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Make Extra Money: 5 Unique Ways to Start a Side Hustle

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Do you daydream about ways to make extra money to feed your piggy bank? 

I get it. You’ve caught the money-making bug, and all you can think about is how you can make extra money. I know that feeling really well, my friend.

Making extra money can be a thrill, a game, an ego booster. Some people want to work an easy-going job, collect their paycheck, go home, relax, and spend time with their family. 

But not for us.

We’re wired differently. 

We need challenges to get our mojo going. Our minds are always scheming ways to make extra money. We have aspirations to fatten up our wallets. 

Whatever it is. Do you! Do what makes you happy. Now let’s go, make money!

This list is small but contains my top 5 picks for unique ways to make extra money.  

5-ways-to-start-a-side-hustle-make-money

Make Extra Money Idea 1: Wedding Officiant

Pay: $200 to $600 per Gig

If you love celebrating and making people’s day, this job is for you!

Depending on your location and the services the couple needs, officiants can make anywhere between $200 to $600 a wedding. You can earn upwards of $1000—and even more—if you offer extra unique services. 

The more comprehensive your services are, the more you can command. A ceremony will typically last anywhere between thirty minutes to an hour and a half. Some couples may opt to talk with you once and wing it at their wedding. 

Another couple may want a more in-depth approach where you consult with them twice to three times to review your speech, offer guidance with their marriage vows, and have a final rehearsal. Nowadays, you can also offer to meet the couple via FaceTime or Zoom. The more time you spend with them, the higher your rates.

Add-on service examples:

  • Play an instrument (e.g. Ukulele)
  • Help the couple plan marriage vows
  • Marriage counseling and coaching

Surprisingly, the process to get ordained is super simple. The first thing you need to do is check the marriage laws for your state, as the regulations vary widely from state to state. Secondly, you need to get a license to be legally registered by your state. The license allows you to marry couples officially and have the ceremony be legally bound and recognized by law. 

These days, it’s as easy as doing it online. Multiple organizations are open to people of any religion and offer online services to get ordained. A couple of popular organizations are Universal Life Church and American Marriage Ministries

Make Extra Money Idea 2: Notary Public 

Pay: $13 to $22 an Hour

You might be thinking, what the heck is a notary public? Don’t worry; you’re not alone unless you’ve needed documents notarized in the past. 

A notary public is an independent contractor authorized by the state to sign trusted documents such as mortgages, business filings, loans, wills, adoption papers, and more. They act as a third-party legal witness during contract signings and seal essential documents. 

You can make anywhere from $5 to $125 per document.

The cool thing about this job is the flexibility it allows you. You can opt to work in an office, set up your private home business, or start a mobile business. 

I would suggest not quitting your day job and becoming a notary public. This profession would be an ideal supplementary income for people who are already in business with heavy contracts and loan signings. That way, you already have a pool of customers who need documents notarized.

But if you are hard-set on becoming a notary public without already being in a relevant industry, the clientele build might be slower, but not impossible. 

Find the right people to network with within your industry of choice and ask for referrals. Make their job easier, and you are golden. You can even land contracts with large companies that need ongoing services.

Industries Who Need Notary Publics: 

  • Insurance and Mortgage Companies
  • Car Dealerships and Title Companies
  • Public and Private Schools
  • Real Estate Agents
  • Home Improvement Businesses
  • Corporations of all sizes
  • Immigration

The process of becoming a notary public is super simple, and startup costs are meager. You’ll need to get a background check. Training courses typically last only three-to-six hours. Some states require you to take and pass an exam before certifying you.   

First, check with a National Notary for the laws and requirements that govern your state, as laws vary from state to state.

Now that everything is happening online, you can also offer an electronic notary. Some states have recently passed laws allowing for remote notarization. Check here for more information on fully implemented states and a list of technology companies that offer electronic webcam services for notarizing documents. 

Tell Billie Eilish to move over cause your autograph is worth $13 to $22 an hour.

Make Extra Money Idea 3: Voiceover Work for Audiobooks

Pay: $20 to $350 an Hour

Do people ever compliment your voice? Or do you have some acting chops you’ve kept buried? Well, dust off those vocal cords, honey; narrating audiobooks might be for you!

Consuming content via audio has been all the rage, and people have been ditching their old ways of information consumption. Not only do authors need talented narrators for their books, but some authors with blogs have also opted for their blog content to have audio for their readers too. That means more voiceover work for you!

You can start at $20 to $35 an hour as an absolute beginner. Not so shabby! But as you gain experience, you can command anywhere from $50 to $350 an hour. Wowza! Here is a list of suggested pay from Voice.com.

Audiobook narration falls into the voiceover category but is a little different. It requires long-form narration skills. More on the topic in the link below. And if you have more skills like fluency in another language, you will have an advantage. 

Things to think about when starting out:

Popular sites to find voiceover work:

As you do more research, I’m sure you’ll gather that a lot goes into building a successful voiceover career, whether you choose to do it as a side gig or a main gig. It will require you to have some grit, similar to auditioning for acting or commercial work. But hey, for the right person, taking the plunge might be the change you need in your life. Go for it!

Make Extra Money Idea 4: Write Greeting Cards

Pay: $50 to $300 per Gig

Do you love poetry, or do you draw in your free time? You might want to think about channeling your inner artist or poet. Greeting card companies are looking for old photos, original artwork, poetry, humor, holidays, special occasions, and more!

Depending on the company, you can make anywhere between $50 to $300 a submission. Click here for a list by the Penny Hoarder of greeting card companies looking to pay for your skills. 

Each company has a different vibe and has different submission requirements, so be sure to read their guidelines carefully. Remember to sign up for the company’s social media account and email newsletters for upcoming submission announcements. 

These gigs may not pay the rent or become full-time jobs, but they may provide supplemental income and a little ego boost. Submitting your artwork and getting paid for it might be so gratifying that you’ll opt to switch careers. Maybe you’ll find a full-time job with a greeting card company, set up shop with Etsy or Minted, or perhaps build the next greeting card empire that rivals Hallmark. The world is your oyster.

Make Extra Money Idea 5: Become a Transcriptionist

Pay: $18 to $30 an Hour

Are you detail-oriented? Or do you consider yourself a nimble typist? Well, do I have a job for you! Medical providers, law firms, market researchers, and so much more need their audio or video transcribed daily. You can command anywhere between $18 to $30 an hour.

What do transcribers do exactly? They convert audio and video into text form by typing it out. Some companies will need you to transcribe from scratch. Other companies may hire you to proofread their prepared computer-generated transcription. 

How it works as a proofreader: the company gives you a computer-generated transcription, and you correct the mistakes robots couldn’t pick up. For instance, robots may not be able to pick up on the incorrect use of “to” versus “too.” Your attention to detail becomes a superpower here.

The job can be pretty tedious, but the—remote aspect—makes the profession quite appealing to people who crave freedom. You’ll be in high demand if you can translate audio into different languages. 

Consider getting a headstart and brush up on your typing speed with the Typing Test. Most companies use this site to test your typing abilities.   

Popular websites to get started with transcription work:

Take Away

I hope you enjoyed the post! Even if you don’t start a side hustle today, you have five unique ways to make extra money in your back pocket. When you are ready, put your game plan together and make extra money.

On second thought, knowing you, you’re going to choose one and act on it today because you are a doer! To recap, we discussed becoming a wedding officiant, notary public, greeting card artist, audiobook narrator, and transcriptionist.

At the very least, I hope this post helped you get your noggin going. Good luck, and have fun!

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Susan Pham, mbgFNC
Hi, welcome! I'm Susan, the creator and writer of Hypernatural. My mission is to help you explore the powers of your being so you can create a magical life you love! Here, you can find articles on manifestation, spirituality, metaphysics, yoga, wellness, and so much more!
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