If you are here to look for ideas on how to make extra money fast, this post is for you. We will cover well over 110 business ideas and side gigs you can start today at little or no cost.
Legit Ways To Make Extra Money Online
Here are some legitimate online jobs to make money using a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. If you have access to an internet connection and time to spare, these gigs can make you a lot of money.
1. Start a Money-Making Blog
Blogging is one of the most lucrative activities you can engage in online to make money. A successful blog opens doors to multiple streams of income including affiliate marketing, advertising revenue, sponsored posts, freelance writing, online courses, ebook publishing, and more.
You can start your own blog by following 6-easy steps and for as little as $2.95 per month. Bloggers determine their own income with how much effort they put in and can easily earn 6-figures every month.
If you are interested in or knowledgeable about any subject matter at all, you can launch your blog today and easily earn up to $5,000 or more per month.
2. Take Paid Surveys Online
Online market research companies like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie pay you cash to complete short surveys and share your opinions.
This gig does not require any skill at all and you earn cash while influencing the products that companies bring to market. Other legit sites that pay you to answer surveys are:
3. Earn Cash Back on Groceries
Earn significant cash back when you do your grocery shopping. Grocery cash back apps I use include:
- Drop: Automatically get cash back on all purchases made with your credit or debit card (plus a $5 welcome bonus).
- TopCashback: Earn cash back at more than 4,000 stores.
- Ibotta: This is one of the most popular cash back apps in the U.S. Join on iOS or Android.
4. Become a Graphic Designer
You do not need to spend 4 years at a design school to make money with graphic design. If you can draw and use some of the popular design tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, or even simple design tools like Canva, you can start making money on the side.
Find simple gigs like logos and web design on Behance, 99designs, and Freelancer.com.
Udemy has some great (and cheap) courses that can help you get started in graphic design.
5. Design Websites
Web design is not as difficult as it used to be 10-15 years ago. There are now so many options for even non-coders to build great-looking websites by using pre-built themes like those from Elegant Themes. Also, consider starting your own blog to make even more money.
Numerous design gigs can be found on Upwork and Freelancer. Hear an online entrepreneur’s take on how to make $5,000 a month building websites part-time.
You can start your own e-commerce store easily using Shopify.
6. Scan Your Groceries For Money
Join the Nielsen Consumer Panel and start earning extra cash and rewards when you purchase your weekly groceries.
After joining they send you a scanner which you use to scan the barcodes on your weekly grocery purchases. This data is then transmitted to Nielsen. You can also scan using a mobile app.
This panel is referred to as Nielsen Homescan in Canada.
7. Work as a Proofreader
Are you good with grammar, spelling, punctuations, and correcting errors in the written word? If you’ve got an eye for errors and attention to detail, businesses are looking to hire you full or part-time. Proofreaders earn up to $50 per hour.
To get started, check out this FREE 7-day introductory proofreading course by Caitlyn Pyle.
You can find proofreading jobs on Scribendi, Upwork, Flex Jobs, Prrofreadingservices.com.
8. Write for Others
Freelance writing is a side hustle you can do from anywhere in the world. You can write for magazines, blogs, companies, and various publications.
Start your writing gig with this all-in Freelance Writer course.
9. Make Money When You Search The Web
There are companies that will pay you to search the internet using their search bar. Swagbucks rewards you when you browse the internet via their site. Other sites (apps) that pay you to surf the web are:
- MobileXpression iPhone
- MobileXpression Android
- Qmee
- Bing Rewards
10. Freelance on Fiverr
The Fiverr platform is great for startup freelancers to make money.
Individuals and small businesses are willing to pay you to provide services from well over 100 different categories including logo design, voiceovers, songwriting, web design, social media marketing, SEO, virtual assisting, data entry, data analysis, video editing, and more.
11. Become a Virtual Assistant
Small companies and home businesses are looking for people who can help them with simple tasks remotely. Virtual assistants (VAs) work from home and help clients to complete administrative tasks like customer support, editing, proofreading, graphic design, data entry, website maintenance, social media management, and more.
Virtual assistants earn between $18 and $40 and established VAs can charge much more. Gina over at Horkey Handbook has a list of 150 services you can provide as a VA.
Freelance websites to find VA work include Task Rabbit, Upwork, Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, and WAHM.com.
12. Start Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has become one of the most popular ways to make money on the side.
It involves promoting products and services provided by others and you receive a commission when you facilitate a sale. You can promote products using your blog or social media platforms – Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
When you join affiliate networks like Awin, Shareasale, or Commission Junction, you get access to custom affiliate links that you can share and earn commissions from.
Michelle from Making Sense of Cents earns more than $50,000 every month from affiliate marketing. Check out her Affiliate Marketing Course to see how she does it!
13. Start a YouTube Channel and Monetize It
YouTube is one of the largest search engines in the world and attracts billions of video views every day. Make videos about interesting subjects such as DIY, entertainment, product reviews, pranks, pets, fashion, cooking, and more.
As your audience grows, turn on adverts and start making money. If one of your videos goes viral, you could easily rake in $1,000s every month.
14. Become a Task Rabbit
Find multiple small gigs on Task Rabbit and start earning. Some of the common small jobs are house cleaning, painting, plumbing, carpentry, TV mounting, furniture assembly, snow removal, mowing, yard work, personal assisting, and delivery services.
If you are looking for a few extra $100s per month, Task Rabbit is one way to go.
15. Download The Nielsen App
Nielsen is one of the most popular market research companies in the world. The Nielsen Mobile app rewards you for using the internet. Simply download the app on your phone and browse as usual.
16. Create an Online Course
Online courses have become a very popular way for people to learn new skills and become credentialed.
If you have skills that are in demand, consider creating an online course and selling them via Teachable, Udemy, or Skillshare.
17. Earn With Pinecone Research
Pinecone Research offers some of the highest paying surveys in the industry at $3 to $5 a pop. You can also earn up to $6 when you participate in product testing.
Canadians can join Pinecone Research here.
18. Shop With The Drop App
I find the Drop app to be one of the easiest ways to earn rewards when you buy anything. Simply download the app and sign up, link your debit and credit cards, and start earning automatically. No receipt scanning is required.
You can redeem your rewards for gift cards from Amazon, Starbucks, Gap, iTunes, Hudson’s Bay, and other popular retailers. You also receive a $5 bonus after joining.
19. Teach English Online
Earn up to $22 per hour teaching English online to young children in China and elsewhere.
If you have some experience working with kids, have a Bachelor’s degree, and are a native English speaker based in the United States and Canada, you can participate.
Sign up with VIPKid and earn up to $1,000 working part-time.
20. Design Logos on 99 Designs
99designs is one of the largest online design marketplaces for freelancers.
You can work directly with clients or participate in design contests. Freelancers have earned more than $200 million to date on this platform.
21. Start a Podcast
Many bloggers host a podcast to increase their brand, following, and money-making abilities. You can also start a podcast without a blog. Podcasters make money from affiliate marketing, sponsorships, advertising, online courses, coaching, donations, and consulting.
22. App Development
If you can code, consider building an app that people can download and pay a fee for on the Apple and Google stores. Global mobile app revenue is projected to reach $189.9 billion in 2020.
Some of the ways to create revenue from an app include in-app advertising, in-app purchases, and subscriptions.
23. Become a Search Engine Evaluator
Search engine evaluators help to fine-tune the results that search engines like Google and Bing show for different search queries. Companies that recruit for this job include:
- Lionbridge
- Leapforce
- Appen Butler Hill
Creative Ways To Make Money Working From Home
At home? No problem. Here are some of the best ways to make money working from home and on your own time and schedule. Become your own boss!
24. Deliver Food With DoorDash
DoorDash is similar to UberEats and pays you up to $25 per hour to deliver food orders. Dashers also get to keep all customer tips. If you Dash up to 40 hours a week, it easily adds up to $1,000 plus tips.
You can try Postmates for a similar courier service opportunity.
25. Become a Petsitter
Dog walking is not the only way to earn extra cash with dogs. provides opportunities for dog boarding, doggy daycare, house-sitting, and more. If you don’t mind keeping a furry friend (dog or cat) overnight in your home, this business can pay a tidy sum.
Other sites to search for dog-sitting gigs are Care.com and PetSitter.
26. Sell on Amazon
Anyone can easily sell physical products on Amazon using their Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Program. Buy items when they are on sale from local retail stores and resell them at a significant profit using Amazon’s vast marketplace.
Amazon handles the packing and shipping of your orders, provides customer service, and processes returns.
Check out The Selling Family’s Amazon FBA Bootcamp to see how they make a six-figure income selling on Amazon.
27. Download The MobileXpression App
This is another phone app that pays you to share your internet surfing activity for market research.
As an active member, you receive weekly credits that can be redeemed for popular retailers. After 90 days of active participation, they also donate a tree on your behalf to Treed for Knowledge.
28. Become a Flipper
Do you regularly visit yard sales, thrift stores, or eBay looking for deals? If you know how to identify ‘valuable’ junk and are okay with refurbishing them, this gig can make you thousands of dollars every month.
Even better, is the fact that you can start your flipping business with less than $50.
Not yet convinced, check out how Rob and Melissa from Flipper University made $133,000 in profit flipping items.
29. Rent Your Car With Turo
Let your car work for you by renting it out using Turo or Getaround. Earn $1,000s per year and enjoy exceptional insurance to protect your investment.
Turo provides a $2 million liability insurance and Getaround has a $1 million coverage per trip. Both companies also offer 24/7 roadside assistance.
30. Rent Out Your Free Room
If you have a room sitting empty in your house, go ahead and list it on Airbnb as a short-term rental. You can set your own price and date.
Airbnb verifies your guests and protects you and your home with a $2 million property damage and accident insurance.
31. Deliver With UberEats
Instead of driving people around, you can deliver food to their doorsteps instead and earn cash.
UberEats pays you to make food deliveries within your city using a car, bike, or scooter. UberEats drivers earn up to $12 per hour after costs.
32. Groom Pets
The pet industry is a multi-billion dollar business and continues to grow. Check out workshops and certification programs on the National Dog Groomers Association of America’s website and start making money.
Add in other services like dog washing and pet photography.
33. Sell on TeeSpring
Start an online T-shirt business that earns cash while you sleep.
Design Tees, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops, kid’s clothing, bags, home decor on TeeSpring for free. When people place orders, the company takes care of production and shipping, and you get to keep the profit.
Also, look at Zazzle and Threadless for similar opportunities.
34. Work on FlexJobs
As the name suggests, FlexJobs is a site to find part-time jobs that pay. Companies use the site to hire remote workers and at the time of writing this post, over 30,000 jobs are listed.
Note that to use FlexJobs, you require a paid subscription at $14.95 per month or can go with an annual payment of $49.95.
35. Bake on the Weekends
Have you been complimented on your baking skills? Start a home baking business and sell your baked goods at farmers markets, to birthday parties, weddings, and more.
Find new customers by sharing photos on social media, give out business cards, and free samples of your baked goods.
36. Become an Online Travel Agent
Help individuals and businesses to book their vacations, travel, and other itineraries. Find the right niche and earn fees and commissions for your work.
37. Provide Home Inspection Services
Home inspectors conduct a thorough visual inspection of a home and highlight potential or existing problems to homebuyers.
Find out what the licensing requirements are in your state. You can take online or live training through the American Home Inspectors Training Institute.
As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, home inspectors make about $58,000 on average per year.
38. Become a Social Media Manager
Help others maintain and update their social media accounts. To be successful with this gig, you must be organized and have an eye for curating content that attracts engagement. Experience with running paid advertising on social media is a plus
39. Transcribe Audios
Earn up to $25 per hour transcribing audio into text. This side hustle is for you if you can type 50+ words per minute and pay attention to detail.
Transcribers with medical or legal experience/background can earn up to $50 per hour.
Take Transcribe Anywhere’s Free Transcription mini-course here.
40. House Sit
Watch someone’s home for them when they are away. You get free accommodation and may even be paid while you are at it.
Find opportunities on MidAHome.com, TrustedHouseSitters.com, and HouseSitterAmerica.com.
41. Get Paid To Watch Videos
‘Get Paid To’ sites like Swagbucks.com and Inbox Dollars pay you to watch short videos. Swag bucks will also pay to a $5 bonus when you sign up.
42. Babysitting
Make money with babysitting. Find gigs online or ask friends, family, and neighbors.
If you are a stay-at-home mom and have room, consider starting daycare for kids to earn even more.