5 legit ways to make extra cash on your schedule

If you’re sitting on a pile of cash sipping mai tais in Bora Bora right now, congratulations (and where’s my invite?). For the rest of us, making a little extra money never hurts.

People ask me all the time for an easy way to rake in the dough. Do those exist? Yes and no. 

Creative side hustles are sexy but not a sure bet: A recent survey of 1,000 creators shows 55% of full-time employees make money on their side hustle in the first year. But 54% of them made under $10,000. 

Lucky for you, I found a low-risk way to test drive the creator life, plus four other practical ways to make some money on the side.

Have a brick-and-mortar store? 

If you have the crew to do it, become an Amazon Hub Delivery Partner. They drop off 20 to 50 packages a day for you and your staff to deliver. As for the pay, we’re not talking peanuts — this can add as much as $27,000 per year to your bottom line. 

Have an opinion? 

Sign up for paid surveys. Just do me a favor and don’t Google “paid surveys,” or you’ll end up on junk sites. User Interviews is legit. You may have to apply for several before you get approved, but they pay well. Content Queen Allie scored $40 for a 10-minute call.

The downside? They pay in gift cards, but Amazon and Visa are both options (and basically cash).

💸 Pro tip: A lot of survey sites or product-review options will make it seem like you’re gonna make a lot of money. Try this: Search for “Reddit” and the company’s name to see recent posts from real people. One company looked great, but a quick Reddit search revealed it was more like $50 for years of work. Pass!

Have property? 

Rent it out. Here are two ways to do it without strangers stepping foot inside your house:

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3 reasons you shouldn't go another day without antivirus software

If you don’t have antivirus software, you’re putting every internet-connected gadget you own at risk. Something as simple as an unchanged router password can be an entry point for an invader to shut down your phone or even taunt your children through a security camera or smart speaker.

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Bowser, meet your new robot friend

OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o can “think,” write and talk in real-time. Check out this video to see it in action. Listen to that laugh! Crazy stuff.

🌈 Android weather app upgrade: The latest Google redesign is live on most Samsung, Pixel and OnePlus phones. Looks better and has smarter rain predictions, like the ol’ iPhone favorite, Dark Sky.

👊 Protect your personal info: Ensure your online privacy and keep your sensitive data safe from hackers and identity thieves. I use and recommend ExpressVPN. Literally one click and you’re protected. Use my link to get three months free.

Hiring? 3 ways to find the most talented employees

Great people build great companies — and that doesn’t just include the CEO and upper management. You need talent from top to bottom if you’re going to have a successful organization.

If you own a business, you already know how hard it can be to find great employees. But it doesn’t have to be so difficult. Use LinkedIn to help fill open positions and find talented workers with ease. Here are a few ways every business owner can attract the talent they need.

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Using free antivirus? Beware of companies that sell your data or even plant malware

Saving money can be easy. Simple things like eating dinner at home more often than going to your favorite restaurant or skipping that daily $6 latte can really add up. You’ll have your next vacation paid for in no time.

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ChatGPT-4o is your kid's new math tutor

Boy do I wish this existed when Ian was in school! The founder of Khan Academy and his son test out OpenAI’s new tutoring tool. Pretty amazing stuff.

🚢 Summer is here: Start the party with my summer playlist, “Yacht Rock with an Edge!” Such a crowd-pleaser. Put it on for your next barbecue or lake day and be the hero.

It’s official: I’ve been warning you about this, and now we have a date. Support for Windows 10 ends Oct. 14, 2025. Your PC will still work, but no more updates — security or otherwise. Let me know if you need recs for a new laptop or PC.

🤢 Phone got you carsick? Apple found a way to get rid of motion sickness while you text. Hallelujah. Vehicle Motion Cues show animated dots on the edges of your iPhone or iPad screen that move with the car’s direction, tricking your brain and calming your queasy stomach. ETA: Later this year.

WTH do I do now? Jim in Philly wrote to me because he downloaded an app that totally screwed up his phone — random ads everywhere. Sorry, Jim, but you need to do a full factory reset. It’s a royal pain in the rear, I know, but it’s the only way to ensure your phone is clear from adware and malware. After that, do like I do and get a solid AV software on your phone.

Spring clean your PC: Microsoft just updated its free Windows optimizer, PC Manager. Its biggest new feature? Files Cleanup, which helps you manage your storage and free up space by deleting unnecessary or bulky files. Download it here in the Microsoft Store.

Windows 10 death date: Microsoft has announced you won’t get any updates or support for Windows 10 after Oct. 14, 2025. That’s plenty of time to save up for a new Mac … just sayin’.

Fake your location to get the lowest prices: A friend of mine in Phoenix booked a rental car in the U.K. It was $955. I told her to try this trick. She used her VPN to change her location to the U.K. and the same car for the same dates was $322. Just another reason why you need ExpressVPN on all your devices. Use this link to get three months free.

The “E” stands for entertainment: Chuck E. Cheese is saying goodbye to its iconic animatronic robot band at over 400 locations nationwide. You’ll have until the end of 2024 to catch their cute-slash-terrifying musical performances. Get ready for more screens, digital dance floors and trampoline gyms.

Is this the year AI totally changes music? Take Udio, founded by ex-Google employees and sitting on $10 million in funding. They’re cranking out tracks at insane speeds — 10 songs a second, or roughly 864,000 songs a day. If you want to try it, it’s open to the public, and you can create 1,200 free songs each month.

🍗 Free nugs: Get six free chicken nuggets from Wendy’s every Wednesday for the rest of the year. What’s the catch? You need to sign up for Wendy’s Rewards and buy something on hump day through their mobile app (iOS and Android).

Get a FREE job post: Do you need to hire at your business? It’s tough. I’ve had great success finding really wonderful, hardworking people on LinkedIn. You can post a job for free right now using my link.

Are you still using QuickBooks? Discover why thousands are switching to NetSuite’s superior, all-in-one solution. Don’t settle for less. Experience real-time insights and streamlined processes, and make decisions based on data, not your gut. Take a free product tour right now!