There are two ways to balance your budget – either through saving by spending less or by making some extra cash each month to cover for your expenses. Saving might sound easier, but often you realize that you are already at the limit, and you can’t afford to reduce your spending any more. If this is the case, there is nothing left but to make an extra buck. Some methods need an initial investment – like getting involved in a multi level marketing scheme or starting to trade Forex from home – but there are others that don’t. I will try to present some of these below.

1. Write articles and sell them

There are so many blogs and other websites out there, with one thing in common – they need quality content to grow. The content for personal blogs is written by their authors, but there are niche blogs – publications that focus on a specific topic – that often call on outsiders to provide the much needed articles. This is where you come in. Choose a topic – preferably one that you are well informed about – and create articles about it. Personal finance, business, investments, home improvements and DIY decorations or life hacks – these are popular topics nowadays.

If your articles are good enough, you will be able to sell them through various venues – websites like Fiverr, Gigbucks or Dollar3 for example, that allow you to sell your products or services for a specific amount. Take a look, gather some ideas and get started. And when you have the funds, you can create your own website and take things to the next level.

2. Take surveys for cash

This will not make you huge amounts of money, but surely beats mobile casino games when it comes to profits. Companies are always in need of feedback from their customers – you, me, anyone else. This is why they hire market research companies that are able to provide them with the much needed information, and these companies will happily pay you for your opinion. Depending on the length and complexity of a survey, you can earn between a few cents and a few bucks for each. It will not make you rich, but in the long run it can provide you with enough extra income to invest in something more fruitful.

Sometimes the companies don’t pay you in cash, but in coupons or products. Coupons can be used for saving cash when shopping, while the products – if you don’t need them – can be sold, adding a few extra bucks to your monthly budget.