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Best Sites to Make Money on the Side
Branded Surveys
$0.50 – $5 on average per survey with bonus points ($1 sign up bonus)
Average survey length is 10-20 minutes and minimum payout is $5
Collect rewards in PayPal, Direct Deposit or gift cards (100+ brands)
Survey Junkie
$1 – $3 per survey + extra ways to earn up to $100 with focus groups
Each survey time varies, but on average it takes 15 minutes to complete
Redeem rewards using PayPal, e-giftcards or bank transfer ($5 min)
How to Make Money on the Side? 18 Ways
Participate in Paid Surveys
(Earn on average $0.1 to $20 per survey; $50 – $300 monthly)
If you are looking for ways on how to make money on the side, one of the best is paid surveys.
Companies spend billions of dollars on focus groups, product testing, interviews, and surveys. Many companies work with online market research companies who pay you for participating in online surveys to save time and money.
As an incentive for consumers, companies offer them rewards. Survey takers either earn money or points for each survey they fill out and submit. You can redeem those points for rewards such as free airline miles or gift cards.
The best thing about participating in paid surveys is that you can complete surveys any time, from anywhere you might be. For example, if you’re waiting for your food takeaway, or just feeling bored at home, you can make some quick cash.
You can become a survey taker by:
- Signing up on a legit paid survey site
- Completing your profile
- Sharing your opinion about products and services
- Earning real online money
Related: Are Surveys Safe?
Deliver Groceries (Instacart)
(Earn $7 – $10 per order)
Instacart Summary
- 2 different types of work available
- Earn up to $10 per full-service order
- Get $10 for each friend you refer
- Work as much or as little as you want
Instacart lets you become a “personal shopper” – shop groceries and deliver them at your customers’ doorsteps.
As an Instacart personal shopper, you need to visit stores, pick up anything a person needs, and then drive to a buyer’s location to hand them their order.
To become a personal shopper:
- Create your account at shoppers.instacart.com
- Download the Instacart Shopper app on your iOS or Android device
- Complete the signup process
- Get your background checked and start delivering orders
Become a Food Delivery Driver (Postmates)
(Earn up to $1,500/week)
Postmates Summary
- Postmates was acquired by Uber in 2020
- Earn at least $4 per order plus bonuses
- Get extra cash incentives of up to $1000
- Flexible working hours that are up to you
Postmates is one of the most popular food delivery services in the United States.
As a Postmates driver, you’ll receive order notifications on your mobile device. And if you accept it, you’ll need to pick up the order from certain restaurants and deliver it to your customers’ doorsteps.
Working with Postmates, you’ll earn $4 per order, plus $1 for each pick-up and drop-off. While your total weekly earnings depend on your location and demand for deliveries, you could total $1,500 per week if you work consistently.
Invest
(Expect an average annual return of 7% – 19%)
Investing is an essential part of building long-term wealth. Why’s that? Simply because inflation can seriously affect the value of your cash savings. But your invested money can make you even more money.
Plus, investing doesn’t require your daily contribution. Typically you just invest your money once and enjoy the passive income pouring into your pocket.
Some of the most attractive investments include:
- Real estate
- Cryptocurrency
- Stocks
- P2P lending
Drive for Lyft
(Earn on average $8.5 – $12 per hour)
Lyft Summary
- Your working hours are up to you
- Instant payment with the Lyft debit card
- 3 different ways to earn more money
- 3rd party liability insurance offered
Ridesharing is slowly replacing the traditional taxi service. As a Lyft driver, you can get ridesharing requests on your phone, and if you accept them, you’ll pick up and transport people to their destination.
Here’s how to start driving for Lyft:
- Fill out the application
- Upload documents like your state ID and driver’s license
- Pass the background check
- Get approved and start receiving ridesharing requests
Start Pet Sitting
(Earn $20 for a 30-minute walk)
Rover Summary
- 6 different ways to earn money available
- Get up to $25,000 pet care coverage
- You get to decide how much to charge
- 24/7 support, Including vet assistance
As a pet sitter, you’ll need to provide daily care for pets while their owners are busy or even on vacation. You will typically stay in the owner’s home so that the pets can remain in their familiar territory.
Rover and Wag are 2 of the best apps that will connect you with pet owners in your area to schedule a meet & greet. After that, you’ll set dog walks, drop-in visits, or daycare stays.
What’s good, both Rover and Wag allow you to set up your pet sitting rates and conditions. For example, the most common rate for a dog walking service is $20 for a 30-minute walk.
Pro tip: If you can, try to walk multiple dogs at the same time to maximize your earning potential.
Services you can provide as a pet sitter include:
- Dog walking
- Pet sitting
- Boarding
- Grooming
- Dog daycare
Babysit
(Earn on average $10 – $15 per hour)
Bambino Summary
- There are no fees for sitters to use the platform
- User-friendly app
- Uses a recommendation system, which ensures trustworthiness and authenticity of the sitters
- You’ll get paid after each sit and receive honest reviews
Your job as a babysitter involves taking care of children or teenagers who require supervision while their parents or guardians aren’t at home.
Babysitting is one of the most common jobs to make extra money on the side.
Here’s how to become a babysitter:
- First, decide if babysitting is a good fit for you and think about what type of babysitting services you’d like to provide. Do you want to provide daycare? Babysit at night? Help school children with their homework?
- Next, learn the basics of babysitting or children care. In case you don’t have any experience, you could take a Babysitting Basics Online Course by Red Cross for $45.
- Take a First Aid and CPR course.
- Sign up for a babysitting platform of your choice to get a job.
Teach English Online
(Earn on average $10 to $40 per hour)
Magic Ears Summary
- Work from the comfort of your home
- Constant support and assistance available
- No cancellation penalty
- No doctor’s note is required for a sick leave
Whether you’re a native English speaker or a bilingual, teaching English online is one of the great ways to make money on the side.
Having students online and accompanying them through their second language journey is a lucrative, flexible, and enriching experience.
To teach English online successfully, you’ll need a
- Secure Internet connection,
- Zoom or Skype account,
- TESOL/TOEFL/IELTS certificate.
In general, it’s essential that you are a native English speaker, but it’s not a mandatory thing. Lastly, be friendly, patient, and punctual.
Start Freelancing
(Potential to earn $100+ per hour)
Upwork Summary
- Earn up to $34 per hour as a freelancer
- Get 10 free Connects every month
- Get 40 extra Connects when you pass a test
- Time tracker ensures you get paid
Fiverr Summary
- Set your own prices for your services
- Choose from over 500 service categories
- 3 different options for cashing out
- Protection from fradulent chargebacks
As a freelancer, you work on your terms – wherever you are and whenever it’s convenient for you. A freelance job is any job that doesn’t employ you – instead, businesses order certain services from you.
Some of the most in-demand freelance services you can provide include:
Become an Instagram Influencer
(Earn $88 per post as a beginner)
If you enjoy communicating with large audiences and sharing your daily experiences, becoming an Instagram influencer is one of the best ways to make money on the side.
Simply post engaging content on your Instagram to build an audience who trusts you and takes your recommendations.
Once you have a loyal community, you can outreach businesses and arrange sponsorship opportunities.
Here’s how much you can earn per sponsored Instagram post:
| Audience Size | Earnings |
| Up to 10,000 followers | $88 /post |
| 10,000 to 100,000 followers | $200 /post |
| 100,000 to 1,000,000 followers | $670 /post |
| 1,000,000+ followers | $3,000+ /post |
Alternatively, you can also find affiliate programs online and promote your affiliate links via Instagram. Each time your followers buy something using your affiliate link, you’ll get a commission of up to 40% of that sale.
Start a Youtube Channel
(Earn $5 per 1,000 video views)
Just like being an Instagram influencer, starting your Youtube channel requires you to build a loyal community by sharing engaging content consistently.
You can monetize your Youtube channel in different ways:
- Set up Google AdSense and earn up to $5 per 1,000 video views
- Collaborate with businesses and create sponsored content
- Join Patreon so that your subscribers can support you with cash directly
If YouTube is your jam, become a Youtuber by:
- Developing your channel’s goals and content
- Making sure your channel page is welcoming
- Implementing SEO video good practices
- Being consistent and updated within your niche
Sell Your Photos
(Earn passive income selling photos unlimited times)
Foap Summary
- Earn $5 for every photo that you sell
- Earn up to $200 from Foap Missions
- No need to be a professional photographer
- Low minimum withdrawal threshold of $5
Whether you’re a professional photographer or just a beginner, selling your photos can be one of the best ways to make extra money.
Stock photography is an online source of images available for people and businesses to download.
Best places to sell your high-quality pictures online:
- Foap
- Shutterstock
- Getty Images
- iStock Photo
- 500px
Advertise on Your Car (Wrapify)
(Make between $170 and $450 per month)
Wrapify Summary
- Get up to $452 per month of passive income
- Ad campaigns last between 1 to 6 months
- $0.20 payment for every mile you travel
- 4 wrapping options to choose from
If you’re using your car for your daily commutes, Wrapify allows you to earn money by just letting them wrap your vehicle in advertisements.
Requirements to earn money with Wrapify:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Have a smartphone (iOS or Android) to use the Wrapify app
- A car model year 2008 or newer
- Clean driving record
Rent Out Your Home through Airbnb
(E.g., 1-bedroom apartment in NYC could earn you $151/night)
AirBnb Summary
- Over 150 million users worldwide
- Earn an average of $924 per month
- Rent out your property whenever you want
- Quick turnaround time for payouts
Real estate has always been one of the most lucrative assets that can generate passive income for you.
Whether you have an extra bedroom, an entire apartment, or a house you’re not using, it’s a good idea to rent it out through Airbnb.
Airbnb is a short-rental platform that’s a go-to place for many travelers looking for accommodation. The nightly price for your property would highly depend on your location. However, if you have a 1-bedroom apartment in NYC, you could rent it out for $151 per night.
Rent Your Stuff
(Rent out anything you’re not using from clothes to a car)
Let’s be honest, we all have the clutter of things in our storage room that we’re no longer using but can’t throw them out as well. What’s good, renting out your stuff is a great way to earn extra income from home.
Here’s the list of the most common things you can rent out for profit:
Sell Your Electronics
(Sell your used electronics for 10-50% of its retail price)
Swappa Summary
- No fees to list and sell your products
- Optional featured listing for just $5
- 2 days to ship the item after getting paid
- Instant payments via PayPal
Old electronics usually clutter our storage the most. If you haven’t used your electronic device in the past 3 months, it’s a sign that you don’t really need it.
Simply sell your used electronics to declutter your space and pocket some extra money.
Some of the best platforms to turn to include Swappa, Gazelle, and Decluttr. What’s good about these companies is that they will buy your used electronics directly, meaning you won’t have to wait for a buyer to show interest.
Get Cash-Back from Apps
(Get 1-10% cash-back)
Fetch Rewards Summary
- Easy to use – you don’t have to activate any special offers to get increased points
- You can earn points with any grocery store receipt
- You can earn points on over 300 product brands
- Variety of options to use your Fetch Rewards points – gift cards, Visa and Mastercard gift cards, sweepstakes and charity donations
Joining cash-back apps allows you to get anywhere from 1% to 10% of your purchases back into your account.
While some cash-back apps only offer online shopping deals, apps like Fetch Rewards reward you for grocery shopping.
Play Games for Money
(Earning potential: $500 – $1,500 per month)
Mistplay Summary
- Redeem rewards from as little as $5
- Gift cards are processed within 48 hours
- 5 different ways you can earn money
- Get 100 points by inviting your friends
Yes, you’ve heard it right! You can actually make money by playing games online.
Whether you like trivia games or are more into gaming, you can make some side money at least.
Some of the best side jobs to make more money include:
- Driving with Lyft
- Shopping for others with Instacart
- Delivering food orders with Postmates
- Freelancing
- Pet sitting
- Babysitting
- Teaching the English language online
How Can I Make $100 a Day on the Side?
The best way to make $100 a day on the side is probably pet sitting and freelancing. Alternatively, you can also make $100 per day delivering food or groceries, but you’ll need to earn a handful of customer tips.
You can make an extra $1,000 a month by:
Pro tip: Combine a couple of money-making ways listed above to maximize your monthly earning potential.
