How to Make $10,000 a Month with Multiple Income Streams

What would you do with $10,000? Whether you’re looking at how to pay off your debt, travel the world, or just make extra money, you may earn that much or more if you diversify your efforts and commit to your goal. I’m always looking for ways to increase my income, and while I know $10,000 a month in a single gig won’t do it, I’ve learned various ways to get closer to my long-term financial goals.

That’s not to say making $10,000 a month is easy. The key is determining your passions and skills to determine what will work. For example, you may need to start a new full-time job, a side hustle, and a new investment at the same time to reach your goals. Learn how to get closer to what you want and pave the way for your future.

Steps to make $10,000 a month

Learning how to make a sizable amount of money each month doesn’t happen overnight, and one gig or investment won’t make you reach your goals. The key is to create a strategy and put it into action. Here’s how.

Set a goal

Since your goal in this instance is to make $10,000 per month, try breaking it down further into how much you should be earning per day so it doesn't seem as intimidating. Chunking your goal into actionable steps will help you understand what you need to do to achieve it.

With an average of 30 days each month, you'll need to make about $333 per day, every day, to reach your goal. That’s a big goal to reach, so now you need to figure out which ways to make extra cash will get you there.

For example, answering online surveys puts extra cash in your pocket, but nowhere near $333 a day. The same is true of gig-economy apps like Instacart. Sure, you can earn money using them, but realistically, you’ll average $15 an hour with any of these apps, depending on where you live and how often you work. Since I’m guessing you don’t want to work 22 hours a day, you can see why you have to diversify your efforts.

Brainstorm and plan

Now that you know how much you must earn per day or week, it’s time to brainstorm how you can achieve it.

I started by making a list of what I like to do and my skills. Don’t limit yourself to the skills you use at your current job; think outside the box. For example:

• Are you good at communicating?
• Do you like to drive?
• Are you well organized?
• Do you like to grocery shop?
• Do you understand investing?
• Can you multitask?
• Do you have the skills to be a virtual assistant?
• What skills did you learn in trade school or college?
• Do you have specialized skills like bookkeeping or marketing?

Use the list of skills and passions you create to find lucrative side gigs and opportunities for passive income.

Next, it’s a good idea to map out how you’ll achieve your goal. List what you’ll need to do to prepare, set daily or weekly goals (or both), and track your progress to keep yourself motivated.

Make a list for each side gig, passive income opportunity, or part-time job you’ll start to reach your goal, as well as the steps needed to do them.

For example:

• Do you need to download and sign up on an app?
• Is there a signup process, such as a background check?
• Do you need specific materials, such as a car or computer?
• Will you sell products or provide a service?
• Do you need capital to invest?

There's more to making $10k a month, but developing your business ideas is a good start. If you need help setting and tracking your goals, use the technology available to you. Apps like Strides and Todoist make it easy to create all kinds of goals and monitor your progress in earning extra income.

Create a schedule

Now that you've got the goal and the plan, it's time to create and stick to a schedule. Without one, you may get hung up on too many small details or lose track of time. A schedule can help you stay focused and on task.

I like to write out my schedule with my primary responsibilities, such as my full-time job, church obligations, and any standing appointments first. Then, I determine how to fill my free time with side hustles to help me earn extra cash. I also ensure I include passive income opportunities so I don’t always have to trade my time for money; this allows me to increase my income.

Ways to make $10,000 a month with side hustles

Side hustles require you to exchange your time for money. The downside is that you won’t always be able to make money during the hours you choose to work, so your hourly pay may not be as high as you think. The key is to find the side hustles at which you excel and that have the highest demand in your area.

1. Get paid to deliver takeout and groceries

I like to include delivery apps in my options to reach my financial goals. I like them because they are flexible and allow me to keep 100% of my tips earned. I excel at customer service (this was a skill on my list), so these apps make it easier for me to earn extra money.

Here are some of the most popular delivery apps to consider.

Uber Eats allows drivers to earn money delivering restaurant orders to customers. It offers a flexible schedule that allows you to work around full-time jobs and other side hustles. In some cities, you can deliver by bike or scooter in addition to driving. It's a good option if you don’t mind dealing with restaurant delays and juggling to keep customers happy.

You have the option to get paid with Instant Pay. You do need a debit card to use Instant Pay, and there is a fee of $1.25 per cashout.

To deliver by car, you need to be at least 18 years old, have a 2-door or 4-door car, and have a valid driver's license in your name. You'll also need to submit your Social Security number for a background screening.

Sign up for Uber Eats | Read our Uber Eats review

Instacart offers same-day grocery delivery to customers. If you love shopping and setting your own schedule, this might be the perfect side gig for you.

It’s simple to sign up, and like Uber Eats, you set your own schedule. You don’t have to worry about set schedules, and you can even pass on batches that don’t interest you, whether it’s the pay, the store, or distance.

Like most gig economy apps, Instacart pays weekly, but you can choose instant cashout for a $0.50 fee and access your batch earnings and tips instantly within two hours of delivery.

Sign up for Instacart here | Read our guide to Instacart

DoorDash is an Uber Eats competitor that pays you to deliver takeout to hungry customers. You set your own schedule and choose which orders you’ll accept. Some delivery drivers even operate Uber Eats and DoorDash simultaneously to maximize their time delivering food. The key to making this work is organization since you must keep track of which app you’re delivering for and where the order belongs.

Dashers earn an average of $15-25 an hour.¹ To be a Dasher, you'll just need to be over the age of 18, have a vehicle and a smartphone, and pass a background check.

Like most gig apps, DoorDash offers Fast Pay, their version of instant payouts. However, to be eligible, you must have completed at least 25 deliveries, been on the platform for at least 14 days, and added your debit card to Fast Pay at least seven days before.

Sign up with DoorDash | Read our guide to DoorDash

2. Become a rideshare driver

If you're more of a people person, driving for a rideshare service could be a good fit. Like the most popular delivery apps, you choose your schedule and the rides you accept. You also keep 100% of the customer tips, so the better customer service you provide, the more you may earn.

Uber and Lyft are the most popular rideshare apps drivers use.

To drive with Uber, you must meet the minimum age to drive in your city, have at least one year of licensed driving experience in the U.S. (three years if you're under age 25), have an in-state license, and have an eligible 4-door vehicle.

You'll also need to provide documentation, including a valid license, proof of residency, and proof of car insurance, and complete a screening online. As with Uber Eats, you can get paid weekly or pay a small fee to cash out with Instant Pay.

The nice thing about Uber is if you pass the background check, you are automatically a part of the Uber Eats platform. This allows you to switch between the two apps and maximize your time making money.

Sign up to drive with Uber

Lyft offers a platform and payment structure similar to Uber. What differentiates them is which has a higher demand in your area. However, you must be at least 25 years old to drive for Lyft, whereas with Uber, you can drive at 19, assuming you obtained your driver’s license at 16.

If you want early access to your funds rather than waiting for the weekly deposit, you can pay $0.85 per Express Pay withdrawal, but you must withdraw a minimum of $5.85 to qualify.

3. Take surveys

Online surveys are another one of my favorite ways to fill in the gaps when trying to maximize my earnings. They are a great way to earn money when you have a few spare minutes — maybe waiting at the doctor's office or picking your kids up from school. My favorite way, though, is to complete surveys while waiting for an Instacart order to come in or for someone to request a ride with Uber because it fills the gaps when I don’t have an order to fill or a ride to accept.

I must mention that you don’t get rich taking these surveys. At best, you’ll make a couple of dollars per survey. But if you average your hourly pay based on all the gigs you do simultaneously, it can boost your pay and help you get closer to reaching your goals.

Two of my favorite survey sites are Survey Junkie and InboxDollars.

Survey Junkie has over 44,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with an average of 4.1 out of 5 stars. Anyone who is 18 years old or older, has a valid email address, and lives in the U.S., Canada, or Australia can sign up. You earn points for each survey you complete, and once you get 500 points, equal to $5, you can redeem points for an e-gift card or cash out through PayPal or with a bank transfer.

Sign up for Survey Junkie | Read our Survey Junkie review

InboxDollars has almost 42,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with an average of 4.1 out of 5 stars. It offers a variety of ways to earn in addition to taking surveys. You can also earn by using InboxDollars' search engine, playing games, reading emails from InboxDollars, and answering Learn & Earn questions.

You can request a payout once you have at least $15 in your account, and you can be paid by PayPal, check, gift card, or payment to a prepaid Visa card.

Sign up for InboxDollars | Read our InboxDollars review

4. Walk dogs or pet sit

A fun way to make money on the side is to help pet owners take care of their pets. This is one of my favorite side gigs because who doesn’t love to play with dogs or other animals?

Many people use this as a weekend gig because they have more time to take care of the dogs or walk them. But if you don’t work a standard 9 to 5 job, you may be able to work this gig into the daytime and help pet owners who need help walking their dogs or caring for them while they are at work.

My favorite app to use for pet sitting is Rover.

Rover allows pet sitters to set their own schedules and prices. I like it because you can also state what you will (and will not) do. For example, if you only want to walk dogs, you can name that as your service. But if you want to offer pet sitting or other services, you can include them too.

You create a profile on Rover, showing your qualifications, which allows pet owners to match with you. Like most apps on this list, you decide which jobs you accept, and you can talk to the owner first before deciding if it’s a good fit.

Sign up for Rover | Read our Rover review

Ways to make $10,000 a month with investments and savings

Like I said before, finding ways to earn passive income is key to maximizing your earnings. You only have so many hours in your day, so why not find ways to make money while you sleep?

Some of these options require some risk, and there’s never a guarantee that you’ll earn money (and you could even lose money.), But they are a good way to diversify your efforts.

5. Invest in blue-chip stocks for as little as $1

Investments can be a way to create passive income. Purchasing a stock share in an established company, such as Apple or Amazon, can be cost-prohibitive for many beginner investors.

Fortunately, many robo-advisors, like Stash, allow you to purchase fractional shares. This means you can buy shares for as little as $1, making it easier to buy the stocks that interest you. Stash offers the option to set up an automated portfolio or handle investments yourself with a little guidance.

I like to use Stash to automate my investments using a small percentage of my capital. Their Smart Portfolio is a robo-advisor that invests your capital based on your risk tolerance, financial goals, and timeline. It also automatically adjusts your portfolio as needed, which takes the pressure off me.

Sign up for Stash now

6. Invest in real estate

Investing in real estate is another way to earn passive income. You could buy and rent out investment properties or flip houses. If you don’t have the capital or don’t want to be responsible for managing properties, you can also use a real estate investment crowdfunding platform.

These platforms allow you to pool your money with other investors and invest in real estate projects like rental properties or commercial buildings. You can typically get started with a relatively small amount of money, and you could receive dividends as well as benefit from appreciation.

In a perfect world, you’d be able to purchase a property or two and diversify your real estate portfolio by utilizing crowdfunding platforms to invest in commercial real estate. I tend to alternate between the two; sometimes, I invest in both residential and crowdfunded commercial real estate investments at the same time, and other times, I’m invested in one or the other. It depends on how the market performs and what’s going on in the industry at the time.

Here are a few of our recommendations:

Ark7 allows you to start investing in rental properties with as little as $20. You could receive regular dividend payouts and Ark7 manages the properties for you and your fellow investors. Ark7 owns rental properties in several cities and states, including Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Each property has a minimum holding period before you can sell your shares, and Ark7 charges fees for sourcing the properties and managing them.

Sign up for Ark7 | Read our Ark7 review

Crowdstreet allows accredited investors to pool their money to invest in commercial real estate opportunities. Since its launch in 2014, it has funded 790+ real estate transactions. The minimum investment requirement is generally $25,000.

Sign up for Crowdstreet | Read our Crowdstreet review

7. Open a high-yield savings account

High-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) are another way I love to make my money work for me. I don’t have to do anything except choose the best high yield savings account that will earn me the most interest.

The nice thing about HYSAs is they pay a high annual percentage yield (APY) compared to the national average and are a good choice for building up an emergency fund or saving up for a specific goal. I try to put any extra money I earn from side gigs that I don’t invest into my HYSA for maximum growth.

8. Get a cash bonus for opening a new bank account

This is what I consider a ‘sneaky’ way to earn more money. Many people don’t realize banks will pay them to open a new account. While you can’t do this often since most banks have terms that require you to keep the account open and funded for a specific period, you can typically earn at least one bonus a year, and sometimes more.

Be sure to read the fine print when opening a new checking or savings account. For example, you might need to get a certain amount directly deposited each month from an employer or government benefit or carry a certain average balance for a month to earn the bonus.

Ways to make $10,000 a month with an online business

If you have a special skill, such as bookkeeping, graphic design, or social media marketing, you can start an online business to increase your income. This is where that list of special skills and passions can really help you. Like side gigs, you can set your own schedule with an online business and have somewhat control over how much you earn.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

9. Start a virtual bookkeeping business

Bookkeeping is a flexible, work-from-home business that allows you to work full-time or part-time, along with other opportunities. You don't need to have amazing math skills or an accounting degree, and it's a great way to support small business owners.

Bookkeepers.com is a great place to start. It offers a free, three-class intro to teaching you how to launch your business.

Visit Bookkeepers.com

10. Launch your own website

If you'd like to be an entrepreneur and have a particular skill set, like writing, graphic design, coding, or web design, consider creating your own website and using it as a launchpad for a new side hustle.

Build a portfolio page showcasing your work, add SEO-friendly copy, and promote your site and services through social networks. This approach may require some hustle; however, if you build a large client base, you’ll be well on your way to earning 10K a month.

You could also build a website to sell products you source or create. You could try retail arbitrage, dropshipping, print-on-demand, selling ebooks, or selling online courses. You could also try being a blogger and joining an affiliate program like Amazon's to bring in money.

Shopify is a great way to start your e-commerce business. It offers free website designs and supports selling online and offline. It also helps with managing products, inventory, payments, and shipping.

Visit Shopify

11. Get certified in Facebook ads and get paid

Given that Facebook now has over 3 billion monthly active users, it’s no wonder that it’s one of the most popular advertising channels for companies of all sizes. Fortunately, millions of companies need help writing their Facebook ads and optimizing their campaigns.

If you want in on the action, you can get certified in Facebook ads — and it won’t cost you a penny. Digital Marketer, a top learning resource for digital marketing professionals, has a 14-day free trial to check out its step-by-step training and resources on social media advertising, social media management, content marketing, email marketing, copywriting, and more.

Get started with DM Lab today

FAQs about how to make $10,000 a month

Bottom line

You’re not going to score $10,000 per month watching Netflix or napping (unfortunately). But with a strong work ethic and a sense of determination, there’s no limit to what you can earn by picking up a few side hustles and developing multiple income streams. You could even strive to earn $1,000 a day.

Remember that if you don’t enjoy a gig or don’t end up earning enough, there are a slew of money-making opportunities available to you. If at first you don’t succeed — you know the rest! Hang in there, and you’ll be well on your way to making some serious moolah.