Money is a thing that we need to live, but never seem to have enough of. Hopefully, most of us can pay basic bills, buy some food and take the car out every once in a while – but a lot of us can do only that. Most Americans, 46 percent to be exact, live paycheck-to-paycheck. Which means they can’t save the money they need to to get through a financial crisis, let alone take that trip to Mexico that they dream of.
How to Make More Money
Assuming you do all of the saving money you can, and still need more, I thought we could take a moment to explore how to make more money. Money doesn’t grow on trees (so they say) nor is it lying around on the ground for you to gather as you see fit (though I did once find $40 lying in the middle of an empty park and yes, before you ask, I did take it). So one would assume that to obtain more of it, you need to make it. But how do you do that?
Ask for a Raise
This is probably the most straight-forward solution to make more money, and if you have the ability to do so, that’s great. Honestly, do it. If you work hard, you’re underpaid, and your company will give you a raise then, 100% go for it.
Pick Up a Part-time Job
Look, working extra hours isn’t on my bucket list either, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. If you’re in a crunch and could really use the extra cash, a part-time job might be a great way for you to make more money. If you’re going to look for a part-time job be honest with yourself (and your potential employer) about how many hours you’re willing to work and do it with gusto. Instead of pity-partying through your night shift, think of all the awesome things you can do with more cash (like lie poolside in Mexico with a pina colada).
Start a Side Hustle
I distinctly set side hustle apart from a part-time job because I think there’s a lot of confusion to what a side hustle actually is. While a side-hustle could be something like driving for Uber or delivering food, in my mind it’s really starting a side business – one that will give you more financial freedom in your future. A side hustle does not have to be a multi-million dollar business, but it should (once it’s up and running) bring in enough cash to run itself and let you line your pockets with a few dollars as well. Some commonplace side hustle examples include running a blog, starting a podcast or running a YouTube channel. While not everyone who does these things makes more money, you can if you work hard and give it the love and care it needs to soar.
Sell Things You Don’t Use
There are so many things lying about my house that I do not use on a daily basis. Granted, not everything is meant to be used on a daily basis but some things I haven’t even looked at in years. If you need a little extra cash, sell some of the things that you don’t need and/or want, whether it be via eBay, Facebook or a garage sale!
Get into the Taxi Game
No, I’m not advocating that you start your own cab company, though it is a legitimate business (my grandfather actually runs a cab… or two, I don’t recall). I’m talking about signing up to drive for Uber or Lyft. If you have some free time in the evenings or weekends and don’t mind making small talk with strangers in your back seat, then you can definitely make more money by driving people around.
Deliver Food
Similar to my above suggestions, if you aren’t comfortable making small talk with strangers in your backseat but still have some free time and access to a reliable vehicle then maybe consider delivering food for a little extra cash.
Other Ways to Make More Money
There are countless ways you can make extra money – from selling things to filling out surveys and participating in studies. In fact, most things in life can be done to make money, if you do your research and do it well. I make money by writing blog posts (like this one), reading books, watching TV (typically I have to write a blog post after as well, but it’s worth it) and even simply by giving my honest opinion. If you need to make more money, where there’s a will, there’s a way. And if you start something and it doesn’t work, start something and move on to the next!
What do you do to make extra money? Tell me about it in the comments below!