Just over a year ago, my main focus was making extra money to pay off my student loans quickly and stop living paycheck to paycheck. Eventually, I managed to pay off those loans, which gave me more financial freedom. I even left my day job and turned my side hustles into a full-time career.
Without the extra income from my side hustles, I can’t imagine what my life would be like now. This additional income allowed me to improve my life much faster than if I had relied on just one source of income.
Over the years, I’ve tried many ways to earn extra money. Besides things like using Ebates for cash back and credit card rewards for free vacations, I’ve done several other side hustles. Here are some of the ways I’ve made extra money:
1. **Blogging**: I started blogging for side income, and now it’s part of my business. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, but with hard work, you can make money from blogging. It took me about six months to make my first $100, and now I earn around $25,000 a month from my online business.
2. **Freelance Writing**: I began freelance writing after someone read my blog and asked me to write for their website. It was my entry into the side hustle world, and it’s still something I do today.
3. **Mystery Shopping**: I used to do mystery shopping, which was fun and provided free meals and cosmetics, though it didn’t bring in much money.
4. **Babysitting**: I started babysitting at 14, earning about $10 an hour. It was a great way to make extra money, especially during the summer.
5. **Taking Surveys**: Similar to mystery shopping, taking surveys didn’t pay much but offered free items to try out. I recommend companies like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, and Opinion Outpost for this.
6. **Selling Stuff**: I used to sell items on eBay, which made me a decent amount of money, though it was time-consuming. Now, I mostly sell to consignment stores or donate items.
7. **Pet Sitting**: I love animals, so pet sitting was always a fun job. It involved tasks like walking dogs and feeding them.
8. **Renting Rooms**: We’ve rented out rooms in our house, which was an easy way to make extra money without much effort.
9. **Selling Drinks at Concerts**: In high school, I worked at a concert venue for a day, handing out drinks and then enjoying the concert for free.
10. **Entering Giveaways**: I used to enter giveaways and won money, gift cards, and products. It was a fun way to make extra money, and some people even sell their winnings.
These are just a few ways I’ve made extra money over the years. If you’re looking for more tips, consider cutting your TV bill, saving money on food, looking for part-time jobs, lowering your cell phone bill, and finding ways to get free stuff.