4 Ways to Make Extra Money during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Millions of Americans have suffered financial lose during the Covid-19 pandemic and nearly everyone has been impacted in some form. Loss of job, pay cuts, medical costs, and small business struggles are a few ways this has happened. These losses have resulted in people of all generations seeking ways to make an additional income and I’m here to let you know how. Here are 4 ways you can make some extra cash during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Donate Plasma

For years I have been an advocate for donating plasma as an extra income. Most centers pay on average $40–60 per donation and have additional bonuses for donating more often. At my center, I make $47 a donation, which adds up to $376 a month. On months that I can squeeze in a 9th donation I make over $400. The best part about donating plasma is you only donate twice a week for about 1–2 hours per donation. On top of this, you are helping someone with a medical condition that needs YOUR plasma to live.

Of course this comes with its own drawbacks. For one, some simply cannot donate because of certain restrictions. The most common being having a tattoo or piercing in the past year or a medical condition that prohibits donating plasma. Donating plasma can also make you tired and unable to workout the day of. For some, this is a deal breaker. Donating plasma does come with some medical risks, which are outlined during every visit. The most common is feeling lightheaded, which can lead to nausea or passing out. If you want to learn more about donating plasma, you can find more information on an article I wrote last year here.

Food Delivery

With many restaurants closing their dine-in options and more people getting food to go, there is a large demand for people to do food delivery. Companies like Uber Eats, Doordash and Postmates are always looking for new drivers and the their requirements are pretty low. All require proof of license, car insurance and a relatively clean driving record, on top of a few minor requirements that vary between companies. The application takes less than 30 minutes and you could be up and driving within just a few days. A benefit to delivering food is you have minimal contact with others, can listen to music while you work, and can work around your time. The pay isn’t bad, with some drivers making around $20/hour.

However, like most side hustles, there are drawbacks to delivering food. A significant part of your income comes from tips, which anyone who has worked in the dining industry knows can vary significantly. Some nights you might get tipped great, while others you may receive only minimum tips. Another factor to consider is just because you want to deliver food, does not mean there will always be a demand. If you live in a town of 2,000 people with 20 delivery drivers, you may struggle to make much at all. Lastly, you will need to consider whether or not it is worth the cost of gas and deteriorating your car. Have a 2001 Ford F150? This may not be the best gig to make some money. Most of your miles will be city miles and can take a toll of your car and gas bill over time. This alone can make delivering food not worth your time.

Sell Online

I don’t know about you, but it seems I ALWAYS have extra stuff lying around that I no longer use. This may be because the moment I get rid of something I no longer use I buy another thing I will most likely stop using in a few months, but I digress. Ebay, Facebook marketplace, and Craiglist are great ways to de-clutter your house and make some extra cash. I’ve sold clothes, video games, kitchen appliances and even a keyboard on Ebay alone. Throughout my 15 years of selling, I’ve probably made around $3,000. And this has been a very passive hobby of mine. You may even find an old item like a baseball card or gaming system that is worth much more than you thought. It may take a little research when pricing an item and you will most likely deal with people who will consistently try to low ball you, but it can be well worth the annoyance.

A downside of selling is once you run out of items to sell, your income can come to a halt. Unlike donating plasma, you will not have a consistent income once you run out of items to sell.

Monetize Your Skills

Nearly everyone has some sort of skill or talent that can be monetized. Are you knowledgeable about website design? Then build websites! Do you know a second language? Then teach online! The possibilities are endless. Some may be more profitable than others, but with some deep introspection and creativity, anything is possible. If you still can’t think of any skills you might have, I created a short list of ideas to get those brain juices flowing:

• Bike repairing
• Piano tuning
• Coding
• Teaching another language
• Pet sitting
• Cake baking
• Car maintenance
• House cleaning

Chances are, you have some skill set you could monetize. The hardest part is advertising yourself and finding clientele. Once you identify a skill that you think you can make money off of, talk to family, friends, and coworkers to create a small base to work from. This path of money making can be intimidating, but it can also be extremely rewarding and may even lead to a career. In a time where financial security is unknown, this may be the most prominent way to build a more secure future.

Whether you recently lost a job or took a pay cut, I hope this can be helpful to securing a temporary or permanent financial future. And remember, this is a short list of ways to make some extra cash and should not limit you to think outside the box at alternate possibilities!

Have you used other methods of making money during the pandemic?Leave a comment to let me know!