Ways to Make Money Online, Offline and at Home — Part 2

The sting of inflation may have you pondering how to make some extra income. If you have the time and energy, you can put your skills and passions to work with a side hustle.  NerdWallet rounded up 25 real ways to make money at home, online or out and about. For each potential side job, they list details like what it takes to get started, age requirements and how fast you can get paid. While most people want to make money fast, don’t discount the “slow” gigs, as they may pay more in the long run.

Last week, in Part 1, we looked at the following ways to make money online — Pick up freelance work online, Test websites and apps, Learn to use AI tools, Take surveys for money, Make money from your blog with affiliate links, and sell your wares on Etsy. 

Here are some more ways to make money online:

7. Self-publish an e-book

Writing a good book is tough, but the internet makes it easy to bring it to market. If you’re a writer who can churn out pages, you can use Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing to sell your books(s) on the Kindle store. It’s free to publish a book, and you can earn up to 70% of each sale in royalties. Write your book, enter a clear description and the details to be displayed and upload your manuscript. Set the price and see if it sells.

Total time: How fast can you type? We don’t have to tell you writing a book can be a slog.

Setup: Quick and easy on KDP once the book is ready.

How easy to start: Just start writing.

Age threshold: 18+. 

How fast you’ll get paid: Monthly, after you meet the $100 threshold.

Need To Know

• Just because it’s simple to self-publish doesn’t mean your book will sell. Competition is high with millions of e-book titles on the Kindle Store.
• Choose one of two royalty options: 70% or 35%. You’ll have to price your book between $2.99 and $9.99 if you select the 70% option. You can go higher when you pick 35%.
  

Requirements

• You need to create a Kindle Direct Publishing account to get started.
• Proper formatting is important. Amazon says most Microsoft Word documents convert to e-books easily, but other formats are supported.
  

8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel

Turn your cat videos into cash videos. If your YouTube videos or blog posts draw a big audience, you may be able to make money from advertising. YouTube sets 1,000 subscribers as the benchmark for applying for the YouTube Partner Program. YouTube Partners then get access to monetizing features, including a share of ad revenue. You can also use Google’s AdSense, the same ad platform on YouTube, to put relevant ads on your blog or website for earning potential. Read more about how to make money on YouTube and Google AdSense.

Total time: It can take several weeks to get up and running.

Setup: Fairly easy.

How easy to start: Depends on how good you are at producing interesting videos.

Age threshold: 18+.

How fast you'll get paid: Could take a long while to earn the first payout; then monthly.

Need To Know:

• Signing up for Google AdSense is pretty easy, but to use AdSense with YouTube, you’ll need to be part of the Partner Program.
• You can use AdSense on a website or blog with fewer eligibility requirements.
• Allow at least two months for ad revenue to start trickling in.
• You need to earn at least $100 before you're eligible for a payout.
• Once you hit the $100 threshold, earnings are issued between the 21st and 26th of the month.
  

Requirements

• Your own website that has been active for at least six months.
• For YouTube, you need more than 1,000 subscribers.
• You must be at least 18.

9. Become an Instagram influencer

Companies are using Instagram influencers — people with large, dedicated followings on the platform — to rep their products. You can get in on the action by applying for opportunities via a marketing platform like Open Influence or Aspire, or by contacting the brands you want to work with. Read more about how to make money on Instagram. (You can also make money on TikTok this way.)

Total time: You'll need to stick with it.

Setup: Quick and easy.

How easy to start: Not that easy. Read: Must build following to gain influence.

Age threshold: 13+.

How fast you'll get paid: Varies on partnerships.

Need To Know:

• Creating an Instagram account is quick, but building a following can take months or even years.
• Once you have the numbers, you'll need to find paid opportunities. You can do this via affiliate networks or by pitching brands you want to work with.
• The time to receive your payment will depend on the terms of your agreement, but affiliate networks typically pay out earnings the month after a campaign is completed.
  

Requirements:

• An Instagram account with a dedicated, engaged following.
• You'll also need to meet the requirements of any affiliate network.
  

10. Monetize your Twitch channel

Gaming could be a way to make money from home if you have a steady following on Twitch, the go-to site for gamers. Streamers can receive donations from viewers and even get a share of subscription and ad revenue if they reach Affiliate or Partner status. Learn more about how to make money on Twitch.

Total time: This can be a long game.

Setup: Quick and easy.

How easy to start: Easy to start; takes a while to build a following.

Age threshold: 13+.

How fast you'll get paid: Monthly.

Need To Know:

• You can launch a Twitch channel and start streaming in a day, but it will take weeks or even months to build a following.
• You may be able to withdraw donation revenue rather quickly, depending on the payout method.
• Subscription and ad revenue earned as a Twitch Partner or Affiliate is paid out around the 15th of every month, and you must have a balance of at least $50 for most payout methods (it's $100 for wire transfers).
  

Requirements:

• You need to hit certain viewership and broadcast milestones to become a Twitch Affiliate or Partner and qualify for a share of game sales, ads and subscription revenue.

11. Sell your photography

Turn your photographs into cash via sites like Fine Art America, which lets you upload your images to sell as prints, T-shirts, phone cases and more. Other marketplaces for photographers include SmugMug, 500px and PhotoShelter. Some sites require a subscription but may provide features ranging from cloud storage to password-protected galleries and a customized website.

Total time: Buyers need to find you — and like your work.

Setup: Just a few hours.

How easy to start: If you have a library of photos, you're on the way.

Age threshold: Any.

How fast you'll get paid: Depends on your sales platform.

Need to Know:

• You can set up a profile with sites like SmugMug, PhotoShelter or Fine Art America in a few hours, assuming you have a body of original work.
• Payment varies widely depending on the site.
• Fine Art America: Payment issued after 30-day return window expires. Sent on the 15th of each month.
• PhotoShelter: Payment issued at time of sale to your chosen payment method (PayPal, Stripe, etc.).
• SmugMug: You can request payment be issued the following month if you have a balance of at least $5.
  

Requirements

• Requirements vary by site, but you need to have all necessary rights to the images you sell.

How to make money from home

Some side hustles don't even require you to leave the house. Or if they do, it might just be a short walk around the block with a furry friend. Working from home requires a little creativity and a stick-to-it spirit. Here are some excellent ideas for side gigs from home:

12. Become a dog walker with Rover or Wag

Love dogs? Choose dog walking as a beginner's way to make money. Apps like Wag and Rover offer on-demand dog walking, so you can pick up walks when your schedule allows. If you have space (and your landlord’s permission, if you rent), you could offer overnight dog boarding. Read the fine print if you sign up for these services

Total time: Building a client base may take some time.

Setup: Can take a few weeks to be approved.

How easy to start: Love pets? You're good to go.

Age threshold: 18+.

How fast you'll get paid: Two days to a week.

Need To Know:

• It takes about 10 to 20 business days for your Rover profile to be reviewed and approved.
• The application process for Wag takes about two weeks and you must pass a background check and pet care quiz.
  

Requirements:

• For Rover or Wag, you’ll need to live in an area where the service operates.
• If you want to pet-sit, you’ll need an apartment or house that allows pets.
• You’ll have to pass a background check.

13. Sell unused gift cards

Make extra money by selling unused or partially used gift cards on a site like CardCash or GiftCash. These websites say they will pay you up to 92% of the card’s value. On CardCash, you can also trade in your card for one you’ll use. Read more about what to do with unwanted gift cards.

Total time: In minutes if your gift card is for a popular store.

Setup: Easy.

How easy to start: The more gift cards you have to sell, the better.

Age threshold: Old enough to have a credit card.

How fast you'll get paid: At least 1-2 days.

Need To  Know:

• You can get an instant offer or quote via sites like CardCash and GiftCash.
• You can sell gift cards at kiosks and participating retail locations to get cash the same day, or try to sell it online. The latter takes longer, but you may get a better offer for your gift card.
  

Requirements

• Your gift card may need to meet a minimum balance to be resold. Not all cards will generate offers.
• Gift cards with expiration dates aren't eligible.
  

14. List your spare bedroom on Airbnb

Renting out your home or spare bedroom on vacation rental sites is another way to make extra money. Be prepared to spend some money to clean and keep up the property, replace home goods and pay toward service fees. And scrutinize your rental agreement before you get started.

Total time: Demand drives success, and that depends on your location.

Setup: A listing can be created and live in hours.

How easy to start: If you have a place to rent, it's a simple process.

Age threshold: 18+.

How fast you'll get paid: About one day.

Need To Know:

• You can create a listing and start accepting reservations on the same day.
• Payment is typically disbursed about 24 hours after your guest’s scheduled check-in time, but processing time for that payment depends on the payout method.

Requirements

• Comply with any rules governing short-term or vacation rentals in your property, including city ordinances and rules issued by your landlord, condo board or homeowners association.

Next week we will look at ways to make money offline.

(Partially reprinted from www.nerdwallet.com)