Whether you love your day job or not, you may not always be making as much money as you need or want to. Between the cost of living, loan payments, credit cards, cost of having fun every now and then, and the other expenses that come with living life, it can sometimes be a stretch. Even if you do make enough to cover your expenses and then some, it’s always nice to have some extra cash on hand. If you need extra cash for any reason, then you may be considering getting a side job.
If you’re considering getting a side job, then you’re not alone. More than 44 million Americans have side jobs, and some are even earning more than $8,000 a year. While nearly 70 percent of people with a side hustle do it for financial reasons, there are many other reasons that people have taken on a side job—15 percent say they are working a side hustle to start their own business.
When it comes to starting a side job, driving for Uber gets suggested a lot, but if that’s not something that you’re interested in doing, you still have plenty of other options as well. Whether you’re considering a side job to earn money to cover bills, just to have extra cash on hand, as a way to start a business, or for any other reason, below are just a few of the jobs that you can do to earn extra money without having to drive for a ridesharing service.
Take Surveys
If you only have little bits of time here and there or don’t want to commit to doing a side job that demands you on a regular basis, taking surveys is a great way to earn some extra money. There are plenty of survey sites out there that you can join and you can join as many as you’d like. All you have to do is give feedback or your opinion about a product, video, website, etc. and you can earn points, rewards, and cash. Most surveys only take a few minutes, so you can do them anytime and anywhere whether it’s between classes or during a lunch break.
Host Podcasts
Whether you know what a podcast network is and have one or two favorites, listen to a few podcasts here and there, or only know what a podcast is but have never really listened to one, you know that podcasts are on the rise. And, if you love to talk and tell stories, discuss certain topics, or have a lot of opinions to share, then you may want to consider starting a podcast of your own. It has been said that podcasts are to radio what Netflix is to cable, and although it can be fun to create them, it can also be lucrative. Get enough followers and downloads for your podcast and you can start making money, just talking about things you love in your spare time in the evenings.
Babysit or Petsit
If you love kids or pets, then babysitting and petsitting are great gigs you can take on to earn extra cash. A lot of the time, babysitting gigs are in the evening, and pet sitting can be done even if you have to leave your home for a few hours each day. Plus, if you don’t have a child or pet of your own, it’s a great way to get to spend some time with someone else’s without having to take care of the not-so-fun parts, (like staying up half the night with a crying baby).
Freelance
There are a lot of different skills that you can market freelance, and plenty of sites to help you market them. Whether you like to design graphics, write, or even do voices for commercials, you can offer your services freelance. Although you may have deadlines set by clients, when you freelance, you have more flexibility and can set your own hours and rates. That means you can earn yourself some extra cash doing something that you enjoy and are good at and could potentially turn your freelance gig into a full-blown business someday.
Clean Buildings
If most of your free time is in the evening, you don’t mind having some time to yourself, and you’re good at and don’t mind cleaning, then cleaning buildings is a great way to earn some extra cash. Cleaning companies can be expensive, and office managers are always looking for ways to save money. If you do a good job, you can take over the cleaning duties and earn yourself some extra money when everyone else is out of the office.
Rent Extra Space
If you have an extra room, extra storage space, or an extra house or apartment, then why not rent it out? Thanks to sites like Airbnb it’s easier than ever before. You can start making money off of the empty space you just have sitting there, and you might find yourself some great roommates or tenants that can turn into lifelong friends as well.
Deliver for Amazon
You may have noticed that your Amazon orders aren’t always being delivered by UPS, the USPS, or FedEx anymore. For the last while, Amazon has been using their own delivery system in certain cities and areas, hiring local drivers to pick up packages from lockers and warehouses and deliver them to the addresses of the person who placed the order. If you love driving and have some spare time during lunch or after work, you could pick up an Amazon delivery route to earn yourself some extra cash and really get to know your city.
Have you done any of the side jobs on this list? What did you think?
