Ways to Make Extra Money

Sell Something You Don’t Need Online

It goes without saying, but the internet offers a wealth of ways to sell your stuff and pocket some cash. You can sell just about anything: clothes, toys, furniture, books, DVDs, records, electronics, art, gifts you don’t want–really there’s always somebody out there willing to buy something you have. Craigslist and Ebay are the leaders in this arena. Tons of people have made a pretty penny and even rely on selling on these sites for their main source of income. Sign up, open an account and start selling!

Do Odd Jobs

Offering your services to do odd jobs in your neighborhood can really pay off. There’s a variety of jobs that people are willing to pay for: babysitting, dog-walking, lawn-mowing, hedge-trimming, house-sitting, gardening, house cleaning and de-cluttering, cleaning out a garage can put quick cash in your pocket. Another service that can pay off is offering to run errands for your neighbors. People are so busy these days, so running to the cleaners or buying groceries can be really valuable to people feeling a time crunch. Helping with chores is another service busy people are willing to pay for.

Make Stuff & Sell It — Get Creative

Turn Your Hobbies Into Income. If your family and friends rave about the stuff you make then you may be on to something. Nowadays, there’s not only a market for crafts but there are numerous ways to turn them into cash. If you are creative, then you can really capitalize on your skills. One of the best known sites is Etsy.com, which gives artists the opportunity to sell items at a fair price. You can sell everything from gift baskets, food, clothes, to art to a wide audience. Creative types are selling custom greeting cards, holiday or seasonal items, candy bouquets — you name it. And eventually, can get your own Etsy-connected site for a very minimal fee. You can also go the local route and sell your wares at your neighborhood farmers or flea market.

Use Your Car

Rent your car. Try renting your car to friend when you don’t need it.

Drive people to the airport or station. People always need a ride to the airport or train station. Spread the word that you’re available to do it a cheaper rate than cabs or car service.

Become Your Own Boss

Become an Event Planner. If you have a knack for organization and attention to detail and enjoy parties, why not try your hand at event planning? You can help people plan weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, kids parties, Sweet 16s, Bar Mitzvahs –really any special occasion. Start by offering a rate lower than the seasoned competition, put together an outline, list of vendors and services, get some business cards and circulate them at stores, venues and among people that can help you get your foot in the door.

Set Up Your Own Online Store. You can sell custom hats, t-shirts, mugs and anything else that you can order in bulk and reproduce cheaply.

Become a Personal Assistant. Start by offering your services and skills for free or reduced rate to busy, overwhelmed people, the elderly or handicapped. Let them start spreading the word and before you know it you’ll have people seeking out your services.

Spread Your Knowledge — Teach Something

Become a Tutor. Are you good at something that people are willing to pay for? Then chances are you can become a tutor. Math, Grammar, and Science are just a few of the in-demand subjects frustrated parents and kids need help with. Put up some postings, give out flyers at the library, supermarkets, campuses and school functions and start building your clientele.

Share Your Knowledge/Expertise. Adults are willing to pay for expertise as well. If you’re knowledgeable in a musical instrument, yoga, cooking, fitness, dance, dog training– you name it, someone out there will want to pay you for your assistance, especially if you offer lower rates and a more flexible schedule than local facilities.

Teach a language. You can post flyers offering instruction in a language. You can also go the high-tech route and offer lessons via Skype. Search Google to see who’s looking for practice in your native tongue. Many people will pay to have conversations via Skype with someone fluent in the language they want to learn. Then set up regular lessons and payment via PayPal.

Use Your Kitchen

Have A Bake Sale. If people love your cookies or pies, then you have a customer base out there willing to pay for your baked goodies. People miss homemade desserts like oatmeal raisin cookies, apple pie, banana bread or chocolate cake. So, if you can turn out some delicious baked goodies you’ll be sure to make some nice change. You can sell at your local farmers’ market, have your own bake sale or maybe your local grocery store will let you do a demo and sell your baked goods.

Cook for People. Can you roast a mean chicken? Does your lasagna garner bravos? Then you can turn your cooking skills into profit. It’s no secret that a lot of people don’t like or have the time to cook for themselves these days. Which opens the door for enterprising home cooks. You would do the shopping, cook and sometimes package and freeze the food for others to enjoy. You can prepare meals for busy families, single people, the elderly or people who want to do something for special occasions. Only do this if you can really cook and have a few dishes and specialties up your sleeve that would be in demand.

From Your Computer

Get Paid to Surf. Check out Volition.com for a list of companies that will pay you to do online activities ranging from web searches, reading e-mails, just to name a few. Sign up with several companies and start making your time online pay off.

Offer computer services on Odesk.com. You can do IT work, writing for blogs, Graphic Work, Programming, or just about anything over the internet on Odesk.com. You can make some quick cash via this site.

Part time/Freelance work. There are many websites like elance.com and guru.com to find part time work. Post your resume for the numerous Designer, Writer, Programmer, Blogger, among a variety of other jobs.

Write for A Site. You can write and submit endless articles to eHow — the leading articles directory, and generate money when someone visits your articles and clicks the ads. You can write as many articles as you want and receive money when someone visits your articles and clicks the ads. Yahoo Voices and helium.comare other sites to try.

Sell your photos. Stock photo websites like istockphoto can really pad your wallet. There are people generating income in the high six figures from the site.

Join A Focus Group. There are companies out there that want your opinion on products and services and are willing to pay for it. Monitor your local listings or check out findfocusgroups.com for tons of legitimate listings of paid focus groups. You can search from nationwide focus groups that take place over the phone or online or search locally by city or state. Make sure to check regularly, as up to 50 new listings go up daily, with the majority posting on Mondays.

Direct Selling

There’s more than Avon and Mary Kay out there these days. If you refer new clients, many companies will share a portion of their revenue. You can go door to door, host parties or do product demonstrations for friends, family and associates. There’s a wide range of companies to check out: Stella Dot Jewelry, Wine Shop at Home, Tastefully Simple — gourmet food and desserts, Simply Fun — games for kids, just to name a few.

Miscellaneous

Take In a Boarder. Do you have a spare room? Then you could offer it to someone and earn extra income. Place an ad in your local paper or post online with your specifications. Make sure they are gainfully employed, check references, and Google them to safeguard yourself.

Sign Up for Medical Tests. Search online for hospitals doing clinical tests and apply for consideration. This won’t make you rich, but the extra cash can come in handy when you need it.

Hold a Yard/Garage Sale. Before Craigslist or Ebay, there was the good old garage sale. Make a few signs, post them in your neighborhood and tell your friends you have to stuff to sell.

Resources

Search the internet classifieds for your area or your local newspaper to find quick gigs like babysitting, mowing, dog walking, or moving work.

Amazon Mechanical Turk, a reputable site where companies seek people to perform tasks machines cannot easily do, but people are able to. You choose an assignment and upon completion are given credit with payment to your Amazon account that can be withdrawn once you accumulate $10.