Easy Ways To Make Extra Money When Your Broke

Let’s talk money. I’m pretty sure we would all like to have more money. Unless you are super lucky and have way more than you need. I sure don’t we are pretty tight most months. So I’ve gotten pretty good at finding easy ways to make extra money. Or at least finding ways to use the money I do have better and making it stretch.

1 Sell things on Craigslist

We have done this a few times over the years. Not only is a great way to make some extra money but you also get to get rid of some things that you no longer need. It is simple to do and costs you nothing but some time. I actually have a few things I am going to list in the next week or so.

Just a tip. Make sure you price well. Don’t try to sell it for what you paid, it’s used. Also, take good photos to post. Crummy photos aren’t going to help people want your stuff.

2 recycle cans and plastic

If you are like my family and drink a lot of beverages that come in bottles or cans this can be a way to get back some of the money you spend on drinks and groceries. We save all our bottles and cans and a couple times a month take them down to get recycled. It usually ends up getting us $32-$40 each time. Depending on how much we take and how long it’s been since the last time we recycled. We take my parents recycling for them also so that helps increase how much we get.

3.  Spend less on Groceries and food

I know this doesn’t seem like a way to make money but there is only so many areas of your budget that you can fiddle with. Lots of things like rent, utilities, and stuff are going to be the same month to month and you can’t do a lot about that.

Spending less on groceries or going out to eat less can open up more money to be used in other areas. Just being able to cut back by $25 a week on food can get you an extra $100 a month to use elsewhere.

4. Have a Yard Sale

Like number one on the list of selling things on Craigslist, this is about selling your stuff at a yard sale. I love the idea of being able to make money selling things that I don’t need and have no space for.

Extra stuff just seems to find it’s way to my home. Sometimes we buy it, some of its gifts, things are given to us, etc. The point is that every few years I am suddenly aware that we have way too much so we have a yard sale and make some money and get rid of some clutter. Win win!

5. Cut out non-essential spending

No matter how broke we are or how much we shouldn’t spend things on what we don’t need. We end up doing it too often. So it’s always a good idea to go through your budget from time to time to see where your spending money that you shouldn’t.

I try to do this every couple of months and really evaluate what I’m spending money on that I don’t need. Such as subscription services, too many trips to Starbucks or Target, going out too often and things like that. When you really look at where you’ve been spending it on the nonessential things.

6.  Charge for services

There are probably a bunch of things you are good at that you could do for family, friends, and neighbors that you could be charging for to earn extra money. Think about babysitting, house sitting, yard work, organization help, help with technology, driving around, running errands, etc. Just start thinking about what you are good at an enjoy. Think about how much you could charge to do things for someone else.

7.  Take advantage of online deals and coupons

This will take you a little extra time but it is so worth the effort. If you need to go shopping check for online deals and coupons. Often times you will find them and the savings can really add up. I have apps for Target and Kohls on my phone. So that if I’m ever there shopping I make sure to check them so I can get some savings. So look for deals wherever you shop. 

Recently we’ve been using the Ibotta app to help us save money on groceries. My husband loves using it to earn cash back! Instead of using coupons you earn cash back on the food you are buying anyway. 

8. Make money online

You could always start making money blogging online. It’s a lot of work and it won’t happen quickly but it is possible to start earning some extra money through blogging. You could also do some freelance writing to earn money. Or maybe you are crafty and you could create things to sell on Etsy. This I cannot do I’m not very crafty at all. There are so many opportunities online to make some money. 

9. Take on a seasonal job

Another good way to make extra cash is to take on a seasonal part-time job either in the summer or during the Christmas season. Retail places are hiring more during these times and can get you a part-time job to make some extra money. My husband did this years ago in November and it really helped us to have extra money for the holidays. You could also take on a side hustle job such as being an Uber or Lyft driver or walking dogs with Rover.

10. Price shop and compare prices

Always make sure that you get the best price for things. Especially when you are buying large or expensive items. You want to make sure you do your research and find the best price. Sometimes that can mean saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on what you are buying. 

It’s not just big things though. A few months ago we realized that a grocery store near my husband’s work had much lower prices than the store in town we had been using. So he started doing the grocery shopping after work and our monthly grocery bill has gone down a lot. So it pays to look around and make sure you are paying good prices. 

So as you can see there are many easy ways to make extra money. These are just a few ideas that I have thought of. I’ve realized that the more you think and brainstorm ways that you can come up with new ideas to make money. So hopefully this post will jump start things and help you start making some extra cash.