I know that a lot of us are looking for ways to make extra money during the pandemic to help supplement our income. A lot of people have had their hours cut or been laid off from their jobs so every little bit helps. Use the ideas below to make some extra cash to help pay off some bills or buy groceries for the week.
Even though I work from home as a blogger and have my own business, I have seen a reduction in my income as well as everyone else.
I love sharing all the ways that I have made money from home but I know a lot of you are looking for ways to quickly make extra money, not something that is going to take months, or even years to see a steady income.
Here are some things that I have done or friends/family have done to put some extra cash in their pocket. This won’t replace a full time job but it may help you pay off a few bills or just pay for takeout for the week.
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How to Make Extra Money During the Pandemic
Survey Sites
One of the easiest ways to make extra money during the pandemic is to sign up for some survey sites. These can be hit or miss so you will want to do some research on them before you sign up. The ones that I have signed up for (and received money from) are :
They are a bit different so see which one will work for you. Some will pay you a cash amount per survey while others do a point system which you then redeem for cash our Paypal. I recommend starting with Swagbucks and Pinecone Research, those are my favorites and then add more on if it works for you.
I normally take the surveys at night while I’m watching TV and can make around $30/month per each site. It’s not a lot of money but it will help pay for takeout or help pay for groceries.
Focus Groups
Focus Groups are another great way to make some extra cash. I am signed up with about three different companies that do focus groups. They are usually in person but with everything going on with the pandemic, most will be done over the phone, through surveys, or a virtual meeting.
One company near me does a lot of taste tests so instead of having it in person, they sent the product to me and I made it at home. I then took a quick survey telling them about my experience and they paid me $45. For longer focus groups, they can pay anywhere from $100-$500 depending on the topic and what all is involved.
I have done a full blog post on how to find focus groups in your area, what to expect when you sign up for one, and links to the ones that I have signed up with to help get you started.
Sell Your Clutter
With the extra time I have had staying at home, it was the perfect time to declutter the house and start getting rid of things we don’t use anymore.
I started selling things on Facebook Marketplace over the past two months and I have made over $400 selling my daughter’s clothes and shoes that she has outgrown!
You can sell things on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or even have a yard sale to make some quick cash. You may want to use these tips to make more money at yardsales you may be having in the future.
If you aren’t willing to part with an item, you could always make extra money renting out what you own. This is great for things you may just use once or twice a year. Things like large tools, camping equipment, boating gear, etc.
Side Hustles During the Pandemic
Join the Gig Economy
If you have been laid off or have had your hours drastically cut, you may have the time to get a job in the gig economy.
If you have a car and a good driving record, you can become a delivery driver with Uber Eats, Door Dash, or Bitesquad. They are hiring now due to the high demand of people ordering food from home.
We have a friend who started working for Uber Eats when he was laid off and makes around $300 per day! Your income will vary depending on several factors, like how big of a city you live in (he lives in Atlanta). But it’s something to look into.
If you are handy or like helping people with their to-do list, you can join TaskRabbit. You can offer services like moving, furniture assembly, cleaning, running errands, etc. You choose which jobs to take and select your rate.
If you offer freelance services, you can look into joining Fiverr. This is a great way to work from home, especially if you are tech savvy. A lot of popular services to offer are logo design, social media, research, animation, graphic design, etc.
Make Money off your Hobby
If you have a hobby, why not see if you can make money off of it?!
If you know how to play an instrument or your good at a school subject, you can offer tutoring or music lessons.
If you are good at photography, offer affordable photography packages. A lot of people are having their “pandemic family portraits” made on their front porch now.
If you like working outside, offer landscaping services, pressure washing, painting, etc in your neighborhood or local areas.
A lot of people are looking for child care since school options are up in the air. You can join Care.com to offer services for child care, cleaning, dog walking, and more.
Love making crafts? See what you may be able to sell on sites like Etsy.
Start a Business for the Long Term
I did want to mention that if you are struggling to find work and have extra time on your hands, now may be the perfect time to work on starting your own business if that is something that has been a dream of yours.
You won’t make money right away, it will take months or even years to make a profit, but now may be the perfect time to get started or at least researching your options.
I know that when I started my blog 8 years ago, I didn’t make any money the first year. Now I am able to have a steady income that I was able to relay on during this pandemic.
I don’t suggest diving in and spending hundreds of dollars on courses, but look around and see what kind of free education you can get on your particular topic. Youtube is a great place to start and I have a few blog posts that may be of use to help get you started:
- Learn How to Grow your Virtual Assistant Skills
- Pinterest VA Free Training Workshop
- Best Online Jobs for Stay at Home Moms
- Free Classes to Help with a Career Change
- Start a Profitable Blog on a Budget
You can look through each option listed above to see what will work for you and your lifestyle. I hope this has given you a good place to start so you can make some extra money during the pandemic. Let us know what has worked for you!
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