How Can You Increase Your Income?

A young woman emailed me recently and she asked, “how can I increase my income.” At first I felt a bit perplexed but then I realized how hard it really is to live any sort of quality-of-life on just one salary these days.

To combat that situation, many people decide to use credit cards to complement their lifestyle. That is all good and dandy but it’s often a recipe for financial disaster for a lot of people.

So, instead, there are other creative ways to make more money without digging yourself into a financial grave. Check out these six ways you can potentially increase your income:

1. Ask for a Raise

Asking for a raise can be the best way to obtain the compensation you deserve if your job duties have changed significantly or if your performance merits an income increase. So, if you feel it’s the right time to ask for a raise, go for it.

2. Get a Second Job

Another way to increase your income is getting a second job. There are lots of part-time jobs that offer flexible hours and can be scheduled around your regular job. A steady job often isn’t enough to get by, so taking on a second or part-time job could be the difference between making it or failure.

3. Go Back to School

If you want to move up in your company and have the time, you may want to consider going back to school. Attaining new skills, getting credentials, or earning a degree (or advance) often translate into better jobs and increased pay.

4. Rent Out a Room

It has never been easier to earn extra income by renting out a room in your home or apartment, either for a long or short period. This can quickly turn into a reliable source of secondary income.

5. Turn Your Hobby Into a Business

If you have a hidden talent or passion you'd like to one day do full-time, you can probably find a way to use your skills to turn a profit. If there is a need and you feel that others might be interested in learning about your unique skills, there are numerous ways to sell your work online/offline and get paid for it.

6. Look for a New Job

You may need to start looking for new opportunities if you feel like your current job leaves little room for advancement or if there doesn’t seem to be a raise coming your way anytime soon. Today, employees are taking note of rising wages and using this moment to go for jobs that would mean a bigger paycheck. This could work out in favor of people looking for a raise, or to switch careers into sectors that’s struggling to find employees.

In closing, I recalled asking myself this same question when I was in college. There’s no reason why I should’ve not been so perplexed. I worked two part-time jobs and was a full-time Temple University student for a few years. Was I crazy, yes, but I was in survival mode. I had no choice and I simply had to do what I had to do. You can do it too! Remember, it won’t last forever but I can almost guarantee you that it will help you plant a solid foundation for better things to come.