You may not have tried all the ways you can make extra money yet. Most people have jobs where they work for someone else, but there are a lot of ways to work for yourself. All you have to do is use the skills and knowledge you already have and find people who will pay you for them.
Many families don't have time to make home-cooked meals because they are so busy. If you know how to cook, put an ad in the local paper saying that you will cook food to order. If it's just a family or a small group of people, you can do the job on your own and won't need any help. And who knows, as your client list grows, you might want to hire an assistant and become a professional.
If you are a professional who is retired, you might want to consider working part-time from home. For example, a tax preparer or a former office worker could type up student essays.
If you can type and use a word processor but can't find a full-time job, you might want to try office temp agencies. The work isn't always steady, but it pays well.
If you know a lot about something in particular, like a trade or profession, write an e-book with tips that other people can use. For example, an electrician can write down easy steps for how to install a light fixture, and a nurse can tell middle-aged baby boomers how to take care of their elderly, sick parents. In a tough economy, many people try to save money by making repairs to their own homes. Step-by-step instructions on how to fix common problems in the house or car are helpful to many people. Medical advice is very important, and many online books that help people deal with common health problems like diabetes and heart disease are selling well.
Also, if you went to college, you might want to think about tutoring. You don't need a teaching degree to help a first-grader who is having trouble reading. Often, patience is the most important skill in this case. Give music lessons if you know how to play an instrument.
Put Google Adsense ads on your website if you have one or are thinking about making one. At the very least, it will pay for the website's upkeep. If you get enough traffic, it can also bring in extra money. Think about becoming an affiliate for other companies that sell products and services that are similar to what you sell. For example, a website that sells auto parts could work as an affiliate for tyre and car companies. These items would make your website better by adding to the range of products you offer, but they wouldn't hurt sales of your own products.
People who don't know much can often make money by doing physically hard jobs that people who aren't athletic or who are older can't do. Window washing, gutter cleaning, moving, landscaping, and housecleaning can pay up to $30 per hour, but they aren't much harder than jobs that pay minimum wage, like flipping burgers or waiting on tables.
If you own a home, you might want to rent out the basement to students or older people. Most of the time, these are quiet people who will respect your privacy and give you a steady rental income of up to several hundred dollars a month, depending on how big your accommodations are. You might be able to run a bed and breakfast if you live in the country or a beautiful area, but it takes more time and work than renting to long-term tenants.
Many places have free local bulletins that only charge small amounts for ads. At the mall, you can often find public bulletin boards. Make a lot of copies of an ad that briefly describes the service you are offering and how much it costs. Put your name and phone number on a tear-off tag at the bottom of the ad. If you put the ad up all over your neighbourhood, you're sure to get some responses.