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4 Ways to Earn Extra Money in Your Spare Time
Taking on some extra work to earn a little more money doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming. Our free time is limited enough as is with the day job and other commitments, so flexibility is beyond important when it comes to extra work. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to work around your schedule and fit in some extra work when you have some spare time.
Here are four types of extra work that can be done whenever you’re free and want to bring in some money.
Tutoring Online
You don’t need to have a master’s degree to help a student learn. Becoming an online tutor is a good way to put your knowledge to use and make a little extra money on the side. The pay isn’t too bad for side work, often ranging from $10 to $12 per hour. The work schedule has a fair amount of flexibility.
Everything from math to foreign languages to science is in demand. There are a number of trustworthy online agencies out there that can pair you with students and set up a schedule. Tutor.com is a good place to start. Like other agencies, it requires you pass an exam to prove your expertise in a subject.
Transcription
Regardless of what your background is, transcription work is a good way to make money that works around your schedule. Companies like Athreon hire people with a variety of specialties to transcribe. Best of all, this kind of work can easily be done from home and it’s easy to tell how long each project will require once you get the hang of things. It’s also fairly challenging without being frustrating, which makes the work more compelling.
Freelance Work
Depending on your skills, it’s possible to make extra money freelancing. To name just a few options, copywriting, programming, data entry, design, and technical writing all provide flexible opportunities to earn some money over the internet.
Searching online on sites like BloggingPro or ProBlogger is a good way to find a decent freelancing gig. Even better is to keep your eyes open for freelancing opportunities from people you know in fields you care about. Former colleagues might me looking for some help in a new venture. Even previous employers might have the need for some short-term work. This just goes to show how important is to maintain useful contacts and not burn any bridges.
Driving
If you have a car, why not use it to make some money? Popular ridesharing programs like Lyft and Uber are always looking for drivers. Their apps work easily and you only pick up passengers when you want to.
It’s a pretty good option, although some areas of the country fare better than others in terms of earnings. Drivers in New York City, for example, make almost double ($28-$29 per trip) as drivers in San Francisco, according to SherpaShare. Surprisingly enough, drivers in an expensive city like Los Angeles ($11.50 per ride) make just a little more than drivers in Nashville. That’s why it’s important to do a little research or even go on a trial run before using up your free time as a driver for either company.
These are some of the best ways to earn that all-important extra cash in your spare time. How do you earn money during your downtime? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Adrienne Erin is a freelance writer and designer who also loves blogging. You can see more of her work by following her on Twitter or visiting her blog, Foodie Fitness.
