6 Quickest and Most Lucrative Ways To Add Income in 2025
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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Who doesn’t want to add extra income into their lives, especially in a time when goods and services are already stretching many budgets, and likely to do that even more so now that President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on goods imported from Canada and China.
While you might not be able to get a raise or a better salary right away, you can add income to your life quickly with side gigs and investment strategies.
Digital Products
The beauty of living in a digital era is that it’s cheaper and easier than ever to create digital products to sell, according to Corry Frazier and Melissa Pepin, side hustle experts and co-founders of The Business Reboot.
“People have paid their mortgages with something as simple as $8 e-books. By leveraging free tools like Canva, setting up an Etsy shop or using social media for live selling, you can generate buzz and drive sales,” they said in an email.
To get started they recommended you identify something you’re really good at, then create an e-book or “how-to” guide, price it appropriately and repeat.
“For instance, if you’re skilled at stretching a family food budget, you could create a meal planner and shopping list that updates monthly — perfect for large families looking to simplify grocery planning. Renovated your laundry room and nailed the aesthetic? Turn your insights into a $5 downloadable checklist and let it serve as a lead-in for a more detailed e-book on home renovation tips,” they wrote.
Similarly, if you’re a creative person, say you’ve developed an ideal morning journaling routine, you can use Canva’s free templates to design a custom journal, get it printed and sell it to others who want to adopt your method.
“The possibilities are endless — your skills and creativity can lead to profitable, scalable products.”
Affiliate Links With Companies You Love
Affiliate links may be one of the easiest ways to bring in additional income, Frazier and Pepin wrote.
Setting up an Amazon storefront is simple and free — just search online for tutorials to guide you through the process, they recommended. Once your storefront is ready, curate a list of products that enhance your life or boost productivity, and share them with your social media audience.
You can also reach out to your favorite brands and inquire about their affiliate programs, they pointed out. With over 100,000 companies worldwide offering affiliate options, there are plenty of opportunities to earn.
“By sharing products you genuinely love — whether it’s toothpaste, sweatsuits or skin care essentials — you can earn a percentage of each sale made through your recommendations,” they explained.
Housecleaning
Do rooms look spotless after you leave them, bed corners perfect and countertops gleaming? Bring your skills to help clean houses and earn between $30 to $50 per hour on a relatively flexible schedule.
“If your goal is to make an extra $200 a month, it might only take an afternoon or two of work to achieve it,” they wrote.
Tailor your pricing based on the client’s needs and the size of the space, they advised. Deep cleans usually require more time and attention, while standard cleanings are quicker but might need to happen more frequently. “This can lead to repeat business and even monthly contracts, offering more consistent income over time.”
Tutoring
Tutoring subjects you have mastered (math, science, SAT Prep, creative writing, instrument specific lessons, etc) can be extremely helpful for your community and beneficial for you financially. Tutors generally can expect to make between $20-$35 per hour. Reach out to places like schools and universities where students may be especially in need of your skills.
Renting Out a Room
While not everyone has the luxury of a property they can rent out wholesale like through Airbnb, but many people have a spare room they can rent. According to Matt Hutchinson, director of the roommate site SpareRoom.com, the average U.S. room rent is now $1,028 per month, which equates to an annual income of $12,336 before taxes are deducted.
“Renting out a room in your home can be a great way to earn extra cash and requires relatively little input beyond the initial setup,” he said.
While you do need to research and follow through on your new responsibilities as a landlord, which include producing a written agreement outlining house rules around guests, pets, use of facilities, etc., and, preparing a room for your new roommate, the financial reward is well worth your time.
“As a comparison, it would take around 17 days of work at federal minimum wage to earn $1,000 per month. Plus you’re contributing positively to the rental market: In many areas rented accommodation is in desperately short supply, in part due to the rise of short-term rentals, which are driving up prices,” he said.
Investing
Of course, bringing in extra money through a side gig can help your income mount, but it still doesn’t build wealth the way that investing does. If you’ve already got an emergency fund, and have paid down debt, start putting your extra funds into accounts that will really grow your wealth, like retirement accounts, stocks and bonds, money market funds, high-yield savings accounts (when rates are high) and the like.
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