5 lucrative ways to earn some extra money

Earning extra money on the side can be easy when you know what types of opportunities to look for. Here are five side jobs that typically pay at least twice the average hourly rate in the U.S., which was $25.53 as of April 2016:

City guide writer

Average salary, $50 to $100/project

If you love your city and have a passion for writing, a side gig as a city guide writer might be ideal. According to Business Insider, real estate and tourism businesses often hire local writers to craft city and neighborhood guides.

Lawn care professional

Average salary, $55/hour

Sign up as a vendor with GreenPal, a lawn care service and app that CEO Bryan Clayton describes as "Uber for lawn care."

Wedding officiant

Average salary, $300 to $500/wedding

Start by officiating weddings for friends and family members to develop your style. Then check your state and local requirements for setting up a business as a wedding officiant. Once you are ready to work, spread the word among your social network to book dates.

Fashion consultant

Average salary, $50 to $500/hour

Focus group or research study participant

Average salary, $100/project

Earn extra cash simply by giving your opinion as part of a focus group or research study. In a focus group, you might be shown a presentation about a certain product or service, while a research study often requires you to perform tasks or take a quiz. to participate.