How To Make Money Without Paying Anything

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There are many ways to make money, especially online.

However, there are even more ways that sites can take your money as you try to find your ideal way to make a living. Whether it’s job posting sites that ask for payments, training programs that require you to pay significant costs, or even associations that request annual fees, these days, they are all unnecessary and just a money grab.

Here are 8 different work-from-home opportunities where you can make money without paying anything:

Participate in Market Research and Surveys

Many companies conduct market research to collect essential data. They use this data to help them figure out consumer trends and better marketing strategies for their brand. These market researches are often done via online questionnaires, and most companies are willing to pay their survey participants! Other online rewards platforms also offer non-cash compensations such as gift cards, discount coupons, and small freebies.

If you’re interested in making money through this means, here are some legitimate sites that are popular, convenient, and easy to navigate for first-time survey takers:

SwagBucks

This site is well-known for being the largest and most legitimate survey site worldwide. Currently, they offer a free $10 sign-up bonus for all new survey participants.

• First, you have to set up your account. You can build your profile in less than 5 minutes!
• Then, choose surveys to participate in, and upon completion, claim your SwagBucks rewards—the currency used on this site is conveniently named after the website domain name!
• Finally, redeem your rewards in cash by converting your SwagBucks into PayPal cash deposits or online gift cards.

Survey Junkie

This popular online rewards platform is one of the go-to sites to visit when trying out the online survey side hustle. Here’s how it works:

• Once you register, Survey Junkie will help match your profile to existing surveys that you can take with your qualifications.
• Completing surveys will reward you with virtual points that can be redeemable as PayPal cash or as e-gift cards.

Establish An Online Blog

Blogging is one of the easiest and most popular ways to earn money online. Blogs contain a sizable amount of useful information in a wide variety of subjects, making them perfect for quick reading and research.

As a blogger, you are tasked to write about anything you are comfortable with. It can be a topic discussing your passions and your experiences! Some common blog topics are travel, photography, fitness, relationships, beauty, health, and art, among many others. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to get started with your online blog:

• Choose an online platform where you would establish your blog. Blogging sites such as Blogger and Tumblr are free and are relatively easy to manage.
• Then, select a particular blog topic that you are comfortable and familiar with. This can even determine the popularity of your blog.
• Blog traffic increases through sponsorships and affiliate marketing. Try signing up for promotions from brands and companies that are relevant to your blog. From here, you can place ads and affiliate links that would earn you extra money.
• As a blogger, you are expected to write up a storm. Develop your writing skills through continuous blogging and in time, you may also offer your freelance writing services to clients visiting your blog page!

For your guidance, read How To Create A Blog: Blogging For Beginners by Jazevox.

Test Apps and Websites

Not many people know this but you can earn money by testing mobile applications and websites! App and website development teams are always on the lookout for beta testers that would assess their work before the app, or the website is launched publicly. Here’s how it works:

• UserTesting, Userlytics, Test Birds, UserFeel, and Beta Family are some well-known and legitimate sites where you can look for opportunities to test apps and websites.
• Some developers look for a specific demographic when hiring beta testers. Factors such as sex, age, and personal interests matter in the selection process.
• To test a mobile application, you would need to have a stable connection to the internet and an up-to-date device like a smartphone or a computer.
• You should set up your own PayPal account to redeem your cash payout after doing a test drive of specific apps or websites.
• Once you have been hired as a member of a team of beta testers, you will be given a specific set of instructions from the development team. The guidelines vary per application or website. Tests can be completed within 15 minutes to one hour.
• Upon completion of the tests, you will be required to write about your user experience – the things you liked and disliked about the app or website, and how you think the app or the site may be improved.

Become A Researcher

If you are a proficient online researcher, this may be the job for you! Work-from-home researchers typically make a profit by digging around the internet for relevant information. This is a very flexible type of work that would only require you to have a computer with a reliable internet connection.

Research jobs also vary. While most online research is classified as entry-level, some companies or agents hire experienced individuals to research topics based on their expertise and tertiary education. Here’s how you can get started as an online researcher:

• There are lots of researcher job listings online. You can try applying through popular sites such as Upwork, Freelancer, FlexJobs, Indeed, and Ask Wonder. You may type in the keywords internet research, online research, and work-at-home research jobs to look for employment offers that you might be interested in.
• Gathering information for your client won’t be that difficult, especially when you know where to look. Online sources such as Google Search, Google Scholar, blogs, newsletters, and other informative sites are preferred. However, you also have to make sure that the data you are collecting is legitimate, timely, and appropriate.
• When it comes to receiving payments from clients, you would have to set up an online cash payout account such as PayPal, Google Pay, and Skrill.

Make YouTube Videos

If you have a unique idea, a charismatic personality and are interested in filming and editing entertaining videos for your target audience, here is how you can get started as a YouTuber:

• Initially, you have to set up your own YouTube channel! Signing up is easy when made through a Google+ account, which is also free!
• Determine whether your channel will be used to promote your own products or services, to generate revenue through ads directly from YouTube, or to endorse products from different brands. Ad revenue and endorser payments are some of the most common ways to make money on YouTube.
• Always try to figure out ways to develop your channel’s content and long-term goals. Becoming successful and profitable on YouTube channels entails consistency and hard work. Popular channels have undergone the same: starting at the bottom with little to no fame and ending up with millions of subscribers because of constant audience engagement and improvements in video quality and content.
• YouTubers belong to different kinds of niches that fit with the content they post on their channel. If you would like to try out this side job, you have to choose a specific field of interest that you would like your channel to be most known for. Some of the top-grossing channels in terms of revenue and subscribers post videos about beauty, gaming, cooking, food and product reviews, health and fitness, humor, and traveling.

To help you succeed in this endeavor, we recommend reading How to Make Money with YouTube by Brad and Debra Schepp.

Maximize Website Sign-up Bonuses

If you’re looking for quick cash, you might want to try maximizing website sign-up bonuses. This type of online profit-making strategy is really easy! All you have to do is look for legitimate sites that provide sign-up bonuses that you can convert into cash with PayPal or other online cash payout applications. Here are some reliable tips to make the most out of website sign-up bonuses:

1. Listed below are websites that offer guaranteed bonuses when you register:

• Inbox Dollars ($5 sign-up bonus)
• Rakuten (formerly ebates) ($10)
• BeFrugal ($10)
• SwagBucks ($10)
• ExtraBux ($5)
• Cash4Offers ($5)
• CreationsRewards ($5)
• Mr. Rebates ($5)
• Univox Community ($5)
• FusionCash ($5)
• PointClub ($5)
• SquishyCash ($3)
• TreasureTrooper ($1)
• CashCrate ($1)

2. Sign-up bonuses are just a quick incentive for those looking for ways to easily earn a few bucks. However, if you would like a steady and reliable stream of cash, you would have to engage in another online work-from-home opportunity that is more than just a one-time reward like sign-up bonuses.

Sell Used Items

Becoming an online seller doesn’t mean that you have to cash in for your own merchandise. Often, all the inventory you need is found right in your own home. Selling used or “pre-loved” items has been an ongoing trend in the online shopping community. Earning money through online selling is relatively easy! Here are a few tips to get your business started:

• First, you have to figure out what you want to sell. If you have a lot of stuff at home that you rarely use or might want to get rid of, you should try selling it online! The market for used items is always booming with customers who are looking for quality items at a lower price.
• Choose a reliable site where you will set up your online store. Platforms such as Shopify, BigCommerce, BigCartel, Weebly, OpenCart, and PrestaShop are popular e-commerce websites that facilitate online store transactions. On the other hand, online marketplaces such as AliExpress, Shopee, Etsy, Rakuten, eBay, and TMall offer a more extensive audience reach worldwide.
• Determine the prices of your items by reviewing the usual prices set for similar items. Don’t underestimate or overestimate your costs as this would directly affect your sales, shop popularity, and customer satisfaction.
• Write engaging captions or product descriptions that will entice your customers! Adding eye-catching or professional-looking photos will also help increase shop views and product sales.

Be A Transcriptionist

Transcription work is a well-paying job. As a home-based transcriptionist, you can even take up multiple transcription jobs at the same time! Here’s how you can go about as a beginner transcriptionist:

1. Transcribing doesn’t need any specialized training or experience to accomplish. All you need is a good ear for listening, as well as proficiency in language and grammar. Additionally, typing fast can also be a valuable asset in this line of work.
2. Listed below are some sites that are useful and accommodating to beginners in the field:

• Transcribe Me
• Casting Words
• GoTranscript
• Daily Transcription
• Rev
• SpeechPad
• Scribie

3. As you gain more clients and experience, you can set higher rates. Most transcriptionists charge their customers hourly rates that can start from $25 to $50.
4. Much like any online-based work, you have to set up a PayPal account or any online cash payout account that your clients may place their payments into.

Conclusion

If you consider yourself an internet junkie who spends most of their time online, then you should definitely try these work-from-home opportunities. With the same amount of time that you spend on the internet watching, playing, reading, or even just scrolling, you can make a profit by following some of the steps mentioned above.

The internet offers numerous opportunities to earn, without going out of the comfort of your own home. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to pay anything just to earn. A lot of legit online opportunities would never ask you to pay an upfront “deposit” or “registration fee”.