12 Real Ways To Make An Extra $500 This Month From Home

Nearly 4 million Americans are working from home these days. 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 an income from home.

In the past, many people got a second job to bring home more cash each month. Today 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!

An extra $500+ each month can help you:

• Pay off debt
• 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!

With the lack of job security in today’s economy, I always recommend having 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 that they 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. We’ve heard in the news how companies are laying off employees and making cuts when they need to. People never think it will happen to them, but losing your job can happen to anyone. I’ve seen it firsthand in my family and it’s not easy.

The best way to be prepared is to take charge 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 money from home. Use these ideas to inspire you today, so you can be richer tomorrow!

Related Posts:

• 15 fun hobbies that make you money
• 15 easy ways to save money in your 20s
• How to start a blog and make money from home

1. Start a money-making blog

Potential Monthly Income: $500-$10,000+ per month

Blogging is my favorite way to make money from home. The start-up costs are low and it can be a fun side hustle too. Blogging even has the potential to turn into a full-time job (like it did for me).

Just a few years ago, I had no idea that blogs could make money. I’m not special and I don’t have any previous social media experience. In fact, I knew NOTHING about blogs or WordPress or websites when I first started. I learned everything from scratch.

That’s why I put together this free step-by-step guide so you can easily start your own money-making blog in minutes.

Want a free crash course on how to start a successful blog? I recommend signing up for my free 7-day email course. You’ll walk away knowing how to start your blog the RIGHT way, grow your readership, and even make your first dollar! You can sign up here!

Not sure how blogs make money? When I first started my blog, I didn’t understand how blogs made money either. That’s why I wrote a detailed post here to share the most effective ways bloggers make money today.

2. Affiliate marketing

Potential Monthly Income: $100 – $50,000+ per month

Do you wish that you could earn a commission every time a friend or family member buys a product / service you recommend? Affiliate marketing is exactly that!

It’s the process of being rewarded with a commission when you promote other people’s (or company’s) products.

This works great if you’re interested in starting a blog or you already have your own website. If you haven’t started your blog yet, you can use my easy step-by-step guide here to set up your blog within minutes.

Pros of Affiliate Marketing

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 step-by-step guide 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

3. Become a Virtual Assistant

Potential Income: $35 – $50 per hour

A virtual assistant provides services to organizations, companies or individuals. Instead of working at an office, you can work online at home, and it’s a great way to make money.

This means if you’re good with social media, graphic design, websites, email marketing, and other related tasks, you can find virtual assistant opportunities to make money in your spare time.

If you’re interested in becoming a virtual assistant (VA for short), the first step is to get your own website. Having your own website or blog is not mandatory, but it gives you a chance to highlight your skills and helps others to find you. Building a presence on the web is a great way to help you land VA work.

To learn more about making money as a virtual assistant, I recommend checking out this great blog post here: Everything You Need To Know About How To Become A Virtual Assistant

4. Freelance writing

Potential Monthly Income: $500 – $5,000+ per month

Do you love writing and wish that you could get paid to write? Well, I’m here to tell you that you can! Freelance writing is a popular way to make money from home and it’s perfect for those who enjoy writing (obviously)!

Many successful freelance writers can earn thousands of dollars each month, but of course it doesn’t start off like that in the beginning. It takes time and dedication, however if writing is something you love, you can turn it into a highly profitable side hustle or even into a full-time job.

The first step to becoming a freelance writer is to launch a blog or website so you can build a portfolio and establish a web presence. You can use my easy step-by-step guide here which will show you how to start your own blog in just a few minutes.

Once you’ve set up your writing portfolio, you can start making money by pitching to freelance writing companies with your ideas. If you’re serious about making money as a freelance writer, I recommend checking out this awesome post: 7 Steps To Become A Paid Freelance Writer

5. Rent out your space for extra cash 

Potential Monthly Income: $500 – $2,000+ per month

Do you have an extra room in your home? You can make money by listing your spare room (or home) on Airbnb. In Toronto for example, you have the potential to earn up to $980 per month by renting out your spare room to a couple. You can learn more about how to turn your extra space into cash with Airbnb here.

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). You can learn more about Airbnb here.

6. Rent out your stuff for extra cash

Potential Monthly Income: $100 – $1,000+ per month

You already know that you can rent out your spare room for extra cash, but did you know that you can also make money by renting out your stuff? Whether it’s your film gear, road bike, campervan, or furniture, there are LOTS of opportunities to make extra money by lending out items.

I recently discovered the website Fat Lama, which allows people to rent out their belongs to others nearby (full-insured) for cash. It’s available throughout the US and the UK right now and it can be a great way to earn a few hundred to an extra few thousands dollars per month. Click here to get $25 your first rental today! 

7. Be your own boss with Uber

Potential Income: $15 – $25+ per hour

Ok, I know this suggestion involves leaving the house, but it can be done in your neighborhood. Plus, you can work as little or as many hours as you wish.

Got a car? Uber is looking for partners like you! As an independent contractor, you’ve got the freedom and flexibility to drive whenever you have time. It’s a great way to make good money in your spare time. When I was taking driving lessons, my instructor was also an Uber Driver in the evening. He said the money he earned was a great way to support his family. Click here to learn more about making money with Uber. 

Got a bike or car? You can make extra money with Uber Eats! Take a few trips in the morning, evenings or just on the weekends — it’s up to you. I love that you can be your own boss with Uber Eats by bringing people things they love while cruising around your city. It’s an excellent way to make money! Click here to learn more about making money with Uber Eats.

8. Make money as a Stella & Dot Stylist

Potential Monthly Income: $300 – $1,000+ per month

Do you have a passion for fashion and accessories? Stella & Dot is looking for aspiring fashionistas just like you to join their team as an independent stylist — no experience required!

As an independent stylist, 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 a few hundred dollars in sales and some bring in thousands of dollars!

Whether you’re looking for an opportunity to earn “fun money” or a six-figure full-time income, becoming a stylist at Stella & Dot may be a good side hustle for you. To join, you’ll initially have to invest $199 which will give you all the tools and training you need to become profitable. Plus, you’ll also get $350 worth of Stella & Dot jewelry and accessories — you get to choose! You can learn more about becoming a stylist here.

9. Make money from Pinterest

Potential Monthly Income: $100 – $3,000+ per month

Yes, that’s right – you can get paid to hang out on Pinterest. There are several great ways that you can start earning extra money this month from Pinterest.

First, sign up for a Business Account on Pinterest (it’s free) and second, head over to read this post here: 5 Brilliant Ways To Make Money With Pinterest

10. Start an online shop

Potential Monthly Income: $500 – $10,000+ per month

Starting your own online store can be an excellent way to make extra money and it can be a lot of fun too! Ideas for your store include:

• Build a dropshipping store
• Sell your art online
• Flip items for profit
• Start your own clothing line
• Publish your own book, and so on!

If you’re interested in starting your own online shop, I recommend using Shopify for your store. Shopify gives you everything you need to start your online store, including a domain name, web hosting, payment gateways, and so on. Plus, it’s the most reputable e-commerce platform and it’s powering more than 500,000 businesses in 175 countries. Click here to try Shopify free for 14 days! 

11. Make money from things you already do

Potential Monthly Income: $500 – $1,000+ per month 

There are many opportunities to make money from things you already do, such as shopping, surfing the internet, taking fun quizzes, playing games, and more. These are not huge money makers, but it can be a great way to earn extra income each month.

Swagbucks: Swagbucks is a simple way to earn gift cards for things you do online. There are many ways to earn points on Swagbucks including filling out surveys, playing games and watching videos. Sign up for Swagbucks today and get a $5 bonus.

Ebates: Ebates has over 2,000 stores to choose from, which makes online shopping easy. When you make a purchase, Ebates will track your purchase and deposit the cash you’ve earned into your Ebates account within a few days. Sign up for Ebates today and get a $10 welcome bonus.

Checkout 51: Checkout 51 helps you get cashback on your purchases. You can download the app or browse the available offers online. Then buy these offers at any store and upload your receipt using Checkout 51. Once your purchases have been confirmed, you will receive a credit to your account. When your account reaches $20, you can cash out and Checkout 51 will mail you a check. You can sign up for Checkout 51 here.

Online Surveys 

If you love sharing your opinion, you can make extra money from taking paid surveys. Depending on how many surveys websites you sign up for, you can earn around $100 – $600+ per month by filling out surveys in your spare time.

To make money as a survey taker, I recommend joining as many legit survey websites as you can in order to increase your chances of receiving survey invitations. Another key tip is to never pay to join a survey website. All legit and real survey panels are 100% free to join.

Here are some survey websites I recommend joining. They are all free to use and sign up for:

• American Consumer Opinion (this website has over 6 million members worldwide)
• Panel Place (get rewards in cash, checks, or vouchers to all your favorite brands)
• Quick Rewards (get rewards in cash or gift cards to a variety of places)

12. Teach English as a foreign language

Potential Income: $14 – $22 per hour

You can make up to $22/hour teaching English online. 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.

You need a degree 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. Click here to learn more!

Over to you – what are your favorite ways to make extra money from home?