Whether you are a full-time student, a busy stay-at-home parent, or already have a day job, there is no reason why you shouldn’t make some extra money online in your spare time.
This is a great way to work from home and utilize flexible schedules.Â
However, the market is flooded with different things to do, so you may get overwhelmed initially. Before choosing how to make money online, consider getting some training in an online working field of your choice. Just be sure to visit website that offers detailed reviews of courses on making money online to avoid getting scammed.Â
Daily, billions of dollars are generated online in various ways. Here are 8 ideas to help you increase your spending power or save toward a goal.
1.     Freelance Work
You can pick up various freelance tasks through websites such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, One Hour Translation, Gengo, etc. Choose something you are good at, like writing, programming, design, marketing, translating, data entry, or offering your services as a virtual assistant.
Freelancing offers control because you can choose projects you are comfortable taking on. You won’t have to worry about your earning potential as you get to set your rates based on your specialized skills or experience. As a freelancer, you’ll enjoy using your creative and unique skills to find client solutions.
You can also start your website if you don’t want to work through these platforms. Keep track of the going rate, and charge according to your freelance work. Remember, getting your first gig, and steady clients can take a while. Payments vary on these platforms but expect to withdraw money up to ten days after your reimbursement.
2.     Take Surveys
Taking online surveys is a great way to earn money online, especially if you don’t have much spare time. Many companies and research firms pay people to take surveys to collect data and feedback about different products and services.Â
With surveys, the payoff isn’t big; some only offer shopping rewards instead of cash. Popular survey sites include MySurvey, Swagbucks, and Survey Junkie, and you must register to begin.
It’s important to note that some survey sites have strict qualifications. If you want to take this route, consider finding those relevant to your demographic.
3.     Start a Blog or Become a YouTuber
Out of the approximately 300 bloggers online, some are making some good money by attracting a steady stream of site visitors. This requires you to build an audience and provide regular content they are interested in. By recommending products (becoming an affiliate) and on-site advertising, you can start monetizing as your audience grows.
You can earn through advertising platforms like Google AdSense and by creating and selling digital products like e-books or courses.Â
However, earning money as a blogger or Youtuber takes time and effort. And it depends on the viewers, so success isn’t guaranteed.
4.     Become an Influencer on Instagram or TikTok
Companies will pay you to represent their products if you already have a large following of a dedicated audience. You can contact the brands you are interested in or use marketing platforms like AspireIQ or Open Influence to get products to promote.
If you care about a particular subject, you can also make money from sponsorships on TikTok. Let’s say you are a make-up artist; you can make videos showing makeup tips. The more followers you have, the more brands will reach out with sponsorship opportunities.
Becoming an influencer is a very competitive field. It is quick and easy to start, but you must work hard and have tenacity before earning.
5.     Take Your Gaming to Another Level
Professional gamers can make a living by playing online games, but you can also earn some money in your spare time. Sites that will pay you to play include Boodle, Mistplay, Swagbucks, and InboxDollars.
You can also compete in organized tournaments and win cash prizes, sponsorship deals, and rewards. Alternatively, you can stream on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. This way, you can earn money through advertising revenue, donations from viewers, and sponsorships.
6.     Sell Your Images
If you like to take photographs, collect your images’ library to sell to buyers. Websites like Fine Art America, SmugMug, PhotoShelter, and 500px let you upload your photos to sell. Most are on a subscription basis, offering you a customized website, cloud storage, and password protection.
7.     Website and App Testing
On sites like UserTesting.com, you can earn money by testing websites and apps. After that, you are paid to give your thoughts on their performance. You must complete a sample test before you are accepted, but you earn money for every test that lasts about 20 minutes. Typically, you earn $10 for this, but you can earn even more if you agree to have a video chat with a customer about the test.
8.     Providing a Human Touch on Mechanical Turk
Automation may mean that computers do some tasks brilliantly, but many tasks still require human intelligence. Spending about 30 minutes of your spare time a day transcribing videos, tagging images, or classifying receipts may sound tedious. Still, you get paid according to the price set by requesters on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. However, beware! There are scammers, so join a community like MTurk Crowd forum or Turker Nation subreddits.
Â
