How To Work From Home and Make Money
Working from home can be both profitable as well as a wonderful experience, but how does one get started at it?
Let's face it, in today's economy more and more people are in need of either extra cash or a new source of income all together. Well, if you have patience and are willing to go the extra mile, you CAN make money online! The opportunities are endless and just sitting there waiting for you... but be warned, it's not a quick fix type of thing. It takes work along with time and talent as with anything. Your not going to write just one article and then sit back waiting on the money to come flying in on a consistent basis with no sweat or work put into it.
Still, if you are willing to look at these opportunities as a job in itself then you can make a good living at it. Whether your wanting to work full time, part time, or just an occasional thing - the time you invest will reflect the outcome.
Here are some of the tips and leads that I've found while researching how all of this works.
1. Become a 'Blogger' for hire.
The word "Blog" is short for Web Log which is exactly what the name entails. it is a place where you simply write down your thoughts or ideas on a subject for others to read and learn from your experiences.
As a "Blogger" you are paid to write opinions and reviews for everything from websites, products, and even services. There are several companies that will hire you to do this type of work. In my research I have found the following sites that are legitimate Blog for Hire sites.
PayPerPost.com (Pay is based off of advertisers offer or negotiated between blogger and advertiser)
Reviewme.com (Pays $20.00 to 200.00 per completed review)
This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to generate a little additional income and has become one of the more popular ways people get started working from home. It's all about the numbers of blogs you post whether you will be able to earn the amount of cash you are looking to gain. The more you blog the more you'll earn.
2. Online Surveys.
Giving this one the thumbs down for income potential. Everything I have researched on this type of work leads me to not recommend it as a viable source of income. There are people that do make SOME money taking these, but from what I have found through my researching of this article, it is VERY MINIMAL and that they create much more harm than good by opening your computer up to potential spam, viruses and other intrusions... Not Recommended.
3. Freelance Writing.
If you enjoy writing as much as I do and have some background in an area that you feel comfortable telling people about, then this is the best job EVER!
I love it, I get to take any subject I want and with a little research and work I can turn it into an article and actually get money for it! The best part is that over time my articles can create residual income. That's where the articles that were posted in the past still make you current income. For example, if you write an article on something today then 6 months or more from now that SAME article can STILL be earning a monthly income for you.
It is important to be professional and realize that you are a freelance writer, just as if you worked for a magazine or a newspaper and hold yourself up to those levels of quality writing. If you can do that then you can make a significant amount of income in this line of work.
Some of the sites that are worth checking out are as follows:
HubPages.com (this one is GREAT for beginners to get their feet wet - check it out and join now!)
DemandStudios.com (You will need to submit a resume and samples of your writing before this company will hire you but they now own eHow and other such sites)
HubPages and Bukisa pay based off of ads that are posted on your articles by google and other such sites. Basically, you get paid when someone reading your article clicks on one of the ads posted on your article.
4. Virtual Assistant or Data Entry.
It is cheaper for an employer to hire out these types of jobs to someone who can perform the work from their own home or other location. It saves the employer money on everything from work space and utilities, Workman's Comp insurance, the need to offer benefits to an employee such as insurance and sick leave, and the purchase of needed tools for an employee to perform their job such as a telephone or computer. That is why it has become such a favorable plus for an employer to find good professional workers who are willing to do the jobs from other locations.
There are several legitimate sites where you can earn money doing this type of work. Here are a few I have found:
These jobs are harder to find, but if you are a good typist with speed and accuracy then this might just be your niche. Most companies require you to have a foot pedal and high speed Internet along with running certain operating systems - each should have a list of their requirements before jobs can be obtained so just research their websites for the details.
5. Selling Things Online (Create Your Own Online Store).
If you enjoy going to auctions or garage sales, this is a great way to incorporate that love into earning you some extra cash.
Do some research and then start your own online store - takes a little bit of an investment to build up your inventory and a little work to set up the virtual store, but if you enjoy shopping or finding great deals it's a way to get paid to do something you love...Which is always a good thing!
eBay and other service providers usually have resources to help get you started if you want to utilize their sites to sell things. Otherwise some people opt to start their own site so that they don't have to pay any fees to the service provider. The up side to using a service provider such as eBay is that they already have an established traffic of people visiting their site who are wanting to purchase items.
These are just a few samples of ways that people are working from home and making money. The best thing to do is find something you are passionate about and then start researching if it can be used online to create an income or if there is an established niche you can plug into.
DO NOT EVER PAY FOR THE RIGHT TO WORK FOR SOMEONE. If a site asks you for money, chances are VERY high that it's a scam!!
Remember to be professional and very patient if you decide that any of these are something you want to do. It takes hard work, dedication and a willingness to put forth effort and time. As your mother used to say, "Anything worth having is worth doing right!"
If you like this article and want to learn more, try reading What Kind Of Income Can You Really Expect on HubPages
© 2012 Laura Rash
