Whether you need money to pay off debt or save for a big financial goal, here are some great ideas on how to make an extra $1000 a month!
If you are living on a tight budget or barely making it paycheck-to-paycheck each month, then you are probably looking for ways to decrease your expenses or make some extra cash.
If your budget is already tight, you might find it hard to cut costs.
Adding extra income is often easier than trying to cut expenses from a limited budget.
Maybe you just have a big financial goal that you want to save money for.
In either case, why not try one of these great side hustle ideas for making extra money each month?
Some of these ideas might not make you $1,000 in the first month, but with hard work and persistence you will certainly get there.
Can you really make an extra $1,000 per month?
Yes! If you have time and are willing to work hard, you absolutely will be able to make an extra $1000 per month!
If you can’t make $1000 from just one of these ideas, try 2 or 3 of them. You can have more than 1 side hustle! Then, you should be able to easily reach the $1000 mark.
How can making an extra $1,000 a month help you and your family?
With extra money you could:
- pay off debt more quickly
- save money for a big financial goal (like a special vacation)
- have a downpayment for ahouse
- invest the extra money
- put money toward your kids’ college fund
These ideas can be great side hustles. Stay-at-home moms and students can also find ideas here to make extra money.
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How to Make an Extra $1,000 a Month (20+ ideas)
How to Make an Extra $1,000 a Month from Home
Freelancer
A freelancer is someone who gets paid per job (or per task). Freelancers are self-employed and generally complete short-term jobs.
Benefits
- many opportunities for freelance work (see the list below for some ideas)
- flexible work schedule
- work-life balance
- work from home (or a coffee shop!)
What do freelancers actually do?
Freelancers can offer various services like:
- writing
- marketing
- designing
- customer service
- editing
- social media management
- copywriting
- (the list goes on!)
If you are not sure what you can offer, take a look at your skills, interest, and experience and go from there.
People are willing to pay for all kinds of services, you may need to be creative and think outside of the box and look for opportunities in places you might not have thought of before.
Two popular places to start advertising and showing your portfolio are:
- Upwork – I advertised on Upwork when I first started freelancing and had several small side gigs (and I turned down some too!). You can showcase your portfolio, people can post reviews of your work, and you can choose from numerous small jobs to gain experience. They do charge a fee, but I felt safer going this route because all payment and transactions are handled through Upwork.
- Fiverr – Specifically for projects. Freelancers can search for job especially suited to their skillset and are paid by project completed.
Some other freelance websites where you can find work:
- TaskRabbit – quick short-term jobs, help with everyday tasks
- FlexJobs – specializing in remote work and flexible job opportunities
- Freelancer – large freelance website for a large variety of projects
- 99Designs – specifically for designers – logos, websites, graphics
- Indeed – one of the top job boards in the US
- Toptal – you need to qualify, but then can connect with businesses ready to pay for top quality work
- Work Better Now – focuses on finding virtual assistant jobs
- Thumbtack – local assistance for businesses and homeowners
- PeoplePerHour – specializes in those looking for hourly work
The following job opportunities can also be considered “freelance” opportunities if you decide to pursue them on your own (self-employed) vs. working directly for a company on their payroll:
Graphic Designer
Companies need awesome graphics (logos, illustrations, etc.) for advertising. If you are great at this, you can look for work on:
Web Development
All businesses must have a website. If you have web design skills, this might be for you.
Audio Transcription
You listen to a recording and type it up into a printed document.
You can look for transcribing, captioning, and subtitling work through Rev.
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant works remotely and completes various routine tasks and administrative jobs (like a secretary might do in an office, for example).
Virtual assistants can do things like:
- manage calendars
- send and respond to emails
- answering the phone and making calls
- travel arrangements
- accounting/bookkeeping
I found a great virtual assistant job through Upwork. It was a small gig that eventually led to a great long-term opportunity.
How to Make an Extra $1000 a Month in your Community
In addition to the above freelance-type positions, there are also many other ways to make an extra $1,000 offline in your local community:
Offer Tech Help
Put your technical skills to use and offer to teach a class for a local community or senior center. Some people need even the most basic computer assistance.
You can:
- offer services to make presentations on topics (how to use PowerPoint, how to set up a Facebook account, how to print a booklet, etc.)
- give computer basic classes
- help people in their homes with setting up their computer, printing documents, etc.
Sell Stuff You Don’t Need
If you own a lot or you have inherited a lot, you can probably make an extra $1000 in one month selling off unwanted items. This strategy could be useful for a quick $1000, but you won’t be able to make this a long-term gig – unless you have a LOT of stuff.
Some ideas for things you can sell:
- unused gift cards
- quality handbags and shoes
- clothes
- jewelry
- furniture
- electronics
- video games
- toys, figurines, collectibles
Flipping Cars (or bikes, boats, furniture, etc.)
Even if you don’t own lots of items you can sell now, you can, however, flip items for money. Flipping items is simply buying something at a low pirce and selling it for a higher price (often after you fix it up or modify it).
If you have the skills and tools, you can fix up cars or other items (boats, furniture, etc.) that you can turn around and sell at a profit.
My friend’s brother does this with used cars and makes quite a bit of money on the side each month.
Babysitting/Nannying
As long as there are children, there will always be a need for childcare.
You can use sites like Care.com or Sittercity to find short-term babysitting jobs or long-term nanny positions.
Or, try a local avenue. Ask friends and family for referrals or advertise in your local community. I found a job babysitting a little boy through a local mom’s Facebook group. The family was even thrilled to have me bring my 2 little girls with me.
You could also try opening an in-home daycare.
Pet Sitting
When I was in my early twenties and single, I watched pets and houses for co-workers on vacation. If you don’t have lots of personal connections, you can sign up with Rover to become a pet sitter and walker.
Teaching, Tutoring, or Lessons
If you have a skill, are bilingual, or can play a musical instrument, why not try teaching?
You can look for companies who need teachers or tutors, but you will get more money if you work as a freelance tutor and advertise for yourself.
Try:
- tutoring in math, science, English
- teaching a foreign language
- offering music lessons (singing or playing an instrument)
You can find customers through local avenues: homeschool networks, community centers, churches, school, work, local Facebook groups.
Online Teaching or Tutoring
In addition to in-person tutoring, you can also teach online!
One option is to teach English online to children in other countries. One popular company is VIPKid. You just need a BA (in any field) and some experience teaching or tutoring (even volunteer). You can earn up to $22 per hour and choose your hours. Qkids is another popular company.
This can be a great side hustle for moms with kids as the hours for teaching are when kids are usually in bed.
Outschool offers classes on a wide variety of subjects for kids 3 – 18. If you have some skills or knowledge, you can try teaching online through Outschool.
Yardwork
Offer your services to mow lawns, trim bushes, weed, shovel snow, and other types of yard work. If you find several customers, you can certainly make an extra $1000 a month.
Clean Houses or Offices
It’s hard work, but you can easily charge $100 to clean a small home. If you clean 10 homes a month, then you have $1000!
Home Repairs (Handyman)
If you have a good knowledge of home repair, you can do small home repairs on the side to make money. You could charge per hour or per job.
I knew a guy who drove his truck and offered emergency car repairs or assistance. His truck had a sign and he would help with flat tires and other basic car repair needs.
Delivery Driver
Food delivery is becoming wildly popular! If you want to deliver food, you sign up with a company and then you will get notified when there is a job, go pick something up, and deliver it.
Some popular delivery services to check out:
Part-Time, Seasonal, or Weekend Work
Find a part-time job as a waitress or bartender on the weekend and you can make extra cash (plus more in tips!).
During the holidays, retail stores often hire extra employees for shift work. Pick up several extra shifts for more cash. It’s a great way to earn more money.
Rent your Car or a Room or Space on your Property
If you have a car, a room in your home, or some space on your property, try renting it out.
You can rent out your car with Turo.
Once I stayed at an Airbnb where the owners lived in the separate garage-turned-apartment and we stayed in the main house.
If you don’t have that option, rent a room in your house or on your property.
I also know someone who rented space on their property for RV parking. This really helped with money toward their mortgage.
Odd Jobs
Do you like doing short jobs and small tasks here and there?
Then you may want to check out Thumbtack or TaskRabbit.
You can find odd jobs doing things like:
- yard work
- painting
- help moving
- small home repairs
- running errands
My friend used to also look for odd jobs on Craigslist. She found all kinds of different jobs, including one where she was paid to hand address envelopes.
Other online job opportunities:
Data Entry
Perhaps a little more mundane than merely being a virtual assistant, there are many opportunities for data entry jobs. Try looking for this type of work on Upwork.
Proofreading
If you have excellent grammar and editing skills, try proofreading!
Proofreaders check printed documents (websites, etc.) for errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation). If you want some tips for getting starting, try Proofread Anywhere.
Resume Writer
If you have a knack for writing stellar resumes, you can offer your services. Many people are willing to pay for help creating a fantastic resume so they can land a much needed job!
Pinterest VA or Social Media Manager
Social media is vital for businesses today. As such, many companies are looking to hire someone to handle their social media needs. If you have the knowledge, skills, and interests in social media, you can be a social media manager or Pinterest VA.
Online Stylist
Do you love fashion?
Then you can make money as an online stylist!
Get started with Stitch Fix or Stella and Dot. This can be a great side hustle, especially for moms, as you can work from home (or anywhere with an internet connection).
Blogging
Starting a blog requires a lot of work and you won’t make $1000 overnight, but with perseverance and hard work you can get there.
Sell Printables, Courses, Lesson Plans, or eBooks
If you have your own website or blog, you can sell printables, courses, or lesson plans right on your website.
You can also sell printables on Etsy or lesson plans on Teachers Pay Teachers or write and sell your own eBook.
It will take time to build up a steady income stream on either of these places, but you can certainly reach $1000 per month with some dedicated effort.
Sell Items Online
If you are creative and have any skills (knitting, crocheting, crafting), you can sell your handmade items on Etsy.
If you like to scour thrift shops or garage sales for deals, you can resell items on Ebay.
Investments
While you won’t make $1000 per month if you are just starting out investing, this is the best long-term solution. If you are young, take advantage of the power of compound interest and definitely start seriously investing in your future.
If you don’t know where to get started, I highly recommend this easy-to-read financial book.
Some More Ideas on How to Make an Extra $1000 a Month
Additional ways to make an extra $1000 a month (you might need to combine several of these to reach $1000):
- sell commercial free stock photos on websites like Unplash, Pixabay, SmugMug, Shutterstock, or iStockphoto
- start a YouTube Channel
- deliver packages for Amazon through Amazon Flex
- fill out online surveys – try this with Swagbucks or Survey Junkie
- donating plasma
- decluttering (junk removal)
- earn cashback on things you already buy – try using Honey, Rakuten, or Ibotta.
- become a personal chef or personal trainer
- consulting
- become a real estate agent
- manage Facebook Ads
- start a moving company
- become a scopist
- become a copywriter
- work in property management, taking care of rentals
- sell baked goods or start a catering business
- be a substitute teacher
Final Thoughts on How to Make an Extra $1000 a Month
You can’t make an extra $1000 a month without some effort, but if you are willing to put in the time and work hard, then you can certainly use one (or two or three) of these ideas to pull in some extra cash each month! Use that extra money to pay off debt, build up your emergency fund, or save up for an important financial goal. Share any other great money-making ideas below!
