1. Provide online tutoring to children or adults.

Online tutors can earn between $47,000 and 76,000 per year, so this is certainly a good way to make a bit of extra money next year. Use those skills in math, science, English, music, or other subjects where students might need that extra encouragement and further teaching.

Also, tutors who cater to adults, particularly seniors, can earn more than those who tutor children and teens, so there's a niche possibility there to boost your income even more.

Try platforms like Craigslist, LessonFace, Wyzant, or Facebook to market your expertise, and build up a loyal clientele. You can charge by the hour or contract to invoice for a lump sum.

2. Become a specialized virtual assistant.

Virtual assistants, especially if they have specialized skills in project management and discretion, can make $100 per hour. If you already have skills in calendar management and data entry, this is the perfect fit for you. You’ll need to market yourself accordingly, vet your clients, and be ready to take on the tasks of assisting high achievers and entrepreneurs, with pride and service.

3. Join the service gig worker world. 

This might seem a bit cliche, but being a gig worker on one of the popular platforms can be both a lucrative and flexible option for adding extra cash to your income every month. On the low end, you could earn more than $10 per hour with DoorDash, for example, if you break down how much you earn minus the expense of gas. At about 37.5 hours per week, you'd hit your $1,500 goal, and that's at the low end, (for illustration purposes, of course).

On the higher end, you could earn up to $6,700 in a month, depending on tips and the areas you work in.

Now, I know, I know: That's like having a whole other full-time job. But again, that breakdown is on the low end, and if you're truly dedicated to meeting your goal of boosting your income, this could be your 5-to-9 after your 9-to-5. And if you're not into food delivery, you could try a few of the other apps for services like driving peopl​e, house-sitting, home improvement, or delivering groceries or other goods.​

4. Try freelance bartending.

If you're just starting out with this, you can make more than $1,500 (at $20 per hour bartending part-time) especially if you're able to land a few great-paying private events, birthday parties, or game nights. On the higher end, you could rake up more than $6,000 per month.

Some states require licensing or certain certificates, so be sure to do your homework before pursuing this one.

You'll also need to market yourself on social and/or with your own branded website that showcases your skills and even a niche talent you have in cocktail making.

5. Sell digital products online.

This is another popular money-maker that is constantly being marketed on social---almost to the point of it seeming like a sketchy option. However, savvy creatives have really made good money doing this (like this mom, who reportedly earned $10,000 per month selling digital products, among other passive income-generating efforts).

If you're great at putting together how-tos on anything from cooking to fashion design, to travel planning, this is a good option. You can also sell digital art, logos, animation, and stock photography.

Pinpoint a need, figure out how you can uniquely fill it, and get to selling. And if you're already in those fields, you have the programs and digital tools you need to create the products to sell. (If not, invest in the paid version of Canva, get Adobe Creative Cloud, or take a course.)

You'll also need to be able to market what you offer, put the work in to find your target audience, and get to your customer base through digital marketing and social media. Several popular sales platforms like Etsy and Shopify offer tools to help you do this.

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