6 Ways to Earn Extra Income

By Jennifer Wolf, About.com Guide

Short on cash? Many single parents find themselves in need of extra income, but don't have a lot of free time available to take on a second--or even third--job. When this happens, it's time to get creative and find job opportunities that work for you. Consider the following options to help you earn extra income while working from home in your spare time:

1. Become a Child Care Provider

 

There are many families out there who need quality child care at odd hours. So even if you work full-time during the week, you could still pick up a few extra dollars by caring for other children on the weekends, or even during occasional overnight hours. 

2. Freelance

 

There are a lot of freelance jobs that can be done from the comfort of your own home and will allow you to work around your existing schedule. Consider a part-time job writing, typing, or proofreading.

3. Become a Virtual Assistant

 

What skills do you possess that make it easy for you to do something that might take others three or four times as long? Put those skills to use as a virtual assistant. For example, a small business owner might contract with you to regularly develop and send their monthly newsletter, or update their database.

4. Clean Houses

 

By cleaning just one house per week, you could earn an extra RM160-RM300 per month. Each cleaning job may take up to three hours of time. If you're just getting started, try posting an ad at your local grocery store or community bulletin board.

5. Pet Sit For Your Friends and Neighbors

 

Dog sitting is another job opportunity that can work around your existing schedule. For example, if you work full time, advertise that your dog-sitting services are available on the weekends only. Caring for 2-4 pets per month could earn you can extra RM120-RM240!

6. Use Your Creativity to Earn Money

 

Consider how you might transform the unique skills you possess into an opportunity to earn extra income. For example, if you love scrapbooking, try offering to complete other parents' unfinished scrapbook pages. Consider your gifts and what you love to do, and the possibilities are endless.

happy reading!