50+ Epic Ways to Make Extra Money This Year (2024)

posted on January 2, 2018

This post may contain affiliate links. FinanceSuperhero only recommends products we know and trust ourselves.

I started this site with a simple goal in mind: help people save more money and make more money. And it just so happens that one of the best ways to save more money is . . . you guessed it . . . make extra money.

If you’re looking for clever ways to boost your income, maybe even beyond levels you dreamed possible, you’re in the right place. I’ve put together this list of carefully-researched ways to make extra money to help you do exactly that.

This list has it all – from quick-hitting ways to make a few bucks in under an hour up to ways to earn $5,000 or more every single month. Yup, it’s a long list (over 4,000 words, so you may want to bookmark it for later), but it’s packed with legit tips for anyone willing to follow them.

Quick note: Maybe you’ve read articles like this before only to be disappointed by wading through an endless maze of spam, a hot mess of affiliate links, and empty promises.

Not this post.

Yes, there are a few affiliate links here and there (we have to keep the lights on somehow), but most of the suggestions in this article are not. Why? This is about helping you make more money, not the other way around!

So get comfortable, grab a peppermint hot chocolate and get ready to boost that cash flow – it’s time to do this!

1. Share Your Opinions and Get Paid

No, you aren’t going to get rich taking online surveys, but yes, they are a legitimate way to make extra money. The key to success with surveys is taking them while you are doing other simple, mindless activities.

Have a 45 minute train ride to work? Find yourself waiting for business flights a few times per week? What about Netflix and Hulu binges? Cha-ching.

You’ve probably heard from friends who have taken surveys and gotten scammed, but the options below are as legit as they come.

Pro tip: I recommend you sign-up for as many options as you can and watch your email inbox for updates when surveys become available.

Swagbucks – You can save money on purchases in addition to survey opportunities!

SurveyDownline – Bonus alert: You can earn money by referring friends, too.

Vindale Research – Vindale is 100% SPAM free and pays a $2 sign-up bonus.

VIP Voice – If you’re looking to get started quickly, VIP Voice is a great place to start.

Earning Station – Does getting paid via PayPal or Amazon gift cards sound good?

Harris Poll – Harris is one of the oldest and most reputable survey providers around today.

Pinecone Research (Males Only) – Fellas, this one’s for you. Earn up to $3 per survey. (Sorry, ladies.)

YouGov – This one usually wants males only, too. Ladies, you’ve been warned.

Shop Tracker – Sign-up, install the secure app, and start earning by anonymously sharing your purchase data. This one is just about as passive as it gets!

Opinion Outpost – Great for just about everyone!

2.Dog Sitting

If you love dogs, live in a suitable home, and canbe flexible, dog sitting can be an easy way to make money fast week after week. My friends are part-time dog sitters with Rover, one of the leading dog sitter networks, and they have earned thousands of dollars in the past year alone!

Signing up with Roveris easy. Simply fill inthe basicinformation requested, upload a professional and friendly picture of you and your spouse, and submit the application. Rover reviews all applications manually, usually in 5-10 days.

40,000+ dog owners currently use Rover to find a reliable dog sitter, so your potential reach is huge!

3. Dog Walking

While most of my friends in college were wasting time watching Friendsre-runs, I picked up a dog walking job and earned upwards of $400 per month for less than onehour per day.

Targeting high end neighborhoods with flyers, posting advertisem*nts on coffee shop boards, local neighborhood Facebook groups, and word of mouth can go a long way toward helping anyone find a dog walking job. Some people even make a full-time living as a dog walker!

4. Tutoring

You are an expert in something, especially if you have advanced education. Tutoring can be a great way to leverage your skills and knowledge to make extra money. Several of my friends make over $50 per hour tutoring.

If you are already a teacher, tutoring can be the side hustle that helps you pay off your student loans early. But even if you’re not a licensed teacher, you still have opportunities. Depending on your skill set, reaching out to local schools and universities is a smart move. You could also network the old-fashioned way.

5. House Sitting

House sitting is growing more and more common each year as homeowners seek better ways to protect their home and cherished belongings while they are away. If you have good references and connect well with others, house sitting could be your opportunity to make extra money with little effort.

You can set-up an account at HouseCarers.com and start accepting jobs right away.

5. Drive With Uber

Have a reliable car and enjoy driving? You can make extra money every day when you become a driver with Uber.

Requirements tend to vary by location, but most people qualify for Uber. Generally, you must have a 4-door vehicle with valid registration and no markings, and you must pass a background check and have a clean driving record. After you are accepted, you simply use your app to turn on and off your availability with a single tap.

My friend, Brian (yes, a real person), earns game-changing cash driving for Uber. He works only when he feels like it, and he has earned a solid rating from his riders. If you are polite, friendly, and go the extra mile for your riders by offering them use of a phone charger, an auxiliary audio cord, and cool bottled water, you’ll roll in excellent tips and gain repeat riders.

Sign-up with Uber here.

6. Deliver With UberEATS

Don’t want the predictable schedule of pizza delivery or the potential awkwardness of driving strangers around as an Uber driver? UberEATS is the program for you! Besides, if you don’t do it, who is going to deliver McDonald’s to hungry people everywhere?

Take trips for a few hours in the mornings, every night, or just on weekends – you set your own hours. You are your own boss and you can choose when and how much you work. And unlike the standard Uber program, you don’t even need to have car – a bike or scooter work, too, though you’ll likely earn more if you have a car.

It's quick and easy to sign-up with UberEATS, and you can be on your way to making more money soon. Better yet, sign-up for both programs!

7. Sell Essential Oils

In case you haven’t noticed, Essential Oils are hot right now. If you enjoy talking to others and have a knack for sales, you can make extra money consistently selling essential oils. Be friendly, personal, and look to show others how essential oils can make their lives better, and you can make extra money selling oils.

I was a major essential oils skeptic until I came down with a head-crushing cold this month. My usual tricks weren’t bringing much relief, so my wife prepared one of our diffusers with a mix of several oils. I actually slept well that night.

8. Ebates

This isn’t your typical side hustle, per se, but it’s a legit way to make extra money without extra effort. Here’s how it works: sign-up, shop through your favorite retailers using Ebates, and get cash back — pretty simple.

You can even snag a $10 bonus for signing-up!

9. Teach Music Lessons

It’s time for those 10 years of piano lessons or awesome guitar chops to be put to good use! Music lessons are in high demand, and if you know how to market your skills to the right crowds, it’s easy to make extra money.

When we first got married, my wife nearly paid our $900 rent bill by teaching music lessons to a few families in a nearby wealthy neighborhood. Today, she earns enough money through her music studio to pay our mortgage payment each month.

You can get started teaching music lessons through basic word of mouth. Flyers and business cards can be useful, too. Call around to a few local music stores and offer your services as well. Be careful to price your services competitively.

10.Start a Blog

When I started FinanceSuperhero, I knew I wanted to help people people manage money, but I didn’t really plan on it being a way to make extra money myself. But as my traffic grew, I started to make a few dollars here and there through advertising revenue. Then a stream of sponsored post agreements rolled in.

My eyes were opened. In early 2017, I took the course Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing and began implementing the new affiliate marketing strategies I had learned. I also started automating my pinning on Pinterest with a program called BoardBooster.

Last month, I earned $2,200 on my blog.

If you’re game, you can start a blog for only $3.95/month using Bluehost, the same company I trust for my hosting. And don’t worry, you don’t need to have any special knowledge of coding, HTML, CSS, Java, or anything else — my comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the way.

You’ll even get a FREE domain name if you sign-up using this exclusive link for FinanceSuperhero readers.

11. Mow Lawns

Pretty basic, but a legit way to work on your tan and haul in $25 per hour.

12. Rake Leaves

Tedious, but someone has to do it.

13.Clean Houses

This weekend side hustle easily pays up to $25 per hour.

14.Work as a Handyman

If you’ve got skills as a painter, carpenter, electrician, or plumber, you’re sitting on a pot of gold.

Pro tip: Hop on Zillow.com and cold call 20 of the top-performing realtors in your area. I guarantee a few of them will be willing to help you get work if you agree to refer business their way.

15. Paint Houses

You could earn $1,000+ each month just working a few hours on the weekend!

16. Become a Realtor

The housing market has unquestionably recovered from its crash a decade ago. Realtors are no longer struggling to make ends meet. Many of them are struggling to juggle the constant demand of client overload!

Trust me, I’m one of those busy realtors!

As a teacher and blogger, working as a realtor is the PERFECT side hustle for me. It is flexible, offers high earning potential, and has low barriers for entry. I was reluctant to get started, but two of my friends gave me the push that I needed. I’m glad they did!

17. Deliver Pizzas

Pizza delivery is not just a job for teens. If you’re willing to work 4-5 nights per week, you can clear $2,000 per month with tips included. You will sacrifice time with family and become ever busier for a short time, but the extra money could drastically speed up your escape from debt.

18. Become an Advocare Distributor

AdvoCare® has been a world-class nutrition company specializing in health and wellness, weight management, vibrant energy and sports performance. They offercutting-edge nutritional supplements as well as the opportunity to earn income by sharing AdvoCare products with others.

My wife and I have been distributors for nearly two years and have earned hundreds of dollars just by talking to friends and family about the healthy products we use. We both took the Advocare 24 Day Challenge and lost 18 and 12 pounds, respectively. People saw our progress and naturally wanted to know our secret.

You can enroll as an Advocare distributor by signing up with any Advisor. You probably know one already, but if not, you can visit the Advocare website or give them a call and they will set you up.

19. Become a Beach Body Coach

Perhaps Beach Body helped you get back in shape after your child was born. Or the program gave you the tools to take back control of your lifestyle. Maybe you still use Shakeology on a daily basis and could benefit from a discount. It’s time to become a Beach Body coach!

Several of my friends earn upwards of $500 per month working as a Beach Body coach. It’s easy to get started and can be a great way to make extra money each month doing something you love! And you’ll earn discounts on the products you already use.

20. Sell Items On Facebook

Selling items online through E-Bay or Amazon is a great way to make extra money, but did you know you can make selling online even simpler?

My friend, Laura (yep, another real person), created a simple Facebook album to sell unwanted clothing and household goods and has been very successful. She takes high-quality pictures of items, leaves a vivid description along with her price, and accepts bids during a set window of time. High end clothing items and unique household decor sell very well using this system, especially if they still have tags.

If you want to take your Facebook selling game to the next level, you can join local Facebook “Buy and Sell” groups to expand your marketing reach. Unloading unused stuff has never been easier!

21. Start a Photography Business

That fancy camera you bought to take pictures on the family trip to Disney World just sits in its case collecting dust – you can make extra money each month by putting it to use by starting a photography business.

Professional photography is not easy. It takes tremendous technical and people skills. But many people can’t afford to pay the rising rates for a professional photographer. That’s where you come in!

You can get started with your photography side hustle by taking pictures of any and all willing models: your kids, spouse, and friends and family. You could even work for free for a few customers to build your portfolio and host it on Facebook or Bluehost.

You’ll need to learn to use Photoshop or a similar program for editing, but that has never been easier. If you have an eye for detail and love capturingspecial moments, photography is a great way to make extra money.

22. Babysitting

During college, my soon-to-be-wife and I made awesome money babysitting. We proved that we werekind, responsible, caring young adults who genuinely loved kids, and as a result, we stood out among the crowd. We usually earned $15-20 per hour and worked multiple days and evenings each week. For a poor college kid who survived primarily on student loans, earning $200 in one weekend was HUGE.

If you want to start babysitting, you can take simple steps to market yourself. Tell everyone you know that you are available to get your name out there. Request to join local neighborhood Facebook groups and ask the moderators if you may advertise your services on their page. Draft business cards and a list of references, and join online sites like SitterCity. If you’re a college student, add your name to lists and online job boards.

It is really important to have solid references! Meet with your pastor or church staff member to share about your new babysitting business and ask for his recommendation.

And be sure that your Facebook and other social media are squeaky clean! If you wouldn’t be comfortable with anything from social media being published on the front page of the local newspaper, you need to get rid of it right away.

23. Work For a Political Campaign

These jobs can be tough to find, but they pay well! I once earned $200 in under 10 hours going door-to-door and delivering flyers for a local political candidate. It was very easy work, I met dozens of interesting people in the community, and I got lots of exercise.

I found this job by keeping my ears open and joining a friend who had been invited to work for the campaign. I didn’t hesitate for a moment when asked to work, and the $200 helped me pay for my textbooks the following semester.

24. Earn Cash Back at the Grocery Store

Like Swagbucks and Ebates, Ibotta pays cash back on a surprisingly large number of grocery store purchases. Offers range from savings of a few cents on smaller items to several dollars on bigger purchases.

Getting started is simple: sign-up using your email address and download the Ibotta app on your phone. Search for deals at your favorite stores, make your purchases, and then scan the items and your receipt in the app when you get home.

No, you’re not going to get rich using Ibotta (though a $10 sign-up bonus is pretty sweet), but every dollar counts, right?

25. Flip Virtually Anything for Profit

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. If you have an eye for great value, it’s easy to make money on the side flipping virtually anything, from antiques and furniture to clothing and artwork.

Want to learn more? Check out over 25 items that are astonishingly easy to flip for profit and 5 items you can find for FREE and flip for profit to get started.

And if you want to take your flipping game to a higher level, check out this course and learn the principles and strategies that helped the creators earn $42,000 in 2015 and $133,000 in 2016.

26. Work at Home

Working at home might sound too good to be true, but it’s not. Doing it without scamming people, falling victim to another MLM, or constantly sitting on the phone is another thing.

My friend Caitlin Pyle is a work-at-home expert, and she recently published a a great list of work at home skills. If you check it out you’ll also get a list of 77 types of businesses that are clamoring to pay for those skills.

These two lists are game-changers that will help you connect the dots between the skills you have and opportunities to make extra money ASAP. Get both lists here for free.

Update as of January 16, 2018: Caitlin is hosting the first ever Work-At-Home Summit very soon, and it’s FREE. You can learn more about work at home options when you sign-up here.

You can also sign-up for Caitlin's super popular course on General Proofreading here.

27. Sell Junk With Decluttr

Sure, you could sell your unwanted junk on Craiglist or Ebay. You could give it away. Or you could sell it using Decluttr.

28. Start Affiliate Marketing

Remember that blog you pondered starting? One of the best ways to make extra money blogging is through affiliate marketing. In a nutshell, here’s how it works. You point people towards products and services that will help them solve a problem, they buy said product or service at no additional cost to them, and you earn a commission. Simple, right? Check out the course that helped me earn over $8,000 in 2017 and get started yourself.

29. Invest in Real Estate

In the past, investing in real estate was only for people with serious cash or those who didn’t mind sticking out their necks to flip a house. Thanks to Fundrise, those days are over.

If you have $500 –admittedly, a lot of money —you can get started on your very own portfolio of diversified private real estate assets across the country. This is a newer program, but so far, the results have been pretty impressive.

If you’re risk-averse like I am, there’s good news. Fundrise will buy back your portfolio within 90 days if you’re unsatisfied.

Even if you don’t have $500 right now, I still recommend jumping at the opportunity to get on the list with Fundrise, as their offerings are always improving.

30. Become a Realtor

Do you watch HGTV way more than you’d actually admit publicly? This is a good sign that you’d make a good realtor.

There are online and in-person classes all across the country if you’re looking to get started. Sure, you’ll be working on commission, but if this is going to be a side hustle to make extra money, it really takes away all of the pressure.

31. Become a Bartender

I once heard a joke that blogging and bartending are really similar. Both jobs require patience, the ability to help people solve problems, and lots of alcohol. I didn’t say it was a funny joke.

32. Coach Sports

Coaching, especially at the middle and high school level, is a great way to make extra money while staying active and helping your local community.

33. Become a Driver’s Education Instructor

This is one isn’t for the faint of heart. But if you’re willing to hop in the passenger seat and mold young, distracted minds, you’ll make extra money in a hurry. And probably get a bigger crown in Heaven.

33. Manage Social Media for Small Businesses

It’s time to put your Facebook and Instagram skills to good use. Local businesses, especially those with older management, need your skills to help get the word out about their business. My friend Bobby has a course coming out soon which will help you get started.

34. Rent Your Car Out

This one might even be better than Uber. You can actually rent your car out and make extra money thanks to Turo.

35. Do it all

Become a TaskRabbit and get paid to do just about anything.

36. Deliver Newspapers

Yes, some people still read them. On paper.

37. Start a YouTube Channel

If I were a bit braver and better looking, I’d probably start a YouTube Channel. This podcast episode from Pat Flynn is a great guide to getting started.

38. Watch Videos Online

If watching videos, not making them, is more your thing, you can make extra money doing so with Swagbucks.

39. Sell Crafts From Your Own Etsy Store

One of my favorite bloggers, Mr. Money Mustache, has a pretty cool story about how his wife started her own Etsy shop.

40. Start a Podcast

Again, Pat Flynn is the master. He’ll show you the ropes with his new course, Power Up Podcasting.

41. Groom Dogs

Love dogs? This is right up your alley.

42. Clean Windows

The right cleaning solution and a long squeegee will put you in business.

43. DJ for Weddings and Parties

This niche is a little bit harder to break into, but once you’re in, word of mouth recommendations will spread like wild-fire. My friend, Rob, worked as a DJ through college and had a blast.

44. Design Logos and Graphics

Graphic design used to be impossibly difficult, but not anymore. Using Canva is pretty easy, and you can sell your designs using a site like Fiverr.

45. Referee

Getting paid to watch old men relive their childhood dreams on the court or gridiron is everyone’s dream, right?

46. Substitute Teaching

Most substitute teachers earn anywhere from $80-$125 per day, depending upon the area.

47. Get Paid to Save Money

Yup, you really can make extra money by saving money. In fact, you can get a quick $5 bonus when you automate your saving with Digit.

48. And Get Paid to Invest

Acorns is like the Digit of the investing world. Start investing your spare change every month and Acorns will toss you a $5 welcome bonus.

49. Transcribe

Sure, listening to people talk and typing it out isn’t always the most fun way to spend your Friday night, but money is money.

50. Overtime

This one deserves a prime spot on this list because it’s often one of the easiest ways to make extra money for people with non-salaried jobs. Picking up an extra shift a few times a month or even grabbing extra hours once in a while can be a serious game-changer.

51. Reduce Taxable Income By Tracking Mileage

If you drive frequently for work-related purposes, you could be leaving money on the table if you’re not recording your mileage. MileIQ helps me record accurate mileage for all of my real estate work and record a substantial deduction to my taxable income every April.

52. Sell on Craigslist

If you’ve got big ticket items like cars, snowmobiles, or lawn mowers collecting dust, you can clear out space in your garage and make extra money by unloading them on Craiglist.

Our Recommendations for Everyone

Making money is great, but it’s only half of the battle! Check out these ways to save more money and put your savings to work.

CIT High Yield Savings: Looking for a great place to park your emergency fund and earn more than a paltry .05% interest return? CIT Bank offers 1.55% on their High Yield Savings Accounts and only requires a $100 minimum opening balance! This crushes most other savings accounts by 10-12x!

CIT High-Yield Money Market: If you’re looking for an even better place to sock away your emergency fund or sinking funds, check out CIT’s High-Yield Money Market Account. Their 1.75% rate will put your fund to work in a hurry, and with a $100 minimum account opening balance, anyone can get started!

Ibotta: Ibotta is my favorite app for saving money and earning cash back on my regular grocery purchases. They recently upgraded their interface, making it even easier to save money. You can sign-up, earn a $10 welcome bonus, and earn money for referring your friends, too!

Acorns: I have been using Acorns as an experiment in micro-investing for several months and watched my account balance steadily grow. If you feel like you don’t have enough money to invest, Acorns is for you!

You can start with very small deposits and work your way up over time, if you choose. And if you sign-up using my link, you'll start off with $5.00 in your account automatically!

Digit: Digit is a personal savings assistant designed to help make saving money easier and automatic. Their mobile app and simple platform helped me and my wife save over $1,500, and we used the money for a vacation.Check it out here.