The Ultimate Guide On How To Earn Extra Money

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Last Updated on October 23, 2022 by Chris Panteli

In this article, you will learn different ways of making extra money with new revenue streams.

Earning money is not just something you do at your 9-5 job. Many of us can benefit from creating new income streams outside of our day jobs. Whether it’s to get us out of debt, to help us save up for that car we’ve always wanted, or to be able to do more of the things we want to do – extra cash can help us all. 

The rise of the internet over the last 30 years has completely changed the game when it comes to earning money. There are plenty of ways to earn extra cash online if you know where to look. That’s where this guide comes in. 

Today, we will be showing you have to turn your skills, possessions, and spare time into extra money. As well as looking at how you can make money online, we will also be looking at ways to make money offline.  

How To Make Money Online

2.How To Make Money Online

We know you’re here because you’re interested in learning more about earning extra money. So, we’re going to dive straightening into that topic and get you earning quicker. 

There are a few categories that money-making falls into: 

  1. One-off sales 
  2. Skill selling 
  3. Outsourced grunt work  
  4. Online sales 

Outsourced grunt work like pay-to-click work and surveys can be the quickest way to make money. But most people find these jobs incredibly tedious and quit before their work pays off. 

If you’re looking to make quick cash then one-off sales of items you already own is a great way to do that. This is a short-term money-making method and cannot be sustained in the long run. 

Both online sales and skill selling are slow burners. But over time they will pay off. If you’re looking for a long-term income stream then you better off investing your time in one of these two options. 

Start Your Own Online Business

1.Start Your Own Online Business

Yes, that is a very vague topic title, and we won’t have time to cover every type of online business today. 

What we can do, however, is talk you through the benefits of starting an online business as a way to make some extra money, and give you a few ideas as to what that business could entail. 

Why would you want to start an online business? Well, there are many reasons. Firstly, you get to be your own boss, pick your own hours, and no one is going to tell you off if you need to sleep in one morning. 

Secondly, working online allows you to work from home. This vastly reduces your overheads and the amount of time and money you spend commuting. Thirdly, there are so many different online business models that you can create something you truly love and feed into your skills. 

If you like making knitted animals, you can make money doing that online. If you want to write a blog, you can make money doing that online. You can even set up an international drop-shipping business from the comfort of your sofa. 

Online the options are endless. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Know A Second Language? Become A Translator!

2.Know A Second Language Become A Translator!

Wanting to learn a new language is one of the most common New Year’s Resolutions out there. There is a huge market for second language teachers in person and online. 

If you know a second language you could also do some part-time translation to make money online. There are a large number of pay-per-word translation sites online. 

These websites will give you a document to translate and will pay you a set amount of money for translating that many words.

If you know another language this can be a really easy way to make money. 

Beginning by working through an agency as we mentioned above can be a great way to gather a group of clients and eventually go freelance. 

This way you can get the full amount of money the client is paying, and have a better hourly rate. You can also pick and choose the type of work that you want to do. Secondly, there is a huge market for second language teaching online. If you want to know more about teaching online we have a whole section on it coming up later. 

Good At Writing? – Become A Content Writer!

3. Good At Writing - Become A Content Writer!

Most of the writers you know will be more than happy to complain to you about the fact that you can’t make a living writing. 

We’d like to politely disagree with that statement. It is totally possible to make a living writing, most people are just talking about the wrong field of writing. 

In the last year, Internet traffic has gone up 70% and many people are cottoning on to the fact that you can make money online through engaging content and affiliate marketing. 

Where they encounter a problem is in having to create the content that will drive traffic and sales to their website. This is either because they don’t have enough time to make this content. Or because they don’t have the skill to write engaging pieces. This is where you step in. 

If you’re passionate about writing in any form you won’t struggle to convert your style into the necessary content writing format. All you have to do is read a few posts written by content writers and you’ll get the gist. 

Content Writing is a strange job, you’ll find yourself writing about composting toilets in the morning, and ways to entice investors in the afternoon. After 4 months everyone will want you on their trivia team. 

There are a few ways to become a content writer. You can advertise through sites like Fiverr – although the rates are bad and it’s hard to get your foot in the door. You can freelance and approach businesses you feel that you could help. 

Or you could join a content writing company – when working with a company like this you won’t have to do any of the selling yourself, which will benefit lots of you shy writers out there. 

Sell Products Online

The Ultimate Guide On How To Earn Extra Money

You only need to watch one episode of storage hunters to get an idea about how many of us have houses full of valuable things. 

Most of us probably have no idea what we have sitting in our attic and garage. Let alone, lying around in our spare rooms and storage units. 

You may be interested to hear that having fewer things is really good for your mental health. But it can also be amazing for your wallet.  

The best way to approach a clear out like this to do it all in one go – we recommend setting aside a whole weekend. 

Cleaning expert Marie Kondo says if you don’t do it in one go you will never finish it. If you ever need the inspiration to tidy up, we seriously recommend checking out her Netflix show. 

Once you have your block of free time, it’s time to make a plan. When putting together this plan try to alternate between one tough and one simple room. This will help you stay motivated throughout the process. 

Then go through each room step by step. Setting aside any item you want to get rid of. After you have finished the whole house and anywhere else that you keep your stuff, study each item to see if it is good enough quality to sell. 

eBay has long been considered a good place to sell items. This has become less of the case over the last few years. Their rates are very high and you’d have to sell a lot to make the endeavor worth your time. 

The site is primarily used by drop-shipping companies as their business relies on shifting a ridiculous amount of units. The good news is that because this gap in the market has formed, many smaller and more competitive websites have appeared to plug the gap. 

These websites tend to be focused on specific types of items (i.e. just clothes, or just books) but can offer sellers much better rates. They are also easier to use and the turnover rate for items tends to be a lot faster. Meaning the money gets into your pocket a lot quicker. 

Other places that you can sell your items include Facebook Marketplace, Craig’s List, and Amazon’s second-hand store. If you find anything that you think is worth a lot, make sure to get it valued before you put it on sale. If it is very valuable you may want to take it to an auction. At auctions you often see items going for more than they are worth. 

You may find that there is a big market for vintage items, particularly World War memorabilia. So, keep an eye out for items like that. Spend some time researching how much people have paid for similar items before assigning your own prices. You don’t want to undersell anything. 

PTC sites

5.PTC sites

Some websites will offer you money to click on their advertisements. This type of service is called pay-to-click. There are usually a minimum amount of clicks you have to do before you get paid. 

Lots of people quit before they reach this point. However, if you can stick it out this is a really easy way to make money. The best way to approach this job is to join a PTC agency.

They will do all the pre-screening for you and will often guarantee your pay if you hit your targets. You can even earn money by referring your friends to the agency. 

Sell/Teach Your Skills Online

The Ultimate Guide On How To Earn Extra Money

Earlier we mentioned the tidying guru, Marie Kondo. She is a perfect example of how teaching your skills can make you extra money. At age 36 the woman is worth over $8 million. 

Yes, we may not all be a tidying goddess, but we all have a lot of skills that other people would find useful. So, how can we make money out of our skills? 

By teaching your skill online, or by using services like YouTube and Skillshare to create pre-recorded courses.  Let’s talk about teaching your skills first.

This is something that you can do both in-person and online. By offering your services out as a teacher in a subject you consider yourself an expert in, you can meet new people, share your craft, improve your own skills and earn money all at the same time. 

With the rise of tools like Zoom, it is more popular than ever to run live classes online. There are many benefits to this, including: 

  • Saving money on travel 
  • Opening up your course to people from all over the world 
  • Being able to wear pajama bottoms during the class 
  • Being able to work from home, or around any other jobs you have 

Skill-sharing

If you are not great with people or are just not interested in running live classes then you could consider creating an online, pre-recorded course. 

These are a great way to create a passive income stream. You do a glut of work at the beginning of the project and then continue to reap the benefits without having to do anything else. 

There are many ways to make money from online, pre-recorded classes. The cheapest way to do this is to start a YouTube channel. 

Once you have over 1000 subscribers you can start to make money for every person that watches your videos. With over 500 million users on the website, you’d be surprised how easy it is to get that many subscribers. 

You could also create a website with a subscription service or paywall for your course. This can be a great option if you are an already established expert in your field but beginners might want to look elsewhere. 

Over the last few years, skill-sharing websites have grown in popularity. Many of these websites are looking for courses to flesh out their range of videos. Keep an eye out for any advertisements. Or if you notice one of these sites has a gap you think you could fill, get in contact with them. 

Some of the most popular skills classes include: 

  • Video editing 
  • Dance 
  • InDesign 
  • Graphic design 
  • Photoshop 
  • WordPress
  • Watercolor painting 
  • Cooking 
  • Creative Writing 

If you’re not interested in running classes there are other ways that you can use your skills to make money. Content writing (see above) is a prime example of this. 

If you have a skill that is very time-consuming or takes a long time to develop you will find that many people would rather outsource it than do it themselves. It is possible to make a living as a freelancer selling your skills. 

How do you attract work in roles like these?

Firstly, you need a portfolio. This will allow you to showcase your talents, even if you haven’t had any work yet. Spend the time curating the evidence you need for your portfolio because it will pay off in the long run. 

The best way to display your portfolio is online (especially if you are a graphic designer or website builder). Make sure your website is easy to navigate, looks sleek, and has your contact information on it. 

Secondly, you need to be fearless when it comes to outreach. Ask any company you think you would like to work with to take you on as a freelancer. 

The likelihood is that most of them will say no, but you won’t know unless you try. Remember, any rejection is no reflection on you, and you should not take it personally. 

Thirdly, do favors for people you trust. If a friend of yours needs some help in your field but is really strapped for cash, consider doing the work for them as a favor. 

If someone else sees your work and is impressed by it, your friend can point them back to you. And then you have a sale after very little work on your part. Only do this if you really trust them not to take advantage of you. 

Do some research into the field and see what other people are charging for the same amount of work. You don’t want to undercut them as you’ll most likely end up getting extremely underpaid. 

When selling your skills one of the most important things you need to remember is that your skills have value. You should not settle for less than they are worth. It is counterproductive to do all that work for little to no profit. 

How To Make Your Money Make Money and Work For You

The Ultimate Guide On How To Earn Extra Money

In this section, we’re going to cover four financial habits that are essential to good finances. If you put off tackling these changes you’ll struggle to notice a difference in your account, even when you have extra income streams. 

Taking the time to understand your financial habits will really pay off in the long run. So, set aside some time as soon as you can. You will notice the difference immediately. 

Learn To Budget

8.Learn To Budget

No matter how much money you make there is one crucial rule for having a healthy financial life – spend less than you earn. We understand that this is a lot easier said than done, particularly if you don’t own your own home. 

You will be surprised, however, by how much of a difference budgeting can make to your life. When you budget properly, you are able to truly understand where your money is coming from and where it is going. 

Without taking the time to understand your spending habits, no matter how much you earn, you’ll always feel pinched. 

There isn’t only one way to budget. It’s not a one size fits all approach. It’s important to look at your finances and decide what you need from your budget. Here are some of the things budgeting can help you with: 

  • Understanding how you spend your money
  • Reduce spending 
  • Pay off your debts 
  • Identify your bad spending habits 
  • Prioritize spending on things that matter the most to you / make the biggest difference in your life 
  • Prevent you from accumulating new debt 
  • Allow you to save for the future 

A different point on this list will stand out for everyone. A couple of points might stand out to you, or even all of them. Understanding what you need to change is one of the most important steps of making improvements in your life. 

In our opinion, the two most life-changing topics on that list are saving for the future and paying off your debts. In fact, we’re going to devote the next two sections of this guide to them.  Most of us feel under a lot of pressure to create a new income stream because we don’t have enough money to do the things we want. 

Budgeting and being able to cut out unnecessary expenses can ease a lot of that pressure. You’ll be able to enjoy your side hustle without feeling like your survival depends on it. If you need help creating your budget, check out this in-depth guide from the Bank of America

Paying off Debt

We’ve talked about paying off your debt being one of the most useful functions of budgeting. Now, we’d like to explore why doing this is so important for your financial health. 

The main issue with debt is that it’s not static. Your debt accrues interest and is therefore always growing. Without a plan to pay it off, your debt will be nothing but a sinkhole in your wallet. Eating more of your funds than it ever provided. 

When you are overrun with debt you don’t get a choice about how you use your money. Your finances will feel dangerously stretched thin. Being debt-free, on the other hand, gives you autonomy over your money. You can spend your money on things that will improve your life, or you can even start to invest your money in ways that will make you more. 

So, how do you ‘get out of debt’? There isn’t a quick fix, sadly. However, there is a simple method called The Snowball Method, which is backed by most of the leading money experts that will help you out.   

  1. UNDERSTAND YOUR DEBT – the first step of this process is to get a full and accurate picture of all your debts. Make a list of every debt you have. This list should be ordered from smallest to largest debts. At this point don’t worry about the interest rates or what the monthly repayments are. All you should be focusing on is the balance of each debt. 
  2. MAKE YOUR MINIMUM PAYMENTS EVERY MONTH – sometimes people are tempted to make bigger dents one of their debts by ignoring others. This is detrimental in so many ways. Not paying your minimums leads to fines, penalties, and serious reductions in your credit score. Every month pay your minimums on every debt before you worry about anything else. 
  3. PAY OFF YOUR SMALLEST LOAN – (budgeting will really help with this section), set aside an extra amount of money that you can afford to pay into your smallest debt. If your budget allows for $50, pay the minimum and the extra $50 into your smallest debt monthly. 
  4. GATHERING SPEED – after you have paid off your first loan, start paying everything you were putting towards your first loan into the next debt on this list. By following this method with each debt you pay off the amount you are putting into the next debt grows. Repeat this process until you are debt-free. Here is a breakdown of what you should be paying at this point:
    1. The minimum on the new loan
    2. The minimum you were paying on the first loan  
    3. And he extra $50 (following the example used in the previous paragraph) 

Create an Emergency Fund

Now that we have covered the importance of getting out of debt and a way to do it. Let’s talk about the most effective way to keep you out of debt. 

By this point in the guide we are all aware that we should be spending less than we earn (and budgeting can help us do that). However, many people don’t know the importance of setting aside an emergency fund. 

What is an emergency fund? It is a sum of money that has been set aside to only be used in a financial emergency. For example, your boiler dies and you need to replace it, or you lose your job but you still have to pay your rent. 

We recommend that you set up a separate savings account for your emergency fund. So that you are not tempted to dip into it, when it is not necessary to. You want to set yourself the target of building an emergency fund that could cover your rent and food costs for between 3-6 months. 

Switch Banks For Higher Interest

9.Switch Banks For Higher Interest

An easy way to make sure your money is working for you is to make sure you keep it in the right place. Switching banks is easier than it has ever been, and this will only benefit you as a consumer. 

The changes in recent banking laws make it possible to shop around and choose the bank that can offer you the best options. 20 years ago this would have been impossible. 

So, every quarter, set aside some time to check what kind of interest rates and transfer bonuses all the major and online banks are offering. If someone is offering something better than your current bank, then make the switch. 

Investing

7.Investing

Finally, let’s talk briefly about investing. This topic could have its own guide as far as we’re concerned. However, we will touch on everything you need to know here. 

Investing comes in many different forms. But they all have something in common: they all involve risk. Keeping your savings in a current account is a safe option, but the rewards are small.

When it comes to investing big risks can result in even bigger rewards. But they’re not guaranteed like Hollywood would like you to believe. 

So, how can you invest your money? Well, there are a few things you can do: 

  • Buy stocks in a company  – this helps to fund the company, and the more the company is worth, the more your stocks and shares will be worth 
  • Buy stakes in a company – by buying stakes in a company you are expected to take a more hands-on role. However, you do get a share of any of the profits made by the company. There are many small, local companies that will be happy to take your investment. 
  • Develop index funds – these are a passive form of investment that have lower fees than an actively managed fund. However, they can offer good returns on investments. 
  • Invest in property – if you have a big nest egg that you’re looking to grow, then investing in property is a great option. Rent rates on particularly nice properties can yield excellent returns 

Other Ways To Make Extra Income

The Ultimate Guide On How To Earn Extra Money

If nothing so far in this guide has sparked joy in you, then don’t panic. We still have a few more ways of making money to cover. The rest of the ideas on this list aren’t as glamorous as trading stocks or becoming a second language teacher. But they are solid and reliable methods that will work for everyone, no matter where you are in your money-making journey. 

If you are at the beginning of it then the options below are a great place to start. Doing these types of money-making activities will teach you a whole host of valuable skills and lessons that you can use in later life. 

If you are a more experienced money maker then these are great jobs that you can use to make money in your spare time. They are particularly useful in those months where you are hit with an unexpected bill, or two… 

Make Deliveries For Amazon/UberEats/Deliveroo

10.Make Deliveries For AmazonUberEatsDeliveroo

If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that the market for door-to-door delivery services is only going to grow over the next few years. That is good news for you. 

Not only because you’ll be able to get your favorite Tex-Mex meal delivered to your desk. But it also means that delivery companies are always looking for new workers. 

Delivering food, parcels, and anything else that your neighbors desire may seem like an easy task. But don’t turn your nose up at it. 

There is a lot of money to be made in this industry.

Add to that, the flexibility of the working hours and the commission-based work and you’ve got a perfect way to make extra money on the side. The even better news is that anyone can be a delivery ‘driver’! You don’t always need a van or a car. 

You don’t even necessarily need a bike (someone brought us our sushi lunch on a skateboard the other day!. This equal starting point makes it possible for anyone to succeed in one of these roles. Many people may roll their eyes at delivery drivers, but there is good money to be made in their line of work.  

Become A Dog Walker

11.Become A Dog Walker

We’re not sure if we need to explain why this is a great idea… But we’ll do it anyway. Not only does dog walking mean you get to hang out with loads of adorable dogs (and get paid to do it!), but there are many other benefits.

This list includes getting your daily exercise in. Chasing the dog, throwing sticks and balls, power walking to keep up a good pace… it all adds up and ends up being quite the workout. 

You won’t believe how many new people you’ll meet when you walk with a dog. Everyone wants to stop and say hello to the pooch.

They’ll also stick around to talk to you. And you never know who you might meet. We’ve made many close friends whilst walking our dog. Finally, remember that dog walking is often a really well-paying job. Most people adore their dogs and are happy to pay for them to be looked after on their walks. 

Yes, it’s difficult to do this as a full-time job. But if you have an hour or two to spare every day, then you could be making a serious amount of extra cash through dog walking.  

Trade-In Old Phones and Electronics For Cash

The Ultimate Guide On How To Earn Extra Money

This option is something you should consider if you need cash quickly. Trading in items is a one-time deal, so make sure that you make the transaction at a good time. 

Many people trade-in their old mobile phones and tech after they have upgraded to the newest model. 

The newer the traded item, the more cash you’ll get out of the deal, so make sure to trade-in items as soon as possible. 

What lots of people don’t think about doing is trading and selling other items from around their house.

Got old games lying around the house? Trade them in. Got jewelry you don’t wear anymore? Trade it in. There are also many stores and apps that will allow you to post clothes and makeup that you are no longer using. You can trade these with other users on the app. 

It is a great way to make a little extra cash from things that would otherwise go to waste. And the rates on these sites are usually much better than on eBay.  

Into Gaming? Start A Twitch Channel

13.Into Gaming - Start A Twitch Channel

Are you surprised to see this on the list? Well, you shouldn’t be! Streaming on Twitch is a great way to earn a little extra cash. There are a few ways to make money by streaming: 

  • Donations from fans 
  • Doing sponsored streams 
  • Selling merchandise inspired by your streams 
  • People can pay to subscribe to your channel 
  • Affiliate links and deals (if people make a purchase through your channel you get a cut of the profits) 

If you think you’ve got the skill and/or personality to make it on Twitch (or even Youtube or Tick Tock) then pick up your controller and start making some money.The best part about this idea is you get paid to play video games. Which might be the only thing better than getting paid to look after dogs.  

Got A Spare Bedroom? – Rent It Out!

14.Got A Spare Bedroom - Rent It Out!

Renting out your spare bedroom is a great way to earn a little extra money. And the good news is that thanks to sites like Airbnb, you don’t have to become a landlord to make money from your property. 

With a website like Airbnb, you can rent out your property for as many days of the year as you want to. Plus you still get to live in your house whilst your guests are staying. 

You get to choose the prices, and you get to set the rules for the guests while they are in your home.  The renting website will take a small cut of the renting price, however, this will still leave you with more money than you started with.

Plus you’ll get to meet loads of interesting people along the way. If you’re worried about having other people in your home, most websites allow you to specify what age group and genders that you want to stay in your home. The websites are really flexible and you are insured through them for anything that guests could do to your home. 

Summary

5.Summary

Making extra money doesn’t have to involve skipping out on sleep. There are dozens of ways that you can open up a new revenue stream without staying up to all hours. 

Before you start looking for new ways to make money, you should make sure that the money you already have (or don’t have) is working for you. This means spending less than you earn, implementing a budget, paying off your debts, and making sure your money is in the correct bank account. You could even look at investing. 

The key to earning extra money is to capitalize on your most marketable skill. Whether it’s sowing, speaking another language, or understanding how to use a really complicated SEO engine. 

You’ll be surprised by how many people are happy to pay to learn this skill from you or outsource part of their business to you. If you stay consistent and creative then you will have no problem opening up new revenue streams for yourself. 

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