You’ve heard all about popular side hustles, from weekend waitressing to rideshare driving to food delivering. And while these are excellent ways to increase cashflow, most traditional side gigs require a car and hours spent outside the house, which isn’t always feasible.
Still want to bank some extra cash each month? With a little creativity — and some clicking — anyone can log online and make extra money from home. And many of these gigs don’t even require a business degree or 100,000 Instagram followers!
Whether you need to supplement your income stream, aim to invest a little bit more, are hustling toward a savings goal, or simply want to boost your spending money, you could enhance your wallet by trying out one (or a few!) of these online methods.
1. Sell your old clothes.
Let’s face it: We all have a few things hanging in our closets or shoved in the bottom of a drawer that haven’t seen the light of day in far too long. If you have unworn or gently worn clothes that don’t fit your style, try selling them online. Just make sure to take good photos, provide honest descriptions, and research similar products to know how much to sell for. Try sites like eBay, Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist.
2. Take online surveys.
Dozens of survey sites pay you to participate in market research. They’re typically easy to sign up for and your time may be rewarded in cash or gift cards. Keep in mind, though, it can take quite a while to earn significant money through surveys, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying — especially since you can probably do this while watching TV!
3. Pick up freelance work.
Whether you’re a fantastic writer, a talented programmer, a marketing guru, or possess any digital-forward skills, you have skills that businesses need. Several websites like Upwork and Fiverr can help you connect with employers, so you can sell your services. Freelancing is a great way to build up your resume or strengthen your portfolio while also creating business relationships.
4. Become a virtual assistant.
If you’re organized, possess top-notch time management skills, and have the time available to dedicate to this job, you might consider looking for a virtual assistant position. It’s a great way to help out small businesses by taking care of tasks like answering emails, posting to social media, handling scheduling and calendars, and more — all from wherever you can access a computer. Many virtual assistants are independent contractors that set their own hours, though others may work full- or part-time in this position. Make sure you do your research on the time commitment when looking into this side gig.
5. Tutor or teach English from home.
If you have strong knowledge in a subject like algebra, U.S. History, or finance (to name a few), tutoring students online could be a great way to rake in extra money from home — we’re talking income potential of $20+ per hour. Or you might consider teaching English to kids in other countries. Sites like VIPKid and EF Education First can help connect you to students. But note: These platforms often require you to have a Bachelor’s degree or teaching experience to qualify.
6. Test websites or apps.
Did you know you can get paid to use websites or apps and share your thoughts on the experience? Companies of all types are itching for feedback on their sites, and your opinions are valuable. By signing up with a site like UserTesting.com, you can earn $10 for every 20-minute test you complete — that’s a cool $30 for one hour of work!
7. Track your healthy lifestyle.
If you already wear a FitBit, Apple Watch, or use fitness-tracker apps like MyFitnessPal, you can earn cash just from tracking your steps (and other health-forward activities). You just have to sign up with Achievement and connect your apps. You’ll earn points for all kinds of daily activities — yes, even sleeping — and receive $10 for every 10,000 points you accumulate. It’s a simple way to passively earn a few bucks and stay inspired to live healthier.
8. Sell or trade unused gift cards.
You know that old Bath & Body Works gift card you got last year at the office holiday party? The one you’ll almost certainly never use? Dig it out of the drawer, and turn it into cash. Tons of websites, including Gift Card Granny and Cardpool, let you sell or exchange your gift cards either for a different card you actually want or for up to 92% of a card’s value in cash.
9. Become a mystery shopper.
Mystery shopping is typically an in-person job: You act as an undercover customer in places like stores, banks, hotels, and restaurants to observe and record your experience. But if you’d prefer taking on this task at home, you can. Several companies let you secret shop by phone as a way to evaluate call centers and customer service via phone.
10. Monetize a blog or social media account.
Here’s the thing: Earning a paycheck from your blog, being an influencer, or marketing with affiliate links on social media can all be seriously lucrative avenues for making money online. But these pursuits take time. You could need several months or even years to build a sizable audience that’s attractive to brands. But that’s not to say it isn’t worth it. If you are passionate about a topic, have expertise in a niche market, or just love the creative side of social media and blogging, this can be an incredibly rewarding and fun side gig to take on.
Pro tip: Anyone with access to the internet can make extra income online in their spare time — but just make sure you do your research first to avoid scams. Our number one tip? Avoid platforms that require you to pay money to sign up. Typically, those that ask for an up-front fee from you are not legit. And be wary of companies that ask for personal information like your Social Security number or credit card info — while it’s possible this information could be needed for tax purposes, you’ll want to vet the platform thoroughly first to ensure there aren’t red flags indicating fraud or scams.
No matter what your financial goals are, an extra stream of income can always help you achieve them faster. Spend a few hours each week trying out these online money-making tactics (that only require an internet connection!), collect your paycheck, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
Do you have an online side hustle? Let us know what you do in the comments below!
Comment on this article
Comments
MI P. on June 5, 2020 at 4:39am
I am a student
Andi on July 30, 2020 at 7:34pm
wasted 2 min of my life reading this
Prof P. on July 30, 2020 at 10:39pm
Really practical. well-written article which maybe helpful in the future !!
Ally on July 30, 2020 at 11:55pm
Thanks for reading. 😊
Donna on July 31, 2020 at 8:48am
Good ideas! I have an Etsy shop that I am trying to get started. It's not easy to get people to buy from you, but I have had 6 sales. I have also found out that Etsy takes more money from me than I am making with it right now. Maybe it will get better, but in the meantime I have also signed up to take online surveys.
Ally on July 31, 2020 at 9:02am
Thanks for the comment, Donna! Congrats on your Etsy shop and good luck. 😊
Sonya L. on July 31, 2020 at 11:21am
Very helpful. Accidentally hit wrong button. Thank you
Ally on July 31, 2020 at 11:59am
Hi Sonya, thanks for reading.
Mattie on July 31, 2020 at 12:32pm
Great article!!!
Ally on July 31, 2020 at 12:35pm
Thanks, Mattie! We appreciate the comment.
Dania v. on July 31, 2020 at 3:39pm
How can i click in any of these ideas
susan n. on July 31, 2020 at 4:06pm
Excellent!! This inspired me and plan to check a couple of these out!
Ally on July 31, 2020 at 4:34pm
Great! Thanks for reading, Susan. 😊
Norma G. on July 31, 2020 at 4:35pm
could we get lower interest on car
George H. on July 31, 2020 at 8:07pm
Thank you
Barb on August 5, 2020 at 7:42pm
Kind of useless without including trusted websites for the options listed above. Where do I go to take these surveys? How do I teach English from home? What about being a virtual assistant-how do I find who needs help of this type? I would imagine there are lots of scam websites and I would be leery about trying anything that wasn't recommended by a trusted source.
Teresa on August 7, 2020 at 8:09am
How do we find mystery shopper links?
Wonder W. on August 13, 2020 at 7:20pm
Thank you for this article on we easy streams of income. Definitely will try a few of these.
Ally on August 13, 2020 at 7:45pm
We’re happy you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.
TawniaLee on August 24, 2020 at 12:17am
It would be helpful if you included links to websites or trusted sources of your recommendations...ijs.
Barbara on September 2, 2020 at 12:31pm
These tips are basic starter tips for making extra money. How about enter in closed caption for television. Build an app. Secret shopper is a bunch of bull as far as I could see for all the companies I have looked in to . What does ally offer for me to make extra money.?
Steve on October 20, 2020 at 10:29pm
I have been a Mystery Shopper for many years, but right now the choices are limited with so many restaurants and stores closed or with limited service. One way to get involved in Mystery Shopping is to contact the MSPA--Mystery Shopping Providers Organization. You can take courses to become certified, and then the Providers will contact you. When you join MSPA as a shopper, you can see the list of providers in your area, and apply with each one of them. Remember that you are an independent contractor and not an employee with any of them. Over the years, I have even performed shops in other countries,in other languages, but they usually need to be reported in English.