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24 Ways for Kids to Earn Money Online and Offline

Last Updated:April 5, 2021

If you’re intrigued by how other kids earn money online and in real life, and want your own kids to learn from the success (or failures) of children their own age, this post is definitely for you.

The internet has provided income opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender, beliefs, profession, and age. Young or old people can get a slice of the pie, as long as they’re willing to learn how.

Even reading stories online of 10-year-old CEOs building businesses from the ground up can burn a fire in your kids and inspire them to follow in their footsteps.

But as parents, I understand that you’d want to learn the ins and outs of such opportunities first, before showing them to your kids. And that’s totally okay.

Before I share the list, be aware that:

When I say “kid,” I’m talking about school-kid age to pre-teens (about 8 to 12 years old). If your child is already a teenager, maybe my post about online jobs for teens would be a more appropriate fit.
The following list of money-making side jobs no longer include house chores or any tasks paid by you (the parents), or any member of the family. I only included jobs for kids that they can make independently, or outside of their family.

11 Traditional Ways Kids Earn Money

I wanted to kick this list off with a mix of traditional and new-age ways kids can earn money.

1. Lemonade Stands

Lemonade stands may seem so cliché, but they still work. And your kids are old enough to do the squeezing of lemons, setting up shop, and selling the drinks.

You can always turn the classic lemonade stand into something more.

Just ask Me & the Bees Lemonade owner Mikaila, who began her bottled lemonade business at 4 years old. She won an investment on the show Shark Tank.

2. Pet sitting

Like errand jobs that require you to travel around the city, walking the dogs on their own may not be safe for young kids.

However, pet-sitting is perfect.

The owners can just drop off the pet at your house and your kid will be responsible for it throughout its stay.

Your kids can charge depending on the length of stay, how demanding the pet/s are, and the number of pet-related errands included (giving baths, giving medicine, etc.).

3. Wash cars

Bring out a sign at your garage. Send out flyers throughout your neighborhood. Then wait for customers to line up.

Washing cars is great exercise too, so if your goal is to keep your kids off gadgets during their school breaks, then this gig can be a lucrative activity.

4. Take care of the lawn

Kids will be able to build discipline and strength by cleaning gutters, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, raking leaves, and providing a wide range of lawn care services.

Take photos of the lawn before and after working on it.

Use these photos on your website or Facebook page as proof of how well your kids can maintain a lawn.

5. Watering service

If mowing and raking leaves sounds like too much, watering plants may be a better option for your kids to earn money.

If you can find families who work long hours, are going on vacation, or disabled or elderly neighbors who need a hand with their plants.

6. Sell Candies, Cupcakes, or other Sweets

Everyone loves sweets. And if your kid does too, kids can earn money by cooking or baking sweets and selling these sweets to their classmates, family or friends, and even around your local community.

Eventually, you can ship out your sweet treats to other places in the country.

Zollipops was developed by then-7-year-old Alina Morse and her dad as sugar-free, acid-free lollipops that are teeth-friendly. Now, they have expanded to Zolli Drops that are “sugar-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, kosher, and made with natural flavors and colors in the USA.”

Look at Mr. Cory’s Cookies as well. He ships them to customers and even introduced a cookie subscription at one point, which sends cookies to customer’s doorsteps each month.

7. Become Tech Support Staff to the Elderly

Your 8-year-old kid is probably more tech-savvy than you.

They’re most likely more knowledgeable than their grandparents when it comes to using smartphones or the computer.

Their generation is hooked on technology, so why not take advantage of this?

Set-up a tech support business where kids can help seniors send emails, upload photos, check Facebook, perform tasks like data entry, teach them blogging, introduce them to games, and so on.

8. Start a Fashion Business

If you create bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other DIY jewelry, you can start a fashion business and sell the items at your school, local markets, or online.

This also goes for kids who have an eye for fashion.

Moziah Bridges took the lack of bow options in the market to heart and created his own with Mo’s Bows.
Brandon and Sebastian Martinez developed their own line of socks called Are You Kidding.

9. Sell Your Own Brand

You can sell almost anything you want, as long as you believe in your product 100%.

Good examples of super-young entrepreneurs are:

Asia Newson — Known as the youngest Detroit-based entrepreneur, Asia began selling candles at age 5. She now leads her own company, Super Business Girl, and trains other youth on how to succeed in business.
Sisters Lily, Chloe, and Sophie Warren — Launched their beeswax-based skincare products under the brand Sweet Bee Sisters when they were 8, 6, and 4 years old.

10. Market Your Skills

Do you have a special talent you want to share with the world?

10-year-old twin sisters Amira and Kayla make up a DJ duo that caters to children’s parties for 4- to 9-year-olds.

They’re kind of a big deal, deejaying at New York Knicks Games, Kids Rock! New York Fashion Week and other events.

11. Rent Your Stuff Out

Unlike grownups who can rent their homes, extra rooms, garage, and other properties out to strangers, kids are not yet ready for such big responsibilities.

However, they can start small by arranging the garage for items to rent out or setting up a neighborhood library where they can lease books for a minimal fee.

The Reality of Becoming YouTube Stars, Influencers, and other Internet Sensations

Ask any kid who has been exposed to the internet about what they want to be when they grow up, and more than half of these kids would answer “YouTuber” without batting an eyelash.

The successes of YouTube stars are truly awe-inspiring.

Who wouldn’t want their kid to be the next Ryan’s World (formerly Ryan ToysReview) or his idol EvanTubeHD? These two boys are the stars of the most popular kid channels on YouTube and they earn millions of dollars each year. Just by unboxing toys, playing with them, and reviewing them in front of the camera.

Sounds pretty easy to replicate, right?

Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Evan and Ryan have several things in common:

They were the brains of their own channels (even if the parents joined in on the fun after awhile). You can see that the kids wanted it 100%
They are naturally gifted on camera. They are adorable and have excellent communication skills.
They are relatable, good-mannered kids. (If I were a parent and saw my kid watching these two, I wouldn’t have any issue with it. But if I see my kid watching YouTubers who tantrum as their skit, or embark on crazy pranks, they’re probably blocked for good).

Not everyone’s kids can be the next Evan or Ryan.

And the sooner parents like you and I understand that becoming popular on YouTube doesn’t come overnight or happen to everyone, the easier it is for us to decide if we’re going to allow our kids to star in their own channel.

This goes for influencers (kid models on Instagram becoming brand ambassadors), game-streaming stars, or other internet sensations as well.

13 Ways Kids Can Earn Money Online

Despite what I said about kids aspiring to become the next internet sensation, there are ways for kids to earn money online. Here are some of them.

Take Surveys Online — There are legitimate companies around and they actually like to know what people think. Surveys are usually categorized by age group, so if there are surveys that target kids, they’ll definitely have the chance to participate and get paid. Doing this can bring in $50 to $100 a month.
Sell Your Used Items Online. If your kid is an only child, you may have plenty of toys they’re not interested in or clothes they’ve outgrown. Have your child sort out which toys, clothes, books, and even small furniture they can let go of and help them set up an eBay shop to sell them.
Sell a Subscription — People love subscriptions, especially if they’re receiving something from the mail. A good example of this is the Stem In A Box by TopSecretScience (owned by an 8-year-old LA-based kid named Max), which ships out science kits each month. A kit includes a chapter of a story and other science projects that kids can enjoy.
Turn Your Crafting into a Business — Whether you make paper dolls, origami, wooden projects, and other crafts, Etsy can turn these items into cash. It can also help kids develop their creativity and time management skills since orders come with scheduled shipping and you should be able to ship out your products on time.
Launch a Design Firm — You can start selling t-shirts, mugs, prints, and other products with print-on-demand companies. Kids see differently from adults, so let them create designs with their own ideas and insights.
Build (and Sell) an App. Children as young as four are being taught how to create apps. App builders for kids like Kids App Maker and Appy Pie make it a snap. Kids can then sell them on App Store or Google Play Store.
Sell Photos — If your kid is a budding photographer, they can get paid for the work by licensing photos to stock photography sites like Shutterstock or iStock. You can also check out other apps that pay for photos.
Sell Slime —Samantha Zumwalt of Samantha Slime Shop makes and sells her own range of slime online.
Become a Tester — Some kids earn money through jobs like product testing. Test websites, test video games, test Amazon products, and so on.
Solve a Problem With a New Product — You may think that the world has run out of problems to solve, but you’d be surprised at how many inventions are still created today. For example, Lacrosse player Rachel Zietz wasn’t happy with the equipment available in the market, so she designed her own products and sold them on Gladiator Lacrosse.
Become a motivational speaker — Caleb Maddix is a motivational speaker who began as early as 12 years old. Today, he owns Apex 4 Kids, the world’s first-ever relatable, entertaining, and powerful personal growth for kids.
Write and Publish an eBook. Even the youngest kids do have something to say or a story to tell. Help them write an eBook and self-publish it. Get inspired by such young authors as Alec Greven and Brittany and Brianna Winner
Build a Website — Juliette Brindak Blake was only 10 years old when she launched the website Miss O and Friends. Today, it’s a safe place for kid, tween, and teen girls, providing age-appropriate content with a safe messaging system.

How to Teach Children About Money

It’s not enough for kids to earn money; they should also be taught about its value, how to spend it wisely, and how to save up small amounts to make big purchases later on.

It starts by teaching them to look at price tags at the supermarket, showing them various ways to pay for purchases both in real life and in online stores, and even playing pretend “store” at home complete with play money and play credit cards.

Here are some online resources to help you teach your kids about money:

It’s not easy for kids to earn money

Some kids earn money online, while others prefer to do it old school.

However, since we’re talking about younger kids, parents like you and I still need to guide them on whatever money-making opportunity they plan on embarking.

They don’t have to be CEOs of a company or internet stars, but exposing them to jobs or businesses at an early age can be exceptional training to prepare them for the real world.

Which of these money-making opportunities will your kid be likely to be interested in? Share it with us and other fellow parents in the comments!

8 Steps to Starting a Home Staging Business

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:April 5, 2021

Ever watched an HGTV show, Googled how they make the houses look so good, and then wondered how to start a home staging business?

Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore!

Home-staging is the type of business that you can do if you have an aptitude for interior design but don’t have formal training or don’t want to pursue it anymore and are looking for an alternative business where your skills are still usable.

In today’s article, you’ll get to learn all about starting your own home staging business: what to expect, pros and cons, all the steps, and all your burning questions answered.

Real Estate Staging: What is a Home Stager?

As you might have guessed, a home stager is responsible for arranging furniture, decorating a house, and everything else to tweak a house’s appearance with the aim of showcasing its strengths and potential to homebuyers.

Home stagers are in demand by realtors. A recent study by the National Association of Realtors found that:

83% of buyers’ agents they talked to said that staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as their future home
25% of buyers’ agents said that staging a home increases its dollar value by 1% to 5%
A total of 53% of buyers’ agents said that staging a home decreases the time a property spends on the market

A great thing about being in the home staging business is that a college degree isn’t necessarily required, though having one is an advantage as far as building trust with clients and negotiating your rates.

In fact, one of the most well-known home staging success stories out there started by accident.

Meridith Baer, a professional screenwriter of 18 years, happened to use her friend’s house that has been on the market for a year as a temporary “home” of her 250 house plants and furniture while she moved houses.

Days later, her friend ended up selling that “staged” home for $500,000 over its listing price.

Baer’s first gig was sheer luck, but it opened a new world for her as brokers began seeking her real estate staging services so much so that she quit her job and started her home-staging business Meridith Baer Home.

By 2013, Baer has landed her own HGTV show “Staged To Perfection,” and as of 2020, Meridith Baer Home is worth over $100 million.

Pros and Cons of Starting a Home Staging Business

Before you take the plunge into starting this business, consider the pros and cons first.

PROS

Low startup costs — You don’t have to maintain inventory (at least, when you’re starting out) and you have minimal supplies.
Unleash your creativity — The business lies in your vision and creativity and rarely does a business allow you to have a great deal of creative freedom.
No degree required — You may have to get business licenses and accreditation from organizations, but you can start a home-staging business even if you don’t have a degree.
Word-of-mouth marketing — Once you establish a rapport with a few real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others in real estate, they’ll spread the word.

CONS

Difficulty getting first clients — Your first clients are the hardest to get and yet the most important because you’ll build your portfolio on them.
Demanding schedule — You have to be in and out of a house in a matter of days, and this may require you to work weekends and nights.
Conflicts with home sellers — Those who’re selling their homes may not like what you’re doing with their house and simply not believe that you’re making it more sellable. On the other hand, they may like your style too much that they steal or damage stuff that you brought in.
The temptation to undercharge — Especially when you’re starting out, it’s tempting to charge less or sometimes nothing just to get a job. DON’T. If you don’t get paid, you simply can’t grow your business.

How To Start A Home Staging Business

Once you’re 100% sure that you want to explore this line of business, follow the steps how to start a home staging business:

1. Learn everything you can about the business.

Starting any business requires research. Learn, learn, learn everything you can about home staging.

Educate yourself as well about the startup costs for your home-staging business.

It depends on what services you plan to offer and what type of marketing you want to start with.

You may want to be a home-staging consultant initially and simply give expert advice to home sellers on how to make their home attractive to buyers. It doesn’t involve too much in terms of cost.

When you move on to filling empty homes with furniture and décor, you can rent these initially and then build up your inventory of furniture, decor, and other supplies as you go.

If you want to show off your skills and find it hard to land a gig, you can stage a house for free once as a testing ground and as something to photograph and add to your portfolio. While this would mean that you’ll be shouldering money upfront, it’s only an option if you wish to jump-start your home staging business.

Consider your initial marketing as well. Are you going to use social media and advertise there, or do you want to build a website early on? Can you afford it?

2. Learn about your local market.

The target market for a home staging business includes homeowners who are trying to sell and real estate agents doing the actual selling.

It pays to know your local real estate agents and find out who’s selling their house and whether you might be a good fit with them.

However, you’re probably not the only home stager in town.

Check out your local competition. Who are the other home stagers in your area? Are they any good?

Try to find out how much they charge and visit any houses they’ve staged.

Finally, if there isn’t any demand in your city, are you willing to explore other housing markets? Which ones?

3. Determine your pricing structure.

Before starting any project, home stagers hold an initial one- to two-hour consultation, which usually costs around $150 to $600. As I’ve mentioned, you can start offering this as a standalone service to keep costs down while getting your feet wet in the home staging business.

Some home stagers offer a rearranging and decluttering service, in which they work solely with the existing furniture in the house, which is a flat fee of around $800 to $1000. But if the house is unfurnished, you’d have to rent furniture or bring in your own.

Home sellers shoulder the cost of renting this furniture from you (which in turn you can rent from a furniture rental company), which you can price at around $500 to $600 per room per month, if the house is completely bare. This is on top of your staging fees.

You can then decide whether to charge per hour, which is normally $40 to $150 per hour.

Alternatively, you can charge per project, which is on the average $400 to $700 per room per month, which comes out to an average of around $2000 per house per month.

Where your fees fall in these ranges depends largely on the condition of the property, your location, your expertise, and your experience.

Painting, lighting, refinishing cabinets and other surfaces, and professional deep cleaning aren’t really your domain, but you can do tie-ups with companies that provide these services and recommend them to home sellers for a small finders’ fee.

4. Complete legalities.

Now that you’ve explored your chances of breaking into the local housing market, weighed the pros and cons, and decided on your pricing structure, you can now fix paperwork needed in running this business.

Decide on a name for your business.
Form an LLC.
Register for your taxes.
Open a separate bank account and credit card for your business.
Obtain state and local business licenses.
Hire lawyers to write contracts.
Buy business and liability insurance.

Also, it’s not really required, but being a member of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) can give you an edge.

They offer continuous training, you’ll get listed in their directory of home stagers, you get to network in their events, and you can take advantage of discounts to various furniture, service, and supplies providers.

5. Connect with local brokers and contractors.

Begin networking.

Reach out to contractors, real estate agents, homeowners selling their properties by themselves, and others involved in the local real estate market.

These people are more than happy to welcome you into the business, mainly because home stagers who are good at their job help houses sell quickly.

Maintaining these connections is critical to the long-term success of your business.

6. Compile your furniture and supplies.

Renting your furniture reduces your overhead greatly. Not only don’t you have to manage your inventory but you also don’t have to spend for transporting and storing them.

When you’re starting out, be on the hunt for furniture rental companies that has pieces that match your style.

As you expand your business, start building your inventory with pieces you find at garage sales or thrift stores that don’t cost too much and don’t take too much space.

After a while, you can think about whether you want to buy and store your own inventory or continue renting.

The main advantage of having your own inventory is that you’re not dependent on another supplier for your needs; you’re ready to work anytime on your own schedule.

The disadvantages are logistics, inflexibility, and cost. As I mentioned, you’ll be responsible for transporting the furniture and storing them, either at your garage or in a dedicated storage space (which is added overhead each month).

Also, your options will be limited as far as creativity is concerned. If you’re envisioning another look for a particular house, you need to either buy or rent other furniture.

This brings us to the cost; stocking up on your inventory will cost you upfront as well as monthly.

7. Market Your Business

Word-of-mouth marketing through your network of real estate agents and brokers is powerful, but not enough to market and promote your home staging business.

Here are some ways to market your business both online and offline.

Online Marketing

Define your brand and stick to it.
Build your own website with your portfolio and high-quality photos.
Optimize your website for local searches using keywords that local brokers and home sellers may use to find home stagers online.
Learn to use social media to spread the word about your business. Instagram (photo-heavy) and Facebook (to be visible to local users) are most useful.

Offline Marketing

Prepare a portfolio and always have it with you to show.
Prepare business cards to give out.
Visit open houses to meet real estate agents and home sellers.
Attend real estate conferences.

8. Grow your business.

After you get your first few projects, it’s tempting to bask in that glow of jobs well done.

But for you to truly be able to grow your business, you need to continue building, improving, and promoting your business.

Collect testimonials. Every time you land a home staging gig, make sure to get client feedback and testimonials, take before and after photos, and ask permission if you could post them online and include them in your portfolio.
Think about expanding. As I mentioned, deep cleaning, painting, and refinishing aren’t really your area, but if you can expand to include them, you can then offer an all-in-one service, which is convenient for everyone.
Never stop learning. Continue taking classes and being updated on the latest trends when it comes to aesthetics and design. As a home stager, you should be able to mesh classic design techniques with modern, cutting-edge designs.
Share your knowledge. One way to generate buzz for your business is to start blogging about your home staging gigs. Talk about your projects, showcase before/after pictures, and provide useful tips. Doing this makes you an authority in the field. Squeeze in some keywords into your blog posts and Google is likely to give your website a lot of love.
Get paid for your knowledge. You can eventually expand to creating courses on how to stage a home, either for homeowners or for aspiring home stagers.

Start Your Home Staging Business!

There are plenty of statistics indicating that home staging businesses have a future.

I hope this post has inspired you to start your home-staging business soon!

In between jobs, you can even put your decluttering and rearranging skills to work as a professional organizer.

Are you planning to start your home staging business? Has this post helped? What obstacles are you encountering? Sound out in the comments!

How to Make Money from Facebook: 14 Ways to Get Started

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:April 5, 2021

Facebook is the world’s number one social media platform so it’s easy to see that people want to learn how to make money from Facebook.

As of the fourth quarter of 2020, Facebook has over 2.7 billion monthly active users (Source).

It is no surprise, therefore, that many people and businesses try to earn money from Facebook. With such a vast potential audience, it makes good sense.

With such a huge audience, everyone from individuals to small- to medium-sized businesses to entire industries are all using Facebook to make money.

Here are some ways you can make money from Facebook.

How to Make Money From Facebook as an Individual

As an ordinary Facebook user, are there ways to earn from Facebook?

The answer is yes, definitely.

Of course, it becomes easier the wider your audience gets (as you’ll read below), but if you don’t want to do this (or don’t want to yet), here are some ways you can make money from Facebook as a regular user.

1. Sell Anything on Facebook Marketplace

Facebook created Facebook Marketplace for people to sell pre-loved or brand new items.

Since other Facebook users can filter the items based on location, category, or keywords, you can take advantage of the many users of Facebook and sell to interested parties.

Facebook allows its users to sell almost anything under the sun, with a few exceptions.

You do have put in a little more effort than how you put your past stuff on Craigslist. Because the marketplace can easily get crowded, you have to add catchy titles and descriptions with high-quality pictures.

The amount you earn from selling at the Facebook Marketplace depends on the number of items you list, how aggressive you are with marketing, and if you accompany Marketplace with another platform.

2. Sell Items on Facebook Buy and Sell Groups

Facebook has Buy and Sell Groups, which are Facebook Groups that have features especially for listing items for sale, searching items to buy, and marking items as sold.

There are plenty of Buy and Sell Groups that are grouped by city or area (for example, buying and selling in Seattle), by the type of goods being bought and sold (for example, buying groups for makeup, bags, or sneakers), or by a common interest that just happen to have the Buy and Sell feature activated (for example, a parenting group or a skateboarding group).

Keep in mind that the restrictions on items that apply to Facebook Marketplace also apply to Buy and Sell Groups.

3. Earn Revenues From Ads on Facebook Pages

Facebook Pages are normally for businesses, organizations, and public figures, but if you’re a content creator, you can create a Facebook Page to host your content.

If your Facebook Page is popular (that is, plenty of followers and high engagement), you’re likely to attract sponsors and ad publishers.

If the niche is right and you feel an ad campaign will go perfectly with the focus of your Facebook Page, then not only will you help your followers by recommending a product or service, but you’ll also be able to make some money from it.

Depending on the terms agreed, sponsorships can be a one-time ad, a week-long campaign, paid-per-post, and so on. As a result, the revenues you get from sponsorships will vary as well.

4. Make Money From Affiliate Marketing on Facebook

Simply put, affiliate marketing involves promoting other people’s products to earn a commission from each sale.

This is usually done through your own website or blog, but you can do this on Facebook through Facebook Ads.

Facebook does allow affiliate marketing on your Facebook Page or on a Facebook Group, but it doesn’t mean that you can spam everyone, or else Facebook will close down your Page or your Group.

If you’re new to this, here’s how you can earn money from Facebook with affiliate marketing:

Select your niche, which the content of your Facebook Page or Group will focus on. If you have no idea what that means, check out our guide to affiliate marketing niches.
Sign up for an affiliate network that allows you to post on Facebook Ads.
Find products from those sites that are in the niche you selected.
Post compelling content on your Facebook Page or Group to grow your audience and their engagement.
When you have a wider audience and many of them engage with your posts (like, share, comment), start posting the affiliate link promoting your affiliate products every few posts. Remember, don’t spam!
Start posting Facebook Ads on your Page with a button leading your audience to the landing page you want them to go.
Wait for your commissions (about 5 to 25 percent) whenever somebody clicks on the link you shared and buys from the third-party site.

5. Become an Influencer and Earn From Sponsors and Brand Partners

If you don’t mind working for months or even years to build an audience and you think you’ve got what it takes to be so popular that brands seek out your services, then being an influencer might be right up your alley.

Here’s how you can become a Facebook influencer:

Select a niche. Just like in affiliate marketing, you’ll need to select a niche that you’re interested in or maybe even an expert in for which you can consistently create engaging content.
Know your target audience. Understand who you’re creating your content for so you can have followers who are more or less of the same demographics and interests.
Set up a Facebook Page and start posting relevant content on a regular schedule.
Engage with your audience. Like, react, and reply to their comments, answer their questions, and be accessible.
Once you’ve grown your audience, let brands that have the same target audience as your Facebook Page know that you’re open to collaborations and partnerships. You can do an email outreach (direct), tag them in some of your posts (indirect), or join networks that connect brands and influencers.
Follow sponsorship guidelines while ensuring that you’re still following Facebook’s Terms of Service.
Wait to be paid!

6. Become a Facebook Video Creator

Sadly, not all Facebook content is created equal.

Facebook Videos receive more engagement than any other type of content (Source).

Using videos as your main content can be more difficult and expensive to produce, but it has the greatest ROI out of all the content you can create.

It’s a great way to make your Facebook Page popular, which helps you whether you’re trying to be an affiliate marketer or a Facebook influencer.

Brands also prefer to partner or collaborate with video creators precisely because they get more engagement.

Plus, if you meet certain eligibility criteria, you can monetize your video views through in-stream ads.

Being a Facebook video creator can also bring in money indirectly by being a consultant to other video creators or working with other video creators to edit their videos.

7. Enlist in the Facebook Fan Subscription Program

Facebook Fan Subscriptions is a Patreon-like program allowing creators to offer a membership for as low as $4.99 per month to the biggest fans of their content in exchange for numerous perks including access to exclusive content and interactions, supporter badges, and discounts to merch and event tickets. Facebook takes 30% of the membership fee.

There are certain eligibility requirements before you can be considered, so check first if you are qualified.

How to Make Money From Facebook as a Business

Whether you have a small or medium business, having a Facebook Business Page is one of the best ways to connect with your customers and build a following for your business, which translates into more profit for you.

Here are some of the ways you can use your Facebook Business Page to make money.

8. Generate Leads

Facebook spends millions of dollars to hire experts to build a solid algorithm and search engine.

Add the fact that the social media giant has people of all ages spending countless hours on Facebook.

Businesses can surely use the platform to generate leads.

When I say business, this can mean:

a plumber looking for regular customers locally,
an online shop owner with dismal sales,
a wedding photographer seeking new clients,
a marketing agency trying to find other businesses that require their services,
or any other types of businesses, big or small.

Because Facebook can be so personal (since we enter our locations, where and what we eat, what hobbies we have, what shows we watch, and so on), it’s very easy for businesses to target potential leads.

And it’s easy for customers to find a specific business as well.

You can bring in new customers to your business without spending a cent on advertising. Creating a Facebook Business Page, networking on Facebook groups, and doing keyword research and using these keywords properly when posting content will go a long way in establishing your Facebook reputation.

This method doesn’t really earn you money instantly, but goes toward your marketing efforts and growing your business.

9. Grow Your Email List

If your income relies heavily on your activities online, you’d know the importance of building an e-mail list.

With plenty of readily available e-mails, you can pitch products and services, collect feedback, and communicate directly with your target audience.

Businesses can benefit from building a list since this list will include both existing and potential clients.

Create a lead magnet, set up your landing page, and then create Facebook Ads that entice Facebook users to click and download your lead magnet while subscribing to your mailing list.

10. Create and Maintain a Facebook Group

Facebook Groups are a great way to build a community where members can interact and exchange information.

You can promote your business in your own Facebook Group, but self-promotion isn’t really going to build your community. What will maintain your Facebook group is posting useful and engaging content, maintaining your group vigilantly (i.e., weeding out trolls and spammers), and being genuinely helpful to members of your group.

11. Sell Your Goods and Services Through Facebook Shop

If your business is selling physical goods on an ecommerce store, setting up a shop on Facebook is a good way to have an additional income stream aside from your ecommerce website.

Facebook Shops allow businesses to set up virtual storefronts right on Facebook without users having to get out of Facebook to make their purchases.

It opens up your business to new audiences and more potential customers because you get to tap into both Facebook and Instagram.

Select services may now be offered through Facebook Shops, so if your business involves services that are in the list, you can also offer them through a Facebook Shop.

Get Paid to Use Facebook

Using Facebook every day may not sound like a money-making activity, but it’s now possible to earn from tinkering around on Facebook and sharing your Facebook knowledge. Here are a few ways how.

12. Become a Facebook Guru

Facebook has a ton of features that even daily users have not explored.

You can offer your services as a master-of-all-Facebook to businesses and guide them on how to:

find new clients
communicate to existing customers
create promotions and ad campaigns
conduct polls and surveys
perform marketing campaigns

…and a whole lot more.

Monetizing your Facebook knowledge isn’t illegal, so you’re free to take advantage of the many Facebook features, analytical tools, and readily available audience from the platform.

13. Get Jobs Managing Facebook

For those who prefer stability, you can make money from Facebook by applying to social media management jobs.

Depending on the job you land, you would either manage a Facebook page, group or even just an official profile of a person. The job usually entails answering messages, updating the status of each account, and juggling marketing campaigns if applicable.

Not sure if you’re a good fit for this job? If you’ve got at least 7 of these 10 characteristics of an effective social media manager, then you’ll probably make a killing as a Facebook manager.

14. Earn Money From Facebook Apps

This one is for both experienced and newbie developers.

Facebook for Developers allow you to create all sorts of tools and apps to benefit all kinds of users of Facebook and Facebook products.

For instance, you can create and sell games, business tools, and Messenger apps.

Which is the Best Way to Make Money from Facebook?

If you’re interested in the method with the highest income potential, go for affiliate marketing or Facebook video creation.

Landing a social media management job is the way to go, if you prefer a method that provides financial stability.

Whichever method you choose to follow, my only advice would be is to avoid placing all your eggs in one basket.

Final Thoughts on Making Money From Facebook

Facebook not only connects people all over the world but also provides money-making opportunities.

Ask any marketer or business owner, and they’ll say that the potential for chasing leads, earning new customers, and eventually making money from Facebook has always been in the future of this social media platform.

A caveat, though: Facebook may seem like the longest-running social media platform now, but since this “online property” isn’t exactly yours, your Facebook profile and audience can disappear in a blink of an eye and you can’t do anything about it.

Thus, your money-making strategy should be more than just Facebook. Here’s how to make money on Instagram and on Twitter.

For more permanent and long-term opportunities, here are 95 work from home jobs, most of which can be done online.

Are you making money from Facebook? Share your stories with us in the comments!

How to Sell on Etsy: A Comprehensive Guide

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:April 5, 2021

If you’re an artist or a crafter who loves creating handmade goods, you might have wondered how to sell on Etsy.

Etsy is an e-commerce website that hosts thousands of smaller sellers all over the world who set up their own little “shops” on the website. The concept is similar to eBay, but with a focus on reputable sellers who make their own products.

Today, learn everything you need to know about how to sell on Etsy: how Etsy works, why it’s a good platform for your handmade and vintage crafts, and how to get started selling on Etsy.

What Is Etsy?

Etsy prides itself as a “community of makers, small-business owners, and shoppers who all share a passion for uncommon or rare goods.”

When visiting Etsy, you’ll find that the site focuses on handmade gifts, craft supplies, and vintage items (according to their Terms of Use, “vintage items” are those that are 20 years old or older). They also host manufacturers who sell unique, one-of-a-kind products that you won’t necessarily find anywhere else.

Why Etsy is a Great Choice

Here are some of the biggest reasons why people choose Etsy over other e-commerce marketplaces like eBay:

It’s very easy to get started. Etsy is extremely user-friendly. You can have your business set up and running in one day.
You have access to great customer service. If you’re struggling or have a dispute with a customer, you can get help very quickly. Most people who own e-commerce businesses don’t have that luxury and have to deal with everything themselves.
Etsy is huge. They already attract a lot of buyers which is something any e-commerce business needs to survive. In fact, 81.9 million buyers purchased goods on Etsy in 2020.
People trust Etsy. They are much more likely to buy something on there than on a new and relatively unknown e-commerce store.
Etsy offers an easy way to reach an international audience. Etsy helps with the shipping as well. So most of the hard work is taken off your shoulders and you can just concentrate on creating.
Etsy helps new sellers grow. Your success is their success and your store can become a great additional source of traffic to your own website later on.

Selling on Etsy vs Selling on Your Own Website

You might be tempted to start your own thing and sell your products on your own website.

And I don’t blame you.

Why work under the rules of Etsy, pay them fees for listing and commissions, and sell to a customer base that isn’t actually yours when you can start building your own brand and keep all your commissions to yourself?

But Etsy does have its advantages.

Setting up your Etsy shop is so much easier than setting up your own e-commerce website.

Also, Etsy also helps get your products in front of a lot of eyes via their website and social media. Considering you’ll have to spend much less time and money on marketing your store, this saves you a lot of time and money you can spend on making your goods to sell.

This doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from having both, however.

Get your shop off the ground with Etsy and then start building your own website when you’ve grown a bit.

Etsy is cheaper to start off with but it can become more fulfilling and more practical to get your own website set up for your shop later on. This is especially important in case Etsy ever decides to close your shop on their platform for whatever reason.

Here are a few things you might want to know about starting your own website if you plan on being an Etsy seller.

Things to Consider Before Opening Your Etsy Shop

There are a few things to keep in mind when before starting an Etsy shop.

Most importantly: what will it cost?

Etsy currently has two subscription options to choose from when signing up (you can always change your subscription later).

The options are:

Etsy Standard is the default and comes with all the basic tools that you need to get your store set up on Etsy. This is free of charge.
Etsy Plus comes with additional tools, features, and perks to jumpstart your shop’s growth. This costs $10 monthly.

Then, after signing up, Etsy will take $0.20 for every item you list in your shop as part of their listing fee, as well as a 5% transaction fee on every item you sell. A listed item is active for four months or until it is sold.

Lastly, there will be a PayPal processing fee whenever you withdraw money from your Etsy shop to your PayPal account. This fee can be found on the PayPal site. Coincidentally, you can also set it up to have customers pay directly into your PayPal account via Etsy if they pay with PayPal.

Some other things to keep in mind:

Keep enough stock handy as Etsy works on a first come, first serve basis. You don’t want to earn a reputation for not being able to fill orders.
Browse products in the same categories that you want to sell in. You’ll get an idea of what prices people are willing to pay and can price your products competitively.
Decide on your store policies before you start selling. It’s important to state what your stance is on certain stuff like returns or damaged goods, and how you will handle deliveries.

How to Sell on Etsy: A Step-By-Step Guide

Starting an Etsy shop may seem daunting at first but the process is actually simple and easy to follow.

The first step towards selling on Etsy is to register on the site. Once your account has been created, the fun begins!

Here are the steps.

1. Open your Etsy Shop.

On the Etsy homepage, click on Sell on Etsy,

Select your shop language, country, and currency.

Choose your payment method, that is, where you want to receive your payments. All you need is a PayPal account to receive payments, but if it’s available in your country, Etsy Payments is the way to go. This opens up more payment options to your customers, such as debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and many more.

You would also need to set up your billing details where your selling fees will be deducted.

2. Choose a shop name and shop title.

More often than not, your shop name is the very first thing Etsy shoppers encounter, and it’s your only chance to make a first impression.

Make sure it is easy to say and remember and reflects your personal brand.

While you’re brainstorming your shop name, you also need to make sure it’s not too similar to that of another Etsy seller.

Best case scenario, it’s inconvenient for everyone (for you, for the other seller, for confused shoppers). Worst case scenario, your shop might be closed by Etsy and you might be banned from the platform.

The shop title is where you can describe what exactly you’re selling on your shop, so make sure you describe your offerings clearly.

3. Set up your shop to showcase your brand personality.

Speaking of first impressions, you want shoppers to understand what your shop is about just by looking at your shop page, which you can think of as your “storefront.”

The key areas on your shop to play up your brand personality are the following:

Banner. This is the single largest thing shoppers will see when they get to your Etsy shop. Make sure you only use high-quality, high-resolution photos or graphics here.
Shop logo. Think of your shop logo as your shop’s profile picture. Having a professionally done logo means you’re serious about your branding and makes a good impression on shoppers.
Seller profile. Your name and photo are much smaller than the other elements, but make sure your name is your real name and your photo is a high-quality profile photo so you inspire trust at first glance.
About section. You get to tell the story of your brand here. Share videos and photos to show off what makes you and your shop special.
Shop members. When your shop grows and you need to partner with someone to manage your Etsy shop or to create your products, the names and photos of those people will be shown on this section.
Shop policies. Information about processing times, estimated shipping times, payment options, returns and exchanges, privacy policy, and FAQs by customers that aren’t addressed by the policies can all be found here.

4. Create your product listings.

You can now add products you’re selling to your Etsy shop. Follow these steps to list your items.

Add photos or videos. Shoppers want to know exactly what they’re getting. Take a minimum of five high-quality photos of the product from different angles and maybe a couple with a ruler to scale. You can also post a video to give buyers a better look.
Choose your thumbnail. Keep in mind that this is the first image shopper will see, so this should be consistent with all other thumbnails, as well as with the look and feel of your brand.
Complete the listing details. Make sure you place the listing in the correct category, use keywords in the product title and description, and utilize all 13 tags to make it easier for shoppers to find your listing.
Indicate inventory quantity and price. Include how many of the item is in stock. If there are product variants (for instance, size, color, material), make sure to include them all. Price should factor in all costs.
Enter shipping details. Include processing time, shipping fees, country of origin, and item weight and size.
Publish! Once a listing is published, it is now available to buy.

5. Develop a marketing strategy.

Selling on Etsy doesn’t begin and end with opening your shop and listing your products.

Marketing involves helping new customers find your shop and letting existing customers know if you have new products or shop updates, all aiming to increase sales.

Here are some marketing tips to get you started.

Optimize your shop for Etsy search. Add the correct location, use keywords that shoppers are likely to use, and offer free shipping (shops that have free shipping on orders $35 and up are prioritized in the search results).
Link your shop to social media and vice versa. Social media marketing works on Etsy, so make sure you have a social media presence promoting your Etsy shop. Also, make sure your profile and About section also links to your social media so customers can follow you even outside of Etsy.
Consider using Etsy Ads. You can promote your listings in Etsy search on ad spaces that are separate from the search results. Know more about Etsy Ads.

6. Manage your Etsy shop.

As your Etsy shop grows, you need to ensure that your Etsy shop is around for the long haul and doesn’t just tank after a few months. Here are some tips for managing your Etsy shop for success.

Provide stellar customer service. Be around to assist buyers before, during, and after an order is shipped and delivered. Follow up on customers a week or so after they’ve received their order and find out how they feel about their purchase.
Never stop learning. There’s always something you can do to improve your product listings, marketing efforts, and increase sales. Listen to feedback and keep updated on trends.
Take a break if you need to. The world doesn’t and shouldn’t revolve around your shop. When you need to put your shop on hold for any reason (you’re traveling, there’s an emergency, or you’re simply overwhelmed), you can turn on Vacation Mode so you don’t need to worry about mounting orders.

How to be Successful on Etsy

Opening your Etsy shop is one thing, but opening and maintaining a successful one is an entirely different thing.

You need to create a brand that people will connect with to stand out above the rest. That means compelling copy, a great-looking page, quality photos of your products, a friendly demeanor when chatting with customers, and great follow-up techniques.

Here are some of the proven tips that work on Etsy which I’ve come across:

Make sure to have enough items listed on the shop. Customers shy away from shops that don’t sell a lot of items for fear of being scammed.

They usually also prefer to order a couple of items at once to save money on shipping costs.

The more items you list on Etsy, the more likely your products are to come up in searches as well. So this is an all-around great tactic for any seller.

Try to change things up every now and then. People go to Etsy to find new and unique stuff. So try to refresh your stock and also try to work in some seasonal items. People love looking for seasonal gifts or items on Etsy!

Focus on writing outstanding product descriptions. You want to make people understand exactly what they’re buying. They can’t feel or see the product in real life so you have to describe it to them and make them want it.

Go Forth and Conquer Etsy!

You might have wanted to start selling on Etsy to earn some side cash from your hobbies, but this could actually be your first step towards your financial independence and a great way to keep doing what you love while earning a living.

Of course, selling on Etsy may not be for everyone. If you think you want to open a business but don’t know where to start, here are a couple of lists of small business ideas and online business ideas.

Or, if you want ideas to earn some side cash to supplement your income from your day job, check out our huge list of side hustles. Who knows, you might be able to save up a decent amount for the capital to start your own business!

What are you planning to sell on Etsy? Or have you already started? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments!

How to Make Money with Amazon: 10 Ways to Get Started

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:April 2, 2021

Let’s be real: There is no doubt that you know how to spend your money on Amazon. But do you know how to make money with Amazon? Do you know how to use the world’s most popular online marketplace to your own advantage?

Like you, I do almost all my shopping on Amazon. And like you, I’ve researched countless ways to save money on Amazon.

The good news is:

Selling on Amazon can make you a lot of money. I am not talking a few dollars per month. I am talking hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars a month. The selling behemoth attracts an insane amount of traffic on a daily basis.

Here are some ways you can take advantage of that immense traffic and make money with Amazon.

10 Ways to Make Money with Amazon

1. Sell Products through Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

Amazon’s FBA program is one of the best ways you can make money with Amazon. The program is huge and one of the most surefire ways you can make hundreds to thousands of dollars per month on Amazon.

The program is easy to learn as well. Basically, all you do is find private label products to sell, and Amazon handles everything else. That includes sales, storage, customer support, and shipping.

You’re practically selling to millions of consumers who already trust Amazon instead of having to launch your own e-commerce blog or page.

So what are the steps you need to take?

Figure out what you want to sell at first. There are 33 selling categories on Amazon, and the first thing you need to do is to figure out what type of product you want to sell.
Make it unique. Don’t be the kind of person who chooses to sell mugs yet again. Make sure your products are useful, unique, and high-quality. This way, you get to eliminate competition and focus on your products.
Choose a selling plan. There are two plans you can choose from: the $39.99-per month Professional plan (if you’re planning to sell over 40 products) and the Individual plan (no monthly fee, but you pay $0.99 over every time sold.)
Start selling. Yes. It’s that simple. List your goods, let Amazon handle the shipping, and watch the money flow in.

Some things to note:

It’s not enough for a product to just be unique. Ensure that your product will actually sell by doing intensive product research beforehand.
Sell low. At first, you’ll need to sell your product at the lowest possible price. This is a great way to accumulate as many positive reviews as possible that’ll make an increase in your price later on justifiable.
Make sure your pricing strategy is competitive.
Always prepare for returned/damaged items.

Before you get started, read our full guide on how to become an FBA Amazon seller.

2. Deliver for Amazon Flex

If you don’t want to spend a lot of effort to make money on Amazon, then Amazon Flex is a great way to get paid by Amazon.

There are countless orders being processed by Amazon on a daily basis, and you can make money by capitalizing on that.

You can sign up as an Amazon Flex delivery partner where you’ll be able to deliver goods to consumers. The website states that you can make anything from $18 to $25 per hour.

Simply download the Amazon Flex app, set up your account, look for delivery blocks in your area, and select one. On the day of your block, go to the designated Amazon location, pick up your packages, and deliver them. You’ll get paid after two weeks via direct deposit.

You can also mark yourself available in the app to receive instant bookings, for which you can pick up orders from Prime Now, AmazonFresh, Whole Foods, or other Store locations.

This works a little bit like Uber. You set your own schedule, you decide when and where you can work and you’ll earn competitive pay. This flexible income stream is the perfect side hustle for you to make money with Amazon.

A few notes:

You can use whichever car you have if you’re delivering Prime Now orders.
Amazon.com orders require a four-door car or larger.
You’re not allowed to use motorcycles or scooters.
There will be a background check conducted.
There will be no reimbursement for mileage or parking.

3. Work for Amazon from Home

Many people think landing a job with Amazon is harder than it actually is.

If you’re looking for some extra cash or a part-time job, then you can apply for a work-from-home position and get paid by Amazon.

Customer service jobs are a great way to make money from home, and you can easily make $12 per hour or more from the comfort of your own home.

All you need is a high school diploma, some customer service experience, and computer and phone skills.

Check out all the open remote job positions Amazon has open.

4. Become an Affiliate Marketer for Amazon

If you have your own website with a blog and a large following on social media, then you can monetize it using Amazon.

One of the most effective ways to make money with Amazon is to tap into the potential of the Amazon Associates Program. All you have to do is add Amazon affiliate links to certain products that you advertise.

For example:

You can write a product review blog post on one of Amazon’s products, add the affiliate link, and earn a commission of up to 10% every time someone clicks the affiliate link and purchases the item.

You can get paid for any purchase the reader makes. The trick here is to actually choose high ticket items. This means that your commission can reach $100/day for only 3 to 4 items.

Top tips:

Focus on both expensive products and high commission categories.
Clicks earn you nothing. You only get commissions out of clicks that lead to actual purchases. This is why you need to use the right buyer keywords.
Research your niche, and choose a profitable one.
Always have a link-building strategy.

Starting an affiliate blog or turning your blog into one is a relatively simple process.

It’s a great way to make good money in the long term and can open up plenty of other opportunities.

5. Join the Amazon Influencers Program

If you don’t have a website or a blog, but you have a big following on your social media accounts, OR you’re already an Amazon Associate and you also have a huge social media audience, sign up for the Amazon Influencer Program.

Being an Amazon Influencer allows you to tap into your social media following, instead of or aside from your blog or website.

Submit your YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook account for review. Once you’re qualified, you can make a storefront on Amazon, use your custom URL to guide your followers to your recommended products, and get rewarded every time your followers purchase through your links.

6. Self-publish a book through Kindle Direct Publishing

If you want a source of passive income, then self-publishing a book is one of your best options. It requires a one-time (but massive) effort of writing the book or hiring someone to write it and you can earn passive income from the published book.

Kindle Direct Publishing is the most popular self-publishing company because it is completely free, your book can instantly be available to millions of readers worldwide, and you will be earning up to 70% royalty. Sounds like a triple-win situation to me!

Amazon also doesn’t “own” your book; you set your price, you have the rights to your book and you can also publish to print for free.

Tips:

Always try to prepare a follow-up book. The more books you write, the more profit you make.
Enroll your book in KDP Select and leverage verified reviews (that is, book reviews from people who actually bought your book from Amazon.
Set up a smart pricing strategy.

7. Complete tasks on Amazon Mechanical Turk

It’s quite easy to sign up to Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and start to make money on Amazon instantly.

MTurk is a crowdsourcing website where businesses and individuals can outsource simple and repetitive tasks to a virtual workforce so that time and resources are freed for activities that are move valuable to the business.

At the same time, MTurk provides opportunities to gigworkers to earn income online.

Once you’ve completed at least 100 jobs, you can start getting higher-paying gigs and tasks.

8. Apply to Amazon Handmade

If you are more of an artist and crafter than you are an author or a gigworker, perhaps Amazon Handmade has room for you.

Amazon Handmade is an invitation-only, artisan community where creative artists and crafters can sell their unique products to the world.

So it’s basically Etsy but on a much bigger scale.

You do have to apply to be an Artisan, and Amazon takes 15% from the sale of each item. But your selling fees are waived, and you get to put your products in front of millions of potential buyers.

Everything sold on Amazon Handmade must be handmade, hand-altered, or hand-assembled. No mass-produced items are allowed.

Here are some of the categories available to sell under in Amazon Handmade.

Accessories
Artwork
Baby
Beauty & Personal Care
Clothing
Shoes & Handbags
Home
Outdoor & Home Care
Jewelry & Watches
Kitchen & Dining
Pet Supplies
Sporting Goods
Stationery & Party Supplies
Toys & Games

9. Sell Merch on Amazon

Have a clever idea for a shirt, phone case, or PopSocket but can’t afford an industrial printer?

Merch by Amazon may be another good way for you to make money with Amazon!

Merch by Amazon is a print-on-demand service that allows you to sell your designs on a variety of products to reach millions of Amazon customers worldwide without an initial investment or cost to you.

You do have to apply for a Merch by Amazon account. When approved, you can upload your artwork, set a price, and publish it on Amazon, which then takes care of the printing, shipping, and payment of your royalties.

The products available may change, but currently, the products that are available to print on include t-shirts (standard, v-neck, long-sleeved, raglan baseball), hoodies (pullover, zip), sweatshirts, tank tops, PopSockets, phone cases (iPhone and Samsung), tote bags, and throw pillows.

10. Create apps and games for Amazon products

If you want to or already know how to create apps and games, you can make money by publishing your apps on the Amazon Appstore for download on Amazon devices such as Fire TV and Fire Tablets.

How does it work? Simply register a developer account, publish your apps, and start generating revenue.

You can earn through in-app purchases, charging a one-time fee to have access to full app functionality, or displaying ads in your apps.

Start Making Money With Amazon Today!

Amazon is the biggest online marketplace—Amazon made $386.1 billion in 2020—and it’s showing no signs of stopping.

The best thing about making money on Amazon is that you get to actually utilize their reach and users and capitalize on the many different opportunities.

If Amazon isn’t up your alley, there are many more ways you can make quick money.

Which one of these will you try first? Are there other ways to make money with Amazon that I missed? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

12 Best Cash Back Apps that Reward You for Shopping

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:April 2, 2021

Cash back apps are the digital version of rewards cards, which give you points or rebates on your purchases.

And it works as easy as 1-2-3.

1) Download an app, 2) scan a receipt, 3) get cash back.

But why would these apps essentially pay you for shopping?

In some cases, the apps are managed by marketing firms that want to know what target customers are purchasing, in what quantity, and through which retailers.

As a thank you for sharing your purchase history, companies will compensate you.

Today, you’ll learn more about how cash back apps work and know which ones are worth downloading.

How to Get Cash Back for Receipts

Finish shopping, then take out your phone and take a picture of the receipt.

It’s that easy.

This information is highly sought after by consumables manufacturers, large grocers and retailers, and other marketers.

In exchange for your shopping information, you can earn money or gift cards.

In some cases, you might also be asked to fill out an accompanying survey about your purchase; doing so will earn you additional cash. Other apps will request that you show that you purchased a given item in exchange for a small after-purchase discount on that item.

It’s up to you how much information you’re willing to share.

12 Best Cash Back for Receipts Apps to Install Today

Here are the 9 best cash back apps that you should check out.

Starting with the first, the best, and the most highly reviewed:

1. Ibotta

Special offer: Get a special $10 welcome bonus when you create your account!

This was one of the first rebate apps on the market and offers cash back on grocery, apparel, electronics, restaurant, pet, etc. purchases.

The rebate amounts are fairly high (as much as $1.50) and work across a number of stores. Many qualifying rebates are brand-independent (e.g., $0.50 off any orange juice), while others require that you purchase a given brand at a certain store.

Ibotta has been reviewed over a million times on the App Store and on Google Play.

On top of that, it holds an average rating of 4.6 stars. If there’s one program on this list you join, make it Ibotta.

2. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards partners with plenty of the brands you shop for when you do your grocery shopping.

Whether your receipts are on paper or eReceipts, you can earn Fetch Rewards. Keep the deadline in mind, though; you only have 14 days to submit those receipts.

With over half a million 5-star reviews, this is one cash back app you won’t regret downloading.

3. ReceiptHog

With this app, you submit receipt photos from stores that sell consumable goods like butter and toilet paper, as well as stores that sell non-consumables like clothing or tools.

With the former, you earn coin rewards that can be redeemed for money or e-gift cards. With the latter, you enter a slots game that can earn you up to 100 extra coins.

ReceiptHog holds an impressive 4.5 star average rating with nearly 200,000 reviews between iOS and Android.

Their stellar ratings make this one of the best cashback apps out there.

4. ReceiptPal

With this app, you earn points for your receipts, which can be exchanged for gift cards to Amazon, Walmart, etc.

There’s also a weekly $250 sweepstakes that you can enter.

Any receipt from any merchant can be submitted through this app.

It doesn’t have the same volume of reviews as ReceiptHog, but almost all of them are positive.

5. Shopmium

For everyone in the UK and France, there is Shopmium.

This app enables you to purchase consumables at a given price point (e.g., $1) or at a certain percentage off.

That can mean big savings for you if you purchase something that is normally $4.99, for example, and the app offers the item to you for only a dollar.

Shopmium also offers rebates on items that you might not normally see with other shopping apps, such as lip balm or cleaning products.

Perhaps best of all, you don’t need to wait to redeem your cash. Shopmium connects directly with your PayPal account, and redemptions are sent to your linked account as soon as you scan your receipt.

6. Checkout 51

This app functions much like Ibotta and offers you cash back on receipts that you take pictures of and submit.

Checkout 51 is one of the few cash back apps that offer cash back on gas, so if you drive, this may be a good option for you.

Specific rebate items vary week to week but typically consist of grocery items, which can be purchased at any store.

You need to have $20 in your account before you’re allowed to cash out.

7. Paribus

Paribus is a cash back app that takes advantage of the fact that many online stores have price adjustment policies.

First, grant access to Paribus to scan your email for online purchases.

The website monitors all the purchases you’ve had and then notifies you when there’s a price drop.

This is when it gets exciting:

When there’s a price drop, Paribus will automatically refund you the difference.

It seems a bit unsettling for an app to have access to your email address, so read up on their Privacy Statement and decide whether you’re willing to give them access to your information.

8. Coupons.com

Connect your store loyalty cards or scan a receipt on your Coupons.com smartphone app and get automatic cash back.

You can also print out coupons on their website, but they recommend using their digital coupons.

There’s no minimum balance to get your cash back on Coupons.com, the money will go straight to your PayPal.

9. GetUpside

GetUpside carries cash back offers from grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations (though there are few gas stations that partner with this app.

Similar to the other apps on this list, you download the app, select your offer, make the purchase, check in or scan the receipt for the purchase, and earn your cash back in the app.

You can cash out your earnings through PayPal, e-gift card, or mailed check.

10. CoinOut

If you’re a fan of the show Shark Tank, you probably known about this app.

Once you’re registered on the app, you can start scanning paper receipts right away. No need to check for offers.

However, to get cash back from online stores, you need to start your online purchase from the CashOut app.

They give out bonus rewards just because, and you can boost your earnings by referring other users to download this app.

Most of all, they don’t collect your financial information, so that might make you more comfortable sharing your receipts with them.

11. Shopkick

Shopkick gives you points or “kicks” when you scan in your receipt in the app. But it also rewards you for simply walking into select stores, as well as scanning barcodes of certain products, even without purchasing anything.

They also reward you for watching videos of their partner brands in the app and making online purchases from the app.

12. Makeena

If you regularly shop for eco-friendly, healthy products, Makeena will reward you for it.

Simply scan in your receipts or scan product barcodes right in the app and earn cash and rewards. You may even be sent freebies and samples just for buying healthy choices.

How to Get the Most Cashback for Your Receipts

When it comes to apps that pay you for your receipts, keep in mind that you can double-dip and upload a photo of the same receipt to several different apps.

This is especially true if you submit your receipt photo for a generic item like milk or bread.

Also, because these apps require timely receipts, you may have only one to two weeks to upload your pictures.

So don’t delay when submitting your receipts.

The Bottom Line

Getting cashback for your receipts isn’t challenging at all. Simply shop, snap, and save.

Just remember that you are giving up some personal information and giving retailers direct access to your shopping habits. If that’s not a problem, go crazy! All of the above cash back apps have stellar reviews on top of years of operation.

While you’re out and about, did you know you can get paid to become a personal grocery shopper? If you’re spending so much time at the store anyway, consider getting paid for doing and delivering an extra set of groceries.

Combined with these cash back apps, you might be able to earn some decent side cash.

Do you already use cash back apps? Which one is your favorite? Did miss any cash back apps worth mentioning? Share your knowledge with us in the comments below!

How to Make Money in Retirement: 23 Easy Ways

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:April 2, 2021

If you are a retiree or nearing that age, you may be wondering how to make money in retirement.

When I was younger, I thought retirement meant working on my garden, falling asleep on the couch while watching Friends reruns, and basically doing nothing.

But the reality is that not all retirees have the luxury or the mindset to do nothing.

You may be realizing that you don’t quite have enough money to live the lifestyle you want or cover the cost of vacations you want to go on or medications you need.

Or maybe you’re restless and don’t want your brain or muscles or both to waste away, just when you have all the time in the world to do whatever you want.

Whatever your reasons, you might be wondering if you can still make money even after you’re retired.

Today, I’ll list down 23 ways to make money in retirement to inspire you and help you find one that works for you!

23 Ways to Make Money in Retirement

Make Money From Your Retirement Hobbies

Making money from your hobbies is a great way to feel you’re retired but continue to generate income. Below are some hobbies that can be lucrative.

1. Gardening

If you have a green thumb, then consider gardening not just for the joy of it, but actually to make money.

Houseplants and succulents have become quite popular lately. Grow a few of them right in your house and sell them locally.

Or you can grow fruits and vegetables and sell them at your local farmers’ market. You’ll get even more sales if your produce is all-organic and all-natural.

Another way to earn from gardening is to maintain someone else’s garden. Your neighbors may go on holiday, for example, and may need someone to water and tend to their plants while they’re gone.

2. Baking or cooking

Retirement allows you time to make your favorite dishes and desserts, but you may have no one to share them with.

Instead of eating leftovers for a week, why not sell your baked goods from home or cook and deliver meals locally?

3. Crafting

If you know how to make things, there is a market for your creations.

Maybe you know how to knit, crochet, or sew. Or maybe you know how to work with leather. Or maybe woodworking is what you like doing.

Whatever it is, people will pay for handcrafted items, especially locally produced ones.

You can sell your products online through Amazon Handmade or Etsy.

You can also sell them at a local market stall or even on the street (make sure to check your local regulations on that, though).

Local fairs are also great places to showcase your creations.

4. Reading books

When you’re working full-time, how many times have you sworn to yourself that when you retire, you’ll read all the books you can read?

Who knew that you can make money in retirement by simply reading books?

You can become a book reviewer, write summaries of books, or read books aloud as a narrator.

5. Homebrewing beer

Homebrewing beer has been growing in popularity not only as a hobby but as a source of side cash.

Aside from the obvious, which is selling your homebrewed concoction, you can earn some money from teaching others how to make their own homebrew, writing about it in a blog, or consulting with bars and restaurants.

Share Your Wisdom

One of your greatest assets as a retiree is your accumulated knowledge and expertise. Here are some ways to make money in retirement by sharing your wisdom.

6. Become a consultant

What no one tells you when you start your own business is that having someone to bounce ideas off and to learn from is invaluable.

We don’t all have a father or other family member that has experience in business, so finding someone who does can make the world of difference.

This is where you come in. Even if you never owned a business, having decades of experience in a particular industry can be super helpful to other people.

Provide consultancy services to companies in your industry and get paid for your knowledge.

7. Become a teacher

Perhaps you’re a retired teacher, or you have a skill that others would love to learn. Consider then teaching other people what you know.

For example, you can teach people about accountancy, pottery, marketing, golf, fine wine, a language, piano, and so many more skills.

What you teach or tutor in is down to what you know, but you would be surprised how many people are willing to pay to learn from you.

8. Write a book

Okay, so that’s a bit vague, but you are a wealth of information, and others can benefit from that.

You could write about yourself and your own varied history and make it into a memoir or autobiography. Or if that’s too personal, fictionalize it and make it into a novel.

You could use your experience in your chosen profession and write about that.

If you have knowledge of your area’s local history, you could make money by writing a history guide and selling it online or at local tourist points.

We all have a story to tell, so why not tell yours and have the world benefit from it?

9. Become a local tour guide

On the back of local history, if you do know your stuff and your area gets tourists, why not offer your services as a local tour guide?

The startup costs are minimal, and often you don’t need any special licenses (though do check your local guidelines on this).

You could charge a fee, ask for a donation at the end of the tour, or even work with the owners of a local attraction.

Be a Part-timer or Freelancer

Just because you’re retired now doesn’t mean you have to stop working if you’re still capable and you still want to. Here are some part-time and freelance positions you can apply for so you can continue earning even while retired.

10. Work as a temp

While not the most glamorous of jobs, temp work is definitely a viable option for a retiree. The work is often in fits and starts, requiring someone with plenty of free time, which suits most retirees.

Every major city has at least one temp agency you can sign up. Many of the jobs are clerical, but you might chance upon a company looking to fill a professional or managerial role temporarily.

11. Apply to your favorite local business

Your local grocery store, bookstore, flower shop, or any other business may like having you as a customer, but maybe they’d like you as an employee just as well.

Again, they probably don’t have top-level positions, but if stocking shelves, arranging books, or taking care of flowers sound like better options than sitting around at home all day, definitely consider it.

12. Pet sit or babysit for neighbors

You may be living in an area with plenty of busy families who are money rich but time poor.

These people will need help with taking care of their kids and pets, and you with your experience can help (for a fee).

13. House sit for neighbors

Along the same vein, you may be living in an area where families go on holidays for days or even weeks at a time and will need help with house sitting when they’re gone.

The tasks vary depending on the homeowner’s needs. Generally, you’ll be asked to do some basic housekeeping and light cleaning, but you may be asked (for an additional fee, ideally) to take care of their plants and pets or forward phone messages.

House sitting jobs normally require that you stay in the house the entire time. But if you live near enough, you may be able to persuade your client to give you a few hours a day to go back to your house and do your own brief errands—water your own plants, feed your own pets, etc.—and then return to the house you’re staying in.

14. Become a grandma or grandpa “for rent”

If you’re looking for work and want someone to help you find it, then Rent a Grandma or Rent a Grandpa is a great option.

These sites simply help you connect with people who may need your services. You are vetted so potential customers know you are safe and can do what is asked of you, and you get to negotiate your pay with customers.

15. Apply for online jobs

The internet has opened up plenty of part-time and freelance jobs you can do online for a wide variety of people: students, stay-at-home parents, and even retirees.

It just depends on the type of job you’re comfortable doing, as well as your interests and how many hours a day you can spare. Here are some ideas for online jobs for retirees.

Sell Stuff

If you’ve always wanted to start a small retail business but never had the time, here’s your chance! Here are some ideas for selling stuff to get you inspired.

16. Become an entrepreneur

If working at a J.O.B. makes you feel ill, then there’s always the option of becoming your own boss. Nowadays with the rise of the internet, making money as an entrepreneur is even easier.

There are plenty of ways to learn how to make money online and you can easily create a passive income that fits in with your gardening, golfing, and social activities.

17. Sell your own stuff

After a lifetime of earning and spending, most retirees end up with a lifetime’s worth of stuff lying around.

Some of them have sentimental value, but more often than not, they’re items that don’t serve any real purpose anymore. A quick and easy way to make some more cash is to sell these off.

Go around the house one room at a time and sort out the stuff. Boxes with “Keep,” “Gift,” “Donate,” and “Sell” will help you be organized.

Here are some ideas on what stuff to sell and where to sell them.

A yard sale can work, or a local flea market. If you’re comfortable with computers then places like eBay make for an easy way to offload your stuff.

I do recommend getting some of the items for sale checked out first, especially things like old china sets, vintage furniture, paintings, old clocks, and other antiques. They may be worth much more than you think.

18. Resell

If you’ve already sold off all your old stuff that you’re willing to part with, you may want to start bargain hunting for items to sell at a profit.

Flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, and storage locker sales are your best bet for finding collectibles, designer bags and clothes, vinyl records, board games, and retro consoles and video games.

Before buying items, though, it’s wise to check the price you can sell them for against how much it would be to purchase them.

You can then offer them up on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or through selling apps.

Rent Out Stuff

If selling doesn’t sound too appealing to you, why not rent out some of your stuff and even your properties? You can earn cash for things and spaces you rarely use anyway, and you get to help others save money. Here are a few ideas.

19. Rent out your things

You may have a lawnmower, carpentry equipment, or tools that you can rent out to your neighbors. Or maybe you have golf clubs or camping gear.

If you want to go beyond your neighbors, there are a few websites and apps that specialize in product rentals. These apps allow you to list just about anything and connect you with people who are interested in renting your stuff.

Try one of the following websites:

20. Rent out your parking space

Sometimes, people need an extra garage to park their cars less expensively than city or condo rates. If you have a spare driveway or garage space, you can rent out locally or through apps like Spacer or Curbflip.

21. Rent out your storage space

You can also rent out your garage or a room in the house for storage through apps like Neighbor or StoreAtMyHouse.

22. Rent out your car

Don’t let your car rust away in your garage. If you want to get some use out of an unused car, try renting it out.

Read our guide on how to rent your car.

23. Get a roommate or a tenant

If you have a spare living space or basement, have a separate entrance, and wouldn’t mind living with someone else, try to find a roommate on Roommates.com or RoomieMatch.com.

Start Making Money In Retirement!

Just as retirement doesn’t mean your life is over, it doesn’t mean the end of money-making opportunities!

As you’ve read, there are plenty of ways to make some pocket money, and perhaps even have some fun and make new friends!

Do you have other suggestions on how to make money in retirement? Let us know in the comments below so we can add them to this list!

10 Ways to Obtain Free Government Money

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:March 26, 2021

Ever wondered if you can get free government money?

Well, you can’t.

The government doesn’t technically give away free money.

What it does provide are free government grants and federal benefit programs to help those citizens who need it the most.

Applying for these grants and assistance programs involves meeting certain criteria and submitting specific requirements.

Such government assistance is funded every tax season, so if you’ve been paying taxes your whole life, consider this “free government money” as the benefits of religiously doing your responsibility every tax season.

10 Kinds of Free Government Money Available

All types of free government money programs will check your credit and finances (the government serves the most in-need first).

1. Money for Childcare

Childcare is expensive, from paying for daycare so you can earn a living to buying supplies like milk and baby food, the expenses will continue until a child becomes a teen.

Fortunately, you can get government assistance for childcare typically for children 13 years old or under.

The Child Care and Development Fund, which operates under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides assistance for daycare funding, pediatrics, and nutrition.

Know that this program is income-based and will be offered by your state CCDF.

2. Free Government Money for Groceries and Free Food

If feeding your family becomes a struggle, you can check out three government assistance programs developed to help those with financial hardship well-fed (at least until they could support themselves).

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aka “food stamps”) – This is income-based, so you’ll need to apply and send proof that your household cannot afford enough food for everyone. If you’re eligible, you’ll receive SNAP benefits from a monthly Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which works exactly like a debit card and used to buy groceries. You can go to your local grocery store and hunt for “SNAP eligible” tags to see which items are covered by your card.
WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) – As its name suggest, this free government money is exclusive to low-income women who are either pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking care of her child 5 years old or younger. It covers fund for food and health care.
School Lunch for Kids 18 and below – School-aged kids can get free (or discounted) lunches every school day. The National School Lunch Program (under the US Dept. of Agriculture) has fed over 4.8 billion nutritional lunches to children nationwide in 2018. To qualify, the child should be part of a household under other Federal Assistance Programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on their status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child.

3. Home Repair and Winterizing Assistance

If you live in an urban area and are 62 years old (or up), you could be eligible for a government grant amounting to up to $7,500 to repair your home, or remove hazards such as weak structures, mold, or lead paint.

The Rural Housing Repair Loans and Grants program offers loans (20-year-terms at 1% interest) and grants (free government money you don’t need to repay) exclusively to homeowners in rural areas.

Those who are interested in winterizing their homes in hopes of reducing electricity consumption could seek government assistance through the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center (WAPTAC) program.

While this program prioritizes households with children or a family member with disability, you still have a chance since about 30 million homes are reportedly eligible for winterizing grants.

4. Utility Bills Government Grants

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program has been helping people who are struggling to pay for heating and cooling costs for years.

This grant, which is under the U.S. Department of Health, is issued via states, which is why eligibility and income levels may vary between states.

5. Free Phone Service

If you need a phone plan, but your income does not let you have one, apply to the Lifeline program.

This assistance program helps qualifying, low-income individuals stay connected to family, emergency services and jobs right at the comfort of their fingertips.

You do have to meet eligibility requirements (mostly income-based).

6. Free Government Money for Housing

If you’re a low-income family and you want to buy a home in the private market, you might be eligible for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) homeownership program. To apply, you need to contact your local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), which administers this program with federal funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

On the other hand, if you are struggling with mortgage payment and at risk of foreclosure, you can seek the help of Homeownership Preservation Foundation’s HOPE program.

Call 888-995-HOPE or visit 995hope.org and you’ll be greeted by someone willing to help you not only settle your backlog, but work with you to come up with a plan to suit your current income level, or modify your mortgage for those who got victimized by a mortgage scam.

7. Free College Education

A college grant is probably one of the most significant free government money you can receive.

Some students are lucky to land a scholarship, but most people who finish university end up with a massive student loan that they’ll pay for the majority of their adult lives.

Fortunately, college grants give students a chance at paying for college without getting drowned in debt.

The federal Pell Grant, for example, can provide up to $6,000 per year per student, but the amount would depend on factors such as financial need, enrollment status, and total tuition fees.

In most cases, the student has to shoulder at least some of the fees.

8. Free Government Money for Healthcare

Everyone should have access to medical care.

If you don’t currently have health insurance, you can sign up for a plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. While not exactly free money, if your income is below a certain threshold, you’re eligible for a premium tax credit, essentially making your medical insurance free.

You can also find out if you’re eligible for Medicaid. Different states have different eligibility criteria, so look up the eligibility rules carefully.

Uninsured children and pregnant women in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private coverage may be eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Similar to Medicaid, the exact eligibility criteria vary per state.

The website InsureKidsNow.gov is another great resource to read up on health insurance for families and kids.

9. Government Assistance for Unemployment

If you’ve recently been laid off and are struggling to settle financial responsibilities or buy basic necessities like food, you can apply for unemployment assistance with the Department of Labor.

The help could be enough to get you through this rough patch until you find replacement employment.

Not everyone is eligible though, so make sure to check first.

10. Free Government Money for Veterans and Senior Citizens

Veterans can obtain free government money from various departments.

For example, if you’re sick and need medical assistance, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can find you a suitable grant for this particular requirement.

This is also the case for senior citizens.

In fact, the National Council on Aging has made it easier for our older citizens to find over 2,500 federal and state benefits (as well as some from private companies) with the BenefitsCheckUp tool.

With this site, senior citizens can find benefits from food to hospital stays to prescription meds, and so on.

Collecting Unclaimed Money

If you aren’t qualified to get free government money from the options above, maybe you’re forgetting some unclaimed money years or decades ago.

People or companies can owe you money from past deposits, refunds, and other similar payments that they were unable to send your way due to various reasons. Maybe you moved to another state or changed contact numbers.

The good news for you is that you can still claim these funds even years later by going to unclaimed.org.

You can also check if you have unclaimed back wages or unclaimed life insurance funds (for veterans).

Here are 5 other types of unclaimed money:

Pension – If you were once employed by a company that went bankrupt, or moved to another company without claiming money from a pension plan, you’d be surprised that you can still receive this money. Go to Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and search for your name if you’re included in the “Unclaimed Pensions” page.
Bank or Credit Union Failures – Everyone knows that banks insure depositors for up to $250,000 per account, right? If you were a depositor of a failed bank, you can still claim your money back by visiting the FDIC website. It is the same process with failed credit unions and the money you invested at the time they were active. Visit National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) for possible unclaimed deposits.
Tax Return – You can receive state or federal tax refunds that you weren’t able to receive in the past. Just check with the IRS or your state revenue department to see if you have unclaimed tax refunds left to collect.
United States Savings Bonds – You can recover any savings bond you have that has been damaged or stolen, as long as you still have the bond serial number. The U.S. Treasury will help you even if you don’t have the serial number anymore, but remember date of purchase.
Refunds for Past FHA Mortgage – If you got FHA-insured mortgage in the past, you can check the U.S. Housing and Urban Development database to see if you are owed a refund.

These aren’t technically ways of finding “free” money, since they are actually owed to you.

However, it can help you collect on funds you didn’t even know you were missing.

A Note About Free Government Money Scams

Make a quick Google search about “free government money” and you’ll discover several grant scams luring you in.

While they’re very easy to spot, some people might still prefer to play with their luck and hand over their hard-earned money in exchange for longer, more stable government assistance.

Unfortunately, once scammers have gotten your money, they would most likely leave you hanging with about $20, $50, or $100 less from your savings.

And if the scammers don’t collect fees, it may just be that they’re trying to steal your information (which can lead to something as serious as hacking your online accounts, to worst-case-scenarios like identity theft).

So, Who Wants Free Money?

Every year, the federal government gives away millions of dollars in grants and monetary assistance.

It’s more practical to think of these grants as free government money that you need to use for the grants’ intended purposes and you never need to pay back.

Combine as many of the government grants you’re eligible for so you can relax a little if you’re struggling to make ends meet.

If it’s your birthday, make sure to check this big list of birthday freebies (or this list if you hate giving away personal info).

Got kids in your household? You can also get a ton of free baby samples, free books for kids, and other samples that you can receive by mail.

Have you ever applied for a grant or been eligible for benefits? Help other readers by telling your stories in the comments.

How To Become A Babysitter in 2023

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:March 18, 2021

For many teenage girls, learning how to become a babysitter is the initial step to getting their own pocket money and more responsibility outside of the home.

Babysitting is a great first job to have for teenagers, and they usually start out at 11 to 15 years old.

Learn how to become a babysitter through this comprehensive guide: know if babysitting is for you, what to expect, what you need to learn to be a good babysitter, how to find babysitting jobs, and how to stand out as a babysitter.

Things to Consider Before Becoming a Babysitter

Before you become a babysitter, you’ll need to decide whether it’s the right job for you. Here are some things you need to think about.

Do you like kids?

Yes, babysitting pays well, but if you don’t even like kids, there’s no point.

It doesn’t just involve sitting on the couch and watching TV all evening.

The children that you’re tasked to care for aren’t inanimate objects. You’d have to actually interact and engage with them.

If just the thought of playing and talking to children for hours doesn’t interest you or even scares you, maybe babysitting isn’t for you.

Do you have time in your day to babysit?

Consider your after-school activities, your homework, family activities, social life, and hobbies. Will there be enough time in a weekday for you to babysit?

What about your weekends?

You see, parents prefer to hire babysitters who are available on short notice or can stay later than usual. The more flexible your schedule, the more you’ll get hired and the more extra pay you can get.

What you can do is find out through other babysitters or by trial and error which days are in demand and schedule your other activities around it so that you’re free to take babysitting jobs during high-demand days.

Are you mature enough?

Babysitting seems like a gig where you get paid to hang out with kids, but there’s more to it than that.

Parents are putting you in charge of their children, which means you’ll be responsible for their safety and well-being, as well as making sure that their house rules are still being followed.

Moreover, you’ll be in charge of their house, and parents need to be able to trust that you aren’t going to snoop around their stuff or gossip about personal stuff to other people.

Plus, you need to be reliable; you need to be a babysitter who shows up, and shows up right on time.

If you don’t think you’re ready, that’s okay. But maybe you’re not ready to become a babysitter; at least not yet.

Tools of the Trade: Learn How to Babysit

If you think you’re ready to be a babysitter, the next step is learning what parents expected to do when you’re with their children.

Babysitters have three main duties:

1. Keep Kids Safe

Accidents and injuries can happen at any time.

Sometimes, the difference between an accident and a tragedy is having someone present who knows how to handle emergencies.

It’s not enough to know to call 911. Learning how to give first aid and CPR, as well as what to do if there’s a fire or even a home invasion, are going to help you in a big way.

Save the parents’ emergency numbers in your cellphone so you can easily call them. Write them down and keep those numbers near the house phone or landline.

2. Keep Kids Taken Care Of

You should already know how to keep kids clean and fed, taking note of their food allergies, preferences, and instructions on what they’re not supposed to have, such as potato chips or soda.

But aside from basic care, you should also know how to handle behavioral issues.

For example, if parents of a small toddler leave during your shift, what will you do if the toddler cries non-stop and looks for the parents?

How will you handle younger kids not listening to you?

When you babysit for a family, it’s most likely that you end up as the oldest kid in the house.

Always talk and act as a good example because younger kids could copy what you’re doing.

3. Keep Kids Entertained

If you’re babysitting multiple kids, the easiest way to handle them is to keep them busy.

The best babysitters bring a “sitter bag” that contains games, art supplies, puzzles, and other surprises that younger kids would love.

Stimulate their young minds with age-specific knowledge presented through play.

If you don’t have any idea how to do this, check out Blippi on YouTube. That guy knows how to present concepts in an interesting and engaging way for kids.

How to Get Started Babysitting

I don’t want to scare you from babysitting, but there are things you can do to be better prepared to become a babysitter.

Take a Babysitting Class

Organizations such as the American Red Cross offers babysitting training and classes so you can be prepared to babysit if it’s your first time.

As you continue to babysit, you can take more advanced courses and even get a Babysitting & Advanced Child Care Certification.

You can also go to Safe Sitter to find a class near you or take a virtual class.

It’s not strictly necessary, but parents are likely to hire babysitters who have taken at least a basic babysitting class.

Take Safety Courses

When it comes to child safety, knowing how to do first aid and CPR on children are certainly important. If you’re babysitting for a family that has a pool, water safety is another thing to learn.

The American Red Cross offers classes on first aid and CPR, as well as water safety.

Work on Your Communication Skills

Parents usually choose a babysitter who can communicate properly. If you are open to talk about anything from their kid’s behavioral problems to incidents that happen during your shift, this openness would help build your relationship with families you work for.

Kids also value communication skills. They’re highly sensitive and can tell whether you genuinely care about them.

You need to be able to talk to children about their ideas, answer their questions, and take their fears seriously without scaring them further.

Develop a Good Work Ethic

This will probably be your first job, so you have a lot of time to develop your work ethic. But working on it early on wouldn’t hurt.

Be on time for all your shifts. Listen and follow rules from your employers. And generally do things in such a way that would make you feel proud.

Get Some Experience

Do your parents trust you to stay home alone, and have they ever left you alone for any amount of time or even overnight?

If not, that’s the first step! After all, you need to be able to take care of yourself before you take care of other children.

If you have younger siblings, you can ask your parents to trust you to take care of them, if you aren’t already doing it.

Not only do you get experience, but you can also show them that you’re serious about becoming a babysitter.

Or, if you don’t have younger siblings, maybe you can ask aunts, uncles, or other relatives who have children in the house to babysit them for a few hours to get more experience.

You may even want to offer to babysit for a few hours for free as a trial run. You get more experience while convincing them that you’re worth hiring.

Build Your Confidence

Babysitting isn’t always fun; sometimes you’ll need to have children pick up their toys, eat their vegetables, and brush their teeth before bedtime.

Becoming a babysitter means having to enforce the rules, so you’ll need to be confident enough to be firm yet gentle with them.

Part of being confident is being humble. You’ll probably never get things perfectly the first time, so you need to be open to constructive feedback from both the parents and the children you’re babysitting.

While you’re at it, you also need to know the difference between helpful criticism and verbal abuse. If you’re not sure, ask your parents.

And remember, you’re not anyone’s slave; you don’t need to go back to a house where you are uncomfortable.

Decide How You’ll Offer Your Babysitting Services

Knowing what you know at this point, you should have an idea which families you should target, how many hours you can spare to babysit, and how far away from your home you can offer your services.

Before you take on a babysitting job, make sure their children are just the right age for you to handle.

Parents are more likely to leave babies and younger toddlers to older, more experienced babysitters.

If you’re younger, you’re likely to find yourself watching older kids who are more independent and less likely to get into trouble.

Also, as I’ve mentioned above, you need to be able to offer your services reliably, and you should be able to set aside a few hours a week.

Think about how long you can spare to babysit, as well as how late your parents are going to allow you to stay out.

You would also need to map out how far from your home you’re willing to babysit, and a huge factor is what transportation you have available.

Will your parents be able to bring you to the house where you babysit every time you have work?

If you don’t have transportation available, will you be open to walking? How about being driven to/from by your employers? Will your real parents be fine with this setup?

If your parents are working and your new job cannot provide you with transportation, maybe you should consider online jobs for teens instead.

How to Find Babysitting Jobs

If you’re a big sister to younger siblings and you love being so, you might consider babysitting as one of the easy ways to make money.

Now that you know the tools of the trade and what to expect on the job, here’s the most challenging part of all: finding babysitting jobs for you. So where do we start the job hunt?

Recommendations – Ask your friends and family about possible babysitting jobs they know. If you’re up for it, make flyers and ask your parents to spread the word. Look around your area: your neighbors may be in need of help.
Check in your school – Go around the school and ask your classmates if their parents are in need of a babysitter. How about your teachers? If your school has a job board, check if there are babysitting listings available.
Community center – Does your town have a community center? Look for “babysitter needed” posters and see if anyone is on the lookout for a babysitter.

When you’re marketing your babysitting services, create a Facebook page or website.

You’d be surprised how many people on Facebook are trying to look for babysitters in your area.

Online Babysitting Jobs

Two popular sites for sitters to sign up with are SitterCity and Care.com.

1. SitterCity

The original sitter site was started in 2001.

Sittercity is available in all 50 US states and features over 6 million babysitters. At Sittercity, you can not only hire a babysitter but also a nanny, au pair, or regular childcare.

To get started with Sittercity, complete your profile and include pertinent information about your past experience, preferences (e.g., non-smoking or smoking house), average hourly rate, and availability. You will also be given the option of having Sittercity perform a background check on you (for a small fee).

It is highly recommended that you agree to the background check because that will increase the number of work requests you receive.

You can also peruse job postings placed by parents and solicit your services via the Sittercity site.

2. Care.com

Care.com is a global care site that spans 18 countries and has been around since 2007.

This site has millions of members and offers a range of care services, from childcare to assisted living services.

You can fill out a form with Care.com, which includes creating a detailed profile containing your photo, preferences, experience, skills, hobbies, etc.

Just like with Sittercity, you can use Care.com to look for sitter jobs and have families contact you directly about your services.

Parents and relatives can also leave detailed reviews about your services, rates, skills, etc. If you rack up enough good reviews, your odds of securing steady work will increase.

3. Babysits

If you’re at least 16 years old and live in a major city, Babysits is a good option to find babysitting jobs.

It’s completely free to sign up and you get to apply for babysitting jobs near you. Plus, it has plenty of resources if you’re looking for babysitting tips, kid-friendly activities, crafts, and even kid recipes.

Monster.com, Craigslist, etc. can also be taken advantage of for listing your babysitting services.

These sites are free to use and are widely viewed.

How to Stand Out as a Babysitter

When there are hundreds or even thousands of sitters to compete against in your neck of the woods, how do get more babysitting jobs?

The answer lies in add-on services and extra/special skills.

Parents are most likely to hire you if you do or know the following:

You can drive.

If you have a car and can use it to drive kids to their soccer matches and piano recitals, you’ll become a valuable asset to parents everywhere.

With SitterCity, you can have your driver’s license verified for an extra fee to ensure that you are legally certified to drive.

You have early childhood education.

Kids are rarely logical, polite, and obedient.

However, you can induce them to become that way, at least for an evening, if you know a little bit about childhood psychology.

Community and online colleges offer different classes in childhood development and psychology, and completing them will definitely make you stand out amongst anxious parents.

You are punctual.

Believe it or not, the single biggest complaint that parents have about babysitters is that they are late.

So, as an up-and-coming babysitter, do your part to arrive on time at your destinations.

You are creative.

Do you know how to fill an evening with card tricks, painting projects, or an expedition to the local park? Can you pick up and play the latest PC games or discuss cartoon characters?

The more you ‘get’ your clients’ kids, the more likely those clients will be to call you for repeat babysitting.

And it never hurts to be known as their “favorite babysitter” either.

How much money do babysitters make?

Nowadays, the going rate for babysitting services is $15 per hour. The days when you would see someone paying $20 for an entire night of babysitting are long gone.

For urban centers and megacities like New York or San Francisco, it’s common to earn around $20 per hour.

Even novice babysitters that have extra skills and training can command rates in the high teens.

The Babysitting Bottom Line

Interacting with children as a side hustle may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like it, the money is certainly waiting for you.

And if you land a babysitting position, do a good job. Take care of your reputation.

And consider your services as a full-blown business.

Even if you’ve outgrown your teen years, you can still continue the babysitting business if you want to.

Interested in becoming a babysitter? Tell us in the comments when you land your first babysitting job!

How to Become a Tax Preparer and Make Money From Home

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:March 16, 2021

Are you a tax whiz? Do you genuinely enjoy helping your friends and family members do their yearly income taxes? If yes, then perhaps you should consider becoming a tax preparer and earning money by preparing tax returns for others.

Tax preparers generally prepare, file, and assist taxpayers with general tax forms. At the same time, they need to ensure that their clients’ obligations to the IRS are fulfilled and that they never assist in making any fraudulent tax returns.

Today, let’s look at the steps to become a legitimate, qualified tax preparer and make money working from home.

How to Become a Tax Preparer

Before you go off and start charging people for looking over their W-2’s and 1099’s, go over these basic steps first.

1. Learn all about tax preparation.

The good news is that you don’t need to have a bachelor’s degree to become a tax preparer. A high school degree or a GED is enough to get you on your way.

However, you do need to have above-average math skills to be able to self-train in tax preparation.

You can take tax preparation courses in your local universities or community colleges.

Or, if you’d rather learn about taxes in the comfort of your own home, the IRS offers Link and Learn Taxes, a Web-based learning program for individuals who want to know more about accurately filing their taxes or helping others do so.

There are also plenty of online courses on tax preparation, but they’re likely to cost you some money.

If you prefer to learn through reading, there are two books available on Amazon that are highly rated and recommended.

Both are free if you have Kindle Unlimited; otherwise, you can buy digital copies.

Start Your Own Recession Proof Business – It appears to be more concise and to the point with 65 pages of actionable content.
Taxes Made Happy – It’s 235 pages long, but reviews, while positive, seem to note there is a little more fluff than needed. I haven’t read either, but both look like they could be good places to start.

Grab one or both of those books to help you get started.

The best way to find out if you really like dealing with other people’s taxes is by working for a tax preparation agency such as H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt.

Such tax preparation agencies train their agents for several weeks before letting them deal with clients. In the process, you actually get paid to learn about tax law. Afterward, when you’re done with your training, you get actual hands-on experience with clients and real tax returns.

2. Get a PTIN and an EFIN.

The IRS states that all tax return preparers who are compensated for preparing a U.S. tax return that is then submitted to the IRS must obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN).

Failure to obtain a PTIN could lead to “the imposition of Internal Revenue Code section 6695 penalties, injunction, and/or disciplinary action by the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility.”

In other words, don’t mess with the IRS.

Besides, it takes all of 15 minutes.

Aside from a PTIN, it’s highly recommended to apply for an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN).

In recent years, it’s become almost expected from tax preparers to be authorized e-file providers. In fact, nearly 90% of individual federal returns are now e-filed.

Thus, to be an authorized e-file provider, you’ll need to apply for an EFIN.

The application is a little more tedious than applying for a PTIN and requires more information and documents from you. You’d also be subject to a credit check, a tax compliance check, a criminal background check, and a check for previous non-compliance with IRS e-file requirements.

3. Consider becoming an enrolled agent.

An enrolled agent (EA) is someone who is qualified to represent taxpayers before the IRS.

EAs are unrestricted as to which taxpayers they can represent, what type of tax matters they can handle, and which IRS offices they can appear to represent their clients. As such, this is the highest credential the IRS can award.

Being an EA shows a good impression to both existing and potential clients and helps you elevate your and your business’s credibility.

To be an EA, you need to have your PTIN, pass the Special Enrollment Examination (SEE), apply for enrolment, and pass suitability and criminal background checks.

4. Comply with your state’s licensing requirements.

If you’re a registered tax preparer, that is, you have a PTIN but you’re not a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), EA, or an attorney, you might be required to get a state-issued license or registration, depending on the state you live in.

Also, certain states post their own unique requirements for tax preparers, regardless of whether those preparers are dealing only with federal or both federal and state taxes.

Not registering with your state can result in fines.

For example, California’s Tax Education Council requires that its tax return preparers take a 60-hour Qualifying Education course and a 20-hour continuing tax professional education every year.

New York requires that paid tax return preparers register with the state and pay a $100 fee if they are preparing over 10 commercial tax returns in a single calendar year.

Start your research by searching your state’s name and “requirements for tax preparers” to find checklists of what you need to accomplish before getting started.

5. Select your tax software.

As a tax preparer, you’ll likely be depending a lot on your tax software for your workflow and for keeping your clients’ confidential and sensitive information secure.

Here are some considerations when choosing professional tax software to work with.

Is it from the correct tax year?
Can you install the software on your desktop, or is it only available online? Or does it come with both versions?
Is it easy to use?
Can it handle state tax returns?
Does it support e-filing?
Does it include understandable explanations of tax laws?
Can you organize tax deductions easily?
Does it have a guarantee?
Can your provider also help you grow your revenue as you gain experience?
Are customer support and tax filing assistance included?
Does it offer the correct tax forms you need to support your clients?
Does it integrate with other software you need to use?
Is it cloud-based?

To start you off, here are some of the best and most highly recommended professional tax software you can get:

6. Assure your clients with a bond.

A tax preparer bond is a surety bond that guarantees that you will fulfill your obligations to your client; that is, prepare their tax returns correctly. It is meant to protect your clients in case the tax preparer commits fraud, negligence, or any other legal or ethical violation.

This is not the same as buying yourself insurance. A surety bond contracts you with your bond owner and assures your clients that you will not attempt to defraud or otherwise intentionally cause them financial loss.

Should you make an omission or error on a tax form, as long as you made an “honest” or “good faith” mistake, you’re liable for the tax deficit and any penalties or interest only. However, if it was proven that your mistake was due to malice, negligence, or because you were trying to commit fraud, you’re out the surety bond.

Not only are you liable for any errors but you might be subjected to penalties such as being banned to prepare taxes for a certain period of time.

Some states, such as California, require that their tax preparers purchase a minimum $5,000 bond.

7. Form an LLC.

It’s one thing to put up a bond to assure your clients that you’re an ethical tax preparer.

But what happens if you get into a real scrape and cost your clients thousands or even millions of dollars?

By forming an LLC, you protect yourself and your personal assets from being seized in the event that you make a major tax boo-boo.

Forming an LLC is very easy, by the way.

Also, having those letters stand behind your business name helps vouch for your credibility as a professional tax preparer.

8. Market Your Services

Your best bet at drumming up business as a starting tax preparer would be to work your inner circle and offer discounts on tax preparation.

From there, ask your friends and family for word-of-mouth referrals.

Work those social angles to get your name out there.

Once the ball starts rolling, set up a website, ask for testimonials, and start advertising your services on local sites like Next Door or through Facebook ads.

Where Can I Get Experience As A Tax Preparer

If you want some experience as a tax preparer for a company first to get some experience before you go at it on your own, there are companies that are looking for part-time or full-time remote tax preparers to work for them or to be outsourced to other companies.

Can you earn money by becoming a tax preparer?

Tax return preparation is a rather lucrative business; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, tax preparers earn an average of $23.82 per hour or a mean salary of $49,550.

This isn’t bad, considering tax preparation is seasonal work and typically spans just four months out of the year.

By offering to do other people’s taxes, you are helping them avoid stressful headaches in a necessary area that most people can’t even begin to understand.

This is a prime opportunity to make decent money on the side.

If being a tax preparer seems a bit daunting, another side job you may also want to consider is becoming a virtual bookkeeper. You may also dabble in it during the offseason. Some virtual bookkeeper jobs pay up to $50 per hour and you get to work from home.

You can also check out my guide on how to start your own bookkeeping business from home.

Are you already earning extra cash as a professional tax preparer? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

10 Ways You Can Get Paid to Wear Clothes

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:March 2, 2021

I’ve heard of some pretty interesting ways to make money for the last few years, but getting paid to wear clothes is probably one of the more unique ones.

But strange as it sounds, I assure you it is a real thing.

The fashion industry is gigantic, with new outfits and trends released every season. Competition is fierce.

Clothing companies know that word-of-mouth advertising is the best type of brand awareness money can buy. Naturally, they would find a way to make the most of that, which means great things for anyone who’s looking to make a few bucks on the side.

I looked into the various ways you can start generating income by wearing clothes and found a few options, which are listed below.

But keep in mind that the fashion industry does rely on a touch of vanity so most of these options require someone with an outspoken personality who isn’t afraid of putting themselves out there.

Do People Really Get Paid to Wear Clothes?

Yes!

In fact, it’s nothing new.

Celebrities have been receiving huge checks for years by simply going out and being photographed wearing certain clothing brands.

With the rise of the internet and social media, this sweet gig isn’t limited to traditional celebrities anymore.

Anyone who puts in the effort (in a smart way, of course) can end up getting paid to wear clothes.

You just have to know where to look for the right opportunities.

However, it’s still important to keep realistic expectations.

The examples I provide below will help you get started on a gig that can get you paid to promote clothing but remember that there’s no guarantee.

The fashion and marketing industries might be big but as I’ve mentioned, that also means there’s plenty of competition.

I also won’t try to fool you by saying that you’ll make it if you just work hard enough.

There’s still an element of luck, and it helps to be in the right place at the right time.

That’s not something you can learn by reading a blog.

You Might Not Actually Wear the Clothes

Some people do get paid to wear clothing with advertisements or brand logos on them and I do provide examples of those below.

But by far the largest pool of opportunities I found involved promoting the product or brand. This almost always involves some sort of social media following.

The easiest way to find this type of side gig is via affiliate partnerships.

This means you’ll have to work quite a bit at building a following before you’ll reap any rewards.

Plus, in many cases, people don’t get paid with cash but do receive the clothing for free in exchange for promoting the clothes or brand.

It might not get you rich, but hey, it’s free clothes!

3 Companies That Do Pay Cash

Brands do not advertise this, but they’re always looking for feedback about their products. Yes, even when the products are clothes.

Getting product testers help companies improve their future designs.

If you’re interested in testing out other products, the following 3 sites will pay you, in cash, to give feedback on brands.

10 Ways You Can Get Paid to Wear Clothes

If you’re keen on getting paid for the clothes on your back then check out these examples of the different ways you can get paid to promote clothes in 2024.

1. Get Paid to Wear a T-Shirt

There aren’t many gigs around where people will pay you just to wear a t-shirt, but it can happen.

Companies and organizations have t-shirts produced with their company and logos exactly for free advertisement, so why would they pay you for wearing them?

It’s a matter of wearing a t-shirt and being seen wearing that t-shirt by the right audience.

So instead of them going to you, you’ll need to go to them.

Contact your favorite brands and ask if they’ll be willing to sponsor you to wear their branded t-shirts and upload them to your social media platforms, like Instagram or TikTok.

You can also offer to wear them to busy places and events to promote their brand.

If you know how to design and create t-shirts, you might even want to offer to design and create a t-shirt for them. If you’re lucky, you could even get paid for it, aside from wearing and advertising their shirt.

However, this gig is more of a rare occurrence than a steady thing.

As such, it is highly unlikely that you’d be able to bargain on making any sort of steady income out of this.

At best, you could get the occasional few bucks and a free t-shirt.

Note: If all else fails, you could always make your own t-shirts and sell them online.

2. Become a Brand Ambassador

If you’re going to increase your social media following and contact companies anyway, you may want to aim bigger and become a brand ambassador.

The occasional free t-shirt aside, you’ll have a much bigger shot at getting paid to promote clothes via a social media account with a steady following.

It doesn’t matter which social media platform you choose, though Instagram and Pinterest seem to be the most lucrative choices here.

The world of fashion and marketing is steadily migrating away from big splashy advertising gambits and towards more natural connections with their audience through brand ambassadors on social media.

Photo Credit: Force Majeure Canada

It’s a great time to get into this industry because there are plenty of success stories but it’s still new enough that you have a shot at carving out some space for yourself.

You can reach out to your favorite brands yourself, as I’ve mentioned above, or you can join platforms like Skeepers (formerly Octoly) or Ilolas who can connect you to these brands and companies.

You don’t have to have a huge social media following to get some of the same perks that celebs do.

The Demand for Micro Influencers in 2024

More often than not, companies are on the lookout for micro-influencers who can help promote their products.

A micro-influencer is someone who has between 3,000-15,000 followers within a specific niche like fashion, games, sports, outdoor activities, etc.

If you have an active community, even better.

Marketers are looking for people who have a strong back and forth with their followers.

You could also look at joining an influencer marketing platform that can help you get noticed by companies who want to market their clothing or brand.

Here’s a BIG list of companies looking for brand ambassadors. Check the clothing and sports section, if you’re only after promoting fashion brands in exchange of free stuff.

3. Become an Affiliate Marketer

Another way to get paid for wearing clothes is to become an affiliate marketer.

Affiliate marketers are bloggers and content creators who post specially marked links on their blogs or social media.

These links lead to pages where customers can buy products or avail of services.

When a reader clicks on these links and results in a purchase or subscription, you’ll get a commission.

If you’re only beginning to blog or building your social media following, establishing affiliate partnerships is easier than becoming a brand ambassador.

In fact, being a successful affiliate and increasing your followers can help you be on your favorite brands’ radar. Before you know it, they may be contacting you to make a brand ambassador deal.

If this interests you, I’ve written a guide on how to get started with affiliate marketing.

4. Get Sponsored Posts

If you’ve become a popular affiliate marketer or a popular content creator for a while, but have yet to be contacted by brands to become an ambassador, this is for you.

Pitching sponsored posts to your favorite brands may be another way to gain their attention and get paid to wear their clothes.

The good thing is that whether you run a blog or are more active on social media, you can still get sponsored by your favorite brands.

First off, you need to make your content attractive to brands.

Your content should always provide value to your audience, whether it’s informative, instructive, or purely entertaining.

If you haven’t yet, create some posts featuring honest reviews of clothes from brands you actually buy from and like. Make sure to include gorgeous photos of yourself wearing those clothes.

Then, create a Sponsor page on your blog, letting prospective brands and advertisers know that you’re open to sponsored posts.

For social media, it can be as simple adding a line in your profile or About Me section that says something like:

“For sponsorships or partnerships, email me at [your email address]”

Remember, even if you’ve set up your sponsor page and contact information, this doesn’t mean you just have to wait for companies to notice you.

Yup, you can start pitching your ideas for sponsored posts by contacting and emailing your favorite brands and expressing your ideas.

After perseverance and hard work, if you’re lucky, you can get paid a few times to wear clothes and create content about them.

You may even get free clothes out of this!

Don’t limit yourself to the usual editorial, text + photo post.

You may want to create posts teaching ways to wear a certain clothing item, how to accessorize, or even a music video featuring yourself wearing the featured clothes.

5. Show off Your Athletic Side

If you’re already an athlete, then you have a pretty good chance of getting a sponsorship from an athletic brand.

You don’t have to be a professional athlete to sign up with OpenSponsorship but you do need to be in the public eye when you do your thing.

Plenty of businesses in your area or state are looking to get their company in front of as many eyes of their target audience as possible.

OpenSponsorship is essentially a database of athletes, teams, and events, in which brands can look at athletes and read all about them to know whether they’d be a good fit for their product and their target audience.

Brands can then contact the athletes’ agents directly and negotiate with the goal of coming to a sponsorship deal.

This process works the same for businesses of all sizes.

Thus, OpenSponsorship makes it simple for businesses of all sizes to connect with athletes to sponsor with their clothes and other athletic gear.

6. Become A Blogger

Starting a blog, specifically a lifestyle blog, can become a great way to get paid to wear clothes.

Having a blog actually makes the first 5 things on this list easier to do. With your blog, you can:

wear and promote t-shirts,
become a brand ambassador,
promote affiliate links,
publish sponsored posts, and
get sponsorships from top athletic brands

Sponsors actually prefer brand ambassadors and influencers who have a blog aside from their social media account. A big reason for that is a blog is your own space.

Social media platforms rise and fall in popularity all the time and influencers can’t control these platforms’ policies on posts.

Think about the popularity – and downfall – of platforms like Friendster or MySpace.

Blogs, on the other hand, are under the control of the owner of the blog: that’s you.

And for as long as your blog is active, the sponsored posts you create are out there, searchable, and can be found and shared by potential customers.

Aside from getting paid for wearing clothes, blogging opens up a world of possibilities that you can earn passive income for years to come.

7. Approach Local Businesses

If you have the guts to take matters from your online presence to your physical space, then you can certainly approach your local businesses.

For this to work, you must sell the idea of you walking around wearing their brand and essentially promoting their clothes locally.

Most local business owners are always looking for the cheapest and most efficient way to get noticed. They might find your approach novel enough to go for it.

There’s a good chance other business owners in the area will see you and be interested in doing the same marketing technique.

8. Work As A Runway Model

Okay, this one is definitely out of reach for most people, but I still need to include it here.

Runway models most definitely get paid to wear clothes as they showcase both their beauty and whatever new trends that fashion designers can conjure.

Female runway models make considerably more than their male counterparts, but both are needed in the fashion industry.

You can get started on the small stage and make a few hundred bucks per show.

The bigger the event, the more you can get paid.

If you think you have the looks, love of fashion, and moxie to make it, here’s our guide on how to work as a runway model.

9. Feature Clothes on TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Stories, and YouTube Shorts

With the popularity of short-form videos (videos on TikTok, Instagram, FB stories), you can showcase those free clothes and get paid for your effort.

Sure, the clothing brands aren’t the ones paying for you to do this.

You earn by monetizing your content from in-house ad programs of TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.

Earning this way doesn’t come overnight. You have several months to over a year to even see income, but there are high chances of earning if you keep at it.

10. Sell Clothes Online

There are many platforms you can use to sell online. From the traditional eBay and Etsy to larger ecommerce sites like Amazon, there’s no shortage of places to sell clothes.

However, the best way to sell out your items quickly is to plan and model the clothes first. So technically, you’ll be able to earn money by wearing clothes.

Can You Still Get Paid to Wear Clothes in 2024?

There are plenty of unusual side hustles out there, especially if you know where to look (like I’ve Tried That).

Getting paid to promote clothing may sound like a strange gig, but who cares when you’re laughing all the way to the bank, right?

As proven by the techniques I mentioned above, it is still possible to get paid to wear clothes more so in 2024.

If you’re really into the fashion world, check out my guides about:

10 Companies That Offer Online Moderator Jobs

Written By:Steve Wrzeszczynski

Last Updated:March 1, 2021

Posting in a public space on the internet can leave one vulnerable, especially since we’ve all learned that everything you post on the internet becomes available to everyone, forever.

Fortunately, online moderators exist.

They’re the ones who keep forums and other online communities safe for everyone who participates in them. They reply to comments and emails, address complaints, penalize violators of established community rules, and generally do everything possible to keep discussions flowing.

In today’s article, learn what an online moderator does, how much they earn, and where to apply for legitimate online moderator jobs.

What does an online moderator job entail?

An online moderator oversees one or several social media platforms, forums, blogs, or other online communities where members are likely to go and interact with the posted material through likes, comments, emails, surveys, etc. By overseeing these platforms, the moderator may perform the following tasks:

Respond to comments: Members who post comments deserve a response or a thank you. The moderator is in charge of replying to thoughtful comments, reposting them as needed, or even rewarding members with a gift or an offer.
Answer emails: There may be confusion about a brand promotion or a question regarding its terms. Customer emails regarding products, prices, quantities, etc. are answered by the moderator, and usually by following a script provided by the company or business owner.
Address complaints: Some members may have issues with the product or service, shipping, selection, etc. These complaints can quickly go viral if not addressed respectfully and quickly. Moderators take the conversation offline and resolve the problem.
De-escalate ‘flame’ situations: An insensitive ad or comment by another member can create a hostile environment that causes other members discomfort or anger. A keen moderator takes heed of and defuses the situation by removing the cause.
Engage in search engine marketing: Seasoned moderators integrate current events with matching social media content that improves site SEO and resulting search rank.
Conduct metrics analysis: Seasoned moderators use software tools to measure and report on the popularity, views, conversions, etc. of a given post or offer. They also report on trending topics in forums, chats, etc.

Some online moderators work at the company’s physical location, but that’s usually only the case if they were hired to complete a range of duties that happen to include online moderation. Most contract/freelance online moderators work remotely and set their own hours.

How much does an online moderator earn?

The average pay for most online moderator jobs is $15 per hour and can go up to as much as $30 per hour depending on your skills and experience.

The key to getting more money is in knowing how social conversations can be used for marketing and sales (i.e., the bottom line). To this end, some of the below-listed recruitment companies provide paid on-the-job training, and some even have entire “universities” dedicated to this effort.

Otherwise, you should take advantage of free ecommerce and online marketing classes offered through sites like Udemy and Study.com.

10 Companies That Offer Online Moderator Jobs

1. Crisp Thinking

Crisp Thinking was founded in 2005 and offers online harm detection services via social media community moderation to individuals and companies who are on social media.

Social media moderators with this U.K.-based company earn £10 per hour, which is the rough equivalent of $14 per hour. Currently, there are no vacancies for social media moderators on the company’s website.

They currently have a waiting list for Risk Analyst Contractors who identify risks in online content.

You can also contact them through their contact form to express your interest in applying for a position.

2. The Social Element

The Social Element, once known as Emoderation, is a global social media management company delivering high-quality, multilingual social media management, customer care, social listening, insight, and consultancy.

They have been around since 2002, and their clients include companies in industries such as Consumer Packaged Goods, Automotive, Financial Services, and Alcohol.

The Social Element periodically offers Social Media Community Manager positions, which pay around $15 to $16 per hour to start. They require experience in community management or social customer care. If you speak multiple languages, you can potentially earn more.

Currently, there are no vacancies, but you can still put in your application for an online moderator job and they’ll contact people in the pool when a vacancy comes up.

3. ICUC Moderation Services

ICUC is a top social media management agency that has been around for 16 years. They provide community management, content moderation, social content and moderation, social listening services, and other customer insight services.

They periodically hire community moderators and social media content specialists, and they prefer applicants who can speak more than one language.

The starting salary of online moderators is $11 per hour. Several moderation jobs are currently posted on the site, and interested candidates can apply online.

4. Khoros

Khoros is the result of the merging of Spredfast and Lithium to create a powerful customer engagement platform to offer customer care, community engagement, and social media management solutions.

They periodically open full-time and part-time remote Social Media Coordinator positions. If you live in Austin, TX and you’re willing to work in an office, you can apply for an on-site position as well.

The salary starts at $21 per hour, and 1 to 3 years of experience in social media management or community engagement is required.

5. ModSquad

Founded in 2007, this global company maintains a moderator force of over 10,000 and works with many well-known brands. It used to go by the name of Metaverse Mod Squad but then shortened its name to ModSquad.

They’re looking for more Mods who are experts in digital engagement; that is, moderating forums, chatting with customers, managing communities, and buzzing in social media.

Not only will you get to work with the hottest brands but you’ll also get to keep your day job if you wanted to; the hours are pretty flexible.

According to GlassDoor, ModSquad moderators make at least $9 per hour. To apply, you’ll be asked to simply fill out a form and attach your resume.

6. BabyCenter

BabyCenter is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. They post available community manager positions from time to time.

7. LiveWorld

This digital and social media marketing agency is often on the lookout for part-time, remote employees to represent their clients as online moderators. Pay is by the hour.

Currently, there are vacancies for Social Media Agents who triage and respond to customers’ queries and concerns on social media, as well as take action on social media posts (e.g., approving, rejecting, flagging, and escalating posts and comments).

To apply as an online moderator, you do need to be a US resident. Applicants with experience in social media moderation and the ability to speak more than one language are highly preferred but these aren’t required.

8. Quiip

Aussies living either in Australia or abroad are needed to fill Social Media and Online Community Manager roles at this social media monitoring company. International applicants are only entertained if they demonstrate the right skills and a deep understanding of Australian culture.

You will need to submit a resume and cover letter, and a short video is highly recommended if you wish to stand out from the crowd of wannabe ‘Quiipees.’

9. Yelp

You’re probably familiar with this site and used it once or twice. They offer many Community Ambassador positions to individuals who live in select cities. Occasional attendance at local events is a requirement for these jobs.

10. Scratch Foundation

Scratch is a free programming language designed for kids ages 8 to 16 that allows them to create stories, animation, and games and share them with the world.

Scratch Foundation funds this project and makes sure this is free to use by everyone. It also hosts an online community of Scratch users and programmers that allow them to share their work, get feedback, and learn from each other.

They continually have openings for Community Moderators to help keep the Scratch community a safe, trusted, and friendly environment for millions of children.

Applicants must be 18 years old and above and authorized to work in the US. Starting pay is $15 per hour.

Does An Online Moderator Job Feel Right For You?

If you like being on social media and feel you can diplomatically deal with heated online situations, then an online moderator job may be right for you. As you gain experience with specific brands and industries, you might even make online moderation a career with a particular client or company and work as a full-time remote employee.

Other Social Media Jobs

If you like working with social media but an online moderator job just doesn’t feel right, read these articles on our site and look over social media jobs you can do:

5 Social Media Jobs You Can Do From Home in 2020
Master Ad Campaigns and Become a Rockstar Social Media Manager

Have you tried being an online moderator? Have you started applying to online moderator jobs? Tell us about your experience in the comments!