Skip to content
SuperMoney logo
SuperMoney logo

How To Make Money Online – 24 Ideas That Work‏

Last updated 03/15/2024 by

Jennifer Leonhardi
We all wish we could have a little extra cash now and then. But did you know that an extra income could be easier than you may think? The world is becoming more and more dependent on the world wide web, and because of that, there is an increase in money making opportunities available online. Here are 24 ideas of how you can cash in by working online.

Compare Side Jobs

Compare money making ideas and new gigs. Find your next side hustle.
Find Your Next Gig

1. Become a Seller on eBay

One of the most common and easiest ways to make a little extra cash is to become a seller on eBay.
You can open a virtual storefront and sell all kinds of items: from clothing to art, or jewelry to electronics. Whatever you have laying around that you no longer need can be sold on this online auction forum.

2. Sell Stuff on Craigslist

Similar to eBay, Craigslist is more for localized sales. It is sort of like the classified section of a newspaper, only it’s online and can connect you to hundreds of thousands of potential buyers.

3. Make Money From Your Crafts on Etsy

If you have a creative side, or simply a product with a very defined niche, then Etsy is the place for you. Etsy sells everything from jewelry, hand-knitted items, and artwork to products like soap-free shampoo, gluten-free creams, and steampunk themed party favors. You can even sell business card designs and marketing PowerPoint templates.
Or you can try “flipping” items with these craft ideas: 10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make New Again By Upcycling

4. Call Yourself an Amazon Mechanical Turk

Amazon has created one of the most unique job opportunities available on-line. If you have good typing skills, are good at surfing the web and have some extra time on your hands, you can make money by becoming a Mechanical Turk at Mturk. Tasks such as basic data entry work or transcribing audio recordings can all earn you quick cash through this program.

5. Become an Online Freelancer Through Elance

Ever wonder what all those hip kids are doing typing away on their laptops at Starbucks? Chances are, they work online. Even more likely, they got the job online through a service like Elance or oDesk.
These sites are a great source for finding quick freelance work in various types of categories. You can do anything from data entry, accounting, and even technical work through the site and get paid quick cash for what you do. You can search through a long list of quick jobs that need to be completed and even negotiate the price for your work before you commit.
What’s better is that once you’ve built up a good reputation, employers will continue to offer your work in your niche, even without you applying or actively seeking out jobs.

6. Design a Funny T-Shirt With Cafepress

Do you have a great idea for a funny T-shirt or coffee mug? How about a funny saying that would be perfect for a hat or key chains? Cafepress may be the perfect site for you. This site lets you create your very own unique designs for a variety of different items such as clothing, notebooks, tote bags, water bottles and much more. You can then post your design and make money from any sales you generate.

7. Translate Documents on Gengo

Do you speak a second language? If you do and have some spare time on your hands, you could turn that linguistic ability into some extra cash. In 2006, a total of almost $9 billion dollars was spent on language services worldwide. Companies everywhere are looking for people to translate documents from one language to another for them. This is a great industry to get into and an easy way to make some quick cash. Try it out on Gengo.

8. Get Paid to Blog/Write

If you are a great writer or love to share your opinion on products and services, you can put these talents to work for you and earn money online. There are numerous sites that are looking for writers on just about every topic you can think of. Here are some tips on how to get your content to convert. And no, you don’t have to write huge articles for a few bucks here or there. You can even write for us at SuperMoney!
Read “How I Make $5000 a Month as a Paid Blogger” by Carol Tice for inspiration.

9. Earn Money from Paid Surveys

You can earn money by answering questions about products you use, services you have received, or general opinions on different topics. Many sites like Cashcrate and Surveysavvy offer cash for answering surveys online from the comforts of your couch. There are a variety of different types of surveys as well as a wide range of pay, so be sure to look at a few options before jumping on the first one you find.

10. Complete Offers, Test Products, and Browse Websites For Money

Along the same lines as making money from answering survey questions, these sites pay you to try out various products and completing other activities online. These are quick and fun ways to earn money and try new products from the comforts of your home. Our favorites are Swagbucks and ConsumerWorldwide.
Our friends at MoneySavingMom highlight a bunch of ways to make more Swagbucks, which translates into more real money and products.

11. Write a Book – and Publish It

Have you always had a great idea for a children’s book or travel diary? Maybe a mystery novel or even a cookbook? CreateSpace lets you have control of your concept and turn it into a published piece. This site provides you with the tools and assistance you need to turn your idea into the next best-seller. Since it is an Amazon company, you also have the ability to then offer your work for sale on line and they take care of the printing and delivery for you.

12. Start Your Own Website/Blog

Setting up your own website can be a great way to bring in some extra income. While it may seem complicated and difficult to understand the mechanics of it all, there are sites that can help you get started. If you have a great idea for the next best web page, you can get started on GoDaddy for very little cost.
Or you could try your hand at making money blogging on WordPress or Blogger. You can set up a blog for free, embed ads or give affiliate marketing a shot for cash. Problogger shares How to Make Money Blogging in this post.

13. What Would You Do for a Fiver?

What would you do for five bucks? Fiverr is one of the largest marketplaces in the world for people who want to make money for selling quick services, or “gigs.” You can offer just about anything from writing and graphic design to music or voice overs. There are tons of quick jobs that need to be done and lots of people willing to pay the right person to do them. And just like with other online job sites, if a client likes your work, you can expect more assignments.

14. Buy and Sell Website Domains

Buying and selling domains can be a great way to make quick cash, but you have to be patient and willing to do your homework. Domains and website names are registered or “owned” for one year at a time, so you can either look for prior existing sites that have expired and may be valuable. Take a look at this list of soon to expire domains for auction.

15. Become the Next Popular YouTube Vlogger

YouTube now offers a program that will allow you to actually earn money for uploading videos to their site. The YouTube Partner Program allows you to upload your video and depending on it’s popularity, will match it with appropriate advertisers that will advertise along with what you submit.
Your video is not altered in any way by the advertisements, and you earn revenue from those ads. If you’ve got the funniest video ever or a step by step how-to guide on a particular subject, give vlogging a shot!

16. Get into Direct Sales and Network Marketing

Think Avon, PamperedChef, and Tupperware. Also known as Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), this is a business model that allows you to generate ongoing income. There’s an MLM for everything these days: man candles, knives, cooking seasonings, even legal services. If you dedicate your time and energy to it, have lots of connections and a talent for sales, you’ll do well in this field.
Contrary to popular belief, all direct sales companies aren’t pyramid schemes set out to feed the fat cats at the top. There are many legitimate companies out there, but always be wary of scams. Check the Direct Sellers Association to look up the legitimacy of a company, and the WAHM forums for discussions and answers to common questions.

17. Sell Stock Images on Shutterstock

Are you a great photographer and want to make some extra cash from your pictures? You can by selling them on various websites like Shutterstock and Shutterfly. Many online marketplaces showcase photos for use/sale, and can help you earn money from your great snap shots.
If you take great photos but don’t know where to start or how to get them to sell, read this post from LightStalking.

18. Get Paid to Tweet

Sponsoredtweets allows you to make money by tweeting. It works by charging sponsors for communicating their advertising messages to your followers. You set the amount you want to get paid for every tweet you make, choose a category and select keywords you want to work with. You then wait for advertisers to contact you and take you up on your offer, paying you the amount you specified for each tweet that you make.

19. Become a Mobile App Tester (Utest.com, UserTesting.com)

Ever want to make money by testing out the newest cell phone apps? Or trying out a new website and giving feedback? Now you can. Sites like Utestand UserTesting are designed to pay people to do just that. Helping them identify bugs or improve features is something they are willing to pay for.
Popular blogger Grayson Bell from DebtRoundup and SproutWealth shares how he makes money testing websites in this post.

20. Become an in-Home Customer Service Agent (Alpineaccess.com, WorkingSolutions.com, LiveOps.com)

Many companies these days are finding it a better option to outsource the customer service department. The representatives that they hire usually work between 20-30 hours per week answering phone calls or emails from home. They generally earn an hourly wage (usually between $9-$15/hour) and some even offer benefits like medical coverage or 401(k) plans. Take a look at WorkingSolutions, Alpineaccess and LiveOps.

21. Tutor Students over the Internet

If you have a college degree and are a patient person who is good at teaching, you can earn money online by becoming a tutor at Tutor.com. People young and old need help with a wide variety of subjects that have various levels of difficulty. If there is a particular subject matter that you really excel with, even dancing, you can turn that into extra money by helping others understand it too.

22. Get a Job as a Virtual Assistant

You can become a virtual assistant and work from home for huge organizations all over the world. There are many companies who need people to handle client correspondence, book travel arrangements, reply to incoming emails, and more, but they don’t want to hire a full time staff member. This increasingly popular method of getting simple tasks done is providing a great opportunity for many people who want to earn $15-$20 per hour while working from home.
Virtualassistants.com is an excellent resource and job portal. You can also find Virtual Assistant jobs on Elance and CareerBuilder.

23. Get Paid for Graphic Design Work

If you have a talent for graphic design, you can earn money online by using sites such as Elance and 99designs to find companies that need services. Some businesses need a quick letterhead designed, or business cards created, or a basic logo. Others need web pages designed, detailed illustrations or chic product labels crafted. If you’ve got the skill, companies have the work!

24. Answer Questions as a Subject Expert

If you consider yourself to be an expert on any subject, you can earn money by providing answers and opinions on sites like JustAnswer. Whether it is a subject like car repair or horse boarding, if you know a lot about any particular subject, you could earn between $10-$40 for your responses.
Ready to start your own company but need seed money to get your idea off the ground, find a business loan with SuperMoney’s business loans search engine.
Want to improve your credit score? You first need to know where it stands now. Visit SuperMoney’s credit score search engine and find the most convenient way to check and repair your credit.
Need cash in a hurry but don’t know which personal loan company you can trust? Supermoney is here to help you find the best options for all you loan needs.

SuperMoney may receive compensation from some or all of the companies featured, and the order of results are influenced by advertising bids, with exception for mortgage and home lending related products. Learn more

Loading results ...

Jennifer Leonhardi

Jennifer Leonhardi was born and raised on Catalina Island, giving her a unique small town perspective and focus on community. With a degree in Sociology, she now primarily enjoys writing, largely based on her own experiences, on topics such as financial assistance programs, issues concerning the home and family, and socioeconomic trends.

Share this post:

You might also like