How to Make Extra Money From Home

Don’t you love the nerve of bloggers these days? Promising you a steady flow of money if you just slouch in front of your laptop and stare as you sip scorched coffee for a few hours every day? Well, I’ve been at this for a while, and I’m here to tell you that it’s not that easy, but you can make extra money at home if you’re willing to do the work.

I’m not going to give you all the answers because I don’t know them (and you probably shouldn’t subscribe to a blogger who says things like, “I have all the answers.”).

I will, however, share with you five ways I’ve actually made extra money at home (at times, yes, in my pajamas).

 

5 Extra Ways to Bring in Some Extra Dough

 

Make money on Facebook.

 

Did you know there are many, many avenues in which people create commerce on the world’s biggest social network? I discovered 17 of them and published my findings on The Penny Hoarder recently. ::happy dance:: ::happy dance:: It’s more than just online garage sales and MLM. The people I interviewed on Facebook got UBER creative. One gal bought household items at yard sales for a few dollars, restored them, and resold them on Facebook for $20 to $25.

Read more here.

Earn cash or gift cards via Swagbucks.

 

You instantly earn four “Swagbucks” or points just for signing up.  You earn more by using the SB search engine, making referrals, shopping online, doing online surveys, and a lot more. Swagbucks pays via PayPal or gift cards.

Full disclosure: Your income potential is higher with Swagbucks, but your involvement is too. Plan ahead to spend specific blocks of time on it, otherwise, it can become a major time suck. I may or may not be speaking from experience when I first used it. Better to be upfront and honest with you guys. 🙂 

 

Save and earn money on Amazon.

 

You’re probably already shopping on Amazon, but here are 12 tweaks that will save you even more.

For example:

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can select “No Rush” shipping and receive a provisional credit toward your next purchase. Or if you’re a bookworm like me, then check out Freebook Sifter to view thousands of updated FREE ebooks on Amazon.

 

Write for the Web.

 

Freelance writing for the web truly is an income generator IF:

• you have the bug to write (and a grasp of the English language)
• you have the motivation to hustle
• you have a niche or two you can write about (i.e. personal finance, medicine, gardening, parenting, faith, DIY projects, wellness, weight loss, travel, etc.)

Here is a snapshot of my own journey into writing for cash on the web:

I began blogging once a week and subscribing to blogs in my niche that I wanted to emulate.

I began ghost writing for TextBroker. You can also do this via UpWork and many other places. The pay’s not great, but if you’re new to the industry, it’s a great place to learn.

I started guest posting in exchange for a link back to my blog.

I took an INCREDIBLE freelance writing course online. It was comprehensive, self-paced, and stuffed with tools, tricks, and resources. This truly was the breakthrough moment for me.

I added a Hire Me page to this blog and started cold pitching major blogs as a guest contributor.

Within three months, I’ve been published and PAID to write for sites like Scary Mommy, The Penny Hoarder, and Mamalode, and was approached by a literary agent about possibly writing a book. 

 

You might think making money at home in your pajamas is easy, but it can be even harder than an office job. Why would someone be working in her pajamas? It’s probably because she’s up early, before the kids, at her desk, chasing that side hustle instead of sleeping. Or she’s up late, researching and working instead of binge watching Netflix reruns.

 

[Tweet “There’s no shame in side-hustling at home in pj’s. Hard work pays off, no matter what you wear.”]

 

Here is a quick review of the resources I referenced in today’s article. Some of them are referral links where I may receive an incentive or commission if you sign up, but all have been tested and are recommended personally by me:

• How to Make Money On Facebook
• Swagbucks Rewards
• Freebook Sifter
• 12 Ways to Save Money On Amazon

 

Join the Discussion: What’s one way you’ve successfully made money on the side? Leave your answer in the comments below.

 

Photo Credit: Jeff Sheldon (Unsplash)

 

This post contains affiliate links.