10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Income by $1,000 a Year

A little effort here and there can add up over the year.

These days, who doesn't need a few extra bucks in their bank account? Whether you're building an emergency fund, planning a vacation, or just need a little more breathing room in your budget, even $1,000 a year can go a long way.

At first, it may seem like a big ask. $1,000 isn't exactly small change. But when you break it down over the course of the year, it's not as bad as you think. In fact, $1,000 a year is less than $85 a month. And $85 a month is totally doable -- without spending every weekend working an exhausting side hustle.

To help you get the brain juice flowing, here are a few easy ways you could potentially boost your yearly income by an extra $1,000.

1. Ask for a raise

All right, so asking for a raise isn't always easy. It can be intimidating at times. But earning an extra $1,000 a year doesn't require you to demand a massive pay increase. Boosting your paycheck by just $40 every two weeks would mean earning an extra $1,040 annually.

2. House, kid, or pet-sit

Many folks are happy to pay a decent rate for someone trustworthy to mind their home or family (and yes, we mean pets, too!) while they're away. Rates can vary based on the type of sitting you do, and where you do it, but a few days a month could easily turn into an extra $1,000 a year -- or more.

3. Teach or tutor

No matter what kind of skills you have, chances are pretty good that someone else wants to learn them, too. The going rate for a good tutor can vary a lot by what you're teaching. Simple grade-school tutors tend to charge $15 to $25 an hour, while more advanced lessons in specific skills could easily make you up to $50 an hour. Either way, an hour or two a week (or less) could get you to that $1,000 a year goal.

4. Do market research and surveys

Nearly every industry out there relies on market research and user surveys to create and refine their products. Dozens, if not hundreds, of websites help them do this by paying everyday people for their opinions. How much you make depends a lot on how much time you invest, but a few hours a week can add up quickly over time.

5. Earn credit card rewards

One of the ways credit card companies compete for customers is by offering rewards to folks who use their cards to make purchases. The simplest form of rewards are cash back rewards, which can be redeemed as statement credit to pay off your bill -- or even as cash right into your bank account.

If you're maximizing your rewards, you can easily turn your everyday purchases into hundreds of dollars in cash back or points over the course of a year. And when you throw in a sign-up bonus or two each year, you can easily hit that $1,000 mark. Just be sure you're not spending beyond your budget, and that you pay off your balances in full each month to avoid interest fees.

6. Optimize your bills

Although your first thought when thinking of boosting your income is to bring in more money, you may be able to get that extra $1,000 simply through optimizing your spending. But this doesn't necessarily mean cutting out anything. It could be as easy as doing a little research to see if you can get a better deal.

For example, when was the last time you shopped around for car insurance quotes? Or considered switching internet or cell phone providers for one of those lucrative new customer deals? It may mean a little bit of hassle -- these companies tend to make switching a pain on purpose -- but it can be worth it to shave $100 or more off your monthly bills.

7. Clear out your junk

Very few of us can say with a straight face that we don't have a little junk cluttering the garage or the attic. And for what? So you can shake your head at it in disgust twice a year as you think, "Man, I really should do something about all this junk." Well, now's the time. Stick that junk on your local classified website or social media group and let someone else store it -- while they pay you for the privilege of buying it.

8. Rent out (or even ditch) your car

Are you working from home for good now and done with the daily commute? Are you a homebody who rarely uses the car on the weekends? In either case, you can use car-sharing apps like Turo to rent your car out to other people who need a temporary set of wheels.

Better yet, depending on how often you use (or, rather, don't use) your car, it may even make more sense to sell it and rely on the car-sharing or ride-sharing apps yourself.

9. Sign up for a coupon app

We've all heard the stories of the wacky couponers who turn a stack of clippings into a ceiling-high stockpile. But you don't need to be quite that dedicated to score some decent savings. In fact, you don't even need to own scissors. These days, you can simply download a coupon app or two and turn your regular shopping into some decent savings. Some of the apps can even be integrated into your web browser for automatic savings while shopping online.

10. Sell your photos and videos

If you're someone who enjoys snapping photos or videos of all your adventures, you may be able to monetize them. There are dozens of websites dedicated to stock photos and videos that are used by everyone from content creators to major marketing companies.

The per-image profit you'll make is often small -- we're talking cents per download -- but you can upload as many items as you want. Over time, you can build up a large catalog of images or video clips that create passive income year after year.

Work smarter, not harder

Every little bit you can add to your budget can help you make ends meet. These are just a few simple ways to boost your yearly income that don't require losing your entire weekend. Choose one or two to try out -- or let them inspire your own ideas.