Extra money helps you to reach your goals sooner than expected. Whether you are saving for a special vacation or paying down debt, there are ways to make money on a rainy day. Some of these ideas are only for a day's pay. However, you could build others into a nice sideline business to carry you through every rainy day.

Day Labor

Hire out as a day laborer with an employment agency. The jobs vary and might include assembly line work at a warehouse, stock work at a store, cleaning offices or working as a helper on an inside construction or remodeling job. Day laborers nearly always provide physical labor.

Hobbies

Earn rainy day money using your creative talent. For example, woodworkers can make a wide variety of items, such as birdhouses, lawn decorations and indoor furniture. Freelance writers might compose poetry for greeting cards or write product descriptions for advertisers. You can start a home business with many hobbies or skills, including photography, genealogy and other research, needlework and painting.

Clear Clutter

List items for sale in the free community paper and on major online websites to turn clutter into rainy day money. Sell electronics, tools, clothing and anything else that gathers dust in your home or garage. Additionally, you might sell any collections that no longer interest you but have intrinsic value, such as coins or gold jewelry.

Tutoring

Tutor in academic subjects or teach your hobbies to others. Students need help with math, science, English grammar and learning foreign languages. You can work with younger children or adults earning their GED, depending on your qualifications. Senior centers and community colleges employ people to teach everything from basket weaving to oil painting.

Postal Worker

Pass the appropriate postal exam and register at the post offices in your area as a substitute mail carrier, mail sorter or clerk. Each position has a different postal exam. Report to the post office on rainy days to see if there is any work available. Qualifications in several areas will increase your chance of getting a slot for the day.

Gift Baskets

Use your shopping savvy and creativity to make attractive gift baskets. Make them in a variety of themes: baby, anniversary, birthday, get well and a general congratulations theme. Lawyers, real estate brokers and other professionals send gift baskets to their best clients. Hospital gift shops and local stores might also buy your gift baskets.