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Today, there are sites like Taskrabbit, Fivver and Upwork for that.
And you needed classified ads, community bulletin boards and word-of-mouth to find these gigs.
Here are four pre-internet ways the middle classearned extra cash.
Teachers might supplement their income by tutoring students after school hours.
And professional musicians could teach lessons like piano or violin right in their own homes.
Private tutors offered one-on-one lessons, usually in homes, libraries or community centers.
This included things like music lessons, math lessons or SAT prep.
Private tutoring like this could be in high demand with families who needed to boost their childrens formal education.
Stay-at-home parents could offer after-school care.
Before big daycare centers became common, neighborhood childcare worked through word-of-mouth and trust.
Direct Sales
Companies like Avon, Tupperware and Amway enlisted the middle-class tosell their products.
Sellers would host home parties and use their social connections to earn extra money through commissions.
These businesses thrived on relationships.
Sellers hosted demonstrations in their own homes and built their customer bases from their friends and neighbors.
Youd need a mower and trimmer to get started.
This was before apps, so this business grew through neighborhood reputation and paper flyers.
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