Having a system in place is essential when you start monetizing your spare time. If one little gig went well, it doesn’t mean adding another ten more will be great. Without a sound system, all your hard work can be compromised and you may just end up not earning at all. Whether you are a student, have a 9-to-5 job or a hands-on mom, your downtime is just as valuable as your working hours. Having a good system lets you become productive all while ensuring quality work.
The following are some opportunities that can make money in your spare time. If you don’t have a lot of free time, you can try these side hustles that only takes a few minutes to do if you want to earn some extra cash.
- Take Online Surveys
You’ve probably noticed this on some ads you have been ignoring before. These paid survey companies need your opinion for the improvement of their services, products, and customer engagement. To get started, you first need to sign up and answer a few questions to verify if you are qualified. The purpose of that is just to make sure that you belong to a particular demographic they’re looking for. They will look into your gender, age, location, or even your job. When deemed fit, they will then send the links for the surveys.
Survey companies typically work with large brands and other companies. When their request for specific data is fulfilled, survey-takers get a portion of that earning. However, the payout may differ among survey companies. Some send payment right away, and others set a certain payment date per month. Survey payouts usually range from $0.50 to $5 per survey. Some send their payment as a form of gift cards usable on online retailers such as Amazon, while others send items you can keep. You may also find survey companies that pay $25 or more, but that seldom happens.
You can use your spare time to check what available surveys you are qualified to take. Doing it, say, once or twice a week may already cover the cost of one of your subscriptions. This is not lucrative, but those dollars can add up. You can check TeachMePersonalFinance.com to learn more about financial management.
- Join Get-Paid-To Apps
Get-paid-to apps ask you to complete certain tasks in exchange for payment. Most of these tasks are very simple and can vary from app to app. Some examples of these apps are:
- Swagbucks: One of the popular get-paid-to apps that lets you earn extra cash or gift cards just by watching videos, surfing the web, or taking short surveys. The Swagbucks you gain can be converted to cash via PayPal or gift cards usable on Target, eBay, and Amazon. This doesn’t promise a significant amount to collect, but the rewards will eventually add up with just a little time invested.
- appKarma: Just like Swagbucks, you earn money in appKarma by completing microtasks such as playing with certain installed apps, watching videos, earning points on referrals, and more. The points you earn are redeemable in the form of a gift card or PayPal cash.
- Take mTurk or Mechanical Turk
This is a crowdsourcing marketplace where you will be asked to complete small simple tasks that can’t be done by a computer. The companies here hire people to do HITs or Human Intelligence Tasks to do the job more effectively. These jobs are tagging particular objects in an image, transcribing short audio, or picking the image that best represents the product. And since the tasks are relatively simple, the pay is not as much. You get paid 10 cents on average. But this can still be a way to earn extra money when you can dedicate more than two hours of your time.
- Become a Freelancer
If you have marketable skills, then this job is for you. If you are a writer, you can monetize that skill by writing articles, content, blogs, copy, curriculum vitae, and many more. This is one of the simplest and fastest ways to make cash online. Brands and websites are always in need of new site content, thus they outsource writers to do the work. There are plenty of writing opportunities through freelance writing sites.
On the other hand, if your skill is more on visual arts, you can use it to design websites or ads, logos, or make concept art for games or books. If you are more inclined to video editing, you can apply as a video editor. Media influencers are everywhere, and they all need an expert to make great videos. You can even produce your own if you are gifted with a good voice by narrating audiobooks or doing voice-overs.
If you are into photography and enjoy snapping photos of people, landscapes, pets, and the like, you can make some cash out of it, too. Photo hosting sites let freelance photographers upload their photos. When a marketing agency or a business wants to use a photo on those websites, they pay a fee, and part of that fee goes to the photographer.
The opportunities to gain extra income online are endless. All you have to do is to be creative.
- Be an Airbnb Host
If you have a spare room or are planning to go on a trip for a while, you can use the extra space to make some cash by becoming an Airbnb host. You can have it rented with an acceptable rate, and all you have to do is set up an attractive listing on Airbnb and prepare the space for your guest.
- Sell Stuff
If you have interesting items of value that you are no longer using, you can start selling them. If you are more inclined to sew, paint, do woodworks, make soap or any kind of craft, you can turn them into profit, too, by selling them. You can start selling your crafts or unwanted items at bazaars or in online portals like Etsy, eBay, or Amazon. Just make sure to find a niche that is not yet oversaturated.
Final Thoughts
More and more people are discovering ways to make money, especially online. But regardless of which route you take, whether online or offline, keep in mind to only do as much work on your free time as you initially planned, and stick to this schedule. It is important to rest in order to recover your energy and focus. Burnout should not be taken lightly. Otherwise, your side hustle can compromise your primary income.
For more on this topic, consider reading these articles:
Twenty Ways To Make Money On The Side
Declutter and Make Money For Fall
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