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If you’re like most people, the idea of earning a little extra cash now and then sounds good. But how do you go about it? Here are 12 simple ways to increase your income when you need the occasional boost:

1. Complete product surveys. (Pinecone Research is a legitimate company that pays reliably — the only downside is that in order to sign up you have to find a Pinecone banner on the net, and they’re only up intermittently. Google searches for the ads are probably your best bet.)

2. Babysit. Gone are the days of getting paid $1 or $2 an hour for babysitting — according to Sitter City the average rate for a college age sitter is $10-$12 per hour.

3. Petsit (or walk dogs). This is best done with animals that you know well already, but if your friends call you Dr. Doolittle you may want to look into getting bonded or joining a service so that you can branch out to caring for other animals as well.

4. Do yardwork. This could include mowing lawns, pulling weeds, trimming shrubs, and picking up after dogs.

5. Housesit. This is especially good if you live in a resort town or an area with winter visitors, because they need people to check in on their property during the months when it’s unoccupied. It can require anything from picking up mail & newspapers for vacationers, to watering plants and checking for damage after storms. Most people are happy to pay a few bucks for some peace of mind.

6. Re-sell brand name baby clothes & related items. If you’ve got a little more time on your hands and enjoy the hunt, scouting garage sales for baby items that are in good condition can bring decent profits. The idea is simple: buy low, sell higher. You can sell your finds on ebay or drop them off at local resale shops & let them do the work.

7. Tutor. Have a college degree or are especially good at a particular subject? Chances are there’s someone out there who could use your help. Check with area schools to see if they ever recommend tutors, or post notices online. Large tutoring companies are always looking for new recruits as well.

8. Recycle. While you won’t bring in a lot of cash doing this (unless you luck into some copper that someone wants to dispose of) you can generate a small amount of income while making the world a better place.

9. Clean. As long as there are people that hate cleaning, there will be opportunity here. Clean houses for individuals, or join a service that cleans office buildings at night — they’re almost always hiring, and they usually don’t mind giving just a few hours a week.

10. Sell concessions at events. Live near a stadium or ballpark? Check with them to see if they’re in need of help. As a bonus, if you find yourself selling pop at a football stadium, you’ll soon find yourself in better shape as well. There’s nothing like going up & down stadium steps with an armload of drinks to tone the legs and improve your cardio.

11. Get back to the farm. If you live near a rural area, there is almost always seasonal work to be had. This can include detassling corn, picking berries, and more.

12. Freelance. Writing, editing, web design, graphic design, coding, & more are all things that you can do from home as a freelancer. Sites like guru.com can help bring clients to you.

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