Living hand-to-mouth can be a real struggle. No matter how hard you work, or how much effort you put into impressing your bosses, your income simply doesn’t leave enough left over at the end of the month. Yes, you might earn enough to just about get by, but you don’t have the cash necessary to splash out on those little luxuries that you love so much, and this can really start to rankle.

 

If you find yourself in this situation, you’ve probably already exhausted the obvious solutions: asking for more hours at work, seeking a promotion, and so on. But if your employer can’t deliver, this needn’t mean that all hope is lost. Here, we share just three ideas to help you increase your monthly income all by yourself…

 

#1: Freelance Your Skills

 

The skills you’ve gained through working may not be enough to earn you a promotion, or to entice your boss to increase your monthly wage, but they can still be put to use to help boost your bank balance. How? By freelancing. Offering your skills in a self-employed capacity will allow you to work more hours, and the average freelancer tends to earn a significantly higher wage than their office-based counterparts to boot.

 

#2: Utilise Your Talents

 

Another idea to explore is teaching or tutoring in one form or another. A lot of us have hobbies and hidden talents, and most will have spent years honing their skills in their chosen field. Whether it’s horse riding, piano playing, or mathematics, this can be used to your advantage. People will pay significant sums for hour-long lessons from someone with the experience and passion to teach them all that they need to know. Post some leaflets through doors, advertise online, and see how long it takes you to get your first client.

 

#3: Investing

 

For something a little different again, you could always consider investing. Many of the financial markets trade around the clock, and brokers like OANDA offer 24-hour access to them. This means that your new pursuit can be carefully worked around your existing job, helping to boost your income without impinging too heavily on your time. The best bit is that investing has the potential to be highly lucrative, and with so many different assets to choose from, you can always find something that suits you well enough to deliver success.

 

If you’re searching for inspiration, be inspired. Choose one of these ideas, give it a go, and watch the profits pile up.