Calculator with text Extra Income. Calculator, currency, book, bills and computer keyboard on wooden table. Business, finance, banking conceptual from Shutterstock.com

by BankBazaar.sg

Whether it is to pay off your debt quicker, save more, or just have a better lifestyle, earning extra money is never a bad idea. Singapore has a wide variety of options to enable you to earn side income every month.

We list out 31 ways to earn extra money and you can pick whichever suits you the most. Start earning more!

1. Become an online translator

If learning new languages is your hobby, why not earn some cash out of it? Websites like Upwork and translators town offer freelance translation jobs that are time bound and pretty lucrative.

The payment per assignment can range from S$20 to S$1,500. Because of the nature of the job, you can take up assignments as and when you have spare time or on weekends. Taking Mandarin in school wasn’t a bad idea after all!

Online translation job posted on Upwork.

2. Become a private home tutor

Tutoring is a favourite part-time job for undergraduates in Singapore. After all, undergraduates are still familiar with what is being taught in schools, and it pays well. Undergraduates can expect to charge about S$25-S$40 an hour for secondary school students, and around S$50-S$70 an hour for JC students.

If you’re about to earn S$35/hour, and you give 8 hours of tuition every week, you can expect to make S$14,560 in an entire year! 

Needless to say, MOE teachers can earn more. Given their experience, many parents are inclined to trust the ability of full-time MOE teachers to give their children private tuition. Because of that, MOE teachers are able to charge hourly rates of S$50-S$70 for primary/lower secondary school students, and S$100-S$120 an hour for JC students.

Private home tutoring may sound like a relatively easy job, but you do have to stay up to date with the education system, and actually have the patience to teach someone. You should also try to select students whose homes are easy to get to, so that you can minimise your travelling time.

If you’re keen to find out more about tuition rates, websites like SmileTutor have average asking rates of private tutors that you can use as a gauge.

3. Sell things on Etsy for extra income

If you are creative and have spare time over the weekends, it is a great idea to sell items on Etsy. You can sell loads of stuff ranging from accessories, craft supplies, bags, collectibles, art or poetry on it. Selling on the platform isn’t expensive (they charge only 3.5% commission), is easy, and the opportunities are endless. So, open your Etsy shop right away!

Screenshot of an Etsy Seller’s Store.

4. Become a babysitter

If your maternal instincts are high and spending time with kids sounds like a great activity, this is the perfect option for you. You don’t need to get into any full-time or part-time commitment to babysit. If you have friends or family with kids in Singapore, let them know you are open to babysit their kids for short durations over the weekends. Every parent, once in a while, looks forward to having a quiet dinner or an afternoon watching a movie. That’s where you come in. Since these are your friends or relatives, you can work out a price that is reasonable for both parties.

If you prefer to find work through an agency, try out findanany.sg or NannySOS. Agencies generally charge S$25 per hour for such ad hoc babysitting sessions.

5. Become a pet sitter, dog walker, or offer your home for dog boarding

Photo credit: vanillapup.com.

Do you prefer pets to babies and kids? Then pet sitting, dog walking or pet boarding may be an idea. This is the dream job for those of us that melt every time a cute pup comes our way.

Become a pet sitter for people who are going on a vacation or travelling for work. While pet sitting, you could cuddle the furry animals, play with them, clean up, and talk them for a walk. Prices range from S$10-S$45 per hour.

There are also jobs where you only have to take the dog for a walk, earning you about S$15 per walk.

For home boarding, you would charge pet owners by the day, and usually that involves taking the dog out for a few walks each day, and the pet will stay with you for the night. Prices for boarding tends to start from S$30 per night.

To begin, you could go the informal way of taking care of the pets of your family or friends while they are away or register yourself at an companies like Pet BuddiesPetBacker or Pawshake.  This kind of a job works better for those with a work-from-home kind of setup.

6. Plan experiences for tourists in your free time

If you think you know Singapore in and out, here is your chance to use that knowledge and lay your hands on some extra dough. Show a unique side of Singapore to tourists and use platforms such as Airbnb to host it. You can design and submit an experience or multiple ones over a couple of days and if those over at Airbnb like it, they will publish it. Once published, it will be booked by people visiting Singapore from around the world. The price and group size will be decided by you.

Sounds exciting? It is. Along with earning money, you will also get a chance to meet diverse people and show them your favourite part of Singapore.

7. Become a holiday photographer

Yes, such a profession exists. With the increasing pressure to look perfect on social media along with making perfect memories, people want fabulous photos of their vacation. So, if people photography is your passion and you think you know the most photogenic spots in Singapore, become a holiday photographer! Register yourself on websites like Frame A Tripor SweetEscape and start earning some cash.

8. Participate in online surveys for easy money

This one is a teddy bear’s picnic. It does not require any commitment or major skills and is the ideal option to get some free coupons or cash. Whenever you are free, take up online surveys and in return, receive points which you can use to buy gift cards or vouchers. A few examples of these websites are AIP Online SurveysYour Voice, and Toluna. After all, who doesn’t love being paid to give an opinion!

9. Become a lettering specialist as a side hustle

We might have moved on away from our pens and pencils on the back of technology but nothing feels as good as the written word yet. A hand-written invite, a thank-you note, or even a restaurant menu has a special feel to it. If you have an interest in calligraphy or other lettering styles, why not use it to earn extra money? Polish your skills by taking up workshops and start an amazing part-time career you love. A good place to begin would be the modern calligraphy workshop for beginners listed on theworkroom.sg.

10. Earn extra income from being a part-time brand ambassador at events

Events and roadshows are excellent ways for tertiary students to make money.

Remember that girl handing over a free sample to you the other day at a roadshow? You could be her and make extra money at another event soon. High traffic areas like Orchard Road and Raffles Place, and malls all around Singapore, regularly host events and promotions. If you think you have the confidence to engage with strangers and can present yourself well, this job is right for you over the weekends.

You should be giving out free samples, telling people more about the promotion, asking people to like a brand’s Facebook page or even wearing a mascot costume! Hourly rates for such roles tend to range from S$12-S$50.

11. Sell homemade food

If you (or your mother or even grandmother) make amazing noodles, pies, or brownies and want the world to get a taste of it, make it happen! Set up an online shop or spread the word and start making money out of it.

And don’t worry, there are no licensing issues as long as you sell your food to individuals. Just make sure you maintain high cleanliness standards. You could also participate in global platforms such as meal sharing where you invite travellers for meals at your home. You could also share your yummy home cooked food with fellow Singaporeans on platforms such as Share Food.

12. Be a yoga instructor

If flexibility is your forte and yoga your interest, why not teach it to others? Health consciousness is no longer just a fad and you can leverage on this growing interest. Conduct weekend programmes so that this does not interfere with your regular job.

If interested, you could take up a certification course from institutes like The Yoga Mandalaor Vyasa Yoga. Check out these five trendy fitness workouts Singaporeans love and see if you want to get into teaching one of them.

13. Queue for food or run errands for others

In this fast-paced world, time is money. People are willing to pay those who can help save their time. That’s where you come in. Join a platform like WhyQ where you can become a runner to help people queue for food and deliver it to them. Lots of other apps like The Butler offer ‘concierge services’ to help people run errands. You simply have to sign up with them to earn some part-time income.

14. Refer a friend and earn spare cash or credits

Loads of companies in Singapore are willing to pay you in cash or kind if you refer relevant people to them. For example, inviting people to Airbnb can earn you and the people you invite travel credit to use for a new reservation. You and your friend will be awarded bonuses after a successful reference on ShopBack. All you need to do is know what your friends want and refer them to appropriate websites.

Referrals can earn you taxi discounts, coupons and extra cash (if you get your friend a job in your company), so keep an eye out for referrals schemes when you try out a new service or register on a new app.

15. Become a freelance writer

If you think you have the flair for the written word, you have a chance to make money from it. You can become a freelance writer for a website, magazine, news wire, or ad agency – the opportunities are aplenty.

These can be long or short-term commitments so decide what suits you depending on the timings of your full-time job. Make sure you do some market research and decide an ideal per word/per hour or per project rate based on your education and experience.

Don’t be too picky initially, build a versatile portfolio, and you will go a long way. Expect to earn S$30-S$50 cents/word when you start off and check out websites like freelancer.com.

16. Sell unwanted things for cash

Do you have a stash of things in your wardrobe, bomb shelter or study room that you have not used in the past 6-12 months? Consider selling them to someone else instead! In your free time, look around in your house and take stock of the items you don’t use, clothes you don’t wear, music instruments you don’t play, and baby stuff you don’t need. Sell them on websites like Carousell (also an app) or Gumtree. Decluttering can be good for your wellbeing too!

17. Become a mascot

Being a mascot earns you more money during events. If you have a unique skill, you can earn even more.

Singapore is bustling with weekend events that spend a lot on promotions. You might have noticed individuals donning a Pokemon or Santa costume at events for kids or girls dressed in traditional kimonos outside a newly opened Japanese restaurant. All you need to do is dress up and wave at crowds, take pictures, distribute flyers and be nice. You can expect to earn between S$15-S$30 an hour for such jobs and they usually happen over the weekends.

18. Serve at banquets

Some of us love to be around food. And if reminisce the days you worked in a restaurant or cafe during your schooling days, you could choose to pick up a part-time job at a banquet. The pay isn’t great; you’ll probably make around S$8-S$10 an hour. But you might be working in a lavish environment and if you’re lucky, also get a chance to see celebrities. Get these jobs on websites like Fastjobs.

19. Become a videographer to cash in on your video skills

If you cannot boast enough of your videography skills, take the chance to make money from it. Apart from shooting weddings and birthday parties for friends, you could also be a part of something unique like 90 seconds – a cloud video production platform. Anyone who needs a video can put up a request and you can take up the assignment if it suits you. Everything is managed online and is quite systematic and lucrative.

20. Become a freelance designer

If creativity is your strength and graphics your interest, you can become a freelance designer. New business requirements come up daily, which means new job opportunities for designers come up every day. Whether you choose to design a logo, build a website, design an infographic, you get to keep your creative juices flowing while making money. It is a job that allows you to work at home or remotely on a beach if you wish. Put your portfolio up on sites like Fiverr for a start.

21. Become a tech reviewer

If you love technology and know the internals of your phone better than your wardrobe’s, it is time you start cashing in on that knowledge. Becoming a consumer technology reviewer is a huge career opportunity, has flexible working hours, and pays well. You could try working for global brands such as CNET or local ones like Tech In Asia. Or if you’re feeling enterprising enough, start your own YouTube channel or blog.

22. Instruct an online course on Udemy or build your own online course

Udemy, an online learning marketplace, is the perfect place to share your knowledge and earn while you do so. If you have been in the marketing field for long or have immense knowledge of baking, you could design a course and teach people through Udemy. You can use this platform not only to impart knowledge but also to expand your own. If you already have your own website and idea for an online training programme, you can use teachable to create and sell online courses easily.

23. Become a music teacher

Did your parents make you play the piano when you were young? Did you pass all the exams but now you’re not sure what to do with your piano skills? Here is the perfect job for you. Start a weekend music class or teach students post your work hours during the week.

Music teachers can earn around S$200 for a class with about 5-6 students. Check out websites like Advent Music for teaching opportunities. Better yet, run your own ads on Facebook to attract students, and you won’t have to share your revenue with anyone.

24. Rent out a room

If you have a three-bedroom flat and you stay alone, it only makes sense to let it out to a long-term tenant. This way, you will not only earn money but also have company. Read up on the regulations around short-term renting though, it’s not legal to be renting out your HDB apartment on platforms like HomeAway and Airbnb in Singapore.

25. Become a driver or give people rides on the way to work

If you have a car, and want to turn it into a cash cow, try this. You could become a Grab driver and earn in those extra hours every day. You could also get a rental car from Grab. The process to become a driver  is lengthy but if you are committed, it will be worth it.

If you drive for 3 hours every night, Monday to Friday, Grab estimates that you’ll be able to make close to S$400 in a week.

Find out your revenue estimation using Grab’s revenue calculator.

For those looking for lower commitment, there is GrabHitch – a social carpooling service. It enables regular drivers to give fellow commuters a lift, meet new people, and lower the costs of owning a car.

26. Publish an ebook

Publishing a book may sound like a feat, and it is, but not in this case. You could write a 20-40 pager ebook and sell it on Amazon. If you keep the price of the book anywhere between US$2.99 and US$9.99, your book qualifies for a 70% royalty. That’s pretty awesome actually!

Try to select topics which are rare and interesting so that your book does not have too much competition. If your book gets rave reviews, it will prove to be a long-lasting passive income for you.

27. Shop for groceries

If you have pockets of time over the week or weekends, utilise it to earn extra money by joining a groceries delivery platform like honestbee. This gives you an opportunity to earn up to S$22.20 per hour. All you need to qualify is to be above 18 years and have a smartphone.

Shopper Bee: Get paid up to S$11 an hour for shopping at a supermarket near you. No car needed!

Delivery Bee: For people with time + a vehicle, earn up to S$22.20 an hour for delivering groceries. You get paid a fixed rate and bonus based on the number of deliveries you make.

This works perfectly for people who would like flexible work hours, love shopping in supermarkets, and live near one of the designated honestbee hubs.

28. Get an ad on your car

If you own a car and dread the costs for season parking, petrol, ERP, maintenance and so on, fret not. You can start using your car to generate a good passive income that will cover some of your costs. Register yourself on Movo or Spruik and get an option to choose an ad you want on your car. They will apply removable vinyl stickers, which will be part of an advertiser’s marketing campaign, and you will get paid. You can earn up to S$300 a month through this.

29. Shop when you travel abroad

If you are among the lucky ones who travel abroad frequently (could be for work or leisure), here is a chance to earn some extra dough. Register yourself on websites like Airfrov or Tompang, which connect shoppers to travellers.

So, if someone is craving macaroons from Paris and you are travelling there next week, you could pick it up for them and earn extra income from it. However, make sure you don’t bring items that are banned in Singapore and be mindful of our GST rules.

30. Join a focus group

Being paid for giving your feedback. Sounds like a dream, right? If you join a focus group, it could come true. The idea is to assemble a bunch of people to give feedback on and discuss a product before it is launched. Check out job sites like Trovit and stand a chance to earn around S$35 – S$50 for two hours.

31. Dropship your way to entrepreneurial success

What is dropshipping? It’s basically a way of selling products online without actually holding any inventory.

If you are a dropshipping, customers buy a product from your online store, and that product is sourced and shipped directly to the customer from a third party. You don’t have to worry about handling the product or buying stock in advance.

You earn money finding a great product on a wholesale marketplace like AliExpress, placing it on your store, and adding a markup to it. Of course, you’ll need some web designing and marketing skills to be able to set up your online store and marketing your products.

You can make anything from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands a month. Companies such as Shopify and Oberlo make dropshipping possible and relatively fuss-free for thousands of customers around the world.

Nothing is now stopping you from making more money, right?

This article first appeared on BankBazaar.sg. BankBazaar.sg is a leading online marketplace in Singapore that helps consumers compare and apply for financial products such as credit cards and loans.

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