What we'll cover
The benefits of side gigs
Surprising ways to earn extra money
Tips on simple ways to boost income
You’ve heard all about popular side hustles, from weekend waitressing to rideshare driving to food delivery. While these are excellent ways to increase cash flow, these options require a car and hours spent outside the house, neither of which are 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.
With a little creativity — and some clicking — anyone can log online and make extra money from home.
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, thredUP or Craigslist.
2. Take online surveys
If you’re full of opinions and want to cash them in, dozens of market research sites will pay you to do just that. They’re typically easy to sign up for and cover everything from your favorite TV shows to grocery shopping habits to what ads you’ve seen in the last week. Your time may be rewarded in cash or gift cards. Keep in mind, though, most of these are not high-earning opportunities, so it can take quite a while to earn significant money through surveys. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying — especially since you can probably do it 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 the talents 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 expand your resume or strengthen your portfolio while also creating business relationships and building experience.
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 or in person could be a great way to bring in extra money — 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 test out websites or apps and share your thoughts on the experience? Companies of all kinds are itching for feedback on user experience, and your opinion is 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). Apps like Evidation (formerly known as Achievement), Runtopia and HealthyWage will reward you for all kinds of daily activities — yes, even sleeping. 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 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 to take this task on at home, you can. Some companies will 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 a blog, TikTok/Instagram or affiliate links on social media can all be lucrative ways to make money online. But these pursuits take time and effort. It could be several months or even years before you 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.
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.
Work hard and save hard
No matter what your financial goals are, an extra stream of income can always help you achieve them faster (especially with a little help from smart savings tools). Spend a few hours each week trying these bonus money-making tactics, collect your paycheck, congratulate yourself on a job well done and reach your savings goals even sooner.
