Whether you're trying to get out of debt, save more for retirement, or just increase your monthly income, there's never been a better time to find ways to earn extra money.
You no longer have to settle for a part-time job with fixed hours. Today's gig economy is built on flexibility.
1. Find the lost money in your name
When was the last time you verified the lack of money in your name? A quick search on MissingMoney.com and/or Unclaimed.org could lead to a surprise payout! Simply enter your name and state to find property, cash, and unclaimed assets. It only takes a few seconds!
Unclaimed money from bank accounts, insurance policies, rent and utility deposits, safe deposit boxes and elsewhere account for the billions of dollars left for state governments.
Here are some examples of specific types of unclaimed money:
- A check you forgot to make
- Money left in an inactive bank account
- A discount check sent to an old address
Even if you don't have any unclaimed money, you may want to start keeping track of your family and friends to see if there's anything
2. Earn cash with your purchases
Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. There are a handful of popular cash back apps that will reward you for buying things you probably already have in your shopping cart.
With the Ibotta app, earning extra money is as easy as 1-2-3:
- Add offers to your account
- Buy these items at the supermarket
- download your receipt
In addition to Ibotta, you can also convert your shopping receipts to cash with Checkout 51.
For online shopping, try sites like Rakuten (formerly Ebates) and TopCashback that give you cash back to start shopping with them. Walmart, Priceline, Amazon, Best Buy and Macy's are just a few of the participating brands.
Many of the apps and websites we've listed also offer signup and referral bonuses of up to $10 each. It's easy money!
3. Swagbucks: watch videos, research and surf the web
Swagbucks is a way to get free gift cards. Like some of the cashback apps mentioned above, Swagbucks gives users points for online purchases.
But it's different because you can also earn rewards by searching the web, watching videos and taking surveys. You can redeem these points for PayPal cashback or gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
Swagbucks typically offers a $10 welcome bonus and also rewards you for referring family and friends.
4. Participate in a focus group
You can get paid to share your thoughts and opinions; this is not a bad deal. Once you register online, you will receive survey emails to help you qualify for paid focus groups with Focus Pointe Global.
Studies are conducted at the company's 20 facilities across the country and online.
5. Become a food tester
Calling all foodies! Did you know that you can earn money by participating in taste tests? The process is very simple: you fill out a questionnaire (either online or by phone, because sometimes they call you if they need to fill in any free space) and if you can opt for the tasting test, you just have to choose one of the available ones.
Once the taste test is complete, you will immediately receive your payment.
6. Wrap your advertising car
Wrapify turns your ride into cash by getting paid to wrap your car in advertising for their customers, you can earn an average of $71 advertising your car through Stickr.co.
7. Enjoy a credit card sign-up bonus
If you have a good credit rating, getting a new credit card is an easy way to get extra money.
For example, you can get $300 back after you spend $3,000 on American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card purchases during the first six months.
This bonus is in addition to the 6% rebate you earn at supermarkets in the United States with a maximum of $6,000 in annual purchases. You will get your money back in the form of statement credits. Conditions apply.
When you start looking at credit cards with annual fees, especially travel cards, you can pay for an entire vacation with $500 to $1,000 worth of sign-up bonuses.
Credit card issuers often waive the annual fee on these cards for the first year.
8. Open a new bank account
Don't you want a new credit card? You can earn several hundred dollars by signing up for a new bank account.
He researched this topic and found that he could earn $200 or more with a checking or savings account with traditional banks like Citi, HSBC, SunTrust and Wells Fargo. Discover is one of the online banks that also regularly offers a $200 bonus if you deposit $25,000 in a savings account.
Not all bank bonuses require such large deposits, but most require you to take additional steps, such as setting up direct deposit, using your debit card a certain number of times, and maintaining a minimum monthly balance to avoid fees.
You only need to take advantage of one of these offers if you know you can complete all the steps to get the bonus.
It's also a good idea to keep a copy of the promotional offer you've received by email as proof, in case the bank doesn't automatically award the bonus once you meet the terms.
9. Amazon's mechanical trick
If you want to work from home on your own schedule, Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is an online platform where companies post various micro jobs that workers can do for a small cash reward.
MTurk refers to micro jobs as Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs). The time commitment and pay rate for each HIT can vary greatly; most do not require special skills.
Here are some examples of tasks workers can perform at MTurk:
- Research for academic research
- Identify objects in a photo or video
- Transcription of audio recordings
- Survey data details
If you enjoy writing for extra money from home, also consider becoming a Rev.com transcriber or subtitler.
10. Earn $5 (or more) at a time with Fiverr
Become a seller on Fiverr.com and join the growing community of freelancers who offer professional services such as graphic design, resume writing, data entry, voiceover, and much more.
You can work as much as you want and set your price at $5 per show or more, up to $10,000.
The Fiverr website claims that as soon as a seller completes an order, the money is immediately transferred to their account. Listing services are free and sellers keep 80% of each transaction.
11. Become a freelance writer
If writing is one of your main strengths, there are still plenty of writing and editing tasks you can do from the comfort of home.
Positions include content writer, copy supervisor, technical writer, food blogger, and finance writer.
We contacted the employment experts at FlexJobs and were told that the salary range can vary widely, with more technical or specialized level newsrooms paying more.
Some writing jobs are paid by the hour and others by the article. Here are some examples of FlexJobs:
- Digital Copywriter: $25 to $35 per hour
- Copywriter, editor: $15 to $18 per hour
- Publisher: $50 to $100 per article
- Writer: $27 per hour
- Writer: up to $30 per hour
- Technical writer: $26 to $33 per hour
- Content Strategist: $55 to $65 an hour
- Psychiatric Nurse: Content Writer, Copywriter: $40 per hour
FlexJobs is a membership site that filters out all scams. Because it requires a membership fee, it is best for those who want to find work from home.
12. Sell your unwanted items
Do you have a lot of mess at home? If the garage sale isn't really your thing, eBay and Craigslist are two sites for listing used items for sale, including furniture, clothing, electronics, and toys.
More recently, apps like OfferUp, Poshmark, and Facebook Marketplace have become popular tools for selling your unwanted stuff.
If you have a lot of items to download, Katy Wolk-Stanley of The Non-Consumer Advocate shared with Clark.com how she uses Craigslist as part of her winning strategy to make as much money as possible during the empty attic.
13. TJ Maxx, Ross, and Burlington Resale Items
It can be a bit risky, but there are people who make a living buying items at discount stores (TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, etc.) and selling them on eBay. .
Glen Zubia, pictured above, told Clark.com that he paid off $50,000 in debt by becoming a distributor.
He says that people starting out as resellers should focus on what they know. Glen buys a lot of things, but his interest in sneakers has helped him identify the best shopping deals.
If you're interested in becoming a dealer, check out Glen's YouTube channel where he shares lots of tips and tricks.
14. Run errands or help someone with their to-do list.
You can make a quick buck by helping someone else check off odd jobs on their to-do list.
If you've seen the TaskRabbit ads on TV, you know it's a place to go when you need help getting around, putting together furniture, setting up a TV, cleaning, or even running errands.
Taskers become their own boss. They work as independent contractors and use the TaskRabbit platform to get clients.
15. Charge your Bird or Lime-S electric scooters
Has your city been invaded by Bird and Lime-S electric scooters? You can easily earn money by charging them at home while you sleep!
Is that how it works:
- Drive to your car and pick up low battery scooters
- Take them home to charge them overnight
- Release them the next day and get paid for your work
To become a bird charger or Lime-S juicer, first download your apps as a pilot.
16. Give Plasma
Another way to make money is by giving plasma, which is used to create life-saving medicines around the world. Here's how Octapharma Plasma, a US-based company with more than 80 centers across the country, explains plasma donation:
Giving plasma is like donating blood. A trained staff member called a phlebotomist inserts a sterile needle into a vein in your arm to draw blood. The blood is then recycled using special sterile equipment that separates the plasma from the other parts of the blood.
His plasma is then collected in a container, while the other parts are safely returned to his body. This process is called plasmapheresis. How much money do you receive to give plasma? CSL Plasma says donors can earn up to $400 a month.
Octapharma Plasma states on its website that donor fees may vary from month to month and depending on your location. Plasma donation centers often advertise special promotions for new donors.
17. Rover – Start your own pet boarding business
If you love cats and dogs, taking care of pets is a side job where animal lovers can earn an extra $1,000 or more each month.
For those who don't yet have customers, Rover's online service can help you grow your business. Tutors can set their own rates, but Rover has a 20% discount.
When you're starting out, you'll want to charge customers a little less than other customers. You'll be able to increase your earning potential over time as you earn more 5-star reviews.
Dog boarding services are often in high demand on weekends and holidays when people travel.
18. Drive to Uber or Lyft
If you want to make money on your time, driving for ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft is another option to consider. Both companies often offer guarantees for new drivers, such as earning several hundred dollars on their first 100 rides.
19. Food Delivery: UberEats, GrubHub, DoorDash, and Postmates
If you don't like the idea of having other people in your car, all the big restaurant delivery apps are hiring like crazy!
GrubHub is one of the major players in the food delivery industry. The company says its drivers earn a competitive salary, keep 100% of their tips and have flexible hours.
Vehicle requirements for food delivery services are generally more lenient than Uber or Lyft and allow drivers to use older cars.
20. Deliver groceries on Instacart or shipping
If you know your way around grocery shopping, you can get paid to buy and deliver groceries by working as an independent contractor for Instacart or Shipt.
Competing services allow buyers to set their own hours and pay weekly. Shipping and Instacart shoppers need a reliable vehicle and smartphone to get started.
21. Amazon Flex Delivery
Staying on the delivery theme, Amazon Flex delivery drivers can earn anywhere from $18 to $25 an hour.
Amazon pays for blog delivery and opportunities are available in 50+ cities to deliver to Amazon.com, Prime Now, AmazonFresh and Amazon Restaurants and more.
You can earn a higher hourly rate by driving a larger vehicle, working during peak hours, and making deliveries with a tip.
22. Rent your house with Airbnb
Have you ever thought about becoming an Airbnb host? If you have a house or a room where you can host travelers, this is one of the best ways to earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month.
According to a tool on the Airbnb website, an Atlanta landlord could earn $900 a month by turning a private room into an Airbnb.
With Airbnb, owners can advertise their site and set the price they want. Hosts typically pay a flat 3% fee per booking. Owners are paid immediately after guests check in.
23. Rent your car with Turo
If you don't feel comfortable renting your home on Airbnb, rent your car with what's called Airbnb for Cars.
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace. For owners, it offers the possibility to publish their vehicle for free and earn between 65% and 85% of the value of the trip when renting. Insurance protection is included.
How much money can you earn with Turo? It depends on how often you rent your car, but Turo estimates up to $6,500 a year!
conclusion
Earning extra money is just one way to improve your financial situation. You'll be able to reach your goals faster if you increase your income while reducing your expenses. Here's our guide to get started.
When looking for any of the ways to earn extra money that we have shared, make 100% sure to visit the official website of the company. We provide links to most of them in this article.
These scams won't make you rich, so anyone who promises you'll make $500 a day working from home is a scammer.