These 6 methods may not be everyone’s favorite ways to make some extra money, but they’re my top picks!

Blogging

Okay, this one is not a big money-maker — at least not up-front and not without a lot of work — but it’s still one of my favorites, because I enjoy it!

I don’t primarily blog to make money (although it’s nice to make at least some money, because there are costs involved); I blog because I enjoy the writing, I enjoy the interaction, and I enjoy helping all of you.  (At least I hope you find my posts helpful!)  But there are a few ways a blog can bring in a little extra cash:

• Ads are the most obvious.  Some ads pay when a certain number of people have viewed them.  Others don’t pay unless/until someone clicks on them.  Either way, it’s probably fairly obvious to most people that ads are a means of making money.
• Affiliate links are another option.  These may be display-style ads, or text links within a post (or email, or social media post).  In case you’re not familiar, here’s how they work: An affiliate link is a referral link to a company that provides a product or service.  When a reader clicks through that link and chooses to make a purchase, the referrer earns a commission — similar to a traditional salesman.  It doesn’t increase the cost for the buyer, but the referrer gets a little bit of credit for sending the company a customer.These are one of my favorite methods, because I can link to things I would have already linked to, anyway, but make a few dollars here and there if someone ultimately ends up buying.
• Sponsored posts are the third common option.  A company may pay me, as a blogger, for taking the time and going to the trouble to write a post that features their company or product.  Or they may pay for the space to run their guest post in front of all of you.  These typically pay more all at one shot than a traditional ad or an affiliate link, but can be a little tricky because, of course, I only want to include content that’s relevant and helpful!

Of course not everyone is a blogger, though, so let’s move on to some other options, shall we?  (Although do keep in mind that you can also get paid for writing by freelancing, even if you don’t have your own blog.  I haven’t done that, though, so I don’t have any good tried-and-true resources to offer.)

Points Programs

Points programs like Swagbucks and MyPoints are a little bit “debatable” as methods of earning extra money, because cash isn’t typically an option.  (Qmee does pay in cash — to Paypal — although it’s in pretty small increments.)  I still count them, though, personally, because the points can be traded in for gift cards to retailers I shop at regularly, which means I can use them just like cash.  [UPDATE: SwagBucks has changed their search results and I don’t like them nearly as much anymore.]

I also like the Small Business Knowledge Center’s program, because I can send in a lot of my junk mail and get paid for it.  They pay in Visa gift cards, and I typically earn a $20 gift card every 4-6 months.  Not bad for just saving my junk mail and popping it in the mailbox periodically!

Cash-Back Options

Along similar lines, there are cash-back options.  When shopping online, Honey is my favorite.  (ShopAtHome used to be, and it’s still “up there.”)  They consistently have more stores and higher cash-back rates than the other online sites I’ve used.  If you’re good about not charging things you shouldn’t and paying it off on time every month, a cash-back credit card can be a reasonable option, too.  (Or a debit card.  My PayPal debit card offers cash back.)

If these are purchases you would have been making anyway, then any cash back you receive is extra!

Direct Sales

Few people are going to get rich doing direct sales, but it can be a way to make a little extra.  If you’re really good, or willing to invest the time in it, you can make a pretty good bit.  It’s not my favorite, because selling isn’t very much not “my thing,” but a lot of people really love it.

There are lots of others out there, too, though, and you’re sure to find a company with a product that’s a good fit for you!

Sell Unneeded Items

This is also actually not a big favorite of mine, but would be if I were good at it!  I have plenty of things I need to get rid of, but I’m not so good at actually getting them to sell.  If you’re better at that than I am, you can declutter your house and make some money on the side, all at the same time, by selling things you no longer need.

Craigslist and eBay may be the obvious choices, but you can also hold a yard sale.  And if you have craft-related items to sell, you can post them on Etsy.  When setting prices, be sure to account for fees and shipping costs (if you aren’t charging shipping separately).  (When I held a yard sale, the best sellers were toiletries that I’d been able to purchase for pennies at the drugstores and then sold for $1 each.)

Kindle Publishing

I’m a big DIY-er, so I don’t mind DIY-ing my books, too!  The Kindle marketplace is awesome, because there’s no charge to set up your book for sale (and it’s easier than you might think).  Nearly everyone knows something that’s of value to someone else.  Consider writing your “something” up and putting it up for sale.

(Just please make sure it’s of reasonable quality.  One downside to Kindle publishing being so easy is that there are some people publishing junk, and that’s not good for any of us.  Make sure you’d be happy to pay for and read it, and if grammar or spelling aren’t your strong points, get outside proofreading help.)

If you’re a fiction author, this is a prime opportunity!

Do you have other favorite methods for bringing in a little extra cash?