Save and Make a Little Extra Money

Sometimes I whine to my friends about how I wish I could just make money super easily. Well, fun fact, you actually can. I only recently decided to look up some options after I got yelled at for complaining too much, and lo and behold, a solution! There’s a couple of different ways to make easy money, and for most all you need is a computer or transportation. I think I’ll do another article that goes into detail for online options because there’s a ton of them, but for now I’ll give a brief overview of some that require very little actual work.

However, at risk of selling out my own writing, I think I should mention that the best way to start off is by getting rid of your old stuff and try your best to make some profit off of it. I wrote a previous article discussing some different ways you can sell old electronics, clothes, furniture, etc. so that way you can clean house and stockpile some cash. I would suggest checking that article out first, or after. It doesn’t really matter. 

What does matter is evaluating where your money is going before trying to make more. If you’re just going to hemorrhage the money you make, what’s the point? So let’s just delve into that real quick before anything else.

Evaluate Your Spending

It’s important to know how to budget your income. What are you spending unnecessary money on, and how do you stop it? There are good habits and bad habits, and the only way to know the difference between the two is to educate yourself. To start, I would suggest making a list if you do not already have an app like Mint or Clarity, both of which are apps that track spending and categorize them. There’s also this nifty process called “kakebo”, also known as the Japanese art of mindful spending. If you prefer the old paper method of jotting down your money movement, then the kakebo book published by HarperDesign is very, very helpful in clearly breaking down your spending and savings—it also helps promote smart spending so you can save more.

Once you’ve mapped out where the money is going, then it’s time to decide what exactly is necessary and how to better manage it. Adopting better habits to save more and waste less is the second, and hardest, part of making money it seems–at least for me. 

Manage Subscriptions in Your Family Budget

One of the nice things about apps like Clarity is that it can help you evaluate the subscriptions you have. It’s funny how a few small subscriptions can really drain your income without you even realizing it, so maybe it’s time to decide what it is you really need in your family’s monthly budget, and if those subscriptions are really worth the money you’re spending on them.

For example: I spend $10 a month on Netflix, Spotify, Dropbox, and Twitch each—that right there is $40 I’m losing monthly, and over a year I lose $480. Do I really need to spend money on all these online services? I could buy an external hard drive rather than use Dropbox and save money in the long term, and I don’t necessarily use Spotify enough on a daily basis to justify my continued use of it, which can similarly be said about Twitch. If I cancel those three, I already save $30 a month that can be put towards either savings or more important purchases. If you utilize this minimalist thought process, it’s amazing how much you can potentially save right off the bat.

Refinance Your Student Loans

Debt is the biggest drain on our finances these days, especially student loans. The worst part about it, although I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir, is the interest on these loans, because they wind up costing almost as the loan itself. So, in the name of saving that money for your family and your savings, why don’t we consider refinancing?

When you refinance a loan, that means you’re taking out a new loan but with better prospects; at least, that’s what you want when you refinance, so make sure to do some research before you commit to one. Student loans are notorious for huge interest rates, so why not find a new installment loan with better rates and a better time table that suits your needs? That way you can pay off that old loan and not lose so much money in the long term on your interest.

Online Money-Making

Alright, with all of that out of the way, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this post. While it might not be the most lucrative or instantaneous, you can look into making money by completing surveys online. There is a Wag where finding walking jobs is made easy and organizable, a task which can most likely be fit into your normal schedule. There are also websites dedicated to tutoring from home, such as VIPKid. For this particular site, it is required to have a US or UK bachelor’s degree and to be a native English speaker as this tutoring centers around teaching English; however, there are many websites that host online tutoring in other subjects as well.

You might find yourself making a lot of money in the tutoring business, as the hourly rate for these jobs can become quite high when parents are desperate for assistance with their children. You don’t need to necessarily rely on a third party for tutoring either; rather, if you know enough people with families, then you could simply start offering your services to friends first and work your way up to recommendations until you have a network of clients. 

Use Your Car

Did you know there are companies that pay you to wrap your car for advertisement? No kidding, you can make a nice passive income by doing this with your car, so long as you don’t mind standing out while driving on the road. Companies like Carvertise will pay you $100 a month to advertise your choice from their selection that needs advertising in your area, sometimes even $200 a month for up to six months. They also offer $30/hour to park in specific areas. According to their site, the wrap comes off easily enough and does not damage your car, and you can even use a leased car! There are other companies that have similar needs in advertising, and just by driving around you can make some money off your car to put towards debt, save, or just a little extra in your pocket for spending.

I already covered this in my other article, but you can also drive for Uber or Lyft, whether it’s delivering food or people. As long as your car is safe to drive, and you yourself are a safe driver, and your car isn’t too old, you’re pretty much set for this company.

What Else??

Like I said, I’ll elaborate, extrapolate, navigate, elucidate, and generally write about more online options as those you can do from the comfort of your home. If I find more fun jobs I’ll make a part 2 post, but for now this is what I’ve found that seem like realistic options. Good hunting!