If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you’ve surely noticed that everything is more expensive. Unfortunately, most people’s salaries haven’t risen to meet the increase. In order to pay off debts or stay ahead, side jobs are crucial, as they provide extra income to cover higher costs.
Hundreds of ideas can be found by searching on Google. However, many of them are scams. A survey site may seem like simple cash at first, but you may soon realize you are earning less than $1 an hour. Not every side gig is a scam, though. Some of them can boost your bottom line while still allowing you to spend time with your family and friends.
These four options have been proven to be worthwhile.
Freelance Writing
If you enjoy writing, freelance writing is a great side job. You can write for a variety of websites or publications, including print and online magazines, as well as blogs that are looking for original content.
Writing blogs is also an excellent way to build up a personal portfolio so that when it comes time to pitch bigger projects like books or magazine features (which often require samples), your work will speak volumes about what kind of quality writing skills you possess – and what kind of rates those skills are worth.
Before agreeing to a job, be sure to know the payment plan. There are sites that offer a CPM method, which is a certain amount of money per thousand views. Oftentimes, this can flirt with being a scam because if you get less than 1,000 views, you make nothing.
Sure, you could hit the lottery and get 1M views, but more times than not, you may end up with just pennies for your work. The better method is a pay-per-word format where writers get paid for each word regardless of online views.
Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants are people or businesses who provide administrative support. This can include anything from organizing schedules and setting up meetings to answering emails and managing social media accounts. If you’re good with computers, have excellent communication skills, and enjoy helping others, being a virtual assistant may be right for you.
Being a virtual assistant also pays well, averaging $29 per hour. The only major downside to this option is that it isn’t very flexible compared to other side gigs. A virtual assistant may be required to work a set schedule and meet certain expectations in that time frame.
Landlord
Renting out a home is a great side job for anyone who has extra space to share. You can rent out a room in your house or an entire property. If you own a vacation home and don’t use it often, consider renting it out on Airbnb or another vacation rental site. If you want to go about it yourself, there are two common ways to rent out a home.
- Renting out rooms – You could post ads on websites that allow people looking for short-term accommodations and offer them spare room(s). This is one way that many college students make extra money over summer break.
- Renting out entire houses – If there’s no one living with you right now , then why not consider offering long-term rentals? You could also do a house swap if you’re looking to travel.
If you do have an entire house to rent out but don’t want to worry about the stress of being a landlord, consider hiring a property management company. They can take care of as much or little as you want for a fair price.
Food and Grocery Delivery
If you have a car and are comfortable with driving, this is a great way to earn some extra cash. Uber Eats, Postmates, and DoorDash are all delivery services that allow individuals to deliver food and groceries for restaurants or other businesses.
The more deliveries you make, the more money earned! You don’t need any experience at all. The only thing they ask is that you pass their background check before starting. There’s no minimum amount of time that needs to be worked, either. It can be as little as one hour per week or an eight-hour job on your day off.
