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Inspiration for Daily Living

7 Ways to Make an Extra $500 – $1000 per Month {Updated for 2024!}

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As someone who isn’t afraid to try new things, I’ve tried my hand quite a few side income ventures.

Knowing this about me, friends often come to me for advice on what to do to make a little extra cash on the side.

For some reason, I like to think of potential income ideas in terms of making $500 extra per month, or even $1,000 more.

Something about those nice round large numbers seems appealing. 🙂

Looking for ways to make extra money from home? Here are 7 easy ways to make $500 to $1,000 extra monthly. They're money-making ideas that have worked for me & my friends. 

 

How to Make an Extra $500, $700, or even $1000 a Month

Setting out to make a $500-$1,000 monthly chunk of cash (or any amount in between like $600, $700, $800 or $900 dollars) can be a daunting prospect.

I’m writing this post to show you how to think of this task in order to show just how easy it can be to accomplish.

You can try these ideas even if all you have to devote is your spare time on the nights and weekends. After all, that’s how I built up my blog!

If you think outside the box, it’s fairly easy to figure out a way to bring in an extra $500, possibly $1,000 per month, with some hard work.

If you find just the right money-making idea, you might be able to do that working less than part-time hours.

For instance, I work on this blog anywhere from 10-15 or so hours per week, rarely more than that. And it earns me a healthy six figure income!! 

It’s not a truly passive income source, but I definitely prefer doing this versus investing 40 hours a week into a full-time job that pays similarly! 

What would making an extra $500 to $1,000 every month do for you? Your family? 

 

RELATED READING:

 

How to Translate $500-$1,000 Extra per Month Into Manageable Amounts

Setting out with the idea that you need to make $500 or more per month can be scary, but not anywhere near as scary when you break it down into increments.

You can totally do this whether you need a part-time gig, are a stay-at-home-mom who just had a baby or even a teenager who needs funds. 

You could turn this into an actual business or treat it like a profitable hobby. 

Here’s how it works out on paper:

For example, an extra $500 per month could be…

  • 20 hours of work valued at $50 per hour
  • 40 hours of work valued at $25 per hour
  • $100 earned five times
  • $20 earned twenty five times
  • $10 earned fifty times
  • $250 from two customers/clients

The same principle applies to making an extra $1,000 per month from a side gig. 

How does this translate into earning $500-$1,000?

You just replace the words “work” or “earned” with specific jobs or products to sell.

  • So, “20 hours of work valued at $50 per hour” could be “20 hours of accounting consulting valued at $50 per hour.”
  • And “$10 earned fifty times” could be “$10 profit on fifty items.”

Now that we have broken down the larger goal into manageable amounts, let’s cover different ways to get to your earnings goal.

 

7 ways to make 1000

 

Ways to Make an Extra $500+ Per Month

Here are some ideas I love to share with my friends, and I hope you can use these for yourself to make $500 extra per month (or more)!

All of these ideas are jobs you can do on your own time – meaning, you make your own schedule.

I think with a little creativity and the right idea, you’ll be on your way to creating extra cash flow for you and your family so you can decide if you can ever leave the workforce or have to go back to work at a traditional job (if you’re a stay-at-home-mom).

There are so many part-time careers out there – many of them doing jobs you can do in your spare time at night or while bringing your kids with you. I hope you like this list! 🙂

I have known MANY people who dive into the first idea (blogging) and eventually figured out how to make $2000 a month working part-time. 

That success doesn’t come overnight, but it is the product of consistent effort over time. 

 

Blogging Income Update! 

I wrote this post when I was researching ways I could personally make up to $1,000 per month as a stay-at-home-mom. I am happy to say that with this blogging venture of mine earned $9,997 in January (you can see my income reports here…I add them every few months)!

Blogging is something I love to do and would recommend to just about anyone as a way to make extra money.

I am officially moving blogging up to the #1 spot on this list and will begin providing income reports in future months to inspire others to start their blogging journey!

 

 

 

1) Blogging to Make an Extra $1000 a Month or More

I can’t write a post about earning money without mentioning blogging for extra income.

I used to think it was just a hobby some moms had, but it wasn’t until I took the plunge and started my own blog that I realized it was a legitimate money-making venture!

It was the best financial decision I ever made for my family.

You can literally blog about anything under the sun and make money doing it. Check out this post on fun blog topics to see what I mean!

I also wrote a post recently that gives you insight into 7 different ways I make money with my blog that add up to between $5,000 to $10,000 extra per month now.

Sometimes this whole blogging thing can seem mysterious until you get into it, so I wrote that post to kind of explain what goes on behind the scenes so you can see how big numbers like that are possible.

I started blogging in 2010, wrote a bunch of posts, then took a couple years off in between having babies 2 and 3.

That’s the beauty of blogging – you can stop and start back up when you want, and you really don’t have anyone to answer to except yourself!

I began building my site back up ever since my youngest turned 2 last year and I felt like I had more time to devote to it. 

Blogging is by no means a get-rich-quick scheme, but it is a legitimate way to make extra money.

If you’re serious about starting a blog, you will want to read my post How to Start a Blog, where I explain exactly how I would go about setting up my blog if I had to do it all over again using Bluehost. 

I come across so many bloggers every day who have gone about blogging the wrong way….cheaping out on the essentials and never seeing the fruits from their labor.

There are some associated start up costs with blogging, but it’s nothing like a real business would cost – it’s more like $200 max to get it going properly and from there just A LOT of hard work.

If you are reading this, I KNOW you are a hard worker!  

If you’re just thinking about becoming a blogger and would like to know what’s possible, here’s a link to all of my past income reports ranging from $3,391 to $9,997 per month. I am slowly publishing them as I have time. I do this part time so I don’t always get to all the projects I want to tackle.

I hope a few of you decide to give blogging a go. It’s honestly been the best thing for our family. Don’t you wish that 12 months from now you could look back and say you made the right decision?  Click here to get the Blog Startup Guide via email. Or just click on the image below to read it online!

p.s. I have some really good news – I am now a Bluehost preferred partner! This means you can actually start a blog through Bluehost for just $2.95 a month on a 36-month plan at any time by using my link!

It’s a crazy low price to begin something that could last for years and make a huge difference for your family’s finances. After you read the blog startup guide, make sure to snag this deal before it’s gone.

Read More >> 7 Ways to Make $5,000+ per Month Blogging (real examples from this blog!)

 

2) Cleaning Houses to Make a Thousand More

In my area, I find that reasonably-priced house cleaners are hard to come by.

Using a maid service is not an affordable option for many people, especially stay-at-home-moms with limited incomes.

So if you can set a rate below a standard cleaning crew rate (I was quoted $85 per hour for a two-person cleaning crew) and do a good job, you will have plenty of work.

Read more about my search for a housekeeper in the post How Much Money Can You Make Cleaning Houses? 

You’ll need some cleaning supplies to get started unless the homeowner is willing to pay for them.

I personally buy half of my house cleaner’s products and keep them stocked. When she gets close to running out, she lets me know so I can get some more. 

This will give you a good idea of some of the upfront costs you can expect to incur to start a cleaning business.

 

3) Instacart Shopper

Instacart is a great way to earn extra cash. Let me tell you – I use the app ALL THE TIME to shop for groceries.

The shoppers in my area hang out near the stores they want to shop at, and as soon as I send my order in, they accept it and start shopping, then get my groceries to me within a couple hours.

You can earn a great rate + you get to keep the tips. I always leave a good tip for my shopper because I greatly appreciate their help! 

I’m at home doing things like writing this blog post and they’re helping me maximize my time. It’s a win-win! 

Click here to set up an Instacart Shopper account and get to work! 

 

 

4) Babysitting

As a mom with three young children, I know just how in demand a good babysitter can be.

Almost every day, I see moms in my local moms group posting requests for babysitters for date nights and special events.

I have three sitters in my back pocket in case one isn’t available when I need her!

Babysitting is one of those things that works on referrals.

If you do a good job for a couple families, you’ll have so much work coming your way you’ll have to turn down money left and right!

I pay my sitters $10-12 per hour, but I’ve been quoted up to $15 per hour.

The better you are with kids or older you are (adults can ask for more than teens, in my opinion), the more you can command. A CPR certification is a plus.

 

5) Pet Sitting

Similar to babysitting, pet sitting is a great idea because lots of people have pets and they want to know they are being watched by someone reputable when they leave town.

My neighbor just paid $40 per day for someone to stop by twice a day to walk & feed their dog and check on the cat.

It probably only took an hour or two max per day, so that’s conservatively a $20 per hour rate.

Watch one household of pets per day for thirteen days per month, and you’ll have an extra $520 in your pocket!

If you can line up several clients in the same area to maximize your time, you’ll earn that extra cash with even fewer hours worked.

 

6) Mowing Lawns

My brother is a lawn care professional, and I know from him that $50 is a reasonable rate for mowing a small yard.

He said he can charge $100 per week to mow an average yard in his small town.

Let’s be conservative and say you find 5 yards to mow once a week for $50 each, you’d earn $250 per week, or $1,000 extra per month.

After having a full time job for many years, I’d welcome the opportunity to mow lawns out in the lovely sunshine any day!

It’s a great idea for anyone with access to a lawn mower and at least a few hours here and there to devote to it! 

 

7) Become a Virtual Assistant

If blogging is a great way to make extra money, offering virtual assistant services is the fast track way to make money online fast.

There are thousands of active bloggers out there who have a lot going on and don’t have time to do everything related to blog management on their own.

The #1 way I’d go about making fast cash if I ever needed to is as a Virtual Assistant to other bloggers.

You can offer anything from content creation to social media management to help with administrative tasks.

There are Facebook groups just for bloggers seeking help from virtual assistants, and even Facebook support groups for VAs.

To get started in these groups, search for groups on Facebook with “sell content to bloggers” and “virtual assistant” in the names.

And not only bloggers need help – really any business owner will have tasks they’d rather delegate to someone else.

Be that go-to person for a handful of clients, and you’ll be set with a nice side income.

For more specific information on how to start a virtual assistant business the RIGHT WAY the first time, I recommend this checklist from Abbey at The Virtual Savvy >> 

 

8) Bonus Ideas! Offer a service in your local area 

What can you do that others would be willing to pay for?

It can be as simple as identifying a need and serving that need.

Here are five service areas I see in my area all the time that you could either do on the side in your spare time or as a real job: 

9) Craft Vendor

There are unlimited ways to make money making crafts and selling them for money.

I often use the Facebook Marketplace to sell items from around the house and I see vendors on there daily making a ton of money online selling their DIY items.

Here are 50 ideas for crafts you can make and sell for cash.

My daughters put up a vendor booth every year at the local market fair. It’s a huge meet on the street event with hundreds of booths and tents set up for local crafts.

I am amazed each year by the creativity of everyone involved.

If you have an idea for an item, there will be someone out there wanting to buy it!

Share Your Ideas for Making $500+ in Extra Income

Do you have any side job ideas for making extra money? I get excited exploring all the possibilities and would love to grow this into a huge resource.

Share your money-making ideas in the comments below!  

How big will you dream?? Some people ask me if it’s possible to make $1,000 per day online. 

To be honest, the answer is yes, but it’s not an everyday occurrence and takes many years of hard work to get there.

Learning how to make $100, $200, $500, or even $1000 a day takes many years of effort, but I know many people who do it in the blogging world. 

As always, keep in mind that you simply have to START first and then figure this stuff out along the way. I can’t wait to hear which one of these ideas you try and especially if you give a shot at creating the blog of your dreams!

 

More Side Gig Ideas You Can Test Out:

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  1. Nikki Frank-Hamilton says

    Great list, due to my inability to work-physically- more than a few hours a week I began to monetize my blog. I sure wish that I had done it from the beginning. there are a lot of things that I wish I would have done earlier! LOL

    Reply

  2. Sherri Mazan says

    I am disabled. On disability. But only 54 years old. Don’t make a lot in disability each month.plus I pay a student nurse to come and help out a couple days a week to take some stress off of my husband. He works full time. Do you think I could do anything. Maybe from my iPad?

    Reply

    • Tina @ Treasured Tidbits says

      Sheri, there survey sites and other ways my physical challenges daughter’s and I earn extra cash.

      It is $500 a month but it helps and it can be done from your iPad

      I just began new series Ways we Saved This week and it offers more than a few of them. Hopefully they can help.

      I am not comfortable about sharing a direct link without permission but I did want to encourage you.

      Reply

    • Stephanie Cataliotti says

      I read the comments about being disabled and was glad I did. I live alone, can’t drive, can’t walk without holding on to something/someone. What a life. I never in my life thought that MS would do this to me. I don’t say I have MS, I tell everyone MS has me. It just makes me feel better, like I’m in control. I wish I had found this site earlier. I write and cook. My friend takes me food shopping once a month. I am looking for a p/t job right now because my disability doesn’t quite make ends meet. I’ll find something. Be positive. Look up never down. MS is not a means to an end, it’s the start of something new. Re-invent yourself. That’s what I’m going to do and am doing. Time does not run my life, I get up when I want and sleep when I want, except for when I get the p/t job. So that’s it for now. Talk to you later.
      [email protected] PS. Could someone teach me how to blog? I feel so dumb.

      Reply

  3. Natasha M says

    Hi I love your budget printable and tables me and my husband are saving to relocate and this would help a ton. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Elizabeth Miessner says

    Im looking for someone to help me get started to blogging and making money doing it

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      Hi Elizabeth – If you click on the “start a blog” tab at the very top of the page, that will take you to my comprehensive start up guide. Let me know if you have any questions and share your blog when it’s up! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Sally Phillips says

    I read a neat idea for teens that aren’t old enough for a job to make extra cash but it would work for creative adults as well, kids biter g’day party planning. As a busy mom with ballgames, school functions, housework, etc. I have found it difficult to get everything I needed done to plan and excecute a kids party. Making and sending out the invitations. Purchasing or making decor. Putting up the decor. Planning some activities and party favors. I would gladly pay $50 to $100 to have someone do that for me. I live in a small town and still think there are plenty of parents that would love the help. A teen could even charge a little more to stay at the party and help run off the activities and the clean up. Of course the parent pays for the service as well as the supplies needed for the party.

    Reply

  6. Meagan says

    I think you should note that cutting kids hair or ANY hairstyling is a trade skill and one should go through the proper education and licensing channels before offering this service.

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      Hi Megan – I see your point – I do think it’s good to have a certification, but it’s not mandatory if this is just a side thing you’re doing. I know plenty of people who cut hair on the side and don’t have any formal training (they just don’t offer anything complicated LOL).

      Reply

    • Chelsea says

      While this does seem like a good idea you could actually get into A LOT of trouble doing haircuts unlicensed. I’m not sure where you live but I am a hairstylist as well a cosmetology instructor. I would try to stay away from it honestly. You could get a fine from department of licensing and regulations. Not to mention a pissed parent who sues you when you accidentally cut their kid.

      Coming from a professional I would advise against it. I still love this post though!

      Reply

  7. Amber says

    I do a lot of Facebook marketing for the many brands I promote. Mainly Tyra Beauty and Thirty One Gifts Direct Sales. P.S. >> Contact me if you need either of those products 🙂

    If you spend alot of time online, there are TONS of things you can do just simply copying and pasting on facebook, craigslist, while you are on craigslist, check the “Gig” section. I once had a lady pay me $40 to do pick up some papers and fax them to her (she was out of town)

    You can follow me for more money saving ideas and freebies.
    http://www.awesomeshopper.org

    Reply

    • Shannon says

      If your in decent physical shape you can officiate for your favorite local sport. Most sports don’t have enough adults to cover all the games. I refereed soccer for several years and made about $48 for 3 hrs, but could have made more if I was in better shape. I stopped because I just couldn’t keep up. Soccer games pay based on the age of the kids playing anywhere from $10-$50 per game. T-ball, Softball and Baseball have a need for umpires. I am sure other sports have officials that are paid to oversee the games. For soccer at least it doesn’t have to be seasonal work, Start off with the local kids league maybe, but there are also high school games that need officiates, and in my area indoor soccer is year round.

      Reply

  9. Mac Smith says

    Hi Lena I followed a link on your site to the WAH Institute. do you have any opinions on this site and the info they are offering?

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      I believe that must have been one of the ads, as I don’t recommend them in my list of 7. I am unfamiliar with that company, so I could’t say either way!

      Reply

  10. Isaac says

    I, too, started a blog about 5 days ago, I hope it will be a success, hoping for $1000 a month – currently I don’t generate any revenue as yet. I guess I am in for a long ride.

    Reply

  11. Deka says

    Hi……I would like to start a blog and I don’t have any clue at all………anyone to guide me pls#bloggers

    Reply

  12. Carrie says

    My three little ones are the exact same age as yours 🙂 I worked from home for a bit but I took a break at well and now that my youngest is two, I’m working on getting my blog up and running. So glad I found your site!

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      Cool! Nice to meet you and learn about your blog, Carrie! Starting a blog was the best thing I ever did for our family finances. I’m still trying to get all my friends and family to start their own blogs, even if for just a hobby at first. 🙂

      Reply

  13. Bri says

    I’m a college student that needed a few ideas on how to make extra money, this post was a big help!

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      I’m glad you found it helpful, Bri! That was my goal – to be as specific as possible with a handful of money making ideas some anyone could take one of the ideas and apply it to make $1000 a month or more on the side. I had a few different jobs in college on the side myself! 🙂

      Reply

  15. Catherine says

    Were you able to find out from SaraW what that app was called that she mentioned in her comment above? I’d like more information too!

    Reply

  16. Victoria says

    Honestly, Swagbucks works very well for me. Nothing like $500 a month, but I can make $50/month easily, even without a smart phone or good internet. Basically, you earn points by allowing yourself to be advertised to, watching videos, taking surveys, etc. There’s a Swagbucks subreddit that is extremely informative, and I’m happy to email anyone who wants more help getting going. I’ll add my referral link — feel free to use it or not! If you do sign up under my referral (or anyone elses), try to get 300 points in that same month. If you do, you AND the one who referred you will get a bonus 300 points ($3 in real money).

    Reply

  17. Mechelle Celie says

    I am able to make a car payment and a house payment working with Nerium. I work from home and around my schedule sharing product info. Patented products with Global Exclusive rights which means we cannot be duplicated.

    Reply

  20. Jennifer says

    Not sure if anyone else noticed, but this list of 7 is only a list of 6. She skipped from 5 to 7! Lol!

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      OMG I deleted #6 a little while ago and forgot to replace it! Thanks so much for reminding me…I am a little scatterbrained sometimes! LOL

      Reply

  21. Victoria says

    Hey Lena! This is a great list. I personally do #4 – dog sitting, and just this month, I made approx $600 (and I only watch one dog at a time). It’s a great side job, I actually wrote about it here..

    But I do caution it’s not for everyone, anyone who is considering pet sitting should be very serious about it as you’re taking care of someone’s loved one (I consider my own pug my son).

    Reply

  22. Cathy @MonetizeMyMins (Twitter) says

    A great starting off point. I am very big into having various side hustles to bring in a bit extra every month…so much so that I began a blog about it along with reviews/recommendations of side income that can be earned on a flexible schedule with only a few minutes of work at a time. I think it is always helpful to have a few side jobs, at least on standby, just in case.

    Reply

  23. Brian says

    You can write a book (doesn’t necessarily need to be a long novel. Short kids book also does the trick) and publish it using amazon ebook. Great residual income. Publishing is not difficult at all and can only take an hour or so.

    Anyone interested in this, please let me know. my books are Hortons ways around the piano keys, and the 5 part series The Entrepreneur’s dream. I’ve also helped publish tons of books from friends, family members and associates

    Reply

    • Judy says

      Brian, I am very interested. Could you send me more info please? I’ve always dreamed of writing short children’s stories. Thank you so much.

      Reply

  24. Kirstie Hakanson says

    This is awesome! Do you count a cat momma as a mom? Haha totally joking! I have two cats that are basically children but without speaking English haha. Trying to earn money in anyway I can would be great! Thanks for this!

    Reply

  26. Lauri D says

    Great ideas. Not to rain on anyone’s parade but here are a few words to the wise:

    Be careful what and how you choose to earn. Research to make sure it is legal in your area or if you need a license or training.

    For example, in virtually every state you have to go through training and licensing to be paid to cut hair. It takes just one bad incident to cause expensive problems, possibly legal ones. Cutting kids’ hair seems a no brainer since a specific style is rarely crucial. However one squiggly kid with sharp scissors near their tender head/ears/eyes/nose can be a recipe for disaster.

    Accounting on the side is another needing training and whatever registering or licensure is required in your area.

    If it takes a licensed professional in your state there’s usually a reason why and better safe than sorry. One bad experience can cost you more than you could earn.

    Additionally, all of the income is taxable since regardless of where and how unofficial, it is income from self employment. The IRS is great at finding ways to track income when they discover it. Take it from a secret shopper. Btw, This is another way to make money.

    Reply

  27. Isabel says

    Hi and wow. I’ve read many posts but somehow this one seems more informative than mosts. Maybe is your writing style or that you answer to all the comments. I would love to start a blog but my little ones are two years old and 3 months old and I’m barely surviving here. If I can get some help maybe I’ll start it and I’ll let you know about it. Seriously, thank you for your post, it feels a little bit like “I have this blogger friend that can help me get started”.

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      Thank you so much, Isabel! I was where you are at only 5 years ago…my kids are now 4, 6, and 8. I remember not having a single moment to shower, much less blog! I would recommend reading through my startup guide (click on the How to Start a Blog link above) and then taking it slowly. If you start it while they’re little and work on it here and there, when they’re older and need you less, it’s possible you will have created a nice little side gig for yourself! 😀

      Reply

  28. Kimberly J Schmidt-Blowers says

    I am so interested and am always wanting to try something without the added pressure. A lot of these home based businesses say you can make monies on your own terms but you have to still log in the long hours as if you had a regular full time job. I just want to test this out to see how it will work

    Reply

    • Lena Gott says

      Yes, that is true. To have a real business that actually replaces your income, you HAVE to put in a good amount of hours. It doesn’t come easy, but it IS very rewarding to be your own boss in the long run. Your earning potential is much higher because you can get paid for the sales you bring in and not some arbitrary salary someone else sets. Good luck in your journey!

      Reply

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