29 Ways to Make Extra Money on the Side

How to Make Extra Income While Working Full Time

A full-time job typically takes up about 40 hours a week, leaving you very little free time after commuting, chores, and sleeping. But there are still some ways to increase your income. Here is how you can make more money on the side.

Start Affiliate Marketing

If you are an active social media user, affiliate marketing is an easy way to monetize your content. This system involves promoting other companies’ products in exchange for a commission you earn each time someone purchases an advertised item through your link. To get started, you need to sign up for platforms like ClickBank, Amazon Associates, or ShareASale and receive a unique tracking link.

This option works well for creators with loyal audiences and a wide reach, but even a small group of target readers who trust you can bring traffic that converts into revenue. Beginners can earn up to $1,000 per month once they build a platform and learn the basics. Choose a specific niche you know and care about and pick one primary channel that matches your content style.

Become a Notary Public

A notary public is an individual acting as an impartial witness to verify identities and prevent fraud when people sign important legal documents. This flexible side hustle can bring you an extra $40–$65 per visit (as a mobile notary, including travel fees) for general notary work that does not include loan deals.

As notary publics are officially appointed by a state government, they typically need to meet certain background criteria and reside in a state where they want to operate. In some states, you may also be required to complete educational courses and pass an exam (exam fees may apply). When submitting your application, you typically need to pay an initial application fee and file a surety bond if required by your jurisdiction.

Offer Errand Running Services

Multiple websites, such as Taskrabbit, Bark, or Airtasker, allow you to become a tasker and run errands for other people. Although this work is not always steady, it’s very flexible and may be easy to fit around your full-time job. Tasks may vary from picking up packages or groceries to retrieving medications from pharmacies or dropping off laundry at the dry cleaner.

In most states, errand runners typically earn $15–$40 per task, depending on the location, distance, urgency, and the pricing model. High-end tasks, such as vehicle maintenance, can pay up to $100 per hour.

Join The Air Force Reserve

This option provides a part-time supplemental income along with healthcare, education, and retirement benefits*. Being part of the Air Force Reserve gives you a second career while keeping your first one going, and you need to commit to just one weekend per month (2 days) and perform at least 15 active duty days per year.

If you want to join the Air Force Reserve, contact an Air Force Reserve Recruiter in your area and pass a pre-screening. To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident aged 17–41 and have a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.

After passing a pre-screening, you will take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, a medical exam, and a background test at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). Once qualified, you can select an available job at your chosen base. Being a part-time Air Force reservist can help you make an extra $268.96–$595.40 per month, depending on the year and your rank.

Keep in mind that reservists can be called to active duty and deployed, including overseas — factor this into your decision alongside the financial benefits.

*Retirement benefits are only available to reservists who complete 20 years of qualifying service and reach age 60. An earlier reduced age may apply based on qualifying active duty.

Provide Personal Assistance to Seniors

If you are organized, patient, and experienced with caring for others, consider helping older adults meet their long-term needs. Depending on your skills and free time, tasks may range from in-person errands, bills, and rides to home organization, virtual assistance, and scheduling appointments. Private professional caregivers can earn around $15–$21 per hour, with an average base salary of $16.88.

Try Home Staging

Home stagers help people sell their houses at a higher price. While their work typically does not affect the home’s sale price directly, it makes customers more willing to purchase the house by boosting its appearance.

If you help sell a house that is still occupied, your goal is to edit, rearrange, and style your client’s existing belongings. Common tasks here include decluttering, moving furniture, making minor repairs and upgrades, and other low-cost but high-value updates. The best part is that you do not even need to do all the work yourself. In many cases, you just provide sellers with a report and offer add-ons to help with some bullets from those recommendations.

When preparing vacant properties for sale, you will likely need to rent furniture, art, and decor to bring warmth and emotional appeal so buyers can visualize living there. This form of side income can generate $20–$50 per hour or $500–$2,000 per project if you work independently.

Wrap Your Car in Ads

If you are a car owner, car wrap advertising is one of the easiest ways to generate extra income while simply driving your regular daily routes. To get started, sign up with a legitimate vehicle advertising platform, such as Wrapify or Carvertise, and get matched with companies based on your commute, location, and driving habits.

Once you get matched, you need to get to a certified professional wrap shop in your area to install ads. Most shops use safe vinyl wraps that do not damage your vehicle. The installation process typically takes 1–3 hours. Then, you simply track your monthly mileage via an app and receive direct deposits. You can typically earn $100–$450 per month, while some services may pay up to $800. Offers with very high payouts can be a red flag.

Teach English

Even if you have no formal teaching degree or prior experience, you can still become an English tutor and teach non-native students conversation and basic fluency through platforms like Cambly and Preply. Some platforms allow you to set your own hourly rates, while others pay you a fixed per-hour amount ranging from $10–$22. Certified tutors with Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificates or those who teach English for specific purposes (ESP) can command higher hourly rates.

Keep Books for Small Businesses

A bookkeeping side hustle involves managing financial records for small businesses without needing a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license or accounting degree. This role typically requires you to record and categorize transactions, reconcile bank, credit card, and loan accounts to monthly statements, and generate monthly financial reports.

To get started, choose a niche, learn to use spreadsheets and basic accounting software (QuickBooks Online, Xero, etc.), and learn fundamentals, such as double-entry bookkeeping. Part-time bookkeepers typically earn $20–$120+ per hour, depending on experience, location, and the complexity of the bookkeeping tasks.

Refer Friends to Apps

Many apps, including cashback, travel, fintech, banking, investing, and crypto services, pay you for inviting friends to join them via your referral link. Some of them offer lifetime percentage commission on your friends’ earnings. Others pay reward bonuses for each referral or specific in-app actions. You can typically get $5–$100 per referral. Some apps also offer credits for free services. Choose an app that corresponds to your and your friends’ lifestyle and needs to maximize your earnings.

Enter and Organize Data

Part-time data entry and organization may be a good way to earn extra cash over a short period with only a laptop, typing speed, and accuracy needed. Before you start, learn how to master basic spreadsheet layout, formulas, and functions in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. These side gigs are typically entry-level, meaning that businesses do not pay much for them. However, you can still make a few hundred dollars per month (typically $10–$20 hourly) for personal expenses. Check ZipRecruiter or Indeed for job opportunities.

Participate in Studies

Clinical trials can help you make $1,000 or sometimes more, depending on the risk level and the study you participate in. Clinics typically comply with research ethics guidelines and do not publicly disclose compensation amounts. The highest payouts are usually offered for Phase I trials, which are the initial testing of medications on humans with the highest level of uncertainty and risk. Participation in Phase I trials can pay $150 to $13,000 per trial, with a median of $3,070.

Before you find and join a clinical trial in your area, evaluate everything carefully and with your safety in mind. Besides risks to your health, you may also face certain inconveniences, such as inpatient stays, frequent blood draws, and restricted diets. You can find suitable clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov or by searching public registries or hospital databases.

Donate Plasma

Plasma donors can earn around $30–$70 per visit. Each session takes about 90 to 120 minutes, including the health screening, setup, and recovery. You can donate plasma no more than twice a week (with a minimum of 48 hours that must pass between sessions), which can generate around $300–$500 per month if you do it consistently. New donors can earn up to $800 in the first month.

CSL Plasma, BioLife Plasma Services, and Octapharma Plasma are among the most recognized certified centers where you can donate plasma. If you decide to try this, make an appointment in advance. Expect a health exam and a questionnaire on your first visit. Eligibility criteria vary by center, but commonly, you will need to be between 18 and 65–74 years old (age limit varies by center), and have a minimum weight of 110 pounds. You will also need to bring your photo ID, Social Security number, and proof of residence.

Earn Money as a Brand Ambassador

Brand ambassadors are freelance contractors who help companies promote their products and increase recognition. They can earn quick money for advertising posts, sales through referral links, or participating in various events while wearing the brand’s uniform and offering free samples to other visitors. To get started, you typically need to provide a resume tailored to ambassador gigs. This source of side income works best for bloggers, influencers, and people with outgoing personalities. Sometimes, you may need to obtain extra certification for food handling or a Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) alcohol certificate.

Become an Instagram Influencer

While it usually takes time and effort, being an influencer can be a highly paid job that opens up new opportunities, including advertising contracts and collaborations with huge brands. Reaching that point requires you to choose the right niche you are interested in and create content frequently to grow an audience.

Brands typically target micro-influencers with 10K–50K followers due to high engagement rates and reasonable pricing. Rates are highly negotiable and depend on the niche, brand, content type and format, and your tier. The 2026 industry benchmarks show that nano-influencers with up to 10K followers earn around $25–$150 per post, while micro-influencers can make $250–$5,000. Reels and Carousels usually come at a higher price, while advertising through Stories costs less.

Transcribe Audio Into Text

Many organizations in industries like law enforcement, healthcare, content creation, finance, and education are searching for people who will listen to audio files and type what they hear into text. This side gig only requires you to have a reliable computer and headphones, good grammar, and high typing speed.

Some companies pay a fixed amount per audio, while others apply hourly rates or pay based on the number of audio minutes or hours. You can typically earn around $0.30–$0.90 per audio minute or ~$18–$56 per hour. Look for opportunities on TranscribeMe or GoTranscript.

Monetize Your YouTube Channel

If you have a YouTube channel with an eligible number of subscribers, you can join the YouTube Partner Program to enable account monetization. Earn ad revenue, premium revenue sharing, and fan funding, depending on the watch-hour and subscriber milestones.

The program is available starting from 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the past 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours (long-form) or 3 million Shorts views. However, this option only unlocks fan funding and shopping features. Full monetization tier with traditional ad revenue starts at 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. Creators typically net $1–$7 per 1,000 views after YouTube’s 45% revenue share.

Become a Social Media Manager

Freelance Social Media Management (SMM) specialists help businesses plan content, grow their audience, and engage customers to sell their products and services. This side hustle requires you to be creative, a strong communicator, tech-savvy, and familiar with social media, marketing strategies, SEO content optimization, and design. It’s also a plus if you have copywriting, editing, and data analysis skills. An average salary of an SMM specialist in 2026 is $31.18 per hour or $5,403 per month.

Edit Videos for Creators

Video editors are now in high demand due to content growth. However, the role requires certain technical and content skills. You also need to know how to use professional software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro for advanced editing. Video editors can earn $15–$35+ per hour, or $150 to $1,000+ per project, depending on the client, task, and skills. You can find video editor freelance jobs at platforms like Upwork.

Grow and Sell Houseplants

This hobby can generate money with minimal upfront investment. All you need is healthy parent stock, propagation and growing supplies, space, and the right platform to reach buyers. If you are new to it, start with fast-growing plants that require no specific maintenance and can survive irregular watering, low light, and occasional neglect (snake plants, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, succulents).

Once you gain experience, you can start growing niche or rare varieties that you can then sell at a higher price. For example, a medium-sized Philodendron Tortum specimen can cost around $400, while Alocasia azlanii may reach $700.

Help People Move

Moving is often hard work, and many people are looking for someone to delegate it to. If you are physically strong, use local apps, community groups, or gig platforms that let you filter by location to offer independent heavy-lifting services. Those who own a large vehicle, such as a pickup truck or cargo van, can also offer larger-scale moving or hauling assistance.

Entry-level helpers with no car typically earn $10–$15 per hour, while experienced movers with trucks who offer full service usually make $30–$50+ for local moves. There’s also a chance of getting tips on top of your standard hourly rate.

Tip: Use proper lifting form and back support to avoid injuries when handling heavy furniture.

Try Freelancing

Freelancing is a broad term that refers to a flexible, online working process from anywhere and on your own schedule based on the skills you have. Typical freelance jobs include copywriter, editor, graphic designer, web developer, digital marketing strategist, virtual assistant, and more. You can find suitable gigs on dedicated freelance platforms, such as Upwork or Fiverr.

Freelance hourly rates vary widely by niche, your experience, the services you offer, the number of active working hours a day, and your rating on the platform. Although you shouldn’t expect to earn much at first, your pay will rise over time once you gain experience and get a few good reviews. The 2026 Upwork research shows that freelancers working at entry-level administrative roles earn around $10–$25 per hour, while those holding highly specialized positions get around $75–$150+.

Remove Trash

Garbage and waste businesses are easy to fit around your full-time work. Trash pickup requires no special skills or training while helping the environment. You simply need to sweep up empty drink cups, cans, bottles, candy and fast food wrappers, cigarette butts, and other items. Litter cleanup services are in demand with virtually any type of offices and retail businesses.

Cleaning small strip malls or commercial lots a few times a week takes about 30–60 minutes per site. You can realistically earn around $18–$25 per hour.

Resell Clothing

If you already have clothes you do not wear collecting dust on shelves, sell them online via Facebook Marketplace or visit one of the local resale stores like Uptown Cheapskate that pay immediate cash for acceptable items based on their selling potential. Alternatively, you can hunt for overlooked items, vintage pieces, or brand-name apparel with high resale demand at thrift stores or flea markets.

Babysit

Babysitting is another option for people who feel comfortable with kids and know how to take care of them. You can search for families looking for sitters via Care.com or Sittercity, or ask your friends and family members whether they know someone who might need help. This side hustle has an average hourly rate of $15–$23, depending on your location, while qualified sitters with pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid certification can set higher rates.

Sit and Walk with Dogs

Turn your love for animals into a flexible source of extra income by walking and/or sitting with dogs while their owners are at work, on a business trip, or on vacation. This option requires almost no startup costs. You can find clients via pet care apps like Wag! or by word of mouth. Depending on the dog, location, and particular tasks, you can earn $15–$30 per walk and $25–$75 per night for overnight sitting.

Become a Handyman

A handyman is a skilled professional who handles a wide range of small- to mid-sized home repairs and maintenance tasks. Key areas typically include carpentry, minor plumbing, fixture replacement, furniture assembly, and basic electrical work.

If you are good at these, offer your services through community groups, neighborhood apps, or dedicated platforms, such as Angi. An average part-time handyman salary in the U.S. is $25.49 per hour or $4,417 per month. Experienced handymen can get around $50–$300 per job, depending on its complexity and skills required.

Rent Out Free Space

If you have a spare room in your house, try to find a long-term roommate or a short-term renter via Airbnb, Roomies, or Roommates. Make sure the room is clean and furnished, and the tenant can easily access the bathroom and kitchen. If you have a mortgage, let your lender and insurer know before renting out any rooms. Otherwise, the lender may increase your interest rate or even demand the loan be repaid in full. The amount you can earn depends on rent pricing in your area, but a monthly rent plus a one-time security deposit can easily generate $1,000 or even more.

Alternatively, you can rent spare space in your garage or closet at Neighbor. Monthly parking can earn you $100–$150.

Record Audiobooks

Audiobook narrators can work from home and get paid for turning text into audio. This gig requires vocal versatility, acting skills, stamina, and technical audio editing skills. You will also need to have basic recording software and equipment to get started.

Narrators usually get paid for the finished hour of audio (PFH) rather than for the actual time spent recording. The average PFH rate for audiobook narrators with some experience is between $100 and $250, while beginners typically get around $50–$200. Some projects offer a royalty share of around 50% of whatever the author makes for each audiobook sale. You can register as a narrator at ACX.com.