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It’s tough to boost an emergency fund using your regular salary. Most of us match our household income to our outgoings, leaving little room to pay for nasty financial surprises.
Many Americans are looking for side hustles — ways to take on extra work to add much-needed savings.
1. Buy In Bulk and Sell
Popular auction sites offer a great way to dispose of unwanted items and an opportunity to follow a second career. You don’t have to commit yourself to the next series of storage wars because there are other ways to buy and sell. Local and national auctions sell bulk lots of collectibles, and it’s a case of working out what people want and fulfilling their needs.
2. House Clearance
Dealing with a deceased relative’s possessions is a distressing task. People need house clearance services for this and many other reasons and are happy to pay for them. If you have a suitable vehicle, you can fill a gap here. Many items must be disposed of at the dump, but others have resale value for additional earnings.
3. Help Declutter
Those who aren’t ready for a complete cleanout of their home may still need help downsizing. I’m guilty of holding onto stuff for too long, and I realize it’s unfair if others have to sort it out when I’m gone. An external pair of eyes can look at possessions dispassionately and are paid well for their services.
4. Mystery Shopping
If you’re looking to make a few extra bucks each week, or you’d like the cost of some everyday items covered, mystery shopping could provide the answer. Major outlets hire shoppers to go into their stores and assess the quality of produce and service. Shoppers receive a small fee and get to keep anything they buy.
5. Freelance Writing
If you have writing talent, there are many potential outlets for your craft. Not all companies employ writers full-time, so they cover their requirements with external freelancers. Agencies are accessible, or those hirers will advertise directly. Head online and check those freelance job boards.
6. Write for Yourself
If you don’t like writing for someone else, why not do it yourself? Setting up a blog and writing about your passions is easy. Some platforms offer free hosting, and if your blog attracts enough attention, you can monetize it in several ways.
7. Affiliate Marketing
Your blog can be a perfect place to sell other people’s goods or services. When a reader lands on your site and clicks out via a unique link, you will earn a commission if they buy from the external web page. The biggest blogs make significant earnings in this way.
8. Photography
Photography is another profession that can be done on a freelance basis. However, in this case, agencies pay fractions of a cent for each image used, so it’s a better idea to approach websites and periodicals directly. If you’re an experienced and talented photographer, there are opportunities.
9. Gardening
We all want our yards to look attractive, but keeping our lawns and plants trimmed can be challenging. Time-poor people seek help from external gardeners, and if you have a green thumb, you can step in on evenings and weekends.
10. Market Research
Companies will pay people to offer their opinions on new products and services. A small section of the general public provides feedback, allowing those organizations to make alterations before release. Market advertising agencies advertise online for panel members, and these sessions can pay well. You may need to attend in-person meetings, while others are carried out via video conference calls.
11. Rake Back the Cash
It won’t make you rich, but every cent counts when building an emergency fund. Cashback sites make money by referring you to retailers. I mentioned affiliate marketing earlier, and here it is in action. Part of their commission is returned to the customer, and it’s easy to register and earn.
12. Rent Out Your Space
Renters aren’t just looking for somewhere to live. Many commuters are tired of paying high parking fees to private companies and would rather put their money into private hands. If you own your driveway and aren’t using it, someone will likely pay you to park in that space ahead of their daily commute.
13. House Sit
When your neighbors are on vacation, they want to ensure their home is taken care of. Being a good neighbor should mean doing this for free, but many have made a good income from house-sitting. Watering plants and checking appliances are just two household tasks that holidaymakers need to cover.
14. Look After Pets
Pets need care when their owners are away. I once put my cats into a local cattery. They were distressed and sick when I returned from vacation. From that point onwards, I’ve always hired a cat sitter. Dog walking is another associated side job in the growing pet care sector.
15. Tutoring
If you have high levels of knowledge in a specific area, you can be paid to pass on your wisdom to students. Those cramming for exams will often seek extra help, while others want to learn a new skill, such as playing a musical instrument. Those students look for evening and weekend tutoring, so this can easily fit your full-time role.
16. Semi-Pro Athlete
Earning money from sports isn’t as unlikely as it sounds. Only a minority of the most talented individuals can make a permanent living from professional sports, but there is room for others to pick up some scraps. Soccer teams and others often have a budget for players, so if you can perform to a reasonable standard, there is scope for a solid side income.
17. Artist
This is another side job that requires a high degree of skill, but it is possible to make extra money as an artist online. The abundance of auction and sales sites that allow third parties to sell their goods has made art a more accessible career than ever.
18. Cartoonist
Cartoons are a specialized area of the art world, and a talent many struggle to master. If you’re an excellent cartoonist, you may be in demand from writers, magazines, and book designers across many sectors.
19. Greeting Card Design
Many designs are not produced in-house when you buy a greeting card from an online retailer. Some platforms allow freelance designers to create and upload their cards to the site, and they will receive a proportion of future sales. If you have talent in this area, it’s another option for an innovative side hustle.
20. Courier Work
Food delivery drivers are in high demand, and finding this type of work is easy. If that doesn’t sound interesting or innovative enough, why not start operating your courier firm, delivering all manner of goods across the city or country?
21. Film Extra
Only some people who appear in front of the camera are paid actors. An extra’s job is to blend into the background in crowd scenes, and most are amateurs. Agencies hire extras daily, and meals are usually included. Just remember not to look at the camera!
22. Office Cleaning
I don’t want to offend cleaners. The job requires dedication and attention to detail, and it helps if you are a perfectionist, but it’s not the most skilled role on this list. If you’re meticulous with cleaning at home, why not look to provide the same high levels of service for others?
23. Mattress Flipping
I couldn’t believe this was real, but it’s true. You can start a new career as a mattress flipper. Unwanted mattresses are tricky to dispose of, so their previous owners are happy to pay someone a small price to take them away. With some refurbishment, they can then be sold for extra profit.
24. Online Surveys
Independent bodies claim you can earn over $25 an hour by completing online surveys. It’s an option but a side hustle that requires a careful approach because some sites pay a tiny amount. Research the best payers, and you can make some valuable extra cash.
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