These 6 Side Hustles Can Put Extra Cash In Your Pocket Right Away

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The gig economy is thriving, providing excellent ways for people to supplement their incomes. From delivering food to earning cash on a spare room, there are plenty of opportunities to put extra money in your pocket.

Here are six top side hustles to do so. If you’ve got the time then get started with more than one side hustle to make more money.

1. Walk Dogs With Rover.

This literally might be the best side hustle for dog lovers everywhere. You get paid to play with dogs (or maybe just walk them)! Become a sitter with Rover and gain access to the nation’s largest network of pet parents.

Rover gives you a ton of flexibility. Set your own schedule and prices, offer any combination of pet services you’d like, and set the size, age, and other pet preferences that work for you.

Rover is there with you when you need them. It gives you 24/7 support, including vet assistance.

Learn more and become a sitter with Rover.

2. List your space on Airbnb.

What began as a small startup known as Airbnb has now transformed the hospitality industry, allowing vacationers to opt for a cozy home experience instead of a boring – and often overpriced – hotel room. The best part is that you can easily join the trend by listing your space on the website.

You can choose what you’d like to offer, whether that’s a bedroom with a shared bathroom, an ensuite, or an entire home. You make your own set of house rules, and you get to decide which bookings to accept. Airbnb can provide you with a ballpark estimate of what your space is worth, but you ultimately get to set your own rates. Airbnb takes a small 3% cut of what you make, and you keep the rest.

The benefits of Airbnb extend beyond merely earning extra cash. Many people have had great experiences hosting, as it allows them to meet people from around the world and share their local knowledge with them.

Earning potential: This varies based on where you live and the size of your space, as well as how much competition is in your area. However, a recent analysis by Smart Asset found that $20,619 is the average expected annual profit of Airbnb hosts who list a full two-bedroom apartment or house in 15 major cities. Even if you just have a spare room to list, it could equal a nice chunk of extra money.

Read our ultimate guide to listing your space on Airbnb.

3. Deliver food with Uber Eats.

Remember when you had to order directly from your local Chinese restaurant if you wanted dim sum delivered to your house? And how it was impossible to get fast food taken straight to your door? That has changed, largely thanks to Uber Eats. Now hungry patrons can get just about any food delivered to their home, even if the restaurant making the food doesn’t offer its own delivery service.

Uber Eats delivery partners accept orders via the Uber Eats app. After that, they travel to the chosen restaurant to pick up the food that has been ordered. From there, they deliver the food to the customer’s home or work address.

Delivery partners can make their own schedules and work as much or as little as they want. They get paid per delivery, and depending on their location can travel by car, bike, scooter, or foot.

Earnings potential: Based on nine wages reported on job site Indeed, the average hourly rate reported for an Uber Eats driver is $16.95 per hour.

Sign up to deliver with Uber Eats.

4. Deliver food with DoorDash.

DoorDash is a similar app-based food delivery service which allows drivers to be their own bosses by being “dashers” for the company. It follows the same model as Uber Eats, allowing you to make your own schedule and pick the type of transportation you want to use.

You can choose to be a dasher for just a few hours a week, or make it a full-time job. In addition to cash earned from deliveries, you can also become eligible for incentives and make more by delivering during peak hours.

Earning potential: Based on 188 reports, job site Indeed has the average salary for DoorDash at $17.74 per hour.

Get started with DoorDash.

5. Become an Uber driver-partner.

There’s a good chance you’ve ridden with Uber by now, but have you ever thought about getting behind the wheel? Driving with Uber comes with tons of flexibility and the potential to make extra cash. Think of it this way – you already have a car. You’re already driving around town. Why not pick up a few paying riders along the way and watch your bank account get fatter?

You get to choose which riders you pick up, so you essentially get to be your own boss. It’s all done through the Uber app, so you’ll never have to be tied down to one place while you’re waiting for a ride request to come through. Drivers need to be 21 years old and have a valid driver’s license.

Each fare is calculated based on time and distance. You’ll also get paid more during busy hours, when elevated pricing takes effect. You can get paid weekly by direct deposit or opt to have your money transferred to a debit card account instantly via Instant Pay.

Start your journey as an Uber Driver-Partner.

6. Drive with Lyft.

Much like the Uber model, Lyft is an app-based service that is a great side hustle. You make your own schedule and decide which fares to accept or decline. Each fare is calculated based on time and distance.

Drivers get paid automatically on a weekly basis, or you can get your cash instantly with the company’s Express Pay service.

There are several easy requirements you’ll need to meet if you’re interested in becoming a driver, such as being at least 21 years old and undergoing a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) check and background check.

Earning potential: Lyft says median earnings are $29.47 per hour, nationwide. In Lyft’s top 25 markets, that’s $31.18 per hour. Some of its drivers make more than $800 by only working on Friday nights and weekends.

Sign up to drive with Lyft and get a $1,000 new driver guarantee.