While there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to make money online, there are several legitimate ways of generating income that do not require a lot of effort. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make some extra bucks, check out these five viable options.
1. Take surveys
From the government to multinational companies, big brands, and small businesses, everyone’s taking online surveys now. Some of them are even paying people to take them. If you’re new to the idea of online surveys, you may wonder where you can cash in. Well, you can’t directly – at least not most of the time. You’ll need to join a survey panel company or website such as Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, OneOpinion, Ipsos iSay, or Survey Wizard. When you join these sites, you’ll usually be asked to verify your email address and/or provide a physical address for package delivery. Then, when you’ve provided all the necessary information, you’ll be shown a variety of online surveys that you can take. Some of these are quite lucrative and can bring in hundreds of dollars a month. Just remember to keep both your eyes and your ears open when taking these surveys – your earnings are at stake after all. (Check out our Survey Junkie review for more information.)
2. Start an online store
If you’re into ecommerce and have a bit of capital, you can definitely make some money online selling your own products. You don’t necessarily need a physical location to open an online store – many entrepreneurs are opting for digital stores that can be accessed from anywhere. While you’ll need to register with an ecommerce platform such as Shopify, Big Cartel, or WooCommerce to start selling your products online, you don’t have to maintain a physical shop to make money from an online store. Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are all popular places for entrepreneurs to sell their products – the world’s largest online marketplace, the world’s largest online marketplace, and the biggest online market place for creators and creators, respectively.
If you decide to go the ecommerce route, remember to keep your eyes open for any upcoming sales and discounts from major retailers. You can use coupon codes and the like to get additional savings when buying products online – just make sure you familiarize yourself with the latest offers and promotions before making a purchase. (Check out our Big Cartel review for more information.)
3. Sign up with a survey site or panel
The first step to making money online is to simply register with a survey site or panel. These portals will then send you notifications whenever there’s an opportunity to take a survey. In most cases, you won’t need to complete a survey to make money from taking surveys – the earnings will come in the form of cash or gift cards. One of the most well-known survey sites is Survey Junkie, which was founded in Israel in 2010 and now has headquarters in San Mateo, California. (Check out our Survey Junkie review for more information.)
If you want to make a career out of taking surveys, you can register with Survey Junkie and gain access to their growing database of surveys. Like most survey sites, all you have to do is submit your email address and then you’ll start receiving notifications about opportunities to make money online. Also, keep in mind: The more surveys you take, the more you’ll make – up to a certain point. This is because studies have shown that individuals that take a lot of surveys are more likely to be paid for their opinions. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a career out of taking surveys, understand that the more you take, the harder it will be to make a decent living wage. (Check out our Survey Junkie review for more information.)
4. Start an online tutoring business
Another way to make money online is to start an online tutoring business. If you’re an expert in your field and willing to teach others, you can set your own hours, take on as many as you can handle, and scale your income as you grow your business. Depending on the type of subject matter you teach, you may need to become a certified tutor or obtain a college degree in education to start your business. (Check out our TutorVista review for more information.)
While this is a pretty passive way to earn money online, you can significantly cut down on your time spent working if you utilize an online tutoring platform such as WyzAnt or TutorVista. Simply create a profile, set your rates, and start answering questions – if someone is willing to pay for your expertise, you can definitely make some money online tutoring. (Check out our TutorVista review for more information.)
5. Start an online shop of some sort
Starting an online shop will not only generate a profit, but it will also allow you to scale your income quickly. If you’re looking for a passive way to earn money online, you can register with Shopify, Big Cartel, or WooCommerce to create an online store. Once you’ve created your store, you can sell as many products as you want, whenever you want, without having to run around looking for customers. (Check out our Shopify review for more information.)
As a merchant, you’ll need to decide what type of product you’ll be selling and how you’ll be displaying them. Also, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll be operating a retail store or an online boutique. If you go the retail route, you’ll need to decide what type of store you want to open – a small pop-up shop in a busy shopping area, or a larger shop that offers free delivery and accepts orders via phone or email. (Check out our Shopify review for more information.)