In todays’ post we’re going to find out how to make money on the side with a full time job. Everybody has a particular skill set even if you don’t quite know what yours is yet. It’s just a matter of finding it!
Being in full time employment is always a good thing, but sometimes the pay isn’t quite enough to make ends meet and you have to consider a way of making a bit of extra cash on the side.
Hopefully these suggestions can help you out a bit and get you thinking about your own skill set and what you can do to capitalize on it.[divider]
ebay
Selling on Ebay can be the start of a very lucrative venture, one that could even replace your full time job eventually.
The thing is to start small and see work works. It’s no good blowing a huge amount of money down the local wholesaler if you’ve no real idea of what’s selling. This is all about making money remember!
If you’ve never sold on Ebay before there are plenty of handy guides out there to……well, guide you 🙂
Even Ebay themselves have their own ‘selling basics’ guide. Just be sure to read and stick to Ebays policy or you could find yourself being banned before you even really start.
Don’t be tempted by cheap imports that are clearly counterfeit either, you may well see other sellers selling these types of product, but the will be caught in the end.
One other important reminder would be your reputation. When you start out you’re not going to have any so people aren’t going to trust you with high ticket items.
Take time to build up your positive feedback score by offering a better product/price and service than your competitors.
When you’ve become a bit more established why not offer to sell things that don’t belong to you and take a cut, these can be from work colleagues or even family although with family you may feel awkward taking some of the profit.[divider]
uber
Got a car? Then why not drive for Uber. In case you’ve not heard of them Uber is an app driven taxi service, but don’t confuse them with the traditional taxi service because Uber is generally much cheaper which is why it has become so popular.
Signing up to become a driver or partner as they are called is a fairly straightforward process, you have to be over 21, have a four door vehicle under 10 years old and suitably insured, be able to pass a background check which also includes your driving record and your car passes the vehicle inspection then your free to apply to become a driver.
How does Uber compare to other driving jobs? Well a 2014 study showed that Uber is quite favorable compared to other driving jobs.
Uber has different services which depending on what vehicle you have will result in bigger fares, for instance UberBLACK and UberSUV are the more luxurious rides and command a premium fare as a result, but UberX on the other hand is the standard entry level service and is the cheapest and most popular.
So regardless of the car you have as long as it fits there criteria there is something for everyone. The hours are yours to choose so this can be fitted in around your normal day/night job making it an ideal side income.[divider]
sell on etsy
Now you might be one of those people who are very good at making things with their hands, you might be good at carving different figures out of a tree trunk or be able make a necklace out of things you find on the beach. 
Whatever your creative passion is there is someone who is willing to pay you money for your creation.
Which is where Etsy comes in. Etsy is one such platform that caters for people who make handmade items. With nearly 2 million people making and selling on the platform and close to 29 million active buyers it really is a great place to show your wares to potential customers.[divider]
rent a friend
Rent a friend??? Really?
Absolutely, rent a friend is a website that lets people “rent” a friend to go out with for the evening or daytime to an event that perhaps they’ve left too late to ask one of their friends or they’ve been let down at the last minute or they’re just moved to a new place, don’t know anyone and would like a bit of company.
You get paid by the hour to be that friend. With some members making between $300 – $500 part time it’s a great option to earn some good money while meeting new people.
Becoming a friend is 100% free to join, the people who are looking for a friend have to pay a membership fee, so you can be sure that anyone who contacts you is serious about renting you as a friend.[divider]
dog walking
Like the outdoors? Not quite getting enough exercise? Then why not sign up to be a part time dog walker. With walkers charging anywhere from $10 – $30 an hour you’re sure to earn a nice little side income.
This can be done either on your own or through an agency, with the agency being the preferred choice for the chance to start making money.
Saying that you could always advertise your services at your local vets or dog training schools while you work for the agency, that way you earn money while getting your name out there. And once you have the amount of customers you’re happy with you can leave the agency, which means more money in your pocket 🙂
Walkies anyone?[divider]
So there you have it, some great ways to earn a side income while still keeping a fulltime job.
Let me know which one you like the best
I always love to hear from you :)[divider]
If none of these take your fancy then i have one more that might be of interest to you.
You can run it alongside a full time job until it brings in enough money to be able to quit your day job.
Want to know more…..read about how you can do the same here.
Hi, Sharon.
Thanks for a great article.
I must say, I’ve heard of a few of these methods before like eBay and Uber, but RentAFriend is certainly something new.
It’s a crazy idea when I think about it but if there are people willing to pay then damn, it must be a cool way to earn some money and meet new faces.
Absolutely…it never ceases to amaze me what there is a market for. If someone had said to me they were going to launch a business based on people being able to rent a friend for the evening or a social event i’d have said they were mad….just goes to show what people are willing to pay for.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. To be honest I have never come across ‘Rent a Friend’ it sounds like a really interesting and fun concept and I’m curious to find out more about it. this is so helpful and looks like a cool way to attend things you wouldn’t usually be able to afford.
I’m definitely going to share these ideas.
Thanks again
That really is the one that stands out for me too! Such a fantastic way to meet new people 🙂
Thanks Sharon, great article! I have to agree with your recommendations as well. I mean in my personal opinion, Uber, Ebay, and Etsy are some of my favourite platforms to make a few extra bucks here and there.
Uber is starting to get very popular in the UK, it only operates in London at the moment but I definitely think that it will continue to grow globally. Also eBay is so simple if you have things around the house that your not using anymore.
Which one is your favourite?
Hi Marley,
I like using Ebay because as you rightly point out it’s very easy to use. But i think the most fun one would be the rent a friend option as it gives you the chance to meet new people, go to new places and all the while getting paid to do it!
Hi Sharon,
Just read your How To Make Money On The Side With A Full Time Job.
Wow, you cover so many diverse opportunities. I shouldn’t be surprised that people actually hire friends – quite an interesting concept.
Nevertheless, you not only presented the different opportunities, you dissected them and provided some very helpful insight as well as advise and cautions. a great message, beware and be aware before you leap in.
Hi,
Glad you liked the post…before i started researching this i’d never even heard of the concept of being able to rent a friend either.
Yes, these are great ways of earning extra income. Uber and Ebay can be really good and profitable ways for earning extra income.
However, I am not too sure about dog walking. You said that the pay is $10/30 per hour. Doesn’t that waste a lot of time?
Do you think dog walking is worth it?
Absolutely, think about for a moment, at the top end @$30 per hour, you do 1 hour every night after work or an hour before work for 5 days that’s an extra $150 a week….now if you do an hour before work and an hour after work that’s an extra $300…..plus the added bonus of fresh air and a bit of exercise.
I personally don’t think that’s a bad return 🙂
Great article. Very informative. I have been looking for an alternative income for a while now. While surfing the web, I came across some sites dedicated to affiliate marketing. Do you think affiliate marketing is a good option to make some extra cash? Would you recommend any affiliate marketing programs?
Hey Joey
In my personal opinion Affiliate marketing is a great way to subsidize your full time income, so much so that it’s exactly what i did. And if you work hard enough at it you can definitely earn enough to quit your ‘normal job’ and become an affiliate marketer full time.
Chris Farrell membership is a great place for anyone who is new (you can read a full review here)
My favorite though has to be Wealthy Affiliate which offers the whole package and has a proven track record.
What an interesting article on how to make money on the the side. Uber driving is a great idea, I have considered doing that before. I was intrigued by the rent a friend concept, I wonder if that is a safe thing to do. I also have a friend that sells his plasma and is able to make $300/month. Thank you for the great ideas.
Take Care, Heather
Hi Heather,
I had the same thoughts as you in regards to ‘rent a friend’ but having looked into it i couldn’t find any complaints of that kind.
I like your suggestion of selling plasma….i might even include it in the post….with credit to yourself of course 🙂
Great read, always looking for extra ways to be more efficient around the office. I just wanted to share something I’ve been doing recently. I run an office and have noticed that unused toner was piling up in storage. Looked into returning but that was no good. Tried out a site called tonerconnect and was impressed. They had quick service and that payout was nice.
Hi,
Thanks for the heads up, I personally don’t use that much toner but some people reading this might 🙂
Thanks for dropping by.
I was looking for a way to make some money from the side. The Ebay selling really sound appealing. I can also do it from my home which is a big plus!
But on the other hand it sound a bit scary. Do you think I have a chance to succed? There are probably tens of thousands if not millions of other people who sell stuff, and surely not all are successful…
I know it’s not that big of a deal since it’s only a little extra income, but I wouldn’t want to waste my time.
Hey Jacob,
You’re right there are lots of people selling on Ebay, but that only reinforces the fact that anyone can sell on Ebay and if they are willing to put in a bit more work than the next guy then why shouldn’t you succeed? Everybody has to start somewhere.
I recently had an iphone that was not being used anymore due to an upgrade so decided to sell it. I had a look on Ebay at what competition i would have…..loads and loads, but you know what i had someone make me an offer which was too good to turn down because his wife had broken her phone and he needed a replacement asap, he lived local and came round and bought it 🙂
I suppose my point is regardless of the competition there is always someone who out there who likes what your selling more than what’s already on offer. Try it you might well surprise yourself.