Ways to Make Extra Money in Los Angeles

Are you looking to make extra money in Los Angeles? I don’t have to be the one to tell you that living in LA can get expensive real quick! Luckily, living in Los Angeles does provide ample opportunities to make money with several different side hustles. These are all things that I have tried myself and have had varying degrees of success with.

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and buy something, I will earn a small commission from the advertiser at no additional cost to you.

Apps To Help You Earn Money From Your Phone

Bing Rewards

Doing searches on Bing can earn you points to redeem for AMC, Starbucks, Target gift cards, and more.

ShopKicks

Shop Kicks used to be a much better rewards app so this one does not payout as well anymore. But, it still gives me a little extra spending money which I appreciate. You can earn shop kicks just by entering a store that partners with the app and checking in. Other ways to earn shop kicks come from scanning in-store items on the app and buying certain items and uploading your receipt. You can sign up for ShopKicks here. Sign up with code DEAL347755 & we’ll both get a bonus!

Ibotta

Now that I am living close to several grocery stores this app has been a game-changer for me. I have been able to get cashback for so many items this year, most of which ended up being free. I have gotten over $120 in PayPal cash so far for 2021. This app is something that I mainly use for grocery shopping but it can apply to so much more. Use my referral code “gfvfonp” at registration. You can sign up for Ibotta here.

iSecretShop

I use this app weekly. I have now completed SecretShops for grocery stores, movie theatres, and restaurants. I made $150 in one month from three shops. You can sign up here.

Other Ways to Make Extra Money in Los Angeles

Audience Work

View this post on Instagram

It’s Real fun #thereal #therealseason5 #tvshowtaping #talkshow #discoverla #lostinla

A post shared by Michelle Mink (@la.dreaming) on Feb 15, 2019 at 10:34am PST

I have made a decent amount of money from doing audience work. Most months I cover my car payment with just a handful of shows. This is easy work but it can be a bit draining when you do it for a lengthy show. My favorite show to do audience work for is The Real. They tape at 6 am. You are almost always done before 10 am and will leave with anywhere from $40-$60. The reason this show is my favorite is while I hate waking up early I still have time in my day to pursue other work. You can read more about the audience work here.

Background Work

Background work just like anything else in the entertainment industry is incredibly unpredictable. Some weeks will have multiple days of work for you while other weeks will have nothing. But, anyone can sign up with Central Casting in Burbank, and even if they only need you for a few hours on a set they have to pay you for 8 hours.

Casting Networks

Perhaps it comes as no surprise that there’s plenty of casting work in LA. Even if you’re not trying to make it as an actor, you can get paid to appear as an extra or for short appearances on talk shows and various upcoming TV reality series.

Foreign language speakers are often in hot demand for voiceover work in the LA area, due to a large number of movies and TV shows that need dubbing for foreign audiences. There are a variety of casting sites that list casting calls and acting auditions such as Casting Networks. You can expect to earn anything from $50 per hour to $5,000 per day! How much you earn often depends on the size of the project and experience.