Let’s get one thing out of the way: Working from home or online doesn’t mean you’ll end up making millions while sitting around in your underwear and barely lifting a finger. While it definitely is possible to make a living using some of the following tactics, they each require a certain amount of effort. However, unlike your average hourly job in which you get paid the same regardless of how much (or how little) effort you put into it, the best part about working online is you’ll be rewarded based on your willingness to commit to a specific task, and are free to create your own destiny. Here are some ways you can make money online.
1. Website Testing
Sites like UserTesting give you the opportunity to review new and upcoming websites, giving the creators feedback as you explore them. It’s possible to make a pretty decent hourly rate testing and reviewing websites, as a single task usually takes less than a half hour and pays around $10 per gig. However, sites like UserTesting often have a large pool of candidates, and you’ll only be asked to review sites that fit your interests, so the workload may not be steady enough to create a consistent cashflow.
2. Data Entry
If your keyboarding skills are up to snuff, you might want to consider signing up for websites such as VirtualBee, which connects typists with clients in need of data entry transfers. After signing up, you’ll be given an aptitude test to determine your eligibility. It’s possible to make up to $20 an hour on gigs, but, like website testing, the work is sporadic and may not be enough for a full-time income.
3. Completing Surveys
You’ve probably seen sites advertising surveys for cash, and blown them off as a pipe dream. While many of them are full of empty promises, some sites actually do follow through with their pledges. Sites like iPoll and MySurvey make it possible to earn some side cash while you relax on the couch watching TV. Some websites even offer signup bonuses that will result with quick cash just for logging in. You probably won’t make a killing completing surveys online, but it is possible.
4. Tutoring
Regardless of whether or not you’re a certified teacher, you can find ways to make money online by tutoring high school and college students in need of test prep. TruePrep is a site dedicated to connecting tutors with high school students who need help studying for the SATs. After completing an aptitude test and going through an audition, you’ll be able to set your own hours and rate of pay. Some tutors make around $50 per Skype session.
5. Proofreading
If you love poring over newspapers, magazines, and books looking for typographical and grammatical errors, you should look into getting paid to do it. While sites like Fiverr and Elance exist to connect proofreaders with clients, you’ll often end up underselling yourself due to the sheer volume of workers advertising their skills. Take a look at Proofread Anywhere, a site offering a course not only on how to become an expert proofreader, but how to find clients that pay well and will consistently need your assistance. Caitlin Pyle, the founder of Proofread Anywhere, makes a full-time income proofreading for less than 30 hours a week.
6. Create a personalized online store
This is perhaps the most involved entry on the list, but it also has the most potential to end up becoming a full-time gig. An entry on Bitcatcha’s blog fully details the best methods for creating an online store in which you can sell your personal crafts, creations, or services. Again, this is in no way meant to be a get rich quick scheme. However, creating a business that operates almost exclusively online is the best way to ensure your fledgling company reaches a variety of audiences across the globe.
Featured photo credit: Paying attention to detail / Nic McPhee via farm1.staticflickr.com
