Do you want to make more money? I’m not sure anyone has ever said, “No, I have plenty of money.” Have you considered a side hustle? Have you ever felt like you just don’t have enough money to get ahead? These 8 suggestions will increase your income so you have extra money. Not all of these suggestions are right for everyone. That is, after all, what makes it personal finance. Take the suggestions that work with your life and leave the rest.
Ask for a raise at your current job to make more money.
Have you ever thought that you work so hard and spend so much time at your job, but just don’t get paid enough? Ask for more. Schedule time to sit down with your boss and describe the ways that you are a valuable team member and any special projects that you have taken on. Then say that based on this, you would like to ask for your salary to be increased to $(insert your target salary). Worst case, your boss will say no. If she says no, don’t immediately walk away with your tail between your legs. Instead, ask if there are any projects you can take on to use your skills and ask when would be a good time to have a follow up conversation and discuss your salary again. If she says, “No it really just isn’t in the budget / the company doesn’t have any money right now,” say thanks for your time and move on to the other suggestions below and/or start looking for a new job with higher pay at another company.
Make sure you’re earning cash back on purchases.
This doesn’t mean that you should buy more because you’re getting cash back, but there are some things that you have to spend money on so you may as well at least be getting cash back on those purchases.
– The first way to get cash back is to have a credit card that gives you cash back or something else you will use like airline miles. I use cards that offer cash back and have them set to auto apply the cash to my credit card balances once I hit the minimum required to receive the reward. Be sure to only use credit card rewards to make more money if you can afford to pay the balance off each month.
– Once you have that part setup, you can also use cash back sites and apps for specific purchases. My favorite for online purchases is ebates. Sign up for ebates through my affiliate link and you’ll get $10 free. ebates can accessed online or through a mobile app. Login and search for the name of the site where you are making your purchase. Then use that page to make your purchase. The % of reward goes back into your ebates account and then you can cash it out quarterly. I have mine setup to auto cash out into my paypal account each quarter.
– My favorite for groceries is the app ibotta. Sign up for ibotta using my affiliate link and get $10 free. Then make each grocery store you frequently visit a favorite. Don’t forget about stores like Walmart and CVS. Then look through the rewards available and hit + to add the coupons. Once you visit the store and make your purchases, use the ibotta app to take a picture of your receipt and get rewards. Each time you reach the minimum withdrawal amount, you haven options for how to receive your reward. Personally, I like to cash out through Venmo. Be sure to check out the bonuses since they are ways to earn cash back faster. Make sure that you aren’t buying things just because you have an ibotta reward on it because there may still be a less expensive option, but it can be really helpful if you’re already going to buy the item or if you need the item and would usually buy another brand, but the ibotta reward will make that brand less expensive.
Rent out a room.
This could mean getting a roommate or using airbnb. Do you have a two bedroom apartment, but typically just use one bedroom? Think about if you’d like a roommate for steady income or if you’d rather have flexibility and use airbnb to only rent it during certain weeks. If you’ve only got one room and think that this option isn’t for you, do you travel often? Consider renting your whole apartment or house through airbnb while you’re on vacation or traveling for work.
Take a skill you have and offer lessons.
There are tons of options with this one. Think about your skills and how you can get extra money with them. This could be tutoring, teaching a musical instrument, teaching a foreign language or even English as a second language with VIP Kids. Think outside the box for tons of ways to make more money! Can you teach knitting, how to make a table, swimming lessons, how to grill the perfect steak, etc.
Take a hobby and make it a business.
Tons of options here as well. Think about what you like to spend your free time doing and decide if there is any way to make money doing it. Here are some ideas to spark your creativity.
– Love taking pictures? Start a photography business and offer photo shoots for special occasions. Some ideas include newborns, kids bithdays, 8th grade final dances, proms, weddings, or even professional headshots.
– Passionate about baking? Make desserts for weddings or create a custom cake or masterpiece for kid’s birthday parties.
– Know how to create websites? reach out to local small businesses and offer to help them improve their sites (or create a new one from scratch).
– Love pets? become a pet walker or pet sitter (start your own business or join Rover or Wag).
– Love kids? babysit.
Make money driving.
Drive for Lyft or Uber. If you’re able and willing to drive late at night on weekends, this can be a solid money maker.
Take surveys online.
I have to admit, this one takes longer to truly see the return, but you can make more money using sites like inboxdollars. It may just take a while for the money to add up.
Sell something.
I’m not saying you have to go extreme and sell 2 of your kitchen chairs if you have 4 and only typically use 2, but there probably is something you own that you don’t use. Clothes you never wear, DVDs you don’t watch because they’re on netflix, books you read once and won’t read again. Sell on craigslist or ebay. If you really can’t find anything you don’t want, you can check at yard sales and resell the items.
Do any of these ideas call to you? Has this sparked a new idea of how you can make more money? Comment below and share your story.
Other Posts:
Friendsgiving Potluck
Emergency fund importance
Step up your budget