31 Ways to Make Money Online & From Home in 2024
Making money online and from home has never been more popular. Depending on your skills, time and needs, you have wide-ranging options. You can do this work as a side gig, hobby or full-time job. This guide covers 31 ways and how to choose your best fit.
Ways to Make Money Online
You can make money online if you have a computer, phone, internet, skills and time. You can be anywhere, including your own home. This section features gigs you do purely online. (For at-home gigs that aren’t purely online, we have a separate section below, Ways to Make From Home.)
1. Micro-investor
You don’t have to go big or go home. With micro-investing apps, you can invest in bite-size chunks small enough to fit in a modest budget.
Check out our favorite micro-investing apps:
Not sure where to start? Just start small after reading our beginner’s guide to micro-investing.
2. Online Survey Taker
You’re not going to get rich with surveys, but they’re popular because anyone can do them in their free time.
The problem? The internet is littered with online survey scams. To help you out, we’ve combed through dozens of platforms to hand-pick the most legitimate online survey sites, including:
3. Real Estate Investor
This is like micro-investing, but for real estate. Through real estate investment trusts (REITs), anyone can buy into a piece of property with a small investment. Bonus: You never have to fix the pipes.
Here are a few unusual places to get started in real estate investing when you only have a few hundred bucks to spare:
- Connect Invest: Invest in real estate without the volatility for as little as $500 and start receiving fix-interest payments monthly.
- Arrived: Earn a passive monthly income investing in rentals.
- Ebay: Find odd plots of land selling for pennies — like, as little as $100. Hold onto them until demand grows in the area, and you could sell for a solid profit.
- Second Life: Set up shop in this virtual world (yep, it’s still a thing), where you buy land to sell or rent for real money.
4. Social Media Manager
This gig and others after it are more like real jobs you can do online. Social media marketing is constantly changing. For many business owners, staying up to date on the best practices and devising a strategy to grow an audience on social media is time-consuming and challenging.
It pays pretty well, too. You could charge at least $1,000 per month per client for daily posts, responding to comments and mentions, and removing spam comments. That rate can go way up if you contribute to the brand’s overall strategy.
5. Freelance Writer & Editor
If you’re into writing, you might run across a lot of unpaid or low-paid writing gigs out there. But making a living as a freelance writer/editor is totally possible if you look for gigs in the right places.
Take a note from writer Jamie Cattanach. In her first year as a full-time freelancer, she earned more than $50,000 — beating the salary she’d made as a staff writer by several thousand dollars.
If you’re looking to make a living at it, your best bet is to build a business around a lucrative niche you enjoy writing in. That includes subject matter, such as:
- Personal finance
- Health and medicine
- Law
It also includes specialized services, like:
- Grant writing
- SEO content writing
- Ad copywriting
- Case study writing
- White paper creation
- Video script writing
- Press releases
- Business plans
- Technical writing
You can also expand your repertoire by offering writing-related services. If you’ve got an eye for typos and a serious dedication to the nuances of grammar, you could find additional work by becoming an editor or a proofreader.
The average per-page rate for freelance proofreaders is 35 cents, according to Caitlin Pyle, the founder of Proofread Anywhere, an online course that teaches you how to become a proofreader.
Wondering if the gig is right for you? You can test your grammar wiles with a free grammar quiz and learn how to find freelance jobs in Pyle’s free seven-day introductory course for proofreaders.
6. Graphic Designer
Want to unleash your inner artist — and earn good money for it? Graphic design could be the route for you.
Design skills are in high demand across industries. Every business needs a logo, website design and social media graphics, and many need designs for product labels, signs, flyers, newsletters, presentations and more.
You could earn money as a graphic designer online either as a remote employee or working for yourself as a freelancer.
As a freelancer, you set your own rate — usually a flat rate for a project or per hour — and common rates are $65/hour and up, depending on the level of work required.
To get started, brush up on your skills with software like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft PowerPoint, and use your eye for aesthetics and fundamentals of visual storytelling. Plus, hone your communication skills — those will be your biggest asset for landing clients and understanding their vision for a project.
You could earn a degree in graphic design through a college, or self-teach the skills through online courses or tutorials.
For an artist, this field can be a deeply satisfying way to make money.
Parker Myers, a graphic designer in Nashville, Tennessee, says he loves it because he gets to spend his days “just making beautiful things. The aesthetic side of design is so easy to fall in love with and is so fun to chase and spend hours on little details that nobody else will care about.”
7. Virtual Assistant
Small business owners have a lot of administrative and miscellaneous needs that aren’t worth paying the rates of specialized contractors like writers or designers. That’s where virtual assistants come in.
Virtual assistants handle tasks similar to what you might do as an assistant in an office, like:
- Answer emails
- Manage your client’s calendar
- Schedule meetings
- Organize files and information
- Provide customer support
- Transcription
But you can make more money online as a virtual assistant if you upgrade your skills to offer virtual assistant services in content marketing, such as:
- Publishing posts in WordPress
- Coordinating a blog’s editorial calendar
- Curating and posting content on social media
- Creating websites and landing pages in editors like Squarespace, Wix, Leadpages and Unbounce
- Publishing email newsletters in email service providers like MailChimp, ConvertKit and Infusionsoft
Like with writing and editing, finding a niche as a virtual assistant could help you command a higher rate. Check out these VA niches that pay at least $20 per hour on average.
Find VA gigs through freelancer job sites like:
- Upwork
- TaskRabbit
- Craigslist
- VANetworking.com
- WAHM.com
- PeoplePerHour
- Zirtual
- HireMyMom
- Amazon’s Mechanical Turk
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8. Virtual Tutor or Online Teacher
Have a knack for teaching and a love (and patience) for kids?
A tutoring job could be a great part-time gig to help you make money online. Yep, you don’t even have to leave your house to be a tutor anymore!
Online tutoring jobs come in all varieties, and which is best for you largely depends on your teaching experience and education, and how much time you want to put in.
Find traditional tutoring gigs through these platforms:
- Chegg
- Brainfuse
- Tutor.com
- Skooli
- Yup
Work with homeschooling families through these online teaching platforms:
- Outschool
- TakeLessons
- Varsity Tutors
And teach English online to non-native speakers around the world through these companies:
- VIPKid
- Boxfish
- Cambly
- Gogokid
- Italki
- Qkids
- Rosetta Stone
9. Website Owner
Want to start your own website? Turn it into some money?
It’ll take quite a bit of dedication, but it can really pay off.
Take, for example, Helene Sula, a professional travel blogger who visited more than 85 cities last year and earned $200,000, in part through her blog, “Helene in Between.”
We recommend you start by building up your high-quality content.
Then you can look into advertising platforms like Google AdSense, a tool that automatically serves your readers display ads. The price advertisers pay varies, so there’s no way to say how much you can make using Google AdSense, but you’ll get paid when a reader interacts with the ad.
You can also add links to Amazon products in your content and earn affiliate commissions through Amazon Associates.
If you build your site with high-quality content that attracts readers through search, advertising and affiliate marketing can become a reliable passive income stream.
For all the details, check out our guide to starting a blog, gaining page views and monetizing it.
You can also earn money by advertising products and services through content you create on other platforms, such as:
- YouTube: Grow your YouTube channel, and turn on ads on your videos to collect advertising revenue.
- Social Media: Grow a following in a lucrative space like food or fashion, and you could earn money through branded content deals as a social media influencer.
- Newsletter: Grow your email list, and use your newsletter to earn money through affiliate marketing.
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10. Online Services Provider
Set up your virtual office space to attract clients to your business. You can turn virtually any skill into a sellable service online, so get creative!
Here are some types of businesses you could start online:
- Freelance services: Provide services like writing, design and virtual assistance to clients as a freelancer. Use your website as a portfolio and sales page to let clients know what you have to offer.
- Coaching or consulting: Turn your expertise into a teachable moment — or a few. Book individual or corporate clients for one-on-one coaching and group trainings to learn what you know. Work 100% online by booking clients through your website and hosting virtual trainings, or use your website as a storefront to connect with clients for in-person training.
- Courses: Create online courses to make your expertise available to even more people. You can teach live sessions to an intimate group, or make your courses self-guided, so there’s no limit to how many people can enroll at once.
- Marketing and PR: Create a “firm” — even if it’s just you — to help small businesses with online marketing and public relations. There’s a ton you can do in this space, so build services around your strengths and interests. For example, you could focus on writing, social media, paid lead generation, networking or connecting clients with media outlets for free media exposure.
- Bookkeeping and accounting: Start a virtual bookkeeping business to help small businesses in your area or around the country keep track of their finances.
- HR services: Do you have experience in recruiting, building teams, managing employee benefits or other human resources duties? Strike out on your own, and offer your services as a contractor to remote companies.
- Direct sales consulting: If you want to work for yourself but benefit from someone else’s established brand and business model, consider becoming a consultant with a direct sales company — a.k.a. multi-level marketing (MLM). You’ll sell things like health and beauty products and clothing, and you can sell entirely online through your website or Facebook groups.
11. Customer Service Rep
You can be a customer service agent without ever setting foot in a call center! You can do this popular job entirely from home — and many people already do.
Customer service representatives answer customer questions and respond to complaints through phone calls, email, online chat and social media.
Jobs range from full-time to part-time, and occasionally seasonal and contract gigs. You often have to commit to a weekly schedule, and it may include nights and weekends.
12. Technical Support Wizard
In addition to general customer support, many companies need product specialists or tech support agents. These positions are similar to customer service — your job is to answer customer questions.
You’ll likely commit to a set schedule and may have to work nights or weekends.
You don’t necessarily need experience to land a tech support job, but it may require more training than general customer support. Because of that, it usually pays more, too.
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13. Sales Consultant
An online sales job is just like an old-fashioned sales job in an office: You speak with a company’s existing customers or prospective buyers by phone or email, answer their questions, explain products and promotions, and — ideally — make sales.
Online sales jobs are often available with tech and software (SaaS) companies, where your job is to talk with people at other companies to sell products and services that help their business.
Many require previous sales or service experience, but if you’ve got the charisma, you could become a sales consultant with no experience.
14. Personal Shopper
Put your killer fashion sense to use by giving personalized recommendations to customers shopping through popular department stores online, or online clothing and cosmetic brands.
We talked to Brie Reynolds of FlexJobs to learn more about unique customer-service-adjacent roles like this.
“You’ll help people find the right clothes, make returns, get style information, all that sort of stuff,” Reynolds says. “There’s a huge amount of customer service in each of those roles. But they are probably more fun than what you’re thinking of as call-center jobs.”
You won’t necessarily need experience in the fashion industry or in a retail environment, but knowledge of fashion and beauty brands and trends is a must.
You won’t likely work directly for a department store in this kind of role. Look for jobs with third-party companies, and you’ll be placed on a team that specializes in a brand, such as Chanel, Nordstrom or Sephora.
15. Copywriter
Want a job that lets you…
✅ Work from home?
✅ Flex your creative muscles?
✅ Work full-time?
✅ Get employee benefits?
If you want to work full-time and make a lot of money as a writer, copywriting is the road you want to take. Because all you need to do this job is a computer (and your creative brain), you can find tons of copywriting jobs that let you work from home — and many with flexible hours.
Being a copywriter could mean what you’re picturing: the old ad men of Madison Avenue. You might write ad copy (words) for things like billboards or TV ads.
But online marketing and advertising open up a lot more avenues to pursue as a copywriter. You could write blog posts, website sales pages, social media posts, video scripts, copy for graphics, email newsletters and more.
16. Transcriptionist
Are you a good listener — and a good typist? You could make $15 to $25 an hour as an online transcriptionist.
That means listening to audio recordings — like podcasts, lectures and interviews — and typing what you hear.
Transcriptionists are generally paid per audio hour, not working hour, so this job pays better the more efficient you are.
Check out sites like Transcribe Anywhere or TranscribeMe to find opportunities. You generally have to take a transcription test and fill out an application to qualify.
17. User Experience Tester
Like most of us, you’ve probably commented on how some websites are confusing and others are excellent. Rather than complaining to your spouse or friend, tell the site’s owner and get paid for playing critic.
One Penny Hoarder, Steve Gillman, did just that, and he says you could earn up to $30 per hour as a website tester.
You don’t have to have any special skills or technical know-how to review websites. Probably better if you don’t!
You’ll just hop on a website and browse around like a typical user, noting what’s working for you and what’s not, what makes sense and what sends you in circles seeking answers.
Ways to Make Money From Home
You have many options to make from home without going into an office or working for a company. This section covers some of the best. They may have online components but can’t be done fully online, like items in the first section above. However, they can be excellent ways to advantage of your home or use it as your base for side gigs.
Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
18. List Your Spare Room
Got a spare room — or garage, basement, pool house or tent? Travelers will pay you to rest their head just about anywhere.
If you live near a travel hotspot, whether it’s a popular tourist city; a theme park; or home to seasonal sports events, concerts or festivals, open your home to visitors to make a little pocket money.
List your space on these popular sites to connect with travelers looking for lodging:
- Airbnb
- VRBO
- Homestay
To make the most of this side gig, check out our guide to getting started as an Airbnb host.
19. Get Cash Back When You Shop
We’re all shoppers, right? Defray your costs by being a cash-back shopper. There’s no need to clip coupons or collect store ads — you can do everything where you shop, on your phone or computer.
Cash-back apps and rebate sites offer rewards when you shop from participating brands. Unlike coupons, they don’t take money off the price when you buy. Instead, you’ll earn rewards like you would with a credit card and cash out periodically for cash, gift cards or free stuff.
Some apps require you to shop through their “portal” — their website that lets you shop at participating online stores. Others let you earn points by taking a picture of your receipt after shopping in the store, or by connecting your email to share online shopping receipts. Some let you do all three.
To put your rebates on autopilot, sign up with a cash-back app or site like::
- Capital One Shopping
- Upside
- Kudos
- Tada
- Rakuten
- Ibotta
- Fetch Rewards
- Coupons.com
20. Sell Products Online
Create physical or digital products, and sell them online through platforms including:
- Amazon: Sell pretty much anything under the sun, including products you create or products you resell.
- Kindle: If you’re a subject-matter expert, you could write and self-publish a book through Kindle Direct Publishing and sell it on Amazon. Writer Steve Gillman wrote a book in a week and made up to $350 per month as the book sold on its own.
- eBay: Got unique or crafty trinkets sitting around? Sell them on eBay to clear your closets and turn them into cash.
- E-junkie and Gumroad: Use these platforms to easily sell digital products like ebooks and courses.
- Your website: Set up an online shop with Shopify or Squarespace to sell physical or digital products online.
21. Sell Your Photos
Do you bring your camera everywhere you go, snapping perfect shot after perfect shot?
Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional photographer, you can cash in on your visual skills by selling your photos through stock websites. It’s a smart and simple way to turn your skills into a passive income stream — upload a photo once, and earn a few bucks every time someone purchases it.
P.S. you don’t need to own a fancy camera for this — at least, not any fancier than the one built into your phone. You can sell your smartphone photos through an app called Foap and keep 50% of the sale price each time it sells (typically around $5).
Fancy yourself more of a fine arts photog? Sell your professional shots through these sites that pay $100 or more per image.
22. Be a Ride-Share Driver
If you don’t mind leaving the house, you can use apps that connect you with gigs that let you make money with your car.
As a ride-share driver, you’ll chauffeur people around your city and earn money as a side hustle or full-time gig.
Uber and Lyft, the most popular ride-share companies, are always looking for drivers. To qualify, you need to meet the minimum age to drive in your city (but have at least three years of licensed driving experience if you’re under 25), have a valid U.S. driver’s license, proof of car insurance and vehicle registration, a four-door vehicle, and the ability to pass criminal and driving background checks.
Pay is based on a ride-by-ride basis, plus tips, that can translate into a handsome hourly wage once you get the hang of it. Earnings are largely determined by tips and how many rides you complete.
23. Be a Takeout Delivery Driver
Driving around strangers isn’t for everyone. If that’s where you’re at, try meal delivery instead.
Most food delivery apps and services work the same: A customer places a food order with a local restaurant, you drive to the restaurant, grab the order and take it to the customer. You get paid by the order plus tips.
Find food delivery gigs through nationwide and regional apps including:
DoorDash and Uber Eats dominate the market nationally, and they’re generally the most consistent. Compared to ride-share driving, the car requirements are less stringent. You’ll still need a valid driver’s license, insurance and the ability to pass a background check.
Earnings are largely determined by tips and how many deliveries you complete each hour.
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24. Be a Grocery Delivery Driver
Going to the supermarket, especially when you have kids, can be quite an affair. Then throw in the pandemic. That’s why grocery delivery services are on the rise.
These apps employ armies of gig workers who go shopping, pick up requested items and deliver them to customers’ homes.
This gig involves more labor and skill than many delivery apps, but generally pays better and offers potential for higher tips, too. You’ll receive an order from a customer — their grocery list — and you’ll shop for them. That means some heavy lifting — and knowing the difference between a kumquat and orange.
Find gigs by signing up with the grocery delivery apps that are popular (and available) in your area, such as:
- Shipt
- Instacart
- DoorDash
- Walmart Grocery
- Peapod
- GoPuff
- Google Shopping (formerly Google Express)
- Amazon Fresh
- Regional and local services, such as Safeway or Publix
25. Be a Package Delivery Driver
If you’d rather your car not absorb the smells of your gig (food or people), you can deliver packages on-demand.
Amazon Flex is a major delivery gig service and is constantly looking for drivers around the country.
The pay for Amazon Flex ranges from $18 to $25 per hour, plus tips. The final rate is determined by the area and type of delivery.You can sign up for “blocks” or shifts for a finite amount of time, which lets you estimate your daily earnings with stability similar to a part-time job.
To qualify, you need to be 21 years old, hold a valid license and have car insurance. Vehicle requirements vary based on the type of delivery. For most deliveries, you need a vehicle that is as big or bigger than a 4-door midsize sedan. You can also find package delivery gigs through these apps:
- Dispatch
- Postmates
- TaskRabbit
Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
26. Sell Your Clothes Online
Is your closet overflowing with last season’s impulse fashion buys? Earn back some of the money you’ve funneled into your wardrobe by selling your clothes online.
We reviewed the five best places to sell your clothes online to help you make a few extra bucks and free up some closet space. List your clothes on these sites to connect with thrifty fashionistas:
- Poshmark
- thredUP
- Tradesy
- eBay
Chris Zuppa/The Penny Hoarder
27. Sell Unused Gift Cards
Whether it’s a birthday, graduation or holiday, you probably leave any celebration with a stack of gift cards. There’s a good chance you’ll end up with a few you can’t use or don’t want.
Maybe your boss gave you a Starbucks gift card, but you aren’t a coffee drinker.
Or your Aunt Rita gave you a gift card to Dillard’s, but the closest one is 50 miles from your house.
There is no reason for these well-intentioned gifts to go to waste. You can sell gift cards online for cash.
Each website is a little different. Some let buyers bid on your gift cards, so you can sell directly; others purchase your gift card for a flat rate upfront and sell it themselves.
Compare your offers on popular gift card selling sites to find the best place to sell what you’ve got. Here are four to consider:
- Card Pool
- Card Cash
- Clip Kard
- Raise
28. Trade in Your Used Electronics
You know that phone sitting in the forgotten drawer in your desk? It’s time to give it up and pocket some cash.
Trade-in websites make selling your old phone super easy. We compared these eight buyback sites to find the best place to sell your phone and other electronics:
- Decluttr
- Buyback Boss
- Gazelle
- iGotOffer
- ItsWorthMore.com
- MaxBack
- SwopSmart
- The Whiz Cells
If you need money more quickly, see if Gazelle runs an affiliated kiosk in your area. You’ll be able to get an estimate on your device, and if you agree to sell, get cash immediately.
29. Flip Flea Market Finds
Flea markets rock. Pick up some cheap, dusty trinkets, and fraternize with fascinating peddlers. Sounds like a great Saturday, right?
If you agree, see if you can find some opportunities to turn your thrifty finds into profit.
Follow Rob Stephenson’s lead. He calls himself the Flea Market Flipper and has made up to $30,000 a year finding and selling flea market gems. That’s a solid side hustle.
Stephenson says he doesn’t even put a ton of work into the gig. He once bought a prosthetic leg for $30 and turned it around on eBay for $1,000!
30. Sell Craft Supplies on Etsy
Lots of creators sell their artwork and creations through an online store on Etsy. But you can make money on the site even if you’re not the artsy type.
Creators also look to Etsy for their supplies — and that could be an opportunity for you.
Penny Hoarder contributor Janet Berry-Johnson earned about $200 a month selling needlecraft kits and patterns on Etsy — and she never had to make anything. You could sell items like this or anything related to arts and crafts through the site.
31. Design and Sell T-Shirts
If you’ve got a creative streak — or know how to spin a catchy pun — design T-shirts to sell through Merch by Amazon.
Amazon makes it super easy to create your own little fashion empire.
You’ll just upload your design to Merch, choose the shirt style and colors you want to offer, set your price and add a product description. Before you can start, you’ll have to be considered as an applicant based on your background and experience — but it’s pretty easy to be approved.
Amazon lists your shirts on its site, and when someone buys, it prints and ships the shirts, too. You earn a royalty for every product sold.
Create designs around popular holidays, elections, social movements or memes. Gain traction by including keywords in your description to help shoppers find your T-shirts when they search. Once your designs are up, you could earn passive income for years to come.
How to Choose Your Right Fit With Online Work
Selecting the ideal online money-making avenue isn’t just about the potential profit, but also finding what resonates with your skills, passion, and lifestyle. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Assess your skills and interests. Begin by listing down what you excel at and what you genuinely enjoy doing. An endeavor that aligns with your inherent abilities and interests will likely sustain your interest and lead to success.
- Consider time commitment. Analyze how much time you can realistically dedicate to your online venture. Blogging or e-commerce might need substantial time. Freelance writing or graphic design can be more flexible and project-based.
- Evaluate initial investments. Consider any upfront costs involved in your chosen venture. Some opportunities may have minimal start-up costs, while others might require a more significant investment.
- Consider risks. Like any business, there will be risks. Research and understand what challenges might arise and how you can mitigate them.
- Seek support. Opt for platforms or avenues that provide a supportive community, training resources and reliable customer service.
Remember, the goal is to find a balance that not only offers financial rewards but also aligns with your lifestyle and aspirations.
Comparing the Ways to Earn Money Online and From Home
| WAYS TO EARN | TIME COMMITMENT | POTENTIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-Investor | Depends on type and level | Varies widely. Potentially lucrative depending on market |
| Real Estate Investor | Big time commitment to research, buy and sell | Varies widely |
| Online Survey Taker | Up to you. Easy to do. | Depending on the site, you might earn $5/survey or less. |
| Social Media Manager | At least a few hours/week to post, engage, and grow social audience for a business | $18-$25+/hour |
| Freelance Writer and Editor | Flexible, but must meet client's deadlines | $18-50+/hour |
| Graphic Designer | Flexible, but must meet client's deadlines | Varies widely based on gig. Can easily be $50-$75/hour and up |
| Virtual Assistant | Depends on the client and project | $18-25+/hour |
| Virtual Tutor or Online Teacher | Generally requires set appointments | $25-$40+/hour |
| Website Owner | Depends on your traffic and ad types | Varies widely |
| Online Service Provider | Hours up to individual | Depends on service value |
| Customer Service Rep | Depends on the gig | $18-$25+/hour |
| Technical Support Wizard | Depends on the gig | $30-$50+/hour, depending on support level |
| Sales Consultant | Depends on the gig | Varies widely |
| Personal Shopper | Generally, individual sets hours, coordinating with client | $18-$40+/hour |
| Copywriter | Depends on gig. Sometimes flexible, but need to meet deadlines | $25-$50+/hour |
| Transcriptionist | May require a set number of hours per client or project | $17+/hour |
| User Experience Tester | Hours up to individual but must meet deadline | About $10/test or $20/hour |
| List Your Spare Room | Short time to list, but this is a time commitment with renter | May earn $400-$1,000+/month depending on location and demand |
| Get Cash Back When You Shop | Fast and easy | Typically earn a small % back on purchases, but easy passive income |
| Sell Products Online | Hours up to individual | Depends on product value |
| Sell Your Photos | Generally, a few hours to find, set up account, post and make sales | Varies, can include 60%+ royalties |
| Rideshare Driver | Hours up to individual | $18-$25+/hour |
| Takeout Delivery Driver | Hours up to individual | $18-$25+/hour |
| Grocery Deliver Driver | Hours up to individual | $18-$25+/hour |
| Package Delivery Driver | Hours up to individual unless working for one business | $18-$25+/hour |
| Sell Unused Gift Cards | Short. Dig them out and put them online | Can get up to 93% of the value of certain cards |
| Sell Your Clothes Online | Generally, a few hours to find, set up account, post and make sales | Varies by seller platform |
| Trade in Your Used Electronics | Generally, a few hours to find, set up account, post and make sales | Depends on the piece |
| Flip Flea Market Finds | Takes time to buy offline or online, post and resell | Some earn as much $1K-2K+/month |
| Sell Craft Supplies on Etsy | Takes time to buy or make crafts, then post and sell | Depends on what you're selling. People run whole businesses on Etsy |
| Design and Sell T-Shirts | Takes time to design, then list and sell online | Designer typically takes a cut of the sale, like 30-40% |
Myths About Making Money Online
When it comes to making money online, there are countless misconceptions and myths that can lead you astray. It’s important to separate fact from fiction and understand the realities of online money-making. While it is possible to earn a significant income online, it requires dedication, hard work, and the right strategies. It’s not a magic solution or an overnight success story.
However, with the right mindset and knowledge, you can achieve financial success. In this section, we will debunk two common myths and unveil the truth about making money online.
- Myth 1: It’s so easy and effortless. The first myth to dispel is that making money online is easy and requires little effort. While some online ventures may appear effortless, such as passive income streams, the reality is that behind every successful online business, there is a lot of hard work and perseverance. Building a profitable online business takes time, research, and continuous learning. It’s important to be prepared for the challenges and setbacks that may come your way. Remember, success rarely happens overnight, but with persistence, you can achieve your financial goals.
- Myth 2: You must be technically minded. Another myth is that making money online is only for tech-savvy individuals. While having technical skills can be an advantage, it’s not a requirement. There are countless online opportunities that do not require coding or programming knowledge. Many platforms and tools are designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible to people of all skill levels. The key is to find an online opportunity that aligns with your strengths and interests. With the right mindset and willingness to learn, anyone can succeed in the world of online money-making.
What to Do If You Need Money Fast
When financial emergencies strike, the allure of making quick money online becomes even more tempting. Fortunately, there are legitimate ways to earn online that can provide faster returns than others.
For instance, freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr allow you to offer your skills and services and start earning within a short timeframe, provided you have a marketable skill. Additionally, you can sell items you no longer need on online marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon.
Surveys, games and small task websites can also offer small but quick returns. However, it’s essential to approach fast money-making methods with caution. Here’s a list of legitimate ways to earn money fast.
While they can provide immediate relief, they may not guarantee a stable income in the long run. Always consider these methods as a temporary solution and work toward more sustainable online income streams.
This article compares 31 ways to earn, including the time commitment and the potential pay.
Beware of Money-Making Scams
As the world of online money-making opportunities has grown, so too has the number of scams designed to exploit hopeful entrepreneurs.
Many of these scams present themselves as “get rich quick” schemes, promising unrealistic returns with little to no effort. It’s crucial to remain vigilant and do thorough research before committing time or money to any online venture.
Always be wary of platforms that ask for upfront payment without a clear business model or those that seem too good to be true. A good rule of thumb is to seek out reviews and testimonials from other users.
Trustworthy platforms will often have a track record of success stories and transparent operating methods. Remember, if an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
FAQ: How to Make Money Online and at Home
How Can I Make $100 a Day?
If you want to make $100 fast, here are 10 quick ways to earn an extra $100.
If you’re looking to make $100 per day consistently, consider any of the ways to make money listed above. You could turn a crafty hobby into a side hustle that earns you passive income online, or start a freelancing side gig to bring in extra cash.
How Can I Make Money Right Now?
Need cold, hard cash in hand today? To make money fast, you might need to look nearby, rather than online.
A lot of apps and online gigs are quick and easy to get set up so you can start earning immediately — but the payouts might not come that fast. When you need money faster than online gigs let you cash out, check out these 32 ways to make money fast.
How Can I Make an Extra $1,000 a Week?
You might have to put in significant hours to bank $1,000 a week — that’s a full-time salary, after all. But you don’t necessarily need to work a full-time job to earn it!
We’ve talked to tons of people earning $1,000 a week or more through gig apps that let you set your own hours and choose your work, like these users earning $2,000+ per week on TaskRabbit and this couple earning $1,500 per week driving with Uber.
If you want to earn $1,000 per week extra on top of a full-time job, you could build up a freelancing gig and earn extra money working evenings and weekends on assignments.
You’ll need time to build relationships with clients and develop your skills to hit that target without burning your candle at both ends, but you could get there in a year or two, depending on your experience.
Want to earn an extra $1,000 a week without working more hours? Here’s how to negotiate your salary and earn more with a steady paycheck.
How Can I Make Money with No Money?
Starting an online side hustle is a smart way to diversify or boost your income. And you don’t have to invest a ton of money into starting an online business — a lot of online side hustles don’t even require any particular expertise or experience.
Should You Start an Online Business?
If you love working for yourself and want to build a brand around what you uniquely offer to customers, consider turning your expertise into an online business.
Starting a business isn’t as complicated as you might imagine. Start by setting up a website where you can sell products or services to your customers or clients. There’s no hack to get rich quickly running your own business — but striking out on your own could be a great way to earn money and do work on your own terms.
Where Can You Find Work-From-Home Jobs?
Look for remote jobs that let you work from home as a full-time or part-time employee. To find work-from-home jobs, keep an eye on The Penny Hoarder Work-From-Home Jobs Portal, where we post tons of work-from-home jobs hiring all over the country. Subscribe to The Penny Hoarder Jobs newsletter for the latest.
What Are the Most Popular Ways to Make Money Online?
Popular methods for earning online include freelance writing, affiliate marketing, selling products on e-commerce platforms, online tutoring, and creating digital content. Each of these avenues caters to different skill sets and can be adapted to various interests.
How Do I Choose the Right Online Money-making Method?
To choose the right method, assess your skills, interests, and the amount of time you can dedicate. Consider what you enjoy doing and what skills you already possess or are willing to learn. Also, think about how much time you can realistically invest in your online venture.
Are Online Money-making Methods Legitimate?
Yes, there are many legitimate ways to make money online. It’s important to research each method, understand the potential earnings, and be aware of common scams in the online earning space.
Do I Need to Invest Money to Start Making Money Online?
While some online money-making methods require an initial investment (like setting up a website or buying inventory), many can be started with minimal or no upfront costs. Freelance writing or virtual tutoring, for example, often require very little financial investment to begin.
How Much Money Can I Realistically Make Online?
Earnings from online ventures vary widely. They depend on the chosen method, your expertise, and the time invested. Some methods provide a supplementary income, while others can develop into significant earning streams, potentially replacing traditional income sources.
How Long Does it Take to Start Earning Money Online?
The time it takes to start earning varies by method. Some, like online surveys or virtual assistant work, can provide immediate income, while others, such as content creation or building a blog, may take longer to generate revenue.
Can Making Money Online Become a Full-time Career
Yes, many individuals have turned their online ventures into full-time careers. Success in this transition often depends on consistent effort, skill development, and gradually scaling the online activity to replace a traditional job’s income.
Ready? Start Making Money Online
The good news is, with so many ways to make money online, there’s something out there for everyone. All you need, at minimum, is a computer — or, in some cases, just a smartphone.
Start testing some of these money making ideas to see what works for you. And remember: These are just our favorites. The internet’s constantly cooking up other ways to earn money, so keep your eyes open.
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) has been writing and editing for online audiences since 2011, covering personal finance, careers and digital media. Freelancer Taylor Milam-Samuel contributed to this post.
