Ideas for making money at home are everywhere. And some of the best ones revolve around things you can do online or off, using skills and experience you already have.
Figuring out which money-making idea works for you often depends on how much time you have and how much extra income you’re interested in generating. You might start a side hustle, explore small business ideas, look for passive income options, or get a full-time remote job.
Need some inspiration? Here are more than 40 options to consider.
40+ Creative Ways to Make Money
Creative thinking is key to finding different ways to earn an income, especially if your goal is to learn how to make money with no job. Some of the easiest ways to earn extra cash from home are selling a service (i.e., your time and skills) or selling a product.
Can you earn money online without selling anything? Absolutely, and there are plenty of ways to do it. We’ve broken down some different ideas by category to help you find your perfect money-making idea.
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Money-Making Craft Ideas
Selling handmade crafts can be an excellent way to turn a hobby into a side hustle or full-fledged business. You don’t necessarily need to be an expert artisan to get started.
Craft trends come and go, but here are some classic products to consider trying:
• Crocheted items, such as scarves or baby clothes
• Handmade soap
• Handmade candles
• Bath bombs and bath scrubs
• Paper goods
• Jewelry
• Lip balms
• Home decor items
• Lamps and lighting
• Pillows
• Vinyl stickers or decals
• Handpainted signs
• Hair accessories
• String art
• Art prints
• Tote bags
• Wreaths
• Holiday decorations
• Bookmarks
• Keychains
• Dog bowls and other pet accessories
Once you zero in on your craft idea, think about how much time you’ll need to make each item and how much money you’ll need to spend on supplies. This can help you figure out how to price each item and how much profit you stand to make. Tip: Do some online research and see how other sellers are pricing and marketing their items.
Another important consideration is where you sell your goods. Luckily, there’s no shortage of options — here are some to consider:
• Facebook Marketplace
• Local Facebook bargain or community groups
• Etsy
• Amazon Handmade
• aftcra.com
• Craigslist
• eBay
• Your own website
• Craft fairs
• Local boutiques
If you’re selling your crafts online, remember to factor in shipping costs, taxes, and any fees the platform charges when setting your prices. Otherwise, you could end up shrinking your total profit.
Money-Making Website Ideas
You don’t need a website to earn extra cash from home, but having one could open up new money-making opportunities. To set up a website, you’ll need to find a hosting company and choose a domain. Your domain is your site name.
Once your site is set up, there are several ways you could use it to make money:
Selling products
A website is a great way to sell products you create, such as an e-book, digital printables, or an online course. If you’re selling handmade items, like crafts or clothing, you could set up a shop page on your site instead of using a third-party selling platform.
Selling services
If you don’t want to make a product, you could try selling a service instead. For example, you might use a website to offer services such as writing, photography, graphic design, tutoring, or online coaching.
Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing means recommending products and services sold by other people, then collecting a commission when the person you referred makes a purchase. For instance, if you have a pet blog, you could include an affiliate link to your favorite dog food brand. When someone clicks the link and buys the dog food, you make money.
Ads
Hosting ads on your website is another way to potentially earn extra cash from home. Every time someone visits your site and views an ad, you make money. The more traffic — or views — your website gets, the more you could earn.
Sponsored content
Sponsored content is an article, video, social media post, or other type of content that someone pays you to create and post. So again, say you have a pet blog. A dog food company might reach out and ask you to write a sponsored post reviewing their newest product. In turn, they pay you a flat fee for writing and publishing the post. You could also make money if your readers buy the product through your affiliate link.
If you’re interested in making money with a website, it helps to learn more about how to drive traffic. For example, it’s a good idea to know how search engine optimization (SEO) works and how to use it to drive people from Google or other search engines to your site. You may also want to consider how you can use social media to send additional traffic your way.
Money-Making Business Ideas
Thinking about becoming your own boss? If you prefer online business ideas, there are plenty of opportunities to consider, including:
• Coaching or consulting
• Interior design
• Freelance writing or editing
• Starting an e-commerce store
• Virtual accounting
• Transcription services
• Teaching online through a platform like Outschool
Now, what could you do offline to make money from home? Some small business ideas you may pursue include starting a home baking business, offering childcare services in your home, or tutoring.
If you’re interested in starting a home business, it’s important to check into any legal requirements in your state first. For example, if you want to launch a baking business from home, you might be subject to local or state restrictions on home kitchens. The same applies if you want to care for children in your home. Once you reach a certain number of children, you may need to register with the state as a daycare center.
Side Hustle Money-Making Ideas
There are lots of low-stress ways to earn money. Will these opportunities make you rich? Not necessarily. But they could be a good way to earn some extra cash in your spare time without a lot of effort.
Here are some ideas to explore:
• Taking online surveys
• Joining an online focus group
• Selling things you no longer need
• Getting paid to watch videos, play games, or read emails
• Customer service representative
• Earning free gift cards or money with cashback apps
• Becoming a mock juror online
• Getting paid to test websites or apps
Home Jobs to Avoid
While there are lots of ideas for making extra money, some are better than others. Here are ones to avoid:
• Illegal side hustles or jobs
• Work-from-home job scams
• At-home jobs that require a lot of work for little pay
• Pyramid schemes or multi-level marketing (MLM) programs
There’s a simple rule of thumb to keep in mind when researching ways to earn extra cash: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Words and phrases like “guaranteed,” “make money while you sleep,” or “easy money” are often telltale indicators that an at-home job opportunity isn’t everything it seems. It’s also a good idea to be wary of any work-from-home job that requires you to pay fees or a deposit up front before getting started.
Tips for Making Money From Home
If you’re pursuing money-making ideas from home, it helps to know some of the do’s and don’ts so you can avoid job scams while maximizing your earning potential.
When exploring ways to make money from home, do:
• Look for opportunities that fit your skill set or interests
• Consider how much time you can put in to making money
• Weigh any up front investment of time or money that might be required
• Remember to keep track of work-related expenses using a spending app
• Report the income you earn on your taxes if you’re required to do so
When looking at ways to make money from home, don’t:
• Assume it’s easy to make money online
• Give out personal or sensitive information to people you don’t know
• Fall for work-from-home job scams
• “Forget” to report the money you make on your taxes
• Get frustrated and give up if you’re not making money right away
Also, don’t be afraid to try and try again if something isn’t working out. After all, there’s no single option for how to make extra income from home. You may start off doing one thing and find that another side hustle or job idea is a better fit. And you don’t have to limit yourself to just one thing either — having multiple side hustles can mean multiple streams of income.
The Takeaway
Whether you’re selling goods online, starting a business, or using your website to turn a profit, there’s no shortage of ways to make money from the comfort of home. In fact, you may discover there are multiple opportunities that fit your schedule and interests. As you’re researching your options, factor in how much time and money is required. It’s also a good idea to be wary of opportunities that sound too good to be true (they probably are). Once you start drawing an income, don’t forget to report it on your taxes, if you’re required to do so.
Need a simple way to get a handle on your income and work-related expenses? Using a money tracker app like SoFi makes it easy to see where you are financially at any given time. You can monitor your credit score, see what you’re spending, and view the progress you’re making toward your goals at no cost just for being a SoFi member.
FAQ
How can I make $100 a day from home?
Some of the best ways to make $100 a day from home include taking surveys for money, using cashback apps to shop, offering freelance services, and selling printables or handcrafted items online. You can also make $100 a day from home by flipping items you no longer need on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist.
How can I make fun money?
If you just want to make some extra money to spend on “fun,” some of the easiest ways to do it include selling things you no longer need, doing odd jobs in your spare time, or getting paid to take surveys and play games through various mobile apps. You can also research weird ways to make money, like donating plasma or selling your hair.
How can I make money just sitting at home?
Some of the best ways to make money sitting at home are passive income ideas that require little to no work. For example, you may be able to make passive income by investing in stocks that pay dividends, setting up an affiliate marketing website to earn commissions when people shop at your affiliate partners, or opening a digital printable shop on sites like Etsy.
Photo credit: iStock/Amarr_RT
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