1. Pick up freelance work online
Make
money online through websites such as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com. These
sites offer opportunities to do a variety of freelance jobs, such as writing,
programming, design, marketing, data entry and being a virtual assistant. Fluent in a second language? Check sites such as Gengo or Blend
Express, or drum up business through a site of your own. No matter what
freelancing you do, keep track of the going rate for the kind of work you
provide so you know if you’re charging too much or too little. Learn how to get started on Upwork.
Total time: It can
take a while to get your first gig. Setup: 24 hours. How easy to start: Easy, if you have the expertise. How fast you'll get paid: Varies by site.
Need to know
Upwork will approve your profile
within 24 hours. But keep in mind it can take time to land your first freelance
gig.
Payment varies by site. On Upwork,
you're paid after you and the client review the work, 10 days after the billing
period ends. On Fiverr, you're paid when the work order is complete, but you
can't withdraw funds for 14 days.
Requirements
Upwork requires users to be at
least 18. Fiverr sets the age requirement at 13. And Freelancer.com requires
users to be at least 16.
Some sites require you be a U.S.
citizen or permanent resident.
2. Test websites and apps
Another
way to make money from home is on sites like UserTesting.com. You get paid for
your thoughts on how well — or not so well — certain websites and apps worked.
You’ll have to complete a short test to be accepted, then you’ll be paid
depending on the test type. UserTesting.com does not disclose an exact amount.
Total time:
Approval time can vary. Setup: Less
than an hour. How easy to start: Easy, if you have the tech gear and complete a sample test. Age threshold: 18+. How fast you'll get paid: Seven days.
Need to know
You typically need to complete a
sample test as part of the application process.
You will start receiving testing
opportunities after your application is approved.
The
timeline for approval can vary.
You get
paid seven days after completing a website or app test.
Payment is
issued via PayPal.
Requirements
You need to be at least 18.
You need a
computer, internet connection and microphone.
Mobile app
testers also need an Android or iOS mobile phone or tablet.
Some sites
might have language requirements (e.g., UserTesting.com requires applicants to
speak English or German).
3. Pick up tasks on Amazon's Mechanical Turk
Even in
the age of automation, some jobs still require a human touch. Companies often
outsource those jobs via services like Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. As a “worker,”
the tasks you’ll be assigned can be tedious — tagging images, transcribing
videos, classifying receipts — and can take anywhere from a few minutes to a
few hours. Temporary employers or “requesters” set the price for each task and
get to approve the finished product before paying you. That can leave room for
scams, so do your research. Join a community like the MTurk Crowd forum, or the
MTurk and Turker Nation subreddits, which can steer you away from shifty
dealers. These communities and fellow “workers” can answer questions and give a
realistic idea of how much money you can expect to make. Read more about
Mechanical Turk as a way to make quick money online.
Total time: Several
days to find out if you're approved. Setup: Depends on the task you choose. How easy to start: Easy if you have certain skills. Age threshold: 18+. How fast you'll get paid: You get paid following work approval, which can take up to 30
days.
Need to know
It’s unclear how long it takes
Amazon to review your application, but according to the MTurk subreddit, it can
take several days to learn if you were approved or denied.
After you submit your work, the
requester has 30 days to approve it.
You can
have your earnings deposited into your bank account or put on an Amazon gift
card.
Requirements
You must be at least 18 to register
for Mechanical Turk.
You also need an Amazon account to
register for Mechanical Turk.
4. Take surveys for money
You can make money from home by taking online surveys, but don’t expect to be rolling in the
dough. Survey sites don’t typically offer a big payoff, and many sites are more
useful for earning gift cards than cash. Some of the more popular survey sites
include Swagbucks and Survey Junkie. Read our analysis of survey sites to find out which one is best suited for you.
Total time: It will
take a while. Setup: Just
minutes. How easy to start: Very. Just register and begin. Age threshold: 13 to 18+. How fast you'll get paid: Varies by site.
Need to know
Survey sites could be an option for
how to make money online for beginners because you can register with a site and
start taking surveys in a matter of minutes.
The time it takes to get paid
depends on the survey site and how much time you dedicate to taking surveys.
Some sites
let you cash out only after you hit a minimum earnings threshold.
Other
survey sites issue points, which can be redeemed for cash (via PayPal) or gift
cards.
Requirements
Most survey sites have a minimum
age requirement, which ranges from 13 to 18 (depending on the site) making
these sites one idea for teens to make money online.
Individual surveys may have
specific requirements. Don't be surprised if you are disqualified from a survey
without much explanation.
5. Make money from your blog as an affiliate
If
you’re a blogger who gets decent traffic, you could make money by joining an
affiliate network. Affiliates (that’s you) get paid when someone clicks through
from the website to the partner site and buys something there. Some bloggers
make a lot of money this way. Read more about affiliate marketing and other ways bloggers can make money.
Total time: It can
take quite a while to build an audience. Setup: With blog templates, building a site is easy. How easy to start: Starting is not that difficult. Creating regular content may be
another matter. Age threshold: Any. How fast you'll get paid: A month or two, on average.
Need to know
First, you need a blog, social
media account or other online presence that draws a healthy number of visitors
each month.
Then, you need to apply for and be
approved by an affiliate marketing network like CJ Affiliate, ShareASale,
FlexOffers, Rakuten Advertising or Amazon Associates.
Payment
schedules and thresholds vary by affiliate network, but expect to wait at least
a month or two for your first paycheck.
Amazon
Associates pays out earnings 60 days after the end of the calendar month in
which they were earned. You must have a balance of at least $10 for earnings to
be disbursed.
ShareASale
disburses earnings on the 20th of each month.
Requirements
A blog, social media account or
other online presence that attracts a steady stream of visitors.
6. Sell your wares on Etsy
Have a
penchant for woodworking, jewelry-making, embroidery or pottery? Sell your
goods on Etsy, the go-to site for artisans selling home goods, art and
knickknacks. Etsy boasted about 96 million active buyers and grossed over $13.5
billion in merchandise sales in 2021, according to data from Statista. Learn
more about how
to make money on Etsy.
Total time: It
might take quite a while for customers to find you. Setup: Can be quite involved. How easy to start: Leaning toward "hard" on the difficulty meter. Age threshold: 13+. How fast you'll get paid: From the next day to seven days after a sale.
Need to know
Opening an Etsy shop is the easy
part. It can be done in a few hours.
The prep work before you open up
shop is more time-consuming. You need merchandise to sell, photos and
descriptions to post, a name for your shop and a business plan to help you
succeed. Once that’s done, you’ll still need to find customers. Depending on
what you’re selling, that could take weeks, which is why you should expect the
overall time for this gig to be slow.
Once you
sell an item, payment is deposited into your Etsy Payments account.
In your
first 90 days as a seller: Funds are available to deposit seven days after a
sale.
After your
first 90 days, funds are available for deposit the next business day.
Requirements
If you’re over 13 years old but
under age 18, you can sell on Etsy but would be considered a minor and must
follow extra policies.
You need to have all necessary
rights to the merchandise sold in your shop.
7. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
Turn
your cat videos into cash videos. If your YouTube videos or blog posts draw a
big audience, you may be able to make money from advertising. YouTube sets
1,000 subscribers as the benchmark creators must make before applying for the
YouTube Partners Program. YouTube Partners then get access to Google AdSense, a
service businesses pay through to advertise around your content. The service is
free, but there are requirements you must meet. Read more about how to make money on YouTube and Google AdSense.
Total time: It can
take several weeks to get up and running. Setup: Not that hard. How easy to start: Depends on how good you are at producing interesting videos. Age threshold: 18+. How fast you'll get paid: Could take a long while to earn the first payout; then monthly.
Need to know
Signing up for Google AdSense is
pretty easy, but it can take anywhere from a day to several weeks for your
account to be activated.
Allow at least two months for ad
revenue to start trickling in.
You need to
earn at least $100 before you're eligible for a payout.
Once you
hit the $100 threshold, earnings are issued between the 21st and 26th of the
month. It can take four to 10 days to receive a payment via electronic funds
transfer and up to 15 days to receive payment as a wire transfer.
Requirements
Your own website that has been
active for at least six months.
For YouTube, you need more than
1,000 subscribers.
You must be
at least 18.
8. Become an Instagram influencer
Companies
are using Instagram influencers — people with large, dedicated followings on
the platform — to rep their products. You can get in on the action by applying
for opportunities via a marketing platform like Open Influence or Aspire, or by
contacting the brands you want to work with. Read more about how to make money on Instagram. (You can also make money on TikTok this
way.)
Total time: You'll
need to stick with it. Setup: Quick
and easy. How easy to start: Not that easy. It's a very competitive platform. Age threshold: 13+. How fast you'll get paid: Varies on partnerships.
Need to know
Creating an Instagram account is
quick, but building a following takes time. Allow a few months to build a large
enough following to attract advertisers.
Once you have the numbers, you'll
need to find paid opportunities. You can do this via affiliate networks or by
pitching brands you want to work with.
The time to
receive your payment will depend on the terms of your agreement, but affiliate
networks typically pay out earnings the month after a campaign is completed.
Requirements
An Instagram account with a
dedicated, engaged following.
You'll also need to meet the
requirements of any affiliate network.
9. Monetize your Twitch channel
Gaming
could be a way to make money from home if you have a steady following on
Twitch, the go-to site for gamers. Broadcasters can receive donations from
viewers and even get a share of subscription and ad revenue if they reach
Affiliate or Partner status. Learn more about how to make money on Twitch.
Total time: This
can be a long game. Setup: Quick
and easy. How easy to start: Easy to start; takes a while to build a following. Age threshold: 13+. How fast you'll get paid: Monthly.
Need to know
You can launch a Twitch channel and
start streaming in a day, but it will take weeks or even months to build a
following.
Donation revenue can be withdrawn
rather quickly, depending on the payout method.
Subscription
and ad revenue earned as a Twitch Partner or Affiliate is paid out on the 15th
of every month, and you must have a balance of at least $50 for most payout
methods (it's $100 for wire transfers).
Requirements
You need to hit certain viewership
and broadcast milestones to become a Twitch Affiliate or Partner and qualify
for a share of game sales, ads and subscription revenue.
10. Sell your photography
Turn
your photographs into cash via sites like Fine Art America, which lets you
upload your images to sell as prints, T-shirts, phone cases and more. Other
marketplaces for photographers include SmugMug, 500px and PhotoShelter. Some
sites require a subscription but may provide features ranging from cloud
storage to password-protected galleries and a customized website.
Total time: Buyers
need to find you — and like your work. Setup: Just a few hours. How easy to start: If you have a library of photos, you're on the way. Age threshold: Any. How fast you'll get paid: Depends on your sales platform.
Need to know
You can set up a profile with sites
like SmugMug, PhotoShelter or Fine Art America in a few hours, assuming you
have a body of original work.
Payment varies widely depending on
the site.
Fine Art
America: Payment issued after 30-day return window expires. Sent on the 15th of
each month.
PhotoShelter:
Payment issued at time of sale to your chosen payment method (PayPal, Stripe,
etc.).
SmugMug:
You can request payment be issued the following month if you have a balance of
at least $5.
Requirements
Requirements vary by site, but you
need to have all necessary rights to the images you sell.
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