Get That Money, Sis: 7 Easy Ways To Make An Extra $500 This Month

Are you in need of extra cash? No worries. Making money these days isn’t as hard as you think! You just need a dose of creativity and grit to really get some extra coins in your pocket. If you scan the internet, you’ll certainly find countless articles and blog posts that’ll provide you with hundreds of different ways you can bring in the extra cash you desire or need. Although those lists are super helpful, they contain avenues that don’t lead to money that can be made in a month’s span of time.

I’ve broken down seven simple ways you can make money THIS month. But there is ONE essential to making extra money (or making it in general) that you should always keep close. You don’t want to mindlessly spend your money and end up back at square one, needing more of it. Instead, when it comes to making extra money you need to have a goal for the money you’re making otherwise it’ll fly out of your hands and the extra work you’re doing will seem useless and suddenly unenjoyable. You’ll need to make a plan and put your money to a purpose.

1. Selling Stuff

The obvious, but not always the first thought, of ways to begin earning quick cash on the side. Even though garage and yard sales are still an effective way to sell your goods, the internet has made it even easier to sell your goods without limits.

Some easy things you can sell today are:

• Clothes (sale, trade, and buy here clothing stores like Plato’s Closet and Cross Roads Trading lets you sell your up-to-date clothes and trade them in for cash or store credit. We also have a great list of places where you can sell clothing online.)
• Movies(DVDs)
• CDs(yes people still want those)
• Books (once you’re done reading, resell!)
• Vintage items (let the GameBoy go)
• Textbooks you no longer use
• Electronics (you can sell that old iPhone you’re still holding onto just in case your new one cracks with local Cell Phone Repair shops and sites like Gazelle

This type of cash can come almost instantly, but the key to making up to AT LEAST $500 this month is to sell things that people actually consider valuable. If you don’t know what people are buying or considering as valuable, you can always see what people are buying on Amazon or picking up at thrift stores.

2. Get in the Service Industry

This field is often overlooked because it doesn’t seem like the easiest or enjoyable way to make extra money. But, that’s where a lot of us get it oh so wrong. Yes, all services do NOT pay the same. But they can be uniquely marketed and monetized to fit your goals for extra income.

Service gigs can range from:

• Carpool/ taxi services like Uber and Lyft,
• Delivery services like Amazon Flex and Waitr
• Simple tasks like house/office Cleaning and/or organizing
• Running errands for people using TaskRabbit!
• Babysitting

The possibilities here are simple and don’t require MUCH thought or labor. While you’re at it, be sure to look around you and figure out what you finding people are needing locally. You’d be surprised at the simple services people are DYING to have someone else do for them and are willing to pay for. Ask your co-workers, family members, customers, or whoever else you can to get the inside scoop on the needs of your community.

3. Do overtime at work

You really don’t have to lift an extra finger for this one. If overtime is available at your job, and you have the extra time, sign up! The time and a half pay increase will really pay off if managed properly. And if OT isn’t available, don’t be shy about asking management for extra tasks so you can pick up some extra bucks. I’m sure they’ll love and appreciate the effort.

4. Get a part-time job on the side

Now I’m definitely not saying you have to go back to the burger and fry joint you worked at when you were 16 (even though that is still an option despite your pride). But I AM saying you can pick up a part-time job just about anywhere and anytime these days. You can apply for work-study if you’re still in college, wait tables at a brunch restaurant on the weekends, and always check sites like Flex Jobs to find part-time jobs you can work FROM HOME. Talk about luxury!

5. Rent out your space

If you have an extra room, garage space, or home you can lend to someone else for a monthly fee, your stepping into passive income territory. This is a simple trick of using what you already have and monetizing from it. So turn that extra bedroom into an available rentable room and make more money. You can always list your space on sites like Airbnb, Home Away, and of course, Craigslist. Just be sure to do your research on who you’re lending your personal space to, stay safe BAUCES!

6. Freelance or become a Virtual Assistant (VA)

How quickly you make money in this field depends on what your work ethic and skills. As a freelance writer, I have personal experience in this area. The money has the ability to come fast, you just have to really put yourself out there and market your services strategically.

You don’t have to be an ALL-Star writer or be eligible for “I Wanna Work for Diddy” to be a virtual assistant. But you want to deliver for the people who are depending on you to make their businesses run a little bit smoother.

Depending on your skill set, experience, or even ability to learn, you can offer services like:

• Video editing
• Social media management
• LinkedIn Profile Writer
• Proofreading/ Editing
• Content Creation

You can check out this list from Gina Horkey’s  150+ Services You can Offer as A VA . Remember, there’s always something someone would DIE to pay you for just to make their lives a little bit easier

7. Make your passion a piece of your profit

Believe it or not, there’s always a way you can make money from your passion. You don’t have to be at the top of the “success” chain to make your first dollar either. For example, if you have a thing for music, you can write or record music by finding gigs on sites like Fiverr and Craigslist. If you love cooking for others, you can bake cakes or cater for birthdays, events, etc. You can even sell plates of your best dishes on the weekends. You can even set up shop at a flea market and sell your merch, artwork, jewelry, or any type of valuable good make yourself.

Truthfully, you may think there’s no way you can make money doing what you love right away. You may even think it’ll cost you money. But if you need to invest, invest. And if you aren’t sure where to start. Never be shy to just google your first step.

One last thing, what about the money you’ve forgotten about? Consider your refund check from your FASFA, income tax, or that $20 that may be in your winter jacket. Don’t forget the little things.

Have any extra money-making tips or tricks you’d like to share? Go ahead! Tell us!