How come the unemployed don't try working online?

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Bill Manningposted 13 years ago
I always see all the articles in the news about so many people being unemployed for months and years. They talk about how they try to fill their time mowing the lawn and fixing the house while waiting to get a job.

So, if they want to work and got plenty of time, how come they don't try working online? Anyone with no money at all or very little can start their own websites like I've done.

Or they can write here on hubpages, or the other dozens of sites like it. I started my own sites because I wanted to be my own boss and not be afraid of where my next check comes from.

How come these people, many who have Collage degrees and had jobs way over my head, can't seem to figure out how to make money online? They don't even seem to consider it at all.

Why????
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  TheGlassSpiderposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Bill - while I was unemployed and looking for viable work at home options it was six months of research before I even HEARD of HubPages, and I was almost disheartened enough NOT to try it because of scams and things out there.
  
  @TheSenior - I never collected an unemployment check. Generalizations are part of the problem.
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  Sunnyglitterposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  They probably think that it isn't really possible. I know a lot of people who still think of working online as a scam. I have also had people tell me that I don't have a "real" job. :::shrugs::: Well then, my "fake" job pays the bills just as well as their real job.
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  schoolgirlforrealposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Hmm when I tell friends sometimes that I write on HP p/t and help my parents p/t they don't consider it a job either!! funny eh?
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  qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Aya:
  McDonalds doesn't pay 'em enuf to buy a computer. :-)
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  MacDonalds don't pay enough to buy a big mac do they?
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  qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  John: lol I don't know, but I'd never buy one...oh maybe if I had a dog to feed it to....:-)
  Qwark
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  Toby Hansenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  When I worked at Mc D's many many years ago, staff got to eat for free.
  My home town definitely needs a Hungry Jack's! (non-Australian Hubbers insert Burger King).
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  David 470posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Because some people, in my opinion, do not believe that you can make money online. Some people also would not be able to handle writing 100s of words everyday I suppose.
  
  Hell, in high school people always complained about essays. I did not really care. I thought writing was always easier than math and other subjects....
  
  I am looking to make part-time income online, and eventually full time...
  
  I don't talk about it to my family though, they usually ask what I am doing, and I just say writing articles.
  
  It would be pretty complicated to explain CTR affiliate programs and everything
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  galinaaposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Bill,
  
  how many weeks/months have passed from the time you made your first web-site and moment when you made enough money from it to quit your dayjob?
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Great question! I would say it was around one year and 3 months from the time I opened my first website to the time I could fully support myself.
  
  However there were a few years before that when I just screwed around with things here and there, not really doing much,,, or knowing much!
  
  But NOW, if I gave up all my sites, I could get back to supporting myself with new ones in about,,,,, 6 months.
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  tritrainposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Great question!!
  
  I've been thinking about teaching a Community Education class on it. My guess is that they simply don't know (or maybe don't care).
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  mikoasposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  it is true that many are not doing anything to make money online. it is due to ignorant and not know how to do it. I for example willing to make money through online since 4years ago, but i couldn't make a penny. just last money i earned 128dollars through google adsense. two days ago now, my account with them was disable. so all these hinder some people to make it as work to earn money from online. i am using this medium to seek for yor advise. i am a writer at least i have wrote more than 20books both on christian and business but to market them online is serious problem for me. how can i go about it. please i need your advise and solution.
  thanks
  mike omoasegun (mikoas).
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Mikoas, I am sorry to hear about what happened with your Google Adsense account. Did they give a reason? Are you appealing the decision?
  
  It is very difficult for most of us to make money online. I have been on Hubpages for two years, but only recently have made my third payout. If I had had to depend on online income during these past two years, my children would have starved. Adsense is nice pocket money for most of us, but not a way to support a family.
  
  There are some hubbers who report major income, but they are in the minority and they have special skills.
  
  I am starting to publish my books with CreateSpace, but that too is something that requires time to build a following, a readership and a revenue stream. None of these things can be expected to happen overnight, and meanwhile, we all have to live.
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  MRobert2011posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I think a lot of people that have heard of working online probably just think it's a scam. It's not though, sites like Odesk and Elance are great places to market your skills on a freelance basis to people all over the world. You also can start your own online marketing business. No scams here, a lot of people are doing pretty well with online businesses and work.
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lrohnerposted 13 years ago
Hey Bill, SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Keep it in the family here!

Seriously, I don't think many of them are even able to see the possibilities. I mean, how many people have you seen that sign up to HP, write a hub or two and then leave, frustrated that money didn't start rolling into their account immediately?
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Hi Irohner, how's it going? Yeah that seems to be the case. Most seem just naive about how you can make money online and the thought does not even occur to them.
  
  Myself working online was one of the first things I ever thought of way back 10 years or so ago. Being able to work at home on your own sites was, and still is, the best thing I could ever imagine.
  
  But all my friends and family always had this blank stare look when I tried to tell them about it. They just did not know or care about how you could make money online.
  
  Or they just did not think they had the knowledge to do so. Heck I'm a HS drop out! I taught myself every damn thing I know about the net. Anyone can do it, it just takes hard work and the drive to want to.
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  wyanjenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Yup. I've seen many. It bums me out a little because I made a few neat friends who aren't here anymore. Oh well.
  
  I'm not unemployed but I'm underemployed. I was only hoping for a little supplement from HP to cover some of my lost salary. But since I do still work - 70+ hours a week through the summer months - I don't have time in the day to work online. I still haven't made a payout
  Now that my hours are back to normal and I moved to a new house, I'm ready to get back at it.
  
  To answer the main question: I hesitated to join up here initially, for one reason. I equate "make money online" with "big fat scam". Lots of people I know feel the same and therefore won't jump in. Also, the concept of Web 2.0 (I hate that phrase but I can't think of a better one) isn't widely understood. Many people don't realize the potential online.
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  aarti.shamdasaniposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Hii, I am new , just signed up on HUB. So how does this work? How do we get paid once you written a hub?
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wildernessposted 13 years ago
Some do. In fact, that's what really got me started - unemployment.

But a few answers anyway:

I'm not part of the social scene online, and don't particularly want to be. That eliminates blogging and such unless you have your own site.

I never realized that you could make money that way. I always thought people made hubs and blogs simply because they wanted to. I found a few sites where tradesmen would give advice (for a fee) but couldn't see any real money in it and didn't really feel competent or comfortable doing that.

Total ignorance of the internet. It would never even occur to me to start a web site - even if I had the smallest inkling of how to do it what would I sell? No product = no money. Better to sell on eBay if you actually have something to sell.
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paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago
"How come the unemployed don't try working online?"

It is my guess that many (possibly even most) do try.

And either fail or don’t talk about it…

Or get scammed out of whatever money they happen to have left…

Or succeed, but we don’t hear about it on the news...

In other words, I think there are fewer slackers than we generally assume.

Edit: I agree with you about the cluelessness of many though.
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Bill Manningposted 13 years ago
So it seems that most just don't have a clue about how they can make money online and don't even think about it then huh?

I guess that makes sense. I just assumed that with the web being such a big part of people's lives today more would think about it.
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  paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  The number of people with an IQ below 100 is the same as the number above…
  
  And when lack of education is thrown into the mix…
  
  Btw, did you see the world map I discovered?
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Mishaposted 13 years ago
The way we bring up our kids teaches them to work under supervision. Education system reinforces it. Very few people are capable of even thinking about working on their own.
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  waynetposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I agree with this!
  
  Society itself is so conditioned to be workers or drones and if that's what you want fine, but if the opportunities present themselves to you, why not work online and try to make money from your own home, dressed in pyjamas which is the typical internet marketers slogan you may read from time to time.
  
  Back to Bills Opening post though, many people might try, but they try in a half arsed manner, which is often considered to be their best effort by their own standards, which just isn't by an entrepreneurs standards.
  
  Working online is rapidly growing with the many opportunities, it just takes some learning and the spirit within to make yourself be heard online!
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  wychicposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  As they say, many people miss opportunity because it comes dressed in coveralls and looks a lot like work .
  
  Misha -- I couldn't agree more! Hmm...maybe my homeschooled upbringing has influenced my life a lot more than I even realize *reminisces about warm, sunny days working on school work while nestled in a haystack surrounded by dogs*
  
  It honestly still shocks me how many people have something they want in life and automatically start trying to find the employer who will give it to them.
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habeeposted 13 years ago
I think many people still think making money online is a myth, so they never even attempt it.
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  wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  A good point - so much of what you see is a scam as well. My wife and I attended a seminar some years ago about how to do it - cost was something like $25. Until after the seminar when the price went to several hundred $$ to buy their software, without which it was impossible to make any money.
  
  I had long forgotten that exercise in futility until I tried to sign up with adsense and found I already had an account associated with my address. Things like that don't do much to increase your enthusiasm.
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  adrienne2posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Just want to jump in here. I think people have to first believe in it before they even attempt to try making money online. If you do not really believe you can, chances are they will just think it is a time waster. I think another reason is people are so locked into the conventional way of making money and earning a paycheck until thinking outside of the box is beyond their thinking.
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Aya Katzposted 13 years ago
People who consider themselves "unemployed" are looking for an employer. They don't just want a salary. They want health care benefits.

The new mandatory health insurance law will make it much harder for people to be self-sufficient without an employer.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Nonsense.
  
  It doesn't change a thing.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Why do you think that? Someone who can make it on his own now without buying health insurance may not be able to survive without an employer in the future, because he won't be able to pay his bills and also pay for insurance.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Insurance is relatively minor in considerations for starting your own business. It's a small expense that you build into your planning. It isn't enough to stop anyone.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I had my own law practice which I ran out of my home for nine years in the 1980s. I had very low overhead, and I made enough money to pay the bills. But I did not have health insurance.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  So?
  
  Do you think your experience is typical?
  
  I have always had health insurance. For a brief period, my wife was working and we were covered by her plan, but otherwise I paid for it myself. It has always been simply another expense to be absorbed - definitely nothing that should ever stop anyone from considering working for themselves.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I'm suggesting that for those people who can support themselves by working independently, but who are not able to make very much money doing so, the requirement that they pay for insurance could be a deal breaker.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  those people will get subsidized coverage, paid for by those of us who can afford it. I live in MA and that's exactly how it works here.
  
  Or they can be idiots and pay a very small fine.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  It's not clear what signing up for "subsidized coverage" will entail, nor is it clear that people will be allowed to do so before they have spent their savings on paying for unsubsidized coverage.
  
  How much will it cost to opt out? Is it a fee for not being covered?
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I don't recall the specifics, but it is income based, not asset based.
  
  In MA the fine is very small. If I remember right, the Federal fine isn't much more, but it is higher.
  
  You can look this stuff up on line, you know.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Here is a good summary: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- … 03544.html
  
  As you can see, you can be subsidized up to 4 times the poverty keel.
  
  Nobody will get hurt.
  
  And the fine is a whole $695.00 per year. As subsidized insurance would be a far better bargain, that is not going to affect anyone but idiots.
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  habeeposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Pcunix, what do you think of health care in MA? What do you think of Romney?
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I pay $471 a month for a Tufts plan - no subsidy, of course. My wife is on Medicare, so she just pays Part B, $90 something. It's insignificant.
  
  Romney is two faced. Fairly liberal when here, now conservative. Typical lying rich white guy politician.
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  habeeposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Thanks for the info. I'm looking for a moderate to support, and I really don't know much about Romney.
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Uninvited Writerposted 13 years ago
And, believe it or not, everyone is not on the Internet.
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wychicposted 13 years ago
I think the major reason probably is ignorance. Recently I've been perusing Yahoo Answers a little more, and on pretty much every single question about making a living online there are about a dozen replies along the lines of, "You can't, it's all a bunch of scams." I even had one of my answers reported for saying otherwise and trying to give the person some useful advice on how to assess their personal skills and find a market -- obviously, the answer was reinstated when I appealed it, and then it went on to be the best answer, but I think the fact that it got reported in the first place speaks volumes.

I have been full-time online for three years now, and I still have people asking me on a regular basis when I'm going to get a real job. It doesn't occur to them to ask how I paid my bills when I was single, and now they just assume that I make my husband support me 100%, even though he makes it very clear that there's no way we could keep our bills paid on one income. People have told me that any kind of business online is a complete sham and that no one really makes money at it, regardless of the number of multi-million-dollar companies that do business almost solely online.

The other major problem, I think, is that those who really believe they can make money online also often tend to be the people who really believe "get rich quick" schemes. They don't realize that working online really means WORKING online, and that you really do get out of it what you get into it. I recently had a friend get mad at me because she'd just gotten a job at Home Depot and needed someone to watch her two kids for a few weeks until they could get into a daycare that had a waiting list. I told her I couldn't do it, and she said, "Why not? All you do is sit at home all day." It didn't really occur to her that I work more hours than she's clocked in at Home Depot, I don't get paid unless I put out the effort, and I don't get any kind of paid time off or sick pay.

Some people truly are incapable of finding an effective method of self-motivation, which also seems to be a huge barrier.

When people comment on how cool it is that I work at home and ask how I did it, I am all too happy to share my starting point with 80+ hour weeks and countless unbillable hours while I learned my trade and found my clients. Oddly enough, they don't seem to be quite to eager about it after that.
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Dale Mazurekposted 13 years ago
Im going to switch from Unemployment to welfare for a second.

In Canada welfare seems so easy to get. As long as the people getting it show a little need each month their check is deposited like clockwork.

So why learn to work online when the government will pay you to play games online and for you to sit on your new leather couch in front of your 52 inch TV and watch CSI in HD

But over here I think we really need to blame ourselves for making this so easy to happen.

Before the few that really need it come down on me I know there are a few that do need it but even for you people just remember welfare was put in to place for short term help not for you to live off of for three or more years
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  habeeposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Yes, Dale, that's sometimes a problem in the US, too. My oldest daughter was a caseworker in a neighboring county, and they had a great policy: their recipients had to work for their Welfare checks if they were of able body. They might have to clean up the DFACS offices, rake the grounds, etc. This was several years ago, so I don't know if they still have this policy or not, but I think it's a good one.
  
  Sometimes the problem is that these folks make more on Welfare than they would working and paying daycare for several small children. That's one reason we need free or low-cost daycare facilities.
  
  I think we need to install apprenticeship programs for those on Welfare. They could work for free while learning a trade, and once they've mastered the necessary skills, their chances of landing a decent job would increase greatly. While they were learning, they'd continue to receive their government checks.
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  kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Yeah, the cost of daycare is absurdly high and heaven help you if your kid gets sick or something (as they always do - daycare is such a germ vector). When one of my nieces was little and my sister-in-law was going to school, they were charging more than $100 a week but my niece got sick so often that I was watching her at least as much as the daycare center. I don't know what my s-i-l would have done if I hadn't been around. Probably flunked out of school. She was already on academic probation by the time I came along and married her brother, thanks to flunking several classes as a result of absences taking care of her daughter.
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SandyMcCollumposted 13 years ago
Several people at my church have tried writing online, but when they found they were making pennies per day, they quit. When they found out I began working online, they said, but you need a job that pays more than pennies per day. I said i already make more than pennies per day, I make a whole second income at it. They don't believe me... and think I fool around all day long. They're always asking me to babysit, etc.

I also know a lot of people who are smart, witty and engaging conversationalists, but they say they could never write. I tell them they can, just write like they talk and people will take it in, but they still don't believe it.

And I think the statement about people being conditioned to be employees is correct, as well. Ten years ago I never would have thought I could do anything but what I was doing then.
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kerrygposted 13 years ago
I'm not sure that they don't. I know Sufi, Pam, and several of the other long-time freelancers have complained that there's been an explosion of people in the last few years who are driving down rates because they're so desperate for work that they'll take absurdly low prices.

For the rest, I agree with wychic and several of the others that it's mainly ignorance and misinformation. The legitimate sources of online income, like HubPages, get overshadowed by the scams to the point that a lot of people don't even realize that there ARE legitimate sources, or they think the only way to do it is by starting the next Amazon.com or something and don't have the money or inclination to learn programming.

The thing that bothers me more is how few people I've heard about who are using skills they already had to start their own business, whether legit or under the table. I think that's the only thing ultimately capable of turning this economy around for average Americans. Corporate America is obviously happy to throw its employees to the wolves at the first opportunity, so there's no long-term job stability there, and never will be, the way things are going. But people have been so trained to expect it that they're blind to alternatives. Everybody has some skill they could use to make money, whether it's writing articles, growing tomatoes, or helping neighbors with their taxes.
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  wychicposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Great point! My husband thinks I'm very good at writing, and thinks it's a shame that I still plan to cut it back to a back-burner residual income when the money from it gets me into the position to use a skill I already had, that I can do so much better than what I'm doing now -- raising fish. Yep, sounds absurd to most, but I know the business plan and other relevant factors .
  
  This also makes me think about a conversation I had with a good friend of mine just yesterday. This friend has a wide variety of interests and talents, has a lot of good ideas for where he wants to go in life, but is perpetually disappointed in that life. Over the course of the last two years I've been trying to stress that he just needs to find a starting point for a path that he wants, and just start doing...and the only starting point he can seem to fathom is going back to school "to learn something useful."
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  kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Heh, not at all absurd. In fact, exactly the sort of thing I was talking about! Fish breeding is on one of the lists of small business ideas I have around here, hoping to inspire people like your friend to think outside the box.
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  Sufidreamerposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Very true, Kerry - when the economic crisis first broke, we had a huge influx of people desperate to make a few dollars. The market crashed and finding work became very difficult - every assignment attracted literally hundreds of applications and it became very difficult for the old-timers to get noticed.
  
  To a certain extent, things have self-corrected - most businesses have realized that low price usually equals low quality. Many of the new writers soon understood that, if you want to make decent money as a freelance writer, you have to be very good or you will soon be found out. They also found that establishing yourself is a long, hard slog - it is not just about writing - you also have to learn internet marketing techniques, web design, graphic design and a host of other technical skills.
  
  There is more to being a freelance writer than having a computer and a word processing program.
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  TheGlassSpiderposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Amen, brother - I can't even tell you all the different things I've had to learn in just the past year and half to keep up with customer demands. Things I would never have considered a part of "writing" or "editing." I honestly feel like the freelancing is FAR more work than any 9-5 job I've ever had.
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  wychicposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Agreed, I tell everyone who is considering freelancing that a 9-5 would be MUCH easier for the money...but if you have a very compelling reason to want to do it, then it is possible. For me, I wanted to not have to rely on employers for my livelihood, and I wanted to be able to raise my kids instead of paying a daycare to do it...and without those reasons, there is definitely no way I could have ever found the motivation to keep going through the "persistently running into a brick wall" phase.
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rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago
so very true.
I think anyone, regardless of their current form of employment, needs to think outside the box, either by going to school or taking a specialty class, experimenting with their own skills by freelancing, finding ways to use their own talents and skills.
also there is the element of fear. people are simply afraid and sometimes that fear paralyzes people into non-action.
the long term unemployed who are truly looking for employment need a support system as there is a lot of bias out there which is unjustified. you can't lump everyone into the same category.

as far as making a living online, I think for those who lost a nice middle class income, it seems unlikely to match that income online. or they have no interest in working online. it's not for everyone.
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  canadawest99posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  It isn't that easy to make money online that anyone can just sit up to their PC and start bringing it in. Takes a lot of perseverance and false starts before you get the hang of it.
  
  Usually its 6 months before you see any income and its still not going to be enough to live on. I need more than $1000 month to live and its going to be a little while before I get there with HP. Fortunately, this is just a side line to my main business.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  What's wrong with that?
  
  Even if they can't make enough to live on (and I agree, most won't make much), ANYTHING is still extra money.
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  canadawest99posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Probably most of those people feel living on unemployment, social assistance and food stamps is a better option that writing dozens of articles.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  You can do both. Both welfare and unemployment let you earn some money without losing benefits.
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hubzerposted 13 years ago
Parents and school teachers aleays said get a haircut and get a real job.Now,the numbers are saying a larger number of new people are coming online to make money online. success2all Hubzer
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  Barbara Kayposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Most people think you just make a dribble of money and they aren't willing to work for peanuts. They don't realize that you can eventually make a living. At first it would seem that way since it takes awhile to make anything.
  
  Some people aren't even willing to learn or think they can't. I just tried teaching a friend how to make hubs and she gave up before her first one was finished.
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rotlposted 13 years ago
Not everyone has the interest or aptitude to work online. Just because you like it and it works for you, doesn't mean everyone else should feel that way too. And frankly, the insinuation that somehow these people are idiots for not doing what you're doing is offensive.
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IzzyMposted 13 years ago
I started writing on Hubpages because I wanted to make money. I couldn't find a job in real life after losing my business in the recession. I was filling out online surveys for money when I stumbled across Hubpages.
I think the main reason more people don't do this is because they can't write. I know loads of people who can speak well enough, but can't spell to save their life. They have no sense of basic grammar either. They will never makes writers, as they totally lack the basic skill required.
Trouble is, some of those non-writers are still trying to write - there are a few on Hubpages too.
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Bill Manningposted 13 years ago
rotl, no where did I say I think people are dumb or anything like that for not working online. I simply asked why more don't.

I really, really asked this as a question I wanted to know. I did not understand why more don't view working online as an option.

The answers I have seen so far makes it sound like many think working online is a scam, and I admit there are many scammy "get rich quick" sites out there.

Others just don't think there is much money in it, or don't see what they have to do.

I guess those are the main reasons and when I first started I also thought those things also. I guess I've done it so long now I forget that most don't know much about working on the net, which is not inferring they are dumb but just naive about the whole process.
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kmackey32posted 13 years ago
There are some who just dont want to work and just collect free money. Hey if i didnt have a job, Mcdonalds would even look good....There always hiring....
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  kirstenblogposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  When I was unemployed and desprate for some work, anything really, I tried Micky D's and guess what? They were NOT hiring! WTF! They are supposed to always be hiring!
  
  Just as well really, ended up with a job I really loved, part time yes but part time is better then nothing! I was new to the country at the time and had only just gotten the right to work in this country so anything was better then nothing for me, even tho most thought I would be better off on benefits, but I didn't qualify for any help so seriously anything was good. To be honest I really wish I knew then what I know now as for a year I was not allowed to work at all but if I had been say here writing that would have been cool. Oh well, less time now but at least I know stuff like this exists. I did have one under the table job that gave me like £20 a week, helpful as hubby was on a single persons benefits and seeking work himself. It was only during the run up to christmas at a local flower shop, had to de-thorn roses One of the rose breeds had hellish thorns, came home daily with fresh gouges as I was not very good at de-thorning them!
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  waynetposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Lol...I think most people have tried McDonalds for work at some point! I only wanted to work there for the burgers, couldn't care less about getting paid.....it's the Burgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Patty Inglish, MSposted 13 years ago
I've suggested online writing to several of the unemployed with college degrees and they replied that it was too much work. I was nonplussed.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Wow.
  
  For me, writing isn't work at all. I was doing it for years before Adsense or Amazon even existed. I did have business reasons, but it never seemed like work to me.
  
  People can be funny..
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psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago
To work online you need a computer and an internet subscription or enough money to acquire them, and enough education to be able to work out what to do. These are not universals.
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2uesdayposted 13 years ago
It may be because that you cannot cover the cost of living (instantly) when you lose your salary, by writing on-line.

It does take time to get money coming in from writing on-line and someone with bills to pay and no pay check does not have long before they are suffering from real cash flow problems.

If we relied on my income from writing it would have been a lean 14 months.

The other thought that strikes me is that some people can write and others find it difficult or impossible to do.
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EmpressFelicityposted 13 years ago
Another thing about writing online - already touched on by other people on this thread - is the sheer uncertainty about when and even *whether* your efforts are going to pay off.

If it hadn't been for one or two people on the forums pointing out that it takes time before your work "matures" and starts to earn money, I would have thrown in the towel ages ago.
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Ms Chievousposted 13 years ago
I am guessing that SOME ( not all unemployed people)want something for nothing. ( which is probably the real reason they are unemployed) In my experience most of the individuals who are unemployed in my area lack an adequate education and do not have any financial resources. If they do happen to obtain a computer it is seen as a resource for fun not for work.
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Len Cannonposted 13 years ago
They do. I can assure you that places like Hubpages and assosciated content are places that people start looking at once they've been out of work for two, three months. People get desperate and start looking for work for home jobs.

That's why you see so many people post threads asking why they aren't earning fifty, sixty, seventy dollars a day after being here for a week. The truth is working online as a writer isn't a viable option if you need money to live for most people unless they can find work as a freelance writer, and trust me, that's a difficult occupation too.
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TheSeniorposted 13 years ago
It's really very simple - the unemployed are sooo accustomed to getting that ck and not having to work for it that if they would try and find work online they would have to do something - however congress may not extend the benefits any longer and they will be scrambling to do something.
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  wyanjenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  So the problem is that people are lazy? Thats nonsense.
  
  I have two friends unemployed right now. Each of their jobs were eliminated. Between them, they have sent hundreds - yes hundreds - of resumés with no luck.
  I tried myself to get a second job but I couldnt even get hired at McDonalds. I was overqualified and there are so many folks looking for work that I had no chance.
  
  Way to judge.
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  Uninvited Writerposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Those people paid into their unemployment while they were employed. They have every right to get that money back. They are mostly unemployed due to no fault of their own.
  Most people who are unemployed search for anything... The last time I was unemployed I sent out over 100 resumes and got maybe 4 interviews.
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  Patty Inglish, MSposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  However, in Ohio, no employee pays into Unemployment Insurance, and only the employer pays the UI premiums, so the laid off people are collecting on the employer's government-required-and-provided policy. I don't know about the other states and Canada.
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exquisitestillposted 13 years ago
I am in great need for a marketing mentor, if anyone is interested or has someone in mind please let me know.
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  wychicposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Depending on what kind of marketing you're looking to get into, there are some really great tips available from some of the top names in the business that are actually pretty easy to implement -- heck, my husband is currently so inspired by a presentation by Alex Mandossian that he overheard me transcribing that he's all ready to quit his job and join me in working online full-time . They're certainly not the end-all of marketing advice, but they make a lot available for free on blogs and such, and may help give you an idea of where you are in your understanding and where you need to go from here to get where you want to be.
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Bill Manningposted 13 years ago
Thanks for all the input from everyone. I can see now why so many don't think of working online.

It's a lot of different reasons, but most seem to be lack of understanding how you go about making money online and the thought that it's a scam.

I admit when I first started out around 10 years ago, I paid $2,300.00 for one of those "turn-key" websites. Classic newbie mistake.

After that I did more research and learning, and really began to understand how it all works. I do a dozen different ways of making money online. There actually are many ways of doing it.

I have around 70 different sponsors I push, adsense, dating sites, real retail items I sell online, ad spots I sell, writing jobs, reviews, forums, even adult sites.

So I pretty much do it all. That way when something goes bad I still have the rest. Amazon is the newest thing I've started to try and so far I'm liking it.

You have to always keep looking at what is evolving and how you can make money off it. In a few years the web and TV will merge, heck they already are.

So many things will change soon, and you have to know when to get on board the next thing that will be big. It's a lot of work, and you have to always keep changing.

But I think that keeps you sharp and you learn a lot from all that. If you think you can reach a point where you know everything, your sooooo wrong.
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Mighty Momposted 13 years ago
MM jumps in:
1. Not all skill sets lead to writing on the internet. Here in CA a very healthy, lucrative construction industry crashed. Died. If anyone knows a way to design and build houses or commercial buildings online, I'd love to know.
2. Re: health insurance.

It is NOT a simple matter of paying for health insurance!!! Many, many people do not QUALIFY for individual plans due to preexisting conditions!!
As a matter of fact, I just talked to oDesk benefits on Friday. Wanted to see if FINALLY I could get my Hubby some health insurance. And see if I could bring the cost of mine/my son's down (we have Kaiser).
Guess what! "Guaranteed Issue" is only for the "wellness plan."
To be considered for the comprehensive or catastrophic plans, you need to be able to answer "NO" to a bunch of health questions. Basically, if you have had a hangnail in the last 10 years you're screwed.
I had thought that the oDesk plan was like a group employer plan where the risk would be spread across all oDesk subscribers. But nooooooo.
Obama's healthcare plan hasn't kicked in yet. But the insurance companies know it's coming. They still hold all the cards and can refuse to insure you for any reason they choose.
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  Sunnyglitterposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Mighty Mom, I have the same problem. I'm "uninsurable" and a lot of people don't believe me (they assume that I just have to pay higher rates, and can't actually be denied). I have been denied coverage by every major health insurance provider, including the ones who supposedly approve anybody. I have Bipolar Disorder, and I used to have high blood pressure; those are both chronic conditions, and apparently nobody wants to insure you with them.
  
  One month this year, I spent over $1000 on medical bills because I don't have insurance. Sigh.
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  wychicposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Health insurance can definitely be a frustrating issue...heck, I'm young (early 20s) and healthy, and with one young kid the independent insurance is actually pretty much on par with what it took to insure us under my ex's employer policy -- granted, that cost was much higher than many employer policies because it was a very small company. There's only one problem -- other than that I still don't have enough money to get independent coverage at the moment -- and that's that now I'm remarried and pregnant. Pregnancy is a pre-existing condition, so I'm completely out of luck with health insurance until baby is born and I'll need a policy for myself and two kids. And, of course, it doesn't kick in for three months after I start the policy, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me, so the first part of her life where the checkups are completely nuts will have to be covered out-of-pocket. I'm only lucky that I know the doctors well, and know that they won't turn me over to collections as long as they know I'm trying to pay my bill. I can certainly see where the insurance issue would be crippling for many people.
  
  That said, I had health insurance when I worked at Wal-Mart, and the couple of times I had to use it they found ways to land me with most of the bill anyway...what they ended up covering amounted to about two months' worth of premiums. Luckily I don't have much use for insurance for myself, but I REALLY want to keep it on my kids -- I remember how many broken bones and nasty viruses I got when I was little, and how each one was a major crisis because my mom couldn't afford a doctor. My husband is older, but thankfully he doesn't need insurance thanks to a presidential commendation, the VA pays everything for him for life.
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Bill Manningposted 13 years ago
I never thought about health insurance. I've never had any, ever. I never had a use for it even if I did have it.

Been to the doctors maybe 7 times in my adult life. Never had anything wrong with me. I don't plan on getting any health insurance.

But yes I know, most people have conditions they have to treat through no fault of their own, so I understand how it's a big deal with them.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Bill, what will you do when the new law kicks in?
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Oh heck, there are so many things that can and will happen to the new law I'm not going to worry about it until it actually takes effect, if it ever does.
  
  If it does go into effect then fine, I'll buy the cheapest plan I am required to and that's that. No big deal. But I'm not seeing that happen the way it's written right now.
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  mistyhorizon2003posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Having lost my apparently healthy, 48 year old Husband two weeks after he was diagnosed with terminal Bowel Cancer (with virtually no obvious warning signs), later attending his cremation on my 33rd Birthday, I highly recommend you don't rely on your previous good health as an indicator of whether or not you need health insurance.... please!
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  He'll buy health insurance.
  
  If he makes too little to afford it, he will qualify for a reduced rate, subsidized by those of us who can afford it.
  
  If he feels he still can't afford it, he can choose to pay a small fine instead.
  
  This is not the awful law you think it is.
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  kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  You're male, of course. More than 80% of women have children at some point in their lives, which sends you to the doctor more times in one year than you've been in your entire adult life. With no insurance, having a baby costs somewhere in the vicinity of $10,000, which is not the sort of money most people have just lying around. We also are supposed to start routine cancer screenings much earlier than men. Pap smears start in your late teens or early 20's, compared to 40+ for prostate exams for men.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Kerry, it shouldn't cost that much to have a baby. All those routine doctor visits should not be required. Cancer screenings ought to be optional, not required. The way to bring the price of everything down is to make it optional and use alternatives, like midwives and nurse practitioners. Making something mandatory always brings up the price.
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  kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Maybe it should and maybe it shouldn't, but that's the reality right now.
  
  As for cancer screenings, I tend to agree and suspect that over-frequent screenings probably increase the chance of actually getting cancer thanks to the radiation exposure. But there's a fine line. Just a couple days ago, I was arguing with Evan about private vs government health care and he was arguing that Americans have a better cancer survival rate than Europeans, so our system is therefore better. But it's BECAUSE we screen more frequently than European health systems that our survival rate is better - cancer is always easier to treat the earlier it's caught.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Kerry, I share some of your concerns about the danger of cancer screenings. I think it really depends on what you believe your risk for cancer is, individually, based on family history and other factors, whether the chance of early detection is worth the possibility of getting cancer as the result of the screening. That's why nobody but us should decide. It should not be forced on us.
  
  Unlike Evan, I'm not a big fan of the American medical establishment. But I am a fan of the free market. The problem in the US is that the AMA has a stranglehold, supported by government certification.
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Move to the UK where health care is supplied as needed and not dependent on the state of your contributions, so, yes, if you are working a contribution is taken from your wages but if you are out of work and the contributions cease, the healthcare doesn't.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  What happens if you are independent, and neither working for others nor dependent on the dole?
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  You turn up at your doctors or if serious, at the hospital and get treated.
  
  After some abuse we have started to clamp down a bit on fraud, so if you appear to be foreign you might be asked for proof of residence but if you attend in an emergency these checks will never delay any treatment.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I wasn't referring to foreigners or medical tourists. You seemed to divide all British subjects into two categories: wage earners and those who are being supported by the social benefits system. Surely there are other people who fall into neither category...
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  No, you are doing the dividing. Health care is a universal entitlement, doesn't matter if you are working, married to somebody who is working, claiming benefits or not claiming benefits, paying your stamps, not paying your stamps, you need it, you get it.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  What are these stamps whereof you speak?
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Sorry, went archaic for a mo. In the steam days when there were no PCs or credit cards or owt like that, when cash ruled, either your employer or yourself if self employed would buy appropriate National Insurance stamps at the PO, the employer would attach the stamp to a card and cancel it. The money would find it's way to the government and the stamped and cancelled card would prove you'd paid it.
  
  It was a horribly abused system, employers would deduct NI from earnings but just pocket the cash rather than buy stamps.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  So, do you still need to prove that someone, you or your employer or your grandmother, paid it?
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  No, because it is an entitlement.
  It's the ugly face of socialism.
  If you come and visit the UK and forgetting that we drive on the left get knocked down, an ambulance will come and scoop you up, take you to hospital, repair you and get you back on your feet. Strange anomaly, the driver who knocked you down may have to pay for the ambulance and when you are discharged you may be asked for insurance details and the NHS may claim off any insurance you do have. But from the moment the paramedics prepare to lift you onto the stretcher to the moment you are fit for discharge, nothing depends on your ability to pay.
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  mistyhorizon2003posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Yes there are Aya, and I was one of them for at least 2 years, but when I required surgery it was provided without question. I am not sure it this was based on the fact I had paid contributions for many years in the past, but don't believe so from what I read in the papers. It would appear that as long as you are legally living in the UK, treatment is provided as a matter of course when required.
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  Susana Sposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Everyone gets healthcare regardless of employment status or however much they have contributed to the pot. If you are self employed you can choose to pay a small amount each month in contributions, but that also covers things like unemployment benefits and pension. But whether one chooses to pay or not, you still get healthcare and the same level of service as everyone else.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  So paying is completely optional, unless you are employed, in which case it is taken by force? That's an odd system.
  
  Are you really saying that independently wealthy people get a free ride?
  
  What do "unemployment benefits" mean to the self-employed?
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  Susana Sposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  
  If you are employed there is a % taken from your wages at source. Employers pay a contribution for every employee as well. Independently wealthy people nearly always pay for private healthcare, but they don't have to. Most of the wealthy also have businesses which employ people so they pay in that way. (There may be other contributions they make but not being one of the wealthy I don't know!)
  
  We have a completely different mindset in the UK and don't feel that it's money taken by force.
  
  There are various benefits a self employed person can get depending on the level of contributions they have made and their circumstances e.g. some benefits like maternity benefit are only paid to those who have made enough contributions over a 2 year period prior to needing them. It's the same with various other benefits - if you have paid in you get more back if you need it.
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  kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Too many people for my taste.
  
  I've thought seriously about Canada, though. My aunt was a victim of rescission when she fell ill with leukemia in the early 90's and I just about lost faith in humanity when conservatives during the health care debate in summer '09 were arguing that rescission should be allowed to continue. It makes me sick to think I share the same species as anybody who believes that is okay, let alone the same country.
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  It's a bit like an hourglass with the sand representing people, most of the sand is at the bottom.
  Though outside the north of Scotland I doubt if it is possible to drive all day and not see another vehicle, there is still much of the country here you can walk all day and not see another person.
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  Pcunixposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  If the weather were better, we would have moved there forty years ago.
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Mighty Momposted 13 years ago
I totally believe you, SG.
That is exactly why I am looking forward to the Obama plan.
Where others see it as "mandatory" and "punitive" to require employers to provide insurance, I see it as a welcome opportunity to GET health insurance.
There are plenty of people with health insurance coverage now who have chronic health conditions.
Extending coverage to everyone will bring in people like you and me (and my hubby) and our chronic conditions, but it will also bring in people like Bill Manning who are hale and hearty to balance us out, right?
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Oh sure, drag the fit and buff ones into it huh!
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Charles Jamesposted 13 years ago
I do not know if you know the joke about being self employed.

"Being self employed is wonderful. You only have to work half the day - and you get to decide which 12 hours it is!"

I have been employed and I have been self employed. Self employed is much harder. The only advantage is that the boss is not an idiot.

If you assume that Hubbers are more intelligent than average, and more committed than the average, how many Hubbers actually make a living wage out of online activity? If almost all of us cannot make a living from it, why do you expect unemployed inexperienced writers to do what most of us cannot?

In my case I am being mentored by someone who does make a living from it, for which I shall be eternally grateful. It has taken me a year to become a confident writer. Now I am about to start making money from Hubbing. Thank goodness my wife has a good job!
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Good points!
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Yup, first think I do in the morning is turn on my computer and the last thing I do at night is sign off!
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gracenotesposted 13 years ago
In answer to Bill Manning's original post --

I think many people don't find the idea of working online particularly appealing, or maybe they try for a short time and give it up. Writing itself has always been a pretty solitary profession, and that is enough right there to discourage many individuals. I'm less social than many, so the isolation doesn't bother me.

Also, if you're going to make any money on HubPages, the writing has to have a sales emphasis to it. Some people really, really like the challenge of calling on prospects and pushing past the initial objections to closing a sale. They train themselves to like the word NO, and as they persevere, they learn about in-person marketing. Many of these people are pretty good at what they do, but they just don't have the motivation to learn the craft of writing.

As a writer, I like the idea of motivating and persuading through my words. I can't stand the idea of making a sales call. That's why I'm still on HubPages. I think it's a perfect application for my unique talents.
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  You hit some good points gracenotes. Working for yourself is very lonely at times. It's not a social type of work at all, unless you count the contacts you make online.
  
  I enjoy being by myself and working by myself. I'm relaxed and don't get upset when things go wrong, which they always do on the net.
  
  My only shortfall is keeping myself focused on work. I take a break like every 15 minutes it seems. If I could work harder I would be making much more money.
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Colombia Floristposted 13 years ago
One of the issues (for the few who do try) is that there is very little structure and proper training available (I think this is true in the US but I am speaking more from experience of other countries in Europe and South America). It is not considered a real job, you can do courses to learn web design, code in javascript or design in Flash and make money that route on the internet but not by using things such a Adsense, CPA offers etc.

For anyone who decides to try there is a mountain of information on the web to sift through all pulling you in different directions and some of it can get technical. I think many who try run around in circles for a while and then decide its better to watch "Modern Family" or the Chicago Bulls while looking through the classifieds for something which is quicker money.
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rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago
some can live on very little, but if you have a house, car and bills, children, it takes considerably more than a single person who doesn't have a mortgage, etc. most can't live on $1000. a month. when you look at the top earners on HP, it's not too much more than that. if working online full-time, it would have to be more than HP alone. from everyone I know who makes a living online, they're always working.
if you have a partner bringing in another income,that makes a huge difference.
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Well yes, my question was about working online doing anything and everything. Most people make their money online with their own websites. I notice very few here seem to think about doing that, and I don't know why.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  It's hard to get traffic to your own site. HP really helps with that.
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  True, but you have to start somewhere. In time your own site will grow in rank if you do it right. It takes around 6 months for a new site to start getting decent traffic, so you should start it asap.
  
  Hubpages is a great place, let's face it I'm here and I write on here for the money as well as links to my own sites. But even with a PR of just one my articles on my site rank much higher than hubs on my keywords, for the most part.
  
  So you can't just say "well it takes a long time to get traffic to your own site". Yes it does, which is why you should start one as soon as you can so it will age.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  My homepage has been up on the same site since 1997. Not only has it not earned me anything, it also doesn't get much traffic. It has great page rank, though, if you are looking for "Aya Katz".
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  John Holdenposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Reminds me of somebody getting really excited, they'd cracked this SEO thing and all that stuff. They put their site address into google, and guess what everybody, it was in first place at the top of the first page of results!
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  rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I'm sure it's the learning that's involved and the time requirements for many. not everyone is tech savvy. I think also some simply don't know that money can be made online.
  I'm still rather amazed that we make money from clicks. I would have never believed a second payout could come so quickly, but it does seem to be true. I'm $18.00 away from my second payout. my first took me a little over a year.
  so there is money to be made. I guess part of it is also the uncertainty of what can happen with affiliate marketing.
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Glad your close to another payout.
  
  Yes affiliate marketing can die at any time. That's why I do about everything you can do online to make money. I have over a dozen ways I make money online.
  
  Keep up with the news and find out what the next big thing will be. The web is changing fast!
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Ben Evansposted 13 years ago
The vast majority of the people cannot make money on line. It is not because it is not possible but it is hard and takes specialized skills and knowledge to make money writing online.

First a person needs to write topics which produce views. That is the bottom line. If you write poetry, fiction or do financial blogs, you wont get the views. These are just a one of many topics that are not view heavy.

A person who is successful online also needs to know how to pick the best keywords, position ads, get back links, or basically sell their site. Everyone can do this because it is just plug and play. Right?

It takes specialized knowledge and hard work and want. I manufacture retail displays, engineered plastics and I also sell on ebaY. Anyone can manufacture and sell on ebaY. I can tell you how. Does that mean people will? Only a few will have the ambition and fortitude to do it.

The amount of money that is made writing online is not much. $100 a month online is a lot to make and only a few people make this amount. Over $1000 a month is only made by a handful of people here. I am not trying to be arrogant but I can make $2000 in a weekend. I am an engineer and I do have specialized knowledge but for most anyone they could make at least several hundred dollars in a weekend. They need far more than can be made online and for many their time will be better spent doing something else.

Now don't get me wrong Bill. I know a lot of people make a very good living on line.

However, many people dream of it and wont ever make it. The majority of the people here do not make money writing. I certainly don't. Not everyone can and only a few will.

That is why a lot of people who are unemployed don't look to make money online.

I think you are very gifted because you can do as well as you do. Congratulations on being able to do what many people dream of doing. I mean that sincerely.
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  Colombia Floristposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I was just speaking to someone about setting up a real physical business, nothing skillful just fresh potato chips (made some for dinner and that's where the conversation started!). Here in Barranquilla (South America) we still dont have any rigid laws and rules about food hygiene (at least if we do they are not enforced or known about) and we could be selling potato chips by tomorrow lunch time with very little investment (we already have an internet cafe business and could use the area just outside.) However, I think it is the idea that you can make recurring income once you get established which is interesting and dont need to keep it going (day in day out) in the future but as was mentioned above you can still get a surprise check in the mail.
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Of course, like all businesses most never succeed at it. Or at least not as big as they hoped. I keep trying to build up more and more and each month it gets better.
  
  I also know I could make more doing something else if I WANTED to. But I don't want to do anything else, I want to work online.
  
  So for me the drop in income is outweighed by the pluses I get from working at home. I must say however I now make more online then any job I ever had.
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Nikki D. Felderposted 13 years ago
This is an excellent questions. I was once unemployed. I was consumed with finding a job. Never did I have the time to sit and enjoy YouTube, HubPages, or the existing social networks as I had a mission to fulfill. The way I learned about such online money making opportunities was while breast feeding in the early hours of the morning. The information is there for the unemployed to see, I just think their to preoccupied to entertain it! Thanks.
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Urbane Chaosposted 13 years ago
To summarize:

1.) Those who are unemployed have no income, therefore, many cannot afford internet. Hence, they cannot make money online as if it were a full (or even part) time job.

2.) There are still a lot of people that still don't have a computer. In fact, in the community where I live, I'm considered "rich" because I do own one. (That's another story in itself.) Many rural communities still lag behind in this respect.

3.) Even if someone does have a computer and is connected to the internet, their computer may not be able to handle hubpages, or other websites/software needed to make money online. When I lived in the city, I knew a lot of people that were still using the old 486 machines with windows 95. I tried accessing hubpages through one of those machines and I couldn't even get the website to come up.

4.) So they have a good computer and a good connection to the internet, now are they automatically supposed to know how to make money online? I doubt it. For most people, this takes a lot of time and research to find the "real" places online to make money. Personally, and I think a lot of unemployed people would agree, that time and research can be better spent getting a real world job with a guarantee of getting paid.

So, for those few who do have good computer experience, access to an online computer, and the knowledge of how to work online - great! I think they should make the transition. But I still don't think that the entire nation is ready for that yet..
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Polly Cposted 13 years ago
I am in the UK as well, and yes healthcare is free for anyone regardless of personal circumstances. Of course, some (not all) people are lazy and do not want to work, but then some people find themselves in situations through no fault of their own, such as my own mother, when I was younger, who was suddenly left with no income and two children when my dad went off with someone else.
But you will always get some who only want an easy ride.

The truth of the matter is that, even though my partner has a good job in IT with a salary above the national average, having to pay for bills, children, mortgage etc. means that we actually do not have as much disposable income as certain people I know who do not work and receive benefits. And now, in the UK, free laptops and internet access is provided to all families with school age children, while everyone else has to pay. Somebody I know received a £600 voucher for a laptop, even though she already had one! She went out and bought a top of the range computer while the rest of us have to buy our own!

And there are many more examples. The truth is, that unless you are going to earn a considerable amount of money working online it will not be enough to persuade some people.
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1. 90
  Polly Cposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Actually I meant to say the government provides free laptops to all families on low income.
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  Aya Katzposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  PollyC, I take it that you see some disadvantages to the British welfare system? It's good of you to speak up.
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Bill Manningposted 13 years ago
Wow, so many responses, thanks everyone. I guess I just forgot how I use to be before I started doing stuff online.

Most people just don't understand how you make anything online or how it works.

I posted this question on another forum and they all said how you need to make a great product, take two years to see a profit and so on.

They just don't how it all works, how you make money off free sites that sell nothing at all. Most never sell anything retail online.

Then you still have many that don't even have a computer or connection, as others here said. Even my good friend in Vermont is still on dial up!

So I guess this all answers my question. You can't make money off what you don't know exist out there. Or if you think it's all one big scam. Thanks for all the info!
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  Urbane Chaosposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  I heard on the news this morning, not that I ever really pay that much attention...
  
  I guess there's some chick that's trying to sell her virginity on Ebay. Some dude offered her a million bucks for it. What some people will do for a buck...
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  adrienne2posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Oh sugar thats old news there was a girl who did the same thing like 2 or 3 years ago, this must be a copy cat chick doing the same thing.
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  Bill Manningposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  Maybe it's the same girl re-selling her virginity!
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  mega1posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  say, there's an idea! wait, no, can't do that! I guess they'd never believe me - with my kids and all.
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  drej2522posted 13 years agoin reply to this
  haha...always the funny yet clever Mega!!
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  Urbane Chaosposted 13 years agoin reply to this
  See, us'n's out hear in tha cuntry don't get tha modern-day news lik ya'll do..
  
  That just baffles me what someone would want to do that.. I never heard of it until this morning. I really gotta get up with the times.
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mega1posted 13 years ago
I know a few people who make money online - but it isn't easy - finding a niche - keeping it all going. If you know how, I guess its wonderful. More people don't do it also because they really aren't very good writers - of the many I have read online only some of them are good enough writers to keep me coming back. Usually, after the 100th grammar or spelling error and lousy sentence construction, I just take them off my list. I would make more money if I actually applied myself, but I tell myself that writing here is recreation for me and I don't want it to become a job - but if I lose my other employment and still have the $$ to pay for internet access, I will try a lot harder.
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wychicposted 13 years ago
One other point I'd like to bring up is that most people in this discussion do seem to be equating making money online with writing or some form of content management. There are many, many ways to make money online...heck, my very first online business, which actually did quite well (but I'm giving away the idea now, it died when my mom grounded me off the internet for spending so many hours "playing" and I never got back to it...it took her years to figure out how I had so much money to move out of the house with ) was a finder's service that I paired with a consignment list. I didn't stay very focused in a particular niche because I wasn't very experienced at that point, but I'd go to message boards and what-not and find people trying to find something, and I'd offer to find it for them for the cost plus 10%. I was shocked how many people took me up on it -- some people are truly hopeless in running effective searches, especially for hard-to-find items.

As the list of things I was looking for piled up, an idea occurred to me to put together a consignment list. I started going to other message boards and finding people selling things (mostly collectibles and horse tack and what-not) and offered to find them buyers for a 20% commission. It really didn't take long before I had a sizable list of items on consignment, and then I just started matching up my two lists and targeting anything that looked likely to show up on the other list any time soon. My clients were all very happy with it, it let me make at least 30% with nothing but a little time into it, and I often got quite a bit higher percentage because I was pretty good at judging what people would pay for an item regardless of how much the seller was charging. There are a ton of different things people can do online to make money, and they don't all require specific writing skills, it's mostly just a matter of being able to think outside the box and find a way to provide value to someone with the skill set that you have.
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