Imagine making an extra $100 a week. Itâs not easy, but that amount of cash adds up fast, at $5200 extra a year. Itâs often useful to combine a few of these throughout the year, such as taking up alternative money-making methods during the winter time, but with a bit of consistency and dedication, you can get up to and even past that $100 a week mark.
Buying and Selling Clothes - Online - $Varies
There are always bargains to be found if you know what to look for. Whether you have a particular eye for fashion or know a deal when you see one, apps like Vinted, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace are perfect for finding deals.
A particular tip for this is to shop out of season. Lots of people clear out their wardrobes seasonally, so if you can store timeless pieces while the time of year isnât quite right, the value will go up as the weather changes.
The best part is, you can sell on the same platforms you buy, so itâs nice and easy to manage everything from a single place. Iâd recommend learning how to take the best possible product photos and improving your understanding of SEO on these platforms to maximise your listingsâ discoverability.Â
Donât fall in love with the products too much though - youâll have to flog it later!
Selling Stock Photos - Online - $0-30 per hour
If you have a solid digital camera and some artistic inspiration, you can start stock photography right now! It takes a while to produce the size of portfolio you need to start earning well, but once you get to that level, the potential earnings are strong.
In order to make money selling stock photography, youâll need to find a place to sell your photos. Some options to start off with include Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Alamy, each of which have different requirements to be featured.Â
If youâre a student, I highly recommend Alamy, though. They offer students 100% commission on your sales as opposed to the usual 50%!
Selling Crafts - Online - $20-500 per hour
If youâre the kind of person who sits in front of the telly knitting every evening and have more scarves than youâll ever need, why not sell your crafts online? Itâs easy to set up a storefront on Etsy, and with a bit of keyword research and nice photographs of your handiwork, you could get people flocking to you for their next premium purchase.
Of course, this isnât a super easy approach to take, and you need to have skill in some kind of craft, whether it be drawing, jewelry making, or crochet. If it takes off, though? It can really take off and the earnings can go big.
Life/Art Modelling - In Person - $30-100 per hour
No, Iâm not suggesting that you go join a modelling agency and walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week. Although if you do, then congratulations. I mean that if youâre comfortable with remaining still for prolonged periods of time, you can earn solid money for just sitting around.
I make around ÂŁ100 every couple of weeks doing this, and there are plenty of ways into it. Some gigs require you to be comfortable in your birthday suit, but there are plenty of clothed life/art modelling positions going!
I signed up with the Register of Artist Models for a lot of my work in London, but I bet thereâll be a similar database in your local area too. Itâs a lovely way to spend a few hours, it can be meditative to sit with your thoughts, and you even get to see the beautiful art people have created with your inspiration!
Blogging - Online - $15-50 per hour
Blogging isnât the easiest way to make an extra $100 a week. Youâll need time, patience, and creativity to make it to that number. But if you have a niche topic you have a lot to say about, blogging online can be a consistent way to make extra cash.
There are loads of platforms you can start on for free, from Blogger to Wordpress, so if youâve been thinking about blogging, thereâs no excuse!
Itâs a competitive space, and I suggest combining blogging with sharing elements of your content on social media to maximise reach, but if you achieve a loyal audience, ad revenue and brand deals can start coming in.
Participating In Focus Groups - Online/In Person - $10-50 per hour
Companies often put together focus groups to discuss consumer sentiment ahead of product or service launches, and in order to get people to be involved, they often pay.
Many focus groups, like surveys, have set requirements for participation, but earning rates for focus groups can be much higher due to higher selectivity. Location will play a part in this opportunity. In the UK, Take Part In Research and Paid Focus Group are popular places to start, but UserInterviews offers online options from wherever you are.Â
Playing Video Games - Online - $5-25 per hour
Maybe you need a bit more time to yourself. Well, if youâre into gaming on your mobile phone, platforms like Freecash allow you to earn money while playing! You can earn between $5-25 an hour, and all it takes is a mobile phone, a few minutes, and access to the internet.
There are loads of games to choose from, so youâre bound to find a game you enjoy. You can get paid to play from anywhere you want, too. On the sofa? Check. On the train? You know it. At work? My boss is going to edit this piece, so Iâll say no.
Basically, if you enjoy gaming on your smartphone every so often, you might as well be getting paid to play.
Getting a Data Entry Role - Online - $25-75 per hour
With the rise of AI, data entry work has become harder to come by. However, if you know where to look and are reliably accurate in your output, thereâs still plenty of work to be found here.
If you learn a bit about Excel shortcuts and have a fast typing speed, you can differentiate yourself from a lot of others in this role. Figure out your niche, whether that be transferring text from one source to another or transcribing audio, and focus in on it.
Make a few profiles on websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer to maximise your visibility, and write up a strong personal profile showing clear examples of your experience. Then, itâs a matter of sending proposals and getting the work done! It might seem daunting, but data entry can be a great route to $100 a week if youâre efficient.
Babysitting - In Person - $12-25
Babysitting might not seem like the most wildly lucrative role, but if youâre good with kids and have a bit of free time, itâs one of the easiest jobs around. If youâre okay with the responsibility (and are lucky enough to be looking after relaxed kids), youâre basically getting paid to chill.
A few babysitting jobs a week can be a way to earn up to $100, but youâll need to rely on your personal connections to secure this work. If you live in an area with lots of young families, thereâll be great demand for babysitters - the parents will want a date night every once in a while!
There are online platforms like Care.com where you can platform yourself if your local network isnât at this level, too.
Food Delivery - In Person - $10-30
Back when I lived in Brighton, I picked up some work as a Deliveroo bike rider to grab a bit of extra income. It wasnât the easiest work - living by the coast meant every delivery was hard work on the legs - but the earning potential was pretty high!
If youâve already got a bike (or e-bike if youâre fancy), you just have to download the delivery app of your choice and you can be out on the road within a day or two!
Some riders use multiple apps at once to maximise their income, too. Youâre technically an independent contractor, so get on the road during peak mealtimes and start making that delivery cash! On the weeks I put the most focus in, I easily made an extra $100.
Tutoring - Online/In Person - $20-100 per hour
If you have a decent amount of knowledge on an academic or specialist subject, tutoring could be the perfect role for you. Whether online through platforms like Superprof or in person through advertising in your local area, you can make over $100 a week once your client base has been established.
Rates will vary depending on your skillset. If youâre tutoring at GCSE level, your earning levels will be lower than if youâre tutoring an adult coding, so select the subject and level most suited to your ability.Â
Itâs best to get an efficient process in place for this kind of work, so set up a calendar and booking system, as well as accounts on video conferencing software like Zoom or Google Meet to streamline everything before you begin. Now all you have to do is set up the lesson plans and get educating!
Renting Out Your Space - In Person - $20-100 per hour
If youâre lucky enough to have extra space in your home, and youâre not using it, why not rent it out? Take a few good quality photos of the space, chuck it online, and start earning for that space you have just sitting there.
Of course, the type of space you have will dictate earning potential, and you will need to do some work to keep the place clean between guests. You also have to be comfortable with people being in your home.
If this is all fine, though, youâre in the money! Airbnb or Vrbo are ideal for short term living space rentals, whereas a site like Peerspace is better if you happen to have a potential unique event/studio location.
You can even monetise a parking spot - particularly profitable on a matchday if you live near a football stadium. JustPark and Stashbee are just two of many options to earn from your parking or storage space.