E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Carolyn Kaster / AP file
A seller works on her hat display at a yard sale. Such sales are one of many ways you can put extra money in your wallet.
So, you're looking to make a little extra cash?
As a parent, any additional income you bring in for your family will definitely be put to good use for, say, a college fund or rainy day savings. You may also need extra bucks for shoes for your toddler, who outgrows hers like she's getting paid to do so.
Because we're probably a little bit too old for lemonade stands, we had to look elsewhere. And guess what? Nowadays, with ubiquitous smartphones and laptops, the easiest ways to earn extra cash are accessible to everyone at the click of a button.
Learnvest.com: The 10 worst interview questions (and the 5 best)
To help, we hunted down apps, opportunities and projects and chose nine "extracurriculars" that are particularly flexible in nature, so you can earn some cash while the kids are at school ... or maybe even bring them with you.
Download apps
Apps aren't only fun — they're income!
Easyshift is an app that lets you moonlight as a "mystery shopper." When you go on your regular errands, you complete tasks for retailers' research departments like taking pictures or answering a few questions, and you get paid ($2–$4 per task) for the privilege.
Learnvest.com: 10 money secrets of happy moms
Other apps for extra cash include WeReward and Field Agent.
Multitask your errands
Have you heard of TaskRabbit? It's a website (and app) that lets you outsource chores to willing parties. If you're one of those willing parties, you can earn some extra cash doing anything from picking up groceries to assembling IKEA cabinets.
Use your car
If you have a reliable car (and some great driving tunes), consider bringing in some extra money from a car-sharing service. Services like ZimRide let you sell seats on trips you're already taking for as much as $25, and services like Relay Rides let you rent out your car at your chosen price for the hour, day or week (and provides free insurance).
And what about parking? If you have it, you can rent that out, too, with Parking Panda.
Baby-sit
Almost everyone has dabbled in baby-sitting at some point, but the job only becomes more lucrative as you grow older and are able to offer more skills, like driving, cooking or CPR certification.
Websites like SitterCity or Care.com are great resources for matching sitters with families.
Learnvest.com: Why you aren't actually poor
Charging $12–$15 per hour is pretty standard, but to figure out how much is appropriate for your age and experience, use SitterCity's Babysitter's Rate Calculator.
Spread your availability by speaking with your child's teachers, any friends who work in your community and with real estate brokers, who may work with families with small children who are new to town. If possible, you may even consider an arrangement where you can watch children at your house; it's a built-in play date for your own kid!
(Prefer watching four-legged cuties rather than two? Petsitting.com has you covered.)
Sell your clothes
Another way to finance your habit might be cleaning out your closet — and your child's. It's doubly beneficial: You can clear clutter and make some cash at the same time.
Learnvest.com: The science of spending: What really makes us happy?
Start by choosing high quality pieces from the current season without any visible wear and tear. Make sure they're clean and folded, then bring them into your local consignment store.
If it's easier, take well-lit pictures of the pieces and list them on a site like eBay or Dresm, a site specifically meant to facilitate sales of used clothing.
Tutor
Do you have a masters degree in engineering? Are you a whiz in the kitchen? Do you know the ins and outs of Photoshop?
Any skill someone else wants to learn is an opportunity for you to teach it. Depending on experience and whether or not they join a larger organization, tutors can bring in up to $50 an hour (in cash) teaching out of their own homes, or visiting their students (who could be both children and adults).
Learnvest.com: 8 things that aren't worth the money
In addition to advertising in your community through standard newspaper ads, Facebook posts and fliers in the library, consider applying to be a tutor on sites like Tutor.com, the Princeton Review and Kaplan.
Take online surveys
If you spend hours surfing the Internet, what's a few extra minutes spent taking a paid online survey?
Websites like Free Paid Surveys or Opinion Place allow you to make money from the comfort of your home. If you're looking for something more interactive, list yourself as available for focus groups by joining FindFocusGroups.com.
Become a style entrepreneur
Style blogs don't have to be a guilty pleasure. Instead, they can be the inspiration for a side job as a "style entrepreneur."
StyleOwner is a free site that lets you create your own store by choosing items from a “Master Closet” of more than 2,000 brands. When your friends — sent that way through your tireless efforts on Facebook, Twitter and emails, no doubt — buy from your store, you earn 10 percent on everything you sell.
Host a yard sale
With the right curatorial skills, yard sales can be a lucrative way to make extra cash. To get the most traffic at your yard sale, advertise on Craigslist and in your town newspaper, and consider coordinating with your neighbors to hold a group sale.
If you're lacking a yard (or half-decent weather), there's also the option of hosting a virtual yard sale: The app Yardsale lets you connect with neighbors and friends without setting up a single folding table.
Leave a Comment:
Borrow a page from Robin Hood....
You mean kind of like President Obama?
That's better than taking from the poor and giving to the rich like Mitt will do.
For the Very Few NAIVE American voters who are thinking of voting for Mitt Tax Pittance Rommel and Lyin'Ryan out of desperation and hope that these two MONSTERS will rescue your life, Better look AT THE FACTS. CountDracula and EdddiMunster are going to keep the bush TAX EVASION BONUSES In Effect: with TheCount's Crappy excuse: "I won't LOWER the taxes on the Rich!!!!" Well, Thanks Count, as you 1-10% and Corporate rich already pay the Lowest taxes in American History and the rest are on the Backs of working people @37%. And! AND!! AND!!! Gas and Oil Prices???? What a Sucker Punch at Voters. The Count and EddiMunster PERSONALLY Dreamed up the $4.00p/g at the pump to blame it on Prez O. Say! Who do you voters think sets Gas& Oil prices, "Healthcare" policy prices, Hiring, Job/Career Outsourcing, Burger Flipping for NET $4.50p/hr while these Aristocrat/Elitist republicanCrimecartel Soldiers are BANGING Your Butt for $4.00p/gal gas and oil, $1100.00p/m for "healthinsurance" and ALL sources of life need products and services. Here Is a Very VERY Helpful Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og35U0d6WKY&feature=player_detailpage
PhantomBeast is AMAZED with you naive voters who the Count and his sidekick Lyin"Ryan, A PROVEN Psychopathic LIAR, have manipulated you into shooting yourselves throught the butt.
I can't even take you seriously - your post is 95% name calling. Pretty typical of the fringe liberals, though...
All of you amaze me. You can take a simple post about earning extra money and turn it political. If only you could make money off of that talent, why, it would almost fit with the topic!
Teach Zumba dancing.
HAHAHA niiiiice!
I can't read anymore on this newsvine--I can't stop laughing!
Just whatever you do don't set up a lemonade stand or the local government will fine the crap out of you for not having a business license.
With the economy so bad I am expecting the next article to talk about selling kidneys.
I'm surprised they didn't include selling blood and sperm in the article.
Move to a state that approves of the use of medical marijuana and become a part time farmer. You may even qualify for federal funding programs for research and development.
One of the ways I have jumped started my income is helping people start their family trees. I go back 4 generations from a persons grandparents. I have great reviews and feedback. FIVERR is a greatand legitimate way to boost your income, come up with a unique and creative gig and you will go far. If you need help starting your family tree, drop by my page. Start Your Family Tree w/ Me! You can find my offer on the FIVERR page under the OTHER tab or google tn5rr2012 fiverr.com/ tn5rr2012
I just started using Fiverr as well! I only have one gig available (Photoshopping your face into a evil demon, zombie, monster etc.) but I have sold one and I've only had it up maybe a week or two. I plan to expand with other Photoshop-related services. My name on Fiverr is leezrface!
Donate Plasma if your in good health--a few hours a week of quiet time and a book to read at the same time.
Also, needles. Eurgh.
By the time I drive to a plasma center (2.5 hours away) I'll have spent my money on gas. It was a good gig in college, though.
That's a mighty shiny tardis you've got there CJ and I'd bet its bigger on the inside.If you're selling time travel,canI go too?I'll bring my own screwdriver as well,its almost as useful since its a minitool of many uses itself.
Flea markets and eBay are you best choice. (been doing 12 years now)
Online surveys don't pay anything worth your time.
Yard sales - people don't want to pay anything for stuff.
If you didn't buy crap to begin with then there's nothing to sell.
Smart phone apps are a pain the in the ass for what you get.
Tutoring is great but who wants to deal with stupid brats.
Babysitting is a huge liability, better be insured.
Ryan,
Where do you find the stuff to sell at the flea markets and on ebay though? That's the hard part for many.
We've been selling on Ebay for a couple of years now. We decided on a product and found a local supplier. We buy bulk or his surplus since he does not sell online. It's been perfect for me as a stay at home mother.
Also, sometimes stores will have fantastic sales with no limit on quantities (Bath and Body Works $3 lotions, etc.), but there is a shelf life on those types of things & the last thing you want is to build a reputation of selling old or counterfeit items.
There are websites dedicated to estate-sales that even show pictures of rooms of what will be sold. If you have weekdays off, great way to spend them.
Knowing what to buy is the secret. A smart phone can get you started with an eBay app to look up values, but once you know you won't need to pull out your phone anymore.
Great post for ideas Ryan!
Another thing to consider, is there something in your region that is not elsewhere? Growing up in the mid-west, I LOVE Morel mushrooms. I cannot buy them anywhere in California, so I purchase them online when they're in season & gladly pay $60 per pound (including overnight shipping). Another is, Kitchen Cooked potatoes chips, if I were to buy from the manufacturer, I would have to buy an entire case, which is way too much. If you're crafty, handmade items can be sold too.
Your points are well-taken. These job suggestions are for teenagers or those who are desperate and need to immediately pay their electric bill or buy food for their next meal. These are not valid suggestions for a supposedly burgeoning and competitive Western society. I'm surprised at the number of people who are in economic distress but passively accept that times are tough, yet continue to sponsor and support Obama. The unemployment numbers rose again this morning. This was not the "change" I voted for 4 years ago. Anyway, people can also take a look at Fiverr.com or oDesk to post their skills for hire. Keeping an active resume on Indeed.com or Dice (if you have any technical skills) can also lead to jobs. Works for me.
Really?????
Write articles on how to make extra money...
Clothes from the current season without rips or tears? Maybe I'm just pulling from my own personal experience when I say this, but I'm looking to make extra money so I can pay for something other than bills...and my closet isn't exactly brimming with new clothes to sell. Perhaps we should consider not BUYING new clothes if the money situation is that dire.
JMO
How much do you get paid for writing this drivel?
or you can take a look at lpastoo.energy526.com
fastest growing company in the USA
Why does an otherwise solid media outlet reduce itself to posting this kind of garbage?
I just started with www.gobza.com/susan and haven't made a lot of money yet, but once it goes national I expect to do pretty well.
Yeah, good luck with that.
You realize your odds of that are pretty dim, right?
You forgot "Lets put on a show!"
That list was like throwing donuts at a drowning man.
Surprised that collecting aluminum cans and reselling dumpster buffet to freegans wasn't included in this enlightening article. I know, I could start bidding on delinquent storage units and sell the contents. Those guys on TV always seem to hit the jackpot. What could possibly go wrong?
The mystery shops are a ripoff per the time you must expend vs. the few dollars they pay. Plus, you often expose your personal information to parties who will put you on lists and become the target of telemarketers.
Yard sales- total waste. Yes, you might make $100 but for all the prep time and the strangers you encounter on your property trying to haggle you down- not worth it. Just get a part time job or seek a temp agency for assignments to make some extra money.
I had a yard sale about a year ago and I made a decent amount of money for stuff I wanted to get rid of anyway. One guy bought a whole box full of dolphin-themed stuff for $40.
But I also had a couple of hispanic shoppers who pretended to not understand anything I was saying, and only offered dimes and quarters when I insisted on more. One woman bought books for her grandson, so it was really hard to turn her down when I saw the look on his face. I didn't agree with my mom's willingness to sell her a very nice set of cast iron cooking pots for $0.75, though...
Thank God Mitt won't win this election, otherwise we'd be in deep $b!t
Don't count your chickens before they hatch...
This was the worst article ever. I'm surprised it didn't ask...if you have a lawn mower, you can mow some other peoples yards for extra cash. What a joke.
Get a Paper route.
$1400 a month delivering papers between 3 am and 6 am.
Of course you would have to get off your lazy ass...
Who reads printed news anymore - when you can get it in real time now online - Noticed the LARGE sunday papers are punny thin compare to years ago which was loaded with coupons and over sized ad's, today it is so thin not worth even getting a copy in the store. Like I said, who still reads printed papers?
Do people really get picked to do these surveys or do they only solicit your information?
I do ghostwriting.
I like to help people and get paid well for it. I don't know if what we have is for you, but if you're interested I'll share our story and information and you can arrive at your own decision... www.INeedLegalShield.com
'Nine Creative Ways to Boost Income'
.
#1. Vote Obama out of office!!