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The first time I realized that you could make money online was my senior year of college.
I was scrolling through Pinterest when I came across an article on how some woman had made a full-time income working online while traveling the world. Like any free-spirited, early-20-something, that was my dream. So of course I thought, “How can I make money online so I can travel whenever and wherever I want?”
I decided to do a little digging to see if there were any others out there living the “laptop lifestyle,” working from anywhere with an internet connection and cell reception. As it turns out, thousands, if not millions, of people make money online every day.
Once I realized there are many legit ways to make money online, I decided to give it a try for myself. Since then, I’ve earned thousands per year all while working from my laptop. And it’s not as difficult to get started as you may think.Easy Ways to Make Money Online
Some methods of making money online pay higher rates than others, so choose the ones that best suit your lifestyle. Here are some ideas and resources to get started learning how to make money online for free.1. Participate in market research
Online surveys won’t net you a hefty income, but you can earn a few dollars here and there. Many survey sites pay in gift cards, but some, like Branded Surveys, allow you to cash out your earnings via PayPal or direct deposit. By consistently taking surveys and earning points, you’ll become a Branded Elite member and qualify for additional bonus points and rewards.
We’ve audited dozens of paid survey sites, many of which are scams purporting to represent legitimate entities, so be careful when handing out personal information to a brand you haven’t heard much about.
Over $300M paid outOver $59M paid outSurveys onlyMultiple ways to earnMultiple ways to earnOver 10 million membersAvg. $0.40 – $2 per survey$30 min. to cash out $10 min. to cash out
No sign-up bonus2. Get cash back and rewards when you shop
Cash-back apps and browser extensions help you save money on everything from groceries to books. Again, you won’t earn a fortune, but you will save money on things you already buy. My personal favorite is Capital One Shopping because it works with my favorite stores like Overstock, Vitacost, and eBay.
If you already use Capital One, you can create a Capital One Shopping account using your regular banking log in. If you don’t use Capital One, signing up is still a quick process. Once you create an account and get the browser extension, Capital One will let you know while you’re shopping if there’s a deal available for that retailer. You can cash in your rewards for gift cards to Walmart, Redbox, Sephora, and other retailers.
Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the Capital One Shopping extension using the links provided.
Related: 16 Best Cash Back Apps to Earn Max Rewards3. Start a blog of your own
Making money by starting a blog is more realistic than you may think. Bloggers make money by advertising for companies they’re affiliated with. When users click an affiliate link and make a purchase, the website owner earns a commission. There are other ways to make money blogging such as by displaying advertising, selling your own products, or writing sponsored content.
Blogging platforms such as HostGator provide a simple, affordable way to start your own digital business from home for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month. (It’s the same we built DollarSprout into a seven-figure brand.) 4. Complete micro tasks
Micro tasks are one of the easiest ways to make money online. But micro jobs come with micro pay. You can earn a few dollars a month with Swagbucks by watching videos, playing games, and using the Swagbucks search engine. Other micro job sites pay users for reviewing content, verifying data, or testing apps and websites.5. Become a proofreader
Proofreaders help authors, bloggers, and even court reporters ensure that their content is grammatically correct and error-free. A proofreader’s role is to be an extra set of eyes after the author and editor have finished their job. They scour content for any errors that may have previously been missed. Learn how to make money as a proofreader.6. Work as a virtual assistant
A virtual assistant is an all-encompassing title for someone who offers online services for companies and small businesses. Services can range from graphic design, to blog management, to email marketing. A good friend of mine started working as a virtual assistant once she had her first child. She makes $35 an hour offering copywriting and email management to local companies. Working as a freelancer will increase your hourly rate but comes with the downside of having to find your own work. Another option is to work with well-known virtual assistant companies that have a steady stream of clients, but at a lower hourly rate. 7. Manage Facebook Ads for businesses
One of the ways Facebook makes money is by allowing companies to advertise its products and services in users’ news feeds. Most small business owners don’t realize the value of running Facebook ads for their business. By learning to communicate the value of ads in reaching new clientele and building brand awareness, you can earn $1,000 to $2,000 per month for each client you book. Start by reaching out to small business owners in your area or by taking an online course that teaches you how to manage ads on Facebook and start booking clients.8. Host a digital course
Digital courses are one of the top ways to make money online today. Outschool is a teacher-recruiting platform specifically designed to help online course creators monetize their knowledge. Its classes range from architecture to yoga to learning about Pokémon characters. According to the site, the average teacher earns $40 per hour, and you don’t need experience teaching to use Outschool. 9. Teach English as a second language
Having been a VIPKid teacher myself, I can honestly say it’s a legit way to make money online. VIPKid hires native English speakers to teach English to children, most of whom are based in China. Your pay is based on your level of teaching experience and how well you do in the demo interview. When I worked for the company I had zero experience and regularly made $1,500 to $2,000 per month teaching part-time. For a complete look at the pros and cons, check out our VIPKid teacher review.10. Sell your unused gift cards
If you have gift cards lying around that you don’t want, you can sell them on Raise. When you enter your gift card, Raise will give you a suggested selling rate. You can change this to set the price at whatever you believe is fair. It’s free to list your gift card on Raise, but once it sells, the site will keep 15% of the selling price and you’ll receive the remaining 85%. For example, if you list a gift card with a $50 balance for sale at $45, Raise will keep $6.75 and you’ll receive $38.25.11. Become a private tutor
With the variety of online tutoring sites available, you can earn money online by teaching anything you know. Some sites dictate the amount you can charge while others allow you to set your own rate. You can start booking clients by creating profiles on sites like Wyzant or Tutor.com. Depending on your subject area and whether you prefer to teach in person or online, you could also advertise on Craigslist or at local schools.12. Sell your gently-used clothing
One of the easiest ways to make money online is by selling things you no longer use. If your clothes are designer and in high demand, you may earn more by listing them individually on Poshmark or eBay. On the other hand, if your items aren’t in as high demand or you don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling them yourself, you can order a Clean Out Kit from thredUP. Pack the bag, and collect your earnings when they sell. For a local alternative, try Plato’s Closet or Buffalo. (From my experience, however, you won’t earn as much as selling your clothes online.)13. Get paid to test websites