Here Are 5 Side Jobs To Help You Both Pay The Bills And Have Fun
It doesn't matter if you're a struggling 20-something college student or a full-on working adult in America; everyone looks for that extra padding in their pockets for fun weekend activities.
So, what can you do to earn cash on the side? Here are five side hustles you need to try out.
Participate in studies and online surveys.
Think, point and click. That quick three-step process is easy as pie and can be repeated numerous times to earn you cash. You may not have realized some services will pay you money to complete surveys online in your spare time.
Each one can vary greatly from the other, with some paying you spare change for merely participating, while others — namely location-based surveys — can pay you close to $20.
Where do you start? Your phone can be a great starting point, as there are multiple apps available for download that connect to these services. Hopping onto Google works great too, as you'll quickly find companies such as CashCrate, which compensates members for shopping and testing products.
If you're still in college, your school's academic departments may periodically coordinate studies that pay participants for their time. Check around for any information on these because it can be the easiest money you'll make.
Do some odd jobs.
Ever find yourself naturally skilled at organizing shelves, assembling furniture or cleaning bathrooms? OK, the last one may not be the most desirable, but when you're looking to cut loose on the weekend, you'll scrub a toilet or two for bar money.
You'd be surprised how much people are willing to pay for someone to run their errands.
You can check out your area's Craigslist page for new postings that are easy to access and quick — and pay decently. It's worth taking a look at TaskRabbit and seeing if any listings appeal to your inner worker.
Get to freelancing.
Fine arts, folks, it's time to face it: Your major isn't a clean-cut career track like engineering. Everyone will say it to your face before graduation, and you'll laugh it off while secretly dying inside because you have “passion,” which means you suck at math and science, but can read "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" multiple times without killing yourself.
Don't fret, however, as freelancing gigs are available if you know where to look — or who to know. You could try picking some of your favorite publications and websites (like Elite Daily) and sending sample articles or spec pieces for consideration.
Your clips can land on the right desk and lead you to a sweet freelancing job. This money won't buy you a car, but it can let you drink away your sorrows while trying to convince that economics major "Moby Dick" isn't about whales.
Walk some dogs.
Listen, we know you don't want to get off the couch after class or spend your weekend mornings walking around. But, what if you were walking local dogs at parks or around the block for a small, respectable fee?
The added bonus is everyone loves dogs, so it's not even like you'd be surrounded by basic people who drone on about Starbucks orders or gluten-free WiFi.
Hop onto Craigslist or your local town's classifieds section to create a quick post advertising your dog-walking services. All those 9-to-5 workers with pooches will come crawling to your email inbox, begging you to walk Fido while they're off crunching numbers at the office.
It's a win-win situation, as owners get peace of mind knowing their dogs aren't messing in the house, and you get outside for a few hours to get some exercise too.
Sell your body.
No, we're not telling you to become a creature of the night for the sake of a few extra bucks. That's illegal (in some places), immoral (maybe) and potentially dangerous (yes) — ask Rob Schneider.
What we're talking about here is donating blood plasma to centers in your area. It sounds icky, but differs minimally from getting your blood drawn by the Red Cross.
If you're in decent shape with no diseases or ailments, these facilities will pay you for the liquid portion of your blood, which is used to treat patients with clotting issues in their systems. You won't walk out rich, but you'll have enough cash to punish your liver at night.
These are just a few of the side hustles you should try out this year. What else do you have to do with your downtime, anyway?
