3 Real Ways to Actually Make Money Online

Twice this week I’ve received calls from so-called “wealth” businesses asking me information about my mortgage. The first one claimed I had entered a competition and had won an Ipad but to claim it I had to go along to a seminar.

I actually have been to a couple of seminars in the past so this aspect of the conversation didn’t alarm me. What did alarm me however was when the conversation turned to whether I was a home-owner or renter. I replied I was a home-owner with a mortgage to which I was asked “how much do you owe on your mortgage?” that’s where the conversation ended.

In the second call I was asked the same thing but the caller prefaced the conversation with “we’re registered with ASIC” whatever that means before asking me how much my mortgage was.

Delia Rickard, the Deputy Chair of the ACCC shared some startling statistics with us on the Fiftyup Show this week that showed the two biggest scams affecting over 50’s are dating and online investment scams.

We’ve all seen articles about making money online.  Too many of them are just sales pitches to convince you to sign up for some seminar that will lead you to become an online “millionaire”.

Lifehack.org says they really give online money making a bad name. But it is possible to make money online. The problem is that the real ways to make money online aren’t “get rich quick” schemes.

Most of them require a lot of work and sometimes a lot of dedication before seeing a return on your time.  But if you really want to make money online, work from home or turn an idea into a business, you can do it.

Previously we’ve written about non-traditional forms on income such as mystery shopping and product testing, but have you tried these?

1. Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is one of the most popular ways to earn money online. Many successful freelancers can earn an average of 50 cents to a dollar per word. Some are earning twice that!

You can start writing for magazines, online blogs or newspapers. You can even blog by building your own site. The market for freelance writing on the internet is massive, and there’s plenty of work to go around.

If you are interested in freelance writing, you’ll need some samples to market yourself.  You’ll also need fast internet, Freelancer, Guru, Upwork, and oDesk are a freelancer’s best friends. These platforms allow individuals and businesses to post assignments or projects, and freelancers can bid on them.

2.  Sell Your Stuff

We’ve all heard of Gumtree and eBay and no doubt many of you had used them to buy or sell. If you haven’t, here are some tips:

Get a PayPal account, be honest and do good business. Plain and simple. Whether you’re selling on a small site or opening an online store, your customer service matters. You’ll want to get those positive reviews and make a good name for yourself. Respond to questions, concerns and complaints in a timely manner.

3. Airtasker

A friend recommended air tasker to me about a year ago. I need someone to erect a garden shed I had purchased as a flat pack and install shelving. I offered $200 and a local handyman accepted. What I like about airtasker is that your money isn’t released to the worker until you’ve confirmed that you are happy with the job they've done.

Some airtaskers are earning hundreds of dollars a week by doing jobs such as picking up luggage from the airport, weeding and transcribing.

Once you sign up, describe the task you need completed and whether you need it done in person or online. It’s free and there’s no obligation to hire. Check it out at airtasker.com

Are you making some extra cash online? Share your story below.