Smart Ways to Earn Smart Money

Work Freelance

he recession has driven more and more companies to look for contract and freelance work as an alternative to full-time positions. Farming out work to independent contractors makes sense for the bottom line because companies can pay for the work they need done, with decreased overhead expenses like benefits and setting up a physical office for each employee. In today's economy, nine in 10 companies use some amount of contract work [source: Koba]. If you have a marketable skill like graphic design, search engine optimization, Web design, public relations or writing, you can take advantage of those employers' cost cutting.

Hourly pay for freelance work tends to be higher than for salaried positions. On the other hand, you will have to account for gaps between assignments. For a company, the benefit of hiring freelancers is not having to pay them when it doesn't need them. To get started, research online markets to determine the going rate for the type of work you'll be doing. There are multiple Web sites where you can post your resume and search job listings, including elance.com, ratracerebellion.com and flexjobs.com. Some sites charge a commission to connect you with an employer, others charge a flat fee to access the listings, and some are completely free.

Be an Agent for a Direct Selling Company

Before the get-rich-quick hype of eBay, there was the get-rich-quick hype of direct selling programs like Avon and Amway. But like selling on eBay, it's hard to become a millionaire selling makeup and cleaning supplies to your neighbors. According to Amway, the average salesperson earns $115 a month selling Amway products [source: Amway]. Of course, like any other kind of selling, the amount of time and energy you put in is going to affect your sales.

Direct sellers use individual salespeople to sell their products instead of using traditional retail. To join Amway, you sign up with one of the company's salespeople (or "independent business owners"). That person then provides you with catalogs and samples. As you make sales, you purchase products atwholesale from your sponsor, and keep the difference between the wholesale and the resale price as profit. You can also earn bonuses and higher sales commissions as you sell more.

Cover Your Car with Advertisements

Who wouldn't want to make a little extra cash these days?

Thinkstock/Brand X Pictures

The idea of getting rich quick and making easy money is part of the persons's Dream. Who hasn't spent time daydreaming about becoming one of those overnight millionaires? But your high school economics teacher was probably right: There's no such thing as a free lunch. With the exception of the occasional lottery winner, making real money takes time and effort. Still, there are legitimate ways you can make extra money to supplement the income from your day job, without breaking your back.

Have you been driving down the road and suddenly seen a car drive by plastered in ads for potato chips or an energy drink? Maybe you thought the car belonged to an employee with the company. But a number of advertising firms will actually pay drivers to have their own cars covered with ads.

Depending on the firm, the length of the promotion and your region, you can be paid between $400 and $900 per month to serve as a moving billboard. Some companies will even provide you with a car to drive, free of charge. All you have to do is sign up on the company's Web site, filling in basic demographic information [source: Autowrapped, Free Car Media]. Then, if a specific advertiser decides they want to target your particular demographic, they'll select you for a promotion. Promotions last from a few months to years, so the extra income could add up to a nice sum.

Of course, since you're chosen based on demographics and region, it could be that you sign up, never to be selected by a company, or have to wait years before being selected. If a sponsor chooses you, the amount of commitment and effort is relatively minimal. You'll be required to drive a certain number of miles per month to fulfill your contract, and you'll have to set aside four to eight hours for your car to be wrapped at the beginning of each promotion. Once the ads are removed, your car will be undamaged by the process.