A priority this year, for many people, will be figuring out how to make money online. It might be a side gig to supplement your job or a completely new venture. Whatever the reason, there are a wealth of available opportunities. For quite a few of them, all you’re going to need is access to a reliable internet connection and a smartphone. How Can I Make Money Online? If you want to earn extra money without breaking a sweat, keep scrolling. To save you time and hours of research, I’ve created this extensive list of online money-making ideas and gigs on the side. All you need to do is set aside some time to read through the list, and I’m pretty confident you’ll find one or two you quite like the sound of. Build a Website and Earn an Affiliate Commission One of the most popular ways to make real money online is through affiliate marketing. 81% of brands and 84% of publishers use the power of affiliate marketing and this statistic is likely to continue as affiliate marketing spending in the US increases every year. Don’t know what affiliate marketing is? It’s a way of earning money by promoting various brands. You’re promoting products, services, apps, software, and more. In return, companies pay you a commission when a customer buys a product using your link.
You probably think the commission will be small, but that’s not strictly true. It can be but what makes a big difference is that you can be an affiliate for one, two, three, or considerably more different brands, and there’s no limit to the number of links you can include in each of your posts. There’s also the potential for the commission to be 50% of a $1,000 product and for it to be a recurring commission every month. How does it work? You advertise the brands via your website by writing blogs, creating infomercials, and other types of content. You include links for your affiliate brands and push traffic to their website. To achieve any level of success, you have to learn to be persistent. The key to your success will be finding a niche that suits you and having the right strategy. Some of the niches you might want to consider include: Software Travel E-commerce Dating Loans Fitness Once you’ve decided on a niche, you’ll need to work on designing a website and starting a blog. Starting a YouTube channel that runs alongside your blog is another option. Level of expertise: Intermediate Requirements: Content marketing expertise, know how to build a website Time: From six months to several years before you start making any real profit Tools: Domain, hosting Income Potential: $300 to $10,000/day Build and Sell Software There are many benefits to building software and then selling it. Upfront costs, including the development of the software, can be pretty high. However, the cost of selling your product once you’ve made it is relatively low. Delivering the finished product to the customer costs very little. One critical requirement is that you need to have a good grasp of the programming side of things. A friend or relative in the know would be a possible alternative, as long as they don’t want to charge too much for their services. It’s also crucial that you create software that people want to buy. Ideally, it needs to be software that’s unique, better than anything else that’s currently available, or at the very least, much cheaper. There’s already a massive amount of software out there, but there are still some niches you can explore and problems no one has found the answer for. Figure out what these are, and you could be on to a winner. Bear in mind that it could take some time for the development side of your project, which makes it vital you do plenty of research beforehand to make sure there’s a market for your product. If you’re interested in reducing the amount of work, you might want to consider buying some software and making improvements or using open-source software. If you think this is a good option, make sure you check whether there are any restrictions. Spending a lot of time creating something you can’t sell would be devastating. App development is another similar option. Creating games or apps can be a very lucrative idea. One guy who made a great success of his SaaS business is Neil Patel. You can read his story here. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Know how to code or have a friend or relative who can do it for you, get clients to use the software Time: More than one year to start making some money Tools: Hosting, domain Income Potential: $50-$100,000/month Launch and Grow a Startup Thanks to the internet, there are vast amounts of options if you think you’ve got what it takes to launch a startup business. As long as you’ve got a computer and a reliable internet connection, the sky’s the limit in what you can achieve. You don’t need to be a technical whizz kid, as there are plenty of valuable tools that will help you build, launch and grow your business. You just need to put in the hard work, learning what you need. Another great benefit of starting a new online business is that you do it from anywhere in the world. No one sets your schedule for you, which means you can work as little or as often as suits you. It depends on how fast or successful you want your business to be. When it comes to capital requirements, you don’t need a lot. There are internet businesses you can get off the ground with no money simply because there are a wealth of free services to help the process. Here are just a few ideas, some of which we’ll look at in more detail a little later. Custom furniture production Homemade beauty products Activity holidays E-commerce retailer Cleaning services Hand-made craft seller Tutoring or digital courses Start your own clothing line Publish a book Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: The right idea and customers for your product or service Time: More than six months to start making money Tools: Hosting, domain Income Potential: $50-$100,000/month Start an eCommerce Site and Sell Physical Products In recent years, eCommerce sites have really taken off, and thanks to platforms such as WooCommerce and WordPress, building your site couldn’t get much easier. Because so many brick-and-mortar stores have had to close their doors due to COVID, the popularity of this option is likely to increase. Online shopping is no longer the luxury it once was. More than a decade ago, eCommerce only accounted for 5.1% of total retail sales. Fast forward and in 2019, online sales accounted for 21%. For millions of people, thanks to Covid-19, it is now a necessity. For your eCommerce business to be successful in the long term, you’ll need a long-term vision and a product that brings real value to the market. To run a successful eCommerce store, you need to create and sell a niche physical product to a specific audience or purchase trending products cheaply from an overseas manufacturer, repackage them and sell them at a markup. The first option can be a little risky, but it also has the potential to be very successful. A certain amount of passion for your product or products is essential, and you’ll also need to be prepared to put in the graft when it comes to research, development of your product, and also testing. There are some very successful eCommerce sites you can take inspiration from, such as Beardbrand, Ratio Coffee, and SkinnyMe Tea. All three of these companies show what incredible results are possible if you’re prepared to put in the work. The second option is less risky, but you first have to source a product that’s already popular. One place to look is AliExpress. You buy the product in bulk, repackage it, and then sell it via your eCommerce store. Aside from finding the right product, you’ll also need to think about how you’ll ship the orders. Handling it yourself is the obvious option, but something called drop shipping is another possibility. In this case, you take the orders, and the manufacturer handles the shipping on your behalf. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: The right idea and customers for your product Time: You could be making money in a couple of months Tools: Hosting, domain, products to sell Income Potential: $50-$100,000/monthh= Create Online Courses You get them popping up on your Facebook news feed and in ads when you search online. It feels like online courses are everywhere you look nowadays, but it’s not too late to get in on the action. It is forecast that the online education market could reach $350 billion by 2025. There is one requirement, however. You need knowledge that someone is willing to pay for. If you’ve got what it takes, online courses are a fantastic opportunity. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have the wherewithal to create your own course because there’s always the option of becoming an instructor. Pick the right platform and you’ll be able to pass on your experience and skills to a broad audience who might be interested in learning something new.If you’re wondering what kind of topics sell, here are some examples: Personal development Photography Art Gardening Technology Languages (we’ll be looking at teaching English a little later) Cooking Marketing An excellent place to start, if you have decided on a topic, is to poll your audience. You’ll discover what they want to learn and how much they’ll be willing to pay for it. Level of expertise: Expert Requirements: Knowledge or skill people want to pay for Time: You could be earning an income in a couple of months Tools: Online learning platforms such as Udemy and Kajabi, or a software product such as WooCommerce or WordPress, an online course platform like Thinkific. Income Potential: $50-$10,000/month Write and Sell an eBook If you know you’ve got a book in you but have been putting it off for years, publishing an eBook could be the opportunity you’re looking for. If you want to publish a book, you don’t have to approach a publishing house because self-publishing is an option. Absolutely anyone can publish a book, and it is possible to make a living. The barrier for entry is set relatively low, so be ready for lots of competition. To stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to write the best eBook possible and satisfy the readers’ expectations. Some of the things you need to consider before you put pen to paper, figuratively speaking, include: Choosing the right topic: Something you’re passionate or knowledgeable about. How long your eBook is going to be: There are no hard and fast rules. The title of your eBook: It needs to grab people’s attention and draw them in. Write unique content: Provide insights that no other eBook offers. Format: PDF is the best. Editing: Fill your eBook with grammatical errors, and it’s doomed to fail. Cover design: It’s not just about the content. An attractive cover is also key to success. Once you’ve written your eBook, you need to sell it. Targeting everyone is not the best approach. You’re more likely to be successful if you can identify a market. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Idea for your eBook Time: Your eBook could earn you an income within a couple of months Tools: Editing tool, blog, or publishing platform Income Potential: $50-$10,000/ month Sell Stuff on Amazon FBA Amazon is one of the largest online stores. We’ve already looked at creating your eCommerce store, and this idea is kind of similar, but in this case, you’re using Amazon’s platform. It’s a cost-effective way of shipping your products and allows you to provide excellent customer service for a small fee. An excellent approach is to determine which products sell well on the platform and look for cheaper versions you can rebrand and resell. The selling process couldn’t be more straightforward. You send your items to Amazon, and they’re stored in one of their fulfillment centers. Potential customers can purchase your items via Amazon or another eCommerce platform. When things are sold, Amazon picks, packs, and ships the items. You can monitor everything via Amazon’s tracking system. Amazon provides excellent customer service and manages any returns. Such a service isn’t free. The fulfillment fees are rather complicated, but there are plenty of online resources that explain how to calculate the costs. What to Sell to Make Money on Amazon FBA You can sell pretty much anything, from items you’ve got lying around your home to expensive, luxury jewelry, but some things sell better than others. A definite no-no would be well-known brand-name products. Amazon customers tend to be looking for decent products that look like they tick all the boxes and are being sold at a low price. However, for your items to catch buyers’ eyes, they have to be similar but better than all the rest. List it under your name, for example, and add something extra that other sellers don’t. Better overall service, faster shipping, or a product listing that catches the eye are just a few examples. Here are some more criteria to bear in mind: Products should be niche-specific. Items between $10 and $15 tend to sell better. Products that are lightweight and small are easier to ship. Brand the products as your own. Avoid products that are seasonal. Your product should solve a problem or address a need. Look for quality products from reliable suppliers. Choose items in a popular category, for example: Books Baby Beauty Accessories and clothing Electronics Outdoors and gardening Fitness Kitchen and home Health Toys Jewelry Level of expertise: beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: products to sell, computer, and customers for your products Time: You could earn an income within six months Tools: Amazon account or your eCommerce site Income Potential: $50-$100,000/month Buy and Sell Domain Names In the modern tech-centric world, domain names are big business. In some cases, they can change hands for millions of dollars. At the very least, you can expect a few hundred dollars if you find a solid domain name that’s up for sale. Don’t expect to turn a profit for several months, as it can take a considerable amount of time to build a top-quality portfolio of domains. How much profit you make depends on how much work you’re prepared to put in. Buying and selling domain names involves trying to predict what’s going to be popular a few months or years down the line. Another option is to purchase some domains that are already high profile and hang on to them for a while, hoping that their value will increase. There are lots of different tools you can use, such as Just Dropped, Namecheap, Flippa, and GoDaddy. Once you’ve purchased the domain, you simply relist it and wait for someone to be interested so you can sell it to them for a profit. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Knowledge of domain names and what makes them attractive Time: Anything from one month onwards Tools: Account with a site that buys and sells domain names Income Potential: $10-$1,000/month Freelance Do you have a specific skill set? Is there something you can do that people would pay money for? There is currently a massive demand for freelancers. In a recent survey by PeoplePerHour, 60% of businesses who responded said they plan to use freelancers more this year. However, being your own boss is not as easy as it seems. Many sacrifices are required, and you have to put in a certain amount of effort when it comes to finding clients. All of which must be done before you can do the work. There are also specific skills you’ll need to develop if you want to be successful. You’ll need to learn how to market yourself, pitch to potential clients, provide support, budget, and manage your time. There’s also a tremendous amount of competition, which means you also need to think about a strategy. You’ll find plenty of resources to help you online, so don’t fret about it too much. Let’s look at the steps you’ll need to take before moving on to the areas with the most potential. Step 1: Choose your niche: something you’re passionate or knowledgeable about. Step 2: Be specific about the services you provide. Step 3: Build an impressive portfolio of your work. Step 4: Define your customer base. Step 5: Test the waters before you give up your day job. Step 6: Hone your skills. Step 7: Search for clients on popular freelance sites such as Upwork, Freelancer, Toptal, and Fiverr. Be prepared to work harder than in your 9-5 job, enjoy fewer vacations, work through holidays, and often into the night. Now let’s look at some of the most popular niches for freelancers. Web Development Increasing demand for websites means jobs that revolve around this need are also on the rise. It’s a job that lends itself well to working from home because all you need is knowledge, a computer, and a reliable internet connection. The most popular jobs include front-end developing, back-end developing, and full-stack development. Writing Professional writers are highly sought after. This role involves writing content for clients’ websites that promotes their business and helps them stay relevant. How much money you make depends on the niche you choose and your skillset. Graphic Design Graphic design is a vast field so you’ll help potential customers by creating a portfolio, pitching to clients, and setting your rates according to your expertise. To hone your skills even further, consider taking certified courses and watching tutorials. Digital Marketing If you’ve got a creative mind, this might be the industry for you. Digital marketing plays a critical role in helping industries and brands stay relevant. There’s a variety of work available, even for the beginner. Opt for smaller projects such as social media posts and banners or more complex projects that require you to create a brand identity or manage a marketing campaign on social media. Virtual Assistance This is another area that’s becoming increasingly popular. Hiring one remote person to undertake a wide range of tasks such as receptionist, customer support, typist, admin, or email assistant saves money, especially for a small business with a tight budget. Work for several different companies, and you’ll be able to maximize your freelancing income. Photography Visuals have become equally important in the advertising industry and are considered to have as much influence as the written word. If you’re a photographer, you don’t have to limit yourself to covering weddings and events. It’s possible to earn money in food design and product photography disciplines, for example. You could also post your work on stock websites or sell editing presets. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Knowledge or skill that people are willing to pay for Time: Instant Tools: Your website or an account with a freelancing site Income Potential: up to $80,000/month
Teach English as a Virtual Tutor It’s possible to teach English as a virtual tutor with no experience. However, you do have to be a fluent English speaker. Teaching English online has enjoyed rapid growth in demand and popularity. There are currently over a billion people currently learning English globally. New online platforms and schools pop up regularly. Some require a bachelor’s degree, but others don’t. TEFL or ESL certification, however, is essential. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: No teaching experience is required, but you can earn more with a degree or teaching certification Time: Instant Tools: Account with an online teaching platform Income Potential: From $10/hour – $40/hour Do Micro-Jobs on Amazon Mechanical Turk You may not have heard of micro-jobs, but it’s a term used for straightforward jobs that generally require no technical skill. Amazon Mechanical Turk is an online platform where requesters (as they are known) post boring jobs that you can complete for minute sums of money. The jobs are called HITs or Human Intelligence Tasks. These tasks tend to be things that algorithms or computers aren’t quite capable of doing or that humans do far more effectively. You get to pick and choose which jobs you want to do and how much you do. The pay is anything from $0.01 to $1 per HIT. HITs include: Transcription of audio recordings Researching data details Identification of objects in videos or photos Data deduplication, Unfortunately, there is a considerable amount of competition, and if you want to get your fair share of the work, you’ll need to use browser extensions and a suite of tools to lap up the best-paying jobs quickly. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: No experience or knowledge is required Time: Instant, although it can take a couple of weeks to build up a decent amount of cash Tools: Software that alerts you of the high-earning HITS Income Potential: $100 – $1,000/month Online Coaching This is one opportunity that could eventually run itself if you wanted it to. Start a coaching program, and you’re creating a solid base for a business. One significant benefit of online coaching is that you can make good money very quickly. People tend to be more willing to pay a higher price for one-on-one or personalized programs. Successful online coaches include Shana Recker, Tiffany Napper, and Christina Sambak. You do, however, need to research your audience and understand what they want and need. Something else that’s very beneficial will be encouraging your clients to spread the word about your business. A range of coaching platforms have sprung up, and they enable you to launch a highly scalable business model and not have to compromise on the effectiveness of your coaching. The most popular coaching platforms include: Satori: This is an app that streamlines both the business management and coaching side of a business. It combines a business intelligence tool and CRM system, so you’ve got a 1-stop shop. CoachAccountable: This platform also covers essential administration tools to help with payments, scheduling sessions, coaching plans, and the sharing of documents. Nudge Coach: This platform’s focus is on helping coaches keep their clients on track remotely and between sessions. It allows you to send clients the right message when needed and schedule notifications for the future. TrueCoach: Designed for fitness business and personal trainers who might want to launch remote training and coaching. It allows you to connect remotely with clients and share videos and workouts. Coach Catalyst: This platform is also for fitness businesses and personal trainers. It includes daily check-ins, which means clients are accountable between sessions. Coaches can monitor progress and offer additional motivation or attention if needed. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Knowledge or skill that people will be willing to pay for, technical knowledge for the platforms Time: 6 months before you turn a profit Tools: Coaching platform, website to market your services Income Potential: $1,000 – $10,000/month Online Consultant Individuals and businesses often reach out to consultants to help them reach their goals, especially when they have problems meeting in person because of a heavy schedule. Being a virtual consultant is a versatile career choice, and you could help your clients with a wide range of things, from marketing to searching for a job. Consider what experience and skills you have and whether you’re able to deliver it online, and there will be people who want to pay for such a solution to their problems. Along with your experience, you’ll also need to do some research. This will allow you to focus on the right service to offer and how much you can expect your future clients to pay. Once you’ve found a service, consider undertaking a beta group test. Use it as a learning experience, get feedback, and remember to ask for testimonials. There’s a vast range of options when it comes to consulting. Check out the following options: PR consulting Marketing consultant Social media consulting Career coaching consultant Sustainability consultant Travel consulting Financial consultant Fitness/wellness consultant HR consulting IT/technology consultant Sales consultant Compliance consulting Legal consultant If you’re not sure where to look for opportunities, try one of these legitimate websites: Clarity: This is a platform that concentrates mainly on start-ups. Any experts who want to offer their services here need to know business processes, entrepreneurship, or start-ups, for example. ExpertConnect: Based in New York, ExpertConnect is always looking for experts in healthcare, technology, life sciences, telecommunications, media, legal affairs, accounting, finance, real estate, retail, and consumer goods. Maven: According to Maven, it is the “Global Knowledge Marketplace” and has many experts from all industry fields and walks of life. Mavens, as the experts are known, include truck drivers, barbers, auto mechanics, farmers, and doctors. GLG: The clientele on this platform comes from many different industries, including technology, life sciences, investments, market research, and consumer goods. You’re able to set your rates depending on your experience, practice area, and designation. Zintro: You pay nothing to be a Zintro member, but you or your client must pay when you first connect via the platform. You don’t receive emails with consulting requests. Instead, you have to visit your Zintro inbox regularly. Level of expertise: Intermediate, expert Requirements: Experience and skills that people need and want to pay for Time: At least a year before you make any profit Tools: Consultancy platform, website to advertise your services Income Potential: $500 – $110,000/month Join a Remote Company Part-Time (or Full-Time) Perhaps you’d like a change of career, want to try something new, or would benefit from a scenery change. In such cases, working remotely can be a breath of fresh air as well as an excellent opportunity to earn some money on the side. Many companies are looking for remote employees, and it doesn’t matter where you work. According to Upwork, 22% of the American workforce will be working remotely by 2025. That’s an 87% increase compared to before the pandemic. Start on a part-time basis, and you might like it so much you want to work full-time. Look for possible options by checking out online career listings, or visit one of the following websites: SolidGigs Flexjobs Remote We Work Remotely The types of remote jobs available vary considerably. Such positions might include being a designer or working in customer support. It’s a simple case of finding a job you like and applying for it. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: The right skill for the job you’re applying for Time: Instant Tools: Knowledge and experience to help you secure the job Income Potential: $20,000 – $100,000 Narrate Audiobooks to Make Money Online The audiobook industry has experienced dramatic growth in recent years, which means there’s a significant demand for audiobook narrators. The popularity of audiobooks doesn’t seem to be slowing down either. It is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 24.4% from 2020 to 2027. There are no special qualifications for this online role, but you will need a great speaking voice and enjoy reading. One of the quickest and easiest ways of starting your narrating career is to sign up with a platform connecting authors with audiobook narrators. Here are some examples of where to look: ACX Voices Audible Brilliance Audio Voicebunny.com You’re going to need to invest in some good recording software and a top-quality microphone. Start by creating some samples so that potential clients can hear your voice. Another good place to look for work is Upwork. This freelancing website will help you expand your reach. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Love of reading and a great voice Time: Instant Tools: Recording software, a good quality microphone, somewhere quiet to make the recordings Income Potential: $100 – $500/finished hour Make Money with Online Surveys This option will not make you rich, but it is a way of earning prizes or fast cash and not worrying about learning a new skill. You can do this job in your spare time. The work is effortless, and most online survey sites require little or no skill or education. Some survey websites pay more than you might expect, but even so, don’t expect your earnings to be in anything more than double figures. You have to sign up at an online survey site and provide certain information, including your interests and background. With that information, the platforms can match you up with the most appropriate surveys. The most popular survey sites online include: Swagbucks I-say Pinecone Research Pro Opinion SendEarnings Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate Requirements: None Time: Instant Tools: Smartphone Income Potential: $1 – $20/hour Test Websites Website testing is an invaluable resource for companies that might have invested vast amounts in their company website design. On average, the upfront cost of launching and designing a website is $12,000 to $150,000.To test a website, you have to access, use, and analyze the website. You then have to provide feedback on the experience, how the website functioned and whether it was appealing or not. A company’s website plays an integral part in its success. Websites are a very effective way of reaching, engaging, and converting online customers. It’s no wonder companies take website testing so seriously. The amount of money you can potentially earn is not really large enough for this to be a full-time career. However, it’s a good way of supplementing your current income. You sign up with a testing platform, and you’ll be informed when opportunities are available, either by email or by visiting the online platform. If you’re interested in taking part in any of the tests, you have to claim them and wait to be given access. Other users will be competing for the opportunities, and for the more popular company websites, competition could be fierce. There are many online platforms you can use to look for testing tasks. The more popular ones include: UserTesting IntelliZoomPanel Userlytics Enroll TryMyUI Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate Requirements: Good eye for website design Time: Instant Tools: Website testing platform Income Potential: $10/hour with the occasional opportunity to make more Make Money Writing on Sites Do you like the sound of getting paid to write from home? You don’t need a vast amount of experience, but you do need to be able to string words together if you want to get paid for your efforts. There’s an abundance of websites and blogs that will pay you to follow guidelines and deliver good quality content. There are many benefits to writing online. No upfront investment is required, and there are no start-up fees. You can expect to be paid relatively quickly, and there’s no shortage of writing gigs. You might find yourself writing reviews, tutorials, how-to articles, or lists, and the subject matter could be anything, from travel and web design to parenting, health, and wellness. Some blogs and websites pay writers on a revenue-share model, but that’s not the case in the following list. You can expect to receive an agreed-upon fee in exchange for every article you write that is accepted. This is a small selection of the sites that pay you to write. Textbroker iWriter Writer Access Upwork Problogger Freelancer.com Fiverr WordAgents Verblio Writers Domain People per Hour Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Good English language skills, knowledge of grammar and punctuation Time: Instant Tools: Writing software such as Google Docs or Microsoft Office, grammar checking tool Income Potential: $10 – $500/article Make Money Typing Gone are the days of rooms full of typists tip-tapping away. There’s no longer a need for such services because most people are half-decent typists themselves. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a need for experiences and better than decent typists. Thanks to the internet, it’s now a job you can do anywhere. You don’t need lots of equipment, and the only requirement is that you complete assignments on time. Another benefit is that you can start making money instantly, whenever you’ve got the free time, or make it into a full-time career. A range of typing jobs are available, but the majority fall into the following categories: Transcription: With this type of work, you’ll be typing audio recordings. It might be lectures, dictation, phone messages, conference calls, workshops, speeches, podcasts, interviews, webinars, or videos. Within this category, there are specializations such as legal transcription and corporate/financial transcription. Medical transcription: This role requires specialist training and certification as it involves transcribing dictation made by physicians or medical practitioners. Captioning: A captioner works off live video rather than recorded audio. Fast typing speeds are a requirement and accuracy and stenography equipment. Level of expertise: Intermediate, expert Requirements: Excellent spelling, punctuation, grammar, and typing skills, Time: Instant Tools: Sign up with a typing website, computer with a large monitor, headphones, foot pedal Income Potential: $7 – $50/hour
Sell Your Art and Designs A very popular way to make money online is to sell your art and designs. If you’ve got a good eye for design or consider yourself an artist, it’s possible to sell what you create online and also make money. There are lots of websites that specialize in this kind of product. You’ll get help creating your shop on the platform, uploading your art or designs, marketing your products, along with selling and shipping orders. Where you decide to sell your designs and art online depends on what you want to sell. A wide range of platforms is available for selling everything from drawings and paintings to woodworking and crafts. Here are some of the best we’ve found: Etsy: This site has a massive following, making it a great place to sell your art. You have to pay listing fees, and the competition is intense, but it’s worth checking out. To make your art stand out, you’ll need to include high-quality images. Artfinder: This online marketplace is where independent artists sell their work. You can sell paintings, sculptures, photographs, and much more. The site is aimed at high-end collectors, but that does mean you can charge more for your art. You have to apply to Artfinder if you want to sell your art. Applications are reviewed for originality and quality. Big Cartel: Big Cartel charges a flat monthly fee and doesn’t take a percentage from your sales. Storeenvy: This platform is entirely free, which makes it a great starting point. ArtPal: No upfront fees have to be paid. Instead, ArtPal takes 5% from any sales you make. Artmajeur: This site is based in France but sells art globally. Commission rates are a little steep, but you can list various items, including sculptures, drawings, multimedia, paintings, and photography. Society6: You can use this site to sell reproductions of art or get your designs or art printed on various items. Simply upload your photography or artwork, and you can have it printed onto everything from iPhone cases to art prints. You can also use Facebook, Instagram, Patreon, or Shopify. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Artistic flare or a good eye for design Time: Up to 12 months to make a liveable profit Tools: Arts and crafts materials Income Potential: $50 – $10,000/month Become a YouTuber and Make Money From It When people are looking for entertaining, informative, or fun videos, millions of people around the world turn to YouTube. As well as being one of the largest search engines globally, YouTube is also a way to make money online. The first step is to get an audience for your YouTube channel. The bigger, the better. A larger following can earn you some serious cash. Your audience, the better chance you have of making some serious cash. There are several ways you can monetize your YouTube channel. Become a Partner and Earn Cash From Ads Sell Merchandise or products Crowdfund Fan Funding License Your Channel’s Content Work as an Affiliate or Influencer The two types of YouTube channels that achieve the best following are: Educational content: Think of these as “How to” videos. You can make this type of video if you’ve got information or valuable skills that will interest others. Entertaining content: This style of video includes pranks, reviews, comedy videos, game walkthroughs, and much more. Level of expertise: Intermediate, expert Requirements: YouTube channel with lots of followers/subscribers Time: It can take at least 12 months to realize a profit Tools: Monetized YouTube account Income Potential: $5 – $5,000/YouTube video Become an Influencer on Instagram Instagram has been around for more than a decade. From very humble beginnings, it has grown into being one of the biggest social media platforms. In the third quarter of 2020, it was estimated that there were 1.16 billion Instagram users. One of the main reasons it’s become so popular is that it’s completely free. It’s possible to make money from Instagram quite easily, but you will need a large enough following. There are companies out there that are willing to pay Instagrammers money. It might be for showcasing a product or making a post. How much you’ll get paid for a post kind of depends on how engaged your followers are and how many of them there are. Remuneration ranges from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand, just for one post. To be able to charge a few thousand for a post will take a certain amount of time, patience, and dedication. First, you’ve got to build up a sizable audience. It shouldn’t be a problem if you enjoy taking photographs, however. You’ll also need to spend lots of time using your phone and be a dedicated Instagrammer. If you can tick all these boxes, it’s got to be worth trying. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: Understanding of posting on Instagram Time: 12 months or more to gain a good following, longer to make a profit Tools: Smartphone with a good camera Income Potential: $50 – $5,000/post Make Money with Apps There’s a good selection of apps that pay you money, whether you’re looking for a side hustle, something to fill your free time with, or part-time employment. However, even the best-paying ones out there aren’t likely to make you rich. That being said, they can provide a sizable secondary income. Not every app will suit everyone, but if you’re interested, there’s sure to be one that gives you what you want. The process is very simple. You simply download the app, create a profile, possibly provide additional information, wait for verification, and then off you go. Apps pay in several different ways. Some pay with rewards, payment vouchers, gifts, money-off, cashback, or coupons. A large number of them pay via PayPal, so you’ll need to have a PayPal account. The earning potential of money-making apps depends on the amount of effort you put in. Do you, for example, want to earn some extra bucks when you’re lounging around at home or relaxing in your local coffee shop? Are you prepared to drive around, visit stores, meet people in person, or do manual labor? What Apps Pay You Real Money? If you’re looking for an app that pays real money, check out the following list: Ibotta: earn real money on online or in-store purchases in one of over 1,500 retail chains and brands. Offers are retailer or product-specific, some of which are applied automatically. Products you can buy include entertainment, clothing, pet supplies, groceries, and more. Rakuten: With this app, you’re rewarded with as much as 40% cash-back when you make purchases from well-known restaurants, food delivery services, and retailers. To increase your earnings, you can link a debit or credit card and earn cash back when you buy in-store instead of online. Swagbucks: Earn your Swagbucks shopping, playing games, watching videos, and any number of other tasks. You can redeem the points you earn for cash into a PayPal account. Cointiply: This is a micro-task website where you sign up and receive free bitcoins in exchange for various tasks. These might be installing apps, filling in surveys, viewing apps, playing games, or much more. Doordash: if you’ve got a bike or vehicle, Doordash pays you for delivering food. More than 250,000 restaurants located in over 300 cities use this app for providing food to customers. Shipt: This app is similar to DoorDash, but you are paid for delivering groceries in this case. Shopkick: To earn money from this app, you’ll need to pick from various tasks that tend to revolve around visiting a store and shopping. It’s also a mystery shopping app that pays you for visiting stores and checking whether specific products are in stock. Mercari: Choose Mercari if you’ve got loads of stuff you want to sell. It’s an online marketplace for new and used items for sale across the US. Poshmark: Poshmark is an app for anyone with clothing to sell. Millions of users visit the platform, and listing your items is free. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate Requirements: PayPal account for receiving payments Time: Instant Tools: An account with one or more money-making apps Income Potential: $5 – $500/week
Make Money on Your Phone You don’t need a fancy computer to make money. You can make upward of 3k just by using your smartphone. What’s even better is that you won’t need to leave home to do it. The internet has made it super easy, and with smartphones having enough computer power to run a small country, there are numerous ways you can make money from home. Lots of the options will bring in small amounts of cash, which we’ve already looked at. In this short section, you’ll find out about the more lucrative ways. Make a profit from flipping stuff: If you’re the kind of person who has an eye for hidden treasures and deals at garage sales or thrift stores, this could be the option for you. When you flip things, you’re selling items you got free or discounted for profit. Make smart investments with Acorns: If you’re interested in making money by investing, Acorns is a fantastic option, especially for beginners. When you buy something with your credit or debit card, Acorn rounds it up and invests the difference. It’s just a small change, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly it adds up. Sell books online: There’s a massive market for used books and textbooks. Sites such as Bookscouter help you sell any books you’ve got or books you buy cheaply, for real cash. Play games and get paid: If you enjoy passing the time playing games, check out Dabbl. Play fun and simple interactive games and earn money. We’ll look at some other ways to make money playing games in the next section. Rover: Get paid to play with dogs, pet-sit, walk dogs, and more. Use your phone to set your rates and plan your schedule. Level of expertise: Beginner Requirements: Smartphone Time: Instant Tools: Sign up with the app Income Potential: Up to $3,000 annually Make Money Playing Games Would you believe me if I told you that making money playing games is possible? It might sound like a sketchy idea, but it is possible. It’s not something that’s going to make you rich, but you could easily earn an extra 4.3k if you’ve got the time and inclination. Can You Really Make Money Playing Games on Your Phone? Yes, you can, and there are dozens of apps that reward you when you play games. There are a few games-for-cash sites that are sketchy, so you have to be careful. However, some are totally worth it. Here is a list of the top games apps that hand out real money. Coin Pop: Collect points when you try out and play different games. The longer you play, the more points you earn. Redeem your points for Amazon vouchers or cash. MistPlay: Earn credits for playing selected games. You earn more the longer you play and bonus units when you reach higher levels or play at specific times. You cash out for a Mastercard or Visa payment, Amazon payments, or some other gift card. Fit Play: Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll get a list of games you can play for points. Build up your points and then redeem them for gift cards or cash on PayPal. Qmee: Primarily, Qmee is a survey app, but there is a section where you can earn money by playing games. Make Money – iOS: Lots of tasks available, some of which include playing a game you’ve downloaded to a certain level. Ysense: Earn cash rewards for trying different games. You need to meet certain conditions to receive your rewards, such as collecting a specified number of points or reaching a certain level. InstaGC: The payment threshold is really low, so you could cash out earnings as small as $1. Earnably: Play games for free and get paid to do it. Cashout is speedy via gift card or PayPal. Level of expertise: Beginners Requirements: Smartphone Time: Instant Tools: Sign up with the app Income Potential: Up to $4.3k annually Sell Stock Photos to Make Money Online Is your passion for taking pictures? Why not make some money at the same time? There are several different sites where you can upload your photos. The benefit of using these sites is that their user base is massive. Every time someone operates and licenses the images, you’re paid for the privilege. Many people start selling their stock photos only to fall after a couple of months because they’re not earning enough. To make a consistent amount of money, you must upload images of the highest quality, research what sells, and then create the pictures you know people will buy. It also helps if you upload images as often as you can. The more extensive your portfolio, the better chance you have of success. Some of the most well-known stock photography sites include: iStockPhoto Shutterstock How to Make Money Selling Photos of Yourself Did you know all those selfies you’re taking could make you some cash? Agencies and companies are willing to pay top dollar for them because they can significantly impact businesses and brands. If you can take good shots of yourself and know the best places to sell them, it is possible to make money. Options for selling your selfies online include the usual stock websites, via a website of your own, via a blog, or by running a contest or giveaway. Some of the best websites for selling images of yourself include: Scoopshot Stylinity Foap Pay Your Selfie SmugMug Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate Requirements: A good eye for taking a quality photograph Time: A few months for people to find your images Tools: Smartphone or digital camera, editing software Income Potential: $300 – $500/month Watch Videos and Get Paid Wouldn’t it be great to get paid for watching videos? Well, the good news is that you can. It’s also a lot easier than you think. There are loads of options. Here is just a small selection: Write film subtitles on a freelance basis, and if you speak another language, you could charge extra for your services. Become a TV and film reviewer – There are even opportunities to make this a full-time career. It’s a very competitive business, so you might need to charge low rates to start. Watch movie trailers and ads for money – Sites such as iRazoo, InboxDollars, and Vindale Research pay you for completing elementary tasks, such as answering surveys and playing games. You can also get paid for watching cooking tutorials, short films, app adverts, and movie trailers. Get paid for watching ads on SuccessBux – The minimum payout is a mere $1, and it is paid via PayPal. Other options if you like the sound of watching ads include Swagbucks, ibotta, and Nielsen TV Ratings. Sign up with TV-TWO, and you can get paid in cryptocurrency – You’re paid for watching videos, but in this case, you have to earn a massive amount of credits, 50,000, before you’re able to ask for a payout. Charge companies for promoting their videos – It helps if you’ve got a good following, but it’s not essential. Level of expertise: Beginner Requirements: Laptop or mobile device for watching the videos Time: Instant Tools: Sign up with the relevant app Income Potential: $50 – $500/month Rent Your Home or Room on Airbnb Do you own your own home? Is there a room in your home you don’t currently use? A great way to earn a passive income is to rent out your spare room. Thanks to a platform known as Airbnb, an increasing number of people are doing just that. Some people choose to rent their whole house. According to a recent data analysis, there are 2.9 million Airbnb hosts worldwide. Airbnb is a very flexible option because you’re given the freedom to choose when and how often you rent out your space. The rental rules are also your responsibility, as is the daily rental rate. Source Renting a room or your house to strangers may leave you feeling a little uneasy. Airbnb, however, does provide insurance should anything occur. If you need additional reassurance, AirBnB does operate a renter’s rating system. Check out a person’s AirBnB reputation before you let them stay. Level of expertise: Intermediate, Expert Requirements: A room or a property that’s suitable to rent Time: Instant Tools: Register with AirBnB and follow the host standards Income Potential: an average of $924/month Look After Other People’s Pets, Believe it or not, there is a massive demand for responsible and reliable pet sitters. One essential thing is that you have to love pets. Typically, it would be cats and dogs you’d be caring for, but potentially, it could be anything from a parrot to tropical fish. Pet sitting is very similar to babysitting, but you’ll be looking after a beloved pet rather than a child in this case. It depends on the job, but you could look after the pet in your own home or the home of the owner. If you don’t think you’ll be able to commit to caring for a pet over several days or longer, other options are possible. Perhaps you could be a dog walker or keep a pet company while their owner works. There are several pet sitting websites where you can look for work, for example: Care.com Tailster Cat in a Flat Rover Pawshake Trusted Housesitters Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: You have to be an animal lover, be patient, and be empathic for animals Time: Work on getting a good reputation, and you could turn a profit in a couple of months Tools: Certification will help you get better-paid jobs, insurance should anything go wrong Income Potential: $10 – $25/hour
Make Money Online with Google AdSense Google AdSense is a program that lets you run ads on your website, YouTube videos, or blog. You are paid when someone clicks on the ad. Businesses using the Google AdWords program generate the ads, and you feed them by using an AdSense code. If your website or blog is new, Google AdSense is one of the quickest ways to generate an income. The program is free, and the eligibility requirements are simple. You get a wide range of adoptions to choose from, some of which you’re able to customize to complement the feel and look of your site. Payments made to you by Google are made by direct deposit every month. You’re not limited to running ads on just one website, and you can also run ads on RSS feeds and mobile devices. You have to meet specific Google requirements to include the ads on your website, blog, or YouTube channel. Your website, for example, has to have at least 30 pages of content that’s unique, is three months old, and generates traffic. The better the traffic, the higher your potential for earning. Level of expertise: Intermediate, expert Requirements: Website, blog, or YouTube channel that meets Google requirements, some technical knowledge Time: You can start earning as soon as your site is approved Tools: It’s easier to display ads if you use a platform such as WordPress Income Potential: $0.20 – $15/click Hobbies That Make Money Online If you’ve got a hobby or two, did you realize you could be making money doing something you love? You may not have got into your hobby with the intention of making money, but some have the potential to become money streams if you’re serious enough. Want to know what the most lucrative hobbies are? Keep reading for the ultimate list. Writing: Besides earning you money, publishing and writing online is also a great way to further your career or become an established expert. Freelance on sites like Fiverr or Upwork or write your blog. Design and illustration: this creative hobby can also make you money on a freelance basis. There are always potential clients on Fiverr, for example. Another option is to put your illustrations or designs on items like posts, canvases, or t-shirts. Choose a print-on-demand service, and you don’t need money upfront for an inventory. Cooking: Start a foodie blog to showcase your creations. Create a YouTube channel and teach people how to cook. Dive headfirst into your food hobby by creating cooking products or food. Music: Record and sell your albums or songs. Platforms like SoundCloud are good places to sell what you record. Creating beats or samples is another money-making musical hobby. DIY crafts: Crafting can be a very profitable hobby. There is an endless number of things you could make and sell. For example, jewelry, bath bombs, soap, wooden puzzles, candles, and many more. Gardening: With more people spending time at home, gardening has seen a significant increase in popularity. As well as making you healthier and happier, this hobby could also make you richer. Photography: You could become a freelance photographer, but for a side hustle that’s more scalable, why not sell your photos as prints or stock images?. Comedy: If you’ve got a good sense of humor and enjoy making people laugh, have you thought about using this talent to make money? It’s possible to amass large audiences by curating viral videos, memes, or tapping into a humorous niche. Level of expertise: Beginner, intermediate, expert Requirements: an interest or hobby with the potential to monetize Time: Once you’ve made the items, you could be selling for a profit within a few weeks Tools: These will depend on the hobby Income Potential: $10,000 – $100,000/annum How to Make Money Online for Beginners You’ve probably all heard the stories of people making it big by traveling around the world. The laptop lifestyle, as it has become known, is a dream for many people. And it could be for you if you’ve got an internet connection and good cell reception. There is an endless number of legitimate ways to make money online. However, if you’re just starting, you need to set your sites in certain areas. If you’re a complete beginner, here are some possibilities you might want to explore. Selling Your Old Stuff Have you heard people talking about the latest minimalist movement? The goal is to declutter not only your home but your mind and your life. It’s also an excellent opportunity to earn some extra cash. If you really can’t bear to part with some of your belongings, there’s always the option to rent them out instead. Paid for searching the web There is an endless number of companies that will happily pay you to use the internet. Ask Wonder, for example, is a company that pays a flat fee for the answer to a burning question. The answer must be thoroughly researched. Review websites & apps for cash This is a very similar gig to completing surveys, but in this case, you’re testing websites, apps, and other types of software. You have to actively participate in using the products you’re reviewing, pay attention, and provide continuous feedback. Become a ‘Clickworker’ There are many ways you can become a clickworker. The company is always looking for people who can correct or create texts, search or categorize data, or take part in surveys. Review music for money Did you realize you could get paid for listening to music and writing a review? Sign up to one of several websites, and review music from upcoming songwriters and singers. All you have to do is listen and then give your opinion. The more music you review, the bigger the reward. Music Xray, Playlist Push, and Current.us are just a few possible sites. Become a Twitch Streamer Twitch is the streaming channel of choice for millions of gamers. Become an influencer on this platform, and you can earn income in various ways, but the best way to start is by becoming a Twitch Affiliate. To move things up to another level, you’ll need to work on improving your streaming skills and building a following. Become an Extreme Couponer When you use one or two coupons every week, it helps you save a small amount of money. Become an extreme couponer, on the other hand, and you could save a whole lot more. To become an extreme couponer, you’ll need to diligently scour magazines, newspapers, and online sites for as many coupons as you can find. Match these coupons up with promotions and sales to maximize the amount you save. If you get good at it, you could even get some products for free. Become a TikTok Consultant TikTok has gained a lot of interest recently, with some people going viral overnight. With a concept that’s still in the early days of its success, there are many opportunities for monetizing. Become a pro on TikTok, and you could turn your hand to consulting. By leveraging your expertise, you’ll be able to help people who are looking for TikTok fame. Data Entry An online role in data entry will involve inputting information into a spreadsheet or scanning documents into an online program. No specialist knowledge is required, and it’s an easy way to make money online and from your home. Level of expertise: Beginner Requirements: None Time: Instant Tools: A laptop or a smartphone Income Potential: $100 – $100,000/month
Tags
Freelancing