20 ways to make $100 more a month

Clinical trial participant

This job would give many of us the willies, but poster LSG7168-WIR wrote: "A lot of my friends … participate in clinical trials. . . . I've seen tons of ads for just answering surveys (~$10 each), a few for trying new drugs or vaccines ($200-$2,500) and one for eating a new kind of mushroom and describing whether you like the taste better or worse than other mushrooms ($50)."

Check university campuses, where these opportunities tend to be advertised.

Computer whiz

The limits are dictated only by your skills. You could help regular people troubleshoot their PCs or set up networks for local businesses.

Poster "sunny_light" wrote: "I used to develop/maintain a company Web site for about $12/$13 an hour as a part-time thing on the side. It was convenient because I could do it from home in the evening or the weekends."

Convention-center worker

These venues need plenty of part-time bodies during conventions and other events.

Poster "Debtbuster" signed up for occasional work serving ice cream and wrote: "So far I've worked during a basketball game, a wrestling tournament and a concert. They call me with available dates and I pick and chose the dates I want, depending on my full-time job and things going on at home. It's fun and exciting. Fast paced and easy work in general. … So far it's been working for me when other retail stores became too much for a tight schedule."

Editor

Not everyone can write a coherent paragraph. If you can wrestle sentences into shape, you might be able to earn extra money helping those who are less skilled. Poster "BalalaikaBanjo," who lives in a university town in the Midwest, makes extra money editing dissertations and other writing projects.

"I also did work for several professors who were writing textbooks, and this in turn led to contacts at several textbook companies," BalalaikaBanjo wrote. "They sent me work on a referral basis. . . . I only got three or four referrals per year, but each one was worth anywhere from $1,500-$2,500."

Handyman

If you've got the skills and the tools, you can help people with the tasks they can't do -- or can't get around to doing.

Poster "Covercalls" wrote: "I do little things like sealing the roof for leaks, mending the fence, doing brake and easy maintenance needs on cars for other people. These jobs usually take from 1 to 3 hours, and I estimate I make about $25 to $40 cash an hour."

Mystery shopper

I wrote about this possibility in "Real work-at-home jobs" and included links to legitimate companies that hire mystery shoppers to pose as regular customers and evaluate the service they receive.

Assignments typically pay $5 to $100 each. It helps if you live in an urban area, said poster "typer": "I tried it in my town, and I was only able to do a few things (because) the businesses didn't sign up for it -- but if you're in a large city, or close to one, you could do it."

Paper deliverer

Yes, some folks still receive their news via dead trees. It's not a bad gig if you're an early riser, says "Banker Gurl," who says she makes an extra $400 a month for an hour a day of work.

"I don't lose any spare time, or friends and family time, since I do it before I go to work." Check with your local newspapers (including "shoppers," those free newspapers that get tossed up on your porch) to see who's hiring.

Pizza deliverer

This was one of my many part-time jobs in college, and one that was reasonably lucrative, thanks to tips.

As poster "Nomad Guy" wrote: "I delivered pizzas for Papa John's and ended up really enjoying it. I worked from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. five days a week. They had weekend positions for drivers also. I ended up making anywhere from $300-$450 a week between the tips and the pay. On my best night I earned $110 in tips. I had a lot of fun and met some interesting people."

Plasma seller

You can make $10 to $35 a pop selling your plasma, a blood product, to a for-profit plasma collection center and you can donate as often as twice a week. Poster "ff991" did this while a student.

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"I made $15 the first donation, and $20 the second donation per week," ff991 wrote. "It took about 45 minutes to donate. I worked at a plasma clinic near a college campus for awhile (which is how I found out about this in the first place) and every Friday afternoon we were swamped with the college crowd (getting their 'beer money' for the weekend)." Check online or at local college campuses for advertisements.

Pooper scooper

This idea came from poster "Talk2Me2," who belongs to a group of friends who all have an entrepreneurial bent. The part-time businesses they run include a delivery service for local restaurants, prepackaged dinners for dieters, mural painting, party entertainers and, yes, pooper scoopers for busy dog owners.

"I do know that with most of the jobs it took a little while to build a clientele and I know that many of us gave incentives/freebies to get going," wrote Talk2Me2. "I also know that the hobbies/ business ventures that have worked and thrived have been with friends who are passionate about the business/hobby they chose." Well, you at least should be passionate about dogs; contact local vets and pet-supply stores to see if they'll let you put up a flier.

Continued: Become a pro shopper

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