Sometimes we need ways to make money now to make ends meet that month.
Sometimes we want to start a business, but don’t have the seed money we need to start.
This is where this article comes in!
Here, you are going to learn 17 different ways to make money now or in the very near future.
Let’s not waste time and get done to the nitty-gritty!
1. Freelancing
If you have a skill, then someone somewhere is willing to pay you to do that skill and it can be a great way to make money.
Google ‘Freelancer sites’ to find several marketplaces that link individuals and small businesses needing specific work done, with freelancers willing to do that work.
Some great examples include Freelancer and Upwork.
What type of work can you do?
Well, pretty much anything. But the most popular categories include writing, web/app/software development, graphics design, translation, transcription, accounting and bookkeeping, sales and marketing, customer support, and data entry.
This is a great way to monetize your spare time!
2. Surveys
Although they don’t pay very well, this is something to consider.
TimeBucks, for example, pays you to watch videos, view funny slideshows, do surveys, install apps, follow people on Instagram, and more.
I’m not going to discuss this one a great deal, as they are self-explanatory and have been discussed by others till the cows come home. But if you are looking for an extra few bucks here and there, this is something to consider to monetize those minutes chilling watching TV or on the toilet.
3. Coaching or Tutoring
Chances are, you know something. Why not teach others that something?
If you are reading this, then chances are you know how to speak English.
Places like Preply and TakeLessons connect you with people that want a tutor.
And it doesn’t need to be English tutoring either!
Are you a Law Student? Tutor someone in Law!
Play an instrument? Teach someone to play it!
4. Sell your old stuff
Most people have stuff lying around that they no longer need.
Get rid of it by selling it on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
It’s amazing how much clutter we obtain over the years, and how freeing it is to sell it!
5. Retail Arbitrage
Don’t have anything to sell? Don’t worry!
Go to your local car boot sales, yard sales, charity shops…
Then, use a scanner such as the Amazon Seller App or Scoutly app and see if you can sell items for more on Amazon.
For more information on this, check out ‘The Selling Family‘, a blog dedicated to this type of money-making method.
6. Beta-Testing
This is where you get paid to test products, websites, or apps for businesses.
UserTesting.com is one of the best places to get started with this if you are interested.
And you can get paid $10 for every 20-minute test you complete!
7. Become a Delivery Rider/Driver
Apps like UberEats, DoorDash, Instacart, Amazon Flex, and Postmates will pay you to do deliveries through their app.
Typically, you will need access to a car or motorcycle with insurance to do this, but sometimes you can do it with a bicycle.
You are then paid per delivery, so how much you are paid would depend on how quickly you can deliver, but typically, they pay $15-30 an hour.
8. Do Voiceovers
If you have a good narration voice, then consider narrating for audiobooks.
At ACX, narrators get paid either a flat fee or a royalty for each sale of the audiobook.
This allows you to choose between getting a great payday now or earning passive income for years to come. Narrate several books and earn a decent side income, or get paid $150-250 per finished hour!
9. Fiverr Gigs
Similar to Freelancing, this is where you can use your skills as a way to make money.
Create a posting on Fiverr for a specific task you are willing to do, such as graphic design, writing, programming and so much more.
Then, people looking on Fiverr, that need that task done, will buy your ‘gig’ and you get paid when the work is complete.
This used to mean you got paid $5, but they have since scrapped that idea, and now gigs are being paid anywhere from $5 upwards of several hundred dollars per gig, depending on the task being completed.
10. Matched Betting
Ok, I get it. Betting is risky. But this way of betting carries zero risks.
Let me explain quickly. Bookmakers and online casinos often give people incentives to join with them and deposit money.
This is typically in the form of free plays, that you are not able to cash out.
However, by matched betting, you bet (on two different platforms) for and against a particular event (e.g. a certain team winning).
This effectively cancels each other out (and with commissions, you lose a few cents). However, you are able to retain about 80% of the incentive each time.
If you sign up for several of these incentive schemes, you can make several hundred dollars in a matter of days, with only a couple of hours of work!
Click here to learn more about this money-making method.
11. Create and sell a starter website
Starter websites are relatively new websites (6-12 months old) that have little to no monthly revenue but have the potential to produce revenue in the future.
Examples include newer content sites and e-commerce websites.
If you are good with creating websites and don’t mind writing 100k words of content, you can make $500 a pop on Facebook Marketplaces or groups and on marketplaces such as Flippa.
12. See if you are due a tax refund
Most years, if you pay attention and know what to do, you can claim some of your tax back.
Tax is not always calculated correctly, and you may be due a refund.
Alternatively, you can claim for certain things, such as work uniforms or, if you drive your car for work purposes, you can also claim back your milage at the government rate (even if your employer pays you milage, you may be able to claim back the difference if they don’t pay as much as the government flat rate).
It’s worth discussing this with a tax preparer or accountant, as you could often get back hundreds, if not thousands, every year.
13. Negotiate a raise at work
If you already have a job, why not ask for a pay rise?
This will increase your income, and you can use this to pay the bills or invest in your own business.
14. Get a part-time job
Alternatively, you can get an extra part-time job to earn an extra bit of income.
TaskRabbit, for example, connects people who want tasks completed, with people willing to complete tasks.
These tasks may be simply taking a dog out for a walk, going shopping, or assembling Ikea furniture.
15. Sell study notes
If you are knowledgeable about a certain subject, or currently a student, you can sell your study notes on websites such as Nexus Notes or Stuvia.
This won’t make you rich, but it can bring in an extra few bucks here and there, for what you are likely already doing or have done.
16. Clickworker.com or Amazon Mechanical Turk
This is a platform that allows people to get paid for doing simple tasks, such as data entry or correcting AI-generated text.
Again, this won’t make you rich. Each task will typically pay a few cents, but this adds up.
17. Get Cashback
If you’re already buying groceries and spending money, why not get cashback?
You can often do this with credit cards, but apps such as Dosh or Earny can also allow you to get cashback.
What’s Next?
Now you have some extra money, what do you do with it?
Well, you can spend it on paying your bills, but if they are all paid, and you still have money left over, what should you do?
Well, I would recommend against spending it on the latest and greatest gadgets and instead invest it. On this website, we explore how you can reach financial independence. This article, for many, is their first step.
Next, you should invest that money in a business venture or in some kind of investment vehicle, whether it be stocks/shares/EFTs/Bonds, in real estate, or in an income-producing asset of some kind.
This is how you become financially free.
Read the ‘Get Started‘ page on this website to learn more.
