We could all use a little extra income. Whether you need some help with your bills, are chipping away at your debt or are just saving for something fun, a side hustle can be the perfect solution.
There’s just one problem. There are so many options. How do you know which ones are legit? Will they actually earn you any money? Are they going to consume your entire life?
We’ve picked the best, easiest, highest-paying and most legitimate side gigs of 2019 so you can start making some extra money — on your own time.
1. Get Paid up to $600/Week to Drop off Starbucks
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An app called Doordash will pay you to pick up and deliver things while you’re already out and about. Getting your caffeine fix at Starbuck’s? Pick up an extra latte and earn a little extra money. And it’s not just coffee. You can deliver orders from Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Five Guys and hundreds of other restaurants in your area.
Best Feature: Convenience. Make up to $600 a week while you’re already out running your own errands.
Doordash lets you set your own hours, meaning how much you make is up to you.
You’ll earn money for each delivery, plus tips. Jose Neri, from California, reports earning $500 to $600 a week working just lunches and dinners.
The best part? No passengers — just you, that grande, no-whip macchiato and the open road.
If you sign up for Doordash now, it’s possible to get your first paycheck this week.
2. Earn up to $22/Hour Picking up Milk For Your Neighbors
Destiny Frith of Nashville, Tenn., takes home about $600 a week dropping off groceries with Shipt. William DeShazer for The Penny Hoarder
Shipt is an app that will pay you up to $22 an hour to pick up a few extra groceries while you’re already picking up your own.
Destiny Frith, a shopper in Nashville, says the flexibility and high hourly pay makes this a great way to make extra money.
Best Feature: High-paying. Make up to $22 an hour dropping off groceries with your car.
She takes home close to $600 a week — working completely on her own schedule.
Just sign up online (the application is pretty simple). Once you’re approved, pick which jobs you want to take, and Shipt will send you a prepaid card to buy the groceries and deliver them to customers.
3. Get Paid to Delivery Groceries and More
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Postmates lets you deliver groceries, takeout and even retail purchases to make some extra money.
The amount you can earn varies, but the median earnings per hour during peak times is $19*, CEO Bastian Lehmann said at a 2015 TechCrunch event.
Best feature: No car needed. You can deliver groceries, takeout and retail by foot, bike or car.
Unlike other apps, you’ll take home 100% of your earnings when you make a delivery — no service fees, booking fees or transaction fees.
You can deliver through Postmates by car, bicycle or foot. Just create an account, then you’ll receive a welcome kit in the mail within a week (a free delivery bag and a prepaid card to make your purchases). Link the card to the Postmates Fleet app, and you’re off to earning extra money.
*Actual amount earned will vary, depending on a number of factors. You’ll see how much you earned after each delivery and exactly how your earnings were calculated.
4. Earn $60/Hour to Dust off Your Calculator
Kurt Bauschardt under Creative Commons
To make real money, some side gigs require tons of experience. Not this one. Bookkeeper Business Launch is an online course that teaches people how to become virtual bookkeepers and make up to $60 an hour while working remotely.
You don’t have to be an accountant — or even really good at math to be successful, says Ben Robinson, a certified public accountant and business owner who teaches the course. You just need decent computer skills and a passion for helping business owners tackle real-world problems.
Best feature: No experienced required. Earn up to $60 an hour as an online bookkeeper from your own home.
It’s a great opportunity for parents who want a part-time job, recent college grads and anyone who wants to earn good money while setting their own hours.
Robinson shares what it takes to become a virtual bookkeeper in his free class at Bookkeeper Business Launch.
5. Get Paid When Your Neighbor’s Dog Spends the Night
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This is a great way to earn some extra money from home and get your puppy fix at the same time. Rover is a website that connects neighbors who need a dog sitter with people who love having an extra dog (or two) spend the night.
The average Rover sitter earns $450 a month, but we spoke with stay-at-home mom Bryn Wied, who quickly started earning upwards of $500.
Best feature: Work from your home. This is a great option for people who are disabled, retired or stay-at-home parents to earn up to $500 a month.
“Within two months, I was turning away business,” says Wied, who dog sits in California. “Within three months, I raised my prices to what everyone else was charging.”
It’ll take a little effort upfront, though (to filter out all the Cruella de Vils). You’ll create a Rover profile where you’ll answer questions about your experience with puppers and set your availability and prices.
Dog owners will reach out to you, and before you know it, you’ll be snuggled up with all the neighborhood dogs — and making extra money.