20 Ways To Make Extra Money (How To Make $1,000 Fast)

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Do you want to know how to make extra money fast now because you’re one of the 44% of people who need a side hustle?

I know you landed on this page because good chances are you’re searching for answers to these questions:

• How to make extra money fast
• How to make extra money on the side
• How do I make $1,000 fast?
• How to make extra money online from home
• How to make money online for beginners

You’re in luck—there are tons of ways to make a lot of money! Of course, they’re easier if you actually enjoy doing them.

By combining the methods I’ve listed, you could potentially make money fast today and earn up to $100 or more in a day.

In fact, by diving into and merging several of these side gigs as fun projects, I have earned over a million dollars in total both online and offline, outside of my regular 9-5 day job.

I have found that the side hustles with the best ROI often require some investment or time to build. However, if you’re in a pinch and need cash immediately, there are quick wins available that can help you earn money today.

 

⭐ Are you curious about how I make extra money online? You can learn how I make $500+ per day online by using Pinterest! Don’t miss out on one of my most popular articles that gives you the inside scoop on how I went from making extra money as a hobby to now earning full-time income online:

👉 From Pins to Profits: How I Make Over $500 a Day on Pinterest! 👈 My readers continuously tell me that they are inspired to begin their online journey after reaading this post – see why it’s their top pick! 🤩

 

How To Make Extra Money

Making extra money is no walk in the park, but at the same time, it’s not mission impossible either. You just need to find a few money-making hobbies that you’ll actually enjoy and look forward to!

Just imagine what you could do with a few extra hundreds or thousands of dollars in your pockets every month.

Wouldn’t it be nice to make some quick money so that you could:

• Pay off some debt
• Use it towards the down payment on your first home
• Save for your vacation fund
• Splurge at your favorite restaurant many times a year
• Enjoy your favorite coffee every day (for some, that’s Starbucks) without having to cut back just to save money
• Put it towards retirement and aim to become a millionaire (no, it’s never too early to start saving for retirement)

 

Creative ways to make extra money on the side

For the most part, my fiance and I like to use some of the extra money we earn as spending money.

Making extra money definitely gave us the flexibility to spend without feeling guilty because most of our savings come from our regular paychecks.

By engaging in side hustles, we were able to save a significant portion of our paychecks into our savings and investments.

Honestly, anyone can make extra money to help them reach financial freedom; but most won’t because you’ll hear excuses like:

• “I can’t because I’m not skilled enough.”
• “It requires too much work and I don’t have time for it.”
• “That’s nice. But it’s not worth my time.”
• “I want to. But it sounds too hard.”
• “Pshh, what am I going to do with a few hundred or thousand dollars more? That can’t buy me jack.”

I know you’re here today because you’re not that person who makes these excuses. You want to start making more money on the side to have more financial freedom.

To give you some ideas, here are some ways to make money on the side with a full-time job. These are things we’ve done to make extra money that got us to where we are today.

 

PIN (OR BOOKMARK) THIS PAGE: I’ll be updating this post so make sure to pin this image and save it to your Pinterest board.

That way, you’ll be able to come back to this page and explore the side hustles I’ve undertaken that helped me earn over $1,000,000 in total.

 

 

1. Make extra money by starting a blog

 

UPDATE: This was one of the first articles I wrote when I began my blogging journey. I was enthusiastic about documenting my experiences earning extra money, both online and offline. Today, blogging is my primary source of income, all because I decided to start a blog!

I started this blog almost 6 years ago, and I have earned a total of almost $800,000 online just from blogging!

You can learn more about how I transitioned to a full-time blogger, earning six figures annually online. Now, I get to enjoy a flexible working schedule, spend time with my family, and travel to different places whenever I want!

 

This is the original text I wrote many years ago when I first started blogging. I’ve kept it unchanged to preserve its originality and to reflect upon my growth and progress in my financial journey:

This is a mini-side project that I just started.

I genuinely enjoy writing topics about making money, saving money, and overall personal finance. My goal is to help you live a better life without having to stress about your finances!

As a brand new blogger, I’ve been learning how to make money from Google at home.

So far, I’ve been passively earning on average $50 every month from Google Adsense. On top of that, I’ve been earning over a few hundred dollars per month from affiliate marketing.

Overall, I’m not making thousands of dollars on my blog, but it is a start and I’m learning.

My goal is to quadruple this amount by the end of this year. I know many bloggers who are passively making over $1,000 every month from display ads alone.

Again, this is not a “get-rich-quick” scheme and a blog will take time to build.

I’ve been blogging for about six months and it is very rewarding when you see results. Every blogger’s results will vary depending on how much time and effort they put into growing their blog.

Here is an example screenshot below of how I made extra money from my blog within a 5-month period just from display ads alone — $7,240.21 USD.

You can also learn more in my post where I teach you how to make money blogging for beginners with NO experience required.

 

Related posts on how I make extra money blogging as a side hustle:

If you’re interested, you can also check out my very honest blog income reports where I log my blogging journey to show others that making money online with a blog is possible!

What I learned over the year is that you don’t need to be the best writer or an expert in what you blog about!

• My Blogging Lessons Learned Over The Years and How I Earned $27,689.76 in a Single Month
• My Previous Blogger Income Reports and How I Earned Over $20,000 Per Month Blogging
• How To Become a Full-Time Blogger and Earn $10,000 Per Month
• February Blog Income Report: $7,498.94
• January Blog Income Report: $6,790.03
• December Blog Income Report: $6,840.01
• November Blog Income Report: $5,532.13
• October Blog Income Report: $4,798.01
• September Blog Income Report: $4,509.50
• August Blog Income Report: $2,797.64
• My First Blog Income Report: $703.57

 

🌟 SPECIAL: I am so excited to tell you that you can start your blog for as low as $2.95/month through my easy step-by-step tutorial on how to start a successful and profitable blog.

That’s over 60% off regular pricing! Plus, get a FREE domain name ($15 value) when you sign up through my tutorial.

This low price is a limited time offer and I don’t want you to miss out!

 

Learn how to start your blog and make extra money

Are you a total beginner and don’t know where to start?

Join my FREE 7-day “make money blogging” e-mail course where I will teach you how to start your blog the right way!

I will guide you from starting your blog to growing your traffic and earning your first income. 🙂

 

2. We got paid to surf the web and watch videos

As broke students with no money back in the day, my boyfriend (husband now) started using Swagbucks because it’s a simple way for us to earn an extra $50 to $100 a month in FREE gift cards or PayPal cash!

This is how a typical month would look like in each of our accounts – we have the choice to redeem $50 PayPal money but we usually like to choose Starbucks because we like to splurge on their special drinks!

We were so excited because this “free money” helped pay for our fun Friday night outs! 😀

How it works is you get rewarded just by surfing the web (like how you search for things on Google or Pinterest), watching videos, playing games, shop, taking surveys, and more. These are just the things you normally do online every day!

Swagbucks paid out their members $926,881,803 and to date, my husband and I combined earned close to $10,000 in cash and rewards! 💵

It’s a 100% FREE resource that literally takes you less than 5 seconds to join.

I’ve always been a loyal user of Swagbucks and I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to earn extra cash by doing fun and easy things online!

👉 Sign up for Swagbucks here for FREE. You’ll even get a $5 welcome bonus just by signing up today.

⭐️ IMPORTANT: Make sure to verify the email from Swagcks in your inbox to get your $5 bonus and you can start making extra money immediately!

 

 

3. We use Survey Junkie to earn extra cash

Taking online surveys didn’t turn us into millionaires overnight, but they are very easy to do. The best part is they’re all free to join!

I like to earn extra money whenever I’m bored, waiting for the bus, or binge-watching my favorite TV shows on HGTV!

Survey Junkie is one of my top picks and I’ve always recommended them to my family and friends who were interested in earning some side cash.

They are rated 4.5/5, one of the highest on Trustpilot reviews. I love them the most for their pretty-looking and easy-to-navigate interface. Over 5,000,000 users including myself have a great experience with them — I hope you will too.

I do fewer surveys compared to the more active users but I was still able to make $58 in a month.

Other members from TrustPilot reviews also said that Survey Junkie has allowed them to earn enough to cover some of their monthly utility bills. With that said, every bit of extra money could help in many ways.

This survey site is 100% legitimate, non-spammy, and free to use so I highly recommend giving it a try. They only require your e-mail address so it literally takes less than 5 seconds to sign up. Once you sign up, you can start making money immediately!

 

4. Make extra cash with other survey sites

I did a ton of research and discovered other legitimate survey companies to help you earn extra money after work.

These are survey sites I used for fun while riding the subway and bus going home from work.

I know after a long day of work, you’re tired so the last thing you want to think about is your job and more work!

So, the great thing about surveys is that they’re extremely easy to do and requires no thinking since most of them are in multiple-choice format!

Other legitimate survey companies I use to make extra money include:

• American Consumer Opinion (sign up with your e-mail and start earning)
• InboxDollars (Confirm your e-mail and get a $5 bonus)
• MyPoints (Get a FREE $5 welcome bonus when you take 5 quick surveys within the next 10 minutes)

Again, membership is always 100% free to join.

 

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Earn more with the top paying survey sites!

If you’re interested in making money online without paying anything, I recommend checking out my post about the 10 highest paid survey sites for money. You could earn as high as $50 per survey and by signing up for many survey sites, you’ll get to take more surveys for more money!

If you live in Canada, you can read and join the best paying survey sites in Canada.

 

5. Make extra money online by using Pinterest

I wasn’t much of a Pinterest user back in the day, so believe me when I say I had no experience with it!

While working my full-time job, I learned about Pinterest and how I could earn extra money online just by using the platform.

Some of my favorite ways include starting a blog, pinning on Pinterest, selling your stuff online using Pinterest, becoming an online Virtual Assistant and more!

There are so many mind-blowing ways you could earn extra money with Pinterest! No experience nor degree required!

Fast forward a year later, I’m able to earn a full-time income online today, which I didn’t expect!

Want to get the inside scoop on how you can use Pinterest to your advantage?

Learn more about how I earn money online with Pinterest. I went from earning a few hundred dollars in extra money to $10,000 per month!

 

6. Rent out our place

I mention throughout my blog that we collect checks by renting out our separate unit to a family. This extra money covers our mortgage and it allows us to save more money from our paychecks without having to worry about our biggest living cost!

If you don’t have a full unit to rent out, consider making extra money by renting out one of your spare rooms. Depending on your area, the layout and design of your room, and whether or not it’s furnished, you can earn an extra $500 to $1,000 per month for each room plus a bathroom.

Tip: Bachelors who want to rent a single room usually prefer a furnished place. If you do a simple cosmetic upgrade and provide nice furnishings, you can charge more with a small investment. Not only do you earn more by upgrading your place and making it look nice, but you’ll also attract quality tenants.

I personally love and recommend Scott McGillivray’s tips on how to get the best ROI (return on investment) on income properties. Start making more money with your properties by watching his popular show back in the day, Income Property. This used to be one of my favorite HGTV shows and it has everything you need to know about renovating and marketing a rental unit!

 

7. Invest in rental properties

In addition to renting out our separate unit as a rental, we also invested in another property, diversifying our income streams. This second property, strategically located in a high-demand area, has proven to be a wise financial move.

Beyond the subtle draw of market investments, collecting rent checks has been our second most passive income source.

Monthly rent payments have consistently provided a steady cash flow, covering the mortgage with a decent profit left over. As the property values in the region rise, we’re seeing an appreciation in our investment’s worth, which has helped with building our investment portfolio.

Based on our personal experience, managing two properties has its challenges, from maintenance to tenant relations, but the financial benefits and potential for long-term growth make it worthwhile. For anyone considering real estate as an investment, the rewards may outweigh the initial challenges. Ultimately, it hinges on whether you encounter any unfortunate or pleasant situations.

 

8. Make money on Airbnb

In addition to generating income from property rentals, Airbnb offers an attractive avenue for extra earnings and potential property value appreciation. However, it often requires more hands-on involvement than renting to families.

With Airbnb, homeowners can list rooms, apartments, or whole homes for short-term stays. This platform grants flexibility, allowing you to set your hosting schedules, pricing, and house rules. Not to mention, thanks to Airbnb’s wide reach, your listing can gain increased visibility, potentially leading to frequent bookings and a steady additional income stream.

You can learn more about how to make money on Airbnb if you’re interested in this lucrative idea.

 

9. Refurbish furniture for side money

Are you looking for fun side jobs?

I’ve refurbished furniture for extra cash and it’s super fun!

If you’re interested in flipping furniture for extra money, head on over to this post where I give tips on how to flip furniture for money even when you’re not a handy person!

I also created a separate resource to share the best places to sell furniture nearest to you.

When I was focused on fixing and painting furniture to sell on the weekends, I was making an extra $500 to $1,000 per month.

To be honest, I could refurbish and sell more, but my goal was to only sell four to 8 pieces per month (one to two pieces a week). After all, it was my hobby, so I didn’t want to overwhelm myself with too many projects especially while working a full-time job I hate but can’t quit (yet).

If crafting is something that piques your interest, I highly recommend you starting this side hustle today.

Tip: Based on my area and what I’ve seen online, the shabby chic or modern chic style is in. I also noticed that my stenciled furniture with designs and French words such as “Paris” sold much quicker!

Here are some products I use to make extra money flipping furniture. HINT: You can also use them to save money on your furniture.

 

High-quality paintbrush

I use this exact same Purdy paint brush set. You will need a couple of these angled brushes to get into the tiny edges of your furniture. Purdy paint brushes are high quality and very affordable too. This is what you NEED to get a nice finishing. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT invest in poor quality paint brushes. The type of paintbrush you use makes a world of a difference and your buyers will be happy with your finishes. I’m not a professional, but I can assure you that you will thank yourself for listening to this advice!

I recommend this value pack of 3 over a single brush because there will come a time where you wish you had more than one paintbrush. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

 

Beautiful pulls and knobs

I use these gorgeous crystal knobs to bring class to the chest drawer and cabinets that I flip. They don’t break the bank at all! When you buy the 25 value pack, it works out to be about $1 per knob! And honestly, that’s the easiest way to add value to your pieces! When you buy 8 pieces, it works out to be roughly $2 to $3 per knob which is totally worth the investment if you want to make money with your furniture.

 

10. Make extra money with DoorDash

Are you looking to make some extra cash in your spare time during the evenings?

I started my DoorDash journey just for fun after dinner, and to my surprise, I made over $150 in a single day!

This is even perfect if you’re looking for a job where you can choose to work once a week.

I found that things tend to get busier after 6pm, especially on Thursdays and weekends. The experience has been both fun and enjoyable.

For those curious about the potential earnings, I’ve written a separate blog post for you about how much money you can make in a day with DoorDash. If you’re thinking about a flexible way to earn while exploring your city, DoorDash might be an excellent option for you!

 

11. We get paid to shop online

Websites like Rakuten works with over 2,000 retailers including Indigo, Amazon, eBay, Nike, Foot Locker, Michael Kors, Groupon, and so much more! You can earn up to 40% cashback on the things you normally buy online.

This is my favorite cash-back program and it’s seriously the best one that I know to date! Take my word, don’t leave FREE money on the table! This is very easy to use and it’s passive too.

For more information, you can learn how to use Rakuten through this tutorial review. I also go through the many ways you can save and earn on all your purchases online.

When you sign up for Rakuten through my tutorial, you’ll get a special $10 welcome bonus after you make your first purchase that is over $25.

I can bet that you won’t be disappointed with Rakuten!

 

12. Tutor university students

My fiance (now husband) was hired by his University to be a teaching assistant (TA) back when he was still a student.

Even after he graduated, my fiancé was surprised that two of his students asked him to continue tutoring them in Economics (outside of school) because they really liked his teaching style.

Each offered to pay him $30 per hour, so he accepted the offer and continued teaching them Economics for two semesters. He met up with them about once a week for two-hour sessions and helped them with assignments and prepared them for exams. He ended up making about $120 a week for teaching the courses he enjoyed. Sadly, all this money was spent, LOL!

If there’s a subject you love or a skill you’re good at, use it to your advantage to make extra money!

I’m sure your family or friends know someone who is looking for you to teach them something you’re good at. If not, you can advertise yourself online to see who’s looking for your expertise.

 

13. Paint homes for extra income

This is something I haven’t mentioned before. But my fiancé has painted a few times for extra cash. In the past, he’s helped family friends and acquaintances paint their homes. From that, he made an extra $200 per day plus free lunches on the weekends.

With that said, it crossed his mind to search on Kijiji or Craigslist for jobs. He genuinely enjoys painting and wants to do more of it.

So, if you like using your hands, you can consider looking for someone to hire you to paint for some extra cash.

 

14. Sell stuff on eBay

Aside from flipping clothing and selling them on various online platforms, did you know that you can make money with eBay by selling other items for a profit?

Similar to selling on Amazon, you can sell just about anything and make a good profit on eBay.

That includes stuff you find at thrift stores, yard sales, clearance items, or estate sales.

If you love thrifting or finding awesome deals that allow you to buy low and sell high, then getting started with eBay as a seller is perfect for you.

You can learn more about selling on eBay for beginners if you like the idea of making extra money with this type of side hustle.

This hobby or part-time gig could potentially turn into a full-time career down the road!

 

15. I asked to work on extra projects in my previous role

In the past, when my company was rolling out many projects, I asked to be involved in more learning opportunities. I also knew that it would require me going in on some weekends for about five to six hours.

But like most companies, they offered to pay me overtime at 1.5 times my hourly rate. On top of that, they offered to expense my food. The good thing is I wasn’t required to go in every single weekend; rather, it was a choice. This was an easy opportunity for me to earn extra money.

If your company offers any special projects, consider taking it if you want to make quick money on the side. You can even ask your boss if there are any opportunities for additional work or projects that go beyond the typical 9-5 hours. In the end, it doesn’t hurt to ask. If anything, it shows that you are taking initiative which increases your chances of getting promoted — another way to make more money!

 

16. Sell crafts for money

At the time when I was flipping furniture, I also made simple home decor items such as wooden pallet signs and wall art to earn extra money. It was pretty simple because all I needed was leftover wood pallets, paint, a stencil brush, and reusable stencils to complete the projects.

Honestly, this is fairly easy and anyone could do this. But if you can freehand, even better! I don’t trust my freehand so I prefer using stencils.

I sold a total of 12 to 15 pieces and made roughly $400 from it. Not too bad for a beginner, huh?

I personally use these reusable decor stencils and I LOVE the way they look! They are absolutely beautiful and it adds A TON of value to your projects. What I love about them is you can wash them and reuse them again and again. Honestly, this investment is worth it! You can also use them on your refurbished furniture to make extra money.

 

17. Flip clothing for extra money

If you’re looking for ways to make extra money on the side, then I recommend flipping and selling clothes online.

Initially, I wasn’t expecting to make money from this because I was only interested in finding furniture to flip. But as I was searching for furniture online, I also stumbled across clothing ads. Along with clothes, I thought I could also sell shoes online for cash or even some old video games.

Who knows, you may even end up earning more and using those savings as a downpayment to buy yourself a new home.

 

And now, I’m going to let you in on my personal experience of getting free stuff online (one of them being clothes) and flipping the items for extra cash…

The story of how I unexpectedly made extra money from two garbage bags

The first clothing ad I came across was two garbage bags filled with gently worn clothing for free. I was scratching my head thinking: “Why on earth would anyone advertise two garbage bags of gently worn clothing for free? Was this too good to be true?”

So, I emailed the lady and asked whether she was looking to give the clothing to someone who is in need because if she was, I wouldn’t take it. She responded:

“No, I just have too many clothes and I’ve already donated a bunch. I’m tired of clearing this stuff and I just want them gone. Most of the clothes are women’s size S and in great condition too. They are nice and perfect for young women between ages 25 to 35. It would be appreciated if you could come by and take them away from me! I’m available anytime!”

I even asked her why doesn’t she just sell it. To my surprise, she said “No, it’s too much work. But you can do that if you like! It’s still available!!”

Boy, I could tell that she really wanted them gone.

I was still skeptical, but thought “okay? sure, why not? I wonder if I could make some money from this…”

And oh my goodness, there were a handful of tops and pants that I was able to sell! I sorted through the clothes myself to see what I should donate and what I should keep to sell. After sorting them out, I ended up donating one garbage bag and made $310 from the rest.

 

This “garbage bag” experience led me to buy second-hand clothes to flip.

I was a bit nervous at first but thought “meh, it doesn’t cost much. If I lose money, whatevs…”

Again to my surprise, I was able to make extra money from my finds! For the most part, I flipped clothing from Aritzia, Juicy Couture, Nike, and Lululemon. I admit it wasn’t easy to come by excellent-condition for really low prices. But, when desperate sellers were advertising their clothing in excellent condition for no more than $10 to $12, I snatched it immediately without negotiating. I even picked up an Aritzia silk blouse in excellent condition for $5! Now, that one was extremely rare.

You can also read my separate article about the best apps to sell your clothes online.

In addition to that, you can also check out what are the best things to sell on Facebook Marketplace.

 

Tip #1: If the asking price is okay (i.e. not too high and not too low), I would mark the item in my “watch” or “like” list to see whether the seller will lower it within a few weeks. By doing that, the app will automatically send you updated notifications about the item (e.g. Hello finsavvy panda! The seller lowered the price from $15 to $10). From my experience, some sellers want a quick sale and they won’t be able to if their price isn’t super low. However, I’m a patient seller, so I was willing to wait longer to get a higher price because I know there will be a buyer who wants that specific item.

 

Tip #2: I don’t buy from sellers who model or stage their photos. If the photo is high quality, I know that they are patient and looking for the best offer price. A good idea is to look for low-quality photos (but check the description) because those sellers are usually not looking to sell at the highest price. They choose speed over price. So, when you’re selling, try your best to take nice photos. That goes a long way.

 

I honestly lost track of how much I made, but my profit was about $1,000 within 8 weeks. It was my first time flipping clothes without any prior experience, but I had fun doing it for a short period of time and even met some people who I still talk to via text, LOL.

 

18. Sold our stuff online

Want some quick ways to make a lot of money without the skills or experience required?

We’ve decluttered and sold our stuff to make extra money. That includes the most random items you can think of even vintage art that my aunt gave me to as a housewarming gift, but it was too traditional for our taste.

In fact, here is a list of the best things to sell for money – it doesn’t matter if it’s new or used.

Aside from making extra money, decluttering your place will clear both your mind and soul. Studies show that decluttering and organizing your place will increase your productivity, decrease stress, and allow you to do more.

I mentioned this before but I’ll mention it again; both my fiance and I are not hoarders. We actually have fewer things compared to most people. But with some stuff lying around our place, we decided to make extra money by posting them online to sell. As a result, we surprisingly made close to $4,000 in extra income within a few months!

Download my free checklist to see what you can get rid of for some extra cash today!

Safety tips: Remember to meet in a public area with lots of people around because you never know who’s cuckoo! Also, avoid any email scams! I’m sure you guys are smart cookies, but I’m looking forward to writing a future post on this topic.

 

19. Teach English online in your spare time

In today’s digital world, there are loads of ways to make some extra cash online, and teaching English to kids is one of the best!

Parents everywhere know how important English is nowadays, so there’s a big demand for online English teachers. Websites like VIPKid, Qkids, and iTutorGroup link up teachers with kids eager to learn, and you can set your own schedule. Plus, you get to teach from the comfort of your home.

More and more people are hopping on this trend because it’s a solid way to earn money on the side. One of the most satisfying feelings is you get to see these kids grow and learn right before your eyes.

 

20. Become a Mystery Shopper

Want to make some extra cash while shopping? Try mystery shopping!

Here’s how it works: businesses pay you to shop at their stores, pretend you’re a regular customer, and then tell them about your experience. They use your feedback to get better.

To start, find a good mystery shopping site online and sign up. They’ll send you tasks based on what you like. After shopping, share what happened, and boom – you get paid!

If you’re interested in this type of job, you can learn how to make money as a mystery shopper here.  It’s like shopping, but you earn at the same time!

 

More reads on ways to make extra money:

• How To Make Money Without Getting a Real Job
• 10 Ways To Earn Free PayPal Money Online
• Need Extra Cash? How To Make $500 Fast
• Work From Home Jobs That Make $10,000 Per Year
• Passive Income Ideas That Make Money

 

Over to you — Are you ready to make extra money to improve your financial situation? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few extra hundreds or thousands of dollars in your pockets? What are your ways to make money on the side with a full time job?