7 Out-of-the-Box Ways to Make Extra Cash

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• September 1, 2011
• By Heather Huhman
• 14 Comments

Whether you’re job-searching and need to make ends meet or employed and want to pad your bank account, there are lots of ways to make money aside from your day job.

You may have already moved in with a friend or family member to save money, gotten rid of unnecessary bills or stopped buying your daily coffee to save a bit of cash.

Here are a few more suggestions for bringing in the dough:

Sellstuff you don’t need. If you’ve recently graduated from college, you probably have a stack of textbooks sitting around your apartment that you can list on half.com. Or maybe you have several pieces of clothing with the tags still on them that you can part with. Have some furniture you’d like to sell? Between eBay and Craigslist, there are plenty of ways to make a few extra bucks by selling off things you don’t want or need any longer.

Start your own business. If you have a hobby, skill or expertise that others will pay for, figure out how to use that to make a profit. Perhaps you’re great at organizing or enjoy working with animals. Sites like Bragadoo can help you build referrals and gain clients. Consider buying a domain name and creating a simple website, which can cost as little as $10 per year. (Weebly is a simple drag-and-drop website builder with a variety of templates.)

Open up an Etsy shop. List handmade products on Etsy to make extra cash — anything from photography to knitted hats to graphic design products.

Start a blog. While blogging might not make you a ton of money, you can kill two birds with one stone: make some extra cash and further your career by positioning yourself as a thought leader in your field. Look to make money through ads on your blog, as well as product reviews and listing your own products (such as ebooks) on your site. This is a particularly good option if you’re a good writer or photographer — but don’t be fooled, it’s hard work to grow a blog.

Look for freelance work. Head to FreelanceSwitch, iFreelance or a similar website to find employers who are looking for workers with your skills. SEED is another resource that connects freelance writers, photographers and filmmakers with blogs and outlets. Not only can freelancing be a way to earn extra money, it also helps you build your portfolio and avoid gaps on your resume.

Complete tasks for others. At TaskRabbit, you can connect with individuals who need various forms of assistance. Users seek, for example, a photographer for an event or a handyman to fix something in their home.

Sign up to share your opinion. Become a secret shopper, or take surveys online. Companies are always looking for consumers to tell them more about their new product, ad campaign or preferences. Just make sure the opportunity is legitimate — there are a lot of scams floating around out there.

How do you earn extra cash?

Heather R. Huhman is founder and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers.