Looking for ways to generate extra income without investing substantial time or effort? When I was in college, juggling studies, a part-time job, and a young son often left me scraping the bottom of the barrel financially. I wish I had been aware of some easy, legitimate methods to earn some pocket money.
Despite having an internship, time for additional work was scarce after handling schoolwork, my job, and caring for my son. But there were bills to keep up with. Regardless of your current commitments or your tight schedule, you’ll find an abundance of ways to bolster your income. If time is a challenge, check out these five simple strategies to supplement your income.
1. LOYALTY REWARDS SITES AND APPS
Loyalty rewards portals like Swagbucks, where you can get paid for easy tasks like taking surveys, watching videos, or browsing online, are fantastic. With Swagbucks, you earn points for each task which can be redeemed for gift vouchers or converted into cash via PayPal. The most convenient aspect is that you can use these platforms at your leisure, from your own house’s comfort. Inbox Dollars offers a similar service where you earn points for completing brief, easy tasks.
If surveys are your thing, Survey Junkie and Opinion Outpost are excellent choices. Take a survey when on a break, commuting, or while watching TV at home. While these opportunities won’t make you rich, they offer a little extra cash to help cover some costs.
No matter your commitments, there’s always a chance for making some extra money!
2. CARPOOLING WITH UBER OR LYFT
My husband has been driving part-time for both Uber and Lyft for the past two years and enjoys it. All you need is a car, insurance, and a valid driver’s license. You can sign up on the app and start driving within days.
Uber and Lyft pay weekly which makes managing your budget a breeze. You can drive on a full or part-time basis as you prefer. My husband drives a few nights a week or whenever we need some extra cash. His earnings have significantly helped us in repaying his car loan quicker, taking holidays, settling an unexpected bill, and other miscellaneous expenses.
3. DOG WALKING AND PET SITTING
If you love animals, then dog walking and pet sitting can be a perfect side job that can be done in your spare time. Websites like Rover connect pet owners with pet sitters and dog walkers in the neighborhood.
People get busy during the summer or throughout the year, creating a constant demand for reliable pet sitters. As a dog walker, you get paid to walk dogs on weekends or before or after work. It’s an easy way to earn money while getting a workout.
4. RENT OUT UNUSED SPACE
Unused space in your home could be a gold mine. Furnishing and renting a spare room on Airbnb is a practical option. You decide on the type of guests and availability days.
For long-term agreements, you can rent the room to a tenant or a college student. You can also rent your garage or shed as storage spaces. They can be profitable alternatives to the expensive storage units that people commonly use.
5. CASH BACK AND GIFT CARDS FOR EVERYDAY SHOPPING
You can earn cash back when you spend money on everyday purchases. There are many ways to earn cash back without much effort.
Using a cashback credit card for these purchases is a great option, provided you don’t carry a balance. Discover provides substantial cashbacks for purchases in specific categories, while the Citi Double cashback card gives you 1% unlimited cashback on all purchases and another 1% cashback once you pay off the balances.
If credit cards aren’t for you, check out Ebates that offers cashback for online shopping with famous retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, among others.
Another option is Ibotta; an app that pays you rebates for in-store purchases. It’s a handy tool for your grocery shopping trips. You simply select offers, shop as usual, and redeem offers by scanning your receipt. Once your receipt is validated, you get your cashback.
SUMMARY
Earning extra money need not be complicated. So, don’t overthink it. If you have just a few minutes or an hour per day, these five simple ways can help kickstart your side income generation.
