There are times when you need to get your hands on money, like fast. If bills are piling up and debt is piling on, you may be in need of an alternate source of income. This is especially likely if you happen to be between jobs, or are already part of the burgeoning gig economy, where income predictability may be lacking. You’re definitely not alone. There are frightening statistics out there that show many of us have $1,000 or less in our bank account at any given time.
Here are some easy income-generating ideas you might want to consider; make use of any extra time you may have on your hands with these moneymakers.
Sell Possessions You Don’t Need
There may be thousands of dollars sitting in those closets, in that basement, or in your garage. You may not exactly be a hoarder, but chances are you’ve accumulated stuff over time; you could easily get rid of some of it, and never even notice. Those unused items may add up to considerable cash when you consider:
- Clothes
- Tech devices
- Musical instruments
- Inherited stuff
- Furniture
- Antiques
- Jewelry
That’s not to say you want to unload precious family heirlooms, but there are likely things currently in your possession you could sell to raise a bunch of money, quickly. Have a look through your inventory. Clear up the clutter and make some cash.
Long Term Car Rental
If you have a vehicle, and it’s not doing much but sitting in your garage or driveway, you could put it to work for you, and get paid for it. There are many car-share services, such as RideAlike, serving the Greater Toronto Area, which would like to enhance their offering with additional vehicles, yours included. Rented out for longer periods, the dollars incoming can really add up.
Teaching English as a Second Language
We are blessed in Canada to have English as an official language – it’s really the language of the whole world, and people across the globe are eager to learn it. Your educational background may be the perfect money-maker for you, in the form of teaching English as a second language. It might be online to someone halfway across the globe. Or, since Canada is a haven for immigration, we always have lots of newcomers who need to upgrade their English skills. As well, if fluent French is part of your skillset, there could be extra money for that as well. Consider this teaching gig as a pathway to extra income.
Part-time Work in All Its Many Forms
You might be easily able to utilize your spare time to earn extra money, with the simple, time-tested part-time job. Many gigs allow for flexibility and shorter hours, such as:
- Bartender
- Photographer
- Handyman/woman
- Gardener/Lawn Cutter
- etc.
The list is nearly endless. You may already be fitted out with all the equipment and gear you need to offer up your services, with a skill or skills you already possess; in other words, no training period – you can start earning right away.
Rent Out a Room
Sometimes, you may feel like you have just a bit too much space on your hands – either a roomy, multi-bedroom apartment or a house. There is a steady stream of regular income to be had from renting out a portion of your house. This can be done on a long-term basis i.e. month to month, or it can be a short stay, utilizing one of the online booking services out there. Either way, your spare room, or basement, or attic, could become someone’s new dwelling, and you could get paid for it.
Cut Your Expenses
This one may not relate exactly to the title of the article. Let’s be honest, the hardest task on this list is, in fact, not spending so much money. So on the one hand, it is difficult, but on the other, the money is already there, in your wallet, in your bank account, on your credit card. All you have to do is – not spend it. Consider what you can cut:
- Restaurant meals
- Coffee runs
- Online memberships
- Subscriptions
- Alcohol and tobacco
- Recreational drugs
If one or more of these items is on your list of regular activities, there is fast money to be made, by simply cutting back on them, or cutting them out altogether. If you can do it, you have rightfully “earned” that money.
Dog Walker
Believe it or not, there is serious income to be made from walking dogs. You see them on the streets, with multiple leashes in their hands. Those dog walkers are earning up to $35 per hour, per dog. You read that right. If you develop a clientele of six pooches at one time, that is a whopping $210 for an hour-long walk. It has incredible earning potential, but it has prerequisites – mainly, you’ve got to be a real dog lover to take out five or six at a time. It probably isn’t the easiest gig in the world if you have multiple animals under your charge at once. But, it is great exercise and can make you fast money.
Rent Out Your Yard for Dogs
Here’s another opportunity for dog lovers. Dog owners out there often search for fresh terrain for their pets to play. The majority of them are apartment or condo dwellers who simply don’t have the space near them. There are now services you can sign up with, offering your yard, preferably a decent-sized one, for dogs to frolic in. There are strict terms of use, uppermost that the owners clean up after the pets, and damage costs must be covered by the customer if incurred. Best of all, you get to set the rate per hour. So it’s pretty much up to you how much you can earn, and you can make your property available when it’s convenient to you.
Delivery Drivers
Times are booming right now for delivery drivers of all types, from rideshare services to restaurant food deliveries, to grocery deliveries, to straight-up couriers – the list goes on. If you have a reliable vehicle, and time on your hands, there is fast cash to be made driving stuff around for people. There are different payment arrangements out there, but for the most part, you will not be an employee; rather you’ll be an independent contractor, working on the predetermined payment structure you agree to with the owner.
Freelance Work Online
There are a lot of opportunities in this arena, everything from data entry to graphic design, to accounting, and more. You are only limited by your imagination, and your skillset, as to what you can offer up as an online service. There are a bunch of job listing websites that cater to this specific type of freelance-style work. You can also put your services out to the world on social media and online classified posts. Freelance work is booming and it’s likely here to stay.
RideAlike is dedicated to bringing shared mobility to the masses in an easy and affordable way while being environmentally conscious by leveraging the vehicles that are already on the road. RideAlike is building communities of like-minded individuals and partners who enjoy sharing their vehicles. Talk to us about sharing your car with peers on RideAlike.
