It seems like new ways to make money—or save money—from home are constantly springing up. It’s like some kind of flexible work whack-a-mole game. Except these are often a good thing, and can put a little extra money in your pocket without too much time or effort. And without having to leave the house!
Here are 5 of the latest, greatest ways we’ve seen to make or save money from the convenience and comfort of your home.
1. Get money back on gas and food with Upside
If you’re sitting on your couch planning errands you need to run, or maybe even a road trip for the weekend, you’re probably going to be thinking about gas. It seems to keep going up, and it can make you hesitate to drive anywhere that you don’t absolutely need to go.
Good news, there’s an app that can help. Upside is an app that will help you earn cash back on gas, and even on groceries and restaurant meals. The best part is that you can download it right there on your couch, and find the best cash back offers at gas stations, stores, and restaurants near you, So you can have everything planned out before you even get in the car. Once you make your purchases, the app gives you cash back, and you can withdraw it to your bank account, Paypal, or choose a gift card.
2. Start investing with Acorns
Any financial planner will tell you that investing is one of the best ways to make extra money. Acorns is a great way to do it, because it uses your extra change—money you weren’t really using or relying on—to buy stock. The average Acorns user invests $166 within the first four months just by rounding up spare change! Investing this way is very low risk, but over time you can potentially reap some handsome rewards.
We even have a special deal for you—when you sign up here, you’ll get a $20 bonus, just for being a friend of Brigit!1
3. Trade in your old electronics to Amazon
It seems like all of us have a drawer or a closet shelf full of old devices we don’t use anymore. It seems wasteful to throw them away, but they’re really just paperweights in a lot of cases. They’re just too old and slow, or the battery doesn’t hold a charge anymore. If you have an old Ring, Echo, Kindle, Fire, or any other Amazon device—as well as cell phones and gaming consoles of any brand—you can go see what it’s worth and send it to Amazon in exchange for a gift card and 20% discount you can use toward purchasing a new device.
4. Become a maker entrepreneur
Do you enjoy crafting, like jewelry making, leather working, or knitting? You probably do it just because it’s relaxing and fun, but you could actually turn it into a side business! With sites like Etsy, you can list items you’ve made, or even take orders for custom items people want you to make for them. It doesn’t require a big time commitment; you can just create and sell at a pace that works for you, and Etsy makes it easy by providing the tools you need for selling and shipping. It’s quick and simple to get started, just download the Etsy app, and set up a store.
5. Become a virtual juror
Do you like to watch legal shows on TV? Did you know you can actually get paid to be a juror on a mock trial from home? eJury cases are sort of like a focus group site for lawyers. They share facts about a case they’re building, and ‘pre-try’ it online. If you’re selected as an eJuror, you’ll review case details and submit any questions and feedback you have. That helps the lawyers make their case stronger before they take it to court. You’ll get paid for your time—usually about $5-10, and it’s likely to be interesting work. You can even request to be notified about the outcome of the case once it goes to trial and is concluded! You can get started by signing up at ejury.com.
Beyond these ways to make money at home, there are plenty of side hustles to consider that have flexible hours. Check out our list of the best sides hustles to find other work you can do from home or out and about.
1Brigit may receive referral compensation when you click a link here. All offers are presented through our referral partners. Brigit does not warrant services provided via partners, or guarantee approval for products or services offered through referral partners.
