The gig economy is awesome! It’s freed up a lot of people to take control of their finances. On top of that, we’re no longer tied down to our office jobs. We have the ability to dictate how much we work, and even set our own schedules.
For those new to all this, “gig economy” is a wide-reaching term that refers to quick freelance gigs. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It could refer to part-time jobs that you juggle with odd jobs. Or it could mean using various online rewards sites to supplement your primary income. It could mean using the best money-saving apps, or it could mean finding ways to save money on a tight budget. I used to joke that my side hustles have side hustles.
You can come up with your own personal definition of what the gig economy is — you don’t have to be a money-saving expert per se. But the essential thing about this is what I mentioned earlier — control. That’s pretty evident when you consider that side hustles can be categorized into three types:
Quick Fix
Medium Fix
Long-Term Fix
Each one gives you earnings, but some are better for certain periods of time. For example, a Quick Fix gig can earn you money quickly, but the earnings aren’t usually that high. You’re trading speed for quantity. Long-Term Fix jobs may require a bit more set-up, but when the ball gets rolling, your earnings will be bigger. Medium Fix jobs are kind of in the middle, as the name implies.
This article will be listing different earning methods. To help you plan, I’ll be organizing them into Quick Fix, Medium Fix, and Long-Term Fix. Regardless of their categories, these money-earning methods will empower you to save money… not to mention save money, live better. So let’s check out the lists!
Quick Fix
Answer surveys on GrabPoints
Let’s start with my favorite earning method for the short-term. There are tons of survey and rewards sites on the internet, but none of them give as good an experience as. The reason for that is simple: GrabPoints is the highest-paying rewards site on the planet! Check out which compares earnings on GrabPoints with those on competing sites.
But I’m getting ahead of myself… on GrabPoints, you do simple tasks like answering surveys and watching videos. You get paid points for each task you complete, and you can trade your points for cash (sent via PayPal) or gift cards. And get this — you get your earnings within 48 hours! That’s why I highly recommend GrabPoints for quick earnings.
Sell your old and collectible items
Admit it: you’ve got a closet full of old, beloved stuff that you haven’t used in years, but stubbornly hold on to. I’m like that. I’ve got tons of vintage concert t-shirts that I hadn’t worn in years. (Mostly because I couldn’t fit into them anymore!) I decided it was better to convert old, useless stuff into new and useful money. And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I made from them! Apparently, a lot of people are looking for old grunge-era band shirts.
If you’re like me and you’ve got a lot of old collectible junk, you can try selling them online. In my opinion, eBay and Poshmark are the best places for this, since buyers there know the value of rare and collectible items.
Come up with business names
Here’s a bit of an oddball earning method. My friends are always surprised when I tell them they can earn money by coming up with business names! Companies like NamingForce, SquadHelp, and Picky Domains help companies name their products (or themselves). The company will upload a brief about their business, and people pitch their name suggestions. When your business name gets picked, you get paid!
There’s a slight downside to this: you won’t know what the client is looking for exactly. Well, they do include a description and brief about their business, but the final winner is all subject to the client’s whims. So you could, in theory, come up with dozens of awesome names and still not get chosen. But it’s a great way to exercise your creative skills, and if you’re a budding copywriter, this is also a great way to know if your works will resonate. I totally recommend it!
Medium Fix
Work as a private grocery shopper
This is one of my favorite money-making methods since it requires actual human interaction. Most of my money-making methods are online, which means I’m usually holed up in my spare bedroom banging away on my laptop or mobile phone.
When you work as a grocery shopper, you do just that — shop for other people. There’s more to it than just picking up groceries and delivering them to clients. To do this, you install an app and sign-up as a private grocery shopper. When you receive a booking, it includes the client’s shopping list. You then head to the accredited grocery and pick out the best samples. For example, if the list contains oranges, you need to pick the freshest ones from the available stock. Regular delivery services don’t have this.
Once you’re done shopping, you pay for the items (you will be reimbursed, of course) then deliver the items to your client. I think this is one of the most satisfying gigs I’ve tried because people are always happy to receive their groceries. To get started, check out InstaCart!
Work as an Amazon Flex Courier
If you prefer working for a bigger company, you could try working as a courier for Amazon Flex. As an Amazon Flex courier, you’ll be delivering packages for the Amazon Prime program. Amazon Prime promises ultra-fast delivery times to shoppers. Since Amazon can’t fulfill all those orders on their own, they started the Amazon Flex program to hire competent third-party contractors.
Here’s how it works: you’ll be assigned an area to work in, usually in your own city. When you receive a notification, you drive to the nearest Amazon fulfillment center or warehouse to pick up the package. You then deliver the item to the buyer. You’ll have to do this within a specific timeframe, so there is a bit of pressure involved.
But the great thing about this is you don’t have to deal with drunk or annoying passengers. Amazon packages don’t complain. Plus, you can even listen to your own music!
Amazon Flex is slowly being deployed in more and more cities. If this is something you wanna try, head over to the Amazon Flex site for more info on how to apply.
Do mystery shopping
No, this doesn’t mean you go shopping for mysteries (although that would be awesome!). A mystery shopper is someone who checks an establishment on behalf of the business owner. Mystery shoppers check a variety of things, from the quality of service, the ambiance of the place, cleanliness, appearance of the staff, and prices of the items. Some mystery shoppers even check whether the store personnel checks for ID when they try to buy cigarettes and alcohol! They’re called mystery shoppers because the staff won’t know you’re working for the company. If they did, they would obviously give you preferential treatment.
After shopping (or dining), it’s your job to report back what your experience was like. Some jobs will require you to note certain things. But this job is straightforward and fun!
Shadow Shopper is one of the best places to start your mystery shopping career!
Long-Term Fix
Rent out ad space on your car
There are companies that want to pay you to let them install a vinyl wrap containing an advertisement on your car. Basically, they turn your car into a rolling billboard. This is a great way to earn if you drive around a lot. A GPS device will be installed on your vehicle, and you’ll be required to drive a set amount each day so you can earn. But these routes are usually around your own area or regular route.
And don’t worry, vinyl wraps are only semi-permanent. It doesn’t alter your car permanently. Once your contract is over, you can request them to remove the wrap without any permanent damage to your car. (A few companies even offer removal of the wrap in the contract)
Want to try this out? Check out Wrapify and Carvertise.
Rent out your car
If you don’t use your car all that often, it’s advisable to rent out your car. That way, it continues to make money during those idle moments. Of course, you shouldn’t offer your car to just anyone off the street. There are apps that help facilitate that… like Uber, except they only get the car and not the driver!
If you’re up for this, check out Getaround and Turo, which are two of the most popular apps for renting out your car. They have a vetting process for both renter and car-owners. And you’ll be fully protected by their terms of service and agreement.
For those new to all this, “gig economy” is a wide-reaching term that refers to quick freelance gigs. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It could refer to part-time jobs that you juggle with odd jobs. Or it could mean using various online rewards sites to supplement your primary income. It could mean using the best money-saving apps, or it could mean finding ways to save money on a tight budget. I used to joke that my side hustles have side hustles.
You can come up with your own personal definition of what the gig economy is — you don’t have to be a money-saving expert per se. But the essential thing about this is what I mentioned earlier — control. That’s pretty evident when you consider that side hustles can be categorized into three types:
Quick Fix
Medium Fix
Long-Term Fix
Each one gives you earnings, but some are better for certain periods of time. For example, a Quick Fix gig can earn you money quickly, but the earnings aren’t usually that high. You’re trading speed for quantity. Long-Term Fix jobs may require a bit more set-up, but when the ball gets rolling, your earnings will be bigger. Medium Fix jobs are kind of in the middle, as the name implies.
This article will be listing different earning methods. To help you plan, I’ll be organizing them into Quick Fix, Medium Fix, and Long-Term Fix. Regardless of their categories, these money-earning methods will empower you to save money… not to mention save money, live better. So let’s check out the lists!
Quick Fix
Answer surveys on GrabPoints
Let’s start with my favorite earning method for the short-term. There are tons of survey and rewards sites on the internet, but none of them give as good an experience as. The reason for that is simple: GrabPoints is the highest-paying rewards site on the planet! Check out which compares earnings on GrabPoints with those on competing sites.
But I’m getting ahead of myself… on GrabPoints, you do simple tasks like answering surveys and watching videos. You get paid points for each task you complete, and you can trade your points for cash (sent via PayPal) or gift cards. And get this — you get your earnings within 48 hours! That’s why I highly recommend GrabPoints for quick earnings.
Sell your old and collectible items
Admit it: you’ve got a closet full of old, beloved stuff that you haven’t used in years, but stubbornly hold on to. I’m like that. I’ve got tons of vintage concert t-shirts that I hadn’t worn in years. (Mostly because I couldn’t fit into them anymore!) I decided it was better to convert old, useless stuff into new and useful money. And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I made from them! Apparently, a lot of people are looking for old grunge-era band shirts.
If you’re like me and you’ve got a lot of old collectible junk, you can try selling them online. In my opinion, eBay and Poshmark are the best places for this, since buyers there know the value of rare and collectible items.
Come up with business names
Here’s a bit of an oddball earning method. My friends are always surprised when I tell them they can earn money by coming up with business names! Companies like NamingForce, SquadHelp, and Picky Domains help companies name their products (or themselves). The company will upload a brief about their business, and people pitch their name suggestions. When your business name gets picked, you get paid!
There’s a slight downside to this: you won’t know what the client is looking for exactly. Well, they do include a description and brief about their business, but the final winner is all subject to the client’s whims. So you could, in theory, come up with dozens of awesome names and still not get chosen. But it’s a great way to exercise your creative skills, and if you’re a budding copywriter, this is also a great way to know if your works will resonate. I totally recommend it!
Medium Fix
Work as a private grocery shopper
This is one of my favorite money-making methods since it requires actual human interaction. Most of my money-making methods are online, which means I’m usually holed up in my spare bedroom banging away on my laptop or mobile phone.
When you work as a grocery shopper, you do just that — shop for other people. There’s more to it than just picking up groceries and delivering them to clients. To do this, you install an app and sign-up as a private grocery shopper. When you receive a booking, it includes the client’s shopping list. You then head to the accredited grocery and pick out the best samples. For example, if the list contains oranges, you need to pick the freshest ones from the available stock. Regular delivery services don’t have this.
Once you’re done shopping, you pay for the items (you will be reimbursed, of course) then deliver the items to your client. I think this is one of the most satisfying gigs I’ve tried because people are always happy to receive their groceries. To get started, check out InstaCart!
Work as an Amazon Flex Courier
If you prefer working for a bigger company, you could try working as a courier for Amazon Flex. As an Amazon Flex courier, you’ll be delivering packages for the Amazon Prime program. Amazon Prime promises ultra-fast delivery times to shoppers. Since Amazon can’t fulfill all those orders on their own, they started the Amazon Flex program to hire competent third-party contractors.
Here’s how it works: you’ll be assigned an area to work in, usually in your own city. When you receive a notification, you drive to the nearest Amazon fulfillment center or warehouse to pick up the package. You then deliver the item to the buyer. You’ll have to do this within a specific timeframe, so there is a bit of pressure involved.
But the great thing about this is you don’t have to deal with drunk or annoying passengers. Amazon packages don’t complain. Plus, you can even listen to your own music!
Amazon Flex is slowly being deployed in more and more cities. If this is something you wanna try, head over to the Amazon Flex site for more info on how to apply.
Do mystery shopping
No, this doesn’t mean you go shopping for mysteries (although that would be awesome!). A mystery shopper is someone who checks an establishment on behalf of the business owner. Mystery shoppers check a variety of things, from the quality of service, the ambiance of the place, cleanliness, appearance of the staff, and prices of the items. Some mystery shoppers even check whether the store personnel checks for ID when they try to buy cigarettes and alcohol! They’re called mystery shoppers because the staff won’t know you’re working for the company. If they did, they would obviously give you preferential treatment.
After shopping (or dining), it’s your job to report back what your experience was like. Some jobs will require you to note certain things. But this job is straightforward and fun!
Shadow Shopper is one of the best places to start your mystery shopping career!
Long-Term Fix
Rent out ad space on your car
There are companies that want to pay you to let them install a vinyl wrap containing an advertisement on your car. Basically, they turn your car into a rolling billboard. This is a great way to earn if you drive around a lot. A GPS device will be installed on your vehicle, and you’ll be required to drive a set amount each day so you can earn. But these routes are usually around your own area or regular route.
And don’t worry, vinyl wraps are only semi-permanent. It doesn’t alter your car permanently. Once your contract is over, you can request them to remove the wrap without any permanent damage to your car. (A few companies even offer removal of the wrap in the contract)
Want to try this out? Check out Wrapify and Carvertise.
Rent out your car
If you don’t use your car all that often, it’s advisable to rent out your car. That way, it continues to make money during those idle moments. Of course, you shouldn’t offer your car to just anyone off the street. There are apps that help facilitate that… like Uber, except they only get the car and not the driver!
If you’re up for this, check out Getaround and Turo, which are two of the most popular apps for renting out your car. They have a vetting process for both renter and car-owners. And you’ll be fully protected by their terms of service and agreement.
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