow
• Rake Leaves
• Wash Cars
• Paint Houses
• Landscaping

19. Sell Stuff On Ebay

For some people, the idea of selling stuff online feels like a lot more trouble than it’s worth. And that’s where you come in.

If you tell your family and friends that you will sell their unwanted stuff on Ebay for either a flat fee, or a percentage of the sale, they will probably take you up on the offer. You would be surprised at the kind of stuff people make money selling on Ebay, so why not snag a piece of that financial pie?

20. Do Online Transcription

If you are a good typist, and a careful listener, why not monetize the combination of those two skills and become a transcriber. Tons of companies need audio files transcribed into text, and through services like TranscribeMe, you can make money typing. In fact, TranscribeMe pays an average of $15-$22 per audio hour, and top transcribers can make as much as $2,200 per month using their service. Talk about some sweet cha-ching!

21. Flip Craigslist Items

Do you spend a bunch of time on Craigslist looking for great deals? And, have you ever noticed how much stuff people just give away for free?

Their loss is your gain, because if you want to make extra money on the side, you can easily start flipping free Craigslist items.

Want to get started? Hop on Craigslist, and search for a free piece of furniture that is functional but could use a little love. Go pick it up, clean it up, slap a coat of paint on it, and repost it on Craigslist the next day. Boom! What was a free piece of furniture 24 hours earlier can now be sold for $75-$100.

That’s almost pure profit, baby!

22. Test Websites

One thing I know as a web developer, is that every website has little bugs and kinks that need to be worked out. And user testing is one of the best ways to root them out. And low and behold, companies will pay people to test websites and report any errors or bugs they run across.

So how does it work? Basically, you just record yourself working through a particular task on a website while talking your way through the experience. Then, your feedback is used to improve the website you were testing. When you have finished the task and submitted your feedback, you get paid. It’s really that simple!

If you are interested in testing websites, I recommend signing up on UserTesting. They work with some of the largest brands in the world, and are very well known and reputable.

23. Become A Sign Twirler

You’ve probably seen at least a couple sign twirlers in your life. They are the people that stand on the corner of an intersection, and well… twirl signs. But did you know they make pretty good money.
If you are high energy, and have a few hours to spare every weekend, you could make between $15 and $30 per hour twirling signs.

Do a Google search for a local sign twirling company, and start earning some extra money on the side. Just be sure to bring sunscreen, tunes, a big bottle of water, and a ton of energy! The better you get at twirling those signs, the more you can make.

24. Deliver Food

If somebody wants a pizza delivered to their doorstep, no problem. They can just call up their local dominos, and pay for delivery. But what if they are in the mood for sushi? Or a Chipotle burrito? Or a hamburger? And what if they are too tired or lazy to get off their butt to go pick it up?

Enter, UberEats and DoorDash. You can sign up with either of these services and start picking up, and delivering any category of food they want.

If you own a car, can pass a background check, have a valid driver’s license, and car insurance, and want to make some extra money on the side (sorry for another bad pun) you should start delivering food during your down-time. It makes for a wonderful side job! Just be sure to eat before you deliver somebody’s food. You don’t want to accidentally devour someone’s burrito in transit!

25. Drive For Uber Or Lyft

If you don’t want your car to smell like food, why not drive people around for some extra cash. At this point, it might seem a little cliche to mention driving for Uber or Lyft, but it is too viable of a side gig not to mention.

Once again, if you can pass a background check, have a good driving record, and you don’t mind driving some drunk people around every once in awhile, driving for Uber or Lyft can be a great way to make extra money on the side.

Summary

Making extra money on the side is a wonderful, and stress-relieving experience. And with so many odd jobs and side hustles out there these days, there’s no reason you should struggle to find a little extra work.

Maybe you just need to make $50 bucks so that you can fill your truck up before a date. Maybe you need to make your rent payment. Or maybe, you want to take what most people would consider an odd job, and turn it into a full-time, thriving business.

No matter what it is that’s driving you to make extra money on the side, get out there, get creative, be bold, and earn baby, earn!

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