The need for extra money is a desire among many people. Some people need it for a vacation, while others want it to pay off debts or bills in general… either way you look at it, having a side gig is the new norm these days.
Speaking of normal, you could take the typical route of earning extra income by way of waiting tables in restaurants, working retail on weekends, and walking dogs in your spare time. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with those side hustles, but you can get burnt out on them easily and quickly.
Statistics Show…
CNN states that over 44 million Americans have side jobs, and they’re not just making quarters, dimes, and nickels either! The typical age range of Americans working side jobs are between 18-26 but regardless of how old you are, get your side hustle started while you’re able to do it.
The people who typically need extra income are those who probably really don’t need if they reduced spending in certain areas of their life. We are just so accustomed to certain luxuries that if we actually cut them out, we wouldn’t financially struggle the way we do.
Step Outside the Box
Step away from your traditional thoughts of making additional income and consider some alternative methods. Now, these alternative methods we’re going to talk about are very “outside the box” so keep an open mind and know that these methods do bring in decent to substantial amounts of money, so again… keep an open mind.
Become a Test Subject in Research Studies
In the world of medicine, there will always be advancements and to test those advancements, there will be a need for test subjects. From market research to medical testing, becoming a test subject is a great opportunity to earn extra income. The compensation sometimes comes in cash, checks, or gift cards, but all of them spend the same!
Your job would be to test out a new product or share your experience and get paid at the end of the trial or study. If you don’t have a problem with potentially getting poked and prodded on, then look up different medical tests and trials in your area and sign up!
Play Your Way to Cash
By play, I mean video games. It’s rare that you meet someone who loves what they do, but if you’re a gamer and can make money from doing it, it’s almost a no-brainer to consider plating video games as a side gig.
Lots of avid gamers compete in gaming tournaments… that’s where the money really is in gaming. To be a successful gamer, you’ll need all the essentials like your headphones for full surround sound, your gaming mice for faster response times, and a quality monitor to really put you in the game.
You’ll need to be sure to really practice before entering a tournament because the competition is fierce and you need to be really good to leave with the cash prizes! With the video industry being a very lucrative business, these cash prizes get high up in the thousands of dollars!
Let Your Body Do the Work
If you need the extra money but don’t necessarily want to overwork yourself, that’s fine… you can let your body do the work for you
Sell Your Sperm
Men if you choose to donate your sperm, you can make anywhere from $35 to $125 dollars depending on your location, according to Business Insider. You will have to undergo physical examines and other testings to check for harmful diseases but the process isn’t awful. Some sperm banks require a six month/one-year commitment, so don’t think you’re just getting pocket change.
Become a Surrogate
Check your local and state laws, but being a surrogate mother for a couple can bring you in a substantial amount of income. According to conceiveabilities.com, a surrogacy agency can offer a woman anywhere between $24,000 to $45,000. This process is called gestational surrogacy.
The idea of the money sounds great but taking this route is very serious and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You have to consider it’s your body going through the changes and that once you have the baby, you will have to give the baby away… just something you want to think about before making a snap decision.