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What Are the Best Tips for Making Extra Money?

By Amanda R. Bell
Updated May 17, 2024
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Among the best tips for making extra money include working overtime at an existing job or obtaining part-time employment. For those who would like to make extra money while maintaining relative control over their schedule, creating a home business may be an option. A little bit of extra spending cash can also be acquired by taking surveys or working as a mystery shopper.

Those with jobs that offer overtime work or additional shifts can often earn extra money without looking for another job. A person who is paid by the hour rather than on a salary basis may request an extra hour or two a day from his or her employer to increase cash flow. Accepting extra shifts and volunteering to work on weekends or a holiday may also be a good way to earn extra money; employers often pay more per hour to employees who work during certain times or on certain days, especially holidays.

Whether a person already has full time work, it is possible to obtain part- time employment to earn extra cash. This can include working in retail or the food industry or doing part-time work for an individual or small business. Babysitting children a few evenings a week, walking dogs, or doing landscaping work in the nearby area can be good ways to earn extra money while still maintaining control over one’s personal time.

Those without current employment may be able to start their own business. Using skills in marketing, writing, event planning, or cooking can often enable a person to offer these services on a freelance basis. This route can involve a large amount of self-promotion, although it is often not merely a way to earn extra money, but also to develop an independent source of income. For those who are artistic or handy, starting a business that sells jewelry or provides repair and remodeling work can be also be methods for increasing cash flow.

Completing surveys, typically over the Internet, can be a way to earn extra money. Although finding reputable online survey companies can be difficult, the pay is typically enough to cover a few extra meals in a month if work is done consistently. Major retail companies also often offer payment for mystery shopping. This can include shopping in a store or dining at a restaurant anonymously and then providing reviews to the company or a third party about the quality of the goods or service. Reputable mystery shopping agencies will reimburse the money a person spends and provide some form of compensation for the review itself, thereby making this a relatively easy way of earning extra money.

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