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12 ideas to boost your income, starting this weekend

12 ideas to boost your income, starting this weekend
12 ideas to boost your income, starting this weekend

You could probably use some extra money in your wallet, whether you’re saving up for the newest smartphone — or are struggling to make rent and put food on the table during the pandemic.

Massive numbers of Americans are still being squeezed by the COVID economy. The government's latest jobs report, released on Friday, showed that 3.9 million people have been unemployed more than six months. That's the most in seven years.

Got money woes? You can start doing something about your situation this weekend.

We've checked out a bunch of money-making and money-saving ideas and have put together this roster of 12 legit ways to give your bank account a boost. You might get something rolling before it's Monday again.

1. Get a payday from your old playthings

Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker & Obi Wan 'Ben' Kanobi form Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - Hasbro Black Series 6 inch figures
Willrow Hood / Shutterstock

Got a closet full of collectibles? Well, maybe the time has finally come to say goodbye and list them online — because they might be worth even more than you think.

For example, some of your toys from the 1970s and '80s could be worth hundreds of dollars — maybe even thousands — if you’ve kept them in good condition.

Selling stuff on eBay is relatively simple, but if you’ve never done it before, check out this handy guide on how to get started.

2. Save money every time you shop online

If you do most of your shopping online — and these days who doesn’t? — you likely go to the same website again and again. You know which one.

But Amazon doesn’t always have the best prices, and nobody has time to price-check every store.

So, just download a free browser extension that will automatically find you deals and coupon codes every time you shop online.

You also can set price-drop alerts for your favorite products, so if they go on sale you’ll be the first to know. Installation takes just a moment and could save you hundreds of dollars each year.

3. Make your debt less costly

Unhappy American couple managing home accounts in kitchen, trying to save some money by cutting family expenses. Finances, bankruptcy, taxes, money, accounting and financial problems concept
WAYHOME studio / Shutterstock

High-interest debt from credit cards and personal loans can be a major drain on your bank balance, especially if you’re making only the minimum payments each month.

If you want to break free from your debt ASAP, your best bet is to take out a debt consolidation loan. You’ll trade in all of your current debts — credit cards, loans, everything — for a single monthly payment at a lower interest rate.

Use a website that will show you quotes from all the lenders in your area willing to give you a loan, so you can shop around and find the best rate. You can borrow up to $100,000 with no collateral at rates as low as 5.95%.

4. Go after your unclaimed money

This happens all the time: People move on and forget all about money they've left behind in old accounts. It's so common that Americans currently have more than $40 billion in unclaimed funds waiting for them.

Is a chunk of that yours? Search MissingMoney.com, which will show if you left any money in an old checking or savings account, or if you’re entitled to unclaimed life insurance policies from relatives who have passed away. (You'll want to be much more careful when you buy your own life insurance policy.)

You also should check with the IRS to see if there are any tax refunds you're missing.

You can amend your previous tax returns for up to three years if you were eligible for a refund but neglected to claim it.

5. Find a better price on home insurance

Happy loving couple having fun in kitchen, dancing together, celebrating relocation or anniversary, handsome young husband holding beautiful wife hand, moving to favorite music, enjoying date
fizkes / Shutterstock

If your homeowners insurance bill seems steep, you might be able to cut it down to size by shopping around online for a better rate.

Just go online and compare quotes from hundreds of insurers for free, in only two minutes.

Answer a few basic questions, and you’ll instantly see the best deals available in your area.

You could save close to $1,000 a year on your homeowners policy by comparing rates, while still keeping the same level of coverage you currently have.

6. Stop paying too much for car insurance

If you've got a car and aren't shopping around for cheaper insurance every six months, you could be throwing away more than $1,100 a year, according to one estimate

Comparing rates from multiple insurance companies may sound like a lot of work, but there are websites that do the shopping around for you and can find you a better deal in three minutes.

Just answer a few quick questions, and you'll soon be sorting through quotes from hundreds of car insurers to find you the lowest price available for the coverage you currently have.

7. Play the market

Overjoyed excited young businessman sees on his smartphone that his stocks are performing well
fizkes / Shutterstock

If you’ve never played the stock market before, you might think that owning stock in a well-known company is out of reach right now.

But a popular investing app will let you buy pieces of companies like Google and Tesla for as little as $1 — and when they profit, so can you.

You also can invest in fractional shares of stocks, options, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and cryptocurrencies. Best of all, there are no fees and no commissions.

8. Get paid if businesses behaved badly

When companies do the wrong thing, they get taken to court — and sometimes their customers get compensated.

Check ClassAction.com to see if you qualify for reimbursement over products or services you purchased in the past that were falsely advertised, defective, or that you were overcharged for.

Recent settlements have involved companies including Apple, Tesla, Juul and others. Many class action claims can be completed online in a few minutes, though it may take up to a year to receive your rebate.

The criteria for eligibility will vary depending on the lawsuit, but in some cases you may not even need a receipt to get reimbursed. If proof of purchase is required and you can’t find your receipt, remember to check your bank and credit card statements.

9. Invest your spare change and get $10 free

U.S. money in the form of coins and dollar bills stacked in a pile
Nir Dayan / Shutterstock

Another easy way to start investing in the stock market is by putting your spare change to work.

There's an app that offers micro-investing accounts starting at just a few dollars a month. The "round-up" feature lets you invest the spare change that’s left over whenever you make a purchase.

So if you buy a coffee for $3.65, 35 cents will be added to your account. It may not seem like much, but over time that spare change can really add up.

10. Turn your clutter into cash

Mess creates stress, and if you’re already worried about money, you don’t need piles of clutter adding to your anxiety. But trying to sell your old electronics, books, and movies online can be a chore, and you might make only a fraction of what your items are worth.

We conducted a test of the top services online and found that Decluttr pays up to 33% more than other buyback programs, plus it was super easy to use.

Just type in the specs of your old gadgets or use the Decluttr app to scan the barcodes on your books, video games and DVDs, and you’ll get a quote instantly. Then all you have to do is put your stuff in a box, stick on the free shipping label, and drop it off at the nearest UPS store.

11. Shrink your student loan debt

Miniature graduation cap on hundred dollar bills
zimmytws / Shutterstock

Payments on federal student loans have been paused through the end of 2020, but if you’ve got debt from a private student loan you’re still on the hook for your regular monthly minimum.

The good news is that right now interest rates on private student loans are at all-time lows — as low as 1% in some cases — and refinancing your loan can save you a bundle.

Refinancing lets you pay off your current debt with a new loan that has a lower interest rate. Your monthly payment will go down, and you’ll have more money to spend on other things.

12. Make your hobby your new side gig

Everybody's got a hobby. What's yours? You could use it to score some side gigs and supplement your income.

The world’s largest online marketplace for digital services makes it super easy to get paid for doing what you love.

It’s sort of like using a dating site — you just create a profile describing what you bring to the table, and people will find you based on what they’re looking for.

Once you start completing gigs and racking up positive reviews, you can bump up the price of your services and make even more money.