Investing

• Investing is one way to make money efficiently. You can invest your money in the stock market on your own. However, for the sake of efficiency, you should invest in stocks with a long-term strategy, so after you make the initial investment, you track the investment periodically but do not spend much time on it other than that. Or, invest in a mutual fund, Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or investing club or group. In those scenarios, you essentially put money into an account and let others do the investing for you. This is more efficient than day trading, which involves buying and selling stocks frequently and can take up a lot of your daily time. You can start investing with just a few hundred dollars, and make hundreds of thousands or more over the course of your lifetime, though you are also risking losing your investment due to poor stock performance.
  
  

Real Estate

• Real estate is another way to make money efficiently. Simply owning a home is one money-making strategy. The idea is, you buy a house or apartment, and over time the home appreciates in value, so you can sell it for exponentially more than you paid for it. Or, you can buy a property and rent it out for more than your monthly mortgage payment. Some people also are in the business of flipping houses, which involves buying a rundown house for cheap, fixing it up, and selling it for a much higher price a few months later. Not all homes are guaranteed to appreciate in value, but real estate is generally a safe investment.
  
  

Sell Stuff

• Selling your stuff is another efficient way to make money. It requires no initial investment, since you already own whatever it is you plan to sell. Also, the Internet allows you to conduct virtual garage sales anytime. Post items for sale on auction or classifieds websites and let people contact you or bid on the items. If you have a knack for selling things, you can sell items for your friends or family members and keep a commission from each sale.
  
  

Side Business

• Many people start a side business to make more money in addition to their main job. Side business ideas include working odd jobs around your neighborhood like dog walking or mowing lawns, or doing freelance work like writing, designing or consulting. If you are a crafty person, make crafts in your free time and sell them. Or, make baked goods or other food items to sell. Find a hobby you enjoy and turn it into a part-time side business for supplemental income. It if ends up being a successful venture, it might eventually become your full-time job.