Let’s face it, if you’re a freelancer who’s just hit the ground running, chances are you’ll have to do less-than-ideal work to make ends meet. You’ve got bills to pay, none more important than your rent. This monthly payment determines where and how you live and where and how you work. Rule of thumb: it’s easier to go through life with a roof over your head, ESPECIALLY during a global pandemic. As a freelancer, you’ll undoubtedly face situations where being your own boss doesn’t pay enough. So what are you willing to do to pay the rent? If you’re struggling, here are some ideas to consider, pending certain safety precautions are met for COVID-19.


THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Two words (sort of): TaskRabbit. TaskRabbit is an app that pairs up freelance workers with users to complete everyday short-term tasks. It’s COVID, so no one is trying to be out and about more than they have to. Earn some dough by cutting someone’s lawn or cleaning their pool. A similar, but slightly more specific app is Roadie. Roadie offers people delivery of basically anything, from sofas to prescriptions. If you’ve got a big enough car you could offer services others can’t, like moving furniture.

Another great app to outsource your labor is Wag!, a service connecting pet sitters and dog walkers with pet owners. This might be trickier since more people are home now and can do this themselves. However, in a COVID-free future, this is a great way to make money and reduce stress. “Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure,” says the NIH. You’ll also have some great Insta-worthy content. There’s of course food and people delivery: Uber, Lyft, Postmates, Grubhub, Instacart, etc. Plus, driving people around can be a great way to grow your network, something you should always be doing as a freelancer.  

FOR SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES

You’re already sacrificing a lot to be a freelancer, so why not a little more? If you’re a young buck, you’ve got lots of spunk waiting to fly. Jonathan Carpentier from Northern California made $10,000 a year off of donating sperm. “You sign up for a strict 12-month contract, and your ‘work schedule’ consists of two trips per week to the clinic and some designated no-sex days before your grim charity,” Carpentier told Vox. “$1,000 a month isn’t a ton of money, but it beat the barista life I was living before.” For females, the same can be done with your eggs. According to the West Coast Egg Donation Inc. “the average amount of compensation can range from $5,000 to $10,000 plus expenses, depending on experience and the individual arrangements.” Statistically speaking, most of you reading this won’t be able to afford kids so no harm done.

Consider donating blood for the snacks and plasma for the cash. “It is legal to “donate” plasma up to two times a week, for which a bank will pay around $30 each time,” according to the Atlantic. Let’s also not forget about organ donation. You only need one kidney, and your liver is the only organ that grows back. What’s a vital organ when you need to pay this month’s rent?

COVID-19 has thrown the world into a tailspin, but it’s provided an interesting new way to make money. Participating in clinical trials aimed at tackling COVID-19 is risky, but you need to pay your rent, remember? By visiting Centerwatch.com, you can scroll through hundreds of listings for COVID-19 clinical trials based on your location within the U.S.

GOING IN DEEP

Like many Americans, you may have grown up in an environment that perceived sex work as sleazy and gross. But sex is a natural human occurrence that we should all be far more comfortable with. If you’re really comfortable with it, then here’s an idea: become a sugar baby. A sugar baby relationship is where one partner (typically an older male) financially supports and pampers the other partner (typically a younger female) with gifts. While sex is not a required transaction in this relationship, it often goes without saying. One anonymous sugar baby told Business Insider that she “receives thousands of dollars in cash, trips around the country, access to five-star hotels and restaurants, and expensive gifts like shoes and clothing I never could have ordinarily afforded.”

Another option is the online sex industry: webcams, chat rooms, and porn. “Most months I make anywhere from $1,500 - $2,000 from (web)camming,” Cecilia Renee Morell told Vice. “When I was online more regularly, I could expect anywhere upward of $3,000, with the most I’ve ever made in a month being around $6,000.” There’s also prostitution. This is only legal in Nevada, but if you do happen to live in the silver state and want to try it out, be careful. Prostitution comes with a lot of occupational hazards.


Working and living as a freelancer is not an overnight process. You’re not going to achieve merit-based success for quite some time. In this transition period, it’s important to be realistic about your monetary needs, and be open to anything (almost anything). As long as you’re not putting yourself in harm’s way, why not create a few lasting memories? And NEVER rule out an opportunity to make money just because it’s “taboo.”  


‍