7 Ways to Earn Extra Money This Summer

Summer is a wonderful time of year – warm weather and long days encourage you to be more active and get some sunshine. But, other than the holiday season, summer can be the most expensive season of the year as well.

From family vacations, to summer camps, to pool memberships, to unpaid days off – your wallet can really take a hit.

To help you out, here are seven great ways to earn a little extra money, so you’re not feeling the summertime pinch:

1. Babysitting. If you’re already at home with your kids, why not bring another child or two in during the day? Check your local area for licensing and insurance requirements, they are usually pretty easy to comply with and don’t require a huge investment. Start close to home and see if your neighbours need any help now that their kids are out of school for the summer. Just one or two children a week could add an extra $200-$400 to your weekly income depending on where you live {Be sure to look into the going rate where you are}. If you don’t want to have extra kids around all day, offer babysitting services from those you know, for date nights or weekend getaways. There are also a few online services where you can register to babysit and they will book the clients for you.

2. Clean homes. Many people dread the chore of keeping their house clean and would gladly pay someone else to do it. Again, you might need to look into licensing and insurance. Depending on the size of the home, you can make anywhere from $40 to $150 per home. You can set your own schedule and just take on the clients you want.

3. Taskrabbit. This is an online service for my US readers that pays people to run errands and do chores. No need for licensing and insurance on your part, the company has you covered. Once you become an accepted member, Taskrabbit will contact you when they book a small job in your area. You can choose to take it or turn it down.

4. Become a writer. Depending on your skills, there are many options here. Help people write or update their resume, edit articles for bloggers, offer to post to social media for small businesses {virtual assisting} or create an email newsletter for them. Is there a subject you know a lot about? You could even write and self-publish an ebook on Amazon.

5. Sell online. This is a great excuse to clean out your attic and garage, we gather so much stuff! Sell items you no longer use or want on eBay or Kijiji. Drop off clothes that are still in good condition to a consignment store. Sell old books to a used book store or on Amazon. Are you crafty? Create and sell items on Etsy. One woman I know shops the Goodwill stores and flea markets to find great deals then polishes her items up {sometimes doing a little fixing or painting} and resells them on local Facebook Groups for usually twice what she paid for them.

6. Start a side business. There are so many options these days for a side business and several of them involve party companies. Whether you enjoy jewelry, makeup, clothes, skin care or cleaning supplies, there’s a company that sells it and will pay you to sell it for them. Think about what interests you and explore your options. 

7. Photography. Do you have a knack for taking photos? There are many online sites that will pay anywhere from $5-$50, sometimes more, for your stock photos. Companies are always looking for great nature or landscape shots. A good starting point is to search through some online shops that sell stock photos and see what they sell the most of. 

Have any other ideas on how to make extra money during the summer season?