First Published: 18th January 2021, written by Olivia Doonan | Last Updated on 16th November 2021 | Reviewed and Edited by Chloe Safilo
Having a stable job does not guarantee financial satisfaction. Not everyone is happy with their current income and are looking for ways to create an alternative to make more money. Some people have free time on their hands and would love to put it to more productive use.
Luckily, there are multiple ways to make money online. Even if you have only an hour or so to spare every day, you can still make the most out of it. Be it a simple gig or working on an idea to create a passive source of income later. The options in this article should inspire you.
Option #1 – Print on Demand
A print on demand venture may require some time to take off, but it is a worthy investment. Selling t-shirts by cooperating with ranked and rated print providers is a more efficient option than investing in your own printing gear.
The custom t-shirt market worldwide is expected to cross 10 billion dollars by 2025. It is a good indication that you can still join and profit from the idea. And who knows, you could expand the merchandise line later by introducing products other than t-shirts. Hoodies, caps, calendars, and face masks sell as well.
Option #2 – Blogging
Some people may be reluctant to consider starting a blog because the market appears to be oversaturated. However, you can still profit from a blog if you have a knack for writing and would not have problems producing interesting content regularly.
Take things slow if you must. The first thing is to get yourself a regular audience. When you have loyal readers, you can consider how to monetize the website. Some bloggers like to create a crowdfunding page and leave their financial income in the hands of fans. Others prefer to run ads or promote digital products, like e-books. You can also offer opportunities for guest bloggers to publish their sponsored content on your website.
Option #3 – Streaming
Twitch TV has opened many doors to those who have an entertaining personality and have no problems being in front of a camera.
Similar to blogging, a Twitch TV channel will take some time to take off. However, if you stick to your idea and pursue it, you should eventually reach a point where you can make money. After all, it is one of the most trending entertaining media types at the moment.
Donations, subscriptions, sponsorship deals, and even a YouTube channel to post stream highlights are the most popular monetization methods among streamers at the moment.
Option #4 – Online Education
Online education has been growing before the pandemic that led students to remote learning. Adults who have finished universities and high schools are interested in improving their skills and creating opportunities to find better jobs.
As someone who is looking for a way to make extra money, you can create online courses and sell them on platforms like Skillshare and Udemy. Pick a topic, find multiple sources, and compile them into a video that potential learners have no problems digesting.
Option #5 – Online Surveys
Services like SwagBucks offer an opportunity to spend an hour or so filling out surveys. On average, you can complete about five surveys in an hour. And if filling them out gives you additional income, why not use that one hour you have to spare and work on available surveys?
Also, take note that there are different survey services for smartphones and desktop computers. If you run out of available options on one device, you should find more surveys on another.
Option #6 – Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketers would say that it is difficult to create a profitable venture because of oversaturation. While there is some truth in that statement, you can still manage by finding a relatively non-competitive niche.
The goal of affiliate marketing is to create a website and include affiliate links that redirect to product landing pages. Each person who clicks on the link and purchases a product or service you promote will bring you a commission.
While it sounds simple on paper, driving traffic is not as simple. You will need to work hard on writing quality content and promoting the website on social media, optimizing it for search engines, and using other methods.
Option #7 – Customer Support
Customer support is an excellent opportunity to learn valuable experience and get some additional income on the side.
Ever since the pandemic, more businesses have moved their operations online. And to deal with customers, they need extra employees that can provide answers or help with other potential issues.
As a rule of thumb, you should look for a job in customer support that does not require you to answer phone calls. It is much easier to work if you need to respond to emails, social media comments, or direct messages on a website.