Sometimes you need money ASAP. Maybe it’s because there’s an emergency or you’re planning a vacation. Other times it’s because you want to pay down your debt or start saving for retirement. Regardless of the circumstance, it’s incredibly easy to make an extra $500 this month. Don’t believe me?
Try out any of these 50 suggestions and let me know how it worked out for you. You may be able to make an extra $500 from one or more of these tactics so you can increase your income and cash flow right now.
1. Babysit
This way to make an extra $500 a month isn’t just a side-gig for teenagers. As long as you have friends, family, or neighbors that could use a babysitter you can make close to $14 per hour.
2. Bake/Cook
If you have a knack for baking or cooking, then why not cash-in on your delicious recipes? You can start by baking goods for birthdays or weddings or catering smaller events. Eventually you can sell your products online or invest in a food truck.
3. Bartend
If you’re free on the weekends, then start bartending. On average, you can make around $12.30 per hour. However, top earners can pull-in closer to $20 per hour.
4. Become an Instructor
Whether if you know how to play a musical instrument or are trained as gym or yoga instructor, you can put those skills to work. Teach a couple of classes in-person or launch an instructional blog.
5. Bookkeeper
This may not be the most exciting side-gig but it does help you make an extra $500. But, it’s an entry-level position that a lot of individuals and businesses are in need of.
6. Build or Make Homemade Items
Regardless if it’s furniture, clothing, jewelry, or beauty products you can easily sell your homemade items on sites like Etsy.
7. Build Websites
You don’t have to a wiz at web design or development to cash-in on this skill. After all, everyone needs a website these days. But, most people don’t have either the knowledge or patience to build their own site. That’s when you can offer to build it for them for around a hundred bucks per site.
8. Busk
If you’re a musician, or really anyone that has a talent suited for street performance, you can earn a decent living busking. In fact, some buskers can make over $500 per day. Of course, this depends on your location and the hours you put-in.
9. Caddy
Do you enjoy and understand golf — and don’t mind the physical labor? Then start caddying on the weekends. It’s not uncommon to make around a hundred bucks for an 18-hole round.
10. Claim Lost Money
This is far from a guarantee. But check out a site like Unclaimed.org to see if any state that you’ve resided in is holding money that you’re owed. Examples include old paychecks, rebates, or refunds
11. Clean Houses or Offices
Whether if it’s because they don’t have the extra time or aren’t physically able to do this, there is a huge demand for home or office cleaning. Best of all? It’s a low investment to get started.
12. Clean-up Parking Lots
Not a glamorous gig. However, you can rake-in some serious dough by cleaning-up parking lots after hours. Just ask Brian Winch who started CleanLots.com.
13. Coach or Consult
If you have previous experience or knowledge in a specific area, then you can offer those services as a coach or consultant. For example, you could be hired to help get a startup off the ground or instruct a business on how to go green. I know plenty of consultants who started out part-time, but have switched to full-time because they’re earning enough to live comfortably.
If you’re interested, check out this handy guide we put together for consultants.
14. Customer Service/Tech Support
As long as you have a reliable phone line and internet, along with some decent communication skills, you can offer customer or tech support from home whenever you have the spare time. Most of these jobs pay around $10 -$15 per hour.
15. Deliver Pizzas
Depending on where you live, it’s possible to make $75-$125 per evening during the dinner rush on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
16. Dog Walk or Pet Sit
Thanks to sites like Petsitting.com, Care.com, Rover.com and DogVacay.com, this has never been easier. I know several people who have quickly made an extra grand a month by joining these sites.
17. Drive For Uber/Lyft/Amazon
Whether if it’s after work or for a couple of hours during the weekend, driving for Uber or Lyft is a guaranteed way to put extra cash into your pocket. If you’re not a fan of taxing people, try out Amazon Flex where you deliver packages instead.
18. Evaluate Search Engines
As the name implies, this where you evaluate search engine results for relevancy to a search query. It’s a pretty simple way to earn $12-$15 per hour.
19. Facebook or Twitter Administrator
It’s possible to make $500 a month just by being an administrator for someone’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
20. Fill-Out Surveys
When combined with money-saving tools, taking surveys on sites like Swagbucks, Inboxdollars, American Consumer Opinions, Opinion Outpost, Survey Junkie, and Harris Poll can pull-in an extra $500/month.
Keep in mind that you’ll get compensated in points that you use to redeem gift cards. However, you can always sell the gift cards you ean.
21. Fix Items
Are you able to repair things like cars, computers, or furniture. If so, start charging people to repair these items whenever you have the free time.
22. Flip Apps or Websites
Fliptopia and Flippa are just two of many websites that auctions off apps and websites. It’s possible to spend a couple of hundred bucks on an app or website and turn it into thousands – if not more.
23. Freelance Audio Transcribing
This could be one of the easiest ways to make $500 month. You’re sent an audio file and then you type it out. Easy, peasy.
24. Freelance Writing
If you’re knowledgeable or passionate in a subject are, then you can write about that topic as a freelancer writer. Depending on your expertise and the site you’re writing for, it’s possible to earn $24/hour.
25. Get Paid to Walk
It’s true. Achievement will pay you for completing healthy activities like walking around your neighbor. When you earn 10,000 points, you can cash out for a $10 Amazon gift card. That’s not much, but there’s no limit on what you can earn.
26. Host a Foreign Exchange Student
If you have the extra room and meet the qualifications, then you can earn at least $500 by hosting a foreign exchange student.
27. Join a Virtual Jury
In order to test their case, attorneys will pay online mock jurors – who can pocket between $10-$60. Here’s a list of seven online mock jury sites to get started.
28. LinkedIn Profile Writing
Are you proficient at writing incredible LinkedIn profiles? Do you have a knack for writing resumes as well? If so, you can write the profiles for professionals and bank an additional $1,000 to $1,500.
29. Make Extra Cash at Your Job
Sometimes you don’t have to look for a side-gig or extra money laying around. It could be right beneath your nose at your current job by asking for overtime, doing a job no one else wants, referring new customers or employees, or just asking for a raise.
30. Mow Lawns/Shovel Snow
If you have a mower and enjoy being outside, then start mowing the lawns for your neighbors. During the colder months of the year offer to remove snow from driveways or walkways.
31. Open a New Bank Account
Believe it or not there are banks that pay up to $250 for opening-up a new account. Do that a couple of times and you’re set. Here’s lengthy list that the Penny Hoarder put together of banks that offer sign-up bonuses.
32. Open a New Credit Card
Obviously you don’t want to sign-up for too many credit cards. But as long as you’re responsible, meaning that you can pay down your balance each month, signing-up for a new credit card is a quick way to make money thanks to sign-up bonuses. Here’s a list to get you started from NerdWallet.
33. Peer-to-Peer Lending
With sites like Prosper and Lending Tree you can join a peer-to-peer lending program and then earn money through interest rates.
34. Perform Tasks
If you don’t mind running errands or doing household chores, then you can become a TaskRabbit in order to make some fast cash on-the-side.
35. Photography
If you have an eye for capturing the moments then start your own side-photography business. Just focus on a niche, like weddings.
You can also sell you images on sites like Shutterstock.
36. Put Ads on Your Car
This where a company “wraps” your car with an advertisement. Depending on your vehicle, daily commute, and how much of your car is being wrapped, you can make between $200 to $1000 per month.
I would read an article like this one so that you don’t get scammed.
37. Recycle
Regardless if it’s cardboard or scrap metal, you can actually make pretty penny through recycling. I recommend that you read this guide getting carried away so that you know what you and can not recycle.
If you don’t have any metal of cardboard lying around, there are still plenty of other common household items that you can recycle for cash.
38. Refer a Friend
Just like an employee referral program, there are companies that have a referral program if you bring in new customers. For example, Acorns will pay me $5 for each referral. They allow up to 12 referrals, so that’s a quick way to earn $600.
39. Rent Stuff Out
Do you have a spare bedroom? Rent it out on Airbnb. Do you have a garage or parking space you aren’t using? Rent those out as well.
But, that’s just the beginning. Today you can rent everything out from bicycles to household items to even you friendship on RentAFriend.
40. Run a Photo Booth
Unlike photography, you don’t need much experience to run a photo booth. After you’ve got the basics down, it’s fairly easy to run. Best of all? You can pocket around $1,000 per weekend if you work several events.
41. Save $500 a Month
I know. Easier said than done. But, take the time to sit down and create a budget. Hopefully you’ll notice some expenses that aren’t necessary, like that gym membership you never use. Also, it gives you a chance to compare various plans, such as insurance plans.
You can also refinance your debt through sites like SoFi where you’ll probably get a lower rate and better terms and start automating your savings through apps like Acorns.
All of these small steps can result in big monthly savings.
42. Security for Sporting Events or Concerts
Sporting events and concerts are always in-need of people to make the event run more smoothly, such as security. If you work at an NFL stadium, for example, you could earn a $100 per game.
43. Sell Your Body
Get your mind out the gutter. This isn’t what you think it is. Instead, this means participating in medical research, selling plasma, or even selling your hair on site like BuyandSellHair.com.
44. Sell Water
Sell water to tourists, concert goers, or people attending a sporting event or county fair. Pretty much wherever people gather. It’s a low cost-investment that has a high ROI.
45. Sell Your Junk
Take an inventory of the items around your home. Are there clothes, household items, or electronics you’re no longer using. If so, start selling them either online on Craigslist or eBay or in-person at consignment shops or hosting a yard sale.
46. Teach English
If you have a 7 or 8 extra hours a week then you can teach English to children in China online though VIPKID. Expect to bring-in between $14 – $22 per hour.
47. Tutor
Whatever subject you’re strong-in, start tutoring local students – whether if it’s high school or college – you could use your assistance. It’s completely normal to charge $35 per hour, so just working for four hours every Saturday can net over $500 a month.
48. Virtual Assistant
The average VA makes between $35-$50/hour. Not too shabby for a side-gig that you can start immediately and from the comfort of your home. As you add hours, you should have no problem making an extra $500.
49. Watch TV
It’s true. You can actually make an extra $500 by watching TV and videos on any of these sites. Like completing surveys, you’ll be paid with gift cards, which again, you can turn around and sell.
50. Write an eBook
Writing eBooks are easy to create and format if you’re familiar with a niche. In fact, you could spend around 10 hours and spend $500 to produce an eBook that will rake-in a couple of thousand bucks per month. Even better, since this is a passive income, that eBook will continue to make you money without you having to lift a finger. That means many more months where you can make an extra $500.
