15 out-of-the-box ways to make extra cash from anywhere

By now, you probably know that you don’t have to leave home to make money. After all, many companies sent employees home to work during the pandemic. But even if you aren’t a salaried employee, you can still make a living from the comfort of your own home.

All you need is a computer, a phone and a solid foundation of internet know-how. Some jobs are straightforward, like working for a call center from your home. But not all jobs have to be dreary and bereft of fun.

For instance, you can work as a professional dog groomer or even an artist who creates items from home. Apps like Etsy, Rover, Dolly and more have sprung up to empower you to become your own boss and work flexible hours. Here are 15 money-making opportunities that put you in the driver’s seat of your work life — sometimes literally!

Bolster your bank account

A few names get the most headlines when it comes to the gig economy. There’s Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash.

Good news if you don’t want to drive around the city, carting strangers and their food. There are many ways to make extra cash without surrendering to the 9-to-5 corporate world.

We collected some exciting ways to put extra bucks in your bank account. Save yourself some research time and check out our favorite resources:

  1. Sell your skills: Whether you like writing, drawing, dancing, voice acting or doing celebrity impressions, you can do anything on Fiverr. Some people will even throw a message in a bottle or speak with other people’s pets telepathically … or so they say!
  2. Pet sit dogs from your own home: Want to pet sit but don’t want to leave the house? Rover pays you to take care of strangers’ pets while they’re away.
  3. Transcribe audio: Put your ears to work by typing down the words from audio recordings at waywithwords.net.
  4. Be a mystery shopper: Check out BestMark and SecretShopper to start.
  5. Rent your car: If you aren’t using your car right now, rent it out through Turo.
  6. Decorate your car: Companies like Stickr.co and Wrapify give you decals with advertisements. Drive around with them to make sure people see the ads.
  7. Watch TV: If you love sitting in front of the silver screen, good news: there are sites that pay you for watching.
  8. Sell your friendship: Tons of people are lonely since the pandemic drove us home for a year and a half. Rent-A-Friend lets you connect with others for cash.
  9. Test products: Do you love free stuff? Sites like Toluna, Nielson and Johnson & Johnson will pay you to test products.
  10. Listen to music: Audiophiles can head to Slicethepie to make a few cents for every song they listen to and rate.
  11. Test medicines: If you want to be a part of medicinal progress, join clinical trials.
  12. Rent your swimming pool: Swimply lets you sell access to your pool by the hour.
  13. Rent out extra rooms in your house: We aren’t talking about roommates. Some folks just want cheap storage space. If you have rooms, rent them out through storeatmyhouse.com or neighbor.com.
  14. Sell your hair: If you have luscious locks, let it grow out to at least eight inches in length and chop it off. Sites like HairSellOnOnlineHairAffair and  WorldofWigs will be happy to take it off of your hands.
  15. Cook for your neighbors: Here’s a way to turn your love of cooking into cash…without working in the hectic environment of a restaurant kitchen. EatWith is a meal-sharing app that lets you host, cook dishes for people and even sell baked goods.

While many of these jobs are fun, you’ll probably have to put in a lot of hours and hard work to make a significant chunk of cash.

If you want to widen your net to find as many job opportunities as possible, we recommend heading to our sponsor, LinkedIn. It’s the No. 1 social media site for job seekers, employers and more.

You can find a ton of great gigs on LinkedIn

On the flip side, if you’re hiring, there’s no better place to put a job listing than on LinkedIn.

Continue reading

Want to make some extra cash this summer?

Who couldn’t use a little extra cash in their pockets? With so many jobs in the modern gig economy, finding work should be easy.

Keep reading for ways to make money on the side.

Continue reading

Make money by answering questions online

00:00
–:–

Open/download audio

Are you the person everyone turns to for advice? Whether it’s tech, home repairs, or history, your knowledge could be making you money! 

🏅 Putting the “pics” in Olympics: Olympians are turning to OnlyFans to make money while in Paris. Briton Jack Laugher says he only makes $36,000 a year as one of the top three divers in the world. Now, he charges $10 a month for fans to chat with him, ask questions and, of course, see some very spicy Speedo pics.

Trivia

So you want to make money with YouTube. What’s the best time to post your video masterpiece to give it the best chance of going viral? Is it … 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 1 p.m. or 7 p.m.?

Find the answer here

500 subscribers to be a YouTube Partner

That’s the minimum to make money from your vids. If you want a cut of AdSense revenue, you need 1,000 subs. You’ll need to rack up watch hours, too — 3,000 for Partners and 4,000 for AdSense. Not to toot my own horn here, but I have 82,500 subscribers on YouTube. Toot-toot.

How to make money by starting an online resell business

Looking for ways to bring in extra cash this year? One option is selling stuff online. You may be surprised to find the value of some of your old electronics. Here are 10 vintage tech gadgets worth a ton of money.

Starting an online resell business will take things further. It takes work and dedication but can become a rewarding, full-time job. Here’s how to get started.

Continue reading

Side gig: How to get paid for online jury duty

We could all use extra cash occasionally to pay for stuff like family vacations or a gas tank. Fortunately, there are plenty of side gigs, from Uber to Instacart to taking surveys online. Tap or click here for 15 new ways to make extra cash.

Continue reading

How to make money in podcasting

00:00
–:–

Open/download audio

We talk with Rob Walch from Libsyn about the current state of podcasting and get his top tips for starting your own podcast. Plus, X makes your ‘likes’ private, SoftBank uses AI to make angry customers sound calm, and nobody likes being called a bot.

The ad-friendly skies: Fly United and you’ll soon see personalized ads in the app and on the back of your seat. Just one more way to make money off you. But since you get this free newsletter, here’s where you can opt out of the ads. You’re welcome.

3 ways to make money on the side

00:00
–:–

Open/download audio

Prices are skyrocketing, and having some extra cash never hurts. Give these side hustles a try.

How to score cheap stuff or make money reselling It

00:00
–:–

Open/download audio

What happens when you send stuff back to Amazon? In this one-minute podcast, I reveal why one person’s return can become another person’s big score.

How to make money from your car, home, RV and other stuff you own

We could all use a little extra money, but who has the time to pick up a part-time job? The solution is simple: Make passive income by renting stuff you have. Use these apps to earn money without working.

This peer-to-peer marketplace app helps you make money by renting trailers, home improvement tools, adventure gear, heavy equipment and other products you aren’t using. Whenever you list an item, the Equipment Protection Plan covers you against damage and loss for up to $25,000.

Continue reading

5 best budgeting apps to help get your finances in order

People worldwide have had their finances upended by the stressors the pandemic created. Unemployment, unforeseen medical expenses and a fluctuating economy have made everyone understand the importance of budgeting and personal savings.

Continue reading

Need some extra cash? How to make money selling photos

If you’re a photography enthusiast, you’re likely familiar with all those stock photography companies. And you know you can sell your photos as stock images.

But that’s not the only way you can make money through stock photo sites.

Continue reading

3 ways to make money selling your photos online

Dreamstime is the world’s largest community for stock photography. It’s also a great way to make some cash — even if you’re a new photographer. Content creators online are always hungry for new content; after all, engaging images can pull in traffic like a magnet.

Continue reading