It’s estimated that for every one legitimate online opportunity there are roughly sixty scams. The reason is that quite a few people seem to believe that there’s a magic package out there which allows one to make a lot of money on the internet with very little effort, and there’s always a less than reputable website willing to sell it to them.
To be perfectly honest there are many different ways to make money online, and working from home can be extremely rewarding. But there’s a big difference between a legitimate online job or opportunity and the unsolicited offers that often find their way into your inbox.
This is why we’ve put together a list of real ways to make money from home. These are all legitimate companies and methods which allow you to start getting paid for a wide range of activities with little or no investment on your part.
Feel free to explore the ideas on this page, join the discussions & leave your response below, or suggest an idea we haven’t thought of yet…
#1 Get an Online Job…
If you want to earn income at home then you may think the most obvious solution is to get a work-at-home job. Well you’re right! Unfortunately many internet scams specifically target people searching to work at home. To avoid falling for any kind of schemes the best thing you can do is go directly to the source. Find forums or job boards that focus on the kind of work you want to do. For instance there are many legit jobs in the customer service industry.
You can get a job as a customer service representative and earn money by fielding customer’s questions and providing them with support. This type of work will require some brief training and the ability to pass a background check.
If you’re the creative type, you can find work at home opportunities in almost any industry. If you have technical skills such as programming or graphic design, then the door is really wide open. In addition to full time work at home jobs there are a plethora of freelance jobs.
Check out our lists of legitimate work at home jobs below:
#2 Make Money Taking Surveys…
Surveys often get a bad reputation online because many people are confusing legitimate survey companies with other fraudulent online offers. The most important thing you need to look for in an online survey site is that it’s associated with a real market-research company.
There are many false “survey” websites out there that attempt to charge money for survey opportunities, but participation in real market research should always cost you nothing.
In addition, many fraudulent websites claim extraordinary earnings from taking surveys, which is not how real survey companies operate. You should have reasonable expectations and understand that you’re not going to make a full-time income taking surveys.
Big-name brands pay research companies to get their members to take various surveys. Often times they’re looking for very specific demographics which means you may not qualify. The best way around this is to be honest in your profile and sign up with several websites to increase your chances of qualifying.
Check out our list of free online survey companies.
#3 Get Paid to Browse the Net…
With more and more retail and advertising dollars being spent online studying people’s browsing habits has become huge business. Insights into online behavior are worth thousands, if not millions, of dollars to large companies who do business online.
This is why there’s been a significant rise in research firms that study how and why people do certain things online. In order to get this data they’ve developed websites that reward people with gifts and prizes for contributing to their statistics.
One of the most reputable companies offering this opportunity is www.SwagBucks.com. They’ll pay you for doing things online such as browsing, shopping, or even playing games. Any info they collect is anonymous and unidentifiable so your privacy is protected.
Working with Swagbucks will certainly not replace your dayjob, but why not get a little something extra for doing many of the things that you’re already doing anyways?
#4 Make Money With Your Own Website…
If you’re looking to work hard, be your own boss, and create a full-time income for yourself then making money with your own website is the route you’re looking to take. With a website you open yourself up to a variety of income sources, primarily making money through advertising networks such as AdSense or affiliate marketing.
You no longer need to be a computer or programming expert to make money with a website. Services such as blogger and wordpress allow you to quickly create your own website and even host it for free. Keep in mind that you will not make money on your first day, or likely your first month.
Making money with a website is a lot like starting your own business. It can be a lot of work and you often don’t reap the benefits till much later down the line. However, if you’re willing to work hard, have an idea or vision, and have a passion for self-employment then there’s nothing stopping you from succeeding.
Many people get intimidated just by the thought of creating their own website, which is why we put together a step-by-step, easy to follow guide that’ll show you how to do everything from creating your site to earning your first dollar online. Check out our free make money online guide
>> Keep Reading: 7 Ways to Make Money Online Part 2.
