Nearly 4 million Americans are working from home today. Whether you’re a college a student, a busy mother or father, or you’re just looking to make extra money – there’s lots of legitimate ways to make $500 a month from home.
With today’s technology, we’re lucky to have a variety of different ways to work and make money from home. There has never been a better time to make money online!
Today I’m rounding up the best ways to make an extra $500 a month. The best part is, you can earn this income in your spare time from home. These opportunities are perfect for stay-at-home moms or dads who are looking to boost their savings or pay off debt.
How could and extra $500 per month help you? Perhaps it could help you…
- Get out of debt faster
- Save money for travel
- Save money for a home
- Pay off student loans
- Eliminate credit card debt
- Help build your emergency fund, and so more!
What would you do with an extra $500 a month?
With the lack of job security in today’s economy, it’s vital to have multiple sources of income. It’s not just meant to help you survive — it’s the smart way to build wealth.
How many streams of income should people have in order to build wealth? According to Tom Corley’s book, Rich Habits, 65% of self-made millionaires had three or more streams of income they’ve created over time. When you have money coming in from multiple sources, it helps diversify your income. For example, if one stream suffers, the others can make up for it.
Ask yourself this — if you lost your job today, would you still have a source of income coming in tomorrow? Do you have enough savings to cover at least six months’ worth of living expenses?
These are tough questions to answer, but they’re important to your financial success. People never think it will happen to them, but losing your job can happen to anyone. It’s happened in my family and it’s not easy.
The best way to be prepared is to take back control of your own finances. This includes building an emergency fund and finding ways to increase your income. That’s why I’m sharing 12 of my favorite ways to make extra $500 a month.
Related Posts:
- 23 things you can sell for money
- Legit ways to make money with your smartphone
- How to start a blog and make money from home
Table of Contents
1. Get paid to take online surveys
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $500+ per month.
Companies are willing to pay you cash to get your opinion. If you’re looking for an easy way to make money fast, this can be a great option. I started doing online surveys when I was in college to help me make extra money.
Most surveys take around 5-15 minutes to complete. This means you can earn money while filling a survey during breakfast or get paid to share your opinion while watching Netflix — it’s really that easy.
PRO TIP: Earn the most money when you sign up for several survey websites. Then you’ll get to choose the surveys which pay the most money. Save time and earn more cash!
Here’s a few legitimate survey sites I’ve used and recommend!
Branded Surveys – This is a popular survey site that will pay you cash. When companies want to launch a new product or collect market research, they turn to the Branded Surveys Community for feedback. You’ll collect points for each survey you complete. Points can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.
Branded Surveys currently has a TrustScore rating of 4.3/5 on Trust Pilot, which makes them one of the highest rated survey sites. You can sign up for free here.
Plus, you’ll get a $1 welcome bonus when you sign up today!
Survey Junkie – This is the largest survey site in the world that actually pays you cash. It’s available in the United States and Canada. They are an online community with over 10 million members dedicated to making their voice heard.
Survey Junkie currently has a TrustScore rating of 4.5/5 on Trust Pilot, which makes them one of the highest rated survey sites. You can sign up for free here.
This site is similar to Swagbucks, where you’ll earn points for each survey you complete. Then you can exchange your points for cash paid directly to a PayPal account, or you can redeem your points for a gift card. It’s super easy.
Toluna Influencers – Toluna Influencers are everyday people (just like you) who help transform the products and services that matter most to you. Most of the time, their surveys last between 15 and 20 minutes. For each survey you complete, you’ll be rewarded points that can be exchanged for cash or rewards. You can sign up for free here.
Swagbucks – This is one of the most popular survey websites. I’ve been using Swagbucks for years to earn free gift cards. This is my favorite way to get FREE drinks at Starbucks! For each survey you complete, you’ll earn “Swagbucks” which can be redeemed for free gift cards, or you can get cash paid to a PayPal account. You can sign up for free here.
Plus, you’ll get a free $5 welcome bonus just for signing up today.
For more great surveys for money, check out this guide: 10 Best Sureveys That Pay Cash Online
2. Get paid to play on Pinterest
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $4,000+ per month.
Do you like using Pinterest? Why not get paid to share pins on the platform!
As a Pinterest virtual assistant, you’ll get paid to create pins for blogs and online businesses. Pinterest virtual assistants are in high demand right now as Pinterest continues to grow in popularity. This can be a great way to make an extra $500 a month from home.
FREE Pinterest Workshop: If this sounds like a fun opportunity for you, consider checking out this FREE workshop. It’ll show you how to get started as a Pinterest virtual assistant, how much money you can make, and how to find clients. You can sign up for free here.
Below you can meet Suzie! After enrolling in Become a Pinterest VA Today, she was able to start earning an average of $2,000 per month. And the best part is, she only works 12 hours per week on her Pinterest side hustle! This can be a great opportunity to make money online for stay-at-home parents.
Pinterest Virtual Assistant resources:
Free Guide: How to become a Pinterest virtual assistant
Free Workshop: Learn how to become a Pinterest VA today!
Pinterest Virtual Assistant Course: Become a Pinterest VA
3. Flip stuff for profit from thrift shops
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $10,000+ per month.
Flipping is the art of finding things for free (or at a discount) and selling them for a profit. With today’s technology, there has never been an easier time to resell and flip items to make extra money. Check out this quick-start guide to learn more.
How to know if flipping stuff for profit is a good opportunity for you to make money:
✓ You need to make extra money quickly. You don’t need a fancy degree or to learn new skills in order to flip stuff for profit. You can start making money today with your smart phone.
✓ You love finding a good deal. If you enjoy finding hidden treasures at fleamarkets, thrift stores or online, then flipping stuff for profit can be a great side hustle for you.
✓ You need something that’s recession proof. Because the future of the economy is unstable right now, this means it’s always a good idea to have a back-up side gig in your pocket.
I recently sold some old stuff on Facebook Marketplace and made $700 in just ONE week! Selling stuff online can be a great way to make an extra $500 a month or even six-figures per year!
That’s exactly what Rob and Melissa do from FleaMarketFlipper.com. They make over $100,000 a year by flipping items for profit. After their third baby was born in 2016, they began to look for ways to become stay-at-home parents so they could spend more time with their kids. This encouraged them to jump into their reselling business full-time, which originally was just a hobby.
In their first year full-time, they made $133,000 in sales! Here’s a crib that Rob and Melissa found at a thrift store for $40. They sold it on eBay for $400!
Ready to start flipping stuff for cash?
Rob and Melissa, the masterminds behind Flipper University, have compiled all their knowledge into this comprehensive course. Their online course will teach you how to buy and resell on eBay and other online platforms. You’ll learn the skills you need to start a profitable reselling side hustle. If you’re interested, you can click here to learn more.
Free Workshop For Beginners:
If you’re not ready yet to invest in this course, I recommend checking out Rob’s FREE Workshop. In this free workshop, you’ll learn how to find hidden treasures at flea markets thrift stores, yard sales, and auctions, and how to turn them into maximum profit. Rob’s workshop is free to join and worth checking out if you’re interested in this side hustle opportunity. You can click here to sign up.
Flea Market Flipping Resources:
Free Guide: How to make money flipping stuff for profit
Free Workshop: Turn Your Passion Into A Profitable Reselling Business
Flea Market Flipping Course: Flipper University
4. Sell homemade dog treats
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $1,000+ per month.
Do you like dogs and enjoy baking?
Many pet treats are really bad for dogs and are often filled with unhealthy fillers. This is why the demand for healthy and delicious dog treats is high and continues to grow.
You can make and extra $500-$1,000+ per month selling homemade dog treats!
My friend Kristin from Diva Dog Bakery, was tired of the boring treats she saw at big-box stores and wanted to create a gourmet dog treat that would be fun to bake at home. Check out some of the healthy treats she created below!
She started recipe testing in her kitchen using quality ingredients that she felt good about feeding her dog and came up with an all-natural treat that looked great and her dogs loved. That’s when her dog bakery business, Diva Dog Bakery, was born!
If this sounds like a fun opportunity for you, consider checking out Kristin’s FREE workshop here. She’ll teach you how to start your own dog bakery business from home. And don’t worry — there’s no baking experience required! This can be a great way to make $500 a month as a kid.
5. Start a profitable blog
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $10,000+ per month.
If you enjoy writing and sharing stories about your personal life, tutorials, reviews or tips, blogging can be a great hobby that makes money. You can make money through your site with ads, affiliate marketing, or paid sponsorships.
Don’t worry — there’s no tech skills required! It’s easy to get started and the start-up costs are low. If you’re interested, I have an easy step-by-step tutorial here to get your blog up and running in minutes.
Blogging can be a part-time side hustle, or you can earn a full-time living from your site. It’s up to you! Depending on what you write about, you can make $500 a month in passive income (or more). If you’re curious, check out this quick-start guide on how bloggers make money.
I didn’t know anything about blogs when I first started this website. I learned everything from scratch and was able to turn it into a full-time job. Now I love connecting .ith people all over the world. It’s pretty amazing how special blogging can be.
Are you ready to kick-start your blogging journey?
Here’s an in-depth tutorial that will walk you through the entire process. There’s no coding required. It takes just a few minutes to get your blog up and running. Anyone can do it!
Need more guidance?
Check out my FREE blogging course for beginners. It will show you how to choose a profitable niche, write enganging blog posts, and even earn your first dollar blogging. You can sign up by entering your info below.
Blogging Resources:
Free Guide: How to start a WordPress blog in minutes
Free Course: Launch Your Blog In 5 Days
Recommended web hosting: Bluehost (Get a FREE domain name through this link)
6. Become a Virtual Assistant
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $50 per hour.
If you have…
✓ A computer with an internet connection
✓ Enjoy sharing content on social media
✓ Can read and respond to emails
… then you may want to consider becoming a virtual assistant.
A virtual assistant provides services to organizations, companies or individuals. It can be a great way to make extra money from home. As a virtual assistant (VA for short), there’s a wide range of services you can get paid to offer. Check out this list of over 275 in-demand virtual assistant services.
Gina Horkey, the mastermind behind Fully Booked VA says that one of the best parts about making money as a VA is that you can set your own hours and work from anywhere that has an internet connection. All you need is your computer or laptop to get started!
Below you can meet Jenny! She was able to launch her VA business within one month after enrolling in Fully Booked VA. Now she works around 20 hours per week and earns an average of $2,500 per month working from home as a virtual assistant.
While Fully Booked VA can certainly help fast-track your VA side hustle, I can appreciate if you’re not quite ready to jump into this head first.
If you’re curious to see if working as a VA is the right opportunity for you, consider checking out Gina’s Jumpstart Your VA Business. This mini-course will teach you exactly what it takes to get a virtual assistant business up and running.
Virtual Assistant Resources:
Free Guide: How to become a virtual assistant
Inspiration: 275+ services you can offer as a VA
Virtual Assistant Course: Fully Booked VA
7. Make money as a proofreader or editor
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $4,000 per month.
If you find yourself catching typos or grammar mistakes when reading content online, then proofreading can be a great opportunity for you.
How much can you make proofreading?
Well, it turns out you can earn quite a lot! Some people are earning over $40,000 a year working for themselves and love the freedom they have by earning money from home.
Even if you’re just starting out, this can be a great way to earn an extra $500 a month online. Then as you gain more experience, you can earn upwards of $4,000 per month, like my friend Caitlin does from her successful proofreading business, Proofread Anywhere.
Cailtin began proofreading online as a part-time side hustle. She was able to scale her business quickly and now teaches others how to make money from home as a proofreader. If you’re interested, you can check out her signature course here: General Proofreading – Theory & Practice™
Free Workshop for Proofreading:
Caitlin put together this FREE workshop which I recommend checking out.
In this free training, you’ll learn how proofreading could be your ticket to lifestyle freedom and financial security. You’ll also learn how to attract clients and create a profitable freelance business as a proofreader, just like Caitlin did. You can click here to sign up.
Online Proofreader Resources:
Free Workshop: Start Your Freelance Proofreading Hustle
Free Guide: How to become an online proofreader
Proofreading Course: General Proofreading – Theory & Practice™
8. Get paid to lose weight with HealthyWage
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $10,000 when you achieve your weight loss goal.
There’s never been a better time to start making your health a priority. Companies, such as Healthy Wage, will actually pay you to lose weight. Make a bet, lose the weight you say you’re going to lose, and get paid. Sounds simple enough, right?
I’ve been exercising more at home and it’s been a total game-changer for me. My mental health has improved, I’m more productive, and I feel great knowing that I’m doing something good for my body.
How to get started with HealtyWage
1. Use the HealthyWage Prize Calculator to enter how much weight you want to lose, how long you’ll take, and how much you’d like to bet. Then the calculator will determine your winnings amount, up to $10,000. Who wouldn’t want to win up to $10,000?
2. Sign up and make your bet. You can increase your prize amount by adjusting your goal weight, how much you contribute, or how long you’ll take.
3. Lose the weight. Achieve your weight loss goal and get paid! You can stay on track throughout the contest with weekly weigh-ins. You can also get support from other contestants.
4. Win money! If you reach your weight loss goal, you’ll win your prize. It’s that simple! If you don’t hit your goal, your money goes to support HealthyWage, including prizes for other contestants who achieve their goals.
Healthy Wage Resources:
Review: Check out my in-depth review on Healthy Wage
Prize Calculator: Click here to see how much you can win
Team Challenges: Learn more about Healthy Wage’s team challenges
9. Make money as a Podcast virtual assistant
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $4,000+ per month.
Do you have good communication skills and enjoy listening to audio? You may want to consider becoming a Podcast Virtual Assistant.
As a podcast virtual assistant (also known as a podcast producer), you’ll get paid to offer technical, administrative, or marketing support to podcast owners remotely. This can be a great way to make $500 a month from home.
You don’t need experience to get started. Podcast virtual assistants can help manage the podcasts, record and edit the episodes, audio engineering, content repurposing, marketing, guest management, and more!
If you’re interested in learning more about how to make money as a Podcast virtual assistant, here’s an in-depth guide you can check out.
Podcast Producer resources:
Free Workbook: Learn how to get started as a Podcast VA
Recommended book: Make Money As A Podcast Producer: Transform Your Podcasting Passion Into Profit
Podcast Producer Course: Podcast Production School
10. Freelance writing
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $4,000+ per month.
Are you creative and enjoy writing? Do you wish you could turn those writing skills into a successful career?
Freelance writing can be good option if you’re not ready yet to start your own blog, but still want to dip your toes into writing. Whether it’s writing stories, articles, or blog posts for websites, there are many opportunities to make money writing online.
As of May 2011, freelance writers earned a mean of $97,300 per year (or $46.78 per hour), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Need some inspiration on what to write about?
Are you ready to start making money writing online?
To help you stand out from the crowd and jump-start your success, I recommend checking out Holly’s e-coure: Earn More Writing. In her course, Holly will teach you the exact strategies she used to go from making $0 to over $225,000 from freelance writing.
Holly Johnson is a professional blogger and columist. Her course is different from other freelance writing programs because she actually teaches you how to find and land the type of work you want.
She also earns a living from freelance writing, not just selling courses. You’ll learn from someone who knows the business and writes for a living. If you’re interested, you can learn more about her program and sign up here.
Freelance Writing Resources:
Free Workshop: How to build a six-figure writing career
Freelance Writing Course: Earn More Writing
11. Make money selling things on Amazon
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $5,000+ per month.
Do you like shopping on Amazon?
If you look carefully, you’ll notice that not everything sold on Amazon is actually sold by Amazon? This is what Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is all about. You sell the items on Amazon.com, and then Amazon ships the item for you.
How Amazon FBA works:
1. You send products to Amazon.
2. Amazon stores your products in their warehouse.
3. When a customer orders one of your products, Amazon packs, ships and tracks the order for you.
4. Amazon also handles all refunds and returns.
5. You get paid! Amazon will total up all your sales and deduct any seller fees, then deposits the money in your bank account. Sounds pretty easy, right?
Anyone can make money selling stuff on Amazon. You can list something you’ve purchased wholesale, something you made yourself, or something you no longer want. Depending on which products you choose to sell, this can be a great way to make an extra $500 a month.
How much money can you make selling stuff on Amazon?
You don’t have to worry about creating your own products to sell. Instead, you can buy stuff for a discount and resell these items on Amazon for a profit. This is what Jessica does.
Jessica from The Selling Family started her business on eBay making $1,000 per month. When she switched to fulfillment by Amazon, she was up to scale her business to over $5,000 per month while working part-time.
Ready to start selling stuff on Amazon?
Jessica, the mastermind behind Amazon Bootcamp, has compiled all her knowledge into this comprehensive course. Her online course will teach you how to buy and resell on Amazon FBA to make the most profit.
Not sure if selling stuff on Amazon is right for you?
If you’re not ready yet to invest in this course, I recommend checking out Jessica’s FREE workshop. In this free workshop, you’ll learn why Amazon is the best reseller marketplace, how to set up your Amazon seller account, and easy ways to find profitable inventory. You can click here to sign up.
Amazon FBA Resources:
Free Guide: How to make money selling on Amazon
Free Workshop: Start Your Amazon Business Today
Amazon FBA Course: Amazon Bootcamp
12. Affiliate marketing
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $10,000+ per month.
Do you like spreading the word about awesome products with your family and friends. With affiliate marketing, you could get paid for it!
Affiliate marketing is when you earn a commission by promoting another person’s or company’s product. You find a product you like, share it with others and earn a piece of the profit for each sale you make. To learn more, check out this quick-start guide here: How to make money online from affiliate marketing
It’s easy to get started making money with affiliate marketing — but it’s not a get rich-quick thing. It’s important to build trust with your audience when promoting an affiliate product. Here are a few ways you can promote affiliate products:
- Blog posts. Blogging is one of the best ways to share affiliate products to make money. If you haven’t yet started your blog, you can use my easy step-by-step guide here to get your blog up and running within minutes.
- Facebook groups. Facebook can be a great way to share affiliate products with your audience.
- YouTube. This is a great platform to share affiliate products. You can share them in your video description.
- Instagram. If you have a business account, you can share affiliate products in your biography link.
If you want to learn more about how to make money through affilaite marketing, I recommend checking out Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. This online course has helped me turn my hobby-blog into a profitable business. My small blog went from earning $0 to $10,000+ per month.
The great thing about affiliate marketing is that you don’t need a large audience to make $500 a month. There are many blogs and social platforms with a small (and engaged) audience that can earn quite a bit of money.
Benefits of making money as an affiliate marketer:
There are many reasons why affiliate marketing can be a great way to make money from home. Some of these reasons include:
✓ Low cost to get started
The best ways to promote affiliate products are on social media or through blogging. You can start a money-making blog for as low as $2.95 /month through my easy tutorial here. This also includes a FREE domain name for Mint Notion readers.
✓ You don’t need to create a product or service
Promote products from brands / companies you already know and love.
✓ You can work anytime and from any location
Make money your way on your own schedule!
✓ You can earn passive income
Work smarter not harder.
Check out this great interview I did with Michelle from Making Sense of Cents, who earns $50,000 per month from affiliate marketing: How to Make $50,000 per from Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate Marketing Resources:
Free Guide: How to make money online with affiliate marketing
Affiliate Marketing Course: Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing
Web Hosting + Domain Name: How to start an affiliate website
13. Teach English as a foreign language
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $22 per hour.
If you have…
✓ A computer with an internet connection
✓ A webcam & microphone
✓ A degree (in any field)
✓ Enjoy working with children
…then you may want to consider becoming an online English teacher. VIPKID is currently looking for part-time online ESL teachers for young children who are based in China. All classes are one-on-one and taught online through the VIPKID portal.
How much money can you make teaching English online?
You can earn up to $22 per hour as a VIPKID teacher. You need a degree (in any field) and at least 1 year of teaching or tutoring experience.
If this sounds like something you would enjoy, I highly recommend applying for an opportunity with VIPKID. This can be great way to make an extra $500 a month (or more!) You can sign up here.
Don’t have any teaching experience? Consider checking out Education First. This company is simliar to VIPKID, where you’ll be teaching English online to students living China. You don’t need to have teaching experience, but you’ll need to complete a 40-hour TEFL certification before your teaching contract begins. Don’t worry, it’s easy to complete.
Teaching English Online Resources:
VIPKID Guide: How to teach English online with VIPKID
VIPKID Sign-Up: Click here to fill out your application
14. Rent out your space for extra cash
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $4,000+ per month.
Do you have a spare room in your home that you’re not using? Make extra money by listing your extra space on Airbnb. To get started, head to Airbnb’s calculator to see how much money you could be making.
Don’t have any extra space but you still want to make money? You can choose to become a host for your neighborhood or make money by hosting a unique experience (hiking, cooking classes, and more). This can be a great way to make $500 a month.
Airbnb Resources:
Free Guide: How to become an Airbnb: Beginner’s Guide
Airbnb Calculator: Click here to see how much money you can make
Create Your Listing: Click here to create your free Aribnb listing
15. Make money as a Stella & Dot Stylist
Potential Monthly Income: Up to $3,000+ per month.
Do you love fashion and jewelry?
Stella & Dot is looking for aspiring fashionistas just like you to join their team as a Stell & Dot Ambassador— no experience required!
As an Ambassador, you can make money by selling Stella & Dot jewelry and accessories through in-home Trunk Shows or online. You have the flexibility to set your own schedule so you can create a thriving business you love. Trunk Shows can bring in $500 a month in sales and some bring in thousands of dollars!
Are you ready to get started as a Stella & Dot Ambassador?
To sign up, you’ll need to invest in a starter kit, which starts at $99. This will give you all the tools and training you need to become profitable. Plus, you’ll receive your choice of a free gift valued at over $130. You can learn more and sign up here.
Stella & Dot Resources:
Free Guide: How to become a Stella & Dot Stylist
Starter Kits: Learn more about Stella & Dot Starter Kits
Products: Learn more about what you can sell as a Stella & Dot Stylist
Bonus suggestion! Get a free $10 bonus by joining Rakuten
Rakuten is free to join and it’s my favorite way to earn cash back when shopping online. Rakuten will even apply coupons automatically at checkout, so you’ll always know you’re getting the best deal.
Plus, you’ll get a free $10 welcome bonus just for signing up.
I use Rakuten all the time when shopping online and have been able to earn over a thousand dollars through them. Pretty awesome right?
How to claim your free $10:
- Sign up here for Rakuten. (It’s free to join)
- Find your store on Rakuten next time you need to buy something. It’s connected to over 2,000 stores, including Amazon, Target, and Walmart. You’ll need to spend at least $25 on your first purchase within 90 days.
- Your Rakuten account will be credited with reward points. Get this cash sent to a PayPal account or choose to receive a Big Fat Check from Rakuten. It’s up to you!
For Canadian shoppers, you can click here to sign up for Rakuten (free $5 welcome bonus).
Looking for more ways to make extra money from home?
I’ve got you covered! Check out these genius ways to make $500 a month!
23 legit ways to make money without a job – (Great for all skill levels)
How to make money with your phone (24 legit and easy ways)
10 hobbies that make money – (Get paid for things you already love to do)
Join SheSays Community and get paid to share your opinion (Free for all women)
Invest money for beginners with Acorns (Get a $5 welcome bonus when you sign up)
Get free rebates when shopping online with Rebaid (Free to join and easy to use)
Turn your old gadgets into cash with Whistle (Get up to 50% more than other sites)
Earn automatic cash back when you shop with Dosh (Free to join and easy to use)
Sell graphic designs online – (Simply upload your design and start making money)
Sell photos online – (Online buisness and bloggers are always looking for photos)
Walk dogs in your spare time – (Get paid to hang out with dogs)
Get paid to assemble furniture – (Earn up to $45 per hour)
