Thanks to the internet it has never been easier to make money online for beginners. Seriously, you don’t need experience anymore. With apps, social media, and the gig economy, you can make money easily! I’ve been fortunate enough to live off my laptop since May 2017 after leaving the 9-5 world. Each day I feel lucky to be able to no longer have to punch a clock, sit in pointless meetings, and be able to design my days. When you learn how to make money online you can begin to take back control of your schedule and life. My goal with this brand is to help more people escape the 9-5, find financial freedom, pay off debt, and live a great life. I’m not one of those people that think money is the root of all evil. I’m the exact opposite. The more money you earn, the more you can:- Pay off debt
- Take care of family
- Invest in your future
- Contribute to causes you believe in
- Travel and experience more of the world
Table of Contents
How to Make Money Online For Beginners: 35+ Legit Ways
1. Become a Freelance Writer
In my three years of learning how to make money online, nothing has helped me more than freelance writing. As a freelance writer, I’ve been able to make a full-time income on part-time hours. Plus, freelance writing allows you to:- Work remotely
- Scale your income
- Write about topics you love
- Work as little or as much as you want
- Make money fast (compared to blogging)
2. Write & Sell Books and E-books
I’ve now published three books using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. One book, Advice For My Younger Self, is also available in hard copy format from Createspace. These books aren’t crazy long or require years of hard work. By creating short, how-to guides or manuals, you can create these relatively quickly and earn royalties for the rest of your life. Check out my post on 10 steps to creating your first e-book to learn more.3. Start a Blog
People make a ton of money online and most of them usually started with a blog. I started publishing income reports this year to show people how I make money blogging. If you want to set your future self up to potentially make money outside of your job at an enormous scale I recommend a blog. This is not a short-term game like some of the other hustles listed but 100X more potential than most. There are some bloggers that make over $100,000 per month!Check out these five ways to make money outside of your job blogging:
Affiliate Marketing
I make a few hundred dollars each month through affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is when an online retailer will pay you a commission for traffic or sales leads from its referrals. It’s not as simple as slapping some pictures or links and seeing the money roll in. You need to refer readers to quality products that you believe in. If you are a blogger I recommend learning more about making money from your blog from Michelle Schroder of Making Sense of Cents. Her blog routinely makes six figures per month with a majority of income from affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is great because, for the most part, it is passive income once you get everything set up.Paid Posts
When you have a blog you can offer paid posts or product reviews for products you believe in. These can range in price but I’ve seen anywhere from $50 – $200 per post. The best part? You don’t have to write it.Advertising
You can also post advertising on your site with a ton of different platforms like Google Adsense, Media.net, or Ad Thrive. The more views you get to your blog, the more advertising revenue you can earn every month.Brand Sponsorships
Once you create a successful blog, companies will reach out to partner with you and promote their product or website on your blog. This can be big money!Create an Ebook or Online Course for Your Blog
One of the best ways to make money and help people with your blog is to create online products. Whether you create an ebook or full-on video course there are tons of options. I’ve created “Win the Morning” to help people learn how to start a morning routine, wake up on time, and start each day focused. The only reason I created it was because I once struggled with all of these so I fixed it and wanted to help people. If you’re a blogger and don’t have products you’re missing out on tons of potential revenue. Not only are you not making money from your site, but you’re not giving people who have faced similar problems the easiest solution.4. Create a Youtube Channel
When you create a Youtube channel, you also have the ability to make money outside of your job with unlimited potential. Here two popular ways:Advertising on Youtube
Similar to a blog, you can have Google Adsense on your Youtube Channel. The money won’t be much until you have a ton of traffic but still easy money.Product Placement & Endorsements
You will sometimes see Youtube stars promoting products online as long as you disclose this to viewers.5. Join Upwork
I began using Upwork to start my freelance writing career. There is a ton of different options other than freelance writing as well. You can sell your skills like website design, setting up social media, sales, email writing, and so much more. Upwork does take 20% but they do connect you with a ton of potential clients. Overall, it’s a great place to get started, build your portfolio, and land your first clients.6. Get Paid to Watch Videos
Swagbucks has a feature where you can watch online videos to earn money from your house. If you sign up you will also get $5 credit, get started now.7. Set Up Websites
If you already use WordPress and know about installing themes you can charge well over $100 to set up for small businesses. The entire setup won’t take you more than 15-30 minutes using Bluehost to set up and install WordPress.8. Become a Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants are growing each year with more people needing help managing their business or website. Make sure to know what your niche is and start making money from your house!9. Walk Dogs or Pet Sit
Who doesn’t love dogs? It’s never been easier to use your love of animals to make money outside of your job. Check out these sites to get started dog walking or pet sitting:10. Be a Tasker with Task Rabbit
TaskRabbit is a site that connects you to people to help them get with a specific task. Do you like putting together furniture from Ikea? Well, I’m not sure anyone “likes it” but some people are much better than others. It’s not just furniture installation there are tons of “tasks” available:- Help Moving
- Mounting TV’s
- Grocery Shopping
- Furniture Assembly
- Virtual tasks such as calendar organizing, event planning or setting appointments.
11. Grocery Shop For People
Instacart is a way to grocery shop for people and get paid to do it. I personally love grocery shopping, some people hate it so this is easy money. You can apply to be a shopper, a delivery driver, or both.12. Test Websites
I recently signed up for a few website testing services and can say it is super easy. All you do is test websites as your screen is recorded and talk into your microphone. Check out these three sites to get started now:- Usertesting.com – $10 per test.
- Whatusersdo.com – $8 via Paypal for each test.
- UserTest – $10.50 per test.
13. Become a Coach
People always want to learn new skills quickly. If you have skills in anything you can become a coach in person or online. You can coach people in person for athletics, music, fitness, or photography. Whatever you are great at and have a passion for you can teach! You can do this on a personal website or even sign up for coach.me.14. Sell Old Books
Personally, I’m a hoarder of books but I’ve read about people using Half Price books for selling used textbooks.15. Create an Instagram
Instagram has been growing at an incredible rate and has a ton of opportunities to make money. Work on building a following with consistent posting, great hashtags, and responding to your followers. Here are a few ways you can monetize your Instagram:Sponsored Posts on Instagram
Brands will pay you to promote their products in front of your audience. A good way to get on a brand’s radar is tagging them in your posts. Consistency is key to growing your Instagram. Post constantly, engage, use stories, and choose the right 30 #hashtags for each post. This can have a huge impact on your gram following.Affiliate Marketing
Unlike a sponsored post, an affiliate will be more invested in making sales for a particular brand in exchange for a commission. You will usually do this with a trackable link or unique promo code.16. Sell Photography
Do you take great photos or think others would love the photos you are already taking? There are a ton of websites and apps that will help monetize your photo skills:17. Sell on Amazon FBA
Amazon has created a service to help you create products and sell products with their advanced fulfillment networks. There are more upfront costs as you have to buy the product (usually from China) but there is an unbelievable amount of potential.18. Start An Etsy Store
Etsy is another great way to make money with an online store. It also is a great way to channel your passion into creating something you love and sharing with others. By setting up an Etsy shop you will able to sell much more than on Craigslist or eBay. Tons of people use the platform to make a full-time income!19. Sell on Craigslist
Craigslist is one of the easiest ways to sell things from your house. Some good examples include old TV’s, golf clubs, home decorations, furniture, and almost anything in a storage unit.20. Rent Out Your Car
With apps like Turo and Hyrecar, you can now rent out your car hourly or daily. I haven’t tried this one as I love my car but have had several friends who have turned into an easy side hustle.21. Rent Your House or Room
With sites like Airbnb and VRBO, you can rent out your entire house or specific room nightly or weekly.22. People Per Hour
Similar to Upwork, People Per Hour is another great way to find freelance jobs for design, marketing, or writing.23. Invest in Dividend Stocks
When you invest in dividend stocks you can make money monthly, quarterly, or annually. Some top dividend stocks include Philip Morris, Kraft Foods, or Chevron.24. Sell T-Shirts
With sites like Teespring, Custom Ink, and Spreadshirt you can design t-shirts online quickly and cheap.25. Sell Products
You don’t even need to have a website to sell products anymore. With Zazzle and Shopify you can create products online and sell through Facebook or your website if you have one. You can create products like custom shirts, coffee mugs, signs, hats, or tons of other options. The best part? With drop shipping, you don’t have to worry about shipping, product creation, and inventory!26. Join Fiverr
Fiverr is a great site for freelance designers, website design, and tons of other tasks. If you only charge $5 for every skill you probably will spend more time than it’s worth. But don’t be afraid to charge more if you are an expert in something.27. Take Surveys
I’ve had poor luck with these but some people swear by them. Check out these sites to start earning money from surveys:28. Do Graphic Design
Graphic designers are in high demand as most people don’t have the skills! If you’ve got a gift for graphic design, look for online jobs that you can do from your home. This side hustle can easily go from part-time to full-time. Check out 99designs to learn about more opportunities.29. Become a Virtual Bookkeeper
Another great way to make money online for beginners is becoming a virtual bookkeeper. You have the freedom to work at home and help other businesses succeed! The best part is that you don’t have to be a CPA to get started. All you need is computer skills and a passion for helping people.30. Serve as a Mock Juror
This sounds odd but it’s a great way to make money online. You can earn between $10-$60 for an hour of your time. You’ll be asked to review evidence, documents, videos, and other pieces of evidence at the convenience of your home.31. Resell Domain Names
If you’re a savvy internet person this is a great idea. If you can predict the next big website name, hashtag or other trends you can get paid big. Buy domain names for cheap and flip them on sites like Flippa. Plus, you can do this for actively managed websites as well. Remember, always got with .com over .net or .org as they are still the most popular online.32. Narrate Audio Books
The audiobook industry is booming thanks to Audible by Amazon. It’s great for people to listen instead of having to read books when you’re on the go. Put a listing on Upwork so you can find authors who need someone who helps narrate their latest book!33. Become an Influencer on Instagram
Are you addicted to the gram? Might as well get paid for it! If you can create big followings you can get people to pay you for shoutouts. Influencer marketing is one of the ways people sell their products for e-commerce on sites like Shopify. Once you have an audience it takes minimal work to post ads and get paid each time!34. Get Paid to Write on Medium
Medium is a growing platform that is a fun way to monetize your writing. It’s different than blogging but also less work. You don’t have to worry about widgets, themes, and other blogging hassles. With Medium, you can join publications and the Medium partner program. This will allow your articles to make money. The more people that love your content, the more money you’ll make.35. Do Voice Overs
Another random way to make money online is to use your voice! I’ve had one video I’ve narrated go viral with over 1,000,000 views in only 3 months! You get paid a flat fee and it doesn’t take much work on your end. Plus, if you write the video, you get paid even more.Make Money Fast (Not Online)
Here are some other easy ways to make money fast, even as a beginner:Temp Staffing @ Events
Another great way to earn money is by signing up for events where they need temporary staff. Think about conferences, sporting events and take a look at Craigslist to learn more.Donate Plasma
I will say I did this in the past and it was a weird experience but I did make close to $500 after six or seven visits. Usually, you have to do a quick physical and then you donate plasma as you do with blood. In my experience, I was paid with Visa gift cards. Again kind of weird but paid well, avoid this side hustle if you don’t like needles or blood.Drive For Uber or Lyft
This side hustle will make you get out of the house but you can make some good money driving for Uber or Lyft. The payment is weekly and you are able to work only when you want. The revenue share is 80% to you, 20% to Uber or Lyft. If you do drive try to find times where there might be a surcharge to ensure you make additional money.Become a Part-Time Photographer
While you can make money selling your photos online, it will pale in comparison to taking pictures at weddings or events. If you can hone your craft of taking awesome photos people will pay big time!Drive for Uber Eats or Postmates
UberEats is similar to driving for Uber but you don’t have to worry about people being in your car. Other options included Postmates and Grubhub.Become a Personal Trainer or Group Trainer
If you have a passion for fitness, you should look at different certifications to become a personal trainer or group trainer. If you do training in a big gym like LA Fitness or 24 Hour you will have to split your money. Instead, see if you can find a small gym and pay a monthly fee or even work out with clients in-house. If you do this make sure to get a legal document signed to prevent yourself from any liability.Deliver Items With Your Truck
If you have a truck you can use Dolly to help people move or use to transport large items.Make Money Online Summary
It’s time to start your journey! Start using these awesome 47 ways to learn how to make money online for beginners. Even if you take away one of these ideas from this post I will be happy. Remember, the average millionaire has seven streams of income. How many do you have? There are 24 hours in the day, eight to ten are at work, another six to eight sleeping. That means you have six to eight hours each day of additional time that you have to work on a side project. Don’t limit yourself to just making money from your job, there is so much opportunity. Learn how to make money outside of your job to earn more, give yourself options, and diversify your income. Whether you start a blog, a social media channel, or one of these other options just start. Are there are any other ways to make money online for beginners that I left out? What else do you do to make money outside of your job?
Creator at Inspire Your Success
My name is Michael and I'm the creator of Inspire Your Success. My goal is to give you the tools, resources, and inspiration to build an epic freelance writing business.
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What a great post! There are so many options here for people to explore a secondary income.
SO many great ideas here! I hadnt even heard of half of these things!
Thanks Lauren hope it helps!
These are all fantastic ideas, and some I had never heard of, so will have to look into them! Thanks for all the great info!
No shortage of ways to make a few bucks hustling, glad it was helpful!
These are all such great ideas! I’ll have to keep some of them in mind.
These are great ideas. I will try some of these. Thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful thanks for reading!
I have soooo many friends who house/dog sit for extra cash. I had no idea how popular it was but there are even apps to find people to house sit for you. What a great idea!
I know we always use it when we head out of town it’s the best!
Love all these awesome side hustles! You can also sign up with a promotions company and get sent on awesome gigs. One of my daughters, engineer by day, law school student by night, helps promote brands at concerts, bars, and other events.
Wow thats awesome, thanks for sharing Denay. Sounds like she is making the most of her 24 hours, well done!
These are some awesome ideas. I tried a few of them! Maybe I’ll try tasker. The one thing I realize is you must not try to do these and be desperate because then you get easily discouraged! ha
Haha I totally agree, whatever it takes to make money! Thanks for reading
I just started the Making Sense of Cents affiliate course. I love it so far.
Awesome me too it was super helpful!
So many awesome ideas! I started writing a blog and then ended up becoming a part time writer and VA.
Nice! No shortage of ways to make $ online, good for you!
Wow, what an amazing and helpful article! I never knew about all of these freelance sites to help people market, design, and write for them! Would love to get into this and need to read all of your blog money making posts!
Thanks Shannon, much appreciated…glad it was helpful and hope you can make some extra $$$ freelancing!
Great ideas here..most of the ones that have to do with blogging and being an influencer..I have tried..and its just not happening money wise….its so hard to make it take off with another full time job…techy skills also have to be superb it seems…
None the less there is money to be made….and I m going to find a way to get out of my current job..its not my passion at all!
Thanks for sharing!
I understand fully Valerie, the blogging aspect takes time for sure. I wish you tons of luck and know that with a vision and hard work you can follow your passion and earn money!
Thanks for reading!
I have so many friends looking for side hustles. I am totally sharing your incredible list
Awesome Andreas, glad it was helpful. Thanks for sharing!
Watching Videos and Testing Websites are too of the easiest ones! Great post!
Thanks Rachel, glad it was helpful!
So many ideas, half of them I never heard of. But, there was quite a few that looks worthwhile exploring
Glad I could help Kanani, hope you find some new ways to make extra $$$
I was not used to read complete blog but I read this blog till the last word
Glad it was helpful!
What a great compilation of side hustles. Very useful.
Thanks, glad it is helpful!
What a great list of side jobs! I donate plasma twice a week myself…who else is gonna pay you $50 an hour right? lol It’s a quick easy way to make a little extra and you get to save lives in the process!
Very true Anne!
Right now I making some extra money from Toluna.
Swagbucks is also best to earn money from home.
Thanks for the recommendations hadn’t heard of Toluna yet!
Hey there,
I have using many of the methods that you have describe, and have made quite a good load of money.
Great to hear Johnny!
I need this, and I love this list. I’m bookmarking this right away. Thanks for sharing!!
Awesome — glad it was helpful!
I feel you! What a time to be alive, we have all these options to earn and more and we have the chance to do it full time if we work hard enough. I’ve been loving blogging because I get to be with my kids. It can be a ton of work sometimes but it sure is awesome.
It really is awesome — very worth it in my situation as well 🙂
I love working at home. It’s been a blessing. It didn’t happen overnight but it’s the best decision I’ve made. These are all great sidelines, some you can do full time!
It is definitely not overnight but with hard work it is worth it in the long run!
Those are definitely some great ideas there. And I agree that blogging is going for things that are long term and shouldn’t be looked at as a short-term proposition.
Thanks David — you’re very right….blogging is no doubt the long term!
These are some really nice ideas! I like the one about getting paid to shop for grocery. I never knew something like that existed and it sure sounds like fun!
all of these involve (almost) no spending – they’re cash-flow-positive!
too many similar posts i’ve seen always seem to include receipt apps (e.g. ibotta) or credit card rewards, which are great, but technically don’t make you more money than you end up spending.
awesome!
hi this is great post about making money online.thank you for this info
Glad it was helpful, thanks again!
Some really good ideas to start earning passive money. I haven’t gone through all of them but I have used at least a dozen in my 10-year long career as a side hustler and I can attest to this list. Guess I will go through the remaining this weekend and check the ones that I can use to create another source of income. Thanks.
Thanks Tim — appreciate you reading! Love that you’ve been side hustling for a decade, keep it up!
I guess the number of ways you showed us amazing, but I feel it’s truly impossible to make all this work at once. So, the better choice is one should try the methods one-by-one so that one can get experience in the field as well as learn money-making hacks by himself. I appreciate you for putting such efforts to explain things.
Definitely don’t try all at once. Find a few that work, test and see what works. You can do it!
Hey,
This is nice post for make money blogging and having right article to see you here. Thanks a lot for sharing with us .
No problem, thanks for reading!
your list is very detailed, informative ,comprehensive and useful. i will try some of your ideas. thank you very much and keep up.
Glad it was helpful, thanks for reading!!
Amazing Post buddy. Really looking for to apply them.Thanks for the suggestions
After looking into a few of the blog articles on your web
site, I honestly appreciate your technique of blogging.
Thanks!
very interesting , good job and thanks for sharing such a good blog.
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