How to Make Extra Money: 24 Legit Ways to Earn Extra Pocket Change in Less than 5 Hours a Week
We’ve rounded up a whole plethora of legit jobs and side hustles with our list of ways to make extra money.
Looking to make a little extra money on the side?!
For as little as 5 hours a week or less, we’re sharing 23 tips for how to make extra money so you can pad your savings (or extra spending) accounts with ease! From testing plates of French fries for $60 to getting paid to shop, there’s something to suit everyone’s schedule and skill level.
You can also sign up for our FREE financial boot camp and finally beef up those savings.
1. Do some dog walking & sitting.
Give us all the fur babies! With apps like Wag, you can easily become a dog walker in no time and make a little side cash while spending some quality time with cute pups! Win, win…or should I say, Woof! Woof! 😉
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader had to say:
“I started dog walking recently and have 4 regular clients. I started by posting in our neighborhood Facebook group asking if anyone needed a dog walker or sitter and I got responses right away. I’m making $450 a month and working just 3 hours and 20 minutes a week! It’s easy money, I get exercise and plenty of dog love! The flexible schedule is great for me and I’m loving the extra money!” – Sarah
2. Get crafty and sell your handmade goods.
There’s a huge buyer’s market for handmade goods these days. Discover something you love to make and start selling it on Etsy. Some seasoned pros even shared how they got started and became successful.
As another idea, check to see when your next local craft show is and make a bunch of goods to set up and sell! You could do anything from festive candles to crochet baby hats. If you need more ideas, we have a whole page full of DIY ideas that you can check out. If anything, they could inspire you to get started on some gorgeous money-making projects.
Here’s what some Hip2Save readers shared:
“I’ve been sewing scrunchies and also other items on my Cricut. I love making them and it’s great extra cash.” – Becky
“I started making Elf on the Shelf kits for Christmas. I create 30 ideas with supplies. People love them!” – Jenifer
3. Become a fitness instructor.
While you may have to work your way up to become an instructor, Emily from our team has proven that it’s possible and not very difficult to do at all! If you haven’t got your feet wet with fitness yet and are looking to get involved, try any of these free workout apps to start your fitness journey without spending a dime.
Here’s what Emily on our team had to say about her fitness instructor journey:
“I was going to a barre class for several months and was so in love with it, I asked the owner if she was hiring new instructors. After about a year, she asked me to join their team of instructors! Even though I had no formal fitness training prior, I completed an online course & video submission to become barre certified (an expense the owner paid for). I make anywhere from $300-$400 per month and I get to take other classes at the studio outside of my own for free, so I’m saving a ton on my fitness expenses and making a good chunk of change in the process!”
Hip Tip: Speaking of working out, did you know that there are tons of different ways that you can work out for free and even phone apps that will even pay you to work out?!
4. Tutor some students.
Got some extra brains to share? Then being a private tutor might just be the perfect solution to sharing some of that knowledge. From math sessions to piano lessons, there’s a demand for all types of after-school helpers. Either call your local schools or post on Facebook to get started!
Here’s what some Hip2Save readers shared:
“My husband teaches piano on the side. When we were getting out of debt, he also worked extra events as a teacher to make more.” – Jenna
“I tutor and offer ‘Homework Hour’ for busy parents at a local library. The hourly fee adds up nicely and takes up little of my day! Parents enjoy not having to fight over homework each evening as kids complete everything during the session.” – Cindy
5. Start driving for Uber.
Drive your car and be your own boss! If you enjoy driving around or maybe you need to get to know your new city, then Uber could be a great part-time (or even full-time) gig for you! However, there are a few conditions to consider, such as owning a car that’s 10 years or newer, it must pass an Uber inspection, and among a few other things, you have to have a driver’s license in good standing.
Here’s what Anglea on our team had to say about her driving gig:
“I like that I can do some driving and get paid when I have extra time on the weekends. It’s not huge money but the flexibility is great and gives me some extra cash to pay for the extras my teenagers always seem to want or need. I do Uber and Lyft and flip back and forth depending on who has passengers available first. Plus, it’s always interesting, last week a man got in my car with fishing poles as long as my car and a bucket of live fish. LOL!”
6. Sell some yummy baked goods.
One thing many people love more than a yummy baked good is not having to make it in the first place! If you’re handy in the kitchen and love crafting up confections, try your hand at making baked goods for others for profit.
Here’s what some Hip2Save readers have to say about their experience:
“I sell my baked goods to family and friends – my pumpkin rolls are my top seller! I become especially busy during the holidays, which is great for gift funds.” – Debbie
“I learned to make custom sugar cookies and sell them. I started to practice by making them for my baby showers and kids’ birthdays. Over time, I’ve been slowly building up a little cash business!” – Nichole
Hip Tip: Make sure to check out all of our hip-tested desserts to get started on baking up some money-making treats!
7. Take photos for people.
With social media at its peak and families wanting photos or even bloggers needing some assistance, the options are endless – and people are paying! If you’re intrigued, but don’t know where to get started, invest in a new camera and ask some local photographers to let you shadow them or do a one-on-one session to learn your way around your new camera. You can also sell some stock images on Shutterstock for extra cash, too!
Here’s what I once did when I was a stay-at-home mom:
When I first had kids, I became really passionate about photography. I wanted great photos of my kids as they grew, so I purchased a starter camera and talked to a local photographer that I became friends with. She shared her expertise with me and I practiced a ton with my own family! From posting my pictures on my own social media, people started asking me to take photos for them. I have photographed everything from a floral workshop to family sessions and before I knew it, I was making about $400 per session! It was great extra cash with the flexibility to work when I could and I was still able to still stay at home with my kids.
8. Cook or meal prep for people.
People are busy and sometimes the last thing they want to do is think about what food to make for dinner. Whether they’re on their own or have a whole family to feed, they may pay for their meals to be ready to make!
Here’s how one Hip2Save reader does it:
“I love prepping food! I do all the chopping, cutting, marinating, etc. and assemble people’s meals for the week or the special occasion that calls for a ‘home-cooked’ meal. I shop for ingredients while I do my own family’s grocery shopping. I prep for family, friends, work clients, and even some ‘one time orders’.
All of my meals can also be frozen and cooked when needed which I heavily market since these kinds of meals are ideal for all types of situations – new babies, unexpected passings, late-night sports practices, etc. Meal prepping is nothing too lucrative and it’s not making us millions, but I love cooking and it’s that stress reliever for me when things are crazy at work.” – Nicole
9. Use apps to your advantage.
With apps like OnMyWay, you can get paid to simply drive safely! For every mile you drive and don’t text or use your phone, you’ll get paid. It’s really that simple. And as a bonus, you’ll get $100 just for signing up! It took me just a few minutes to enter my information and scan my driver’s license so I could start earning.
It is important to know the payout is unconventional; you will earn $0.05 for every mile you drive without texting and driving. The majority of prizes are things like a “free” meal at a fast food restaurant, but, in order to get the item, you have to first buy whatever item you want, record a video of you with the item they’re offering and give a shoutout to the app, and upload it on their link and on a social media platform. They will then Venmo you the money you spent.
We have to be honest in saying that we’re unsure if this is really worth the effort. However, if you’re willing to put in the above steps, go for it!
10. Donate your plasma.
There’s a high demand for donating blood, and if you’re a good candidate then you can earn cash to donate as much as they will allow. On average, the typical donor gets paid between $20-$50 all while helping save lives!
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader had to say:
“I donate plasma twice a week. Each time takes just about an hour and I take home between $70-$90 a week.”– Ashley
11. Be a food delivery person.
DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, Postmates…the list goes on! As mentioned by Ramsey Solutions, becoming a food delivery driver is an easy and great way to make extra money, especially because you pick your own hours.
12. Get a babysitting gig.
Twenty years ago, I thought I was making bank – coming home on a Saturday night with $20 in my pocket from babysitting. Now, with apps like Care.com, babysitting is totally booming and, according to a national study, they’re making an average of over $16 an hour for one child! While you could do it for just a few hours a week, that’s a price that some could quit their day job for.
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader shared:
“I babysit and sell crocheted items. People pay way more for babysitting than the hours I spend making something, so I love the time with kids and the extra spending money.” – Shawna
13. Shop for Shipt.
If you meet all the requirements to become a paid grocery shopper, you can score a job paying you between $15-$25 per hour with Shipt or Instacart! You can work part-time or full-time or any time you want since you get to set your own hours. Plus, you’ll get paid every week in addition to earning customer tips!
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader had to say:
“I shopped and delivered groceries for Shipt while I was waiting for my teaching license to transfer states. Great job and you really learn your way around a new town!” – Keisha
14. Participate in a research study.
If you have a local teaching hospital or university, check and see if they offer the ability to participate in a paid research study. While some may take more time than 5 hours, the payoff can definitely be worth the time invested! As a tip, you could also sign up for ResearchMatch.org to see what’s available to you as a volunteer.
Here’s what two Hip2Save readers had to say:
“I love being a research study participant. It generally pays at least $25 per visit of each study. I even once made $1,000 for completing a long term one!” – Keila
“I participate in research studies whenever I can! I’ve made as much as $3,500 on them over the course of 2-3 months before!” “– Rebecca
15. Taste test some food.
Yes, you can even get paid by the hour to eat some food. Another blogger shared how she once got paid $60 to try a few plates of fries for an hour’s work, $75 for tasting iced coffee (yes, please!), and her daughter made $25 for trying some yogurt! To find out where you can taste test food, Google “food tasting in my area” or check out these 15 places Dad Sense recommended.
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader shared:
“I taste test new food products! I get called for about 3-6 jobs per month usually. I get paid between $30-$50 each time and I am usually done in about 15-20 minutes. The longer jobs pay a little more but take up to 30-40 minutes. It’s fun and very flexible so I can do it only when I want to!
Just some tips, once you register, make sure to fill out the screeners to see if you qualify. If they email you a screener, fill it out fast because the groups fill up quickly! If you have an account, log into your profile often to see what new groups are available. Be honest with your answers. (However, if you’re really picky and say that you don’t eat cheese or seafood or 28 other foods, chances are you won’t ever qualify!) They will then schedule you for a specific day and time if you do qualify.
I see retirees, moms, business professionals, all kinds of people there when I am there. Sometimes kids are allowed to test too if they are over age 13. It’s really easy and fun and it’s a great way to make some fun money for the holidays or vacations, etc.” – Karen
16. Sign your name as a witness.
Know any local lawyers or law firms? You can consider giving them a call and offering your presence whenever they need a witness for some documents. While not all firms are likely to just use anyone, it certainly doesn’t hurt to ask!
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader shared:
“I work with a local lawyer who does estate planning. I go in for 30 minutes and sign my name a bunch of times as a witness and get 25 bucks. I do this about once a week, sometimes twice!” – Ashley
17. Do some house cleaning.
People are busy and many are looking for help cleaning their homes. Whether they’re elderly, have busy schedules with kids, or work all the time, ask some friends and family if you can clean their home for them. After a couple of visits, chances are they’ll be telling their friends about your services!
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader shared:
“I like to clean houses for people I know. I usually just do one house per week for some extra cash and it’s good, easy money!” – Bridget
Hip Tip: Need the ultimate jumpstart? You need our FREE 4-week declutter challenge in your life!
18. Score some freelancing gigs.
Have some experience in marketing? You can consider freelancing. This is a contract-based service you can offer to others by utilizing your talents in design, copywriting, project management, etc. As far as a career choice, it’s definitely possible; however, it may take a while for you to get your first few clients. Try finding clients through Facebook groups and other online services like Fiverr.
Not into marketing? No worries, there are even remote, freelance options for personal assistants, scheduling, and more! While this does take some gumption and creative selling of your services, once you get started it’s easy to get referrals and meet other clients through current ones!
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader shared:
“One easy way that I’ve made extra money on the side is freelancing. I wanted a way to make extra money with low start-up cost and this only required that I purchased an email address and created an easy website. I have even had the opportunity to help ghost write books! The internet offers so many options, so get creative and really tap into what you’re good at! On average I was bringing in an extra $500-$1500 a month while staying home with my kids!” – Tiffany
19. Clean out your closet and sell your clothes.
It’s better to just let go of the clothes you no longer wear in your closet. Therefore, it’s time to go into that closet and clean out everything you don’t want! There are countless apps you can sell your items on, and we have an entire post explaining how to sell your clothes online. Some notable ones include Depop, OfferUp, and even on eBay.
20. Rent your car out.
Just like you can rent your home out on Airbnb, you can actually rent out your car on sites like Turo or Getaround. This could come in handy especially if you live in an area where you can rely on public transit or don’t drive that often. CNBC reports one worker rented out his car out to two-three times a week and generated around $3,500 a month!
21. Fill out some surveys.
Some websites will either give you gift cards or money in your PayPal account to take surveys! Survey Monkey rewards you points per survey, and these points can be rewarded through gift cards or PayPal transactions.
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader shared:
“So worth the download!! This app is great! The surveys are kind of long for what you get, but hey – money is money! This is the EASIEST side hustle you can do. I can make $150-$175 extra a month just by answering a few simple questions! You’d be silly not to try it out for at least a week.” – Joseph
“Really great service that works! I like the fact that if midway through a survey I end up not being able to participate they still reward a few points, which I haven’t seen other survey websites do.” – Tyler
“Awesome payouts! I am unemployed and waiting on disability. This app has given me the freedom to purchase things I otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Thank you for this app.” – Elizabeth
22. Take pictures of your receipts.
Apps like Fetch and Ibotta With allow you to upload receipts from ANY store or restaurant (or enter your eReceipts using the handy receipt scanner), earn points, and then redeem them for gift cards to your favorite stores!
Here’s what our Hip sidekick Chelsey shared:
“A fun aspect about Fetch Rewards is that they have rewards programs inside the program! So far I’ve seen PepsiCo and Huggies, but there may be more.
Once you join the Huggies program, you receive exclusive offers for bonus points on Huggies products, and once you spend certain amounts you earn even more rewards. Sometimes these offers stack too, when I first signed up, I got 5,000 points for spending $50, 5,000 points for buying specific Huggies diapers, and 1,000 points for buying Huggies wipes!
I purchased the $50 on one receipt and received ALL the offers. They are also offering new daily points when you scan a receipt. It spins a cute little wheel and gives you the chance to earn extra points. So far I’ve only won small amounts but every little bit adds up!”
23. User experience testers are always needed.
When a company is first launching, they need feedback on what is and isn’t working. This is where user experience testers come into play! It will vary based on the company, but your primary purpose is to let companies know if their websites are user-friendly. Ramsey Solutions shared how to get your feet wet with user experience testing, but you can also look on sites like TryMata.com and UserTesting.com. This is a great way to score some extra pocket money!
24. Assist with some open houses.
Local realtors may need your help and an extra smiling face to nail down a sale at their next open house. You could consider reaching out to some nearby companies or small home builders to see if they need an extra person to be at an open house and greet guests as they come in. If you get really good and know your way around a house, chances are they may use you for future home sales!
Here’s what one Hip2Save reader had to say:
“I work open houses on Saturdays and Sundays for a local home builder. It’s only 3 hours per day but it’s super easy and fun!” – Shanna
Never miss a dollar with our top tips for making money.
Thank you♥️
You’re so welcome! 💞
This is a really nice list of ideas, including quite a few things I would not have thought of! I was interested in the On My Way app and pulled it up, but be sure to read the reviews if you are interested in this specific app. They have apparently changed the payout so that it is no longer possible to “cash out” for gift cards or cash. Probably better apps out there, but many good ideas on your list – thank you for compiling it:)
You’re so welcome! Thank YOU for sharing, Michele! I did find the earning details for that app –
“The money earned can then be used for Cash Cards, Free Gas, Raffles, Contests, NFT’s, Gift Cards, Free Travel Deals (only taxes/fees) and Much, Much More….”
Hoping that is helpful! 💞
How about starting a web page with useless sale items!
Has anyone signed up for focus group by Schlesinger on the recommended list from that other blogger (link to article with recommended companies included under research studies). They want a copy of my drivers license… wasn’t exactly comfortable with that lol
I have done focus groups with Schlesinger since the early 2000s. They are legit.
I have been doing focus group with them for years. I did one recently for $120. They are legit and pay well. All the groups I have been invited to participate in have been $100 and up. SUPER EASY!
I’ve been doing surveys for them as well for years. Never any problems.
Thank you! There are a lot of interesting things that I have never heard about before reading this post. I appreciate all the time and effort that the Hip2Save team puts into this blog. Keep up the great work!🥰
You’re SO very welcome! Thank YOU for the super sweet feedback and for being a valued reader! SO glad you enjoyed this list! 💞🤗
Just a caution as signing as a witness- that is a legal obligation and if something comes up you will be in court to testify about who what when where and why you signed as a witness. As a former Justice of the Peace we strongly cautioned people not to just “robo sign “ as a witness. Look up what state and federal laws you may be responsible for. Especially when it comes to wills and medical power of atty. Wills get contested all the time and if you just walk in and sign and it goes to court you will be called upon to testify that you were present when the others signed and that you deemed them in right judgement, not coerced etc. if you never met the person nor were familiar with the document that isn’t a great place to put yourself in for $20. The law firms I worked with used their legal secretaries and if they needed another signature required a JP or notary
I would also be hesitant about renting out my car. There are many disclaimers in an auto policy. This might be one of them. It would require special insurance, i would think. Like the story of the delivery person who left car running and went to door to deliver product. Car was stolen. Insurance would not pay because they didn’t have correct insurance.
Thanks for the warning, Candie! Good to know that checking into your auto insurance policy might be something worth looking into if others are interested in this option! ❤️
Are you able to earn straight cash via PayPal Venmo from the on my way app or do you have to redeem a food item “reward” and you get paid back im confused after signing up
Hey Monique! I found a bit more info on the rewards on their site, it says “You get paid reward cash for every mile you drive and don’t text or use any distracted apps. Earn referral bonuses and get paid for every mile your referrals drive too. Rewards People Really Want And Need… Plus A Lot Of Fun Stuff!
Our Rewards are Unique, Custom and Popular! Free Gas, Free Food, Travel, Events, Trending Products, Gift Cards, Contests, Instant Win Cash Games, Drive Safe for Crypto and Much More…”
Hoping this might be helpful – and safe driving! 🤞❤️
Thanks for the reply Jessica doesn’t sound like actual cash although there is a place to put in your PayPal and Venmo info so 🤷♀️ I guess I’ll give it a go for a couple of weeks 🙂
You might be right. It does sound like the use of “Cash” is a rewards term to collect to redeem for other items. Hoping it’s easy to use and your earnings accumulate quickly for you! ❤️
Update: I read up on the on my way app you have to have 250 referrals to withdrawal money as cash so unless you’re Hip2save that’s unrealistic and the rewards require you to spend money and in reality are only offering you a discount. I deleted the app doesn’t seems like a legitimate side hustle that should be on this list 🙂
Thanks so much for your update, Monique! We sure appreciate it! We’ll look into this! 🥰
There’s no more vipkid! You guys need to delete that one. I worked there for 2 years (technically still work there but make $0) and it was the greatest until the Chinese government made a law saying foreign teachers aren’t allowed to teach their kids. The last class allowed was early Nov 2021. They are trying to grow to other countries but it’s painfully slow and the pay is $7 a class. No one is really making money from vipkid anymore. Everyone who worked there has moved on to new jobs.
Thanks for the heads up, Shannon! We’ll check into this! 💞
VipKif outlawed all foreign (non-Chinese) teachers in October 2021. It was a good gig while it lasted.