Log InJoin 



Tips for Earning Extra Income

There are many more opportunities out there to make some extra cash than you might think. Some of the best ideas are also the easiest to implement and only take a little initiative. You might even discover a hidden talent which can lead to big financial rewards in the future.

Grocery Clerk

Many grocery chains look for part time help. Work weekend shifts at your local supermarket and some pay double on Sundays or federal holidays. The general rule of thumb? The higher upscale the grocery store, the more you'll be paid.

Holiday Income

Need to pick up some extra work? Retailers begin hiring extra employees for the holiday season in late October and early November. Of course there are other holidays throughout the year, that retailers need extra helpers, so check into them too! Even if you can work only nights or weekends, you'll begin increasing income and be able to save more. Your employee discounts can also help reduce your spending, if you buy from the store you are employed. You might also try Indeed.com for a list of jobs in your zip code. You'll get tons of great ideas.

Party planning

It's possible to make cash by hosting parties. These are done by demonstrating items that you are given to sell for a company. Avon and Tupperware offer huge incentives and are great businesses to do "on the side". Their products are known world wide, so you've got name brand trust built in! You'll be self-employed and able to make your own hours and work as much or as little as you want. If you need to start increasing income, you'll need to work more, not less though! Before starting though, be sure to check whether there's already a popular representative of the company in your area. If so, it's probably best to sell something else.

Monitor exams

During exam periods in secondary schools, colleges and universities, there's always a shortage of people to help monitor exams. Inquire with local schools or colleges and temp agencies. You can earn a fair amount of income for a couple of hours of work.

Seasonal Work

To find seasonal work, visit stores where you plan on holiday shopping and ask if they're hiring seasonal workers. You can also check out seasonal openings on Monster.com.

Seasonal work includes a wide variety of stores. You'll find plenty of jobs in businesses that deal with the holiday rush, such as caterers, restaurants, shipping companies, event planners, etc., that need help packing and shipping all those extra orders. It's also a great way to test-drive a job you may want to keep after the holidays.

Finally, you could make good money working overtime at your own company, especially if you're willing to work Christmas or Thanksgiving Day. These shifts often pay double or even triple time. Working overtime jump starts increasing income!

Pay Yourself

Most people get paid, then spend it all on bills and groceries. They save little money for a rainy day. If you set aside just a little money every week, you can save money for year end bills or holiday gifts. Just 10% per paycheck can add up quickly. Even saving as little as $5/week can add up to $260/year.

You'll end up with even more cash if you earn interest on the money you save! Several money market funds or online banks, offer rates of around 4% per year, as well as giving you easy access to your money. Shop around to get better savings!

Withholding Taxes

Increasing income is easy if you want extra money to spend during the year. Simply adjust your withholding tax! If you get a big tax refund every year, what you might not understand is that Uncle Sam is earning income on your money! Did you know that? The money you don't take earns interest until you're paid. You are actually giving Uncle Sam money by withholding taxes for a bigger payout. It might feel nice to get that check in the mail, but with the bad economy, the cash sure comes in handy monthly, instead of yearly.

To adjust your withholding taxes, fill out a new W-4 form and submit it to your employer. For help figuring out your adjustments, see the withholding calculator created by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

Save Money on Shopping

Start thinking about your year end bills or gift list early in the year so you can set a spending budget. Make whatever cash you have stretch as far as possible by planning for your shopping needs. Try to only use cash when you buy anything. Sticking to a carefully prepared budget helps you avoid the temptation of impulse spending and ensures that you have enough cash for everything you need. You really need to plan if you want to save your money and initiate increasing income!

You can also use the extra time to find the best deals. Web sites like PriceGrabber.com and Shopping.com can help you find the lowest prices. You can also save money on groceries and save money on heating costs, if you know how!

Prepare for Next Year

Take steps now to make it easier to cover your bills and holiday expenses for next year. If you save $10/week till the end of the year, then you should have enough money for a few gifts by the end of the year. If you saved $10/week for 52 weeks, that's $520 by the end of the year. You can deposit it directly into an interest earning savings account or money-market fund so you don't spend the money you save on anything else. You can start increasing income early in the year, or throughout the year.

Anytime is a good time to help start saving more by increasing income.