This story originally appeared on DollarSprout.
Over the years, I’ve sold many things for extra cash.
My most lucrative sales included clothing, electronics and shoes. But these days, rather than just selling my stuff, I also sell my skills and services. Combining the two has been a great way to increase my income and simultaneously grow my freelancing business.
Whether you have excess or unwanted items to sell or you’re a freelance writer or babysitter, you can sell what you have or do online. In fact, there are more things to sell for cash online than you might realize.
You don’t have to own high-quality items to make money online. There are plenty of ways to bring in some extra cash with your skills or by cleaning out stuff you no longer want or use.
1. Your Opinions
You can earn cash for your opinions by completing paid surveys. This is easy and can be done in your spare time. You just need an internet connection and a web-accessible device to get started. These online survey websites pay for your honest opinion about products, brands, and activities.
Each survey site pays in points that you can exchange for cash or gift cards. Some popular options for selling your opinion include Swagbucks, Branded Surveys, and Survey Junkie.
2. Electronics
Many people hang onto their old, unwanted electronics because they don’t know what to do with them. Clear up space in your home and make some money in the process by selling your electronics. You can sell old phones, computers, watches, game consoles, and more on Decluttr.
Decluttr is a website and app that gives you an instant valuation on your items. This takes the guesswork out of pricing your electronics and saves you time, since you don’t have to list the items individually.
3. Gift Cards
Gift cards are a popular gift idea when people don’t know what else to buy. But if you receive one for a store you don’t like or isn’t in your area, you can make extra money by selling it on Raise.
Raise resells unwanted gift cards and store credits, and nearly all of its transactions are done virtually. It’s free to list a card, and you’ll be paid via check, PayPal, or direct deposit once it sells.
4. Rental Space
Many travelers prefer staying in a house instead of a hotel when they’re on vacation. If you have a spare room or apartment, you could make extra cash by renting it on Airbnb for days, weeks, or even months at a time.
According to a survey from Earnest, Airbnb hosts earn an average of $500 a month. How much you can earn is limited only by your amount of extra space, where you live, and what amenities you offer.
To get started, make sure that you’re allowed to rent out your house or room. Some homeowners associations have rules against renting out your house, while some landlords also don’t want people subletting your apartment. If you’re in the clear, you can become an Airbnb host and start earning money right away.
5. Textbooks
Don’t throw out your textbooks when the semester ends. Instead, consider selling them on BookScouter. This website compares offers from more than 30 book-buying vendors to help you earn the most money.
To sell on BookScouter, provide information about the book and its condition and decide which offer to accept. It’s free to send in textbooks, and you’ll get paid fast, sometimes the same day your books are received.
6. Clothes
If you have clothes you don’t wear or your kids have outgrown, you can bring them to a local consignment shop and earn part of the profit if they sell. You can also turn a profit off of your unwanted clothes with ThredUp, an online thrift store.
To sell on ThredUp, request a Clean Out Bag, fill it with clothes, and send it back to be sold on the ThredUp website. If your items don’t sell, they will ship them back to you for a small fee or you can donate them. You can be paid via PayPal or ThredUp credit.
You can also make money off your unwanted clothes with selling apps like Poshmark, letgo, or the Facebook Marketplace.
7. Shoes
If you’ve accumulated too many pairs of shoes and want to clean out your closet, consider paring down your collection.
Shoes are great items to sell on Poshmark, Mercari, Swap.com, and ThredUp. Before selling your shoes, review each site’s policies, listing requirements, and any fees they might charge. You want to make sure you’re following directions and getting the most amount of money for your shoes.
8. Used Furniture
Even if your furniture pieces aren’t antiques, you could still make good money selling your used furniture online. List your pieces on letgo, a free site to post local items for sale. You register for an account, list your items for sale, and wait to receive an offer.
To make sure your items sell, be thorough and complete in your listing and add high-quality photos of the item.
The letgo app targets your local area so you won’t have to worry about shipping large items, which often comes with a hefty cost.
9. Pictures
Whether you take pictures professionally or as a hobby, you could make some extra cash by selling your photos online to websites like Getty Images or Shutterstock.
Popular photography categories include food, architecture, portraits, travel, and city skylines. You can snap away, choose the best photos, and upload them to stock websites for consideration.
10. Handmade Goods
Whether you enjoy creating hair bows, digital prints, or wall hangings, you can make money selling your creations on Etsy, Society6, or Facebook Marketplace. Take a few pictures of your product, add a description and a price, and post it online.
11. Toys
You can get rid of your kids’ old toys and declutter your home by selling unwanted board games, puzzles, dolls, stuffed animals, and more on sites like Craigslist or eBay.
You could even pick up gently used toys at flea markets, yard sales, and thrift stores, clean them thoroughly, and sell them online for a profit.
12. Antiques
Furniture and decor that was loved several decades ago can often be sold at a profit to antique lovers. List your pieces on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to reach a local market or on eBay to reach potential buyers from across the country.
Buying and selling antiques could also turn into a lucrative hobby if you’re patient enough to scour local thrift and consignment stores or spend a day shopping at yard sales and flea markets. You may even score some gems by checking junk piles on garbage days.
13. Scrap Metal
Selling scrap metal to scrapyards can be a lucrative side gig if you know where to look. Many items that you may throw away like broken appliances, copper wires, old car parts, bolts, and screws, or plumbing fixtures could be worth a lot of money at a scrapyard.
You could accumulate a decent pile of scrap metal by looking around your house and garage, checking along the side of the road, and offering to clean up junk piles for free. Another option is to check out the free section of Craigslist or ask your friends and family members to send their scrap metal your way.
Don’t forget that aluminum cans can also be scrapped for cash. Check online for local scrap metal yards when you have enough metal or aluminum to cash in.
14. Plasma
If you don’t have unwanted items to get rid of and you prefer not to make crafts or physical products to sell, consider marketing and selling your services instead.
If you’re at least 18 years old, in good health, and meet some basic screening requirements, you could get paid to donate your plasma. If you’ve donated blood before, you’re probably a good candidate for plasma donation. The difference is that plasma centers reimburse donors for their time, unlike a blood bank.
The amount of money you receive varies, but donating plasma can usually turn into a regular side gig. Many give bonuses to people who donate on a regular basis. Check online for a local plasma donation center near you.
15. Virtual Assistant Services
To become a virtual assistant, you need an internet connection, the ability to organize and work with multiple clients at once, and skills that business owners are looking for.
Since businesses need help taking care of tasks like social media management, customer service, or responding to emails, there are many opportunities for you to work as a VA, even without any special skills or training.
16. Freelance Writing
Businesses and websites look for qualified individuals to write content for them. If you enjoy writing, consider becoming a freelance writer and turning what you’re passionate about into a paying gig.
The best way to break into the business is to choose a popular niche and start searching for potential clients. Technical categories usually pay more than pop culture or wellness.
17. Dog Walking
If you love animals, you can earn extra money walking other people’s dogs or pet sitting for them. You can do this side hustle on top of your day job or as a replacement if you’re unemployed or in between jobs.
Services can range from daily dog walking to week-long pet sitting. Post your services in local Facebook groups and spread the news among friends and family. You can also sign up for Rover, a website and app that matches pet owners with local pet sitters and dog walkers.
18. Babysitting
Parents everywhere are turning to Care.com to find local qualified babysitters. This is a good option if you enjoy working with children and are looking for a regular weekly gig or just a few hours a month to supplement your income.
Care.com matches families with local qualified caregivers who are prescreened by the site and are available to meet their needs. You can set your own hours and babysit from your home or at the child’s house.
19. Housekeeping
It’s easy to make extra money on the side cleaning local homes or businesses. You can set your own hours and have one-time or recurring clients.
Find local jobs by posting your services on Facebook groups, or create a house cleaning profile on Care.com or Thumbtack. The more clients you take on, the more referrals you can get, which could turn into a steady income.
20. Car Washing
If housekeeping isn’t your strength, consider washing cars instead. Many people love the idea of a sparkling-clean car but don’t want to do the work themselves. This is where you come in. All you need to start is water, soap, buckets, and sponges.
Offer your services locally on Facebook, post flyers or business cards to public bulletin boards, and ask your friends and family to give you word-of-mouth referrals. If you’re part of a neighborhood group on NextDoor or Facebook, you can post your services there, too.
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