Legal Ways to Make Extra Money Fast in Australia

New flash! In Australia, you need multiple jobs to keep up with inflation rates. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, inflation in Australia had reached 4.0%, up from 3.6% earlier that year by May 2024. This happened at the same time that wage growth slowed. For example, at the start of 2024, workers’ wages from agreements went up by an average of 3.9% (Just know that this is less than the 4.4% increase at the end of 2023). To double down, wages only rose by 3.6% in the private sector, which is the same as the inflation rate. 

This shows that while inflation is rising, wages aren’t growing enough to keep up. As a result, workers’ real income is shrinking. So, our point stands that, until wages increase, inflation will continue to strain our finances. 

We don’t recommend demanding a raise or doing magic for a promotion. Instead, we can give you side hustle ideas that fit your schedules and budget. We’ve added over 30 legal ways to earn extra money quickly in Australia. By putting in just a few hours each week, you can start making extra income alongside your main job until it becomes a full-time opportunity! 

Check out our list of over 30 ways to make money, organised by category. We have sections for online and offline options, budget-friendly ideas, and creative side hustles. For each idea, we share details on how to start and what you can expect to earn. We’ve also included some Reddit communities where Australians can connect and share tips. They’re all completely legal and don’t require large upfront costs, so you can start working toward financial stability right away. Let’s start! 

Here are the best profitable ways to make money in Australia:

1. Use Freelance Platforms 

People who have a main job or skills in areas like social media marketing or graphic design should try freelance platforms. They are a quick way to earn money. It’s simple as businesses post job listings, and as you complete more tasks successfully, you’ll increase your chances of landing even more work. If you’re unsure of your specific freelancing skills, you can try simpler tasks like audio transcription or data entry.

Get started: Go on Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer. It might take a few weeks to land your first job.

Payment expectations: Depends on the platform and your skills. To ensure you’re charging fairly for your work, keep an eye on the standard rates for your specific field.

Communities: r/freelance

Is it For You? The setup to freelance platforms is easy but make sure to have skills that earn good profits.

2. Try Online Tutoring

Are you the friend who helps others prepare for exams? Try your hand as a private online tutor. You’ll earn well if you’re good at subjects like math, science, and foreign language. You can choose to teach online or in person. Your pay will depend on your experience, subject knowledge, and demand for your services. To begin, join an online tutoring platform and set up your profile. You can also spread the word at local schools, universities, and community centers! 

Get started: Go to Australian platforms like Learnmate and The Tutoring Company.

Payment expectations: Expect to earn anywhere from $30 to over $90 per hour. You’ll usually get paid a few days to a week after each session.

Communities: r/Australianteachers

Is it For You? It takes some effort in the beginning to get students but it gets manageable with time. 

3. Provide Online Translation or Transcription Services

Another way to earn money through bilingual skills is through online translation or transcription services. Just listen to audio recordings from clients and write down everything they hear. These recordings can come from videos, voice memos, phone conversations, or legal meetings. 

Get started: Go to sites like OzLance, Pacific Transcription, SEEK, and Rev/

Payment expectations: At first, the pay is between $15 and $22 for each hour of audio transcribed, but the average yearly salary for a transcriptionist in Australia is $50,000.

Communities: r/transcriptionjobs and r/WorkOnline. 

Is it For You? Anyone with fast typing speed can do it. Some platforms might require a test before you can start. If you pass it, you can earn online with just a computer and an internet connection.

4. Create an Online Course

Too shy to do one-on-one tutoring? Try making an online course to teach your unique skills. Once your course is ready, anyone can enroll and learn from it at their convenience. This is the best source for earning passive income! After setting up your course, you’ll continue to earn with minimal ongoing effort. 

Get started: Platforms like Udemy, Digitalon, Skillshare, and Teachable let you create courses on a variety of topics. It could be a new language, home painting techniques, or job interview tips. Choose a subject you know well and find students through tutoring platforms or local schools.

Payment expectations: It depends on the site and promotions. On average, instructors on Udemy make between $6,000 and $7,000, though earnings can vary. 

Communities: r/Onlinecourses and r/Entrepreneur

Is it For You? This is great for writers and journalists. But make sure the written course has print form as well to make more earning. We recommend partnering with a local printer shop for better profit. 

5. Start Affiliate Marketing

Have a blog? Earn money from it through affiliate marketing. First, make sure your blog has a good amount of traffic. Then, through an affiliate link, you will have opportunities to earn some money. This is usually done through special links or codes. You can use this income to invest back into your content or business.

Get started: Go to sites like Commission Junction, ShareASale, FlexOffers, Rakuten Advertising, and Amazon Associates. You earn a commission each time someone buys through your affiliate link. 

Payment expectations: It depends on the sites and the price of products. To make an estimate, many affiliates make around $1,000 or more each month.

Communities: r/Affiliatemarketing 

Is it For You? If you have an online presence, affiliate marketing would go well. However, the income is based on the terms and conditions of the affiliate programs, which can be changed anytime.

6. Launch a Dropshipping Business

Dropshipping means you sell products online. But instead of handling the inventory or shipping yourself, the supplier takes care of those tasks. You act like a middleman between the buyer and the supplier. Many platforms connect you with suppliers from around the world and handle the shipping process for you.

Get started: Build an online store and link it to a dropshipping app. Use Platforms like DropShipZone, iDropship, and DropSite. It may seem like a quick money-making scheme but do your research well! 

Payment expectations: It depends as some people earn around $1,000 a month, while others reach an average of $7,731 per month. Some even grow their yearly income to nearly six figures! 

Communities: r/dropshipping and r/dropship

Is it For You? This is best for anyone who wants to start an online business with minimal upfront costs. If dropshipping is expensive in Australia with regular Alibaba and Aliexpress, try using Temu or Zendrop.

7. See if Social Media is For You

There are many options like YouTube, Spotify Podcasts, Twitch, Instagram, and TikTok. Here’s what we recommend for each platform:  

• Make Money from Ads on YT: To earn money from ads on YouTube, you need to be in the YouTube Partner Program. Only people with at least 1,000 subscribers can sign up for that. First, do that and you can then use Google AdSense, which is a place where businesses can pay you to promote them in your videos. To get started, create engaging videos and Shorts that attract your target audience. 
• Get Sponsored On Social Media: Shooting on TikTok or Instagram can earn you cash. Be consistent, and soon brands will pay you to get the word out for them when you get a committed following.
• Start a Podcast: Instead of joking about starting a podcast, just start it. Go to platforms like Spotify for Podcasters, Buzzsprout, and PodBean and upload! It’s relatively inexpensive to start. You can buy a good USB microphone for under $100, and use free recording software like Audacity. We recommend recording a few episodes ahead of time and planning your launch strategy. 
• Monetize Your Twitch Channel: Twitch offers ways for a gamer with a steady following to earn money at home. Viewers can donate directly to streamers, and once a streamer reaches Affiliate or Partner status, they receive a share of subscription and ad revenue! 

Also, connect with like-minded people on r/SocialMediaMarketing. 

Here are creative ways to earn money (Just know that payment will depend on your skills and talents):

1. Make Profits on Etsy Market

People who are into making things like jewelry, pottery, woodworking crafts, sewing, or embroidery can make money with them. Just sell your creations on platforms like Etsy shop. To get started, you need to make an account on Etsy, create a shop, write clear descriptions, and upload high-quality photos of your handmade products. That can be a lot but the reason we recommend this for creative Australians is that you can control the pricing. For communities, go to r/EtsySellers, r/ecommerce, and r/artbusiness. 

Tips! Other best places where you can sell your handmade items are on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay. Furthermore, if the business starts to grow, and you’d like to create your own e-commerce site, you can use Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix. 

2. Write for Income

People who love to write and connect with people through writing can start blogging or writing. Blogging is a low-risk way to begin a side business, as the startup costs are minimal. With time, advertisers may even come to you, leading to financial success. Want to get started? Try Substack. 

Another income from the writing method is Freelance writing. Businesses and individuals constantly need content; you can write it for them. Which Writing Areas Should You Focus On? Try business writing, email marketing, sales copywriting ( landing pages, product descriptions, or online ads), and SEO copywriting (articles on topics like lifestyle, health, or travel). Use Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer. 

Tip! Avoid ghostwriting. They charge very low rates for writing whole books so it’s not worth it. 

3. Sell Your Photography

You can sell your own photography on Stock photo websites like Shutterstock and Getty Images. They are always on the lookout for new pictures to use in advertising and online. As long as websites exist, the demand for fresh photos will never go away since companies need to update their visuals regularly. 

Just buy a high-end DSLR or a good phone. Then, build a portfolio online and get to hustling. Here are other ways that you can get your money: 

• Try selling your photography as prints or feature them on products like mugs, t-shirts, or posters. We also recommend partnering with a local printer. This way you can sell your photography as wall art or merchandise.
• Offer photography as a service. Events like weddings, concerts, graduations, and family gatherings are great opportunities.

Tip! The best Platforms for selling digital art or prints are Society6, Fine Art America, SmugMug (For mugs), 500px, and PhotoShelter.

4. Offer Your Voice as a Voiceover Artist

You can use your voice for various projects, from narrating audiobooks to bringing animated characters to life. With a good microphone and some basic audio editing tools, you can begin this work right from home.

Use free software to record high-quality sound recordings like Audacity. Then, send that recorded sample work on freelance sites like Voices, EM Voices, or Fiverr to find jobs. If you’re successful, you can earn at least AU $524.70 per hour.

Cheap and Safe Work-From-Home Ideas

In these methods, you need no money to get started: 

1. Take Online Surveys

Many companies and researchers are interested in your opinions about their products and services. And you can earn money by giving them surveys or by sharing your opinions. The topics are diverse from the latest TV shows to products like cereals or dog food. You won’t make much money but you will make quick money! 

To begin, join survey websites like Octopus Group, YouGov,  Branded Surveys, Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Ipsos iSay, OpinionWorld Australia, or Toluna. Just join and sign up! Then, these sites will send you information about surveys you can take.

On average, expect to earn $1 to $5 for completing online surveys. For more profits, check out Real Time Research or Paid focus groups. To avoid scams, make sure to always discuss at r/beermoneyaus community. 

2. Earn Money by Testing Products and Apps

Before new products or apps hit the market, companies need feedback from regular consumers. To get this feedback, companies use product or app testers who review and give their opinions on various items. In return, testers receive free product payment, or both! 

To find these opportunities, check out matchmaking sites like Home Tester Club (For products), UserTesting (for apps), uTest, Userlytics, UserCrowd, and IntelliZoom.

Just know that product testers usually make between $10 to $60 for each test they complete. Also, some app testers get paid as much as $100 for just an hour of testing.

3. Do Tasks on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk is an Amazon website where one can earn $500 per month by doing simple tasks. Companies can’t rely solely on technology so for human “touch” they use Mechanical Turk. Your tasks will be labeling images, transcribing audio, or organizing data. 

Every job provides a specific payment rate and time that the poster of the job has set. Therefore, the person whose work you have to do must pay for it and approve your work before a payment is issued. Luckily, payments are usually transferred quickly to your Amazon account without any delays. To watch out for scams, check out discussions on r/mturk for advice.

4. Sell Your Used Items

We all have some products lying around in our house or clothes we don’t wear and never will. Instead of letting them collect dust, sell them. The point is they must be in good condition. Discuss on r/thrifting to get new ideas. 

You can either go to local consignment stores or use online platforms to find buyers. For online sales, take clear, well-lit photos of your clothes and items and check out similar items to set a fair price. Usually, you’ll get a free shipping bag from online consignment services, fill it with your clothes or items, and send it back. Even phones and laptops can be sold (as both people often buy them to fix up and resell).

Which online platform to use? Try Gumtree (For all items), Facebook Marketplace (For all items), Yordtrobe (For clothes only), The Closet, Depop, SwapUp, and The Re: Club. 

5. Purchase and Resell Items from Police Auctions

Not many Australians know that buying items from police auctions is both possible and legal. When the police recover stolen goods but can’t find the original owners, they often auction them off to the public. Go to the Breen Auctions official site to know when auctions happen and show up to buy! 

It’s worth considering as you can buy items like Apple products, Samsung, furniture, collectibles, and more useful stuff! After buying, it’s up to you to use them or resell them.

These are the best side gigs to earn extra money in Australia. These are great for students or people who are free on weekends:

1. Become a Home or Pet Sitter

Babysitting, house sitting, and pet sitting are all the best ways to earn on weekends. Now, they have platforms for all, so the question is, what do you prefer? Don’t worry, let us help you out:

• Babysitting and Nannying: This can be a steady source of income if you’re comfortable with kids and pass a background check. Even if you don’t know people locally who need a babysitter, you can find some very trusted platforms like Sittr, Babysits, Find A Babysitter, And Kiddo to connect with local families. For more intel, go to r/Nanny. 
• House Sitting: Don’t like kids? Then try the job of a house sitter. You just take care of someone’s home while they’re away. You are assigned to do tasks tasks like feeding pets, watering plants, or taking out the trash. Try platforms like AussieHouseSitters, Trusted Housesitters, and Happy House Sitters. Also, discuss on r/housesitting. 
• Pet Sitting: For those who love animals, pet sitting and dog walking are a great side hustle. You can start charging clients for services when you walk, sit, or administer medication to pets if necessary on a separate basis if you’re experienced at that. Depending on how good you are, you can charge between 30-$100. Apply to platforms like Pawshake, PetCloud, and Mad Paws for on-demand service. To improve, take tips from r/Dogtraining and r/petsitting communities. 

2. Earn Money Using Your Car

Have a car or have skills in car services? Use it to make easy money in different ways. Here are different methods you can pick: 

• Rent Your Car: You could be missing out on easy cash if your car is not being used. Consider renting it out with Uber Carshare and Drive Mate. While the platform takes a small fee based on the plan you choose, you typically keep most of the earnings. Check out discussions at r/ubercarshare for tips.
• Drive for rideshare services: Make money by driving for rideshare services and providing people with rides around town. Register at rideshare companies, like Uber, DiDi, and Shebah (for female drivers and passengers). All you need is a car that meets the platform’s standards. Plus, you must pass background and driving history checks. We also recommend considering the cost of fuel and maintenance. For more tips from the driver community, check out r/uberdrivers.

3. Make Deliveries

Delivering jobs are always in need of more people. So, you can try apps like Uber Eats, Instacart(for groceries), Spark Driver (Walmart’s delivery app), Menulog, and DoorDash anytime as they offer flexible hours and instant payouts. Although the pay might not be very high, it’s a quick way to earn money (between $20 to $35 per hour). The plus point is that peak times are during weekends and dinner hours, which can be particularly profitable for students. 

You don’t need a car for every delivery, bikes and scooters are often sufficient. Anyone who has good knowledge of the area and navigation skills will do well. If you’re not confident with directions, this might not be the best option. For more tips, visit forums like r/amazonflexdrivers and r/ubereatsdrivers.

4. Rent Out Your Extra Room

Sometimes, renting out your extra room on Airbnb can be a practical move. It’s not the same as the movies but it will take away some financial stress. Sharing your home can lower your rent or mortgage costs. Also, groceries are costing a lot, you can split them as well! Find a roommate in the Airbnb Hosts community. Before listing, make sure your rental agreement allows for guests to stay.

5. Try Odd Jobs in Australia 

Here are simple yet odd jobs that anyone in Australia can do: 

• On Airtasker: Pick up various tasks and connect with people who need your help on Airtasker. You can do simple jobs like putting together flatpack furniture and cleaning houses to complex ones like helping with moving, creating websites, or mowing lawns. Simply sign up, list your skills, or respond to task requests from other users. Some people even use Airtasker as their primary source of income. Visit r/airtaskerdiscussion to see what others are saying.
• On Sidekicker: Sidekicker is another great option for temporary jobs, where you can earn $30 to $40 per shift. It’s similar to Airtasker but just has a different site. It connects businesses with temporary staff. Just sign up through their app and select shifts that fit your schedule. Check out r/AusFinance for discussions about Sidekicker.

Mystery Shopper: Mystery shopping lets you evaluate businesses from a customer’s perspective. You can visit locations like a store or a restaurant and report on your experience to improve the business. To start, apply through a mystery shopping company, which might take some time to approve. Use sites like Mystery Customer and Field Agent. For more info, check out r/mysteryshopping.