Earning a Supplemental Income

Median salaries in the U.S. fell below $28,000 in 2010. For many Americans, this means that there's not enough money to make ends meet. So in order to survive and pay for basic expenses, more and more people are turning to second jobs for an extra income stream.

Here are some helpful jobs that can get you paid without having to commit too many hours of your free time:

Image Courtesy of Karen Marlene Larsen via Flickr

Work as a Freelancer

The most common form of freelance work on the internet is writing; but, there are still a number of talents that can be parlayed into some freelance work. Photographers and artists often work as freelancers; they can offer valuable services to an employer who needs work done, but doesn't want to hire additional staff.

Start Your Own Business

If you're in a financial pinch, www.mobiloans.com can give you emergency cash. However, a good long-term plan is to use your knowledge to start a small business. Many people have a special talent or hobby which can be used as a drive to venture out in a business. For instance, if you are musically inclined, you can use your skills to mentor a kid who loves music. You can give lessons, charging a competitive hourly fee. And who knows, if you have done great, your music apprentice will spread the word and you might have to expand into a musical school in no time.

Another example is the thousands of people who have started a side career on eBay. You can begin by selling things around your house or garage that you no longer need, such as old books. If you have an enhanced knowledge or specialty in a particular item, you could open a buy-and-sell operation on eBay and you’ll never notice how cash flows in an instant.

Image via Flickr

Write Online Reviews

The yellow pages are out and online reviews are in. However, did you know there are many companies willing to pay people to write positive reviews for them? Online feedback can make or break the reputation of a restaurant, retailer, or service provider. Rather than advertise themselves through traditional media (which would cost them a lot of money), they opt for "word-of-mouth," paying you to write a fresh blurb about the company. It's not all that different from an actor being paid to peddle a product on a TV commercial.

During this economic meltdown, a side job that backs you up financially has become a necessity. It’s high time that you discover your potentials and use them to launch your side career.