With the growth of online businesses, transactions and working platforms, earning money can be as easy as logging into your computer, tablet or smartphone. Physical location no longer separates willing workers from organizations who need work done.
Whether you’re looking to supplement your full-time or part-time job with some extra spending money or get closer to saving up for that big investment or need some quick cash in your account fast, there are many ways you can make money online.
But with such convenience comes responsibility. Unfortunately, the presence of scams through online work platforms has also grown in frequency. Don’t be fooled by any ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes advertised online. While the initial proposal may seem interesting, such as earning a large payment for a one-time entry, most often, these situations don’t pan out as well in the long-run.
Good thing is, there are numerous opportunities to make money online that are honest, trustworthy and can get you closer to achieving your financial goals or adding some extra cash into your bank account.
With a variety of honest options, you can participate in earning money online with common skills and abilities like writing, reviewing, organizing and much more. If you have a device like a computer, laptop, tablet or sometimes even a smartphone, you have access to engaging in this digital workforce. Oftentimes, this online work platform is called the gig economy, which is based on short-term tasks or temporary employment in meeting the needs of organizations. Assignments in the gig economy range a great deal, and many of gig economy participants work in online platforms.
With a mix of both credible and misleading work opportunities to earn a little extra cash, how are you to know which platforms you can trust? Here we have 19 honest, easy ways you can make money online and achieve your financial goals.
1. Develop a Blog
With an abundance of opportunities to create and produce content, a blog is a great way to utilize your writing ability to generate some bonus income. In developing a blog, the key is to find your niche to write about in an industry and category where you’re able to monetize your work. Oftentimes, this monetization comes through using affiliate marketing or getting companies to put advertisements on your highly trafficked blog site.
If writing in a blog isn’t your style, you can also create a website that matches a particular niche in an effort to monetize your work. Be on the lookout for what partners and organizations you can team up with to promote their products while earning the benefits for yourself as well.
2. Sell Online
Have a great idea for a product that you want to sell to others? Create your own e-commerce platform, such as through sites like Etsy, and sell your crafts, jewelry and other items. You can also find cheap items to flip at garage sales and thrift stores that you can sell online for a greater profit. Go thrift shopping and pick up some old furniture to flip. Then, you can sell it online for a larger profit. This buy low, sell high approach has been popular among online platforms and remains a great opportunity for you to make money from wherever you are.
3. Develop software
In a society that’s always innovating and looking for the next thing, developing software is a hot skill that you can use to make money online. As an independent developer, you can try your hand at developing apps, website designs, extensions and much more if you have the abilities.
4.Take Surveys
You have an opinion that some organizations are willing to pay to hear. Through sites like Swagbucks and Inbox Dollars, you can take surveys and provide your feedback about a particular service, product or another concept. These sites are easy to use and allow you to cash in your rewards. Market researchers gather information from your responses. While you’ll need to work a little bit to earn a worthwhile amount of extra cash, these convenient methods allow you to make money online very easily and from wherever you are.
5. Complete tasks
With opportunities for independent contracting, you can look into completing tasks for others and getting paid, all right from your computer or another connected device. Through sites like Task Rabbit or Fiverr, you can find and complete easy tasks that allow you to put a little extra cash in your account. The site Amazon Mechanical Turk offers a wide range of available tasks of varying difficulty level. These tasks don’t often pay a whole lot, but with such ease and convenience of completing them, raking up some extra cash-ins quick and easy.
6. Be a freelancer
Take those random tasks a step further and develop your profile as a freelancer. Like an independent contractor, a freelancer engages in contract-based work. These jobs are often short term. Through online platforms such as Upwork, Fiver, Freelance and others, you can use your skills to complete a variety of available projects with credible employers. From writing to transcribing to editing to website design to much, much more, freelancing opens up a world of possibilities.
7. Use coupons and cashback
With so many things going digital, using coupons to make extra money on your online purchases has become easier than ever. With apps and websites like Ibotta, eBates, Swagbucks, Checkout51 and many more, you can get extra savings online before and after you spend.
8. Craigslist
Craigslist is a great site to find odd jobs and selling used and refurbished items. Find requests for article writing or another online task. Or, use the platform as a place to sell your flipped items like furniture, clothes and even cars. Especially since you can navigate Craigslist by location, finding buyers and sellers can be a convenient process. Just make sure you do your due diligence in researching the seller or buyer before engaging in a transaction.
9. Be a virtual assistant
A thorough, detailed personal assistant doesn’t need to be in the same location as the supervisor or organization. With the power of online platforms such as Upwork, Zirtual, Fiverr and others, you can become an assistant to a person or organization from right where you are. Communication skills are a must for an opportunity like this. Through collaborative tools, virtual assistants have grown in popularity and can be a great fit for you as you make money online.
10. Get credit card rewards
If you do a lot of online shopping, be sure you’re using a credit card that gets you the best rewards for your types of purchases. There are a plethora of credit card options that reward you back depending on your activity and purchase locations. It’s easy to keep track of your accounts through automated payments and online bill pay, so you can manage your money from wherever you are. Get rewarded as you spend with benefits like travel miles, cashback rewards, hotel points, restaurant benefits and much more all with the use of a credit card.
11. Write an ebook
Do you have a book idea but just wondering how you can share it with the world? With the growing ebook platform, now almost anyone can write and produce an ebook. While there’ll certainly be extra work involved in promoting and getting people to actually purchase the book, putting out an ebook has never been easier. Get that book out that you’ve been thinking of and discover ways to monetize it through sales and other promotional opportunities.
12. Become a Tutor
Were you a good student in school? Online tutors are a great resource for current students to get the help they need. These students can get help on their assignments, papers and assessments from wherever they are, and whenever they need help. Resources like Chegg Tutors and Tutor.com match qualified tutors with students looking for assistance. With your particular content knowledge, tutoring and sharing your experience can be a great way to make some extra money.
13. Evaluate websites
Websites are always updating, relaunching and continually improving. As a frequent website user with experience and knowledge in the realm of technology, you can help support these new innovations. You can help companies by testing their website and discovering values and areas for improvement. Sites like User Testing match you up with clients looking for feedback on their website. They’ll track your movements and comments about the site, and you get paid for it.
14. Monetize your social platform
If you have a large social media following already, you may have the opportunity to capitalize on that popularity by brand association and affiliate marketing. With a large following, organizations will want you to promote their brand or product to generate greater awareness. And with such popularity of social media across all demographics, platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and more are prime real estate for brands. Make your following work for you and discover opportunities to monetize your social media platforms.
15. Flip websites
With a skillset in information technology, you can partner with organizations in revamping and updating their outdated websites to be more user-friendly and valuable for users. Whether the site just needs a few extra elements or a complete redesign, you can meet a need of an organization and make those important adjustments. Like evaluating websites, these tasks tend to be contract-based and tend to require some technical experience. Buf if you have the skills, this can be a great way to make money online.
16. Online translator
If you’re fluent, or near fluent, in other languages, your skills may be in high demand. Like freelance sites such as Upwork or Fiverr, you can use your language skills in completing translating tasks. You can also partner with other organizations who may have a need for frequent translations and develop a working relationship, all conducted online. Share your love for language and use your translating abilities to make money online.
17. Invest
Online investments can be a great way to generate a little extra cash on your money you already have. Choose the account that works for where you’re at financially. And find one that has impressive rates to help you make money online. Whether it’s stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other types of investments, you can manage a lot right from your computer. Create your portfolio, manage your assets, research new opportunities and continue to grow your account all from your computer, tablet or phone.
18. Search online
Have you ever searched for something online? Chances are, you do so several times a day. With that simple activity, you’ve got an opportunity to make money online. With sites like InboxDollars, you can use other search engines and get paid to conduct your search. It’s easy to sign up and use. This opportunity allows you to accomplish what you do every day anyway and get paid to do it. Like taking surveys online, these online search engine platforms gather your information and responses as a step in their market research. You help the interested organizations and you get paid in return.
19. Create educational courses
With a particular set of content knowledge, you can share what you know with others in developing online training courses through sites like Udemy. Create your video and share what you know with students interested in learning. Courses you can create and record are varied, including topics on video marketing, how-tos, job and career preparedness, and many more. Use your talents, knowledge and experiences to share your knowledge on convenient platforms that allow you to earn money with a few tools, all online.
Add to your income, wherever you are
With so many opportunities to make money online, adding an extra bonus to your account can be easy. You can find something that meets a variety of abilities and skill levels to match where you’re at. Before diving into a platform to make money online, be sure to do your research. Look at reviews of the client, customer, platform or other transaction opportunity. Get-rich-quick schemes don’t pan out well in the long run. Be wary and smart as you pursue making money online.
