Most people enjoy keeping a few extra dollars in their pocket. Today, everything is expensive, asking us to work more, earn more, and spend more. However, we run into the issue that a single job won’t provide us with the comfort it once did. How do we combat that realization? One phrase: side gig.

1. Instacart

Back in 2020, when the lockdown forced us all inside, except for Exercise and trips to the grocery store, loads of people struggled with unemployment. Thankfully, Instacart introduced the world to a side gig that helped customers and workers. The app allows users to submit their grocery orders, which are transferred to a selected worker. That worker travels to the grocer, completes the list, and delivers the groceries to the customer. 

Numerous factors affect Instacart wages, such as the market, car wear and tear, and tips. Like any side hustle, it comes with risks.

2. Uber Eats

Here’s another delivery type of service that benefited many people during the lockdown. The Uber Eats app allows customers to order from a local restaurant. That order goes to the selected driver, who picks up the food and delivers it back to the customer. Uber Eats charges excessive fees, some of which go into the driver’s pocket. If you’re in a highly concentrated area with many restaurants, your checks will be larger than in small towns with fewer eateries.

3. Uber Driver

If you take away the food portion of Uber Eats, you have the driving service, Uber. Remember when your parents warned you against hopping in a car with a complete stranger? Uber ignores that warning and encourages customers to trust anyone with a car! Kidding, sort of. To become an Uber driver, you need a valid license, but you do not need to own a car. You can drive for Uber in a rental car. An interesting fact I learned while renting Uber is that Tips differ between customers and cities, and surge pricing–pay attention to holidays and popular events–helps out the bank account.

4. Pizza Delivery 

Get your piping hot pizza delivered to your door. Various internet forums about pizza delivery drivers suggest the job has a high turnover rate, so getting a job as a delivery driver remains simple. Drivers operate on flexible hours and receive base pay and tips. Factor in the car’s wear and tear and gas costs, and you get a nice sum of extra cash for the week.

5. Babysitting 

This is my favorite side gig. You need to know families around your area to dip your toe into the nannying world, but there are easy ways to trickle in. Facebook is an excellent platform for gauging interest. Make sure you sound professional. No one wants to hire a creepy Facebook person, but a well-worded announcement might gain attention. Also, you can post interest flyers on various bulletin boards in restaurants, clubs, and public places. I got my first babysitting gigs through a church I worked in a few years ago. I established a relationship with the community, moved up in the church, and matched with a few incredible families.

6. House Sitting

One of my college friends worked the easiest job over the summers. They watched their professor’s house for a month each summer, making sure the house didn’t burn down and the robotic vacuum didn’t take over. I don’t recall what the professors paid, but people will churn out a lot of Money in exchange for the safekeeping of their homes.

7. Pet Sitting

What’s better than watching over an empty house? Watching a furry or scaled creature while their parents are busy. I know a few people who work full-time pet sitting, and they make decent money doing so. Their requirements include walking the dogs, scooping cat litter, feeding and giving water to the animals, and keeping the four-legged friends company. Again, people pay ample money to watch over their animal children.

8. Rent Your House

On the other side of housesitting, rent out a portion of your house. If you have an extra room or space in the house, open it up to a friend or an acquaintance in need of a temporary home. Rent in several locations is unaffordable for a large percentage of the population, so give back to the community if you can. Exercise caution; don’t invite strangers to live on your couch without precautionary screenings.

9. Car Advertising

You know those cars that barrel down the highway with random phone numbers boasting a random business you’ve never heard of? They get paid for that, and you could too! Wrapping your car is a simple gig that requires two things. 1. A car. 2. Willingness to give up a fresh paint job for a pretty wrapping job. Remain wary of scams and complete research before signing anything. Car wrapping can promise hundreds each month. 

10. Freelance Writing

Just like one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, some people’s main gig is another person’s side gig. Multiple platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.com are excellent forums to launch a freelance writing gig. The job boards offer a slew of postings, from novice-level writers to expert bloggers. Job boards don’t always post the highest-paying gigs, although they are a great place to start, get a byline, and then move up to bigger publications.

11. Model

This was a popular job in my college. Everyone yearned to pose in front of the introductory art class for quick cash. The simple job asked models to arrive and pose in different positions for an extended amount of time as the new artists sketched their figures. These kinds of jobs pop up around colleges or anywhere with art classes. 

12. Tutor

Students in every grade struggle with every subject. While a kindergarten tutor requires less brain power and more patience than a calculus tutor, both are important to the student. Lean on your expertise and offer tutoring services to the local communities, neighborhoods, school kids, etc. Tutors make anywhere from $10 to $25 an hour, in my experience. Decent pay to spread knowledge.

13. Fix Up Furniture

Notice yourself always picking up a stray dresser on the curb? Do you watch your living room slowly gain new thrift store furniture each month? Maybe your family collects eclectic findings from yard sales, determined to interpolate them into your home. A great way to earn extra money is by fixing up furniture. Find those drabby pieces lying on the road, bring them home, and with a little TLC, they could bring you a pot of cash. 

14. Donate Plasma

This option is not for everyone. However, your body’s plasma pays if you can handle donating blood and weigh more than 110 pounds. Each person donating plasma must undergo a few medical tests and meet requirements to ensure healthy plasma donation. When a patient passes all of the prerequisites, they can earn hundreds a month just for pumping blood.

10 Lucrative Side Hustles to Make Money in Just 5 Extra Hours a Day!

Are you looking for ways to make some extra money on the side to boost your income? With the current financial climate, it’s no wonder that more and more people are looking for ways to increase their income. While it may seem daunting to add more work to your already busy schedule, the good news is that plenty of profitable side hustles can be done in just a few hours a day.

10 Lucrative Side Hustles to Make Money in Just 5 Extra Hours a Day!

16 Jobs for Teens to Help Make a Little Bit of Side Cash

Are you a teen looking to earn some extra bucks? You’re in luck! In this article, we’ve rounded up 16 fantastic jobs for teens tailored just for you. Whether you want to save up for a new gaming console, chip in for weekend outings with friends, or simply start building your stash of cash, there’s something here for everyone. 

16 Jobs for Teens to Help Make a Little Bit of Side Cash

Originally Published on https://thefrugalexpat.com/

Steve Cummings Journalist, Traveler, and Personal Finance Enthusiast

Steve Cummings is a traveler, writer, and personal finance enthusiasts that has taken an adventure to leave his home country to travel and live around the world with his family. Through many years of learning he seeks to help those to save more and travel better. He has been featured in MSN, The Associate Press Wire, and various other content outlets with his writing and publications through his website The Frugal Expat. In the last six years, He has traveled to all seven continents, over 30 different countries, and has lived abroad learning and teaching others about good financial habits and travel hacks.

As an ex-English Teacher, he hopes to provide good tips and education on money and travel to help people think outside the box and achieve the impossible.