There are countless ways that you can earn money on the side but many of them take time or money to build up. Sometimes you have to wait months or longer before turning a profit. For example, starting an Etsy shop is a great way to generate an income, but it takes time to get it off the ground if you do it right.
Today I want to share some ideas of things you can do now to earn money this month.
Sell Your Used Stuff Locally
If you take a look through your closets and drawers, you might be surprised at what you have that you could sell. Don’t just focus of furniture or larger items. Shoes, clothes, seasonal items, toys and books all sell well. Clean your items up a bit and take appealing photos. Be sure to describe your items accurately too. You really can make a profit selling used stuff.
You have lots of options for where to sell your items. Craigslist is a popular free place to market your stuff. Another great option is to join a local buy-sell-trade group on Facebook. If the weather permits, hosting a garage sale is a great way to sell your things. When you sell locally you don’t have to worry about logistics of shipping or having a third party take a commission. Plus, you get your payment immediately.
Sell Your Used Stuff to the World
Selling locally is great for items that are logistically difficult to ship or won’t sell for enough to make a third party service worthwhile. When the world is your marketplace, you have many more eyes on your items which means many more potential buyers and people willing to pay higher prices. You will be looking at around a 10% commission taken off of your sale and you will have the responsibility to ship the items to your buyers.
Both Amazon and Ebay are great options for selling your used items to the world. Which marketplace is best for your particular item will depend on what the item is. Search both sites for similar items to get an idea.
Trade-in Your Stuff to Amazon
Amazon has a trade-in program that in convenient and allows you to get paid right away, rather than having to wait for each item to sell and have to ship them individually. You can look up your books, electronics, video games, DVDs and more to see if Amazon will buy them from you and how much they will pay you. You won’t make as much as if you sold each item yourself, but the convenience factor and the quick turnaround can make it worth it. Shipping the items to Amazon is free. You receive your payment in Amazon credit.
SellYour Specialty
Do you make excellent cinnamon rolls or fresh baked bread? Do you sew baby clothes or knit hats? Your crafty wood carving or hair bows that you make for your girls might be just what one of your friends is looking for. In the age of social media, it’s easier than ever to market your wares.
Maybe in the long run you want to open an Etsy shop to sell your wares to the world, but in the meantime you can make some cash by selling to friends and friends of friends on Facebook. Pass the word around at work or at church that you are making your special holiday pies and selling them for $15.
Sell Your Services
People payfor services all the time, from having their oil changed to taking care of their kids. In most cases, people would rather pay someone that they know rather than a stranger, but they usually don’t offer the job totheir acquaintances unless they know they are looking for work. Get the word out on social media, among your personal network, and on craigslist that you have a service to offer. If you are earning money for a specific goal, don’t be afraid to share it. People like knowing that their money is going to a good cause.
What are you willing to do? You could:
- clean houses
- babysit
- house-sit
- mow lawns
- wrap gifts
- run errands
- pet sit
- web design
- freelance writing
- teach or tutor
- wash cars
The sky’s the limit! Get creative!
Sell Your Plasma
Plasma is the liquid part of blood that carries the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Although it is 90% water, it carries components used in life-saving technologies. Having a family member who is immuno-compromised, I have seen the amazing effects of intravenous imunoglobulin (IVIG) treatments, which are possible because of plasma donations.
When I was in college, giving plasma was a popular way to earn money fast. Donors typically earn $30-$45 per donation and, in many cases, they can gotwice per week. The process for giving plasma is very similar to donating blood.
Rewards Programs
Not all rewards programs can help you earn money this month. Some take more time to reach a minimum payout or have inconsistent earning opportunities. Here are a few that will allow you to earn cash or Amazon gift cards (or other rewards) in a timely manner.
Swagbucks is a rewards program for all the things you do online, from searching the internet to making purchases, from printing coupons to watching videos. With the search tool, you will randomly (it seems) be awarded various amounts of Swagbucks every so often.
If you are new to Swagbucks, I recommend giving it a try to see if it works for you. Through Friday 11/14/2014 you can get 70 bonus Swagbucks when you register with Swagbucks. Click on “I have a sign up code” when you’re initially signing upand enter sixfigures. Then continue to fill out your profile for another 30 Swagbucks!
I am relatively new to using Bing Rewards, but it’s pretty straight forward. You can earn rewards for searching the internet using Microsoft’s Bing search. Unlike Swagbucks search where you don’t have any control over how much you’ll earn through your searches, Bing tells you exactly how many credits you will get and what the maximum is each day.
You earn 1 credit for every 2 searches. You can get 15 credits per day searching on your PC and 10 credits per day searching on your phone. At 25 credits a day, you can earn 750 credits in a typical month just from searching the internet. You get other bonuses along the way. A $5 gift card is between475 to 525 credits. Register with Bingusing any email address (or a Microsoft login if you already have one) and give it a try!
How About You?
I have just scratched the surface here. There are many more ways to earn extra cash both online and in person. What creative ways have you earned money quickly? What ideas would you recommend?
Note: This post contains affiliate or referral links. For more information, see my disclosure policy.
