How to Earn Side Income Outside of Your 9-5 Job

With rising living standards, making it to the end of the month can be difficult. Learn to make money with part time side income outside of your job.

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Are you looking for ways to earn a side income and ways to make money outside of your job?

Then you'll love this article. I'll share 16 lucrative ways you can make some part-time side income.

Why would anyone want to make money on the side?

Depending on a monthly salary can be frustrating. With rising living standards, making it to the end of the month can be difficult. Some people depend on lucrative side business ideas to make ends meet — so learning to make money outside of your job is important.

There are plenty of ways to make money over and above your monthly salary. In order to do this, you would have to fully utilize the time and resources you already have. Of course, there may even be opportunities to earn an income while you are sleeping.

This is possible through these simple avenues that'll teach you how to make extra money.

How to Make Extra Cash through Part-Time Side Income

1. Earn Beer Money with Freecash

I'll cut to the chase. I've been checking out Freecash, a site that could potentially boost your bank account without much hassle. 

Here's the deal:

  • Companies need feedback on their stuff, so they're willing to pay for it
  • You can earn by playing games, filling out surveys, or sharing your thoughts on products
  • Payouts range from a few bucks to $225 per task (yeah, I've seen some that high)
  • Some people claim they've made over $1,000, but let's be real – your mileage may vary

Is it going to make you rich? Nah. But if you've got some downtime and want to make a few extra bucks, it might be worth a look.

If you're looking for some extra cash without picking up another job, Freecash could be worth exploring. Just remember to read the fine print and don't expect miracles.

2. A Realistic Way to Earn Passive Income

I also wanted to share something that might interest you: Arrived

It’s a platform where you can invest in rental properties without having to manage them. This means you can earn passive income with minimal effort. 

The platform is backed by investors like Jeff Bezos, which adds to its credibility. Users have been reporting an average annual return of around 10%, making it a solid option for those looking to make their money work harder​. 

It’s worth a look if you’re considering real estate investments. Don't miss out on this one, you can learn more about them here.

3. Earn Cash in Your Spare Time Taking Surveys

So, let me preface by saying I’m not a fan of wasting my time taking boring surveys.

But this is one of the best ways to make money on your phone, quickly.

Survey Junkie lets you get paid for taking online surveys from brands you use every day.

You can also participate in focus groups, try new products (free stuff, yay!), and get paid to listen to new music.

Sign up for Survey Junkie here

4. Unlock $100 Rewards by Exploring New Apps!

Ready to win some cash? This next idea is super easy…

Whether you're a glued-to-your-phone owner who is looking for a way to make extra cash, or just looking for a fun side hustle, I've got you covered.

I have personally done a ton of research on these types of game apps.

Here are some legitimate game apps that pay real money:

  • Bingo Cash: A free, skill-based game with classic bingo elements that offer opportunities to compete against other players for real money in cash tournaments
  • Solitaire Cash: A game that pays you real money for winning at Solitaire when you play in cash tournaments against other players
  • Mistplay: Pays you to play mobile games and discover new games (for Android devices only)

Other legitimate game apps that pay real money include: Blackout Bingo, Bubble Cash, Solitaire Cube, and Money Well. You can see the full list of these sorts of apps here.

5. Get Paid to Take Surveys, Watch TV, & Play Games

The next thing you can do is sign up for InboxDollars which pays you, in cash, to watch fun videos & take surveys. This rewards club provides direct cash rewards to millions of members in the U.S. and U.K. for their everyday online activities, such as reading emails, taking surveys, playing games, and signing up for offers.

If you sign up before the end of this month, they also give you a $5 free bonus just to give it a try.

By spending a couple of minutes per day on this (either on your break at work or during TV commercial breaks) you can earn and earn an extra $100/month.

Click here to sign up and get a free $5 bonus.

6. Need Cash Now?

If you're looking for a chunk of change to help start the Spring off right, a personal loan could be a good option.

If you actually need money now, then you can opt for a personal loan. When you need money in a hurry ZippyLoan is where to go.

You apply for a loan through the Zippy Loan site, if approved they send your loan application to one of many loan providers.

You review the loan details and e-sign if you like what you see. No risk in checking what offers you'll get. You can borrow between $100 and $15,000 as soon as tomorrow.

Loans service for up to 60 months.

ZippyLoan connects borrowers to lenders through their network of lenders. They'll find you the lowest interest rate and is one of the best no credit check loan.

You can visit ZippyLoan here.

7. Get Paid This Week to Make Deliveries

DoorDash lets you be your own boss and make deliveries on your own time.

You choose the hours you work and get paid cash per order (once you have access to fast pay). Rates will vary by location.

Once you sign up to become a dasher, you can earn an average of $15-25 an hour.

This is such an easy way to make money by delivering on your free time while making extra cash and funding your personal goals.

Click here to sign up with DoorDash

8. Get Paid for Your Gas Receipts

If you are looking for ways to make money quickly, you could consider using apps that'll pay you for your receipts like Upside.

Upside knows that shopping locally can put you back in touch with your community and help you uncover hidden gems.

But you still want to get the best deals, which is why Upside is so helpful. The app is a legitimate way to earn cash back on participating gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores. It is the absolute best cash back apps for gas we've reviewed.

9. Make Money Dog Sitting

If you think happiness comes from doggy kisses and wagging tails, then you would be perfect for this awesome opportunity from Rover.

Rover is the nation’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers. They offer a ton of different services to help pet owners give their four-legged buddies the attention and care they deserve when they can’t. Rover takes pride in its amazing customer care and 5-star sitter rating and Rover is full of dog lovers like yourself.

It’s a great company to work with and nothing beats adding some extra income while walking for money and playing with a bunch of different dogs!

As a Rover Sitter, you can earn up to $100 per week (or more) and don’t need to worry about networking and marketing yourself – Rover does it for you. They also offer protection of up to $1,000,000 on your services, an easy-to-use app to manage your dog sitting business, support team, and more. You can even set your own schedule and prices for ultimate control.

So, add a little more happiness to your days and get paid to enjoy some quality pup time – it’s a win-win.

Sign up for Rover here

Other Ways to Make Money Outside of Work

10. Get a Part-time Job

career myths

A part-time weekend job or side gig is an obvious way to make more money. Whether it is in the evenings after work, at night or on the weekends, a part-time job will help you make an extra amount of cash that can increase your living standards, your savings ratio or act as an emergency fund.

It really depends on you on what would fit you best as a part-time job; it may or may not be related to your job or interests. There are plenty of options here but it would probably be best to find a location that is closest to your office or home so you do not overspend on traveling costs.

11. Take on Freelancing Gigs

paid off 43k in student loans

Freelancing tasks are a popular way to make money in the gig economy. If you are already working as a web designer, for instance, gig economy jobs would encourage you to utilize your expertise for extra income. By setting up a website, you would be able to advertise your services for a very low fee. Freelancers often join freelance portals to reach out to clients, so you may want to consider joining freelance circles and markets to increase your chances of landing jobs.

The good thing about this option is that you are engaging in work that interests you most. If managed adequately, you would also be able to fit in time during working hours when your workload is low or when you are not expected to attend meetings or complete urgent tasks.

12. Start a Blog

tips for new bloggers

Blogging is a brilliant way to earn money fast. By just blogging passionately on your interests or expertise, you would be able to earn multiple streams of income through advertisements by Adsense, blog advertising and product reviews – these are just a few of many options.

Blogging can be done during your working hour’s free-time or after working hours – sometimes in front of the television. Since a blog is like a website and is on 24 hours a day, you will be making money even while you sleep. Plus, it's so easy to learn how to start a blog in 2023.

Earn around $1,000 for every 30,000 page visits
BlueHost

You can start a blog for as cheap as $2.95 per month when you choose to host your blog on Bluehost which is the best web hosting provider if you want to start a self-hosted WordPress blog or site. Bluehost is one of the few web hosting companies recommended by WordPress.org to host self-hosted WordPress blogs.

Start a Blog

13. Have a Disciplined Savings Regime

easy ways to save money

Money grows money – so utilize good financial tips like having saving options with high dividend returns and park a percentage of your salary there every month. It could be a simple dividend-base savings account, insurance plan or mutual fund, but the bottom line is, the more you save, the more income you will generate through dividends and other forms of ethical returns. You can also use money-saving apps, here are some of our favorites:

Our Pick
 
 
Pros:
  • Automatically invests spare change
  • $20 new user bonus
  • Cash back at select retailers
Pros:
  • Free budgeting tools
  • Retirement planner
  • Free portfolio advice
  • Robo plus human advisors
Pros:
  • Get control over your subscriptions
  • Stay on top of your spending
  • Put your savings on autopilot
Our Pick
Pros:
  • Automatically invests spare change
  • $20 new user bonus
  • Cash back at select retailers
Pros:
  • Free budgeting tools
  • Retirement planner
  • Free portfolio advice
  • Robo plus human advisors
Pros:
  • Get control over your subscriptions
  • Stay on top of your spending
  • Put your savings on autopilot

Do Not Become Dependent on Your Salary Alone

There are plenty of ways to make money outside of your job. Find ways to do so by utilizing your time, expertise and existing money (i.e. savings). With the right options and avenues, you may find that you are making money 24 hours a day.

In case you're not trying to roll up your sleeves and pick up another part-time gig, you can take a stab at sign up bonuses.

Cash in on the following signup bonuses available through us and you will be on your way to making an extra $100:

  • Swagbucks: $10 welcome bonus! Swagbucks is a legit rewards site with lots of different ways available to earn money. You can take surveys, play games, watch fun videos, and search the internet.
  • Ibotta: $20 welcome bonus! Ibotta pays you real money on your everyday purchases. Download the free app to receive offers and earn real cash back in stores and online.
  • Rakuten (formerly Ebates): $10 welcome bonus! Rakuten is where you can get cash back for shopping at over 2,500 stores.
  • MyPoints: $10 welcome bonus! MyPoints offers a daily rewards program and is another cashback website that works similarly to Rakuten.
  • InboxDollars: $5 welcome bonus! Earn dollars for small tasks such as taking surveys, watching videos, and playing addicting games.

Signup bonuses offer a great way to kick start your earnings with quick cash rewards.

If you wanted more ways to make money online besides these part-time side income ideas, here’s my list of the best ways to make money online:

About the author

Brian Meiggs
Hi, I’m Brian Meiggs! I’m a personal finance expert and founder of My Millennial Guide, here to help you build real wealth. With a background in finance, I’ve spent years guiding people on smart, practical ways to grow their money. For stock market beginners, I recommend Acorns. It’s a simple way to start investing with just your spare change, helping you steadily grow your portfolio over time without the need to actively manage it. And if you’re interested in real estate, check out Arrived and Fundrise. I use both myself—they make it easy to start investing in property without needing huge upfront capital. These platforms are perfect for anyone looking to add real estate to their investments for passive, long-term growth. I believe these tools are great for building a balanced investment portfolio, combining stocks and real estate for a solid approach to wealth-building. You can trust this advice—my work has been featured in major publications like Business Insider, Entrepreneur, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, Fox News, and MSN Money.

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