3 Easy Ways to Make a Little Extra Money

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As living costs continue to rise, you may feel financial stress. You're not alone. It can be challenging to navigate life when prices keep increasing, yet your income stays the same.

But I have some good news: You could boost your earnings in your free time. Let me share a few easy ways to make extra money so you feel less worried about your finances.

1. Sell unused items around your home

Most of us have at least a few extra items we no longer. Some examples may include clothing we've outgrown, older electronics, and household goods. If you want to make a little extra money quickly, consider selling some items you no longer need.

You can list items online and meet with people locally to sell items and collect payment. Neighborhood groups on social media and marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace are some places you can go to list your items for sale.

But be cautious when meeting strangers. It's a good idea to bring a friend or family member with you and meet in a well-public location. You should also collect cash as payment. Using payment apps like Zelle to exchange money with people you don't know well is not good practice.

2. Take part in paid focus groups

Market research companies organize focus groups to help brands conduct research. During these sessions, participants are asked to share their opinions and experiences. Many focus group studies pay participants by check or offer them gift cards for their time and effort.

You can look for focus groups in your area online. Some companies conduct online-only studies if you prefer to avoid in-person studies. If chosen to participate, you can receive payment for your time. Some examples of legitimate focus group companies include:

• Accelerant Research
• Elliott Benson Research
• Fieldwork
• L&E Research

It's important to remember that you may not be selected to participate in a focus group. Companies gather participants for these, and you'll need to answer screener questions to determine if you're a good candidate for their target markets. Exploring opportunities like this is worthwhile if you're looking for an easy way to make some extra income.

3. Provide feedback about company websites

Here's another way to make extra money that requires a computer or mobile device and internet access. Did you know that you can get paid to test and share your thoughts about websites?

Many businesses want to improve the user experience of their websites, so they ask consumers to test their websites in exchange for payment.

You'll be asked to provide feedback on how a website is set up or structured. You may be asked to click on links, give insight into the text used, discuss what you like and dislike, and what improvements you suggest making. If you're selected to provide feedback and answer the questions, you could make some extra money.

Payment varies depending on the time involved, and what's asked of you, and rates can vary from one user testing brand to another. But to give you an idea of the earning potential, I've seen tests provide $10 for 10-15 minutes of work.

To start with this side hustle, you'll need to create accounts with companies that run user testing studies and apply to become a tester.

Here are a few legitimate user testing companies:

• IntelliZoom
• Prolific
• UserTesting
• Validately

While it's been a few years since I've earned extra income this way, I have personal experience with UserTesting. In the early years of running my freelance writing business, I spent time testing websites to boost my income. I looked back at my income records and found that in 2018, I earned nearly $6,000 by completing user testing studies. If you need extra money in your checking account , consider applying to be a user tester.

Don't give up

If you need to earn more money, don't give up hope. There are ways to earn extra money both offline and online. Just be extra cautious because scammers are getting more creative, and you don't want to risk losing money. Make sure you're carefully vetting all opportunities to avoid scams. You may want to keep your extra cash in a high-yield savings account to earn interest.

We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team. Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .