96 Ideas To Make Quick Money

Do you have something special you are saving up for or need that additional income? There are many opportunities available online and offline to make some extra money.

I have been brainstorming and implementing ideas for years to earn some extra money to supplement our normal household income and with great success.

Below is a list of 96 quick and potential, money making ideas based on their niche, use the jump links below to skip to a niche.

PROPERTY

Property is one of those things that most of us invest in at some point in our life. Whether it is living in them or having investments properties. There are also lots of things you can do with property that you may not have thought of to generate cash.

Add equity to your property

I hear you. Doing this usually costs money. Yes that’s all well and true but the gains are far more likely to outweigh the expense if you do your research properly. Say a bathroom costs you $15,000, come auction time or even getting a rental evaluation you could have potentially doubled your money.

Positive gearing a property

Never heard of positive gearing? In a nutshell it is where you can earn more from your house than what you are paying back in mortgage repayments. You can do this a couple of ways:

Add equity to your property (see above)
Purchase your property undervalue, consider looking into deceased estate, bank selling houses etc.
Subdivide and sell off other land to pay down your original mortgage or build and rent out the multiple properties. Yes this means you have to sink some money in but it is an investment rather than just wastage money. Plus you can claim a lot back on tax from any depreciation.

If you have an investment rental property it is worth considering switching your loan to interest only so the rent is at least covering the mortgage repayments if not going over it. This increases your cash flow and might bring you a little extra income to use for renovations or reducing debt on your own home.

A blog/website I love following on all on things real estate including positive gearing is OnProperty just sign up to the newsletter.

Disclosure: Always seek professional advice on whether this is suitable for your own personal circumstances.

Rent out a room or your house on Gumtree

This one is fabulous! Whether you have a spare couch, room or an entire house you could rent this out on Gumtree. Just take some good images and refer to the fair trading website for tenant checklists and further advice to get started.

House sitting

Doing this will not only save you a lot of money on your own rental / expenses you can also earn money doing it. Sometimes part of the House sitting will not require you to live in the home, rather just take the bins in and out, collect the mail or switch on different lights each night to make it look like someone is home. Check out Aussie House Sitters for listings.

Tenant in a granny flat

If you have a granny flat or at the very least a spare bedroom with its own bathroom, you might consider renting it out full time privately. Just be sure that whatever you do is within council/fair trading requirements. Some states do have regulations against renting out granny flats to the general public or even charging relatives.

Rent out shed for storage

If you have a shed or garage on your property that you don’t use or perhaps only use half of, it’s worth advertising it on Gumtree for someone to store their stuff in. Storage companies charge a bomb to look after people’s stuff and it is not something they want to pay top dollar for if they are in between places or wanting to head overseas for a few months. Alternatively they may need to store a vehicle, boat or caravan for the times they aren’t using it. Just make sure they have adequate insurance if something happens to it while it’s on your property and have some kind of written agreement in place.

Lease land for stock adjustment

If you have a large enough property and are not currently doing much with it you could lease it out to farmers to leave their animals on, such as horses or sheep.

Lease land for crop farming

If you need a long-term solution and you have good quality soil you could also lease it as farming land for various crops.

Lease land for caravan/camping space

Sometimes people want to “get away from it all” and heading to a caravan park is not their version of ideal so being able to set up on a big block of land with a decent of space around them might be something they are willing to pay a bit extra for.

Advertising on your property

When events come to town such as a circus they want to put their signs up for everyone to see and if your home or property is in a high traffic area you could profit from this. Companies will also do this. For instance if you had your roof renovated, the roofing company may request to put up a sign on your fence to advertise their work. It could earn you an income or get you a discount on the job.

Rent out your property for movie events

Offering this will depend on the type of house or property you have and how accessible you can make it. For example the whole family can clear out for a few months or it can only be used during the day while you are all at school/work. There are a couple of companies in Australia that are on the lookout for properties but they are usually quite glamourous. That said one day they might just need your more suburban type house or some rustic farmland and you could be on the money.

Offering parking space for city workers

If you have ever worked in any capital city you would be well aware of how annoying/expensive it can be to park your car not to mention having to leave the office to go and move it every few hours. For those who live in close proximity to the city, renting out space in their driveway is a great way to earn some extra cash and make life that little bit easier on the city worker who can either walk to work form your place or catch public transport closer to the office.

Rent out your parking space for events

If you live near a sports stadium, the city at festival times or near where the royal shows or expos are held charging for someone to park in your drive for the day can prove profitable. Imagine if you could fit ten cars in your drive and yard and charged them all $10 each for the day. That’s a $100 a day for (let’s say the Royal Easter Show period of two weeks) $1400 for the fortnight in cash. Be sure to follow the required laws around this.

Rent out your garden for weddings or functions

If you spend a lot of time working and maintaining a beautiful garden it might work out well to hire it out as a function venue for weddings or parties. Depending on how practical, pretty or big it is you could charge up to $600 per five hourly blocks.

UTILISE GUMTREE ONLINE

Using Gumtree is one of those things I value highly in any money making venture. The best thing I find about using Gumtree is that it is free and has a high user volume, meaning your ad will reach a whole load of people. Here are some ways you can use Gumtree to make some extra money. I can attest to them having done all of these personally.

Declutter your home.

Most of us have a lot of cool stuff lying around at home that we no longer have a use for. Whether it is baby clothes, furniture, appliances, cars, etc., listing it on Gumtree is a great way to pass on an item that you no longer needed and make money from it.

Sell for a commission

Run out of your own goods to sell online? Why not talk to friends, family or others in your neighborhood and see if you can sell their stuff for a commission? You might ask for a fixed price or a percentage based on what kinds of things you are selling for them and what price range. Listing on Gumtree will help you avoid listing fees where applicable and maximize your profits.

Find for free and resell

Sometimes it is amazing what someone will throw out when they no longer have a need for it. It could be council pickup items or other times advertised for free. (Hint: Check out the Freebies section on Gumtree) Choose items that you think will have good resell value. It could be pieces of furniture that need a bit of sanding or repainting or even some stain removal and could then sell for a few hundred dollars (yes I have done this!) Sometimes there are people who are clearing out old rentals so they can demolish them or are moving and want their contents gone fast so keep an eye out for some profit making items here!

Trading up

Have you ever checked out the Swap/Trade section on Gumtree? Sure you might think that you don’t have anything of significant value however sometimes other people may value it for more. For example a couple of years ago I needed a chicken set up and I swapped an aviary for a wardrobe that the other person needed for their children’s bedroom. I know of people that have swapped motorbikes with cars because they have recently had a baby and would have lost the value of their bike by selling it, but instead could trade it for a car of similar value.

Transport other people’s stuff.

If you have a vehicle that is suitable for moving heavier items you can advertise on Gumtree to help other people receive the Gumtree items that they want. For example, if I wanted a table off Gumtree but had no way of transporting it to my house, I could hire someone on Gumtree to deliver it for me for a small fee. Most movers I have seen charge around the $30-$50 mark for within 20km of the area. This is a valuable service if you get something that might cost you $500 brand new but you pay $200 and then a $50 delivery fee. It’s a pretty good saving! It could also be a way for someone to get cheap revivalists if moving house. A normal whole house removal fee could be in the thousands so it’s worth looking into.

Construct flat packed furniture

Lots of people buy flat packed furniture because it is often cheaper or buying something pre made could mean exuberant transporting costs. Not everyone is handy and lots of people are time poor so this service is a good one if you have a knack for putting together tricky furniture and the like, advertise here!

Casual employment

Gumtree doesn’t just offer selling and buying. You could also find yourself a casual summer job, seasonal work or maybe even more permanent employment in the Jobs section.

Save your searches

When you are using Gumtree make sure you save your searches so that if an item relating to your search is listed you can be notified by email. You can choose how often you wish to be notified but if you are on the money making circuit, daily is your best option so you can jump on the opportunities as they arise. Be sure to be logged in to save your searches.

PHONE & ONLINE

Here are some general money making ideas you can do with a minimal budget online or over the phone.

Sell your photos for websites

If you are pretty handy with a camera you can sell your images on various sites online. One example is Shutterstockwhere companies can purchase your photos to display on their websites or blogs or advertising material. Each site will have different ways you get paid e.g. royalties, once off payments etc. so it is important to read terms and conditions carefully before submitting your work.

Utilize Instagram

Being an Instagram “celebrity” is also a way to get paid to take photographs. Some people have managed to score free trips from various companies to assist in promoting a travel special they might be having or a health and fitness company has a product coming out and want someone to trial and promote it. If you can find yourself a decent following this just might work for you. You can find more on how to use Instagram effectively here.

Write your own blog

Despite what lots of people believe starting up your own blog and earning money from it is not as easy as it sounds and is generally a long-term plan. You can earn money from your blog by putting up advertising around your posts on your site but it is important that it is relevant to what your readers would be likely to click on. If you get a lot of traffic you can have space on it from companies that might contact you directly and choose what you would like to charge but most people start with AdSense or Clickbank advertising.

Writer/Author

If you have your own blog or are part of on an online writing community you can increase your chances of writing for other sites and building up your credibility. It gives other companies an idea of what sort of writing style you have, the kinds of topics you write about and the quality of your pieces. Other ways are to be part of a writing community platform such as Hubpages where you can write about any various subjects and you earn from the advertising attached to your articles without you needing the technical knowhow.

Social media moderator

Often all it requires is you to check in a couple of times a day to make sure that the conversations are being kept clean and dealing with any negative behavior. You may also be required to design and post Facebook advertising, promote products, post blogs and create thought provoking posts to engage readers.

Utilise YouTube

You can be a TV star from your own home on YouTube. Its overheads are really low with your investments being in video editing apps and a camera or smart phone. There are some great tutorials on YouTube on how to use it as an effective money making or marketing tool. You can have multiple channels for different video subjects or create your own shows, such as cooking segments, tutorials, funny cat videos etc. You make money by the amount of views your video gets and then you can also earn money from ads around your videos with AdSense. If you don’t think you have any talent just remember that some of the most popular and high earning videos were completely random such as someone doing avoiceover for their dog or some guys singing a ridiculous song in suits call what does the fox say.

Creating niche websites

If you are pretty good at writing about a variety of topics and are familiar or can get familiar with website set ups such as WordPress this might be the thing for you. By creating niche websites you can earn through affiliate marketing or you can choose to set up the basic sites and then sell them to people who wish to develop them. Often these sorts of sites are listed for sale on other popular websites and outline the content, earnings and conditions as if you were selling any other business. One of the best articles I have ever found with step-by-step instructions on creating niche websites that generate $500 a month is here.

Write for Weekend Notes

Weekend Notes is definitely one of my favourite writing communities that I am a part of. While it is essentially a platform for writing review on events and places there is the occasional opportunity outside of this niche to write about. Weekend Notes differs from a lot of other writing communities I have checked out because you are paid each time someone clicks on your article. You can also get paid $20 if you can convince another company to feature article of yours on their page back to weekend notes. They also have a referral system where you can earn when someone joins weekend notes as a writer under you and becomes your “scout.” It is free to join and easy to get started. This kind of system means that even if you aren’t writing all the time you are still earning a passive income and if you are really dedicated you have the opportunity to earn a decent amount of money.

Use Rewards Central

Rewards Central is something I have dabbled on and off with over the years but never really looked into how I could make it worth my time. When I realized I hadn’t logged in for a year and could have earned a huge amount of points I was kind of annoyed with myself. If you join have a look at the earning section and familiarize yourself with all the ways you can earn points. You earn point by shopping online they will have links to the stores you already buy from and can earn you even more reward points. Once you reach a certain amount of points you can cash it out. Be careful to read all terms and conditions with all offers to avoid charges on free trial products. If you stick with it and log in daily and complete your daily tasks you can build points fairly quickly.

Complete online surveys at Pure Profile

Pure profile is one survey platform that I like. While generally the earnings aren’t huge most of their surveys are relatively short and can earn over time. If you have spare time on your hands its worthwhile completing these while you watch your favourite shows at night. You can also earn points from other things such as connecting social media accounts or updating your profile.

App creator

The best thing about creating apps is that you can do it fairly cheaply and you can use them in an addition to a business or as a one of money maker. If you can see a gap in the market or you want to improve an app you already use you can create your own. You can find a great Australia article on the process to create your own app here.

Enter free competitions

This is one that I recommend to everyone who has some extra time on their hands. Believe it or not there are people that enter competitions for a living. It is important that the majority if not all competitions you enter should be free. A site to keep track of all the comps you enter includes Competitions Guide.

Self-publish an E-book

For those of you with a talent for writing, telling stories or even explaining how to do things, this one might be for you. Self-publishing can be as simple as creating a PDF document and linking it to your website or submitting to Amazon. Consider your pricing carefully. Even books with a considerable amount of effort put into them may still be priced around the $3-$4 mark. The lower you price a book the more likely you will sell a higher volume so try not to get too stuck on the price. There are also programs that can assist you in making your e-book suitable for a kindle format.

Sell your own crafts on online stores

Gumtree is a great selling platform for getting your arts and crafts out there. It’s free to list and there is nothing to lose.

Consultant

If you have a website and aren’t making a whole heap of money yet it is worth looking into providing consulting advice. It can be daunting to start but once you get into the swing of things can become very profitable. Lots of people aren’t sure where they can start as far as offering consultations. An example could be if you have a website that sells baby products you might look at offering consultancy services in setting up a nursery, organizing baby showers or writing a program to help parents stay organized once their baby is born. You could even set up an advice Q and A for a monthly/annual membership fee.

Fiverr

Fiverr is such a popular platform to make quick cash with your basic price being $5 for a task such as designing a logo or reading a script. If you work it out per hour it’s probably going to be peanuts but money is money and could mean repeat business and upgrades from your customers to higher paid work. While it is generally thought that it is more American based, Aussies can still use it. There is also a need for more Australians to do work on Fiverr such as voiceovers for Australian products. These types of tasks can also be posted on Gumtree Services for Hire section where you could make beyond $5.

Language teacher

Can you speak a second language? If so you might want to check out this website called iTalki.

This is a site used by people all over the world to get language lessons. It works by firstly applying to become a language teacher. Once approved you set up your own online profile and then decide what you want to charge per lesson. Italki handles all the bookkeeping so you won’t need to chase anyone for payments and can use various payment methods including PayPal.

Wake up caller

Now you might be thinking what the? But there are people out there who need a phone call to wake up. Just like in hotels you can provide a wakeup call service, a reminder of appointments etc. Believe it or not there are conditions where people cannot wake up to alarms but do wake up to phone calls. I only know this by hearing it from wives of mine workers who have to literally call their husbands every morning to make sure they wake up for work (and no I’m not joking!).

BABIES AND KIDS

The baby and children’s industry is booming with the many savvy stay at home mums / entrepreneurs. Here are some great ways you could start making some money on the side with either your own little start up business or just cool ideas.

Birthday party planner

Who says you need to have any sort of official qualification? Chances are if you have a bit of an idea of what kids like to do for fun, you are not afraid of colour and have some good organizational/multi-tasking skills this just might be your meal ticket.

Face-painter

Face painting charges can vary between $30 and $40 depending on their level of experience and talent. You can easily teach yourself how, with an array of books and cheap short workshops to build up your talents. It’s a pre requisite that you can build a good rapport with children and work fast as they don’t like to sit still for too long. You might want to try practicing on adults first until you can work efficiently then move on to children so you know you are going to get the job done before they move on to the next exciting thing. You could also offer to do a couple of friend’s kids parties for free to give you the opportunity for others to see your work and network for potential paid bookings.

Pregnancy belly painter

This is by far becoming more popular with mums wanting something unique for a maternity photo shoot. They can earn anywhere between $40-$60 an hour based on their level of experience or talent.

Child entertainment

If your friends and family have ever referred to you as a ‘big kid’ or that you have a ‘natural ease with kids’ you might want to consider doing something along the lines of this. This could be anything from dressing up in a Dorothy the Dinosaur, Spiderman or Elsa and posing for photos, or if you have some talent you could perform magic or song and dance shows.

Mobile party entertainment.

Jumping castles are a popular party must have and always need an operator when they are hired out for parties. You would need to set up the castle and then supervise safe play but it’s a pretty easy job for some extra weekend pocket change. Just make sure you are properly insured!

Family day care provider

Family Day Care is very much in demand. Especially in areas where child care centres are not easily accessible or have long waiting lists. Parents are also learning that at a smaller family day care centre their child is less likely to get sick (so less time off work for them) and the child can build strong relationships with the carers and the other children due to the smaller numbers. There are legal requirements to do this including no more than four children under school age, in your care at one time. It is an especially good option for a stay at home mum who wishes to earn an income but not necessarily put her own children in child care. You can learn more about starting your own family daycare in Australia here.

Nanny/babysitter

Offering your services as a Nanny or babysitter can be great as you are more likely to be able to choose your own hours and work around other commitments. Being a Nanny might also mean you can live with the family who’s child you are looking after which will also save you a lot of money on living expenses. Casual babysitters typically earn between $10- $20 an hour depending on how long they are babysitting for, age of children and how many.

Pram doctor

If you are a bit handy in all things strollers you might want to become a pram doctor. Tasks could be as simple as changing a tyre, sewing back together some material on a hood or re-greasing for smooth operation. Of course there are more complicated tasks but if you have been through a couple of kids your knowledge will be better than most when it comes to deciphering the world of strollers. You might also be able to assist people in constructing their prams (some are pretty complicated!) if they aren’t sure how to or are time poor.

Nursery consultant

Now this is a broad term but the job description might include things like assistance in constructing flat pack nursery furniture, personal shopping, nursery interior design or sourcing products. It’s really an open book as to what kinds of services you want to provide.

Car seat hire or installer

The latest statistics show that two in three car seats are not fitted properly. Children’s car seat hire is usually around the $90 mark for a capsule for six months. Car seat installation specialists can charge around $30 per car seat installation (on top of or instead of hire). This can be for expecting parents who need a bit of help to understand how to get the capsule in and out of the car safely for their impending newborn, someone with a child visiting that requires a car seat short term or parents in general. You can find out how to get qualified at Children Restraints.

Tutor

Whether its young children just needing to catch up or a high school student needing assistance to study for an exam,private tutors can earn between $10-$50 an hour depending on what the student requires.

School drop driver

With work hours extending way out of school hours a lot of parents really need someone to pick up and drop off their children to and from school. The kids might be old enough to not need a babysitter after school but aren’t old enough to drive or may not have a public transport option. Using a private driver allows parents to have more flexibility in their work hours. You would need your own car including adequate insurance and a clean driving record as well as a police checks to ensure you are clear to work with children.

Driving instructor

Lots of parents either don’t have the time nor do they want to, teach their children to drive. Getting qualified as a driving instructor has great earning potential (around $60 an hour) and can be done in your own car or the car of the teen or teen’s parents. Some students just require supervision. Refer to the insurance and regulations required.

Sports coach

If you used to play sport in school yourself you probably still have some idea about how the game is played. Consider taking on a coaching position at a local school or club. Depending on the size of the club you could be paid hourly or earn a salary.

Sell baby products

With this industry being so huge there always seems to be a demand for baby products. Whether it is homemade pram liners, blankets, baby clothes or chemical free products you are bound to find something in line with your values you could have a go at selling. Gumtree provides a wonderful selling platform, as do local markets.

Children’s photographer

If you are passionate about taking great portraits of children you might consider becoming one of these. As a mum it is so common to always find yourself behind the camera only to find your children grow up and there are very little photos of you with them. Newborn photography, family photos, cake smashes or children’s birthday parties are popular life events for someone to want to invest in good photos. Offer discounted sessions to assist in you building up a portfolio.

ANIMALS

The pet industry is another huge niche with money making potential. With pets now a part of the family more than ever ,a lot of them receive the same kind of treatment we would expect a person to give their children or other loved ones. Here are some ways you can make more money.

Dog walker

This is an easy one requiring very little if any outlay and no specific skills (other than liking dogs.) You can advertise with flyers or online for your local area. Dog walkers usually earn around the $10-12 an hour mark.

Pet sitter

There is an increasing demand for beloved pets to be taken care of in a home environment rather than a conventional boarding kennel. Doing this for others means you can also choose your own days/ times during the year that you will take them on. Pet-sitting doesn’t have to be done in your own home either. It can be done in the home of the pet’s owner also giving you an opportunity to save on rent if it is for a long period.

Dog/cat groomer

While for more breed specific grooming techniques you would probably need some form of training, there is nothing stopping you from offering a dog wash service with nail clipping and a bit of a general clipper trim. Dog washers can typically earn between $20-70 per dog with clipping/brushing/blow dry on top.

Crate hire

When people bring home a puppy, fly their pets interstate or need to do a vet trip they will often require a crate for a period of time. Crates to buy outright are expensive especially if you don’t use them continuously. Consider advertising a hire service in local pet shops, vet clinics or boarding kennels. Airlines hire out crates for around $50 so you could use that as a benchmark.

Pet photography

Again it’s not just their family and friend’s people want good photos of. Pet photography can be basic portrait photography in a studio, to action shots on location or you might even get your foot in the door to photograph at dog shows or sports. Get yourself down to local charity walks, expos, dog shows etc. to get some experience and see where it takes you. A one hour photographic session can start around $200- $500 mark plus prints.

Pet burial

Often vets will offer a burial or cremation service but this usually means that the pet is buried in some sort of pet cemetery or wherever the plot of land is for the purpose. Pet owners will often want to bring their pet’s home but cannot bear to do the burying themselves. Offering this service allows them to have a special place in their garden for their pet (that meets council requirements) without the emotional pain it would take to do it themselves.

Pet transport

Look up the local grooming salons, doggy day cares and boarding kennels in your area and see if you can provide a service for transporting pets. If someone wants to send their dog to daycare but it’s in the opposite direction of their work commute, they might appreciate a pick up and drop off service. Same goes for grooming salons, particularly for people who may not drive nor want a dirty dog in their car. You could also offer an airport pick up and drop off service for dogs flying in and out.

Pet products

It’s not uncommon these days for pets to have fancy clothes, collars, bowls and more. Some people even like their pets to have furniture or décor that fits in with their homes décor. Dog kennels are a big business in the States with the demand for more aesthetically pleasing kennels to be designed for the more modern backyard, so if you are good at building it might be something you could start here.

UPCYCLING/REPURPOSING

You are probably furrowing your brow already that you can make money from unwanted goods/waste. You could make recycling into a full time job, if you had the time and passion for it. See the list of unwanted goods/waste that you could turn into cash below.

Bottles

In most states bottle recycling is a great opportunity to not only help the environment but make some money too. Make sure you save all your cans and bottles to get the ten cent refund. If your own collection is not enough take a bag and some gloves or something you can safely pick up cans and bottles with off the roadside. You could even leave a note in your neighbor’s letterbox asking them to save their bottles and cans for you so you can collect on a certain day. A couple of household’s worth of bottles each month might just be worth it.

Scrap metal

Scrap metal won’t make you a lot of money in small amounts but a couple of dishwashers, washing machines or a fridge could allow you to hit payday. Before you head off with your own scrap metal ask around to see if anyone else has any they need to get rid of. Copper items will fetch a pretty good price over most other metals so don’t forget about your grandma’s old rusty pots or old tapware sitting in the shed.

Sculptures

Some of the best (and highly priced) sculptures I have ever seen were made completely out of junk. Old tyres, bicycle wheels and garden tools welded together to make something incredibly beautiful. If you have any sort of welding skills you could give this a go, or even if you don’t still try. You can get a basic welder from Bunnings for around the $150 mark.

Clearing gardens ready for landscaping

This is the kind of job I see requested Gumtree all the time. The owner might want to just have some lawn out the front but needs a whole heap of shrubs ripped out and rocks moved and just doesn’t have the time or muscle to do it. Sometimes these jobs will require specific digging equipment like a mini loader or bobcat so it is worth checking it out working out any expenses such as machinery hiring costs before committing.

DOMESTIC

Everyday household jobs could help save those time poor people. If you provide a good service, generally these types of jobs bring on many referrals.

Cleaning

Domestic cleaners can usually earn anywhere from $12-$25 an hour. You don’t have to be part of a contracting company but it’s a good idea to at least have a clearance before advertising your services.

Ironing

Lots of stay at home mums do this around their children’s nap times and usually charge around $10-$15 per basket load. Some ask for the clothes to be dropped off while others charge an extra fee for pick up and drop off. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube on how to iron and fold clothes properly.

Dressmaking

Don’t just think about taking up hems and increasing /decreasing sizing. Costumes can play a big part in a dressmakers business. For example it can be very time consuming making a little one’s ballet costume or school play outfit.

Gardening

Mowing, weeding, trimming, you name it it’s covered in the Gardening section. This kind of work could earn you between $10-$20 an hour.

Mystery shopper

Mystery shopping involves secretly visiting a restaurant or service business and completing a review on that business. Profits are not huge however you could either receive a free meal or item, so it is worth doing if you have the time. Just make sure your profile with them is up to date so you can get ones in your area. Visit Mystery Shopping for more details.

Gutter clearing

This is one job I personally don’t like doing (spider’s eek!) so if I can offload it I will. Also with the amount of bushfires increasing it will be at the top of a lot of people’s bushfire planning list. Advertise locally to keep your costs down. It would have a similar earning potential to gardening at around$10-$15 hr or you could quote by job size.

USE YOUR VEHICLE

Most of us would not think of trying to monetize our vehicle but there are ways you can do it provided you look after it well. Here are some suggestions.

Car wrap advertising

You would have seen various business advertisements on other cars from small businesses, to big branding advertisements. Companies will pay people to have their own cars wrapped in advertising. How they are paid is usually dependent on the company. The best people to have their cars wrapped are those that drive a lot and to places where the advertising is going to be seen e.g. a city commute, school pickups etc.

Assistance driver

Not everyone has a car to get around and public transport isn’t always reliable or suitable, especially for the elderly. You could start up a private driving service that assists pensioners to do their shopping or get to appointments.

Hiring out your car

If you have a car in good condition you might consider hiring it out for things such as weddings, or photoshoots. It doesn’t have to be a classic. Just post some great photos of the inside and out from various angles with your information included.

Tour guide

If you have a car or a larger vehicle such as a 4WD you might consider taking tourists on tours of local spots. Backpackers would potentially be a good target market as they are looking for cheap ways to get around and see things and don’t require all the fancy trimmings.

Designated driver

With long lines at taxi ranks it would be more convenient to pay a private driver who can come and pick them up at certain times without the taxi rank wait. You could just start out by driving your friends.

BUYING & SELLING

This is probably the easiest way to make money without have any real experience. It also means that you will have little overheads making it a perfect way to get started making money on the side.

Organize garage sales for a fee

This would involve putting up ads, organizing tables and pricing to maximize sales and even manning it for the day.

Op shop hunt for valuable items and resell

I do this keeping my eye out for pottery, dinnerware pieces and any other potential collectables. If I find something in the stores that I think has potential, I look for emblems or stamps or stickers on them and then Google the name to see what its estimated value is. I then search Gumtree to see if any are listed and what they are selling for and decide then whether it’s worth my time. In the past I have quadrupled what I have paid for op shop items selling them on Gumtree.

Sell unwanted goods at a market stall

You can also sell your unwanted goods, own products or arts and craft at your local markets. Usually there is a one off fee per market to have a stall/table but it’s usually minimal around $80-90 depending where you are, so if you have lots to get rid of, it can be worth it.

Product demonstrator (supermarkets)

Have you ever been to your local Woolworths or Big W and see people doing a quick five to ten minute talk on a newly stocked product and introducing a special “today only” offer? Get started with Demo plus.

Franchise business Avon / Nutrimetics

These kinds of home based businesses are generally very popular with stay at home parents due to their low cost start up, sales incentives and ability to work around family commitments. I personally have done Avon and got myself to Presidents club in my first year from sales only. The money is usually in building a “team” from which you earn a percentage from their sales and the teams they build otherwise known as a pyramid system. For me this was not my thing, but I know others who have done really well with that side of things that included overseas holidays, company cars and more.

Buy in bulk and sell marked up individual items

This is a great one if you can do it. Furniture is an easy one if you have a trailer and keep your eye out for demolitions sales and giveaways.

Resell tech goods that is unwanted or damaged

If you have an old or faulty laptop or completely broken phone you can still cash them in for something and you can even get free shipping at Cashaphone. Make sure that you have all your electronics properly wiped beforehand of all your personal information as the companies that take them do not do this service.

Sell stuff out of the ground.

If you have any trees that need removal or demolition works to do, consider advertising it as a “buyer to dismantle and transport.” This can be a winner for someone who is looking for a mature tree such as a palm tree, cheaper than what they would pay in store or building materials such as pavers or bricks. Be sure to follow with council requirements/processes before starting.

Getting used furniture and upcycling

If you have a bit of an arty talent or addiction to Pinterest like me then getting hold of used furniture or décor pieces and up cycling for sale is a great way to make some cash. Just make sure that it’s not too complex and you have the tools to do it otherwise you might end up not making your money back. Alternatively you might just be able to fix something and resell it on for a much higher price.

Sell your hair

No I’m not joking. If you have long hair in good condition and uncoloured you can sell it. Just get your hairdresser to chop it of in one big chop from a ponytail to be sent off to make into wigs.

Product sourcing

Time poor people often need others to find things for them. As an example a friend of mine works full time and didn’t have time to get online and search for the best car insurance so I did it for her. You could charge a fee for this kind of service. Other examples of sourcing might be to find someone a rental that is moving to your state or research an area for schools, activities, crime for an area they are planning to buy in.

“HOW TO” WORKSHOPS

Just about everyone has some sort of skill they can pass on to others even if they are not officially qualified for it.

Teen independence workshop

Helping young adults make the transition out of home. This could be mentoring, helping them apply for rentals, teaching them cooking and budgeting. The possibilities are endless and are probably a welcome relief to parents in helping them prepare their young adults for real life.

Technology educator

These days technology is really a part of everyday life and a really common way for people to keep in contact. If you have some skills in using the net, creating files, sending emails etc. then you might think about offering courses to seniors at your local library or privately.

Basic car skills

If you have the knowhow, you can teach others how to service their cars, change wipers, oil, tyres etc.

GENERAL

Medical trials

While in Australia we have very strict rules on what medical things you can and can’t get paid for, you can get involved in medical trails through a registration process. This is will mean that you contact a research facility (Google “get paid for medical trial in” and enter your state) fill out your profile, availability, medical history and the rest and then if a trial comes up that would be suitable they will contact you. Not all trials require you taking medication. Sometimes they are sleep trials or even to monitor a pregnancy.

Wash cars/detailing

Whether you set up at your local footy oval (get council permission) or are on a busy enough roads to run it out your driveway, washing cars can be a quick way of generating cash. Even if you just washed the windows and sprayed on some rain X to make it an even quicker transaction. You could also go to the owner’s house and start a mobile service.

Did you apply any of the 96 ways of making money above? Tell us how you made some extra money this year on Gumtree?

Written by: Erin Jade follow me on GooglePlus