Turn Downtimes Into Paydays

“Make extra money in your spare time.”

You see the ads, you hear the pitches. But what are all of them about? 

Sadly, they’re usually nothing worth spending your time on.

We want to focus on ways to make money without any real extra time commitment. That may sound too good to be true, but it’s not something we’re trying to sell to you, or that benefits us. That’s how you know it’s real.



Here are 5 simple ways to turn downtime into paydays.

1. Child Care: Now I know what you’re thinking, and this might not apply to everyone, but childcare is expensive. Did you know that, depending on the state you live in, you do not need to be a “childcare facility” or “daycare” to watch a couple extra kids? That’s right. In some states, you can have as many as 5 kids that you watch without it being considered a childcare facility. So how does that help you? Well, take in a couple more during your day. For example, let’s say one of you is a stay-at-home parent. If you watched a couple extra kids during the day, you could greatly increase your family income without having to find your own daycare, like you would if you got a standard job. If you charged $200/week (which is cheap nowadays), two kids would be $400/week. That’s $1,600/month or $10,400/year—without changing your schedule or having to sacrifice how you want to raise your own children. (Google your state's specific restrictions.)
2. Make Money When You Shop: How, you might ask, can you make money while you shop. Uber eats or other delivery services. I’m not saying that on your days off, you log in and shuttle people and food around all day. What I’m saying is, if you’re specifically going to grocery shop for your family, then mitigate some of the expense. Become a driver for one of the apps, then when you’re done shopping, deliver someone’s order that’s near your house. You get to decide what orders and deliveries to accept. So, login, find one that’s on your route, and deliver it. It turns the time you're already spending into income generating time.
3. Going Somewhere?: This same strategy can be used for people. If you’re heading into town, or going to the airport, get on your app (Uber or something similar) and see if anyone is ordering a ride that same way. Turn your already used time and expense into profit.
4. Single-Use or Rarely Used Items: We’ve all had to buy something for a project that we don’t use regularly, or something we only need once or twice a year. Rent those items out. Use Facebook marketplace or something similar. Rent out your pressure washer or paint sprayer or earth auger. You’re not using it. There’s always some risk of damage, but honestly, it was just sitting in your garage anyway. It’s an asset that you have, and that others need, so help someone out and make a few bucks.
5. Add a Yard: If you have a riding mower or extra time when you do your yard, see if anyone else wants you to cut theirs. Even if it's just the front yard and you drive around your block mowing, you can generate money to pay for gas and maintenance on your mower. Pick up branches or leaves. There are a lot of yard related things that you can do; and if you’re already out doing it, then just do a little more. Elderly neighbors especially need help. Post a flyer on your community board or virtual community board: “Willing to cut your grass since I’m mowing mine.” And then determine a good rate for your area. (If you don’t own a yard, then think about trash or errands for neighbors.)



Remember, it’s not about giving up all your free time to make a few hundred extra bucks. Think about the things that you already do, and then think about which of those things someone else also has to do. Offer to do some of those tasks for people and make more money with the time you're already using.