With the current downtown in our economy and numerous companies downsizing or closing completely, it is easy to feel very uncertain about your financial future. Many individuals are looking into other opportunities to earn extra cash and help with the bills. If you own a car and have some time during the day, there are a number of ways to turn your car into a way to increase your monthly income. All you need is a driver’s license and a car and you can explore a number of different opportunities to earn extra cash with your vehicle.

Pet Transportation

If you own an SUV or van (though smaller vehicles will do if only one animal is being transported at a time) and have a love for animals, you can assist pet owners with their pet transportation needs. This can include transportation to and from boarding facilities, grooming appointments, and vet visits. Working people who are unable to take the time off to have their animal checked out by vet or older people who have pets but are unable to travel could really benefit from a service much like this one. You can even bundle this into a full pet assistance job where you also help with pet sitting and dog walking. However, you might want to invest in a car vacuum to clean our pet hair every now and then, especially when you use your car for human activities.

Shuttle Service for Children

Working parents do not necessarily have the time to take their kids to school or pick them up, take them to their afterschool activities, doctors’ appointments, or afterschool programs. This can especially be difficult for single parents who work full time and cannot rely on family members or friends to help them in a pinch. But what happens if a child is sick and needs to leave school but the parents cannot get out of work? Advertise that you are able to provide transportation for all this and more. Keep in mind, though, that you may have to go through a vetting process and show referrals so that parents will trust you with their children. Many full-time moms and dads check out this opportunity because they are already transporting their kids, so they can earn extra cash by transporting others as well.

Peer-to-Peer Car Rental

If you have a car that is sitting around, either because you are unable to drive it or maybe you are away on vacation, check out peer-to-peer car rental services like DriveMyCarRentals.com.au. Also known as peer-to-peer car sharing, it’s a process in which you can make your car available for use by other drivers online and receive payment for it. Do not worry about insurance because a number of these services apply their own insurance, including breakdown coverage, on your car as it is being rented out. It is a great way to earn extra cash if you are not going to be using your car for few days or even a few weeks or months.

Grocery Delivery

For some people, going out and doing the grocery shopping is very difficult. Full-time working single parents, busy households, homebound people and the elderly are not easily able to go do their weekly grocery shopping. If the person is able to go to the grocery store but cannot get there on their own, offer transportation both to and from the store. However, if people are unable to do the shopping at all, charge a higher fee, get a list of the items they want, and do the shopping for them.

Advertise for Other Businesses on Your Vehicles

You see these cars driving around all the time advertising a product or service on their car. In some cases, these people do not work for the business selling the item, but these businesses are willing to pay good money to place these advertisements on vehicles. Businesses are always looking for the next best way to gain exposure for their product or service, and vehicle advertising provides a great venue. You can earn extra cash by letting them advertise on your car. These companies will wrap your car in a lightweight vinyl that has printed images on it. You do not have to do anything but drive your car normally like you always do. Sometimes the company may ask you to attend a local event for promotional purposes.

While having automobile insurance coverage for any of these possible cash opportunities is vital, a number of expenses related to your car can be seen as tax deductible because you are using it for your business. This includes items like registration fees, vehicle depreciation, gas, repairs, oil changes, garage rent, lease payments, tolls, and parking fees. Today it is as simple as ever to turn your car into a small home-based business to earn additional income!