Welcome to Digital Nomadness, where we help you make money online using tools and tricks from within the gaming industry. Earlier in the year we helped a reader make some extra cash by blogging about video games and making money off the affiliate sales of the recommended products; since then we’ve been asked many times “How can I do that too?” So here we’re going to teach you a way to make money online without even leaving the comfort of your home.
Monetise Your Loves
One of the simplest ways of making money online is to create and sell your own products. There’s a huge demand for everything from luxury bags and wallets to phone cases and hair bands. You can put your skills to use and create products while also expanding your social media following.
But if this is something that interests you, then first you’ll need to consider whether you have the creative or commercial skills to be able to pull it off. And if you do, then the next step is to look into finding a manufacturer who’ll take care of the whole process for you. This is where platforms like Etsy and Amazon Mechanical Turk come in.
You can use these platforms to find manufacturers who are willing to work with independent creators, just like you. So instead of having to go through a middleman and pay more for the privilege, you can connect with companies directly who want to work with independent creators.
Rent Your Living Room
If you don’t want to create your own products but want to make some money fast, then why not consider renting your living room or guesthouse to guests for a night or two? Airbnb is a marketplace that connects travellers with homeowners willing to rent out their rooms for the night. In the past six months, the amount of people using the service has increased by 30%, and the company expects this trend to continue.
Why rent out your home when you could be making money online? Especially because you get to enjoy your guests’ company while also getting paid. This is one of the simplest ways of generating extra cash, and it requires little to no effort on your behalf. Once you’ve registered with the platform, you’ll see a map with local Airbnb listings. You could search nearby hotels or guesthouses and compare pricing and amenities to find the best possible fit for your needs.
Make Money With Affiliate Marketing
One of the first ways people make money online is through affiliate marketing. Essentially, you’ll join a network of affiliate marketers who’ll pay you a commission when a user clicks a monetised link or buys a product that’s promoted on your website. The better the site, the more money you’ll make. It’s pretty straightforward.
Depending on how much commercial experience you have, you could consider setting up your own affiliate marketing store. To do this, you’ll need a platform such as Shopify or Amazon Web Services, among others. Once these platforms are set up, you can start a business in a couple of clicks. You’ll need to build a website, choose a domain name, upload your logo and pick a theme for the site (you can use the commercial version of Shopify with a hosting plan to save you money). From there, you can add products to the website using affiliate marketing.
If you don’t have much experience in affiliate marketing but would still like to get involved, you can sign up with one of the many affiliate networks such as ShareASale or SkimLinks, among others. Once you’re signed up, you’ll get access to a variety of affiliate marketing tools that can help you make sales.
Make Money With Scratch Cards
Scratch cards are random rewards that you can purchase in bulk that will then be converted into cash, either through a promotional scheme or as a stand-alone product. The best part? These cards can be completely anonymous, which means you don’t necessarily need to have a PayPal account to make purchases with them. The more you buy, the more you’ll make, and the simpler it is to enter the scheme. The downside? These cards aren’t regulated, so there’s the possibility of fraudulent practices occurring. However, it’s still a completely legitimate way to make money online.
Make Money With Surveys
Surveys are another way people make money online, either by taking them for companies that’ll pay you for your judgement or by taking part in market research to get a better understanding of consumer behaviour.
You’ll need to join a community of users who are taking part in the survey to be able to make money. TakeMyPoints is one of the more popular survey sites where you can earn rewards by simply taking surveys and sharing your insights with other users.
The great thing about this method is you don’t necessarily need a large audience to make extra cash; you simply need to be able to complete a few surveys a day to make a decent amount of money. One of the drawbacks is the lack of transparency when it comes to what companies are paying for your opinion, so there’s always the chance you’re being paid disproportionately for your time.
Make Money With Teens
Depending on your age, you might not be legally able to join some of the platforms we’ve mentioned so far. However, there’s still a way you can make money online without leaving the comfort of your home. You might be familiar with TikTok, a platform that launched in early 2018 and has quickly become one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of the decade.
While TikTok is a place where you can share short-lived content such as viral snippets or memes, it’s also a place you can find long-form content creators who’ve turned their passions into their livelihoods. You can learn more about how to make money with TikTok here. Similarly, TikTok is just one of the many platforms where users can share their experiences through longer-form content known as ‘LifeVlogs’.
Finding a way to make money online isn’t as difficult as you’d think. With a bit of planning and research, you can find a way to bring in extra cash without having to quit your day job. The great thing is, as long as you keep learning and developing your skills, you’ll never be at a loss for work. And if you ever find yourself in need of some quick cash, you can always turn to one of the many ways we’ve listed here to make money online.