Earning a little more money, boosting your salary, generating extra income, at home or close to home, is possible!
Having a side activity, in addition to your main job, is a great way to reach the salary level you want, depending on your personal budget. But how increase your income ?
Various forms of online activity (paid surveys, cashback, dropshipping) are mentioned on the internet. In practice, however, few of them actually bring in enough euros per month to significantly increase your income.
So, how to increase your income from home ? Let us share our opinion expert.
Skills néceneeded to earn extra income
Many people rely on ideas and tips from all kinds of platforms and websites. Online, everything seems so easy to achieve! You spot various gigs that, at first glance, seem like a quick way to earn extra income by generating additional resources. You hope for attractive pay, whether occasionally or regularly.
But there’s a big catch! These types of online freelance activities aren’t actually among the most profitable solutions... whether it’s cashback, paid surveys, or launching a video creéo for sales sites, or even try dropshipping (on Amazon or other specialized platforms)... Very often, hours of online work only result in a token payment, reduced by platform commissions.
Let’s be realistic... unless you’ve found a miracle opportunity, or you have specialized training or a unique skill that makes you indispensable in a technical field, these kinds of service jobs won’t make a big difference to your budget. It’s better to see them as a way to practice, discover new activities and companies, break out of your routine, etc., while also earpillaa little extra money.
That’s why many of you are now looking for another type of work, alongside your main job, to generate additional income at a sufficient level to cover all their expenses (rent and maintenance for the home, children’s education, car and auto insurance, etc.).
Yes, but how do you find a good idea and choose the right niche?
Whatever your professional skills, remember that the company paying you is above all looking at what you bring to the table. If you can generate traffic to a website, sell products online, come up with original ideas, or convince clients to join your community... you’re on the right track!
Don’t settle for a mundane, standardized activity that hundreds of others could do just as well as you. You are unique... your service should be too, and your income will naturally follow.
How to balance extra income and your main job?
If you already have a job and are only looking for part-time work to earn some extra money and increase your income... things get trickier! You’re not available for just any activity. Your real question is how to start a new job during your free hours, preferably close to your addressall depending on your availability.
Coming up with a profitable side activity without being able to dedicate a lot of time to it may seem like squaring the circle... And yet? You know times have changed. Thanks to the internet and the many resources available online, an inventive and efficient person can get training, build a network, evaluate products, and even work remotely from home, without having to commit full-time as before.
For many, the turning point comes during a work stoppage or maternity leave. It's the perfect time to take a step back, browse the web, and ask yourself what kind of activity you really want and need, depending on the additional income that you consider essential to generate.
The different options for extra income
A profitable job will inevitably involve committing to a company or a brand, even part-time!
More than ever, temping is a valid idea, except that most of the assignments offered in the spcializedcialized sectors involve logistics, handling, hospitality, reception, or catering. On the one hand, thisit doesn't suit everyone and, above all, you won't have a choice of workplace (sometimes far from your home, which means extra costs and wasted time), nor of working hours.
Joining "uberized" platforms is another realistic way to earn money, but in practice, it's not so easy to start working as a driver or delivery person. The same goes for dropshipping (a business model where you sell products online without managing inventory or shipping yourself). Competition is fierce online... Various e-commerce sites and platforms (generalists like Amazon or more specialized ones) are engaged in a relentless battle. The sector, which was booming at first, now requires a lot of expertise and commitment from those who want to generate significant income.
How to make money working from home?
Working as an Independent Home Sales Consultant (VDI) in addition to your current job seems to be one of the best ideas to boost your income.
The missions of the VDI coninvolve selling products or items on behalf of a brand, either online, by visiting people at home, or within companies: fashion, lingerie, jewelry, cosmetics, natural products, etc.
This is a type of job where no specific diploma is required and where each person's professional experience matters little, as it involves signing a contract with a company to distribute its products and services. The only essential quality is commercial sense, based on real dynamism. You just need to feel capable of being a brand ambassador, with ideas, conviction, and effectiveness.mentioned!
Most often, you will be asked to become self-employed (that is, to create your own micro-business). This can be done easily in just a few clicks, directly online, via the Guichet Unique website. You will then be able to offer your services to companies in the home sales sector, to earn extra money.
Advantages and disadvantages of the main solutions to increase your income
To help you choose the option that best matches your expectations, skill level, and daily routine, let's look at all the opportunities to supplement your income:
| Proposed solution | Advantages | Disadvantages | Potential earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online surveys & micro-tasks | Instant sign-up, no skills required, complete tasks freely whenever you have time. | Very repetitive tasks, risk of boredom, no skill development. | €15 to €50 / month (very modest income considering the time spent). |
| Pet-sitting & animal care | A friendly activity, ideal for helping out loved ones while taking care of animals. | Physical presence required during fixed hours, income capped by available time. | €10 to €20 / day of pet care (occasional and limited income). |
| Closet clear-out & resale of clothing | Perfect for quickly sorting through your closet and giving your pieces a second life. | Depends entirely on the size of your personal wardrobe, no recurring income over time. | €50 to €200 / sale (very occasional earnings). |
| Freelancing (web writing, graphic design, community management) | Stimulating and fulfilling professions, possible to work 100% remotely, recognition of real expertise. | Requires skills in the professions, client prospecting, and faces strong competition on platforms. | €150 to €2,000 / month depending on your hourly rate and assignments. |
| Independent Home Sales Consultant (Fashion & Style) | Total freedom of schedule, collection kits often provided, personalized support, and a supportive, friendly network. | Requires energy, strong interpersonal skills, and a passion for connecting with people during shopping events. | €200 to €1,500+ / month (~30% commission on sales made). |
Legal and tax aspects to know
Starting a side activity is done within a clear, official, and protective legal framework. Independent statuses such as VDI or micro-entrepreneur offer a secure framework governed by the Commercial Code and the Social Security Code.
Example for better understanding
Let’s take the example of Julie, 32, who works full-time as a marketing manager. As an employee, she can combine her main job with a secondary activity as a fashion consultant. The conditions for combining jobs as provided by labor law allow this combination of activities provided you maintain a loyal relationship with your employer and respect the terms of your contract. Regarding social protection, affiliation with the general Social Security scheme guarantees the preservation of retirement rights and health coverage.
Marc, for his part, receives the activity bonus. The quarterly declaration of earnings to the CAF allows the amount of this benefit or housing assistance to be adjusted. For those receiving unemployment benefits from France Travail, partial combination rules allow you to receive both allowances and commissions.
How to simply declare your additional income?
After your initial registration on the One-Stop Shop (INPI) to obtain your SIRET number, you must complete:
-
Your activity declarations to URSSAF: you report your income on the URSSAF portal or app every month or every three months. You pay what you owe directly online.
-
Your annual income tax return: in the spring, when you file your usual income tax return, simply report the gross amount of your earnings on the supplementary form 2042-C-PRO.
Depending on the nature of your sales, your commissions benefit from the Micro-BIC or Micro-BNC scheme, with advantageous flat-rate deductions for your professional expenses.
Practical tips: organize your time and balance your daily life
Successfully combining your current job and your passion requires gentle and realistic organization. Freely choose your appointments according to your availability, in the evenings or on weekends, to maintain your personal life balance and family time.
To support you, Elora provides powerful digital tools and marketing materials to guide you. You can transform any living room into a beautiful pop-up boutique in the blink of an eye. It’s the perfect way to express your creativity and explore the world of style consulting at your own pace.
Become a personal stylist with Elora to earn more money
For over 30 years, the Elora brand has been serving individuals by offering them unique shopping momentsg eexceptional, among friends. Thanks to Elora’s Fashion Consultants, fashion week takes place right in the living room of over 950,000 clients in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. Everyone finds something they love among the many products in this trendy, original, and committed clothing line. In fact, Elora does everything possible to design and produce collections that are over 85% eco-responsible.
How does it work? In tant VDI, your mission will be to carry out prospecting and marketing activities within your network
You will organize presentations of the Elora product line at your clients’ homes, helping them refresh their wardrobes—and it’s through this activity that you can generate additional income.
Why join Elora?
By offering your services to Elora, you join a company with strong values such as kindness, transparency, and a job well done.
The company is committed to supporting its new team members by giving them access to a starter kit so they don’t have to invest their own money in products at the beginning, as well as an experienced and enthusiastic “mentor” who can show them, in practice, how to succeed at their first presentation. To further their knowledge, free courses are available on the online training platform, helping them continuously develop their skills and effectiveness.
Each personal stylist is also free to browse the Elora blog at her own pace, which features numerous articles and tips for VDI.
Thanks to the self-employed statusneur, each colborator can organize her schedule as she wishes, with complete independence. Keep in mind that Elora personal stylists’ income is linked to the number of home presentations they host, making the activity highly motivating.
A Fashion Consultant earns a commission of nearly 30% of the sales she generates. It's a way to make a few hundred euros in just one evening! The equivalent of a minimum wage salary is quickly reached, as soon as the Fashion Consultant vent reaat least 2 sales per week... Which, with good organization, is completely compatible with a job as an employee.
FAQ – All your questions about how to earn extra income
What are the best ways to earn extra income?
-
Home sales and personalized consulting: share friendly moments by introducing others to different worlds such as fashion, beauty, or home decor.
-
Remote freelancing: offer your unique talents in web writing, graphic design, translation, or social media management.
-
Local services: make life easier for those around you by pet sitting, babysitting, or offering daily help.
-
Reselling items or clothes: give a second life to pieces from your closet to quickly free up some budget.
How can you combine extra income with a salaried job?
You keep full control of your schedule! Independent activities can be planned flexibly during your free time, in the evenings or on weekends. This way, you can easily supplement your income, simply making sure to respect your current employer’s duty of loyalty.
What tools or platforms make it easy to get started quickly?
Registering is very simple online via the official Guichet Unique (INPI) portal. To declare your monthly or quarterly earnings, the URSSAF website can be used in just a few clicks. If you choose the VDI adventure with Elora, you also benefit from an intuitive management platform and free training modules.
What are the tax schemes for declaring your earnings?
-
The Micro-BIC scheme: this applies to product resale activities and offers you an automatic flat-rate deduction on your earnings.
-
The Micro-BNC scheme: this applies to service provision or network animation, with an equally accessible process.
What impact do these earnings have on benefits or the CAF?
Your commissions are included in the calculation of your total income. Reporting your earnings to the CAF every quarter allows for an accurate calculation of your activity bonus or housing benefits. Similarly, there are partial accumulation rules with France Travail.
Do you need any specific experience or diploma to succeed?
To become a VDI (independent direct seller)For example, only your enthusiasm, energy, and people skills matter! No prior diploma is required. You learn on the job and benefit from personalized support to develop your skills at your own pace.
