120+ Legit Ways To Make Extra Money Online & Offline

In personal finance, we tend to focus on how to save more money, but w forget that it’s only half of the equation to growing your net worth.

In this post, I’ll show you how to make extra money. In fact, I’ll show you 120+ legit ways to make extra money.

Have you ever wondered how you can make a little extra cash on the side? Most people think that making extra money is impossible when they have a regular job to take care of, but I don’t believe that’s correct.

There are plenty of opportunities to make money in other ways than a regular job. For example, I am making some money from this blog while working full-time in another job.

If you are good at earning extra money it can be life-changing. If you succeed in making more money you might be able to:

  • Buy more freedom to do what you want and potentially retire earlier
  • Pay off debt faster to become debt-free
  • Invest the income in income-generating assets to increase your net worth further
  • Save more money for things you want to buy
  • Use the money to help family and friends
  • Use the extra money on charity or other social projects

So how much can you earn extra on the side? Well, it all depends on what you decide to focus on. I would try several of the ideas below to find out what works for you. It is important to find something you like doing and something that also generates a decent amount of extra cash.

Some of the ideas might only make you a few dollars, but I know plenty of people that have succeeded in creating additional income streams of $10,000 or even $100,000 per month.

During my time as a personal finance blogger, I have discovered many easy ways to make money both online and offline. I’ll share the best ones with you here.

New ways to make extra money keep coming up, so I’ll keep the list updated when I discover new good ways to earn a little extra.

Let’s dive into the list of 120+ ways to make additional income streams.

Make extra money online

Making extra money online is one path to increasing your income. The key advantage of online income is that you can start earning money from home right away.

1. Take online surveys

It’s easy to earn money doing online surveys. The surveys are from companies who want your opinion and they are willing to pay for it.

The concept is quite simple. You sign up on a survey site, fill out surveys and earn cash. I recommend trying several survey companies to find one that suits you, but be aware of scam sites.

The three most popular ones that are free to join and actually pay you are:

2. Start a blog

If you like writing and have a topic you are particularly interested in or knowledgeable about, you should consider starting a blog.

I am living proof that you can make extra money by starting a blog. I didn’t make a lot to begin with, but it has been steadily increasing over time. Now I earn money from ads, sponsored posts and affiliate marketing.

If you don’t know how to get started, I have written a post about how to start a personal finance blog, but it’s practically the same steps you go through for all types of blogs.

3. Test websites and apps

Did you know that it’s possible to make money testing websites and apps for companies?

There’s plenty of sites connecting companies with customers. You often test the websites and apps while your screen and voice are being recorded. This way the companies can see how you interact with their services and hear your opinion.

The most popular website and app testing sites are:

4. Refer friends to services you use

Do you have any favorite services you love to use? You would be surprised at how many of them pay you to refer friends.

Go through all paid (and potentially free) services you use and try to find out whether they have a referral program. Next time a friend asks for a recommendation, you can pass on the recommendation to him or her and reap the rewards.

Some of the biggest referral programs are Airbnb, Uber/Lyft, Tesla and Evernote while most large e-commerce sites also have referral programs.

5. Get cashback on your purchases

It was an eye-opener for me when I first discovered the concept of cashback.

The cashback sites partner with brands and retailers to be able to offer you discounts at their stores. The cashback company usually gets a commission from brands and retailers from referring you, and they share this commission with you as cashback (usually up to 15% cashback).

If you ever shop at Amazon, eBay, Walmart or any of the other 500+ brands and stores included, you are leaving money on the table every time you buy something by not getting cashback.

The most popular cashback companies are:

Although not technically a site or an app, the Honey Chrome extension does the same thing by automatically scanning your shopping cart online and searching for coupon codes to save you money before you confirm the purchase.

6. Enter contests and giveaways online

This one might seem a bit weird, but a while ago I had a friend who decided to enter all contests and giveaways he stumbled upon.

A few months later, he told me he ended up winning all sorts of gift cards, a travel, and eau de toilette. Well, I guess you won’t become a millionaire by doing this, but entering free contests and giveaways is a way to make a little extra.

There’s a website called Online Sweepstakes that daily gathers all sorts of contests and giveaways which makes it easier for you to find relevant ones for you.

7. Stream your gaming

I must admit I felt old when I found out you could earn money by streaming your gaming to hundreds of millions of viewers all around the world.

If you play games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Fortnite, Overwatch or Dota 2, you can likely earn money by streaming on platforms like Twitch.

It’s not pocket money we are talking about. The biggest gamers earn more than $560,000 a month on Twitch alone, so if you are into gaming, this might be for you.

8. Do affiliate marketing

If you have followers of some kind apart from your friends and family, affiliate marketing might be for you.

I have more than 25,000 people visiting my blog each month. For most products and services I use, chances are they will have an affiliate program. If one of my readers buy a product I have recommended, I will get a commission from that.

Affiliate programs are different from “refer-a-friend” programs since they often require you to have a business to participate. If you are curious, the “Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing” course is the best out there to teach everything you need to know about it.

9. Become a vlogger

If you don’t like having a traditional blog, you can also consider becoming a “vlogger” (video blogger). A vlogger is a person who uploads videos to e.g. YouTube and then makes money on ads.

If you are interested in a certain niche, knowledgeable about something or have an interesting story to tell, you could consider becoming a vlogger. The biggest vloggers make a lot of money.

10. Become an influencer

Along the same lines as vlogging, you could consider becoming an influencer if you have a lot of followers on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Different brands will pay you to wear their clothes and post sponsored content for them.

Influencers have been skyrocketing in recent years. In fact, a new study has shown that becoming an influencer is the second most wanted career by children today (after Doctors).

If you end up becoming an influencer, check out IZEA which is a platform matching brands and influencers.

Also, check out this guide if you want to know how to become an influencer.

11. Get paid to search

Most people on the internet use search engines every day. Few people know that you can make extra money while searching online.

Swagbucks offers a search bar that passively earns you cash and gift cards to Amazon. When you search through their search bar you earn “SBs” that can be redeemed on their site.

Microsoft Rewards also pays you to search through their search engine, Bing. You get 5 points per search that can be redeemed for gift cards and donations – and the more you search, the faster you will earn.

Qmee is another toolbar that works in the background and pops up when you have the opportunity to earn cash or save money by doing what you usually do online.

12. Start a podcast

Podcasts in all sorts of niches have become incredibly popular since everyone started walking around with smartphones. If you have an idea for a podcast, it’s quite easy to get started.

Most podcasters make money through sponsorships with audio ads during an episode.

Make extra money using your smartphone

Not only can you make extra money online, but if you own a smartphone there’s plenty of apps that will help you increase your income.

13. Save up using Long Game

Long Game is a free app that uses gamification to reward you for saving up money.

You create a savings account with Long Game, deposit money and earn interest on it. It works like a normal bank, so your money belongs to you, can be withdrawn at any time and sit in an FDIC insured account up to $250,000. Also, Long Game is completely free without any fees.

The difference from other bank accounts is that Long Game gives you free coins to be used in slot games with prizes up to $1,000,000.

Sounds too good to be true? Like all other banks, Long Game make some interest on top of what they pay you from the money in your savings account, so it is also good business for them, but still a win-win situation.

14. Get paid to buy gas

GetUpside is an app that has negotiated good gas prices and discounts on car wash, oil change, groceries, and restaurants.

When you buy gas at one of more than 5,000 gas stations from Shell, Chevron Texaco, Exxon, BP, etc., you save up to 25 cents per gallon that are deposited into your account as cashback after each purchase.

GetUpside has an average rating of 4.7/5 from more than 30,000 reviews on Apple App Store and Google Play.

15. Give Google your opinion

Google improves its products and services all the time, and they would like your opinion to do just that.

Google Opinion Rewards gives you the opportunity you able to earn PayPal or Google Play credits by giving your opinion through their app for iOS and Android.

16. Get paid to walk

Sweatcoin is an app running in the background on your smartphone that pays you to walk.

It’s simple. For each step you take, you get “Sweatcoins” that can be redeemed on the marketplace for PayPal cash and other items. It won’t make you rich, but hey, each dollar counts 🙂

I tested Sweatcoin a while back and wrote about my experience here.

17. Use the MobileXpression App

MobileXpression is an app on your smartphone that tracks your app and Internet usage. It runs in the background, so you don’t have to do anything. They make sure not to collect or view text or personal content on the phones they are installed on.

As long as you have the app installed and active, you get weekly credits that can be redeemed for gift cards at various retailers.

18. Participate in Nielsen Digital Voice

Nielsen Digital Voice is another app rewarding you for collecting information about your online activity. It is run by the renowned global marketing research firm, The Nielsen Company. Similar to MobileXpression, the app runs in the background on your smartphone and the only thing you have to do is continue doing what you always do online.

To become a member of Nielsen Digital Voice, you simply sign up, install the app, surf the web and earn sweepstakes entries into sweepstakes of up to $120,000 annually.

19. Get rewards while you shop

Shopkick is an app that lets you earn rewards while you shop in-store and online. By using the app while you shop you can earn “kicks” that can be redeemed for gift cards to companies such as Amazon, Starbucks, Target, Sephora and many more.

You earn “kicks” in several ways at your favorite stores or online. Offline you can walk into stores, scan barcodes of select products, shop with a linked card or submit receipts. Online you can visit stores’ websites, view products online, make online purchases or watch videos.

It’s quite simple to make extra money with Shopkick. You continue shopping like you normally would and bring the app along to earn rewards.

20. Watch online videos

Swagbucks is an example of a site that pays you to watch select entertaining videos. Normally, a video will take a couple of minutes and you will earn “SBs” that can be converted to gift cards.

Get a higher income through investing

An obvious thing to do if you want to earn extra money is to invest the money you already have. There’s plenty of things you can invest in that make a decent return. Most of them are passive investments meaning you don’t have to lift a finger to earn money after your initial investment.

Remember though that investing always comes at a risk. Following this path, you might also lose money on your way to making more money.

21. Invest in stocks

Stocks are some of the most obvious assets you can invest in. By owning shares or even penny stocks in a company, you are entitled to potential dividends and price increases in the future.

If you are new to stock investing, I suggest you check out this stock investment guide for beginners.

Choosing a broker to invest through can be hard, but amongst the more popular providers are Ally Invest and eToro.

If you want to automate your investments more and get a personalized investment strategy, you can use a so-called “robo-advisor”. Here Betterment is generally considered the best.

Lots of personal finance bloggers also highly recommend keeping track of your investments with Personal Capital.

22. Invest in real estate

Investing in real estate is also a popular investment option. I have made the majority of my net worth through owning real estate.

Investing in real estate is often a bit harder to get started with than stocks because you need a relatively large amount and there are a lot of details and local regulation involved. I suggest you seek out local information about real estate investing in your country.

If you end up having one or more properties to manage, I have heard great things about using Stessa to manage your real estate investments. The platform is 100% free for personal investors and makes it possible to track, manage and communicate the performance of your real estate assets.

23. Invest in real estate crowdfunding

If you don’t have a lot of money to invest in a full house, apartment or office building, it’s possible to invest in real estate through crowdfunding.

Real estate crowdfunding allows you to invest in real estate through a platform. You can invest from 10 EUR and up, and you avoid all the administrative hassle of having to invest directly in real estate. Of course, you pay a small fee for doing it through a platform.

I invest in a few of these platforms already. Check out my review of the best real estate crowdfunding platforms.

24. Invest in P2P lending

Investing in P2P lending is a great way to make extra money through decent returns.

In P2P lending, you sign up on a platform and essentially become the bank that lends money to borrowers who then pay you interest in return. You often get very high returns but it also comes at a risk.

In recent years, several P2P lending sites have emerged. I consider the best to be Mintos in Europe and Lending Club in the US.

25. Deposit money in a savings account

In today’s low-interest environment, depositing money in a saving account is perhaps a less interesting option, but it is generally considered very safe.

Finding a bank with a high-yield savings rate is a great way to get a small return on your money. Most banks will give you just enough to offset inflation, but you can lucky and find some savings accounts who pay higher.

26. Use favorable credit cards

We all spend money nearly every single day. By using credit cards that give you bonuses and rewards for each purchase you make sure to get the most out of every single dollar.

There are credit cards giving you cash back, air miles and points to be used on groceries, hotels, gas, etc.

Make sure to find a credit card that suits you with low rates, spending limits and point systems. Also, make sure to pay off all of your spending each month, so you don’t end up losing money with a credit card.

27. Invest spare change

Acorns is an automated way of increasing your savings. For each purchase you make, Acorns rounds the amount up to the nearest dollar for you and invest the difference.

Essentially, you don’t earn more money by saving more, but they help you invest the increased savings at the same time. Furthermore, they also offer cashback on some purchases and reward you if you refer to friends and families.

If you sign up using this link, you get a $5 bonus for signing up.

28. Optimize your 401(k)

In the US, many working people have had a 401(k) retirement plan through their employers.

A 401(k) is set up to save money for retirement and most of these are invested in various ways. Unfortunately, not all of them are invested optimally, and for many people, there’s potential to save costs and improve returns.

Blooom is a tool that offers a free analysis of your 401(k) to show which fees you are currently paying and suggesting a better alternative.

29. Buy a company

You don’t always need to build a company from scratch, and buying a company can be a great investment.

If you buy a company or invest in the majority of a company, you have the potential to earn a return on your investment if you can 1) buy the company cheap or 2) grow the company.

If you want to buy a business, I can recommend Flippa, which is a large marketplace for businesses that are for sale. I have previously sold a small business through that site.

Make extra money starting a side business online

There are a lot of side businesses you can start online to serve customers. If you’re looking for easy ways to make money from the comfort of your own home, one of these businesses may be right for you.

30. Develop an app (without knowing how to code)

Even if you don’t know how to code, there are a lot of resources out there that can help you learn how to write an app. This is known as “no-code” app development. Even if you don’t have any technical skills, you can still build an app if you have a great idea. And while you do so, you’re likely to learn some coding as well – which will help you make more money in the future!

31. Transcribe texts

Text transcription is one of the easiest online businesses to start if you’re detail-focused and are a fast, accurate typist. All you need to get started is a laptop and a set of foot pedals for transcription – to get started, just check out this guide from WikiHow.

32. Become a virtual English teacher

Virtual English teachers are in demand, particularly in countries like China. You’ll act as an English tutor over Skype or a similar video chat software, and earn up to $25/hour. And if you’re a native English speaker, you don’t need any teaching experience, in most cases.

33. Tutor online

If you have a passion for learning, or you specialize in a subject like English, mathematics or physics, you can start an online tutoring business and work through a platform like Chegg – and earn quite a bit of cash.

34. Design and sell custom t-shirts

If you have an eye for design, you can design and sell custom T-shirts with your own designs on a website like Teespring.com. With Teespring, you’ll earn a percentage of the profit from each shirt you sell – but you won’t have to worry about making the shirts yourself.

35. Sell stock photos

If you’re a talented photographer and have a professional-grade DSLR or mirrorless camera, taking stock photos may be a good way to bring in some extra income. You can take stock photos and sell them to websites like Getty Images, and get paid for each time the photo is licensed by a customer.

36. Create an online course

If you specialize in a particular academic subject or work in an in-demand career field, you can create an online course using a website like Udemy. Creating your own educational course is relatively simple and straightforward – and because you’ll make a profit for sharing what you already know, this is one of the best legit ways to make money.

37. Write and sell e-books

If you’re a writer, you can easily write and self-publish eBooks on Amazon. You can publish how-to books, write fiction like romance, fantasy, science fiction or mystery – the choice is yours. Get inspired, and you can start writing your own eBooks right away.

38. Edit applications

Millions of people change jobs, apply for college or look for academic scholarships every year – and if you are good at writing and editing applications and cover letters, you can turn this into a profitable side hustle. You can look for customers online, or at local colleges, job fairs, and business networking events – the opportunities are limitless.

39. Proofread other documents

If you love reading, writing and editing, proofreading documents is one of the best ways to make extra money. Caitlyn Pyle of Proofread Anywhere made more than $43,000 in a year while working as a proofreader part-time – and so could you if you’re detail-oriented and have a strong knowledge of grammar and proper language use.

40. Translate documents

If you are bilingual in English and another language this is one of the easiest ways to make extra money. You can charge anywhere from $30-$50 per hour when working as a document translator – and take on as many (or as few) jobs as you want, so translation is an ideal side hustle.

41. Become a brand ambassador

Being a brand ambassador means you’re responsible for raising awareness about a particular product and increasing its sales – both in person and online on social media networks like Instagram. Check out this guide from EliteDaily for more information.

42. Complete small niche tasks

Fiverr is a great option for anyone looking to earn some quick cash by completing small, niche tasks for companies – like tagging photos for AI recognition, doing research on a particular subject or product, or even things like a quick audio transcription.

43. Make and sell crafts

If you’re crafty, Etsy is a great place to show off your products and skills. Whether you make jewelry, work in leather, love quilting, knitting or sewing, or have any other crafty hobbies, selling what you make on Etsy is one of the best legit ways to make money.

44. Become a freelancer

There are a lot of websites out there like Upwork, Toptal, and Guru where you can sell your skills a freelancer, and perform a variety of different tasks, such as:

Edit articles

If you’re a good editor, you can proofread and edit articles, blogs and other documents for other individuals or companies – and once you build a large client base, this could easily turn into a full-time job, so it’s a great way to make extra money.

Help others with a resume

Do you love editing resumes and making the skills and qualifications of others stand out? If so, you can sell your services online and make quite a bit of money while doing so – and help your clients get their dream jobs. Talk about a win-win!

Manage social media accounts

Many smaller companies can’t afford a full-time social media account manager. If you love both writing and customer service, this is a great niche where you can use your skills – and it’s definitely a legit way to make extra money as a freelancer.

Create a social media marketing business

If you become an expert at social media marketing, you can start your own full-time social media marketing business – and take over tasks like creating content calendars, scheduling posts ahead of time, and much more.

Help others start websites

You can use your skills on platforms like WordPress to help clients start websites, customize themes, create their initial content, and perform other such basic tasks that they’ll need to do to start a blog, e-commerce website or a similar website.

Write articles

Do you love writing articles? Content writers are always in demand – and if you have good time management, research and prioritization skills, writing articles is one of the best ways to make extra money in your spare time.

Write other documents

There’s more to writing than just articles – if you specialize in more general freelance writing, you can write social media posts, press releases, eLearning coursework, and much more, which provides you with more opportunities to make extra money. Take a look at WritingJobsOnline to learn more.

Be a virtual assistant

Virtual assistants are similar to a secretary, receptionist or another such in-person office assistant – but you’ll work virtually, doing things like taking calls, scheduling meetings, and responding to emails.

Design web pages

If you have the skills for it, web design can be one of the most lucrative ways to make extra money. A skilled freelance web designer can charge $75/hour or more – so you should definitely consider this if you know how to code.

Make data entry

Freelance data entry is simple and it’s easy to get started, with plenty of jobs on Upwork, Fiverr and other such platforms. You can work in your spare time, and bring in extra money to reach your financial goals.

45. Moderate forums

Some larger web forums owned by major companies – such as Microsoft, for example – offer paid part-time forum moderation positions. If you have experience moderating forums and ensuring everyone follows the terms of use, this is a good opportunity to make extra money.

46. Buy and sell domain names

With websites like name.com and GoDaddy, you can buy domain names and resell them for a profit. This is known as “domain flipping,” and it can be highly profitable when done right. Learn more with this guide from GoDaddy.

Make extra money starting a side business offline

47. Rent out a room

Renting out a room was a great way for us to get an extra income for several years. My wife and I used to make 10% of our monthly income on renting out a room in our apartment.

We tried many different models such as having a full-time tenant, a commuting tenant who only stayed on weekdays to work and tourists on vacation.

We also rent our full apartment out every time we went on a holiday saving us 1.5 months of mortgage payments.

One of our favorite ways to rent out was through Airbnb. It’s easy to put up a listing and millions are checking for rooms there every day.

48. Drive people around

Following the introduction of ride-hailing apps, it has become extremely easy to earn an additional income in your free time. People need to transport themselves and ride-hailing apps make it possible for normal people to provide that service.

The only requirement is that you have a car and a driver’s license (and are accepted by the provider).

The most popular apps for driving people around are Uber and Lyft.

49. Deliver food

Just as people need to be transported, home delivery of food has also been on the rise.

In many cities, you can earn some extra money by delivering food if you have a bike, scooter or car available.

The most popular are UberEats, FoodPanda, and Deliveroo.

Recently, Amazon invested in $575 million in Deliveroo showing how big a thing food delivery has become.

50. Use your voice

If you have a characteristic voice or are good at impersonating different characters, you might be able to make money by doing voice-over jobs.

People need people to do voice-overs for TV and radio advertisements, movies, series, and video games. Knowing a few people active in the business, it pays really well and doesn’t take long.

51. Become a photographer

Learning photography and making money on taking photos is an excellent way to create a side business.

Taking photos at different events (weddings, birthdays, etc.) are often in the weekend where most people are off normal work.

There are plenty of tutorials online on how to get started and there are so many ways you can sell your photos or photography services.

Of course, becoming a photographer requires an upfront investment in a camera, but you don’t need a lot of gigs for it to be a good investment.

52. Teach a skill

Is there something you are particularly good at?

People are always looking to learn new skills, so a good way to earn extra money is to teach.

If you know a language, you could teach that. If you know how to play an instrument, you could teach that. If you know how to draw or design on a computer, you could teach that.

There’s no limit to the number of things you could teach, but where do you find them?

53. Teach students

Just as you can teach a skill, you can also teach students at all levels in a course or a discipline.

Lots of people would be happy to pay a small sum to get help with their studies. Teaching a particular subject you are good at can make you a little extra each month.

54. Wash windows

Most people need their windows washed every now and then. A great way to earn some extra money is to wash windows – and you can often do it when it suits you and on weekends.

It’s easy to get started as you only need basic equipment and there’s plenty of tutorials on YouTube to learn how to do it best.

Your first customers can be friends, family, and neighbors, and you could put flyers up in the local stores or drop them in mailboxes to get more business.

55. Wash cars

Just as washing windows can be a good side business, you could also wash cars to make more cash.

You might need a bit more equipment to wash a car, but more people also want help to wash their car than their windows, and they do it more often so it might be worth it.

56. Clean offices

If you are good at cleaning, many companies have daily or at least weekly cleaning of their offices.

Office cleaning is often in the evening and at night, so you might be able to combine it with other work.

A good way to get started is finding cleaning companies hiring in your area. This way you also don’t have to buy cleaning materials and find customers yourself.

57. Do chores

We all have many daily chores to do. Did you know that there are sites connecting you with people who need chores done?

TaskRabbit is such a website connecting people who want chores done and people who want to do it for them. If you want to help people move, clean, babysit or any other chore, you can make some extra money on the side.

58. Plan weddings

In 2018, I planned a wedding with my wife. From experience, I know how many things there are to keep track of. We spent countless hours planning our wedding and while we enjoyed it, we might have considered a wedding planner if the budget allowed.

Becoming a wedding planner is an excellent way to help people get the day of their lives and make some money doing it. It’s relatively easy to become a wedding planner if you are a born organizer, but you might want to get some inspiration before planning a full wedding on your own.

59. Coach people

Coaching is a concept that has become quite popular in recent years. Being a coach means having professional conversations where you guide people neutrally by asking the right questions. Customers usually pay an hourly fee to the coach.

If you have experience within a certain field, you can become a coach for others. The most common coaching topics are related to self-help such as happiness, relationships, leadership, etc.

Everyone can become a coach as it’s not a protected title, but I would recommend you take a coaching course before getting the first customers.

60. Prepare taxes for people and businesses

Few people and businesses like to prepare their taxes. If you are good with numbers, why not help them out?

Preparing taxes takes time and requires some knowledge of how it’s done. This means that you can often make hundreds of dollars preparing taxes for others. There’s plenty of resources available to cover the basics such as this tax preparation checklist.

61. Take seasonal jobs

In certain seasons, demand is higher for certain jobs. If you have time during a holiday, you might be able to make an extra income for a limited amount of time.

Examples of seasonal jobs are hotels during peak holidays, department stores at Christmas and farms during summer. Most companies would post job ads for seasonal workers, but you could consider applying unsolicited to other places too.

62. Be a bartender

If you live in a larger city, you can make quite a bit of being a bartender – especially if you live near one or more colleges.

Becoming a bartender doesn’t require previous experience, but you will need to be good at socializing and know the basics of bartending before you land your first job.

63. Be a lifeguard

If you are a good swimmer and don’t mind spending some of your summers on the beach or at swimming pools to make sure people don’t drown, becoming a lifeguard could be relevant for you.

You will need a license or certification to become a lifeguard, but you might earn a decent salary as a lifeguard just looking out for people and being on guard (while working on that tan of yours too!).

64. Help people with interior design

It’s not only big businesses that pay interior designers to decorate their offices. Normal people also increasingly ask help from interior designers to furnish their houses. Being an interior designer can be a great way to earn some money, and the work for smaller customers is usually highly flexible in terms of timing.

You will need to have a good eye for aesthetics to become an interior designer and some references to get going – you might also consider getting a certification. You could then start building a portfolio for free at friends’ and family’s houses before showing your work on a website to get customers.

65. Be a referee at sports events

All amateur and professional sports events need a referee to judge the game. This goes for all kinds of sports such as soccer, football, baseball, gymnastics, dancing, etc.

Finding your local sports clubs and becoming a referee is a great way to earn some extra money on the weekends or evenings.

66. Rent out your garage

If you own a garage, you might be able to make some money renting it out. It’s possible to earn quite a significant amount if you have garage space available for others to use.

Once you have prepared the garage and closed a contract with a renter, you will have a great source of passive income.

67. Rent out your things

You might be sitting on a pile of gold with your current belongings.

If you have a bike, camera, drone, campervan, furniture, sound system or anything else that might be of value for others, you can rent it out and make some extra cash. The sharing economy is growing and you could take part in it.

FatLlama is a marketplace where you can rent out things.

68. Rent out your car

Most of the time your car is not in use and is just idle in a garage losing value. If you know on certain days you don’t need your car, it’s possible to rent it out and earn hundreds of dollars each month.

Turo is a great platform to list your car and rent it out when it suits you. Check out their “calculator” to see how much your car can earn for you each month.

69. Sell your used textbooks

If you own textbooks for a school course and don’t need them anymore, you might be able to sell them on a textbook marketplace.

Often schools have websites or social media pages where used textbooks are sold, but you can also use marketplaces such as TextbookX to list your textbooks. Of course, you can also use eBay, Craigslist or Amazon for this.

70. Get groceries for others

Everyone needs to get groceries once in a while. A way to make extra money is to offer your help to other people getting their groceries for them.

A good way to get started is to put up an ad with your contact information in your local supermarket. Some supermarket chains even have their own online platforms to offer delivery by private people. You could also try Instacart, which is a site connecting buyers with shoppers.

71. Deliver packages for Amazon

Amazon Flex is a new delivery system where private people deliver packages, food, etc. for Amazon. It’s only live in certain areas of five states in the US at the moment (OH, MO, NY, PA, DE), but Amazon claims its employees earn $18-$25 per hour.

72. Do guided tours

If you know the city you live in well, it might be a good idea to do guided tours for tourists and other people interested. Your tour can be focused on main attractions, history, art or even food.

Most larger cities have tours already, but you might be able to create a unique tour that doesn’t exist yet. Some people even do tours for free and make money on the tips they get. If you don’t want to start from scratch, try to find out whether you can join any of the established city tours as a guide.

73. Maintain lawns

Most people with a house also have a lawn to maintain. If you live in or close to a neighborhood with many lawns, you could make a bit extra starting a lawn mowing business and maintaining lawns for people.

You get to enjoy being outside and getting your hands dirty. In time, you can even buy an automatic lawnmower, so you can sit and relax while the machine is doing the work for you.

74. Do personal training

If you would like to help people get fit, you could consider becoming a personal trainer. It’s not a protected title, and as long as you know something about cardio or weight lifting workouts, you can start being a personal trainer.

Being a personal trainer can be a quite lucrative side business and some of the good trainers make more than $100,000 per year.

75. Walk dogs

If you love dogs and want to squeeze in some long walks during the day, you could consider walking dogs for people. It’s super easy to get started and only requires a bit of marketing, which can be done with flyers in mailboxes or posters in your local shops.

Rover is a large network of dog walkers, so consider signing up there to find dogs to walk in your area.

76. Train pets

If you don’t fancy walking dogs, you might consider training people’s pets instead.

Most often you will get to spend time with cute puppies or kittens to train them to be clean and obedient. The pets love being trained and it can be very fulfilling to do.

Often you might benefit from certification to get started. I found this guide on starting a dog training business quite helpful.

77. Become a pet sitter

People often need help to take care of their pets when they travel or need to go to certain full-day events.

Becoming a pet sitter is a good way to earn more money by simply taking care of other people’s pets ranging for a couple of hours to several weeks. Before you start, check out these things you should know before becoming a pet sitter.

78. Groom pets

If you’re not tired of pets yet, grooming pets can be another way to make extra money while being around animals. You can even combine it with pet sitting as part of your services!

79. Become a babysitter

If you like being around children and are good at taking care of them, you could consider being a babysitter. This is an old favorite to make some extra money and most parents need babysitting once in a while.

Being a baby sitter is a serious job where you have responsibility for other people’s kids, so you shouldn’t do this if you do it halfheartedly.

Care.com is a global site matching parents and babysitters, which is a good way to get started. Sittercity is another great site to sign up for if you live in the U.S.

80. Become a house sitter

If you are flexible in terms of where you live, you can consider becoming a house sitter within a city, state or country.

When people go traveling, they sometimes need a house sitter to take care of their house while they are away. Sometimes this is the same as being a pet sitter, but not always.

It’s an extremely low effort way to make money – just make sure nothing happens to the house.

TrustedHouseSitters and MindMyHouse are great sites to list on to get started.

81. Shovel snow

If you live in an area where it gets very snowy, shoveling snow is a great side business. You may have to wake up early and work hard, but you can be rewarded handsomely – most homeowners are willing to pay between $25-$75/hour for snow removal.

82. Register as notary

Notaries are used for witnessing signatures on formal documents and similar legal acts. It’s usually easy to sign up as notary in your country or state, although it might come at a small fee.

Once you are registered as a notary, you decide yourself what you want to charge for your services. It’s usually offline, but in some countries and states, you can even do it online with a webcam.

83. Go mystery shopping

Mystery shopping involves going to a retail establishment or restaurant, making a purchase, and taking notes about the overall experience. It’s a common practice used by large companies to improve their service – and it’s easy to get started and pays well.

84. Start a drop-shipping business

Drop-shipping involves setting up an e-commerce website and selling items to customers. But rather than buy and hold onto the items yourself, you work as an intermediary – the manufacturer sends the item directly to the buyer, and you take a cut of the profit. Check out this guide from Shopify for more info.

85. Become a used book reseller

If you love buying books, you can start a used book reseller business. Go to thrift shops, flea markets, used bookstores and other such places – and find books that are being sold for less than they’re worth. Then, you can resell them online on websites like eBay.

86. Become a consultant

If you have a particular business specialty – corporate finance, for example – it’s relatively simple to start your own consulting business on the side and start bringing in customers. Just make sure you are not violating any employment agreements!

87. Keep books

If you have a head for numbers, you can work as a freelance bookkeeper. Many small businesses can’t afford a full-time bookkeeper – so as long as you know how to work Microsoft Excel or Quickbooks, you can work with multiple clients and be handsomely compensated.

88. Start a woodworking business

Learning to woodwork is a very fun hobby, and can provide you with quite a bit of enjoyment. And once you build your skills sufficiently, you can sell your items for a huge profit – high-quality, handcrafted wood furniture is extremely valuable. Do note that you’ll need to invest in some specialized tools, though.

89. Become a product assembler

Websites like TaskRabbit can be used to find product assembly jobs – like putting together IKEA or other flat-pack furniture. There’s no long-term time commitment, and the work is fun and rewarding if you like that sort of thing!

90. Take care of lawns

As long as you have a lawnmower and a weed-whacker, you can start your own lawn care business. You can start by just working on weekends and evenings – and if you love the business, you can expand it and hire more employees.

91. Start a beekeeping business

If you have the space for it, beekeeping can be very fun and rewarding, and allow you to make a profit selling beeswax, honey, and other products. You’ll also contribute to the health of the local environment since bees are important pollinators for a number of plants.

92. Start an embroidery business

Embroidery is a fun hobby in its own right, and creating hand-crafted textiles also has the potential to bring in a large profit if you continue to build your skills, so it is also one of our easy ways to make more money.

93. Create a worm farm

A worm farm may seem like a strange business, but it’s not! Worms are used for “vermiculture” composting, and as bait in areas with oceans, lakes, and streams. They can be highly profitable. Take a look at this guide to find out how to get started.

94. Start an event planning business

Starting an event planning business is a good way to use your organizational skills for a profit – and much of the work can take place on evenings and weekends, so this is one of the best ways to make extra money as a side hustle

95. Start a party rental or photo booth business

A party rental service is a fun side hustle that, like event planning, is mostly in-demand on holidays, evenings and weekends. Party props and a photo booth are relatively inexpensive investments, and manning the booth doesn’t require much labor – so this is a low-commitment side hustle.

96. Make balloon animals

If you have the skills for it, you can start a side hustle making balloon animals. Your services will always be in demand for children’s parties and special events. As your business grows, you could consider adding more party services – like dressing up as a clown or doing magic, for example!

97. Perform as a DJ

Thanks to modern DJ software, it’s become easier than ever to become a party DJ if you have an ear for music and love the latest pop hits. This guide has a basic overview of the equipment and skills you’ll need to succeed.

98. Refurbish antiques

Do you have the skills to repair and restore furniture and heirlooms? If so, you may want to consider refurbishing antiques. If you live in an area with a lot of antique stores, this is definitely an easy way to make more money. You can get items that are in poor condition, restore them and sell them for a profit.

Increase your income from existing jobs

If you already have a full-time job, you may be able to boost your income in a variety of different ways – without necessarily having to take on a “side hustle.” Here are a few legit ways to make extra money at your current job.

99. Ask for a raise (if you don’t ask, you don’t get it!)

If you haven’t made a habit of asking for a yearly raise, consider doing so. If you can prove your value to your company, they’re likely to approve it. And, if they continually deny your request, you may have hit your “ceiling” at your current job – and it might be time to move on.

100. Go for a promotion

If you focus on your job and prove to your employer that you deserve a promotion, chances are that you’ll get it. Make it your goal to go “above and beyond” your duties by taking on more work, increasing your job responsibilities, and developing your skill set – chances are you’ll earn a big promotion by doing so.

101. Work overtime

In most places, overtime pays at least 1.5x your base pay if you’re an hourly worker. If you don’t mind extra work and your job allows it, you can work extra hours each day and on weekends – and pile up quite a bit of extra cash.

102. Earn bonuses

This may not apply to all employers. But some do offer bonuses for reaching specific goals – like selling a particular volume of services/products in a given fiscal year. Make sure you are aware of all of the bonuses you could earn – and do your best to get them!

103. Shift jobs frequently

In today’s job market, this is one of the best ways to make extra money at your full-time job. If you are not earning raises or promotions at your job after 2-3 years, the best way to get more money may be to choose a new employer.

Other creative ways to make extra money

Starting a new business, side hustle or working more at your current job are all good options if you’re looking for legit ways to make money, but there are also some more “creative” ways to get extra cash.

104. Declutter and sell

If you want to declutter your stuff and sell items like used electronics, cell phones, LEGO sets, books, CDs, DVDs and video games, and more, Decluttr is a great option. You can send in your stuff, get a quote, and get fast, legit extra cash.

105. Sell your old stuff

You can also sell your old stuff like old books and textbooks on websites like eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Local second-hand stores are also an option, or you could host a garage sale. You can sell unused gift cards on websites like Raise.

106. Stop giving and receiving gifts

It can be expensive to give gifts regularly. If you are dedicated to retiring early and financial independence, you may want to adopt a stance against both giving and receiving gifts. This will simplify your finances, and help you save money more quickly.

107. Ask for money

If you don’t want to stop giving and receiving gifts altogether, a good way to make extra money and enhance your financial well-being is to ask for money instead of traditional gifts. If you are getting married, for example, you could request that attendees give you money instead of home goods and other traditional gifts.

108. Recycle expensive materials

Some metals like copper are very valuable and can be taken to a scrap yard and recycled for a profit. If you have scrap metal and other expensive recycled materials, consider doing this instead of simply throwing your materials away or dumping them at a junkyard.

109. Bet against your weight loss

With websites like HealthyWage, you can bet against your weight loss and fitness. You’ll earn money and cash prizes when you make your goals. Not only is this a legit way to earn extra cash, but you’ll also be more physically fit and healthy, which will save you money in the long run.

110. Participate in focus groups

Websites like FindFocusGroups and FocusGroup are great ways to earn some extra cash. Focus groups are used by companies to get information about consumer sentiment. By joining focus groups, you can get paid just for having an opinion and participating in some short studies.

111. Become a disability helper

If you want to do some good and earn some extra cash, you can consider becoming a disability helper for those with physical/mental disabilities, or for the elderly. Often, you can work only on weekends, and you’ll get very good pay. Not only that, but you’ll be helping those in need.

112. Deliver newspapers

Despite what you may think, newspaper delivery is still a big business. You can usually deliver newspapers early in the morning before you head to your traditional 9-5 job. If you’re an early bird, this may be one of the best easy ways to make more money.

113. Find odd jobs on Craigslist

You can often find odd jobs and day labor on Craigslist for things like landscaping, house cleaning and more. However, you will want to make sure you do your research and don’t trust everyone who posts job opportunities. Occasionally, there may be scammers looking for victims.

114. Place ads on your car

You can earn some extra cash each month without doing anything just by placing some ads on your car. Basically, your car will become a driving billboard! You can check out websites like CarVertise to get started and begin earning cash.

115. Become an extra

Extras in movies, TV shows, and other media can earn extra cash on weekends.

Keep an eye on news stories about local casting calls, and you may be able to make quite a bit of extra cash if you meet the requirements for becoming an extra. Not sure how to get started? Take a look at this guide from WikiHow.

116. Participate in paid research studies

If you want to participate in experimental research related to new drugs and medical devices and get compensated for doing so, ClinicalTrials.gov is an ideal resource.

You can browse thousands of public and private clinical trials near you, sign up to participate, and get paid for simple, part-time work.

117. Sell or donate blood, plasma, eggs, etc.

Selling and donating blood and plasma can be very profitable, and there are usually lots of local clinics that will pay you hundreds of dollars per month for your donation.

Donating blood and plasma is risk-free, so this is a good option for some extra cash.

You could also consider donating eggs or sperm, but the requirements for this are much more restrictive, and this could conflict with the morals or personal values of some people.

118. Sell your hair

If you have a lot of hair and you’ve been considering chopping it off and changing your hairstyle, why not get paid for doing so? Hairsellon.com and a few other websites allow you to sell it for a profit if you have more than 6 inches of hair to sell.

Make money by saving money

Finally, I’ll finish off my guide by discussing a few of the best ways you can make money… by saving money! There are plenty of ways you can make money just by organizing your finances more effectively. Let’s take a look at a few of these easy ways to make more money – by saving money – now.

119. Improve your credit score

A good credit score can save you thousands of dollars – particularly if you are interested in buying a car, a home or another such big-ticket purchase in the near future.

How much can you save? As an example, a 620 credit score will get you an APR of about 5.6% on a mortgage. A 760+ credit score will get you an APR of about 4%.

On a $200,000 home with a 20% down payment and a 30-year term, you’ll pay a total of $274,991 for the loan with a 760 credit score compared to $330,669 with a 620 credit score, which is a savings of nearly $60,000!

120. Optimize bad credit

Even if you don’t have great credit, there are some steps you can take to improve your credit score, such as removing negative credit marks from your credit report. You can use services like Credit Sesame and Experian to optimize your credit score and to begin building your credit right away.

121. Hunt for coupons

Coupon clipping is one of the best and most time-tested methods of saving money. I always recommend doing things like signing up for email newsletters, physical mailers, and catalogs from retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, and other such businesses.

Using coupons properly can save you hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars per year. That cash can be spent on reaching your financial goals.

122. Pay less for renters insurance

If you already have renters insurance through a traditional insurer, chances are that you’re overpaying. With a service like Lemonade, you may be able to get a lower rate.

And if you don’t have renters insurance, you definitely should – it’s one of the best ways to protect your possessions if you’re a renter, and it’s quite inexpensive.

123. Trim your bills

Wondering if you have any monthly services like Netflix or Amazon Prime, magazine subscriptions or other recurring bills that you’re not using?

With a website like Trim, you can lower your monthly bills and identify services you don’t use – potentially saving you hundreds of dollars per month.

In doubt of how you should use this list to make more money?

I know there’s lots of ideas up there. Now that you have been through the whole list, I would recommend you start.

You should evaluate three things.

First plot all your ideas into this matrix with potential on one axis and feasibility on the other.

Next, look at all the ideas located in the top right corner (the money makers). Then figure out which of those ideas you would enjoy the most. It’s as simple as that.

Once you have found your preferred idea(s), it’s all about just getting started!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this round-up of the best ways to make money. All of these methods are fully legit. While not all of them will be the right choice for you, you’re sure to find a couple that will help you earn some extra cash fast, and reach your financial goals more quickly.

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