In 2022, inflation and supply chain disruptions have understandably made money tight for families all over the country. However, it’s far easier than you think to earn some extra cash to help make ends meet.
Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list of all the different ways you can make extra money. Rather, it’s a list of some of the easiest ways you can make some extra cash so you can have some peace of mind and have a little breathing room to pay your bills.
Here are 7 ways to make ends meet when money gets tight:
Create a Budget
This should be your first step when you find yourself in need of some cash. A budget keeps track of all of your monthly expenses, as well as your income. This way, you can stay on track financially and ensure your monthly bills are paid off.
By starting a budget, you can look at ways to cut out some unneeded expenses. A well-kept budget may reveal that you have some extra cash in a recurring payment that you didn’t even know you were paying!
Another benefit of keeping a budget is that it also helps you be more prepared for an unexpected car repair or medical emergency if one should occur. A budget will also help you save for larger purchases, such as a car or a new cell phone. And, it will help you stay on time with your mobile home payments or monthly rent.
Starting a budget is super easy. You can simply log all of your expenses and your monthly income into a spreadsheet to see how they compare against each other. Or, you can check out mobile apps such as Mint or YNAB for a budgeting experience you can literally take with you!
Cut Expenses
We mentioned cutting out expenses earlier, but it’s worth taking a deeper dive into how you can cut back on expenses to save cash. For example, you can cut down on the number of subscriptions you pay for monthly. This is especially useful if you haven’t watched anything on Netflix in a couple of months, or want to cut out that costly cable subscription.
You can also save a lot of cash at the grocery store, even if costs have skyrocketed at the checkout line. Here are just a few different ways you can save money when buying food:
- Buy store-brand products. Often, the quality of a store-brand product is comparable to the name-brand. However, it can cost significantly less, meaning more money for you.
- Shop at discount grocery stores. Aldi and Trader Joe’s are two incredibly popular grocery chains that often have lower prices than their supermarket counterparts.
- Buy in bulk. By buying items in larger containers, such as soap and baking goods, you can save more money per ounce. Costco and Sam’s Club are great for buying your groceries in bulk, too.
Sell Your Odds and Ends
If you’re taking time to do some spring cleaning, you may find valuable items that you no longer need. This could include CDs, video games, jewelry, cell phones, or valuable clothing.
Selling these old items for extra cash in 2022 has never been easier. There are, of course, sites like eBay where you can sell them online. Local alternatives such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist can help sell your items and get cash in your hand that much faster.
Take On a Side Gig
If you’re looking for extra cash and have some additional time on your hands, a side gig can add an entire second paycheck to your bank account. But, the best part is that you can take on a side gig that you run on your own schedule.
You can go through websites such as Fiverr and Upwork to take on side jobs in all kinds of fields. Whether you’re delivering products for a business or proofreading papers for college students, you can tap into your skills to take on extra work for even more cash.
Or, if you want a side gig where you can REALLY work on your own schedule, then ride sharing platforms like Uber are a great way to go. You can work right in your own city and make cash while driving passengers to their destination. Or, you can deliver food for businesses with Grubhub or Doordash, as well as deliver groceries with Shipt or Instacart.
Teach A Skill
Are you an expert photographer, or a master chef that can make a delicious meal out of anything in your fridge? Or were you a bartender in a past life looking to pass on the skills you learned?
One way to earn some extra cash is by teaching your unique skills and hobbies to other people. It’s incredibly easy in 2022 to start your own classes for teaching what you know. In fact, you can even do so digitally! It doesn’t take much investment to start, for example, a bartending class or cooking class from the comfort of your own home.
Or, if you prefer the feel of an in-person learning environment, you can rent a classroom in a local civic center to host your class there. You can check with your city on how to launch a class for people in your area, and where they offer classrooms you can host them in.
If you live in a manufactured home community, you may even be able to rent a space in your clubhouse, if you have one, for a class. Talk with your community’s staff to see if this is something you can do.
Start A Business
In 2022, it’s more possible than ever to start a business right out of your own home.
There are countless ways to make extra money by selling a good or providing a service to your neighborhood. It can be something as simple as mowing lawns for a neighbor, or something more complex like opening a store near you. But, there’s no such thing as a “bad” time of year to start your business and start making some extra money.
If you’re looking for ideas for a business to start, here are just a few quick ones to spark some inspiration:
- Shovel snow or mow lawns for your neighbors
- Or, start a full-blown landscaping business taking on more complex lawn projects
- Create some jewelry or fashion accessories to sell at a local craft show
- If you have some coding skills, make websites for other businesses in the area
- Take up photography and offer photoshoots for major life events
- Become a handyman for home repairs
- Sell your own designs on t-shirts and other apparel with sites like Redbubble
Consider Downsizing
If you’re in need of some extra cash long-term, you can consider downsizing in various ways. For example, you can trade in a gas-guzzling car for a hybrid model, or turn a two-car household into one that uses just one car. Or, you could try switching to remote work to cut down on expenses from commuting or buying expensive lunches downtown.
Believe it or not, your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Not only that, but you can affordably own a home while maintaining a high-quality lifestyle. The answer? Manufactured housing.
With a manufactured home, you can still have all the space you need for you, your family, and your belongings while saving more money each month on your housing costs. This is because manufactured housing offers more cost-savings compared to site-built homes, which can save you money in the long run.
You can search for thousands of mobile homes on MHVillage, the nation’s leading website for buying, selling, and renting a mobile home. Whether you buy a manufactured home on private land or decide to live in a community, you can take advantage of cost savings while living the high life.
If you’ve made the decision to purchase a manufactured home, you can start your mobile home search with MHVillage today!
