The way that people use the Internet now defines many aspects of their lives. Their political beliefs, their social connections, their purchasing habits — all of these are impacted by where and how they spend their time online. Your time on the Internet doesn’t have to be a waste! You can earn money online in a number of ways. The following are just a few of the ways you can make some extra cash on the Internet.
1. Start A YouTube Channel
YouTube is one of the world’s largest websites, pulling in an estimated 1.8 billion users a month, and that number is just counting people who are logged in. With all those viewers, there’s money to be made from ad revenue. If you start a channel that gains an audience, you can monetize your account and even become a YouTube partner. You’ll earn an amount based on how many viewers watch ads before your videos and click through to the links. While most YouTubers don’t make enough to live on, it’s a good way to make extra money, and if you really hustle, you can earn thousands a month.
2. Complete Surveys
A more direct way to get paid for spending time online: Complete paid surveys. There are a number of sites that pay you to answer questions, although the amount they pay out varies, and some offer gift cards instead of cold hard cash. Some of the most popular sites include Swagbucks, MyPoints, and Survey Junkie. This list covers these and other sites and gives specifics on how much you can earn.
3. Get Rebates & Money for Shopping
A few different sites have sprung up to offer rebates for your purchases or money for reporting what you buy. Like the survey sites, these companies are paying for information that they then sell to third parties, but they do require you to make purchases to cash in. The good news is that you can scan items you’d already purchase, like groceries, and even get paid for online purchases. Ebates.com, FatWallet, and Receipt Hog are among the most popular.
4. Get Paid to Proofread
People with an acumen for grammar, spelling, and style can make money as freelance proofreaders. This is a more labor-intensive task than completing surveys or scanning receipts, but if you’re good at it and work quickly, it pays a lot better too. The going rate is around 35 cents a page, and if you can get through the work quickly (without missing any errors) that means you can earn up to $17/hour. Not bad for work you can do from your couch!
5. Find Money You’re Already Owed
You might be surprised to learn that there are millions of dollars in unclaimed funds sitting in bank accounts across the country, waiting for their rightful owners to speak up. You could have back pay from a job you used to work, an old security deposit you forgot to claim, or old cash from any number of other sources. Visit www.unclaimed.org to search for money you’re owed.
Most of these gigs won’t earn you enough to live on, but they can be a great supplement to your income if you’re looking for some extra money for bills or debt. Pick a site and start earning now!
