Even though the economy seems to be on the mend, many of us are still living on a tight budget. A potentially lucrative but often overlooked place to make bank is your most valuable asset, your home. It’s a goldmine waiting to be excavated and a great place to boost your income. In the past, this may have meant re-mortgaging to release additional cash, but we have all the basics to be a bit more imaginative. Besides having a junk-yard sale where one’s trash is another’s treasure, there are several unconventional ways to make a few extra pennies from the comfort of your home.
1. Rent it out
Whether you have a spare room or an entire house to rent out to travelers, students or even temporary subletters, both options can help you to hone in on the big bucks. Some find it uncomfortable ‘living’ with a stranger, so the other option is to rent out your whole place. Think about taking that vacation you have been day-dreaming about at your office desk, which could possibly be covered by the guests in your home. Airbnb make the process stress-free. It’s a great way for you to monetize your extra space and advertise it all over the world. If you still feel a little weary and have a fear of not being in control of your precious home, there are services who offer to take care of managing all the logistics remotely for you, such as Guesty, who clean and are available 24/7 for your guests’ needs.
2. See your home in lights
You can have your 15 minutes of fame by opening up your home to film crews or photographers. Many magazine and television companies are always looking for new and different places to shoot or film. If your home is well designed and immaculate, it could be perfect for a magazine. Family homes are often in high demand by television companies. Here’s a few tips to get started. This isn’t a surefire way to earn cash, but many agencies have a free registration so there’s no harm in applying. The film crew generally starts early and ends before you’re back from work. If they are a reputable company they will restore the home to the order it was found, paying for repairs and all. If you are not too house-proud this could be a jackpot if your home is picked, but be prepared to have your place turned upside-down as they may move furniture or paint the walls.
3. Lease out your garage or driveway
If you feel that the other options are home-invasions, there’s another alternative – how about letting people park in your drive? There’s plenty of money to be made, especially if you are located near the airport or a sports stadium. The idea is so simple and there are many websites that offer the service to business people traveling abroad who need a place to store their car.
4. Freelance from your sofa
For some, renting out their home can be uncomfortable, the other option is to ‘sell’ your talents. Instead of spending your free time browsing Facebook, these hours could be used to make some cash on the side at the end of the month. If you are talented in writing, computer skills or even design, you can freelance these skills remotely. Sign up for a freelancing site, such as Upwork, where you can offer your services and get paid in return for your work. Freelancing offers consistent opportunities, no matter what the general job role. When companies are cash heavy, they have extra work that requires freelance help or when they’re cash-strapped and they can’t afford to hire full-timers, so they bring on more affordable freelance workers. These options are just a taste of how you can earn money from your own home. Employment opportunities are becoming rare and it’s good to know that you have the ability to take things into your own hands. Do you make money working from home? Share your experiences with us! Featured photo credit: ApartmentMoney via gratisography.com
