Are you at a fix and need some little extra cash? Are you looking for ways to earn money from home? If so, you are not alone. Well, whether you are a college student, stay-at-home father, busy mother, or just want to earn some extra cash, doing some extra work from home can significantly help you to make money. Believe it, or not our financial situations have had a huge impact on almost every part of our lives. Being short of money can, therefore, mean forgoing holiday gifts for loved ones, being late in paying our utility bills or missing out on important activities with family and friends.
Thankfully, the rise of the internet and the improvement of technology have made making money from home a viable option for those who could do with a little extra cash, from opening an online store, getting paid to do surveys, to becoming a freelancer, there are several ways to earn money at home. Forget about the get rich quick programs that promise you instant cash or tell you to part with some money and get guaranteed earnings that never materials. Here are some of the most legitimate ways to earn money at home.
1. Be an Airbnb Host
Do you have an extra room in your home? Try renting it out. According to a study done by Smart Asset, you can cater to almost 81% of your rent by listing one of the rooms in your house. If you are looking to earn extra cash, renting out your private apartment or home is the best way to go. Smart Asset findings indicate that rates for full apartments are higher than renting out single rooms with annual profit approximated to be $31,000 for two bedroom apartments.
2. Sell your unwanted stuff
Before you monetize your professional and personal skills, why not right size your life? Selling your unwanted goods is one of the best ways to earn money at home. If you are transitioning to a full-time work-at-home person, then that income can significantly help in boosting your plans and allow you to maintain your previous lifestyle while settling down. Even if you are not a regular shopper, you surely have some stuff that you no longer need such as toys, clothes, disused sporting goods, electronics, out of fashion wardrobe accessories, among others. But where do you sell them? Depending on the amount of effort you are planning to put, there are several alternatives such as eBay, Amazon, Trade-in Market places, and Craigslist worth considering.
3. Do online surveys
Simply do product tests or take part in online surveys and earn money from home. Did you know that you can make up to $250 by watching TV? The first step towards using this is to research some of the best online survey sites, register with them, and start answering their online surveys. Apart from earning some money from these websites, you can also get rewarded through prize drawings, gift vouchers, and free products, among others. Since all these sites are free to sign up if any of them asks you to pay some money, then they are a scam.
4. Become a freelance writer
Freelancing writing is also one of the best ways to earn money at home. With a variety of markets to choose from, you can write for both online and offline magazines. You can also start at a blog and start earning from it or just write for someone else. Since there is a huge market for new articles, there is plenty of work to choose from. Plus, book publishers are always in the lookout for new writers. People need white papers, newsletters, eBooks, and website copy regularly. If you choose to become a freelance writer, there are even several online courses that will teach you how to earn fully from freelance writing. For you to start, you need samples of your previous works, a computer, source of internet, and commitment.
5. Watch YouTube, Movie previews and like videos
Do you enjoy movies? Are you aware that you can get paid for watching the news, movie previews, celebrity videos, and all other kinds of videos? Several sites ask you to watch specific videos and like them. You’ll have to watch for some time or a certain number of minutes. By watching these videos, you could earn even up to $200, which you can redeem through PayPal or as gift cards.
6. Be a delivery person
By becoming a delivery person, you’ll make money at home by delivering things such as groceries, food, or even alcoholic drinks. Even if you don’t own a car, you can still use a bike or rent one. When it comes to this job, there is no time commitment or any huge startup fees. You can work as little as you like or as much as you like. Unless you hire a car, every time you deliver something, you’ll take home 100% of the money that you’ve earned. Although several things will determine your earnings, if you are an experienced person, you can make even up to $25 an hour.
7. Get cash back on every purchase that you make
If you enjoy shopping, why not earn something out of it? Technically, you are not making money but getting cash back on the purchases that you could have done anyway. The good thing is that this is apart from the coupon codes or the discounts that you already have. Since it’s the single easiest way to earn at home, there is no way at all not to do this. Even if it’s $200 per year, it will go a long way in helping you take care of some expenses.
8. Become a virtual assistant and earn money
Not only does the internet allows you to do some tasks online, but more and more people are working as virtual assistants. Virtual assistant jobs include social media management, email management, scheduling appointments, and more. Basically, as a virtual assistant you can be paid to do any task that needs to be done by the business.
9. Become a tutor
If you have a college degree and the skills to teach students English, math, language, or science, then this is the perfect way to earn at home. According to studies, Skype and other web apps are now bringing online tutors face to face with their students around the world. Also, as a virtual tutor you can choose your own schedule and only work when you want to work.
10. Sell your creativity
You can also use your creativity and make money from home. With the growing trend of homemade and vintage products showing no signs of stopping, you can now make some serious income from home. One of the fastest sites that allow artists to sell their items is Etsy. From gifts to clothes, this site boasts of over 40 categories. Apart from doing your creative work, you also need to commit plenty of time to being a wise businessman for you to succeed in sites such as these.
11. Create a drop shipping store
Drop shipping refers to selling third-party products from a drop shipping company without ever shipping anything. Once you sell something, the company ships the product directly to the customer. Your profit is, therefore, the difference between what your company charges you and what you change your customers. Based on the effort you are willing to put, you can make up to $10,000 per month.
How to avoid work from home scams
• Ask questions about the kind of work you’ll perform, how much you’ll be paid, and who will pay you.
• Be cautious about exaggerated claims of potential earnings and sites that require you to pay something before you can start.
• Be careful about attractive offers that are too good to be true.
• Be wary of getting rich quick schemes.
Final thoughts
For some people, work has to be in a store, office, factory, or away from home. For others, a home office is a welcome place for a primary or even a second job. If you are looking forward to earning from home, ensure that you set a smart schedule, and diligently focus on your work without interfering with your personal life. Also, make sure you protect yourself from cheats and scams. With the employment opportunities getting scarcer by day, these 11 tips will significantly help you to start earning money at home.
