Since humans started considering money an asset, we’ve been consistently trying to acquire more and more of it. It makes sense too, money truly does make the world go round. You don’t have to like that fact, but it’s important to recognize that earning more money, up to a certain point, does make you happy and help you out.

We won’t get into the specifics of the studies around money and happiness, but having more of it can help make your life easier by making insurance more affordable, easier to buy necessities like gas or food, and allow you to go on that annual trip you’ve dreamed about. If you’re looking to make your life a little bit easier, here are some tips on how to increase your income.

Start Earning Passive Income

The first step is to figure out how to earn money in your sleep. You can only work a finite amount of hours at a job, and even if you own a business, there are only so many hours a day you can be awake. This is why it’s important to earn a passive income, which is money that is earned from assets or investments without intervention.

Usually, people like to buy stocks or property, both excellent choices to earn passive income, so you need to research how these can help. Other passive income opportunities involve buying vending machines, buying a franchise, or buying an asset that will help earn while you sleep. This is how a lot of rich people make their money, by doing it without even thinking about it.

Earn Money with Side Gigs

Having one job is sometimes not enough to earn the money you need these days. Unless you’re a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, a computer developer, or an already strong job, then you’re unlikely to make much just from your sole income. Taking up a side gig or side hustle can be easy, if you look at Paid From Surveys, you can see that some people earn some extra cash just by completing surveys. It doesn’t stop there either, you can learn to code on the side, you can learn graphic design, or you could help write articles. A traditional option is taking up a second, part-time job, like delivering, but the point is that you have choices.

Invest Instead of Saving

Saving money is great, don’t get it confused. You need money to be safe in case of an emergency like your car breaking down, but the interest rates stink, and inflation is lowering your money’s worth. The best solution is to make sure that you are investing in stocks, real estate, or appreciated assets. The interest rate can help you earn money (ex. Passive income) that compounds, which Einstein famously called the 8th wonder of the world. Compound interest will allow your money to make more money for you.

Learn Marketable Skills

Most of the side jobs or side gigs that you already read mentioned skilled freelance positions. This is an important way to make sure you can earn more money. If you are able to learn a skill that can pay the bills you can help supplement your income to help pad your bank account and investments. Graphic design, web design, and development, coding, writing, music, editing, all of these are skills that people are looking to hire or contract for so you need to find time to teach yourself some new abilities if you want to increase your income.

Ask for a Raise

The classic option is to go up to your boss and simply ask for a raise. It’s obviously a lot more complicated, but it often does work. You need to make sure you feel you are ready for one and deserve it, so that means dedicating time to working hard, showing off exemplary behavior, and proving your worth. Still, it’s better than not because most people don’t even try to ask for a raise.

Improve Your Resume

As an addition to asking for a raise, it could be helpful to boost that resume while you’re at it. This means adding skills (like the ones mentioned), getting educated more to qualify for a position (adding a Master’s degree), or completing qualifications (certificate courses). Beefing up your resume could be a boon to your prospects of landing a better job or landing a gainful promotion or raise.

Contrary to what many think, going to school to get a degree and getting a good job isn’t the only path in life to earn money. There are endless possibilities out there waiting to be seized upon if you take the time to go for them and can help you increase your income and find what you love.