5 Side Hustles To Make Extra Cash Fast

Thanks for reading Part 2 of my “Side Hustle” series. Here’s Part One. If this goes well, I might just make it a regular post, highlighting new or interesting ways to make money on the side. Whaddayathink?

But for real, before I dive into the list of ways to make extra cash, I have to say that I started this post as a way to help out my fellow young moms. But I got a startling look at some parenting statistics today and now my post feels more relevant than ever.

Since a lot of my readers (and young moms) are single parents, I found these statistics to be particularly sobering, discussing the link between single mother households and poverty. While I don’t necessarily believe that a child born to a single mom is destined to be poor, I do think that it is harder, and therefore requires more work, to be a single mom who with excellent kids. I hope my blog helps you in some way.

So without further delay, here’s my list to help you make extra money quickly:

Five side hustles to help you increase your cash flow:

1) Become a niche blogger. Now, I know this isn’t as easy as it sounds, but it IS possible to make money as a blogger. (As I will soon be able to share with you.) You might not be making six-figures right away, but at least at first, you’ll make enough to afford a night or two out each month. To get started, think about what your expertise is and what you’re good at. Like to bake? Start a food blog. Got a knack for finding the best deals on any item? Start a shopping blog and share your secrets. To get started, I recommend you start with the new book by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett, ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.   It’s packed full of info you need to know to get your blog started right.

2) Clothes designer. No, you don’t have to go to fashion design school to make and sell clothes! Lots of online shops, like Cafepress, allow you to design your own T-shirts and other products and sell them! Let your creative side emerge and see how much you can make!

3) Ebay hustler. Shop at thrift stores and see what bargains you find. A friend of mine found some Rock & Republic jeans (normally retailing for around $300) for $5 in the bargain bin, tags still on and everything. She could easily turn around and sell them for $100, making a nice little profit in the process. Make sure you hit up thrift stores in specific areas, however. Not every thrift store is going to have steals like that.

4) Become a writer. I know, I know. The first side hustle also had to do with writing. But, if writing is your thing, there are a ton of avenues you could go into. Freelancing, for one, would be a good option if you have the dedication and the passion for what you’re writing about. Contact online sites and read publications like Writer’s Digest, which give you tips, advice, and help improving your writing. Get started with its list of “Top 101 Websites for Writers.” You can also write e-books, which cost nothing to write and $0 to publish. Check out Self Made Chick’s e-book on building a freelancing business. She regularly makes $6,000 a month just from writing alone. If you come anywhere close to that, I’d say it’s worth your time.

5) Memory maker. Do you know how big scrapbooking is? It’s easily a $3 billion a year industry, with tons of people just looking for new and creative ways to preserve their memories. With online sites like Shutterfly and Snapfish, it’s easier than ever to upload photos, add some decorative touches and voila! There you have your own digital scrapbook, hardbound like a real book. But people don’t have a lot of time to gather the photos, upload them all, test different designs, add captions, etc. That’s where you come in. Offer your services to people you know are busy. New parents are perfect for this. We spend all our time taking photos but then never get around to putting them in albums. Online photo services charge around $30 for one of these books, add in $15 or so for your time and you’ll be providing a huge benefit to people.

So, let me hear in the comments if you have a side hustle and how much it makes you each month.