This is usually a quick and easy way to get rid of things around the house that are fine but you don’t use anymore. It can be a particularly good way to declutter as well, bringing some extra cash into your wallet and making that next spring clean easier, too.

If you are over 21 and have a good car then you may want to consider becoming a driver for a ride share company. Australia has a number of such companies, such as Ola, Uber or DiDi.  

While there are both Pros and Cons to this regarding insurances, car standards and extra wear and tear on your vehicle it can also be a way to earn money. You can work full time or as a side job where you can tailor your hours to suit existing commitments.

If you happen to have extra space in your home you may want to consider renting out a room through something like Stayz or Airbnb. This is particularly popular to older people whose children have moved out and they have extra room.  

There are certain insurance, cleaning, and other requirements and you should thoroughly research the legal and safety requirements. Do a cost analysis to ensure you will be ok with the initial outlay and that it is right for you.

Becoming a mystery shopper can be both a fun and useful way to bring in a little cash on the side. If you love a bit of retail therapy, this is a perfect pastime. Why not put it to better use than buying something that will sit in the cupboard until you sell it on eBay?

There are a number of agencies that you can go to who will employ people to go to specific stores and provide feedback on things like service, cleanliness, and so forth.

Becoming a mystery shopper can be both a fun and useful way to bring in a little cash on the side. If you love a bit of retail therapy, this is a perfect pastime. Why not put it to better use than buying something that will sit in the cupboard until you sell it on eBay?
There are a number of agencies that you can go to who will employ people to go to specific stores and provide feedback on things like service, cleanliness, and so forth.

A great way to get out of the house, earn some money, and get some exercise!  

You can simply offer your services to the neighbours or put an ad in the local directories. Alternatively, you can join a pet care service like Pawshake or similar (do a quick search for “dog walking service”). These services act as a go between for you and the client, as well as doing the advertising.

It’s pretty unusual these days for the local teenagers to just come around and babysit the kids. Parents and teens nowadays are more concerned for personal safety and the responsibility of minding someone else’s child.  Try research your local directories, Facebook pages, and of course online booking services!

We recommend that you list your qualifications (things like first aid and working with children checks are often requested). There are also TAFE courses on how to be a babysitter (so different to when I was growing-up!). Online booking sites allow people searching for a permanent or casual baby-sitter to browse for locals and then book you through the site.

There are a few ways you can approach this, though most will require you to get an ABN (very easy to do). It does not take long and is free through the government site. Please be aware that there are companies that offer a paid service for this but that is an unnecessary cost.

From there, you can either contract to an existing business or set up a local cleaning service. If you start a business or start contracting, please be aware of the responsibilities and liabilities. You will need to set aside the appropriate monies for any taxes that may be due come tax time as there is no payroll department taking funds out for you.

There also some cleaning businesses out there that operate on a larger scale and will hire temp or casual cleaners. These will in turn take care of the tax and superannuation concerns for you with no need for an ABN.

Don’t feel like photographing and listing a bunch of stuff on eBay?  Why not do it the old-fashioned way and have a garage sale?  You can even advertise this on the local buy, swap sell community group pages as well as surrounding telegraph poles.

Participate in market research groups

There are loads of companies that do paid market research. The best way to start is to do a search in your local area to find appropriate options. From this starting point, simply register with each of groups.

Each market research company will usually have different clients that they deal with. One may be a focus group looking for your views on Australian politics and another may have you eating hamburgers! Overall, it can be a fun experience and often a chance to have your say.

These groups may pay cash, but often pay in eftpos cards which can then be used where you decide.

If you are creative or make items through a craft you may wish to consider selling them your creations through Etsy. This is a platform much like eBay but aimed at individuals and small businesses that sell things non-mass-produced items.

You will not find resellers, second hand goods or importers of mass produced products on Etsy. You will find a lot of artists, card makers and various other niche market sellers there.

The platform itself is quite supportive and there are plenty of articles to help you get started. There are even articles to help you chose what types of things sell and methods to get your product seen.

Are you fluent in a second language?  Why not look at the possibility of teaching others to speak it as well?  

Schools usually have several languages as part of their curriculum; so try touching base with them; Check if you can add a notice to the school newsletter about your service, or look at local community colleges to see if tutoring is an option. Alternatively, if you’re feeling adventurous or love speaking to a group try teaching at the local TAFE.

Don’t forget that you will need to be able to present your information in a logical and comprehensive manner. If you decide to teach, you will often need to produce lesson plans that get approved by the school.

Do you have patience and a good knowledge of a particular area? You can perhaps try offering your assistance as a tutor.

This can be any age group or subject. Are you a wizz at math? English? Or even time management?  You’ll find plenty of parents willing to hire tutors for their child to help them advance their skills. Teach students how to prepare for the HSC or just to give them more confidence.

Advertise in local sites, through schools and job sites.

If your passion is music and you have the patience and focus to teach, this might be a good option. You need to be able to pass on your knowledge in a comprehensive and logical manner. You may also find that you are working in conjunction with school conductors in areas they recognise their student as needing improvement.

There are quite a few employment agencies that hire people for short term work in data entry. More and more this is being offered as a work from home role though traditionally it was done in office.

You will need a reasonable typing speed and accuracy to apply for these roles. Apart from this, it can be a rather straightforward way of earning some extra cash in a reasonably flexible manner.

Do a quick search on SEEK or other job listing sites for temporary data entry roles.

This is a relatively new concept in Australia. There are several agencies that manage it including Rent My Car and Drive My Car. These work like booking agents and offer some protection to both the renter and the owner of the car.

The concept is straightforward; you basically allow someone else to hire your car.  It brings in cash for you and means someone without a car has access to one if needed.  You would need to meet certain insurance and maintenance standards and need to keep your vehicle clean but it is a great way to bring in some extra cash, particularly if you don’t use your car all the time.