Technology has dramatically changed the way we work over the last 20 years. Innovations such as broadband internet, smartphones and social media have not only created hundreds of new career options, but also plenty of side hustles. From computer leasing while you're at work to becoming an Airbnb host in your spare time, here are 20 ways you can make some extra cash today that would have been impossible two decades ago.

Peer-to-peer lending allows anyone to lend money to an individual or business via a third party platform such as Funding Circle, Zopa, LendingCrowd or LendingClub. The person borrowing gets a lower interest rate than they would with a bank or other traditional lender, while the person lending the cash gets the chance to earn more than they would with a traditional savings account. You can expect a return of between 3% and 12% a year.

Stock photography may have been around since the 1920s, but the first online microstock company iStockphoto wasn't launched until 2000. Since then, multiple online libraries have been created, offering royalty-free images to businesses and organisations. There's plenty of competition though; as of July 2019 there were 275 million images on Shutterstock alone. With each image earning an average of $0.25 to $0.50 (£0.20-0.40) per month, you'd have to build up quite a collection to see big profits. Ten photos a week could generate $10 - $20 (£8 - £16) a month.

Your computer could be earning you money whilst you're not using it, thanks to the fairly recent introduction of computer leasing. Using blockchain technology you can allow developers and companies to use your system during its downtime – all you have to do is leave it powered up and connected to the internet. There's no big bucks to be made here though; an average home computer will make between $0.10 and $0.40 (£0.08-0.32) per hour, but it's basically money for nothing.

While it doesn't give the marketing tools that a traditional publisher can offer, self-publishing an e-book means you can keep much more of the revenue; anywhere from 40-90% compared to 10% with traditional publishing. However, the challenge of getting the word out about your book can mean disappointing sales; experts suggest that the average e-book writer makes $10-50 (£8-40) a month.

With the very first video uploaded in 2005, YouTube now receives more than 30 million visitors a day and is creating millionaires. The currently highest earning channel is Ryan ToysReview featuring seven-year-old Ryan Kaji who reviews toys for other children and made a reported $22 million (£17.6m) in 2018. In order to monetise videos, you must have at least 1,000 subscribers. However, relying on ads alone won't earn you much; 1,000 views a day nets around $45-75 (£36-60) a month, which is why bigger stars also use sponsored content and merchandise.

While a blog was seen as nothing more than an online journal a decade ago, today it is more of a money-making tool. By monetising your site through the use of ads and affiliate links, it's possible to cash for every reader that visits. However, it takes a lot of time and a solid strategy to build an audience big enough to pull in big bucks like Arianna Huffington (Huffpost) or Perez Hilton (PerezHilton.com). Indeed, a survey from Problogger revealed that the average income for an aspiring blogger is around $100 (£80) a month.

Game streaming site Twitch has seen a meteoric rise. After launching in 2011, it was acquired by Amazon for almost $1 billion (£800m) just three years later. There are now 15 million daily users on the platform. Streamers make money through paid subscription revenue, viewer donations and ad revenue. While the top 10 earners such as 'Ninja' or 'Sodapoppin' enjoy a total of around $23 million (£18.4m) between them, the average streamer with 50 subscribers is likely to earn closer to $100 (£80) a month.

The world's most unbelievably rich video gamers

How about getting paid to answer some questions? Websites such as Ipsos i-Say, Swagbucks, and Toluna have become popular with people looking to make a bit of extra cash in their free time. Paying out at around $1 (80p) per 20-minute survey, it's not the most lucrative of side gigs, but it could be a fun boredom-buster. If you have the willpower to commit to 10 hours a week, it could add up to a monthly total of $120 (£96).

If you have access to a 3D printer along with the technical know-how to use it, you have a good potential side hustle on your hands. Websites such as 3D Hubs allow you to connect with businesses and individuals who are looking for something specific printed. As a guide, you can expect an average order to pay $20-50 (£16-40) and aim for one or two orders a week.

Launched in 2005, online marketplace Etsy offers sellers the chance to connect with buyers looking for one-off items such as crafts, jewellery or vintage clothing. It requires a fair amount of time in order to create products, take attractive photos and list the items, but it can be a good earner – a survey by Smartmoneymamas.com found that the majority of 'stores' earn $100-250 (£80-200) a month.

Getting paid to post pictures of yourself online might have seemed unlikely 20 years ago, but Instagram marketing is big business today. Of course, it's the big celebs who are making a fortune here; Kylie Jenner now commands $1 million (£800k) per post according to recent reports. However, those with around 1,000 followers could net up to $50 (£40) per post, according to micro-influencer app Takumi. Using this average, four sponsored posts a month could earn you $200 (£160).

The rise of the 'gig economy' means that more people are turning to companies like Deliveroo as a way to top up their earnings. The food delivery app has only been around since 2013, but already has a value of $2 billion (£1.6bn). Riders are paid on a per-delivery basis which works out to an average of $12.50 (£10) per hour, according to the company. Deliveroo also notes that the majority of riders works less than 15 hours per week. Working for 10 hours a week would see a healthy monthly earning of $500 (£400).

Ride-share app Uber has enabled car-owners to profit by turning into taxi drivers in their spare time. There are now almost three million drivers globally, despite the company's withdrawal from some parts of the world including Hungary, China and the Northern Territory of Australia. A recent report from Oxford University revealed that drivers make an average of $13.70 (£11) an hour, so if you're able to commit to 10 hours a week, and have a car, you'd have an extra income of $550 (£440) a month.

Search engines might be getting smarter, but they still need a human touch here and there. Evaluators rate the search results of different terms in order to ensure the most helpful results are being delivered to users. You'll usually have to commit to a minimum of 10 hours a week, with remuneration of around $15 (£12) per hour.

The amount of content uploaded to social media sites and forums each day is truly staggering – over 300 million photos are shared every day on Facebook alone. This is where moderators come in. Companies like Facebook and YouTube need people to ensure no content is shared that violates their guidelines. If you're freelancing through a third-party company such as Appen or Lionbridge, you can expect to earn around $15 (£12) an hour, so $600 (£480) a month based on 10 hours a week.

The technological developments of the last two decades mean that businesses and entrepreneurs no longer need to rely on in-house employees, and this is particularly true when it comes to general admin tasks. A freelance virtual assistant carries out tasks such as data entry, social media management and research from anywhere in the world. Completing these types of jobs could earn you around $15 (£12) an hour, while more specialised skills will command a higher rate.

Since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has become a go-to part of trip planning for those looking to an alternative to expensive hotels. The home-sharing site now operates in 190 countries and has seen over 160 million bookings in total. According to Priceonomics, the average monthly income for Airbnb hosts is a healthy $924 (£740) a month. However, an increasing amount of cities are pushing back against the company and its rising monopoly over the short-term rentals market, so it's not viable everywhere.

Advancements in technology as well as an increase in English language learners from countries such as China have made online tutoring a potentially lucrative side gig. Experienced tutors with qualifications such as a TEFL certificate can earn around $25 (£20) an hour. However, there are also opportunities for less qualified applicants provided you have a strong internet connection and access to Skype. In this case working 10 hours every week could net you around $1,000 (£821) a month.

Are these the world's best jobs?

While the term 'chatbot' may have been meaningless 20 years ago, 80% of businesses are aiming to use an automated online assistant by the end of 2020, a survey by Oracle found. These computer programmes allow companies to communicate directly with visitors to their website in a more human-like way. If you have the right skill set, you could earn around $30 (£24) an hour. Working 10 hours a week would net you as much as $1200 (£961) a month.

The biggest hitters are without a doubt gaming apps; the puzzle video game Candy Crush Saga pulls in an estimated $1.3 million (£1m) every day. The majority of apps are free to download, but make money through in-app purchases. In fact, total global revenue for in-app buys hit an eye-watering $71.3 billion (£57.1bn) last year. If you have the tech skills to put an app together, you could earn around $66/hour according to a survey by Codementor. That's a whopping $2,640 (£2.2k) a month if you work just 10 hours a week.

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