How-Tuesday: How To Supplement Your Income Without Getting a Second Job

Working your behind off from 9 to 5 throughout the week and still don't have enough spending money? While these are not, by any means, get-rich-quick schemes, they will help you to make a few extra dollars without clocking into a second job.

Simplify + Sell

For quick cash, clear out your place. Minimalism is in. If you haven't paid that shelf of books, box of toys, or bin of knick-knacks any attention in the last year or two, they can probably go, for a profit. Try selling gently used books, electronics, and clothes to secondhand shops like Half Price Books , Mega Replay, and Plato's Closet. If you've got a little more time and patience, try selling your items online via sites like eBay and Amazon or in a yard sale to rake in even more.

Take Your Hobby to the Next Level

Spend your nights creating paintings you'll never hang up? Are you an avid thrifter of stuff you'll never use? Maybe you put lots of money into baking or brewing but have far more cupcakes or bottles than you'll ever consume.  Look into selling your creations at Farmer's Markets, flea markets, and online.

Share Your Knowledge

Have a knack for helping kids learn? Love working your way through a math problem?  While lots of tutoring centers are volunteer-run, others might just offer a monetary incentive. If you're a university student, there are usually learning centers on campus that are student-run and paid, with flexible hours. If you're a student, your input might earn you a little money when it comes to surveys or studies done by departments on campus. (Psychology departments often post call outs for paid study and survey opportunities.)

Freelance

Love snapping photos in your spare time or find yourself longing to review that concert you just attended? Freelance opportunities are great because you typically get paid per photo or article, or other service, and you're not tied into any contracts or hours - so if you can't dedicate any time the week of finals or during an extra busy workweek, you don't have to.  Contact your local publications, studios, and more and find out if they offer freelance opportunities. In addition, try sites like Freelancer, Fiverr, and Voices 123.

Advertise

Already have a blog out there? If you're getting pretty decent traffic, look into advertising opportunities. You likely won't make much, but it's a little something extra! Also, consider car wraps and logos - some companies want to spread the word via vehicles and will pay you just to slap their sticker on your ride.

Help Out Friends, Family + Neighbors

Let friends, family, and your neighbors know that you're more than willing to housesit, babysit, petsit, mow the lawn, or deliver groceries in exchange for a few bucks or a home-cooked meal.

Save a Life

Plasma donation is gaining in popularity, and it's no wonder why. In just a couple of hours a week, you can make a lot of money. (At a facility like Biolife, you can make about $200 per month if you go regularly.) The process is less intense than donating blood and only takes about an hour per visit - up to two visits per week. Be sure to research and read up on the facility nearest you and make sure you follow the guidelines they suggest for making your visits as smooth as possible. You'll leave with a little extra money in your pocket and a sense of pride in knowing that you just helped someone in need.

Rethink Your Savings

Above all else, you should make sure that you're getting the most out of the money that you are making. If you've been storing all of your earnings in a checking account, then it's just sitting there waiting for you to use it. Look into how much you'll earn on your money by depositing some into a savings account. Also, take some time to sit down with your financial institution to discuss other options like CDs and investing.

Check out these 25 additional tips for making extra money.

Sometimes, picking up a second, part-time job is going to be your best bet for stable, added income. But put your mind to a couple of these options and you might just make enough to cover a bill or groceries month to month!