17 Actual Ways to Make $5k a Month | Things That Make People Go Aww

I remember when I started my side hustle of blogging. It was a fun way to make a few bucks on the side, but over time, I realized how much I disliked my regular job and how much I enjoyed blogging.

Then, one day, the company I worked for laid me off. At first, I considered getting another “real” job. However, I decided to see if I could turn my blogging income into a full-time income. Fast-forward 10 years, and I’m still at it.

If you are like me, you might not want to replace your job; you just want to increase your income. Or you may want more freedom and are looking to replace your job. In either case, I’ve got you covered.

Here is a list of 17 ideas to help you earn more money. The goal is to open your eyes to what is possible and to inspire you to figure out a different path for your future. Maybe one of these is your ticket to making $5k a month? Or maybe they will inspire you to come up with a different idea?

1. Social Media Manager

If you enjoy social media, you can make a lot of money by managing social media accounts for local businesses. Many small businesses lack a presence online and would love to take advantage of social media to gain new customers and make more money.

But most don’t have the time to build a social media strategy, and the ones that do have no clue what they are doing. This is where you come in. You build them an online following and reap the rewards. You can easily charge $500 a month per client as you start and increase this amount as you gain experience.

2. Copywriter

If you have a flair for words, why not try a career as a copywriter, writing persuasive and compelling content for websites, advertisements, and marketing materials? Sales copy is in high demand, and while people can turn to AI to help them write, many times, it isn’t as persuasive as a human.

Freelance copywriters often earn between $50 and $200 per hour, enabling them to achieve a $5,000 monthly income with just a handful of well-paying projects.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products and earning a commission for sales through your referral link. In the past, you needed a website to drive traffic to your site to make sales. But not anymore. Now, you can promote products on social media and through emails. It’s extremely cheap to get started. The hardest part is finding the right audience for the products you are promoting.

By selling a handful of low-ticket and high-ticket items, you can make a decent monthly income. The key here is a mix of offerings. While many people focus on high-end items because of a higher affiliate income, they know that low-priced items are also popular with buyers.

4. Video Editor

Video content is booming, and skilled editors are in high demand, making it a great freelance gig. Not only are large companies producing video content, but small businesses and individuals are as well. With your creativity and skills, you can make money creating videos that stand out from the crowd.

Because so many people are looking for this service, you can offer one-off services on Upwork or Fiverr or take on a contract working for larger businesses. The ideal scenario is a monthly retainer for a client since you know you will have a steady income stream.

5. Selling Stock Photos

As digital media grows, businesses and individuals need quality images for advertising, blogs, and presentations; selling stock photos you take with your camera can provide a steady income. Sites like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock let you upload photos and earn royalties per download, offering global exposure and helping your work gain visibility.

I have a friend who started doing this, and she makes OK money by licensing her work to these sites. But she makes a lot more by offering contracts to graphic designers individually. While it is a little more expensive for them, the value is the unique images that no one else has.

6. Dropshipping

Many people make the mistake of thinking they need to create a product to sell to run a small business. But this isn’t true. Dropshipping allows you to sell products without holding any stock.

By partnering with reliable suppliers and effectively marketing your online store, you can create a profitable venture that earns a solid monthly income with minimal upfront costs and reduced financial risk, providing more flexibility and opportunities to grow. In fact, many of the products you see for sale on social media is dropshipping in action.

7. Content Creator

Creating engaging content on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok can lead to significant earnings through ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise sales, providing a diverse stream of income opportunities. In the past, most people made their money through display ads. But now, sponsorships rule for making a good income.

By having a large audience that you can define with things like age, income, education, and more, you can specifically target brands who want to advertise to this clientele. Partner with them and start making money.

8. Consulting

Are you an expert in a particular field, always prepared to offer valuable advice to those who seek it and help them solve their problems? More and more companies are looking for outside advice and a fresh perspective.

Consultants have the potential to charge anywhere from $35 to more than $100 per hour, depending on their level of expertise and the complexity of the issues they tackle, so with a few dedicated clients, you can easily reach and even surpass your financial goals.

9. Junk Hauling

A lot of people have large items they want to get rid of, like refrigerators or TVs. Unfortunately, these items are not so easy to get rid of. Most trash companies won’t take them as the items contain hazardous material. So where do they turn? Junk haulers.

As a junk hauler, you charge people a small fee to remove their unwanted items. You can take these items to a junkyard that accepts them or scrap them for some extra cash. Simply post your business on social media, telling people when you will be driving around collecting items and start making money. Busy weekends can bring in several hundred dollars per job, requiring minimal investment while offering high returns.

10. Invest in Rental Properties

Investing in rental properties can provide a steady income stream for those who don’t want to do manual labor like junk hauling. By owning and renting out a few properties, you can easily reach your goal of $5k per month.

The downside of this idea is that you need to have some money to buy the properties. But there are ways around this. You can partner with other investors or buy a property for cheap that needs rehabbing, live in it while you update it, and then rent it out.

11. Ridesharing

Having a car lets you earn extra cash by driving for ridesharing apps like Uber or Lyft, giving you flexible work options that work around your schedule and other commitments. By consistently working weekends and peak hours and giving your passengers top-notch service, you can boost your earnings.

For example, pay attention to events in the area where you offer your service. If you can find a wedding, you might have a good amount of business driving people to the reception. Alternatively, if there is a big concert, consider not going there but to other parts of the city. Most drivers will flock to the concert, reducing the competition in other areas.

12. Become a Virtual Assistant

If you have strong organizational and administrative skills, becoming a virtual assistant can be a fantastic way to earn extra income by working remotely for multiple clients across different industries.

There is a large variety of jobs you can do, from helping with social media to organizing files and many other small tasks. You can start offering your services on platforms like Upwork, but also be on the lookout for individuals not on these platforms, as they sometimes pay more per hour.

13. Freelancing

There are so many opportunities for you to offer your skills in graphic design, programming, marketing, or any other field on freelancing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. The benefit of these platforms is they have a built-in base of people looking to hire. The downside is there is a lot of competition.

So, if you go this route, be sure to stand out by offering proof of your work in your portfolio and by trying to respond to new job offerings quickly.

14. Reselling

Buying low-cost items from thrift stores, garage sales, or online marketplaces and reselling them for a profit can bring in $5k if you are willing to do the work. I did this for a time using Amazon and was making $500 a month consistently without putting in much work.

I would go to Target and Best Buy and purchase clearance items, then list them on Amazon’s FBA platform. Doing this allowed me to ship the item to Amazon and then have Amazon handle everything else.

15. Moving Services

If you have a truck or a van, offering moving services to families, students, and individuals relocating is another excellent way to earn extra cash. Simply advertise on social media, and before you know it, people will be asking about your services.

If you live near a college, be sure to print flyers and speak to the school to see how to get your business in front of students at the end of the year. This can be an easy recurring income every May and August.

16. Sell on Etsy

If you’re a talented crafter or artist or have unique items to sell, you can open an Etsy shop to reach customers worldwide who appreciate handmade and unique products. The more time and effort you put into your store, the more you can potentially make.

Additionally, if you make a lot of crafts, reach out to local businesses to see if they will consign your items. While you will make a little less money since you are giving the store owner some of the sales, you will have your products in front of more potential buyers.

17. Print-on-Demand Business

With print-on-demand services like Teespring or Redbubble, you can design and sell custom stuff like t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases without worrying about inventory or shipping. By making unique designs and sharing them on social media like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, you can reach more people and boost your sales even more.

There is a person in my mastermind group who does this. He creates a slogan or design for a T-shirt and then offers it on Instagram as a limited-time “drop.” This means only 50-100 shirts will be sold with this slogan or design, allowing him to charge a premium.

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