You know that old joke about having too much month left at the end of your money? Yeah, we can relate. If you could use some extra cash and have a car, consider using one of the methods below to pull in some extra dough each month:
Advertising
Turn your car into a billboard and get paid for it—just know that first, you’re going to have to meet certain criteria. Companies that pay you to put an advertising decal or a full wrap on your car want you to drive, so their ads will be seen by the most number of people. Most opportunities exist in large towns or cities, and pay-to-drive companies want drivers who live in high-traffic areas.
Some companies, like Driven Media, pay extras and incentive bonuses for driving in certain places during certain times. You can make between $300-$500 a month, which isn’t bad. Just make sure no pay-to-drive company asks you to pay a fee to sign up—the legit ones pay you, not the other way around.
Be a Courier
This is ideal for retired people: Get paid to drop off or pick up and deliver things for other companies. It’s a convenient way to make extra money, and you can do it in between your own errands. Just sign up with a courier-matching service such as CourierExchange.com. Check their website to see if certain things are available for pick-up and drop-off in your area, and then sign up to do the delivery.
You’ll be paid by the mile or the hour, with typical rates around $13 an hour. Check with your insurance company first to make sure your policy covers participating in something like this, however. Retired people who want to go this money-making route may wish to check with The Hartford, which has discounts for members of AARP.
Rent Your Car to Others
In some major metropolitan areas, you can register your car with a car-sharing network and make money when other people rent it. Relay Rides is one of the biggest companies doing this right now, but there are others.
The process is simple: List your car on the network’s website, and when people browse the site and choose your car, you then read their online profile and decide if you want to approve them. If you do, meet with the renter to hand over the keys, then meet again to get the keys and your car back. The network collects the fees and pays you.
People participating in such rentals can earn $400-$500 a month, and those who have several cars to rent can make a comfortable full-time income doing so. Again, check with your insurance company first; car-sharing is a fairly new industry, and some companies haven’t figured out how to deal with it yet.
About The Author
Kimberly Owens – Writer, car enthusiast, runner