While the US economy has been steadily on the rise for the past few years, so has consumer debt. By the end of 2018, it had reached over 13 trillion dollars. This means you’re likely getting more and more tight on cash every month.
But all is not lost since in our current day and age there are a ton of ways to make extra money each month. Unfortunately, not all of them are totally legit. To help get you thinking about some different available options we compiled a list of four legit ways you can make extra cash each month.
Let’s dive in!
Capitalize on the Gig Economy by Starting a Side Hustle
Over the past decade, more and more opportunities have become available to participate in the gig economy. That means no matter what your situation is, there is a gig you can start ASAP to make some money.
The gig could be driving for Uber or Lyft during your free-time, or shopping on someone’s behalf with Instacart. If you have a special creative or technical skills, you could offer it as a service on a marketplace like Fiverr. You’ll be amazed at how many opportunities are available once you start looking.
Double down on Your Current Job
The hands-down quickest way to make extra money is to do more of what you already are doing. That’s because you don’t have to go through the learning curve of something new. You’re already doing it, so it’s now a matter of doing more.
So if you have an hourly job, that could mean picking up more shifts or some overtime. If you work in an industry that incentives performance, like sales or customer service, see what you can do to increase your sales volumes or customer satisfaction reports. It’s always easier to improve on what you’re doing currently, then starting something new.
Get Paid for Your Opinion by Participating in Survey Panels
Large companies are dependent on a constant stream of consumer feedback. It helps them determine what people like, and more importantly, don’t like about their products and services. One of the main ways they collect this feedback is through online survey panels that pay you for your time.
While you won’t get rich doing this, you can easily make a few extra dollars a day by taking a few surveys in the morning or evening. There are also a ton of options out there as well, so you can increase earning through participating in multiple panels.
Pick up a Flexible Online Job
With the rapid advancements in digital technologies, it’s become more and more possible to work remotely. That’s created big job markets for people with skills that can be done from anywhere, like creatives, developers and administrative roles. Many of these can be found by going on job boards like Upwork or Indeed and searching for openings.
The great thing about picking up an online job is that over time it can help you create the foundation for a full-time business.
Watch out for Scammers
While there are many ways to earn some extra cash, not all of them are 100% legit. Always be wary of sites that require you to pay money upfront or ask for too much personal information. Oftentimes those can be strong indicators that it might be a scam. It’s usually a good idea to do a little independent research on sites like the Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot. A few minutes there can save you hours of headaches.
