Nine ways to earn some extra money in Spain
If you're looking for alternative ways to make money other than a full-time job in Spain, or you could do with some extra cash to supplement your wages, here are nine inspiring ideas to help you do just that.
With a cost of living crisis affecting Spain and world as a whole, it's no surprise that people need to get creative in order to make a bit of extra money and give themselves some financial breathing room.
You can always turn to the old failsafe money earners, but in 2023 there are increasingly technological ways to make money from home without quitting your job.
Here we’ve put together a mix of classics and tech-savvy tips below to make extra money in Spain.
Keep in mind that Spain’s Agencia Tributaria tax agency requires all earnings to be declared, even for small jobs separate from one’s main job. Your bank is at liberty to inform tax authorities of any payment transfer above €3,000.
READ MORE:
- When do banks inform Spain's Hacienda tax office of your transactions?
- Self-employed in Spain: What are the tax rules if you do two or more jobs?
Walk dogs in your spare time
A classic money earner for people across the world, walking dogs for a bit of extra cash can be both enjoyable and good for your health, plus a great way to spend your time if you’re a dog or animal lover.
Start off with walking your friend’s and family’s dogs, and then advertise on social media or hope word of mouth spreads - this is an especially good earner currently as many people got dogs to keep them company during the pandemic but may have less time now to walk them.
READ ALSO: Spain now has 'more pets than children aged under 15'
Teach online
With the pandemic having disrupted the education of so many school children, parents all over the world are keen to make up for lost time and many are seeking extra or online tutoring for their kids.
There are countless online teaching platforms, so if you’ve got expertise or experience in something, whether it be as a native English speaker living abroad or you want to use that masters degree you don’t really use all that often anymore, online teaching can be a great way to make some extra money.
READ MORE: Is working for an English language academy in Spain worth it?
Become a mystery shopper
Get paid to go shopping! Mystery shoppers (clientes misteriosos) visit shops, restaurants and other establishments to make secret reports on the quality of service on offer, on behalf of the companies themselves.
They make reports on their experiences and offer suggestions. As many companies are keen to make improvements and want regular reviews, mystery shoppers can find regular work and it is fairly well paid.
Sell your stuff
Car-boot sales might be dying out, but selling the old stuff you don’t need or use certainly isn’t - it’s still a great way to make a bit of extra cash.
Most second-hand selling is now done online, whether it be through social media platforms like Facebook marketplace or Instagram, or even specialised selling apps like Wallapop and Vinted.
READ ALSO:
- How to get rid of old furniture and appliances in Spain
- All the ways to donate or sell second-hand clothes in Spain
Dropship
Dropshipping is becoming more and more popular and is a great way to get some extra side income without leaving your job, especially as people do more and more of their shopping online.
Dropshipping consists of reselling products but acting only as an intermediary. In this way, you do not have to pay for the products until they are sold. If this sounds like an easy and relatively risk free way to make some money as a middle man, there are a number of dropshipping companies operating in Spain.
Invest
In 2022 there are a whole host of different ways to make money from home by investing. It doesn’t even have to be in your currency - you can invest and profit from the increasingly technological world in futures, commodities, or even crypto currencies.
Of the ways to make extra money, investing is probably both the highest risk and highest reward.
Don’t attempt to invest if you haven’t done your homework!
READ ALSO: Buying a franchise in Spain - the cheapest and best businesses to set up
Wait in line for people
You can make money waiting in queues for people. Not only are some people really that lazy, but many are now more wary of public spaces and group settings following the pandemic.
Long popular in the US, ‘line standing’ is an informal way to make good money. You’ll need to be patient, obviously, but the wait can be worth the reward: line standers in New York can reportedly make up to $14,000 in a single day when new products like iPhones are released.
Translate
If you’re fluent in Spanish and English (or another language) and you have a background in communication/writing, translating the menus of local restaurants, town hall pamphlets for foreigners or similar information which should be in English could earn you some extra money.
You won’t need to be a sworn translator for these small unofficial jobs but you will require some prior experience before offering your services locally.
READ ALSO: Do I have to register and pay taxes in Spain if I work remotely in 2023?
Set up an online shop or pop-up
E-commerce in Spain is growing with more online shoppers than ever. Most people in the country still purchase goods from foreign websites due to the wider availability of products, and sometimes have to pay extra shipping or customs costs as a result.
If you know of a product that’s in high demand in Spain but in short supply, you have some time to find the right supplier, the capital to buy or to manufacture the goods and some business experience, selling goods online can be a good way to make some extra dinero in Spain.
Alternatively, is a there a product that you could easily sell locally without too much hassle for you? Think selling your amazing cinnamon rolls at your closest Sunday market in Spain. If you can keep costs and time spent on it low, setting up a pop-up store or food stand could end up being a nice little earner.
READ MORE: How to set up an online shop in Spain
Comments
See Also
With a cost of living crisis affecting Spain and world as a whole, it's no surprise that people need to get creative in order to make a bit of extra money and give themselves some financial breathing room.
You can always turn to the old failsafe money earners, but in 2023 there are increasingly technological ways to make money from home without quitting your job.
Here we’ve put together a mix of classics and tech-savvy tips below to make extra money in Spain.
Keep in mind that Spain’s Agencia Tributaria tax agency requires all earnings to be declared, even for small jobs separate from one’s main job. Your bank is at liberty to inform tax authorities of any payment transfer above €3,000.
READ MORE:
- When do banks inform Spain's Hacienda tax office of your transactions?
- Self-employed in Spain: What are the tax rules if you do two or more jobs?
Walk dogs in your spare time
A classic money earner for people across the world, walking dogs for a bit of extra cash can be both enjoyable and good for your health, plus a great way to spend your time if you’re a dog or animal lover.
Start off with walking your friend’s and family’s dogs, and then advertise on social media or hope word of mouth spreads - this is an especially good earner currently as many people got dogs to keep them company during the pandemic but may have less time now to walk them.
READ ALSO: Spain now has 'more pets than children aged under 15'
Teach online
With the pandemic having disrupted the education of so many school children, parents all over the world are keen to make up for lost time and many are seeking extra or online tutoring for their kids.
There are countless online teaching platforms, so if you’ve got expertise or experience in something, whether it be as a native English speaker living abroad or you want to use that masters degree you don’t really use all that often anymore, online teaching can be a great way to make some extra money.
READ MORE: Is working for an English language academy in Spain worth it?
Become a mystery shopper
Get paid to go shopping! Mystery shoppers (clientes misteriosos) visit shops, restaurants and other establishments to make secret reports on the quality of service on offer, on behalf of the companies themselves.
They make reports on their experiences and offer suggestions. As many companies are keen to make improvements and want regular reviews, mystery shoppers can find regular work and it is fairly well paid.
Sell your stuff
Car-boot sales might be dying out, but selling the old stuff you don’t need or use certainly isn’t - it’s still a great way to make a bit of extra cash.
Most second-hand selling is now done online, whether it be through social media platforms like Facebook marketplace or Instagram, or even specialised selling apps like Wallapop and Vinted.
READ ALSO:
- How to get rid of old furniture and appliances in Spain
- All the ways to donate or sell second-hand clothes in Spain
Dropship
Dropshipping is becoming more and more popular and is a great way to get some extra side income without leaving your job, especially as people do more and more of their shopping online.
Dropshipping consists of reselling products but acting only as an intermediary. In this way, you do not have to pay for the products until they are sold. If this sounds like an easy and relatively risk free way to make some money as a middle man, there are a number of dropshipping companies operating in Spain.
Invest
In 2022 there are a whole host of different ways to make money from home by investing. It doesn’t even have to be in your currency - you can invest and profit from the increasingly technological world in futures, commodities, or even crypto currencies.
Of the ways to make extra money, investing is probably both the highest risk and highest reward.
Don’t attempt to invest if you haven’t done your homework!
READ ALSO: Buying a franchise in Spain - the cheapest and best businesses to set up
Wait in line for people
You can make money waiting in queues for people. Not only are some people really that lazy, but many are now more wary of public spaces and group settings following the pandemic.
Long popular in the US, ‘line standing’ is an informal way to make good money. You’ll need to be patient, obviously, but the wait can be worth the reward: line standers in New York can reportedly make up to $14,000 in a single day when new products like iPhones are released.
Translate
If you’re fluent in Spanish and English (or another language) and you have a background in communication/writing, translating the menus of local restaurants, town hall pamphlets for foreigners or similar information which should be in English could earn you some extra money.
You won’t need to be a sworn translator for these small unofficial jobs but you will require some prior experience before offering your services locally.
READ ALSO: Do I have to register and pay taxes in Spain if I work remotely in 2023?
Set up an online shop or pop-up
E-commerce in Spain is growing with more online shoppers than ever. Most people in the country still purchase goods from foreign websites due to the wider availability of products, and sometimes have to pay extra shipping or customs costs as a result.
If you know of a product that’s in high demand in Spain but in short supply, you have some time to find the right supplier, the capital to buy or to manufacture the goods and some business experience, selling goods online can be a good way to make some extra dinero in Spain.
Alternatively, is a there a product that you could easily sell locally without too much hassle for you? Think selling your amazing cinnamon rolls at your closest Sunday market in Spain. If you can keep costs and time spent on it low, setting up a pop-up store or food stand could end up being a nice little earner.
READ MORE: How to set up an online shop in Spain
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.