The Surprising Way That I Make Money on the Side

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9 Ways to Earn Extra Income

Have You Ever Heard of FlexJobs?

How Real Readers Got Raises

Most of us could use a little extra income here and there to help us meet our financial goals--whether that's maxing out an IRA or saving for a weekend away. But finding an alternate stream of income can be challenging, especially when so many people are looking for jobs.

So we asked some choice experts for advice: members of the LearnVest community! From SAT tutoring to mystery shopping, these folks have found smart ways to make money on the side.

Read on for their secrets ...

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  • http://twitter.com/fashionatalie Natalie

    Loved this, thanks for the info!

  • http://twitter.com/SenseofCents Michelle

    These are all great ways to make extra income! I actually made a post yesterday on all the ways that I make extra income. http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2013/01/ways-to-earn-extra-income.html

    Seems to be a hot topic! :)

  • Brent

    I’m very interested in becoming a mystery shopper. I think I would enjoy it, and make a little money. However, I’m concerned with giving my personal information and it possibly being a scam. I’m looking into the two links in the above article and hoping they will lead to reliable, real businesses.  

    • ASA

      Hi, Brent. I saw the MSPA mentioned in another article on LearnVest about two months ago. I applied for two mystery shops that were posted there and didn’t have any issues. I made $125 between the two shops. I recommend Informa—they have a good system and tend to have higher-paid shops (at least in my city). Good luck!

      • Katie Vojtko

         Thanks, ASA. I was also a little nervous about providing so much sensitive info. Your reply to Brent and a few Google searches gave me comfort and trust in the company. I just completed my application and am eager to learn more. Thanks!

      • http://twitter.com/SenseofCents Michelle

         I’ve never heard of Informa, I will have to look into them! Thanks.

      • EricaS.

        Thanks for this! I have been searching for extra work in addition to looking for full-time work and this may be an option for me.  Like Brent, I am convinced a lot of these things are a scam, but if it’s legitimate, I am perfectly willing to do the work, as my financial situation is dire.  Thanks again!

    • http://twitter.com/SenseofCents Michelle

      This is what I was worried about what I started mystery shopping as well. I made a post on mystery shopping last year http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2012/04/mystery-shopping.html

      I found that Best Mark is a great website to use. They always pay on time and everything is organized.

      Sorry, I’m not meaning to add all types of links to my website, but I just love this post and everything about extra income! :)

    • Marty

      Hi Brent, I also have been doing mystery shopping for the past 7 months now and have made an average of $400 per month.  I have greatly enjoyed doing it.  It does take time, organization, and a great attention to detail, but to me, it really pays off to have the extra income, as well as getting things like food, grocieries, etc., depending on the types of shops you sign up for.  My favorite are ones that you don’t have to purchase anything, and you just go to a store, do your evaluation, complete your related report, then receive payment!   Most definitely only sign up for companies listed under the MSPA website listed above.  That is the main organization for Mystery Shoppers in America, and the companies they list are legit.  Many of the companies are registered with the BBB too.  Also, go to http://www.volition.com/mystery.html which has a fabulous forum where shoppers around the country write about their experience with specific companies.  I always go there first before signing up with a company to hear what people are saying about it.  They say (and I agree) to never pay to be a part of a shop company; it’s not needed.  There are too many that provide available shops for free.  Lastly, a tidbit of info on why you have to provide your personal information…it is a legit deal, you’ll be an independent contractor receiving income basedon the services you provide for the companies, therefore, if you make a certain amount of $, they report your income to the IRS, as any company would when you make over a certain amount.  Anyways, my response is long, but I’ve done a lot of research on it and have never NOT been paid for my work.  I’d say 90% of the companies I work for (about 20 different companies), pay by the middle of the next month after you complete your shop. (i.e. you complete a shop 1/10/13, you’re generally paid by 2/15/13).  Pretty cool!

      • Brent

        Marty, thank you for your reply. I really appreciate the info. I’m researching it some more and trying to find a company that lists many sites for the DC metro area (and that I frequent). Do you know if most of the food or entertainment shops work by reimbursing you the cost of the food plus the payment, or is the payment inclusive of reimbursement? I’m looking into Informa and Best Mark to see if they have anything in my area. Thanks everyone! 

    • Darla

      Hi, Brent.  I have been working as a mystery shopper with Bestmark, Ath Power Consulting, Bare International, and Beyond Hello for the past three years.  They are all great mystery shopping companies.  Most of them are associated with Sassie and use a MSPA marketing rating in some way.  I am limited in what I can do, so most of what I earn is spent to pay the babysitter though.  But it does bring in some extra cash and a way for me to get out and about without the kids sometimes.  Darla

  • Bcalnyc

    I can’t get the slide show or the list to work : (

    • Danitadl

      I can’t either! :(

      • Didericksen

        I thought I was the only one.  I can’t seem to get it to work either.  Bummer!

        • Nita

          Seems to be working fine now

  • Kirstin

    Can you advise on safe mystery shopping operations? There are a number of illegitimate scamming operations that would result in LearnVesters losing all their money after engaging with them!  Please not only advise, but add a cautionary note to your post!  Thank you!!

    http://www.newyork.bbb.org/article/watch-out-for-‘mystery-shopper-job-scams-31603

  • Ravenair

    My significant other makes extra income by working for a company that does concert security. He’s one of those guys that stands between the barricade and the stage at shows (and yes, they have a few women who work for them too believe it or not!) His job is basically to protect the bands onstage from any fans who breach the barricade; usually that entails catching crowd surfers and sending them back into the audience, or catching the occasional musician who decides to jump into the crowd! Guards do sometimes have to eject fans who rush the stage or start fights, deal with injured crowd surfers, or break up particularly unruly mosh pits, but most of the job simply entails standing there watching the crowd (no watching the band, sorry!) and he enjoys being able to hear the music and see the crowd reactions. (He says that metal and hard rock shows, not surprisingly, are the worst for crowd surfing and pits, while country shows are usually the worst for having to eject fans for being drunk and fighting!) The company he works for handles everything from small clubs to huge arenas, and he’s worked shows for everyone from Justin Beiber to Iron Maiden. He typically works anywhere from 4-6 shows a month and typically makes between $150 – $350 per gig, depending on the size of the show and venue. At some of the smaller shows, the club owner will sometimes pay security guards a little extra cash to help bands load in and out, or help move gear on and off stage to minimize downtime between sets. He got the job simply by asking  a couple of guards at a show he attended if they were hiring; they said they’re always hiring, and directed him to their company’s website. After filling out the usual employment application and going through a background check and drug test, he was working his first show in a few weeks. The job isn’t for everyone; it can be very physical, it requires standing for long periods of time, and a good pair of earplugs is mandatory unless you want to go deaf! But if you love music and shows and don’t mind some heavy lifting, it might be another option for earning extra income.

  • Ladyluci32

    trying to read this article but It just goes to pictures with no info

  • JM

    I used to dog sit on the side for a friend and neighbor that lived down the street. She went away often. I worked full time as well. So I would get up early and it was great exercise. It was usually an extra 175$ a week and it was so simple. 

  • Jenna

    I do promotional modeling on the side. Thank you for the tips! I just signed up to be a mystery shopper :)