UPDATED: October 08, 2021

If you think that you’re not built for a routine nine-to-five job, that’s okay. It doesn’t mean, however, that you cannot make money with an alternative work lifestyle. 

There are legitimate ways on how to make extra money if you’re unemployed without a traditional job. You can even do a lot of these jobs without leaving the comforts of your own house! With these, you can save money, and you may no longer have to worry about your credit card debt, student loans, or monthly car payments.

Check out our free guide on how to make money without a job. 

1. Sell or Rent Your Personal Stuff

If you have old stuff lying around like books, clothes, furniture, and collectibles, try selling them in an online store to make some cash. Selling stuff you already have at home is basically free money. 

If you run out of things to sell, go through the stuff of your family and friends and sell these for a commission. Good sites to sell are Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Groups relevant to what you are selling. 

You can rent out your belongings like your musical instruments, luxury bags, and even your car for more money. Try checking peer-to-peer rental sites like Zilok and Loanables

2. Walk Dogs 

If you love dogs, dog walking is a good option to earn money. Pitch yourself as a pet walker in your neighborhood to earn cash. With pet sitting, you can expect to get paid around $20 per 30-minute walk. You can also sign up on Thumbtack to list your pet sitting services locally. 

3. Use Your Creative Skills to Earn Extra Money

Sell Your Own T-Shirt Designs And Merchandise 

Selling T-shirts and other merchandise online can be a great passive income that you can do between jobs. You don’t even need to see the item to sell and be one of the online business owners. 

You can go to a popular online marketplace, like Teespring, Threadless, and Printify, to create your own designs and put the price you like to earn cash. The company will take care of printing your design on the item and delivering it every time you sell stuff online. 


Sell Photography On Stock Image Sites 

If your smartphone is at least 3 years old, chances are, it has a high-definition camera that can shoot crystal clear images. Don’t let this feature go to waste! Take as many pictures as you can and you can earn cash when you sell photos. 

The images do not need to be spectacular travel destinations. They can be simple household things and you might just be surprised that they’ll sell. Stocksy and Stockimo are some sites that accept smartphone photography. 


Sell Art Online

If you have an amazing illustration or painting skills, unleash your artistry and start selling your masterpieces online at ArtPal. Post images of your art on Instagram or better yet, create a timelapse video of you making the art and post it on TikTok or Facebook to promote yourself.


Sell Handmade Crafts

If you like to create handmade crafts, it’s also one of the things you can start selling online to earn money. You can begin earning money from them on Etsy, which is dedicated to handmade crafts. You can spend time doing the things you love while also building your own business.


Start Your Own Blog

If you have your way around words, you can start a blog and write content about something you’re interested in or knowledgeable about. When you’ve produced enough content and build traffic to your own website, you can start running ads or joining affiliate programs to monetize your blog.

4. Be a Freelancer to Earn Money

Use Your Social Media Skills To Assist Businesses

If you spend several hours on Instagram and Facebook a day, you can actually make money out of that from home. There are several businesses looking for social media savvy assistants who can help them in maintaining their feeds, posting ads, and answering inquiries. 

Go to Indeed.com to find openings for social media part-time roles and you’ll be surprised at how much money you can make from social media management. 


Try Freelance Writing 

If you enjoy writing and you think you’re good at it, or you have technical knowledge you can write about, you can make money by either selling completed articles on Constant Content or applying for content writing gigs online. 

There is a high demand for writers who can write quality content, such as articles, ebooks, white papers, emailers, etc. 


Fix Up Resumes For Job Hunters 

Just because you don’t have a traditional job doesn’t mean you can’t help people get one. You can check out free crash courses online that will teach you how to craft the perfect resume to get people hired. Practice with your friends and family and start selling the service on Fiverr. 


Edit Videos

You don’t need a high-speed computer to start editing videos. If you have a decent laptop, you can download free editing software and offer your services to people looking for video editors who can splice up their vlogs, wedding videos, or travel memoirs. 

You can also go to Fiverr to offer your services or a good alternative is to reach out to YouTube channel owners with a substantial following. Spot those who you think would benefit from better editing and offer your services. 


Design Logos And Marketing Materials

This is another service you can sell on Fiverr to earn money. If you have an artistic eye, you can get gigs designing logos and social media posts for extra cash. If you’re not a PhotoShop expert or you don’t know how to use any design software, that’s okay. Go check out Canva to find completely free templates you can use.  

5. Share Your Skills and Make Money Without a Job

Tutor Kids

If you’re good in Math, Physics, or Algebra, you can tutor school kids who are struggling with their academics. You can even do this online using video calling. One way to list your services is through Facebook groups in your local community. 


Teach English

If you are not really good with school subjects, you can still do the teaching gig as long as you speak English. Many people living outside of the United States pay English teachers to have conversations with them. You don’t need to teach grammar or anything technical because you can get paid just by chatting with students.  Check out Cambly and NiceTalk to start. 


Give Valuable Advice 

Are you great at giving advice? Do your friends turn to you when they need someone to listen to them and get some insights. You can start a career as an online life coach! Not only will you earn money, but you can help motivate people as well. 

One way to start this business is by starting a podcast on BuzzSprout or PodBean with motivational talk so you can build a following and eventually get clients. 


Get Certified As A Fitness Trainer 

If you are a fitness freak and you’re confident that you can help out others to lose weight and improve their physique, then why not try to become a fitness coach. There are short courses lasting 10 to 12 weeks where you can get yourself certified as one. You can also get certified as a Zumba instructor or a Yoga instructor if that’s your field of interest. 


Offer Craft Lessons 

Crafting is a $44 Billion industry in the United States so why not get a piece of that deep dish pie? If you’ve mastered crafting as your hobby, selling your crafts is not the only way to make money out of it. Instead, you can offer lessons to newbies wanting to improve their craft. Joining Facebook Groups is a good way to find new clients. 


Provide Cooking Lessons 

Are you an expert home cook who can make fresh ravioli or bake perfect cheesecakes even in your sleep? Use your cooking secrets to make money by offering cooking lessons, which you can also do online! Start by posting mouthwatering food images on Instagram or offer a course on Udemy to make money out of your skills. 

6. Be A Virtual Assistant 

Virtual assistants on average make $20 to $30 an hour. While some may require you to report for a set number of hours daily, you can perform your task anywhere you are, even while you’re still in your pajamas. You can check ZipRecruiter, Remote.co, and LinkedIn for job openings. 

7. Complete Micro Tasks Online

There are numerous microjob platforms where you can make real money without a job. Most of the tasks are uncomplicated and will only take a few minutes to complete. You can do a variety of tasks that can range from skill-based work like data entry, image processing, and other computer-based tasks to simple things like watching videos, leaving online reviews, or answering paid surveys. Popular micro job websites include Gigwalk, TaskRabbit, and PrizeRebel

8. Test Websites And Apps

If you have a computer, a microphone, and an internet connection, you can apply as a website or app tester. This gig typically pays $10 per 10 to 20-minute session. All you need to do is record your screen and your feedback about the usability of the site that you are testing. You can apply on multiple testing websites to get a steady number of tasks such as UserTesting, Userfeel, and TryMyUi.

9. Play Online Games

PUBG, DOTA, NBA2K, Fortnite… If these terms make sense to you, then this is your gig. There are actually several ways to make money playing games. The first one is to go to websites that offer points every time you play the games on their site. Another way is to sell weapons or game assets that you acquire to less skilled players. If you’re an expert, you can even join tournaments to earn big money. 

10. Become A Social Media Influencer 

Being a social media influencer is one way on how to make lots of money without a real job. According to Fox Business, the average social media influencer can make $30,000 to $100,000 a year by promoting products. If you have more than 1 million followers on Instagram, you can even earn from $10,000 to $100,000 dollars per post. 

11. Launch A YouTube Channel  

You can create a YouTube channel and upload videos talking to the camera about your life, your skills, or your opinion on different things. You can also make videos of yourself singing, dancing, cooking, or doing makeup demos! A YouTube channel can reportedly make an average of $18 for every 1,000 ad views

12. Host A Webinar

If you are an expert on anything, you can make money by hosting a webinar and selling slots to attendees. You can start with a free workshop to build your presence and attract an audience before you start making money with paid sessions. If you already have a YouTube channel, you can invite your most engaged subscribers to your paid webinar sessions.

13. Sell An E-Course 

An e-course is much easier to make than an ebook. Most e-courses nowadays are video-based so you don’t need writing skills to make one. As long as you can clearly communicate your talking points, you can make an e-course that can earn you passive income on Udemy

14. Sell Your Voice 

Do you think that your speaking voice can give Morgan Freeman a run for his money? Well, then, you can make money as a voice-over artist. You may need to invest in a proper microphone to do this gig but it can earn you a lot of money if you become good at it. 

You can list your services on Fiverr if you’re just starting and once you build more confidence, you can try checking out Voices.com to get hired for higher-paying jobs. 

15. Be A Transcriptionist  

Transcribing audio is a legit way to earn real money without a job. You can often choose how much or how little you can work with most audio transcription platforms. You get paid for every minute of audio you complete. Some popular sites are Rev, Scribie, and TranscribeMe.

16. Find A House Sitting Gig 

Yes, you can get paid to just live in an empty house. According to Housesitter.com, while house sitting rates vary a lot geographically, a house sitter can be paid on average $25 to $45 a day.  

17. Lose Weight 

Can you start making money by losing weight? Sounds too good to be true but this is real. You can earn money by joining weight loss challenges and contests at HealthyWage. The average winner loses 18.4 kilograms and earns $1,245. 

18. Volunteer In A Study 

Taking part in research studies and clinical trials is another way on how to make money without a job. If you meet the requirements, you can get paid over $100 for your participation. Check out Respondent and Prolific for this gig. 

19. Become A Personal Shopper 

If you have an amazing fashion sense and you have a knack for finding the best deals, offer your services as a personal shopper. Personal shoppers can be paid by the hour or you can also charge a commission based on your client’s purchases. 

Start with people you know and get them to refer you to their friends. Instagram is a great platform to advertise your personal shopping services. Aside from fashion shopping, you can extend your services to grocery shopping. 

20. Join Rent A Friend

Rent A Friend may seem like a sneaky escort service but it is a legit website where you can list down yourself as a friend for hire. These are people looking for companions for all sorts of activities. You can also be a virtual friend and just become available online. 

21. Participate In A Mock Trial 

As a mock juror, you can earn money by listening to mock trials and reviewing cases. Some sites pay $5 to $10 but there are other sites that will pay you over $100 to be a juror. It all really depends on how complicated the case is and how much time you need to complete the trial. Popular sites are Online Verdict, eJury, and Jury Talk

22. Do Delivery Jobs

If you have a mode of transportation like a car, bicycle, or scooter, you can work as a delivery person and earn money by signing up on popular platforms like UberEats, PostMates, and Instacart. You can work in your own hours and you usually get to keep tips. 

23. Flip Flea Market Finds

If you love going to flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, and antique stores, try flipping your finds and selling them for a higher place on Facebook, Poshmark, or Etsy. It’s a good way to earn money from something you enjoy. 

24. Recycle

Recycling will not only save the environment but also help you earn money without a job. Some of the items that you can trade in for cash include glass bottles, metal, car batteries, electronics, and ink cartridges. Check your local community centers and ask where you can sell your recyclables. 

25. Find Referral Programs

Referral programs give you a reward for telling someone to sign-up, purchase, or avail of their product/service. Many companies offer referral programs like Lyft, Airbnb, Verizon, AT&T, banks, and even gyms. 

26. Take Advantage Of Cashback Offers  

Before buying anything whether in-store or online, check whether cashback offers are available. The rule is simple: you get a portion of your money back every time you buy something. The payout can be in the form of cash rewards or free gift cards. 

27. Model For Artists 

This is a great gig if you have unique features that artists love to draw. You can model for aspiring artists and get paid for just sitting there. Check out Facebook Groups for artists in your locality to start selling yourself as a model. You can also go to nearby art schools in your area. 

28. Organize Clutter 

You can be your local Marie Kondo and start decluttering homes for a fee. Many people avoid dealing with the clutter that they’ve hoarded over the years. If you enjoy doing this, this could be a great gig for you. You can list your decluttering services on Thumbtack to start getting clients and earn a few extra bucks.

29. Get Paid To Eat 

Are you a food connoisseur? Do you live to eat rather than eating to live? You can get paid just by doing this necessary human activity. You can download apps like Servy or Dosh to get points or cash back every time you eat at a listed restaurant.

30. Enter Contests

There are hundreds, if not thousands of free contests you can join online to win a hefty cash prize. Think you won’t ever win? Keep in mind that if you never join a contest, the chances of winning will always be zero but the more you join, the more your chances will increase.

31. Invest In The Stock Market

If you have extra money, you can grow it by investing in the stock market. You can try buy-and-sell or stock trading, or you can buy mutual funds.

32. Answer Surveys

Sharing your opinions by answering surveys is another great way to earn money without a job. You make free money or get gift cards by filling out online surveys or participating in polls from several survey sites.

Wrapping Up How to Make Money Without a Job  

While a traditional job can give you job security and a steady income, it is not the only way to make real money and achieve financial freedom. If you explore all of these ways of how to make money without a job, you can end up making a nice sum of extra money every month. Review the above ideas and start earning money with what you’re interested in and what you feel is right for you.