If you are reading this post I have a feeling you are sick and tired of your job or are in need of extra money coming in. You might even be desperate! Regardless of your situation, I want to offer you hope. There are options that truly could change your situation for the better.
I have been desperate at times and felt overwhelmed trying to find something that I could do. I am not lazy in the least! I just wanted to be home with my two girls while they were small. If this is you, or a version of how you feel, I get it. We are on the same page.
Below, are 8 things I have actually done to generate money on the side. Hopefully, something here will be a fit in your current situation.
1. Sold Diabetic Test Strips Online. I found a short course on how to sell and make money on eBay. One of the trainers suggested buying and selling diabetic test strips as a way to generate money. I tried it and it worked! This is actually pretty cool and can pay very well. It is all about the brand of test strips you are buying but with good test strips, you can make really good money. On my best month I made around $900 but on average I would bring in around $500 per month.
This is a legit way to make money and I still have a few people who sell to me. It is quick to start and VERY easy to do.
2. Cleaned Houses. I did this in college for spending money and in order to help with my school bill. However, I have continued to pick up a house here and there since my daughters were born. It was a way to cover groceries or a fun outing for my family on the weekends.
Not a glamorous way to make money but there are plenty of people out there who will pay good money so they don’t have to clean. Create flyers for the neighborhood you are looking to service and put up an announcement on any social media you have. I promise you can pick up one or two houses fairly quickly.
3. Wrote and Sold Books on Amazon. Full disclosure, my husband is actually the one who wrote the books but I helped him get the books listed and up for sale on Amazon. If you would like to see his books click on these links. How to Get What You Want When You Want It and Piercing the Darkness of Depression.
Amazon has a very easy platform to use. Uploading and viewing the book is simple. You don’t make money overnight and you’ll need to promote the book in order to generate sales.
There are websites all over that will promote your book for you. Some sites are free and others might require a small fee. However, if you like to write and have a topic in mind, get going! A few hundred dollars a month is worth it.
4. Sold Clothes on eBay. I started doing this about 7 or 8 years ago when the girls were small. It was an easy way to generate cash. I would usually start by bundling things together. For example, all jeans that were the same size would go in a listing together. Clothing like Easter dresses, fancy shoes, or name brand items tend to sell well on their own. You will need a Paypal account in order to collect payments. Generating your shipping label is super easy through eBay and Paypal. Both sites even notify you when items are sold and payment has been received.
Click here to learn a little bit more about how to get started with making money through eBay.
5. Dog Sitting. I have done this for years. It started with family and now I have a few people who reach out to me to keep an eye on their dogs while they are out of town. My daughters will be starting this as a side job this summer. I will be sure to post updates on their progress.
6. Worked in customer service from home for LiveOPS. I did this for several months when Jeff and I were trying to pay down our debt. I was willing to do anything to make it go a bit faster and this helped. I made several hundred dollars each month and the work was not hard. You’ll need a phone line dedicated to LiveOps, a headset would be preferred, a computer and a friendly voice.
Click here to learn more about the requirements for working with LiveOps. You can make up to $25 an hour once you get your groove and understand the system. Twenty five an hour?! That is very good money!
7. Babysitting small children for moms who worked full time. I was a stay at home mom for almost 7 years with our two small kids. Several times during that season I had friends who needed someone to watch their kids for a week or several weeks while they were in between babysitters.
I babysat for a friend who was a teacher before staying home with her young son. She was offered an extended substitute teaching job for 8 weeks and needed someone to watch her little boy. She needed someone and I needed money. So, it was a perfect fit!
8. Worked with a network marketing company. I did this from 2005 to about 2010. It was a health and wellness company that had great products! I still use some of their products today.
If you have a product you like and are buying from an independent supplier, I encourage you to take a look at their business plan and consider learning about how you could make money with the company. It can’t hurt to give it a chance and see if you could bring in a couple hundred dollars a month.
I know this might not be a fit for everyone but it would be something to consider. I personally know several women who make TEN DIGITS per month with these type companies. Yes, per month!
The main thing here is to just get something going. Nothing in life happens overnight. Decide that you want to make a change and just do it!
Action step:
1. Sit down right now and write down five things you would be willing to do in order to make extra money.
2. From that list, pick your top 2.
3. With those two, write down three steps you can do in the next 24 hours to start moving.
4. In the next 24 hours DO those three things!
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Always in your corner!