Let’s be honest, this economy is not great for those of us with tight budgets. Life is just expensive. While we’ll hopefully get relief soon, that hope does not fix the anxiety that can surface while you’re watching the price go up with each beep at the checkout counter.

Being fresh out of college, living away from home, and planning a wedding, I am no stranger to the zero-dollar budget lifestyle.

Beyond more budgeting

A budget is essential for managing tight finances. However, due to unavoidable expenses, sometimes the only solution is to supplement your income.

Obviously, there are long-term solutions for increasing the money coming in. Asking for a raise, switching to a better-paying job, or moving are all worth considering. But there are also short-term solutions that can help bring extra income in when money is tight.

Enter: side-hustles.

If you’re looking for supplements, first be warned. There are many gimmicky side hustles out there. My favorite thing I keep seeing on social media says: “Spend three minutes writing a letter and make $5.” Let’s be real, these too-good-to-be-true options are scams! There are so many “hustles” out there that look like you can make so much money in so little time. (Passive income trap, anyone?)

But that’s not the way life works.

Non-scammy suggestions for a side hustle

Here are some non-gimmicky side hustles to consider when you need a little extra income.

Turn your hobby into money

What are you good at? Maybe it’s baking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, photography; the possibilities are endless. Advertise yourself in local Facebook groups or on your own Instagram. I bet that you have talents other people wish they had, and they’d be willing to pay you to reap the benefits of your work! 

Make sure you ask for a fair wage, so check out comparable products or services in your area to see what they charge. You’ll feel more confident in your skills and have fun making a buck!

Shipt Orders

Shipt is a company that pays you to grocery shop for people. You simply sign up to be a shopper on the app. Once you’re approved, you’re good to go! Orders are either pre-paid or you pay with a card provided by Shipt. You grocery shop for people and then drop the order off at their door with no customer contact.

This is similar to Doordash, Grubhub, or any other delivery service, but it’s my personal favorite.

Bonus: If you have the urge to shop, but don’t have the money to buy things, do this! It always itches the urge to impulse buy (if you know, you know), but you’re making money, not spending it!

Reselling Things You No Longer Need

In our mass consumer culture, you probably have things you don’t need anymore.

Kill two birds with one stone: declutter and make money doing it. Empty your closets, cabinets, drawers, and more. Collect all the things you no longer need, take pictures of them, and re-sell them! It’s likely people out there looking for the things you have and are willing to buy them second-hand at a discounted price.

My favorite places to post “yard sale” type items are on my Instagram story or Facebook (in local reselling groups or on Marketplace), but you can also use Poshmark or similar apps. If you have clothes or books that don’t sell online, take them to Plato’s Closet, Style Encore, or Half-Priced Books and see if you can make extra cash there!

If there’s anything left over, donate it to your local thrift store – no need to undo the decluttering work you just did.

Poplin

If you want a side hustle that you can do while watching TV or listening to an audiobook, this is for you. It’s essentially Shipt but for laundry. 

People pay you to wash, dry, and fold their laundry. You do have to provide your own washing supplies and dryer, but you can do this side hustle from the comfort of your own home.

Babysitting, Cleaning, or Dog-Sitting

These are more ‘traditional’ side hustles, but they are tried and true. 

Spend your time babysitting, dog-sitting, or cleaning. You can babysit for people in your church or school community, or find new opportunities through Facebook groups or on apps like Bambino.

If you’re looking to take care of furry friends instead, you can let your circle of friends, family, and acquaintances know that you’re on the lookout for opportunities to pet sit; but just like everything else, there’s an app for this too! Check out Rover.

You can also offer to clean houses. Many people don’t have the time to put in the hard work of keeping up with a house, and will gladly outsource this task. The best way to find safe clients is by word of mouth through a trusted community. It may take a little while to build up a reliable clientele, but the dollars-per-hour value can really pay off.

Time to start earning

The possibilities are endless. It just takes some time to figure out what you’re good at, your bandwidth, and your local opportunities.

At the end of the day, time is money. 

People who have a little extra money will gladly save time and pay you to do tasks for them. Don’t feel bad about charging people for your labor, especially since you’re bringing real value to their lives.