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Looking to earn some extra cash on top of what you’re getting at the moment? You’re not alone – pretty much everyone is always on the lookout for that special side gig that can keep their income nicely padded. But the truth is, it’s not easy to find the right job of this kind. There are many factors to take into consideration in your search for side jobs to make extra money, the biggest one being that you’ll usually want to have an extra degree of flexibility in your schedule, while your employers will expect you to provide them with the same.
Dog Sitter
It might sound like a strange idea to start with this, but dog sitting has become a very lucrative occupation in recent times. This is partly due to the fact that many people have started to show an interest in dogs in general, which, combined with the normally busy lifestyle most of us lead these days, has created a situation where the services of a dog sitter are typically in high demand. This could be especially true for some areas of your town, so look around.
Virtual Assistant
You don’t have to be good with computers to work as a virtual assistant, although it will probably make your job significantly easier in some aspects. The general idea is that you perform support tasks for someone – or a team of people – which can range in their nature quite a bit. It could be anything from looking up information on the Internet, to maintaining a database of important records. In most cases, there will be no requirement for any special digital skills.
Writer/Transcriber
Are you fast with your hands on a keyboard? Then you should definitely look into the opportunity to work as a writer or transcriber. Both jobs can be performed on a freelance basis, and they can be very lucrative to fast typists as well as those with a creative mindset. If you don’t like working for specific clients, you can also look into the option of self-publishing original works. Keep in mind that the market can be a bit competitive, but if you think you have something new to bring to the table, by all means give it a shot.
Freelance Web/Graphic Designer
On the note of freelance work, you should also look into Web and graphic design if you’re good at that sort of thing. It’s not a bad field, despite its overly populated nature, and those who are able to consistently produce quality work can easily stand out and not get drowned out by the competition. It might take a while to get yourself established though, and you’ll have to be very persistent during that period as things might move slowly at first. But once you’ve broken through the initial barrier, it can be a great experience.
Software Tester
Software of all types needs to be tested regularly, especially as the developers are working on an update. From websites, to desktop applications and games, there is a constant demand for avid testers who know how to play with something until it breaks. The job usually doesn’t require any advanced technical knowledge, although if you have a deeper understanding of the product you’re testing, that is usually a plus. You can easily perform this kind of job from home too, and some companies might even set up a deal where they regularly send you new versions of their products for testing.
Streamer
Good at any specific video game? People used to joke about this in the past, but it’s quite real today – you can earn good money for just playing your favorite games in front of other people online. Streaming platforms have made it very easy for professional players to connect with their fans, and some have even built entire careers from this. However, there is one very important note to make here – the kind of skill you’ll need to demonstrate in order to have any chance of making it big in this field is huge, so you shouldn’t expect to get anywhere if you just play for a couple of hours a day casually.
Handyman
If you have any random skills that you’re not sure how to normally utilize, you might want to advertise your services here and there. It can be a great source of additional income if you have the right attitude and a strong working ethic, and most people would gladly pay significantly more than you’d expect to have certain kinds of jobs handled for them.
Don’t restrict yourself to your regular day job – there is much more to explore in today’s world! It might take some time before you’ve found the right gig for you, but once you’re there, you’ll find yourself wondering why you’ve never attempted it before. And you never know when something like this might develop into a more serious source of income for you!
This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author.
Boris Bialek Vice President and Field CTO, Industry Solutions at MongoDB
11 December
Kathiravan Rajendran Associate Director of Marketing Operations at Macro Global
10 December
Barley Laing UK Managing Director at Melissa
Scott Dawson CEO at DECTA
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