The register

52 ways to make money, plus 8 we've debunked. No cards: the whole catalogue is one list, sorted and filtered on the same fixed bands, so every row is comparable with every other.

52 ideas · sorted by editor's picks52 ideas · sorted by time to first dollar52 ideas · sorted by startup cost52 ideas · sorted by income ceiling52 ideas · sorted A to Z

Idea

Cost

First $

Effort

Ceiling

Where

Repair and resell vintage sewing machinesSelling & flipping pick

<$100weekspart-timeside incomeanywhere

under $100

weeks

part-time

side income

anywhere

Bookkeeping for small local businessesFreelance work pick

<$1001-3 monthspart-timereplaces a jobcountry-specific

under $100

1 to 3 months

part-time

replaces a job

country-specific

Pressure-wash driveways, siding and decksLocal services pick

$100-1kdayspart-timereplaces a joblocal only

$100 to $1k

days

part-time

replaces a job

local only

Technical writing for developer toolsFreelance work pick

$0weekspart-timereplaces a jobanywhere

weeks

part-time

replaces a job

anywhere

Rent a spare room to a travelling nurse or visiting academicRenting out what you own pick

<$100weekspassiveside incomelocal only

under $100

weeks

mostly passive

side income

local only

Sharpen knives, scissors and garden toolsMaking things pick

<$100dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

under $100

days

part-time

pocket money

local only

3D-print replacement parts that manufacturers no longer sellMaking things

$100-1k1-3 monthspart-timeside incomeanywhere

$100 to $1k

1 to 3 months

part-time

side income

anywhere

Assemble flat-pack furniture through a task platformGigs & odd jobs

<$100dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

under $100

days

part-time

pocket money

local only

Build a one-topic reference site that answers a boring question wellDigital products

<$1006+ monthspassivepocket moneyanywhere

under $100

6+ months

mostly passive

pocket money

anywhere

Build a small paid plugin for software you use dailyDigital products

$01-3 monthspart-timeside incomeanywhere

1 to 3 months

part-time

side income

anywhere

Build and install raised garden beds each springMaking things

<$100dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

under $100

days

part-time

pocket money

local only

Build custom closet and garage shelvingMaking things

$100-1kweekspart-timereplaces a joblocal only

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

replaces a job

local only

Buy textbooks at semester end, sell at semester startSelling & flipping

<$1001-3 monthspart-timepocket moneycountry-specific

under $100

1 to 3 months

part-time

pocket money

country-specific

Buy, test and resell used camera lensesSelling & flipping

$100-1kweekspart-timeside incomeanywhere

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

side income

anywhere

Clothing alterations: hems, zips and wedding dressesMaking things

<$100weekspart-timeside incomelocal only

under $100

weeks

part-time

side income

local only

Coach youth sports through your local recreation programmeTeaching & coaching

$0weekspart-timepocket moneylocal only

weeks

part-time

pocket money

local only

Corporate workshops on one narrow software toolTeaching & coaching

$01-3 monthspart-timereplaces a jobanywhere

1 to 3 months

part-time

replaces a job

anywhere

Cottage-law baked goods at farmers marketsMaking things

$100-1kweekspart-timeside incomecountry-specific

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

side income

country-specific

Dog walking and drop-in pet visitsLocal services

$0dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

days

part-time

pocket money

local only

Fix hacked or broken WordPress sitesFreelance work

$0weekspart-timeside incomeanywhere

weeks

part-time

side income

anywhere

Flip free curbside furniture after basic repairsSelling & flipping

$0dayspart-timeside incomelocal only

days

part-time

side income

local only

Grant writing for small nonprofitsFreelance work

$01-3 monthspart-timereplaces a jobcountry-specific

1 to 3 months

part-time

replaces a job

country-specific

Gutter cleaning in autumnLocal services

<$100dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

under $100

days

part-time

pocket money

local only

Install holiday lights for homeownersLocal services

$100-1kweekspart-timeside incomelocal only

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

side income

local only

Junk removal with a borrowed or rented truckLocal services

<$100dayspart-timereplaces a joblocal only

under $100

days

part-time

replaces a job

local only

Mobile car detailing at the customer's drivewayLocal services

$100-1kweekspart-timereplaces a joblocal only

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

replaces a job

local only

Music lessons from your living roomTeaching & coaching

<$100weekspart-timeside incomelocal only

under $100

weeks

part-time

side income

local only

Narrate audiobooks for independent authorsDigital products

$100-1k1-3 monthspart-timeside incomeanywhere

$100 to $1k

1 to 3 months

part-time

side income

anywhere

Part out broken bicycles for componentsSelling & flipping

<$100weekspart-timepocket moneyanywhere

under $100

weeks

part-time

pocket money

anywhere

Pick up hospitality and warehouse shifts through staffing appsGigs & odd jobs

$0dayspart-timepocket moneycountry-specific

days

part-time

pocket money

country-specific

Rent out a utility trailer by the hour or dayRenting out what you own

$1k-10kweekspassiveside incomelocal only

$1k to $10k

weeks

mostly passive

side income

local only

Rent out camera, camping or event gear peer-to-peerRenting out what you own

$100-1kweekspassivepocket moneylocal only

$100 to $1k

weeks

mostly passive

pocket money

local only

Rent your car out when you're not using itRenting out what you own

$0weekspassivepocket moneycountry-specific

weeks

mostly passive

pocket money

country-specific

Rent your driveway or garage as a parking spaceRenting out what you own

$0dayspassivepocket moneylocal only

days

mostly passive

pocket money

local only

Rent your fenced yard to dog owners by the hourRenting out what you own

$0dayspassivepocket moneylocal only

days

mostly passive

pocket money

local only

Resell clearance-aisle products onlineSelling & flipping

$100-1kweekspart-timeside incomecountry-specific

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

side income

country-specific

Resume rewriting for people in your former industryFreelance work

$0dayspart-timepocket moneyanywhere

days

part-time

pocket money

anywhere

Run a paid study group for a professional exam you passedTeaching & coaching

$0weekspart-timepocket moneyanywhere

weeks

part-time

pocket money

anywhere

Screen-print shirts for local teams, schools and eventsMaking things

$100-1kweekspart-timeside incomelocal only

$100 to $1k

weeks

part-time

side income

local only

Seasonal tax preparation after the free training courseGigs & odd jobs

$01-3 monthspart-timepocket moneycountry-specific

1 to 3 months

part-time

pocket money

country-specific

Sell printable worksheets and planners on EtsyDigital products

$01-3 monthspassivepocket moneyanywhere

1 to 3 months

mostly passive

pocket money

anywhere

Sell spreadsheet templates for one specific professionDigital products

$01-3 monthspassiveside incomeanywhere

1 to 3 months

mostly passive

side income

anywhere

Set up phones, TVs and Wi-Fi for older neighboursLocal services

$0dayspart-timepocket moneylocal only

days

part-time

pocket money

local only

Stock photos of ordinary local things, not sunsetsDigital products

<$1006+ monthspassivepocket moneyanywhere

under $100

6+ months

mostly passive

pocket money

anywhere

Substitute teachingGigs & odd jobs

$0weekspart-timeside incomecountry-specific

weeks

part-time

side income

country-specific

Take part in paid focus groups and user researchGigs & odd jobs

$0dayspart-timepocket moneycountry-specific

days

part-time

pocket money

country-specific

Teach adults to swimTeaching & coaching

<$100weekspart-timeside incomelocal only

under $100

weeks

part-time

side income

local only

Technical translation in a language pair you live inFreelance work

$0weekspart-timereplaces a jobanywhere

weeks

part-time

replaces a job

anywhere

Transcription for lawyers, researchers and podcastersFreelance work

<$100weekspart-timeside incomeanywhere

under $100

weeks

part-time

side income

anywhere

Tutor high-school maths or a languageTeaching & coaching

$0dayspart-timeside incomeanywhere

days

part-time

side income

anywhere

Work as a paid election poll workerGigs & odd jobs

$0dayspart-timepocket moneycountry-specific

days

part-time

pocket money

country-specific

Write a paid newsletter for one industry you've worked inDigital products

$06+ monthspart-timereplaces a jobanywhere

6+ months

part-time

replaces a job

anywhere

"Done-for-you" Amazon automation storesSelling & flipping debunked

$10k+6+ monthspassivepocket moneyanywhere

$10k+

6+ months

mostly passive

pocket money

anywhere

Buying "turnkey" websites for passive incomeDigital products debunked

$1k-10k6+ monthspassivepocket moneyanywhere

$1k to $10k

6+ months

mostly passive

pocket money

anywhere

Crypto and forex signal groups and trading botsDigital products debunked

$100-1kweekspassivepocket moneyanywhere

$100 to $1k

weeks

mostly passive

pocket money

anywhere

Dropshipping generic products from overseas suppliersSelling & flipping debunked

$100-1k1-3 monthsfull-timepocket moneyanywhere

$100 to $1k

1 to 3 months

full-time

pocket money

anywhere

Joining a multi-level marketing companySelling & flipping debunked

$100-1kweeksfull-timepocket moneyanywhere

$100 to $1k

weeks

full-time

pocket money

anywhere

Matched betting on bookmaker sign-up bonusesGigs & odd jobs debunked

$100-1kdayspart-timepocket moneycountry-specific

$100 to $1k

days

part-time

pocket money

country-specific

Paid survey and micro-task sites as an incomeGigs & odd jobs debunked

$0weekspart-timepocket moneyanywhere

weeks

part-time

pocket money

anywhere

Selling a course about making money onlineDigital products debunked

<$1001-3 monthsfull-timepocket moneyanywhere

under $100

1 to 3 months

full-time

pocket money

anywhere

shown with the filters above. Every value is a band from a fixed list. What the scales mean · see them plotted.