How To Make Extra Money

Are you dreaming of a way out but can’t afford to quit?

You have found the right place.

In this article, I will show you how to make extra money. Extra income to make a call to quit and build a business.

I am a mentor, coach and guide.

I have been mentoring folk like you since 2005.

I started MENTORaUS.com to help guys just like you.

In it I share my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the hundreds of hours of listening and guiding folk just like you to make a change.

It will not be easy but it will be fulfilling, I can guarantee.

I have been where you are and now, it is my turn to pass it on. To pay it forward.

Life is short my friend so the sooner you control your destiny the better.

Later in the page, I will introduce you to a couple of guys I helped a few years ago who illustrate this type of situation more clearly.

But, first I want to outline the issues.

Yes, you hate your job. I get it.

Yes, you can’t afford to quit for economic reasons. I get it.

What if I could show you how to make extra money and see a path forward?

Seriously, sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees.

Get out your notebook

As always, I invite you to sit in a quiet place. Get out your notebook. Write at the top of the page "How to Make Extra Money".

No electronic devices are permitted for this exercise. If I see a computer or a tablet, I’ll jump through the screen and rip your bleeding arms off. Got it? Good.

Man sitting in a park writingin a notebook

Find a quiet place. Get out your notebook. Write at the top of the page "How to Make Extra Money".

Moving along. I want you to write (in longhand) all the reasons and all the issues that prohibit you from quitting your job.

For example, it could be the mortgage payments, rent payments, student loans, kid’s care, car payments, and school fees. Whatever you have to pay, write it down.

Write each expense on a new line.

Keep writing.

Get it all down.

When you have exhausted your think-tank, I want you to put a dollar value on every article.

What you are doing is building a mini-budget.

Now we are going to do the balance sheet.

How To Make Extra Money Using Your Balance Sheet

What I want you to do is add up all these monthly expenses.

The expenses of running your life.

When you have the answer, add 10% just in case you might have missed something.

Next, deduct it from your net monthly paycheck. I know, I know you’re probably all over this.

I want you to see the actual picture in black and white. Recorded and dated, written in your handwriting, in your notebook.

How much would you like to be earning to make your life 50% better? Be realistic. Write it down.

"Houston, we have a number".

Now For The Good Stuff - Your Time Analysis

Start a clean page in your notebook.

I want you to do a time analysis. With 24 hours in a day, I want you to list within a 30-minute tolerance, all the things you do.

For example;

Commute to work- 30minutes

Breakfast- 30 minutes

Time at work- 8 hours

Commute from work- 30 minutes

Shopping- 30 minutes

Organizing dinner- 30 minutes

List as much detail as possible.

Get the picture?

This doesn’t have to be 100% accurate.

What we’re looking for is the time you are using and any time that could be saved.

When you have done this, make another heading and label it ‘junk time’.

‘Junk Time’

We want to use this ‘junk time’ as an opportunity to create a side hustle.

Don’t worry about what it looks like at this point. It will all be clearer later. Read on.

What I want you to find is usable time.

Reduce ‘zombie time’, things like gaming, TV viewing etc. Calculate how much time you could save.

Cut out or reduce ‘zombie time’ if possible. Things like gaming, viewing TV, etc.

I want you to analyze the whole time frame picture.

Ask yourself, by getting up a little earlier, finding a quicker commute, cutting back on viewing time and organizing tasks more efficiently, how much time can you find?

I don’t know, but I am willing to bet if I monitored your lifestyle over a week I would see some obvious time chunks showing where and how to make extra money.

They are always there. You only have to know where to look. Using my method will highlight them.

Just an hour a day for a side hustle will increase your income.

An hour a day to add the extra income to a savings plan and use it as your exit strategy.

Diverse Opportunities on How Make Extra Money

Here are some diverse opportunities to make extra money.

Traditional side hustles:

- Taking on part-time work in retail, hospitality, or customer service

- Offering tutoring or teaching services in academic subjects of your skill set.

- Babysitting, pet-sitting, or house-sitting

Freelance writing, contracting as a virtual assistant and doing online surveys for focus groups, all contribute to making extra money.

- Doing odd jobs like lawn care, home repairs, or cleaning services

Gig Economy:

- Driving for ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft

- Delivering food or groceries through apps like DoorDash or Instacart

- Completing tasks on platforms like TaskRabbit or Fiverr

- Renting out space on Airbnb or parking spots on JustPark

Online Opportunities:

- Freelance writing, graphic design, programming, or virtual assistance

- Participating in online surveys or focus groups

- Testing websites or apps for usability

- Selling items on e-commerce platforms like eBay, Amazon, or Etsy

Skill-Based Income:

- Offering professional services like bookkeeping, tax preparation, or legal advice

- Teaching fitness classes or becoming a personal trainer

- Providing photography or videography services

- Offering music lessons or performing at events

Passive Income Streams:

- Investing in dividend-paying stocks or real estate

- Creating and selling digital products like e-books or online courses

- Starting a blog or YouTube channel and monetizing through ads or sponsorships

- Renting out equipment or vehicles

Entrepreneurial Ventures:

- Starting a small business or side hustle

- Dropshipping or print-on-demand services

- Flipping items for profit (buying low and selling high)

- Creating and selling handmade crafts or artisanal products

Leveraging Existing Assets:

- Renting out a spare room or garage space

- Participating in car wrap advertising programs

- Selling unused gift cards or loyalty points

- Monetizing a hobby or skill through workshops or classes

Seasonal or Event-Based Opportunities:

- Working at festivals, sporting events, or concerts

- Offering holiday-specific services (e.g., gift wrapping, decorating)

- Participating in agricultural work during harvest seasons

- Providing tax preparation services during tax season

Community-Focused Approaches:

- Organizing and leading local tours or experiences

- Offering services to elderly neighbors or busy families

- Participating in local markets or craft fairs

- Coordinating community events or fundraisers

Technology-Driven Methods:

- Mining or trading cryptocurrencies

- Developing and selling mobile apps

- Participating in the sharing economy (e.g., tool lending, car sharing)

- Creating and monetizing social media content

These are just a few. Google your profile and you will be surprised what fits for you.

Work out what your thing is. Your passion. What you are happy doing? Where is your ‘happy space’? Then get up off the couch and make it happen.

Work out what your thing is. Then get up off the couch and make it happen.

Introduce Abby and Mike

As I said above, I would introduce you to two guys who illustrate this situation more clearly.

Meet Abby and Mike, two ordinary Americans who turned their side hustles into thriving careers. Two people who hated their jobs and could not quit because of economic issues. Two guys that got off their butts and created an exit.

I hope that their stories inspire you to find your path to financial freedom and job satisfaction.

Abby, a 32-year-old accountant from Denver, Colorado, (names and places have been changed to respect their privacy) spent her days crunching numbers in a stuffy office. She’d drag herself to work each morning, counting the hours until she could escape. But with student loans and a hefty mortgage, quitting wasn’t an option.

Baking for a friend’s birthday, Abby had an epiphany. Her elaborately decorated sugar cookies always drew compliments, and she wondered if there might be a market for them. On a whim, she snapped some photos and posted them on Instagram.

To her surprise, the likes and comments poured in. Abby started taking orders. She would spend her spare time (the time she found after doing the time analysis exercise) in the evenings and weekends baking and decorating. She found joy in the creative process that her day job lacked.

As word spread, Abby’s cookie business grew. She created an Etsy shop and started selling at local farmers’ markets. The extra income was nice, but more importantly, she’d found something she loved doing.

After a year of juggling her day job and cookie business, Abby realized she was making as much from her side hustle as from her accounting job. She quit her job and went full-on into business.

“Following my passion wasn’t easy, but it was worth every late night and every ounce of doubt.”

Today, Abby runs a successful bakery in downtown Denver. She outsourced a team and ships her custom cookies nationwide. “I never thought I’d say this, but I look forward to Mondays,” Abby laughs. “Following my passion wasn’t easy, but it was worth every late night and every ounce of doubt.”

Mike’s Drone Dream

In Austin, Texas, 29-year-old Mike was feeling trapped in his IT support role. He’d always been a tech enthusiast, but the monotony of troubleshooting the same problems day after day was wearing him down. With a young family to support, quitting wasn’t an option, but he knew he needed a change.

Mike’s breakthrough came when he received a drone as a birthday gift. He quickly became obsessed, spending his free time practising aerial photography and videography. His shots of the city’s skyline and surrounding country were breathtaking.

On a whim, Mike posted his drone footage on local community Facebook groups. The response was amazing. Soon, he was fielding requests for real estate aerial photography, event coverage, and even search and rescue assistance.

Excited by the possibilities, Mike invested in better equipment and obtained his FAA drone pilot certification. He started taking on paid gigs on weekends and evenings, building a portfolio and client base.

As his skills improved, so did his reputation. Local businesses sought him out for promotional videos, and he even landed a gig shooting footage for a documentary about the state’s wildlife. The work was challenging and exciting - everything his day job wasn’t.

After two years of building his drone business as a side hustle, Mike was earning more from this than his IT job.

“It’s been a wild ride, but I wake up every day excited about what I’m doing.”

He took the plunge, quit his job, and focused on his drone business full-time.

Today, Mike runs a successful aerial photography and videography company. He’s expanded into 3D mapping and inspection services for construction and agriculture. “I never imagined my hobby could turn into a career,” Mike says. “It’s been a wild ride, but I wake up every day excited about what I’m doing.”

Conclusion

Both Abby and Mike’s stories highlight some key lessons for anyone looking to quit a job they hate and want to know how to make extra money.

Start with understanding your passion.
What is it you love?
Your side hustle doesn’t have to be related to your current job.
Look for opportunities in your hobbies and passions.
Begin small.

Neither Abby nor Mike quit their jobs right away. They built their businesses gradually, minimizing risk and building working capital.

Invest in yourself
Whether it’s baking supplies or drone equipment, be willing to invest in the tools and skills you need to succeed.
Be patient
Building a successful business takes time.
Abby and Mike spent years growing their side hustles before they could quit their day jobs.
Embrace the journey
The path from side hustle to full-time business does not always go smoothly, but the challenges can be part of the fun.
When stuck in a job you hate, know that you do have options.
Your ticket to a more fulfilling career might be hiding in an unexpected place
a hobby, a skill, or a passion you haven’t fully explored.
Start small, be persistent, and who knows?
Your side hustle could be the answer to how to make extra money to quit your job, the key to unlocking a career you love.
It won’t happen overnight, and there will be challenges along the way, but as Abby and Mike’s stories show, the payoff can be life-changing.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get out your notebook and start evaluating your options on how to make extra money.
Your next chapter could be just around the corner.
Whether it’s baking cookies, flying drones, or something entirely different, the possibilities are endless.

There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.

Go make a difference.

You got this.

Go you good thing.