People are always looking to make a little extra money on the side from one scheme or another — well, that’s what I learned from Ed, Edd, and Eddy anyway. However, there are a lot of ways of earning a bit of extra cash out there that are not in any way illegal.
One person took to Reddit to find out some of these tactics, by asking, “What are some ways you can make extra money on the side that isn’t a scam or illegal?”
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What follows are some of the most popular answers that people gave. So, strap in and get your Gordon Gecko outfits on as you find out some ways to generate a bit of extra income.
Ghost Writing
“I ghost write for blogs. It pays anywhere from $10.50 to $50 per piece when purchased depending on the length and needs of the customer.” — CoffeeAndBooksLady
Freelance writing can be a great way to earn money. Chances are there is someone out there looking for someone to write something in alignment with your interests, no matter how specific.
Fidget Spinners
“Not me but my friend: He bought fidget spinners in bulk back when they were really popular and sold them. Apparently made over $200 because of the high demand.” — King_Lionel4
Seeing this opportunity and the demand is very good business. However, I wouldn’t try this now otherwise you may end up with a load of fidget spinners you can’t get rid of.
The Genius Of Youth
“A kid in my area did a genius thing. He bought a can of glow in the dark/reflective paint (white), and a can of black. He also made the stencils for the numbers 0-9. He went door to door, and told people if they didn’t mind he was going to paint their house number on the curb for better visibility and was doing it for no charge but you can choose to tip if you want.
“Of course everyone tips the kid like $20 because we all know what a pain it is to find a house in the dark. Takes 5 minutes per house. The whole street has numbers on curbs now. Brilliant kid, that kid.” — MeMoMoTimHeidecker
This kid is going places. I wish I had the ingenuity to try something like this when I was a kid instead of sitting inside playing Pokemon.
Focus Groups
“Go on Kijiji and search ‘focus group’ or ‘paid research study’. If you already work full time these things are a very low time commitment and require zero planning or thought, you just show up, give your opinion and leave. I have one on Tuesday; 75 minutes for a 100$ visa gift card.” — swenzowski
While Kijiji may be based in Canada, there are many focus group companies across the globe looking for participants, and it can be a useful way to earn a little extra cash.
Giving Blood
“You can sell blood, it doesn’t even have to be yours!” — nematodehomunclus
They are obviously joking about the blood not having to be yours! However, there are places where you can donate blood plasma for money, it is often used in clinical trials.
The Provocative Option
“If you’re a lady, there’s a lot of authentic, safe, and anonymous sites where you can sell your used panties. If you’re cool with that sort of thing, I guess.” — Cummulo-nifty
This is obviously a slightly more unhygienic option; but hey, if you want to do it then more power to you I guess.
The King Side Jobs
“I maintain websites and write newsletters for religious organizations and congregations. I bill 15 hours a month to 40 hours a month at $20 to $22 per hour. I lend my body to medical science. Students examine me for $20 to $50 per hour. I put in about 3 hours per week on average.
“I’m on call for highway snow plowing. I have plowed twice since the contract started in early November but I get paid to be on call. If I stay home the whole week I still get $400. Sometimes I moonlight as a medium distance trucker for $180 a day. I get an average of 2 shifts per week. I pray it doesn’t snow those days. So far so good. Average weekly income is just over $1,000 and I spend a lot of time at home.” — Richard
Wow, this person really is covering all of the bases when it comes to these kinds of odd-jobs.
Transcribing Audio
“There are transcription services where you get paid to transcribe audio files or videos. I think it averages out to about $15 an hour depending on which company you go through, but the files are usually only a few minutes long.” — Ashenhartkrie
Transcribing video can be pretty difficult, but lucrative if you are good at is and patient.
Fixing iPhone Screens
“I repair iPhone screens, batteries etc and work on people’s computers. I can make between $40-$120 per hour on some jobs doing fairly easy jobs that older people or people that are just too busy can’t/ don’t want to do. I’m 17 so that money goes towards my post-secondary savings and when my paycheque at my part-time job is lower than expected the side gig makes up for that.” — Bcmwolverine
This person had to post an update explaining that their inbox had exploded with messages after they had posted this. Presumably with messages from people with smashed iPhone screens!
Scrap Metal
“Scrap metal. You can get anywhere from a few cents to a couple dollars a pound based on the type of stuff you try to sell. You have to find a good, reputable place too, otherwise, you get ripped off, but generally, if you look around you could find somewhere. My dad did this almost all my life from maybe time I was around 9-10 up until he passed away a couple years ago. Having gone with him for some of those, I can tell you first hand you can come in there with junk and leave with a good couple hundred. Plus taking it apart if need be can be a good way to eat uptime.
“The good stuff last I was there were brass, aluminum (good for those cans of soda/beer, cat food cans, and so on!), even motors out of old washers, fridges, dryers did fairly well.” — Disturbed_Donut
This was something that my grandad was always doing. However, though it may not be as popular as it once was, you can still apparently earn quite a bit of extra cash form scrap metal.
Shovelling Snow
“If you live in a snowy area, advertise shoveling driveways. People rarely judge, and it’s easy money if you get some people who consistently need it.” — antiskylar1
There were a lot of people who claimed to have done this in the past. Also, I don’t know why anyone would judge someone for doing this? If people want to earn a little extra money by offering a service, what is there to judge?
Dog Poop Removal
“I once did dog poop removal to raise some money to help replace some tools and bikes I had stolen from my shed. Startup cost was low, posted to Craigslist, got a few clients, cut and run after a few months when I made enough and decided it was time to hang it up.” — manuel_f_p
Now, this one is very specific. However, it goes to show that you really can find work doing almost anything. This person also posted an update to clarify that they were removing the poop from grass and such, not from the dog itself. Truly worrying that they had to clarify this.
Crossing Guard
“Substitute crossing guard. Gotta keep the tiny humans safe.” —stretch2828
In the area where I grew up, this was a voluntary position. However, some places may offer some cash for occupying this role.
We’re Crab People Now
“I used to work on a lobster boat and at the dock, there was always a shitload of crabs. I’d set a trap in the morning one day, empty it out and rebait it after work, then bring what I had to people I know that fished for stuff that like live crabs. I’d sell a 5-gallon bucket full for 20 bucks, which worked out well for both parties because I paid nothing to get the crabs, and they’re getting 5x the bait for the same amount of money they’d spend at a bait shop.” — suxferyu
Ah, there’s nothing quite like living your life in the crab industry! Perhaps not the most glamorous way to make your living, but you’d smell like crab all the time, so that’s something… I think.
Research Studies
“Research studies! Not just ones at universities (I’ve never done one of those) but you can google consumer research studies in your area and sign up with different firms that conduct them. I did one where I used 12 different body washes in a month then gave feedback and got paid $325, one where I sat in a room with 8 other people for an hour and gave feedback about an app that was being developed for $200, etc.” — kelssssb
Universities are not the only places that you can do these sorts of trials. However, be careful with these, if you lie about one of the criteria, they will find you out. My friend found out the hard way.
Selling Plants
“Many flowers and ornamental grasses are easily grown from seed, even in a small backyard. You can sell potted seedlings to your neighbors, or contact local florists and offer cut or dried flowers for their bouquets.
“Just make sure to do your research. In some places, this requires special permits and inspections. A lot of plant ‘cultivars’ are also protected as patents, and you can get in legal trouble for selling seeds that ‘belong’ to someone else.” — HighDingyDoo
Imagine being arrested for selling regular plants without a permit. Would you really want something that embarrassing no your record? Didn’t think so! Do your research before selling plants.
Know What You’re Selling
“Seriously you need to be interested in whatever it is. For instance, if you like shopping you can buy things at thrift stores and sell on eBay but you need to know a lot about what your selling and buying.” — bigdog6286
There are so many bargains that you can find in thrift stores, and flipping these bargains for a profit is becoming an increasingly popular way to make money.
Doing Surveys
“Universities and colleges often advertise for participants for studies that they’re doing. You can make easy money by spending an hour or so answering some questions.
“On a related note, you know when you get a receipt for purchase from a retailer/ gas station/ grocery store, and it says ‘complete this survey for a chance to win $X’? Yeah, do those surveys. I’ve won $1000 in grocery store gift cards and $100 of free gas.” — Mycatsnameispepper
While this person did go on to admit that the odds are low of actually winning these surveys, it is simply a case of dedicating yourself to doing a lot of them, as in the end, you will win some.
Monetise Your Hobbies
“Sell your hobbies. Computers? Fix em. Drawing? Commission. Love pets? Walk em. Monetize what you love to do. Mowing lawns and plowing snow is another way if a bunch of old guys live in your neighborhood. Babysitting too, but only if you’re a girl, apparently. Cause I guess guys can never be good with kids.” — SentinelVortexx
There is a lot to be said about monetizing your hobbies. Also, the fact that guys aren’t allowed to be babysitters is very archaic.
Playing For The Elderly
“If you play an instrument well, you might be able to play for a nursing home. They typically schedule multiple musicians every week. Glamorous and a path to fame is not, however, the residents enjoy it and they usually only play 1 hour during lunch or dinner. Most make between $75-$125. That’s not bad for an hour of ‘work.'” — WeAllHaveOurMoments
I can imagine this must be an incredibly rewarding way to spend your time. Music cover gigs can be quite a nice way to earn some extra cash, however, it can be quite hard to find steady work.
