You could craft all year and sell your wares at holiday bazaars. Or you could list them on a site like Etsy or even Facebook marketplace to make sales all year long.
Think about choosing a niche. What can you specialize in that isn't already overrun on the market? What problem could you solve?
Courtney Orillian, the founder of Confetti Momma, noticed the desire in others to have party supplies that rivaled those found on sites like Pinterest.
So she and her husband created an Etsy store to provide handmade party supplies to people who don't have the time, energy, or talent to make them themselves.
Think about how you could devote a couple of hours each week toward fleshing it out into a small business as one of the ways to make extra money online.
Sign up for an account on Fiverr.com and look through the listings to see what types of tasks clients are looking for.
Fiverr started as a freelancing website where clients could hire freelancers to complete a job for $5, hence the name “Fiverr.” Now, you can make much more than $5 completing a job on Fiverr, but let's assume you start with charging $5 for a job.
Many of the tasks listed could be done in 15 minutes or less, which would allow you to earn a cool $20 in the span of an hour.
You could give online lessons or do an astrology reading. You can even give tips on succeeding at your favorite video game. If someone will pay $5, you're golden!
Come up with five ideas for blog posts. Don't actually write the blog posts for $5; just give the client a list of titles or topic ideas.
Write three to five social media posts. If you enjoy posting on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you could probably knock this out in five minutes.
Write a haiku, limerick, or some other verse for a greeting card. You could offer verses that would be good for a birthday card, a love letter, or a funny “thinking of you” card.
Take a photo of you holding a sign next to a local landmark. This is particularly good if you live near a tourist attraction.
Make a list of restaurants or attractions in your local area for people who are visiting your city or town. You could write up a comprehensive piece and just sell the same piece over and over again.
If you have enough time to consider getting a part-time job, you might instead look for ways to make extra money without having to answer to someone else.
Mow, trim, and blow lawns. Make sure you square up the edges and don't leave clippings in the driveway because those extra touches can boost your reputation.
Think of all of the things you have done in your own home that might be cumbersome or downright impossible for someone who has no tools or no experience.
Dave Ramsey told a story on his YouTube show about a Florida man who built up a $2 million net worth by mowing lawns. Even if you're not able to rack up enough business to turn your side gig into a full-time job (check out out list of the best gig jobs), you can still make a pretty good income.
Busy people will pay someone else to come in and spend time scrubbing bathrooms, mopping floors, washing walls, and knocking down cobwebs.
Earn Money In Spare TimeIf you don't mind cleaning your own home and would like to get paid to clean others, try to spread the word via your contacts.
Consider that if you charge by the hour, you could be penalizing yourself for being a fast worker. If you're not a fast worker, your client might suspect that you are padding your time.
Don't worry too much about the first few jobs; use them to gauge how long it takes you to complete a home. Then you'll be able to charge more effectively next time.
Depending on your location and the economic level of your area, you can probably charge between $25 – $100 per hour. If the home is particularly large, it's possible to make over $1000 in one day.
If you have a late-model car, you can cash in on these opportunities for making money. Basically, you sign up and make yourself available whenever you want to try to pick up people needing rides.
You can make extra income by choosing to work on the weekends or during special events in your area. If you are willing to drive to the nearest airport, that's another good way to keep yourself busy during your “on” times.
One good tip for minimizing competition is to park a block or two away from special events, preferably close to bars and restaurants where people might head after the event is over.
One good tip for minimizing competition is to park a block or two away from special events, preferably close to bars and restaurants where people might head after the event is over.
Remember that it's not just the base fare that will make you money with Uber and Lyft. You can earn tips, too.
Purchase a spot at your local farmer's market and sell your produce. You'll be earning extra cash while helping others in your community eat fresh, local food.
While you're at the market, you can provide advice on growing whatever you're selling. This will position you as someone approachable in the area, and you might be able to bring in more business via word-of-mouth.
You'll already be at the market anyway, so it won't take up any extra time, and you might be able to upsell your goods!
You don't have to limit yourself to just produce at the market. You might fit right in if you make soap (check out these soap business name ideas), dip candles, bake bread, raise bees for honey, or design jewelry.
Just find out what types of vendors there are ahead of time and whether you need a license in your area to sell food.
If you're looking for a work-at-home job, becoming a virtual assistant should be on your list of ways to earn money in your spare time.
You could do VA work just a few hours per week or turn it into a full-time job. A virtual assistant does what any other assistant does, but they do it online.
Virtual assistants can set their own hourly fees, so you'll need to experiment to see what works for you and for your clients.