There are several ways that your home can help you make some extra money. Owning your own home gives you a lot more freedom to use your living space as you see fit and here are some suggestions for how you can use it to make some extra cash!
You can rent out a room or a suite of your home for hundreds of dollars in rent that can cover a substantial portion of your mortgage. With the right renters (screen people carefully, folks!), You will have more home security and a reliable income. You can also maintain more control over what the renters can and can not do when they know you're just a wall away. You will want to check up on your area's laws relating landlord-tenant relationships and responsibilities.
You can rent out space on your property. Often, people are looking for a place to park their car, RV or boat for a few days, weeks or months and if you can offer a space where they will not be hassled, yet will not have to pay as much as standard parking / storage fees, they may well jump at the chance. If you have a large workshop, barn or other structure, you may be able to divide it up into compartments that keep people's belongings safe. It's a good idea to make sure that the laws in your area do not limit or prohibit this kind of business, so check to be safe.
A garden can do more for you than give you fresh vegetables. A few extra rows of fruit or vegetables could net you a few dollars at your local farmers market. Also, the money you save in produce could end up being thousands over the year, especially if you learn how to can and make jams, jellies and preserves.
Many people earn extra money by caring for children in their home. If you're a stay-at-home parent, this is a great, easy way to provide your child (ren) with playmates as well as earning money. You may have to get a license to operate an in-home daycare. If looking after kids is your idea of a great time, this could be a fun way of making money without having to change into business clothes or even leave the house.
Pet sitting is another care service that you can operate in your home, one that does not require any sort of licensing. (You may get more clients if you are able to advertise your bondable status) There are many people with regular jobs who need someone to make sure that Rover gets a walk outside, not to mention the many dogs who need regular medication and a special feeding schedule. This could become problematic if one of the dogs is an annoying barker, but many daycare dogs are laid back family pets that just need a trip or two out in the yard or a friend to play with.
These are just a few of the things you can do with your own home to earn some extra cash for vacations, emergency funds or to pay a little extra on the mortgage each year. There are many more things you can do with your home to make money; just check the Internet for more ideas!
