Wouldn’t it be nice to have a bit more money? You’re trying to save money, but there’s always rent and bills and LIFE to pay for. The struggle is real. We’ve got plenty of ideas on how to make money with minimum output or set up costs. You won’t need a business loan or any expensive equipment; you’ve already got the stuff or the skills to do them all.
7 ways to make money
We’ll show you how to make money quickly and easily.
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Declutter and sell unwanted items.
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Upsell and resell items of value.
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Share your expertise.
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Create and sell something beautiful.
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Start an at-home business.
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Solve their “I don’t have time” problem.
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Give your opinion.
Ready to go? Read on for seven things you can do to make money right now.
1. Declutter and sell unwanted items
No. 1 on any list of how to make money is: Sell the stuff you have but no longer want.
Decluttering is a popular trend for a reason. Not only do you end up with a tidier house and less junk, you can also make money by selling your valuable unwanted items.
Make quick cash selling the stuff you already have.
As you declutter, identify items that you don’t need but that might be valuable to someone else:
- Jewelry that you don’t wear anymore (maybe it reminds you of an ex and it needs to go).
- Clothes you’re not going to wear again.
- Antiques and gifts you received that just aren’t you.
Websites like eBay and Gumtree make it really easy to make money from your unwanted items. Take lots of good photos (get tips on taking them here). Include measurements and write detailed descriptions. For items that can be posted, make sure you estimate postage using the Australia Post postage calculator so you’re not out of pocket.
When you run out of things to sell, offer to sell things on commission for friends and family. Suggest a deal where you get to keep a percentage of the sale price for managing the auction process for them.
2. Upsell and resell items of value
Items often sell on eBay and Gumtree for a low price simply due to bad photos or a poor description. When you spot a real gem at a bargain price because it’s not in perfect condition or it’s not well advertised, jump in and buy it. With a bit of handy work, you could make a huge profit.
Maybe it’s an antique silver tray that needs a good polish and some new photos in a shiny state.
It could be a coffee table with nasty scratches that you can repair with sandpaper and varnish to be good as new.
You can scour Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Gumtree, or go in person to garage sales and op shops to find bargains. Online research makes it easy to understand the resale value of certain items and know when you’ve spotted a bargain that can make a good profit.
Occasionally there’s a lucky punter on Antiques Roadshow who picked up a teapot for $5 at an op shop, which is now worth a whopping $1,000. You could be next.
3. Share your expertise
If you’ve got a skill that others want to learn, you can make money from it. You can become a tutor or teacher of any subject in which you’re skilled.
Consider your skills in subjects like languages, English conversation practice, maths, science, economics or music. Plus, you’re not limited to academic subjects. You can:
- Act as someone’s business mentor.
- Teach people how to cook.
- Run private dance lessons.
People will pay you for imparting your experience and advice.
You’ll need a simple website showing what you’re able to teach, your tutoring rates and availability, and a contact form for bookings. Include a couple of photos of yourself so your potential students can feel like they know you.
And if you’ve never designed a website before, don’t worry. You can get started by searching for a domain name with GoDaddy and build your first website with GoDaddy in as little as one hour. Plus, get your tutoring gig up and running by the end of this weekend.
4. Create and sell something beautiful
If you’ve got a skill for making things, you can turn your hobby into a money-making exercise. Popular things to make and sell include:
- Handmade clothing
- Jewelry
- Woodcarving
- Toys
- Candles
- Watercolour artwork or cards
- Leatherwork
- Embroidery
Photo: Annie Spratt on Unsplash
People with a flair for illustration and design can make digital print-at-home invitations and posters — the list of things to make and sell is endless. You can create a maker’s profile on Etsy, take some photos of your example pieces and make custom items to order.
5. Start an at-home business
If you’re good at writing, typing, data entry, design or websites, you can start an at-home business with low setup costs.
Small projects like transcription, data entry and blogging can fit into your spare time around other work. They’re a great way to supplement your income with a bit of extra cash. To start a small business from home, you’ll need:
- Skills in writing, design or marketing.
- A computer, good internet connection.
- An Australian Business Number (ABN).
- A basic website.
6. Solve their “I don’t have time” problem
There’s money to be made in doing things that other people don’t have time for. These might be listed on sites such as Airtasker, or you can create your own ad promoting your skills.
A personal concierge service could include tasks such as:
- Personal shopping, especially for gifts.
- Dog walking or pet sitting.
- Building flat pack furniture.
- Researching the best deals online to save people money.
- Cleaning, ironing and household chores.
- Planning children’s birthday parties.
- Painting and home maintenance.
- Handwriting Christmas cards for companies.
Photo: Marcus Cramer on Unsplash
Ask your friends to recommend you to anyone who says, “I just don’t have enough time!” Plenty of people would be delighted to pay someone they trust to help with home-based tasks. Tap into that market by providing a reliable concierge service.
7. Give your opinion
Can you believe that companies will pay good money to hear your opinion?
Paid surveys, market research and focus groups are a way to earn money by telling people exactly what you think of their products. Some surveys can be done from the comfort of your couch in your PJs — what a win!
Focus groups are often held in special observation rooms with one-way glass, so product managers can watch how you interact with their products.
For people who love to shop, becoming a mystery shopper involves visiting a store and then writing a report about your customer service experience. The company uses your opinion to improve their service.
As a consumer, your opinion is valuable, so use your opinion to make some extra money.
Now you know how to make money — time to get started
Once you’ve worked out your preference for how to make money, get started and see how it goes. It might grow into a booming business for you!
If things really take off, make sure people hear about your money-making venture with a new website. You can get started by searching for a domain name with GoDaddy and build your first website with GoDaddy’s Website Builder in as little as one hour.
