Odd Jobs to Make Money

Looking for a good way to make extra money? There's always a need for someone to do odd jobs. Find out how to get hired for a temporary gig.

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1. Delivery Driver

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Signing up to be a delivery driver can be an easy way to earn a flexible income on your own time. You can deliver almost anything in your local area, from packages to food and beyond. In some cases, you may need your own car. In other cases, you will use a company car.

These companies hire delivery drivers:

• Amazon Flex
  
• Citizen Shopper
  
• DoorDash
  
• Grubhub
  
• Instacart
  
• Roadie
  
• UPS
  
• Seamless

Requirements
Requirements vary for each company. In most situations, you will need:

• Smartphone
  
• Reliable car
  
• Valid ID or driver's license
  
• Optional: other mode of transportation

For some companies, like DoorDash, you don't even need a car. DoorDash just requires a mode of transportation, like a bicycle or motorcycle.

What You Can Get Paid

• $12 to $25 an hour. Though actual earnings may differ and depend on expenses.
  
• Varies by company
  
• Earn a base pay, plus promotions and tips

Become a Driver

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Subject to background check and availability

Amazon Flex, for example, advertises earnings between $18 and $25 an hour. With companies like DoorDash, you'll earn a base pay plus promotions and tips. Amounts vary, but former Grubhub employees report making around $12 an hour.

Working on your own schedule is a big draw for delivery drivers. For flexibility without leaving your house, you can get paid to listen to calls.

2. Screen Phone Calls

"This call may be monitored for quality assurance." You've probably heard that before at the start of a call. But you can actually get paid to be that person.

As a reviewer with Humanatic, you listen to the call, answer a few questions, and submit your responses. You don't have to be a third party on any calls. You can work on your own schedule and listen to calls on your own time.

Requirements

• Verified PayPal account

What You Can Earn

• $1 to $4.50 per hour

This job is flexible but the pay is low. If you're good with people, you can earn more money by teaching. Take a look at the requirements below.

3. Tutoring

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Tutoring kids online is an easy way to earn money for people with college degrees. Whether it's teaching English or perfecting math skills, tutoring is a good choice for a flexible job.

This side hustle can be done at any time and on your own terms. Many students are in different time zones. So you might have to work very early or late to get the most opportunities.

Requirements

• College degree
  
• TESOL or TEFL certificate to teach English

TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. The course prepares you to teach English to someone whose native language is not English.

TEFL: Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It prepares you to teach English in a country where English is not the primary language. This is the most common and most popular teaching certificate for people who teach English abroad.

Make sure you get your certificate through an accredited program.

What You Can Earn

• Earn an initial base pay
  
• Rates can increase over time

Base pay for online tutors may start low. But it can increase over time. More experience will equate to better pay. You can increase your earnings by getting positive reviews for one-on-one or specialist classes.

In most situations, you input available times into a database. Schools can schedule you to work back-to-back with no breaks.

4. Complete Surveys

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Talk about an odd job: sharing your thoughts and feelings for money.

Many online survey companies let you answer survey questions, quizzes, or complete other tasks in exchange for points. Points can be redeemed for cash, gift cards, or merchandise.

Try some of these reputable survey sites:

• Swagbucks
  
• Survey Junkie
  
• InboxDollars
  
• Pinecone Research
  
• MyPoints

Requirements

• Internet connection
  
• Phone or computer

What You Can Earn

• Average of $1 to $3 per survey
  
• Redeem cash through PayPal
  
• Gift cards
  
• Merchandise

On Survey Junkie, you can earn anywhere from $1 to $3 per survey completed, on average. You'll be paid out through PayPal or gift cards.

Take Surveys. Get Paid

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• Take surveys and earn points
• Redeem points for PayPal or e-Giftcards

Pinecone Research pays a minimum of $3 per survey. Each survey is invite-only, and they only send a few out per month. It's one of the most in-demand services because of this. They restrict surveys to certain demographics, depending on who they are targeting.

On Swagbucks, earn an average of $0.40 to $2 per survey. The website offers tens of thousands of options each day.

$10 Signup Bonus

Member must "Activate" the Bonus in the Swag Ups section of your account. Bonus value is earned in the form of points, called SB. Get a 1000 SB bonus, which is equivalent to $10 in value, when you spend at least $25 at a store featured in Swagbucks.com/Shop. You must receive a minimum of 25 SB for this purchase, which you must complete within 30 days of registration. MyGiftCardsPlus.com and travel purchases do not qualify.

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MyPoints pays about $2.50 per survey. There are other ways to boost your earnings, like shopping through their portal or taking polls.

Earn $10 Amazon Card with Your First Purchase

Click Here to Join MyPoints

Surveys on InboxDollars net you up to $5 per survey. But many of their surveys don't pay that much.

$5 Signup Bonus

Click Here to Get $5 Bonus

• Get paid to take surveys, play video games, watch videos
• Cash out to PayPal or gift cards

5. Freelance Gigs

If you have a variety of skills, but no outlet to use them, try using a freelance site to earn extra money. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr let you earn a living doing a variety of tasks, from graphic design to writing to being a personal assistant.

It's one of the most convenient side hustles; all you need is your own laptop and an internet connection. In most cases, you can set your own schedule and rates too.

Check out these popular websites for finding freelance work:

• Upwork
  
• Fiverr
  
• Freelancer

Requirements

• Computer
  
• Reliable internet connection
  
• Time to work
  
• Bank account

What You Can Earn

• Set your own rates
  
• $30 to $40 an hour for experienced writers and editors
  
• $80 an hour or more for some IT jobs
  
• Keep 80% of your earnings

On Upwork, you set your preferred hourly rate. When a client sends you a work offer, the rate can be up for negotiation. Upwork also gives you the option to get paid a lump sum for the entire project. On Fiverr, you can set your own project terms and rates.

These sites take a cut of your earnings. Upwork takes a 20% fee of your total project earnings or hourly earnings. Fiverr takes 20% of your total earnings.

But because these sites make money off you, they have an incentive to find employers. There are plenty of jobs available on their site.

Don't have time to freelance? Browse your closet for faster ways to earn. Learn how to turn last year's outfits into cash.

Try Fiverr Today

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6. Sell Your Used Clothes

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Most people donate their clothing. But if you have lots of clothes in good condition, try selling your clothes. It's a quick way to earn money off something that could have gone to waste.

There are several ways to sell your clothes online. Take a look at some of these popular options:

• Poshmark
  
• ASOS Marketplace
  
• Etsy
  
• eBay
  
• ThredUP
  
• Facebook Marketplace

Requirements

• Bank account for earnings
  
• Optional: camera to take nice photos of clothes

You might want a camera to take photos of your clothes. Higher-quality photos taken in nice light with a clean backdrop look better and draw more eyes.

What You Can Earn

• Set your own prices
  
• Website takes a portion of your earnings

You may need to adjust your prices depending on demand, or haggle with the buyer. You'll also need to consider the commission. Each website either takes a small commission or charges you a seller's account fee.

Poshmark, for example, takes a commission. For sales under $15, the company takes a flat rate of $2.95. For anything over $15, they take a 20% commission.

7. Body for Hire

It's not what you think. With this unusual job, you rent out your presence at local events, from funerals to a political rallies, and more. If you're want to act, this is the role for you.

Hiring crowds for political rallies has been the norm for years. It's a way for political campaigns to control crowds and present an image. The California-based Crowds on Demand hires crowds for protests, PR stunts, and more.

In China, professional mourning is a big business. In the U.S., the business is just catching on. If you're a good actor and can cry on demand, try mourning for hire. But keep in mind that it's usually not a full-time job due to less demand.

For something more uplifting, consider being a professional bridesmaid or professional groomsman. You'll join a wedding party, brighten the mood, and do some of the work. Many of these roles act as informal wedding planners to keep activities on track.

Requirements

• Interpersonal skills
  
• Outfit requirements, depending on role

What You Can Earn

• Up to $50 an hour for political rallies
  
• $30 to $150 per funeral according to JobMonkey
  
• Up to $100 an hour for bridesmaids
  
• $299 or more per day for groomsmen

Earnings vary depending on your role. Political rally stand-ins earn up to $50 for their appearance.

Professional bridesmaids can earn up to $100 an hour, or up to $1,000 a day. Groomsmen on GroomsmenForHire.com earn $299 or more a day.

Keep in mind, you'll need to be around people all day. If you're better with animals, the next option is for you.

8. Dog/Pet Walker

If you prefer pets to people, walking or taking care of dogs in your area is a better alternative. Through apps like Rover or Wag, you can walk dogs, board dogs, host daycares, house sit, and more.

Check out these services:

• Wag
  
• Rover
  
• Sniffspot
  
• PetBacker

If you like dog grooming, sign up to groom dogs on Rover as well.

Requirements

• Download the app
  
• Pass a background check

What You Can Earn

• $20 to $30 per walk
  
• Up to $41 per night for dog boarding/pet sitting
  
• Keep 60% to 80% of earnings, plus 100% of tips

Earnings depend on how many dogs you walk and for how long you walk the dogs. Wag and Rover walkers earn $20 for a 30-minute walk or $30 for a 60-minute walk.

Boarding and pet sitting with Wag costs $26 a night, plus a $15 pick-up and drop-off fee. If you walk another dog from the same house, there's an added $5 fee.

Each app takes a cut of your earnings too. Dog groomers on Rover earn 80% commission and keep 100% of their tips. Wag takes 40% of your earnings, while Rover takes 20%.

For a bigger payout, consider applying for clinical trials. Some people earn thousands by trying out new medication.

9. Join Clinical Trials

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Clinical trials can be relatively easy and pay well, but some of these gigs are a bit odd. In a sleep study, for example, you can get paid to sleep and have people track your vitals.

One thing to keep in mind: some clinics make you take a break after completing a clinical trial.

You can find clinical trials near you at the U.S. National Library of Medicine here.

Requirements
Many clinical trials will have specific requirements for:

• Age
  
• Health
  
• Alcohol consumption
  
• Diseases like diabetes, asthma, etc.

Clinical trials can take from a few hours to a few weeks . You may need to sleep over at a facility, or spend days involved in the trial.

What You Can Earn

• Varies from less than $100 to over $1000

Sleep studies can be isolating. If you're a people person, the next gig connects you with riders from all around your city.

10. Ride-Share Driver

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If you have a reliable car and solid knowledge of your neighborhood, try ride-sharing companies like Uber or Lyft.

You can work for multiple ride-sharing companies to maximize your income. Driving for a ride-sharing service has many pros and cons. The biggest advantage to this side hustle is that it can be done any time, any place.

Riders have certain expectations when they use a Lyft or Uber. Exceeding those expectations is the key to getting better tips.

Requirements

• Live in a city where ride sharing is permitted
  
• Smartphone
  
• Valid driver's license
  
• Proof of insurance
  
• Registration
  
• Optional: invest in an app like Everlance to track mileage and make tax filling easier

What You Can Earn

• Prices fluctuate depending on time and demand
  
• Rideshare company takes a cut of fares

Your earning potential depends on where you live, how often you drive, and when you drive.

Actual prices fluctuate depending on the time of day and demand. Base fare for drivers also differs depending on the city you live in. you can drive locally or go out to a higher-demand area to earn more.

Drivers can take advantage of surge pricing. For example, rides on New Year's Eve are more expensive because of high demand. But make sure to factor in expenses like gas and maintenance.

11. Bounty Hunter

If you love Dog the Bounty Hunter, this odd job is for you.

Bounty hunters are like the law enforcement of the private bail industry. They help apprehend accused criminals who are free on private bail but skip their court date. Once the bounty hunter recovers the items—usually things like cars—they get paid.

Depending on the state you're in, bounty hunters may have different names and titles. Look for bail enforcement agent, bail bond enforcer, fugitive recovery agent, and more.

Requirements

• License
  
• Registration

In 24 states, you'll need a license and registration to be a bounty hunter. In 18 other states, bounty hunters are self-regulated. The profession is prohibited in four states. Some states ban private bail altogether.

What You Can Earn

• $50,000 to $80,000 per year

Bounty hunters can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 per year for working dozens of cases. But the hours for this weird job can get long and the work can be difficult.

Apprehending fugitives isn't for everyone. Would you rather rake leaves or assemble Ikea furniture? Don't miss the next two ideas.

12. TaskRabbit

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TaskRabbit is a great place to complete small, local tasks and help out people in your area—and get paid for it.

You can sign up and help make deliveries, move furniture, mount frames, or build furniture. If physical work doesn't appeal to you, you can work as a personal assistant, bartender, event staff, and more. Click here for a full list.

Requirements

• Register online
  
• Attend an info session near you

What You Can Earn

• Set your own rates
  
• Keep 100% of tips
  
• TaskRabbit takes a service fee

13. Complete Small Tasks

Many local companies are looking for help with small tasks or adding a human touch to certain tasks. Various platforms will pay you for doing odd work like checking a brand's products in store.

You might be asked to take pictures of merchandise on a shelf or check prices. If you're looking for a relaxed, fast way to make some cash, this job is worth looking into.

Try some of these to get paid:

• GigWalk: workers check products on behalf of brands across the world
  
• Field Agent: workers physically check products for brands
  
• EasyShift: get paid to eat, shop, and explore where you live
  
• Zaarly: similar to Task Rabbit, perform certain tasks for pay

Requirements
Requirements for each platform will vary. Most require:

• Valid ID
  
• Bank account

What You Can Earn

• Set your rates or get paid set amount
  
• Up to $100 per task on some sites

With Zaarly, you set your own rates for each task. If you're the only provider with a certain skill in the area, you can raise your rates. If you're one of many, you can lower your rate to bring in customers.

On GigWalk, you can get paid up to $100 for completing a task, though most tasks will pay much less.

14. Professional Cuddler

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get after a hug? Some people actually pay good money to get it from a professional. Professional cuddlers snuggle up with complete strangers—and it's strictly platonic.

Hugs and cuddles release oxytocin, the feel-good hormone. A cuddle session offers therapeutic effects for people who feel disconnected and lonely.

Requirements

• Age 18+
  
• Accepting of all races, genders, ages
  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

What You Can Earn

• $40 to $80 per hour, plus tips

15. Rent Extra Space

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There are plenty of ways to earn money off your property. You can list any space in your house for rent. Renting out your whole house, or a room, can be an easy form of passive income.

Vacation rentals have become a popular way for people to travel. Renting out your home capitalizes on that trend, especially if it has a great location or vibe. You'll need to list your home on a popular short-term rental site, like Airbnb or VRBO.

Requirements

• Check city and state regulations
  
• Set your own requirements for renting your space
  
• Optional: use legal services to draft up a lease for long-term arrangements

There are few hard and fast requirements for renting your space. Make sure that you follow city and state regulations. Some cities, like New York City, have banned vacation rental sites like Airbnb.

What You Can Earn

• About $100 a night
  
• $1,000 a month

Your earning potential depends on your location. An apartment in downtown San Diego will be more lucrative than an apartment in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Even if it's not in the best location, a cute or homey space will draw guests.

In most big cities, a room in a house or an apartment can go for around $100. That doesn't include cleaning fees. The downside is that platforms take a small percentage of your earnings.

Small improvements to your space can pay off big time. Upgrading your mattress or offering perks like water bottles can lead to better reviews. Better reviews creates more demand and lets you charge more for your space.

16. Virtual Assistant

Ever wonder why you need to set foot in an office when everything's done online anyway? Here's a job that lets you flex your administrative skills—right from the comfort of your home.

Virtual assistants help businesses and entrepreneurs similar to administrative assistants, but the work is completely remote. You can expect to make phone calls and emails, schedule appointments, prepare reports, handle social media accounts, and more.

A quick search on job boards like Indeed will show you plenty of listings. But if you want to get started even faster, check out Fancy Hands. This company lets you set your own hours and pays $3 to $7 per task.

Requirements

• Computer
  
• Reliable internet connection
  
• High school degree usually needed

What You Can Earn
Full-time virtual assistants earn:

• Median: $15.94/hr
  
• Lowest 10%: $10.21/hr
  
• Highest 10%: $25.89/hr

According to Payscale, most virtual assistants make around $15.94/hr. You can increase your income potential by learning skills like social media marketing and graphic design.

Virtual assistants usually work on a freelance basis, so be prepared to network and seek out clients.

Want a job that's on the smaller side? Check out the next option to make money when you have just a little bit of time.

17. Amazon Mechanical Turk

Mturk is a crowdsourcing site that lets businesses outsource small tasks that require a human touch. AI can't do everything just yet, so companies seek out feedback from real people. Tasks include processing images or video, cleaning up data, and answering questions about content.

There's a wide range of tasks available, and you can work as little or as often as you like. It's a nice, flexible way to make a little extra money in your free time. The microtasks can take anywhere from a few seconds to half an hour to complete. There's a huge range to choose from.

Requirements

• Internet access
  
• 18+ years old

What You Can Earn

• Pay averages around $6/hr

Each task pays a few cents to several dollars. Keep an eye out for high-paying tasks, or tasks that take a short amount of time to complete. You can increase your earning by finishing many short tasks that pay decently.

Not everyone wants to sit in front of a computer all day. Find out where you can go for pretty much any kind of gig you can think of.

18. Earn Cash With Craigslist

Craigslist isn't just great for buying anything secondhand. It's also home to tons of jobs, from accounting to gigs like fixing dents on cars. Whether you're looking for long-term employment or just a fast way to make extra money, you can probably find it on Craigslist.

Requirements

• Check each listing for details

What You Can Earn

• Offer your price or get paid according to listing

There's such a huge variety of jobs you can get on Craigslist. Some are just one-off gigs, while others can be full-time. Keep in mind that anyone can post to Craigslist. You know your field the best. If someone is offering something that's way too good to be true, it probably is.

What Experts Say

Making a living isn't always glamorous. Lots of people are afraid of getting stuck in unfulfilling jobs.

In an unpredictable job market, you don't have to go it alone. As part of our series on gig work and employment, CreditDonkey asked a panel of industry experts to answer some of readers' most pressing questions:

• How do you find your purpose and do what you love?
  
• Could gig work put an end to traditional employment?
  
• How is the gig economy changing the workforce?
  
• What will the future of work look like?

Here's what they said:

How to Make More Money With Odd Jobs

If you're looking to maximize your income with odd jobs, try these tips:

• Shop around: Try out multiple odd jobs to try to maximize your earnings. For example, if you're completing manual jobs, check out multiple apps to shop for the highest income.

• Complete training: You might need more training before you can work in a high-paying field. Training and certifications can lead to a higher income.

• Go the extra mile: Do little things to increase the value of your services. If you're renting out your space, try upgrading it to boost reviews and earn more.

The Bottom Line

With a little bit of creativity and flexibility, you can earn quite a bit of money working odd jobs. Whether you need a part-time job, a second job, or something in between, there are many ways to supplement your income and save some extra bucks.