Experiencing financial hardship is far from pleasant. Reflecting on periods when I had little to no money always stirs memories of struggle. I distinctly recall the challenging phase of being a single mother, pursuing a college degree, and affording a small one-bedroom apartment. There were times when even covering basic needs or paying my rent seemed like a Herculean task. In retrospect, I realize I was overly engrossed in self-pity, instead of finding a solution to improve my financial situation. The key to overcoming financial hardships lies in finding ways to supplement your income, especially when you’re on a shoestring budget. After all, when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up.
Let me share seven practical solutions to boost your income when money’s tight.
1. SELL UNUSED ITEMS
When you’re strapped for cash, selling personal items can be a quick and effective solution. You might be surprised by the treasure trove of unused clothing, electronic devices, furniture, kitchenware, tools, and apparel gathering dust around your home. You can conveniently list these items for sale on online platforms like Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace, incurring no extra costs. For unused electronics like old phones or gaming consoles, consider online buyback stores like Decluttr.
2. OFFER BABYSITTING OR DOG WALKING SERVICES
Childcare is always in demand. Broadcasting your willingness to babysit to family and friends and leveraging platforms like Care.com could connect you with parents seeking your services. Offering services during unconventional hours or during weekends would make you more desirable, as regular daycare centers don’t operate then. Additionally, being a dog walker or pet sitter can also fetch decent earnings. Platforms like Rover and Wag can help you offer your services to local pet owners, with earnings ranging from $15 to $30 per walk and over $30 for overnight pet sitting.
3. DONATE BLOOD OR PLASMA
If needles don’t bother you much, donating blood or plasma could be an option. Some centers may offer payment ranging from $20 to $45 per donation, and regular donors can earn around $200 to $400 per month. Typically, compensation is either cash or loaded onto a prepaid card.
4. PROVIDE ASSISTANCE
Lending a hand to someone in need of your skills or services can also pay well. Be it moving furniture, fixing minor household issues, babysitting, yard work, or even tutoring, your efforts could be rewarded financially. Platforms like TaskRabbit can help you find local short tasks.
5. WRITE ARTICLES
Even if you are not a Pulitzer Prize winner, you can still supplement your income by writing articles. Online platforms like Craigslist and Upwork provide numerous gigs to choose from. This is a method I’ve used personally during my financial crunch times, thanks to my passion for writing.
6. TAKE ONLINE SURVEYS
Though taking surveys cannot replace a full-time income, it’s an easy way to garner some extra cash in your spare time. My recommendation is to join multiple genuine survey sites such as Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Pinecone Research, and Opinion Outpost to optimize your earnings.
7. JOIN UBER OR LYFT FOR A SIGN-ON BONUS
If you have a car in good working condition, you could consider joining Uber or Lyft. Both offer sign-on bonuses after completing a certain number of rides during your first month— a quick way to add several hundred dollars to your income besides the regular earnings from driving.
In conclusion, financial difficulties are not permanent. The best strategy to recover is to explore ways to augment your income. Define your financial goal and latch on to the solutions that resonate with you the most. With these strategies, being broke can become a thing of the past. Which of these income generation methods have you considered?
