5 Ways to Make Money on the Side in 2014

Possibly caused by an unpredictable economy combined with new high tech online resources, people are becoming more creative with their income sources. They are taking items they already own, skills they already have and hobbies they already do and turning them into additional income.

This very cool trend is enabling people to make money in their spare time without giving up activities they like to do. For some, it is a risk-free avenue to starting their own businesses without having to leave a day job or invest lots of money.

There are a growing number of online resources that are making “side jobs” and “side businesses” easier to find and easier to start. This means that more people can do it – and many are jumping on the opportunity.

However, since several of these online resources are actually start-ups themselves, they are not widely advertised, and therefore lots of people don’t know about them. This article lists a variety of ways that people can realistically make money on the side if they are simply willing to invest a few hours a week and, of course, some effort.

Here goes…

Start Your Own Mini Clothing Consignment Store

Are you a fashionista with more clothes than you can wear? Why not give them to someone else and let them wear your stylish clothes – and make money doing it! Poshmark makes it so easy and fun that you might become addicted.

Unlike local consignment stores that only reach people in the surrounding community, Poshmark can advertise your items to a lot more people. It’s also different from eBay in that the site specializes in fashion pieces – so people who visit the site are more likely to already be looking for what you offer.

Users can easily sign up through their Facebook account and list an item for free – so there is no risk. This makes it painless for people to test-drive the service to see how it works and if they really like it.

Rent Your Stuff

What if you have stuff that you don’t use that often, but that you don’t want to get rid of? You can rent it through an online platform called SnapGoods. Items like tools, cameras, tech gadgets or musical equipment are perfect for this sort of money-making opportunity. Some machines, tools or gadgets may actually be more profitable as a rentable item versus trying to sell it, especially if they are not the latest model or version of the product.

You can list items you want to rent out, and you can also check out the “Want Ads” to see if there is an item that someone needs – and that you have!

Get Paid to Write Blog Posts

You don’t necessarily need to be an experienced writer to make money writing blog posts. With services like PayPerPost, people can pick up side writing projects on virtually any topic and make money in their spare time.

Rather than having to spend time searching for advertisers for your blog, you can simply log in to your free account with PayPerPost and see which paid opportunities are available and select the ones you want to do.

The one thing you will need, however, is a blog. However, this is easy and cheap to set up, and you can find out how to do that here.

If you don’t have a blog or don’t want to start one, you can still get paid to write. The Yahoo Contributor Network pays $2-$25 per article. They even provide daily writing “assignments”, so you don’t have to come up with your own article ideas if you want. But that’s not all. There are more sites here.

Get Paid When Other People Drive Your Vehicle

Getaround is an online service that lets car owners rent their cars to other car drivers for a fee. Owners set an hourly rate and list their vehicle for rent on the site. People in need of a car can then use the site to find a vehicle in their local area, send a request to the owner and make a deal.

It can be a great (and virtually effortless) way for car owners to make a few extra bucks when they are not using their car. This service is not yet available in all cities, however. You’ll need to check the website to see if your city is included. It’s free for people to join, but you need to be 19 years old or older. There are also no membership fees, and insurance coverage and roadside assistance is included on all rentals.

Turn Your Craft Hobby into a Profitable Business

Even though selling handmade items through Etsy is not new, it’s still big and growing. Of course, the more popular the site gets, the more customers it attracts, which improves the profit potential for sellers.

What you may not know is that you don’t have to make a craft to make money with Etsy. If you can build things (like a simple tree swing), cook things (ie. beef jerky, dog biscuits or mixed seasonings) or offer craft supplies for other crafters – there’s profit opportunities for you too.