Five Side Hustles to Make Some Extra Dough

Five Side Hustles to Make Some Extra Dough-Chispa MagazinePerhaps you already have a primary source of income, but it’s not quite enough to cover all your expenses. Or, maybe, you need a little bit of extra cash before your next vacation, for a big purchase or to pay down your student loans more quickly.

No matter your reason, you need a side hustle—you just don’t know what. A side hustle can’t replace your regular income, of course, but it can supplement it to the point where you’re living more comfortably than before.

So, what are you waiting for? Here are five side hustles that’ll help you bank enough extra cash to make a difference.

1.      Sell Secondhand Goods
Look around your home. Chances are, there are electronics, clothing items and housewares you haven’t used in ages. Examine at your storage spaces with a critical eye and ditch everything you haven’t worn or used in the past year.

If what you have in your to-go pile is of high-quality, you can try to re-sell it to make a little extra cash. Websites like eBay and Craigslist, as well as smartphone-based apps like Poshmark, allow you to post images and descriptions of the items you have for sale, then accept offers from the highest bidder.

2.      Rent Out Your Spare Spaces
When you bought your home, all those extra bedrooms seemed like they’d go to good use. As they remain vacant, though, you’re losing out on big bucks you could be making by renting out your spare rooms.

There are plenty of avenues you can take as a landlord. Choose a traditional roommate or two to move in, leasing your spare rooms long-term and paying rent directly to you. Or, open your home to short-term renters and vacationers through sites like Airbnb and HomeAway, which give travelers an authentic experience by housing them in real-life abodes rather than hotels. While they have the getaway they want, you get the money you need with little risk.

You can also consider renting out other unused spaces of your home. If you have a spare parking space, garage or even a garden shed, someone may want to use it for storage—just post it to Craigslist or Facebook marketplace and see if anyone’s interested.

3.      Write Freelance
If you have a way with words, then you have a way to make significant money on the side. So many opportunities are out there for writers to make extra cash on the side. From pitching and reporting journalistic articles to writing SEO content for websites or penning speeches for VIPs, the possibilities are truly endless.

Most employers or clients will require you have at least some sort of professional experience in writing. But if you’ve got a passion for putting pen to paper, you (hopefully) already have your written communication skills as a highlight on your resume.

4.      Become a Sitter
The world around you is full of people, places and things that need routine care. As such, you can cultivate a robust side hustle as a sitter. It’ll just be up to you to choose the type of sitter you’ll be—a babysitter, a house sitter, a dog sitter or a plant sitter. There are countless possibilities.

For these types of businesses, it might take a bit of effort to build up clientele. But, if you do well for one customer, they’re likely to tell others in need of your excellent service. Thus, you’ll slowly but steadily build your clout in the community.

5.      Invest
It might seem counter-intuitive to spend money—or, at least, put it in a place where you can’t use it—when you’re trying to earn more through your side hustle. But, investing your money can be a massive boon to your balance when done right.

Becoming a stock market whiz takes time and effort on your part. You’ll undoubtedly have to do some research to understand the basics of investments, including details on stocks and bonds. Plus, you’ll have to buy and sell wisely to make that side hustle cash you crave.

With smart moves, your small side hustle investment can turn into something truly monumental. It’s up to you to learn as much as you can about stocks, follow your instincts and, eventually, you might just make the profit you seek.

Choose an Avenue and Start Hustling
With these five ideas in mind—and the many other options out there—you can begin to embark on a fruitful side hustle. Before you know it, you’ll be bringing in the extra cash you need for whatever project or payment you’d like to tackle first. A healthy financial situation is sure to help downgrade your stress levels while improving your overall quality of life.

Photo by Eddie Kopp

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Kate Harveston

Kate Harveston

Kate Harveston is an online journalist from Pennsylvania. She enjoys writing about women's issues, career advice, and sociopolitical change. If you enjoy her writing, you can visit her at OnlySlightlyBiased.com.