There is an overabundance of websites and apps that promises extra money or passive income, but which ones are legitimate? Don’t waste your time on shady and too good to be true opportunities! There are genuine ways to make money from home. We’ve compiled a list of genuine side hustles that you can do on your schedule and, of course, will supplement your full-time income.
1. Play Video Games
Believe it or not, tons of apps like Freecash, Blitz, Lucktastic, and Mistplay will pay you for playing video games.
While the apps are all unique in their own ways, they’re all fun and free to play. The process is pretty straightforward as well. You just have to download the app, have an internet connection, complete the tasks, and you can start earning! Available games vary from one app to another but expect a mix of digital card games, puzzles, and survival ones.
2. Have a Garage Sale on Online Marketplaces
Do you own old and used stuffed animals, video games, books, or collectibles? What about exercise equipment, artwork, hats, and shoes? You can sell them on eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, and Bonanza and have an online garage sale. If you don’t want to sign-up, you can also list them on Facebook Marketplace.
Whatever you’re trying to sell, the selling technique is the same – take a photo of your used item, perform market research on its used value, and post it on online marketplaces.
For a higher probability of making a sale, always photograph your items with good lighting and snap from different angles. Make sure to disclose damages if there are any.
Once you get good at selling your stuff, you can start going to flea markets and thrift stores to find stuff that you can resell online for higher prices.
3. Sell Unwanted and Unused Gift Cards on eBay
Do you have unused gift cards eating space in your wallet? There is a thriving online market for gift cards. People like buying unwanted gift cards because they can get more bang for their buck. For instance, If you have a $50 gift card, you can sell it for $40 or $45. The more a discount you offer, the faster your unused gift card will sell.
4. Start a Blog
Do you enjoy writing? You can make money from writing by starting a blog. Blogs have two primary sources of revenue: affiliate marketing and advertising, and both can offer passive income. So, how do these side hustles work?
With affiliate marketing, you earn a profit or commission every time a person uses your affiliate link. For instance, in Amazon’s Associate’s Program, you can earn up to 10% in associate commissions with every qualifying purchase.
On the other hand, with AdSense, you allow Google to place advertisements on your website. By doing so, you can earn some revenue in exchange for exposing your audience to the ads. According to Google, more than 2 million publishers are currently using AdSense.
Affiliate marketing and Google AdSense are easy ways to earn money, but you need to ensure your website gains a lot of traffic. After all, both affiliate links and ads need plenty of views and clicks. So if you’re interested in creating a blog, don’t neglect it! Create enjoyable content so you can grow your audience.
5. Be a Virtual Assistant
Have you ever heard of virtual assistants? If not, virtual assistants (VAs) or remote administrative contractors keep records, manage social media accounts, take phone calls, and more. How much do virtual assistants make? Depending on experience and other factors like scope of work, a VA can earn between $7.25 to $37.10 per hour. You can make this side hustle a full-time job if your career grows!
6. Sell Your Old Textbooks
If you have old and used textbooks lying around your house collecting dust, there is a huge market for used textbooks.
Most websites that buy secondhand textbooks only accept books in good condition. Some may ask you to submit photos to ensure it is still in usable shape, while others ask you to scan the ISBN.
Here’s a tip: try using BookScouter. BookScouter is an app that tells you where to sell your books for the most money. Download the app and scan the ISBN inside your textbook. BookScouter will show prices from more than 30 vendors.
7. Answer Online Surveys
Participating in online surveys is one of the simplest ways to make money from home. Anyone can participate as long as you fit the required demographic. If you qualify, answer honestly and get paid!
Online surveys can be about anything. For example, they might ask you what products and brands you buy and why. Alternatively, they might want to know about your health. If you want to earn extra cash participating in surveys, start with trusted survey sites like Swagbucks Survey Junkie.
8. Manage Social Media Accounts of Small Businesses
These days most businesses have social media accounts. Studies show that 98% of small businesses use social media. Have you ever wondered who is running those accounts? It could be you!
81% of customers research a store online before shopping there. Additionally, 91% of shoppers have visited a store because of something they saw online. Despite these facts, one out of five small businesses still doesn’t use social media for marketing. Why? One reason is that many small business owners don’t have time.
So, if you love Facebook and Instagram and have skills in graphic design, caption writing, and scheduling, this can be your next hustle.
9. Join Freelance Online Platforms Like Upwork or Fiverr
Freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr allow you to connect with local and international clients who need writing assistance, website and app development, customer support, and more. Plus, joining is risk-free – all you need to do is make an account, complete your profile and submit all the necessary documents. Then, it’s a matter of applying to freelance job listings or getting direct job orders.
You can increase your chances of landing more freelancing projects by niching down your services, building your portfolio, and asking for referrals.
10. Be an Online Tutor
Educating children and adults online is also an excellent side hustle that you can do in your spare time. You can be a tutor and teach math or a new language. Of course, if you want to be a tutor, you’ll need some credentials. For instance, if you’re going to teach English as a second language, you’ll need to earn a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate.
11. Transcribe Audio
If you prefer to work at your own pace and schedule, you can try transcribing audio, which involves listening to the provided audio file and typing what you hear – yes, it’s that simple. If you’re wondering where you can get transcription work, join Rev.
Rev pays weekly via Paypal. Freelancers can create transcriptions, captions, and subtitles. If you work for Rev, you get paid by the audio or video minute. Transcriptionists earn $0.30-$1.10 per audio or video minute ($18-$66 per hour). Captioners can take home $0.54-$1.10 ($32-$66 per hour). On the other hand, subtitle translators make $1.50-$3.00 ($90-$180 per hour).
12. Sell on Amazon
You don’t have to be a big retailer to sell on Amazon. You can sell products on their website as long as you are willing to pay for a spot on their platform. You can opt for the Individual plan and pay a $0.99 fee for each sale if you are just starting. On the other hand, you can pay $39.99 per month for the Professional plan, which is ideal if you’re confident that your products will sell like pancakes.
Of course, there are other requirements. You’ll need an Amazon account, business email, and an internationally chargeable credit card. You also have to provide a government ID, a phone number, a bank account, and tax information.
13. Offer Freelance Writing
You can also be a freelance writer and earn extra cash from home. You don’t have to be technically a fiction writer; there are other opportunities. You could be a copywriter for an eCommerce company or a ghostwriter for a blog.
14. Start a YouTube Channel
Do you like to watch YouTube videos? Have you ever thought about making your own? Believe it or not, it’s possible to make money this way. If your YouTube channel has 20,000 views per day, you can earn more than $10,000 per year. Some YouTubers make 6-figures or more every year.
But what should your YouTube channel be about? Popular types of videos include reactions, tutorials, and unboxings. Viewers also enjoy product reviews, top ten lists, and funny pet videos. In addition to relying on YouTube for additional income, you can also partner with companies and get a sponsorship once your channel blows up!
Summing It All Up
If you want to earn extra income, there’s no need to head to the office. There are many ways to make money from home. You can be a VA, a freelance writer, a transcriptionist, try your luck in affiliate marketing, or become a bonafide YouTube star. What do you have to lose? Start making money at home today!
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This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Featured Image Courtesy of Deposit Photos.
Bobby Kania is a full-time blogger with multiple blogs spanning topics in education, music, and advice. He currently lives in Seattle with his wife and cat. Learn more at Capitalize My Title.
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