Looking for some quick and easy side hustles to earn some extra cash?
After countless successes and failures, I’ve finally narrowed it down to a personal list of 13 that actually work without too much time and effort.
The best part?
For most of these, no experience is required and they are all 100% FREE to get started.
While not all of the 13 items on this list will work for everyone, hopefully you can at least take a few away and start earning a substantial side income in your spare time.
With that said, let’s get started with this list of the 13 side hustles I do to make an extra $300 per month in extra cash.
1. Get Paid to Share Your Opinion
Online surveys have always helped me out when I’m in a jam.
While they don’t pay as much as the other side hustle items found on this list, you can healthily earn an extra $10 per hour online just by sharing your opinion.
All of these sites are completely free to join and don’t require any credit card information.
Not only that, but a lot of them give you sign-up bonuses just for registering as a new member.
Sometimes you’ll find that for whatever reason a survey site may not pay you as much as it will someone else, most likely due to your demographics.
For this reason, I highly recommend trying out a few survey sites and then deciding which ones work best for you. From there you can stick to the higher-paying ones.
Here’s a short list of some of our top 5 favorites:
- Survey Junkie (earn up to $50+ per survey)
- Swagbucks ($5 registration bonus)
- Vindale Research ($1 sign-up bonus)
- Pinecone Research (flat $3 per survey)
- Springboard America (some of the highest-paid surveys on the web)
If you’re looking for even more survey sites to complete, take a look at this list of our best survey sites.
2. Blog Your Way To Hundreds or Thousands Per Month
Blogging is how Frugal For Less makes a living. I’m able to make a full-time income working from my computer and writing about content I enjoy.
While you most likely won’t be able to make thousands to begin with, blogging can be a great way to start your side hustle and slowly work your way up.
In order to get stared with blogging, you need a domain and a host.
If you’re not familiar with these terms, the domain is essentially the URL of your site (in this case, www.frugalforless.com), and hosting is where all of your web files are stored.
For both a domain and hosting service we recommend using Bluehost. This is because you get your domain FREE your first year.
Not only that, but we’ve partnered with Bluehost to give you a special deal of just $3.95/monthwhen you sign-up using our link.
This means that you can host a blog your first year for just under $50!
Here are some other great blogging tools that may be of interest:
- DIY Theme – Choose from top themes for a professional look
- ConvertKit – Email marketing service to reach your fans
- NameCheap – If you want to get your domain from a place other than Bluehost
Still lost on how to setup a new blog? Be sure to check out our 7 steps to starting a successful blog.
3. Teach English As A Second Language Online (TESOL)
If you enjoy teaching but aren’t actually a teacher – or even if you are – you can try your hand at teaching English online as a second language. Some programs require a quick certification while others only require English to be your native language.
If you want to give it a go, check out these sites to get started:
4. Teach Online Courses
Do you happen to hold a college degree that could be put to good use as a side hustle? If you have at least a bachelor’s degree, you have the required qualifications to land an online teaching job.
A simple search for online professor jobs (or something similar) will yield a plethora of sites with hundreds of listings. Most positions are adjunct and are paid per course/per semester.
Average pay ranges anywhere from $2k – $5k, depending on your field and experience. That’s a pretty nice gig if you have some extra knowledge in your noggin’.
Check out the current listings here:
5. SAT Tutor/College Admissions Coach
Competition to gain admission to college is fierce these days. With the skyrocketing cost of tuition and the current student loan debt crisis, parents are more willing than ever to seek assistance with the entire process.
Whether that means hiring a tutor for their child to ensure they get the best possible scores on their entrance exams, or it means hiring someone to guide them through the admissions process, there is plenty of money on the table for someone who can do one or the other or even both.
Sound like it’s right up your alley? Post your qualifications on online bulletin boards or advertise your services through college recruitment sites. Also, check with local high schools, they can get you pointed in the right direction.
Tip: You’ll probably need to get child clearances if you’re working with students under the age of 18 years old. Don’t fret, this isn’t expensive or difficult.
6. Music Lessons
Do you happen to be a master pianist or love rocking out on the drums? If so, you could make quick money by teaching music lessons in your spare time…and in your own home.
Make your talents known through Facebook and by talking to parents in your circle. Word travels fast, and if you’re good, you’ll get a gig in no time. And those gigs pay anywhere from $15 to $40 for a 30-minute session.
7. Drive For Uber Or Lyft
If you have a decent car and a knack with people, you should consider driving for Uber or Lyft. It’s a great way to mingle and earn extra money on your own schedule.
Benefits include working when you want, as often as you want, and speedy payouts.
Before you can start, make certain you review and meet all the requirements for age, licensure, vehicle, and driving experience.
Here are the links:
8. Walk Dogs
Love pets of the canine persuasion? Good news – you don’t have to live in a city to be a dog walker – although that doesn’t hurt.
Lots of dogs sit at home all day while their human companions slave away at a job. And many of those dog owners feel bad that their beloved pet is sitting at home like a lump, or worse, gnawing their way through a dining table leg.
For peace of mind, plenty of owners would gladly pay to have Fido walked during business hours but they don’t trust to hire a business with a rotating staff. I mean let’s face it, dog walkers have access to your home. And that’s where you come in.
Build up your business through word of mouth, bulletin boards, and a dedicated Facebook page, and before you know it, you’ll have more inquiries than you can personally handle.
Obviously, the amount of money you can make varies by area and the number of dogs you can walk at one time. But, it’s not unheard of for dog walkers to make in the neighborhood of $20 per hour per dog.
And speaking of a neighborhood, you might want to start advertising your services right outside your front door.
9. Cakes & Cupcakes
Make sure you check the going rates in your area and don’t sell yourself short. Ask to be paid what you’re worth and, if your skills rock, your business will take off.
10. Freelance Writer
Seamlessly putting words together on a screen is a talent people are willing to pay a lot of money for. If you’re skilled in this area and you prefer the work-at-home kind of side hustle, becoming a freelance writer is as easy as creating an account and making yourself available for jobs.
According to Payscale, freelance writers make an average of about $25/hour. Not too shabby for being able to work from anywhere in the world.
Where to find work:
11. Deliver Pizzas
Remember at the start of this post I mentioned delivering pizzas as kind of a joke? Well, it wasn’t a joke. Delivering pizzas is an oldie but a goodie. And since there’s usually a pizza joint on every corner, finding a job shouldn’t prove too difficult.
This one is all about customer service. Treat the people who open the door like royalty and you’ll be raking in the tips. Treat those same people like they’re just a number, and you’ll barely make enough to cover gas money. The choice is yours.
12. Personal Trainer/Nutrition Coach
Do you love personal fitness or nutrition? If so, you could put your knowledge and skills to good use by coaching other people on how to achieve the physical results they desperately desire.
And what better time to start marketing your service than around the holidays? You’d be amazed at how many people are willing to shell out $50 – $100/hour for some personal attention and coaching for their physical appearance and well-being.
13. Rent Out A Room In Your House
If you’re a social butterfly and don’t mind sharing your space, renting out a room in your home could mean an extra $500 or more going towards your bottom line each month. List your pad on Airbnb, Craigslist, or local bulletin boards to find potential tenants.
Tip: Do your due diligence before opening up your home to a stranger. Consider paying a flat fee to a property manager for a thorough background check.
Which Side Hustle Is Right For You?
With all of the options available to earn additional income, finding the right side hustle for you shouldn’t be too hard. Just as I stated before, analyze your abilities and interests before diving into a side hustle that’s going to consume your valuable time.
It’s true, time is money, and money isn’t more important than your loved ones or your overall happiness. Choose wisely.
And as always, have a goal for your side hustle income. It’s not going to do you any good to make more money if you’re not going to tell that money where to go and make progress on your financial journey.
The last thing you want is to fritter away your extra cash in restaurants and on new clothes – unless, of course, that’s your goal. Happy frugaling.
