We all dream of hitting the road (or the air) and exploring somewhere new. Maybe your dream is to buy an RV and drive around the country for a year or two. Maybe you want to explore Africa or backpack through South America (everybody does Europe, you want to try something different). Perhaps you want to explore the land of the Hobbits (New Zealand). Whatever your final destination, the goal is the same: you want to get out of dodge for a while. And you’re going to accomplish that goal…as soon as you come up with the money.
Not everybody has the means or the privilege of just hitting the road the moment the whim strikes. For most of us, we have to work and scrimp and save to come up with the money we’ll need to fund these types of adventures. If you’re underemployed or your current salary isn’t conducive to that type of saving, you might want to try moonlighting for extra cash. Here are our favorite ways to bring in extra funds when we need them:
Driving
All you need is a valid license, your own car and proof of, at minimum, liability car insurance. If you have those things, you can earn some serious coin driving around. The most popular method of earning via driving right now, of course, is to drive for services like Uber or Lyft. These are popular because you get to pick your own schedule and drive when you feel like it. These services, however, are not the only ways to earn money with your car. You can also become a delivery driver. Many local restaurants have need of delivery drivers (it’s a position with a high turnover rate). You could also sign up to drive for a delivery service like Yummy, PostMates, Amazon Prime Now, etc. Or hey, why not start your own?
Bartending
Most people have a hard time finding second jobs because they limit their thinking to day jobs. Bartending, however, is a great way to earn extra money–even if you can only work a few shifts a week. Why? Because the tips are really good. If you know how to mix drinks and can serve quickly, talk to your local watering holes about picking up some side shifts. Stick with local and independent places–chains tend to have stricter requirements. You can also offer these services to private parties. Do you have a university in your town? Bartend at a frat party or two–just make sure that it’s a cash bar!
Security
Can you put on a formidable face? Are you licensed to carry a firearm? If you meet both of these requirements, you might look into getting a security gig or two. We don’t mean trying to do security at banks or nightclubs–those security officers and bouncers have jobs that require training. You can probably, however, pick up some shifts doing parking lot security in the evenings, being the on-site security officer at a grocery store for night shifts, or offering security at private events.
Clerking
Take over the front desk at a hotel or motel during the evening shift or overnight a few times a week. So few people want these jobs that the hospitality industry has to pay people top dollar to take them. Grab some weekend shifts running the desk at a self-storage company. Most people will have their own keys so there will be very little for you to do. These jobs also make great choices for college students who need to find a job that will allow them time for studying.
Selling and Flipping
Are you great at finding bargains–even at thrift shops and at yard sales? Use these skills to help you earn some extra coin. Buy valuable items for cheap and then sell them through sites like eBay, ThreadUp, etc. for a profit. These will help you earn money quickly and involve much less work than projects like website flipping or domain flipping. And they definitely cost less than house flipping! Whole businesses have been built by people with an eye for vintage goods, antiques, and pieces that are in high demand flipping their finds.
The nice thing about these skills is that, in addition to helping you earn more money for your travel fund here at home, they can be great ways to earn some extra cash while you’re traveling! Being able to earn money while you travel is a fantastic way to offset the cost of exploring other cultures and places. Even better, these are just a few of the moonlighting ideas that are available. If you’re creative, you can probably find a way to earn money doing pretty much anything!
