17 ways to earn extra income

With the ongoing pandemic, most of us have become strapped for cash, but there are numerous ways of making extra money without quitting your job. If you’re struggling to figure out what to do to make that extra coin, here are a few ideas. 

1. Catering: If you don’t work weekends, you can start a catering business or work for one.  Team up with a catering company looking for staff for the weekend shifts – this means you work when you choose.

2. Cleaning service: There are people who like to clean (and apparently they find that it relaxes them). If you fall into this category, you can start this as a side job and make it a weekly or bi-weekly hustle. Kenyans are always moving house, so this can be your target market. You can do it as an individual hustle or team up with others and tackle bigger projects.

3. Gardening: If you live in a neighbourhood where people need their gardens tended to, start knocking on doors to offer your services. You can start small and eventually end up with a landscaping outfit with you as the employer. 

4. Bookkeeping: How good are you at data entry? If you’re organised, have a computer and have this skill, this is a job you can easily do from the comfort of your home in the evenings and over the weekend. There are businesses – especially online SMEs – always looking for bookkeepers. If you can correctly enter income and expenses online, look for businesses and help them stay financially organised – at a fee.

5. CV building and revamping: There are those who need help writing professional CVs – and cover letters. If you work in the human resources department, or if one of your job functions is hiring people, start a side hustle for revamping others’ CVs. This is a job you can do via email, WhatsApp, Zoom or Skype for job seekers.

6. Recycle: If you are passionate about reducing your carbon footprint, this is the perfect gig for you. Ask friends and family to put aside their bottles and cans for you to recycle and make extra cash. To make even more money, recycle scrap and metal. You can make a killing from this if you have your own truck for transportation.

7. Moving service: If your back can allow you to move heavy boxes and furniture, start a moving service – or join up with one. It isn’t easy work, but you will find people who tip well.

8. Painting service: How good a painter are you? If you have impeccable skills, then put them to work and earn money while at it. Start painting houses in your free time. Be on the lookout for new buildings, or houses where people have moved out of – they always need a fresh coat of paint before the next tenant moves in.

9. Estate sale: You can resell household items – your and friends’ - online through websites such as jiji and kilimall. If you want to make good money, start hosting estate sales – online and offline. You have to have customers with houses full of stuff that they want to get rid of.

10. Become a handy (wo)man: If you have a knack for repairing stuff, take up this gig to earn extra money. You could start by repairing fences, plumbing or fixing broken door handles. Additionally, you could work with a contractor who could use your skillset when you are not at work. 

11. Hauling service: If you have a truck, make good use of it by starting your own hauling service. You could also hire it out to people who need to move or pick up large items.

12. Modelling: Modelling in Kenya doesn’t provide a steady stream of work, but if you are good looking, you can take up jobs on the weekends to earn extra cash. Alternatively, sign up with local modelling agencies. The good ones won’t ask you for a fee until they secure you a gig. 

13. Join a focus group: There are companies always looking for people’s opinions on their products and services – this is a good way to get feedback. Did you know you could earn money by sitting in one of these groups for a few hours? Frequently, you won’t be told the exact subject in advance, but you will be informed of the type of group that you’ll be joining.  If you love speaking your mind, you will love focus groups.

14. Pool cleaner: Make easy money cleaning pools and maintaining them – as long as you know how to do it (or check out online for tutorials).

15. Become a tutor: Approach parents of school-going children in your neighbourhood and offer tutoring services in subjects that you excel in. You can have more than one client who you teach online over the weekends or after work.

16. Become a task rabbit: This is where you perform small tasks, such as picking up groceries for others. Some errands may take minutes and the good thing is you can perform several tasks within hours and get paid for it.

17. Rent your car: If you have a vehicle you’re not using regularly you can rent it out and be earning money from the driver using it as a cab. Or, you could sign up for one of the cab companies as a driver and earn extra money in your free time