If you are in need of some extra money but aren’t able to get a job, you may feel a little concerned.
Take heart, because I have found some great ways to put some money in your pocket.
By learning about how to make money without a job, you can take control of your finances and make sure that you have enough cash on hand to pay whatever bills are due in the future.
You might even have a little leftover, depending on your hustle and how much time you are willing to commit to making extra money.
1. Cook for other people
If you love to cook, there isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t be able to turn that passion into profit with a little bit of work.
It may come as a surprise to you, but many people will pay for a private chef, especially if they are putting together a party and don’t want to deal with all of the cooking themselves.
If you love to cook, you can either cater to your friends and neighbors or even hold cooking classes.
Don’t worry about whether or not your kitchen is large enough to host a big class, as many customers are thrilled to let you come to their homes and cook from there.
This is a great way to build your reputation and make some money fast while still pursuing your passion.
The professionals at Lifehack provide more information.
2. Sign up for mobile apps
If you’re not looking to earn a full income but want to bring in some extra cash each month, using mobile apps can be a great way to add a little extra wiggle room to your budget.
I love that there are so many different apps that you can choose from, depending on what you are interested in, which will prevent you from getting bored.
As long as you have time and motivation throughout the day to log into your apps on a regular basis and do quizzes, complete surveys, or answer questions, you can quickly start supplementing your income without leaving the comfort of your sofa.
3. Rent out your car
This is perfect if you have an extra car that you don’t need on a regular basis or if you aren’t going to be using your vehicle for a while due to circumstances like surgery.
By allowing someone else to rent your car, you can not only bring in enough money to pay for insurance but also make the most out of having an extra vehicle.
I know that it can be daunting to think about allowing someone else to use your car, but this is an excellent option for people who don’t need their vehicles on a daily basis.
Yahoo Finance ran an article on how this process works, which may give you the peace of mind that you need to get started making money in this way.
4. Drive people around
Services like Lyft and Uber are becoming more and more popular not only for people looking for a ride but also for people who want to know how to make money without a job.
I love that if you decide to become a driver, you can drive as regularly as you wish.
This means that if you need some extra money due to the upcoming holidays, you can just put in more hours on the road.
On the other hand, if you are getting tired of being in the car, you don’t have to drive.
This is an excellent option for anyone who keeps strange hours and isn’t afraid of meeting strangers or traveling all around the city.
I think it can be a great source of income once you establish yourself and have a high rating to prove your abilities.
5. Become a mystery shopper
Everyone knows what mystery shoppers are, but the chances are good that you haven’t ever thought about becoming one.
This is a great way to make some extra money without committing to a full-time job, as you can choose which shops you want to go on, and which ones you want to skip.
This way you’re not wasting your time or driving too far, which can negate any money that you would make.
While some shops pay a fair amount, others don’t offer a lot of compensation, but may provide free food or compensate you for groceries that you buy.
I suggest that you look over the terms of each job before you accept it to make sure that you are happy with what you will be required to do and how much money you will make.
Check out a book like The Mystery Shopper’s Manual for more expert tips on this.
6. Have a Yard Sale
Yard sales are probably one of the most tried and true ways to make money when you don’t have a job.
But you have to make sure that you prepare for the sale and that you advertise correctly and set up the sale in a way that is inviting and will inspire others to stop and shop with you.
Otherwise, you’re likely to be disappointed in your results.
If you want to make sure that you achieve the best results, turn to the Yard Sale Queen to learn what you need to do to make your yard sale not only noticeable to everyone driving by, but also very appealing.
You don’t want to waste your time, and planning will help ensure that you have people stop by and shop.
7. Play video games
This is more of a niche skill, but if you love video games and are willing to spend hours developing characters and buying property, you may be able to sell those items to other users.
It’s important to note that this is not something that will happen overnight, so it’s an option that is best suited to people who already play video games and are aware of the commitment.
There are some games like Fortnite, that you can make a fair amount of money through when you are willing to develop characters, craft high-quality items, or accumulate property and sell it to other players.
It’s important to know what people want so you can get the best price.
8. Be a street performer
If you don’t want to sign a contract for a job, you’ll want to stay away from holding signs for local companies, but if you have a skill, you can take to the streets to pick up some extra cash.
Make sure that you go out on a beautiful day when there will be plenty of foot traffic so you will have more people walking by you, and then sit on a busy corner for the best results.
No matter whether you juggle, sing, play an instrument, or even paint, if you are interesting enough and can make people stop and pay attention to what you are doing, you may be able to make some money.
Make sure that you have a clearly labeled donation container near you so they will know exactly where to put the money that they want to give you and so that nobody else takes it.
9. Start a YouTube channel
I know that whenever I want to learn how to do something, I like to turn to YouTube for help, and people from all around the world feel the same way.
If you are particularly passionate and informed about a particular subject, you may be able to set up a YouTube channel and start bringing in some income by posting regular videos.
Make sure that you are willing to post videos regularly so that your fans can get used to seeing you and will know that they can trust that you will be posting.
I find that YouTubers who are regular with their posts and are willing to communicate openly with their fans are the most successful.
10. Recycle old electronics
If you’re like me, you probably have some old phones or other electronics lying around your home, taking up space, and not being used.
Imagine how happy I was when I found out that you can turn in your old cell phones and make some money off of them?
Some companies will buy your old phones so that they can use them for parts.
Of course, the newer the phone is that you are turning in, the more money that you will be able to make off of it.
I also think that it’s important to remember that you’re not going to get anywhere near the original value of your phone, but this is still a great way to clean out your home and make a little money at the same time.
11. Make crafts
I’m always surprised at how popular local craft fairs are.
Even if you don’t have one in your town, you can quickly sell crafts on sites like Etsy, where people will pay a premium for items that are handmade and of higher quality than what they can easily buy in a store.
Because individuals and businesses love to decorate for the seasons, this can be very lucrative.
Holiday-themed crafts are often best-sellers simply because people love to decorate throughout the year.
If you are crafty and enjoy spending time working with your hands, it’s a good idea to consider how you can monetize your love for crafts and turn them into actual money.
12. Tutor online
Being able to set your hours when you tutor children online is one of my favorite things about this way to make money without getting a job.
If you want to work for a few hours every morning, you can turn this into a regular income, but if you would rather only be available once a week, that flexibility is up to you.
You do have to meet specific requirements before an online tutoring company can accept you, but if you are willing to put in the work and have the education and experience necessary, you can make money from the comfort of your own home.
Additionally, your computer has to meet their specifications, so will you need to consider that.
13. Become a dog walker
People love their dogs, and I’m always surprised by how many are willing to pay a premium so that their pets can get out of the house and walk during the day.
If you love hiking and enjoy spending time with dogs, you can make a lot of money being a dog walker.
This is an excellent option if you live in an area where there are a lot of dogs, and their owners work full time.
All you need to get started with this is an excellent pair of walking shoes and a few fliers with your information on them.
I recommend going to your local vet’s office and seeing if they have a board where you can display your information so that owners can pick up your number.
14. Become a proofreader
If you have always loved editing other people’s work and finding their mistakes, you may be a proofreader at heart and not even realize it.
Proofreading is relatively easy to get into on your own, and once you have proven yourself by working for a few larger clients, you are likely to have a lot more opportunities heading your way.
I found that taking an online class in proofreading is the best way to get started and will let you know whether or not this work is really for you, as it does take dedication and the ability to catch mistakes that others have made.
15. Sell your photos
Photographers can make a lot of money when they sell their photos to the right people, but I know that breaking into this business can be harder than expected, especially if you don’t have a background in photography.
Even if you only took a photography class in college, if you can take a great photograph, you may be able to make some money.
Rather than cold-calling large companies and trying to sell your photographs, I recommend selling your photos online.
Sites like Shutterstock and Fotolia make it easy for users to upload their original photographs for companies who need the perfect image to work for their campaign.
This reduces the stress of trying to contact a company directly.
16. Deliver food
If you don’t mind being in your car and are very familiar with how to get around your city in a hurry, you can make some great money delivering food.
Rather than driving people, which some people are not comfortable doing when you deliver food, you only interact with the buyer for a few minutes.
People who are looking for something flexible that allows them to get out of the house will love this opportunity.
I think that it’s a great choice if you are looking to make your own hours and aren’t afraid of having your car smell like curry.
17. Become a professional grocery shopper
While grocery shopping isn’t my favorite thing to do, I know that some people adore going to the store, searching for the perfect ingredient, and getting out of the store under budget.
If you love going to the grocery store each week and could spend hours looking at all of the delicious food there, being a professional grocery shopper is something that you should consider.
When you become a professional grocery shopper, you will be given a list and sent to the store on behalf of a customer.
Once there, you will need to fulfill their list and make the delivery to them on time.
This is a great way to get out of the house and feel like you are spending money without having to feel the pain in your wallet of actually purchasing with your own money.
18. Lose weight
While not everyone has extra pounds to shed, if you have already been thinking about losing weight but would love to make some money at the same time, you need to consider specific programs that will allow you to bet on your ability to lose a certain amount of weight.
The idea with these programs is that having a cash prize can be inspiring for some people.
My only advice is to make sure that you thoroughly research the company that you want to choose so you can be sure that they are legit.
See what Stephanie Eckelkamp at Prevention has to say about making money this way and think about whether or not it may be an excellent choice for you.
If you are willing to stick to the workouts and necessary dietary changes, you may find yourself healthier and wealthier in the end.
19. Sell lesson plans
Teachers are overworked and underpaid, which is why many of them look online for lesson plans and other ideas that they can use in their classrooms.
If you have been a teacher in the past or are just great at putting together lesson plans and fun activities, you can capitalize on this.
Not only are you going to make some money, but you can help teachers all around the world.
Once you have put together a lesson plan and made it available online, you will enjoy passive income every time a teacher buys it from you.
When you come up with content that will remain relevant for a long time, you won’t have to worry about updating it or it not being useful in the future, which means that you can make money off it for a long time.
20. Write greeting cards
Do you have a way with words?
If so, you can turn your creativity and writing abilities into actual money if you can sell your ideas to greeting card companies.
This isn’t a way to get rich quickly, but it is a fun side hustle that can bring in some extra money if you are willing to work at it and if you happen to come up with a winning slogan.
There are also greeting card companies that will pay you for photos and art as well as for the words that you write.
When you first get started, be prepared to be rejected a lot, but as you figure out what these companies want, you can easily make a nice chunk of money each month.
21. Self-publish your book
Everyone has a story inside of them, but whether or not your book ever sees the light of day used to be up to major publishers.
Now, with the ability to self-publish, you can quickly write and publish your book and have it in the hands of readers all around the world in very little time at all.
It’s relatively inexpensive to self-publish, although you do need to be prepared to invest a little in your book.
Once your book is published, you can enjoy earning income as people download it and read it.
Even if you have been turned down by publishers before, you can finally make your dream of being a published author come true and make some money at the same time.
22. Start investing in real estate
Want to try out real-estate investing without being a landlord?
Oh, and also, you do not need to have hundreds of thousands of bucks.
You can begin with a minimal investment of $500.
Fundrise does all of the heavy lifting for you.
Throughout the Fundrise Starter Portfolio, your funds will be divided into two portfolios, which encourage private property around the country.
This is not an obscure investment, however.
It’s possible to precisely see which properties are contained on your portfolios — such as a set of townhomes in Snoqualmie, Washington, or even an apartment building at Charlotte, North Carolina.
You can make money through quarterly dividend obligations and possible appreciation in the value of your stocks, exactly like a stock exchange.
Money flow typically comes in interest payments and property income (e.g., lease).
23. Become a mystery film shopper
Theaters and film studios need to gather information about the crowd that attends their film premieres.
They also need to learn how many men and women purchase tickets on the launch date, which screening period is the most popular and which previews have been exhibited.
Plus, they need independent data from third-party evaluators, which is where you come in.
As an evaluator, you are going to execute “in-theater tests.” That essentially means you go into a theater and watch your environment.
To get started as a film mystery shopper, you will want to complete an application with a few of the biggest mystery shopping providers.
The one I recommend is Certified Field Associates.
The app is simply a couple of questions and almost everyone in the USA and Canada is qualified.
Final thoughts
If you are willing to put in the work, then there are some great ways to make money.
Have you ever dreamed about how to make money without a job?
Now that I have come up with this great list of 23 different options, you can finally achieve your dream of getting paid without committing to a 9-5 a reality.
Are you ready to change your life?
