Do you have student loans you are still paying off? Mortgage payments you are unsure you can meet? Are you fully employed, yet your income isn’t covering all your expenses? The good news is that you don’t need to settle for your current annual income. Finding a side gig that works for you could be the key to getting out of debt and achieving your dream of financial independence.
Here are some top-paying side gigs you could start that you might not have considered for yourself.
- Be a salesperson for an awesome product.
If you have the gift of gab and buckets of charm and are the type to say hello to strangers, this could be your meal ticket. Find a product you love, and then find out if that company has a sales or affiliate program you can sign up for. Some companies have dedicated programs in place and provide training and a complete starter kit to get you up and running fast. For example, you can become a sales representative through Vector Marketing and get flexible hours, plus a base pay! They also provide training to help you get off to a good start.
- Cruise for cash.
According to Uber, Uber drivers in San Francisco make an average of $732 a week. Drivers in LA make an average of $616 a week. As for hourly earnings, a national study showed that Uber drivers averaged $19 per hour. The flexible hours are what attract most drivers that sign up with Uber. After all, flexibility is key in having a side gig that won’t burn you—or itself—out.
- Surveys, testers, and being an electronic guinea pig.
Not interested in leaving the house to make your extra buck? We hear you. After a long day at the office, the last thing many want is to have to go back out. If that rings true for you, there are still plenty of ways to make money online. UserTesting.com is a site that pays you to test out websites and apps. Enroll is another site with a similar purpose and method for you to make money. These types of jobs are perfect for those who have lots of opinions about what they feel works well and what doesn’t.
- Purchase a vending machine.
You will need some capital to get this one off the ground. Depending on the vending machine type you choose, prepare to spend between $25,000 to $45,000 on a drink or other dispensing machine. But once the capital investment is paid off, you have the possibility of making enough money to quit your day job. Just be careful on where you choose to place your vending machine. Your profit is largely determined by how well your product matches your location.
- Share your extras.
Got an extra room you aren’t using? Don’t mind visitors? You may want to consider what Airbnb has to offer. How much you can expect to make will depend on your location and amenities attached to the room. Keep in mind, also, that Airbnb users expect for prices to be lower than what they could find at a local motel or inn. But still, that can add up to a pretty penny if you get solid bookings week after week. If you are planning on taking the family elsewhere during the summer, you could list the whole house and get your summer vacation partially funded!
Other extras you could consider sharing include peer-to-peer car sharing. Physical items are not the only thing to evaluate, which can be shared in today’s sharing economy. Why not make some money off your skill set? Don’t have confidence in creating a full blown freelance business just yet? Start off small on sites like TaskRabbit or Fiverr to find people who are looking for what you have to offer.