It doesn’t matter if you have some bills that must be paid tomorrow or you want to earn a second income. We all want to make money as quickly as possible and with minimal effort.

If you want to begin earning an immediate return on investment for your efforts, you need to consider at least one of these ideas. The beauty of these money making ideas is that you can make as much or little as you want. Even better, they aren’t a “get rich quick” scam.

Ideas for Making Money Online

The easiest way you can make money quickly is online. You can literally work from anywhere with an internet connection. It doesn’t matter if you are at home or only have 15 extra spare minutes during your lunch break.

1. Answer Surveys

Online surveys are an easy way to make money because you only need 15 minutes or less for most surveys. Of course, the longer surveys pay more, so, don’t turn these offers down when you have a few extra minutes.

Some of the best places to start are Survey Junkie or Ipsos I-Say! And, you can join several survey sites at once to multiply your earning power so you can have multiple daily opportunities to earn cash for taking surveys.

2. Complete a Variety of Tasks Online

Did you know you can get paid to watch videos, surf the web, play games, and even shop online? Instead of immediately heading to your favorite news site to catch the latest highlights or typing a question into Google, do those activities through a site like Swagbucks or InboxDollars.

You can start getting paid for doing many of the same activities that you already do online for free. And by the way, both of these “get paid to” sites are free to join!

3. Teach a Foreign Language Online

Do you like interacting with people from all over the globe? If so, you can make money teaching English and other western languages online as people from all over the world are learning English to boost their own employment prospects. All lessons take place online with video sessions.

Two of the best places to submit an application are Berlitz and Cambly.

4. Sell Your Used Books Online

If you have a stack of used books and textbooks to sell, the quickest way to sell them is through Bookscouter. All you have to do is enter the ISBN or book title and Bookscouter will show you the buying price from over 35 different vendors.

Most sellers will offer free shipping and you will receive a PayPal payment once your books have been received.

5. Sell Your Unwanted Tech Items and Digital Media

In addition to selling your used books, you can also get paid instantly for your unwanted tech items too. Decluttr will pay you for your used cell phones, tablets, video game consoles, DVDs, CDs, and Legos.

Shipping is free and you will be paid the next day. Decluttr’s free mobile app also has a built-in barcode scanner that makes it possible to list your items in seconds!

6. Become a Freelance Writer

Blogs and company websites are constantly looking for talented writers to create content that compels readers to come back for more! The best part about freelance writing is that you only need to be an effective writer who knows what they are writing about.

While some clients might require an English or Journalism major, this usually isn’t the case. Freelance writers come from a variety of professional backgrounds from engineering, science, history, to psychology and earn six figures a year like my friend Holly. She’s even started an online course called Earn More Writing to teach others to do the same.

Signing up on a freelancer platform like Upwork is free and you can immediately apply for a variety of writing proposals. You might find yourself writing informative blog posts, sales pitches, or even an eBook. The options are truly limitless.

7. Proofread Online

If you often find yourself critiquing typos in restaurant menus, promotional flyers, or the online articles you read, your attention to detail can literally pay off. Proofread Anywhere offers a free intro course that can help you become a general proofreader or a transcript proofreader.

The best part about online proofreading is that you can literally do this from anywhere and you don’t have to write any new content, you only have to spot errors, make revisions, and offer suggestions.

8. Design Graphics for Websites and Physical Goods

Eye-popping graphics can be just as important as the written word. Colorful company logos help define a brand, so consumers always associate the “swoosh” with Nike or a reds bullseye for Target.

Choosing the right stock photo or customized graphic can grab the attention of a reader browsing their social media wall or help sell a product on a retail website. If you are saying to yourself “Yes, I can design high-quality graphics for cash,” you are the perfect candidate to be a freelance graphic designer!

Where can you start?

For starters, sites like Fiverr are a great option as you can create a wide variety of graphics from blog post images, infographics, logos, and eBook covers just to name a few options.

Another option is selling customized t-shirts, clothing, and houseware items on Cafepress. You can even try designing graphics at both to boost your exposure to potential clients with different graphic design needs.

9. Design Websites

Graphics can be one way to make a few extra dollars, and designing a website can be another option if you prefer to “build” or want to offer a turn-key service to aspiring businesses, bloggers, and authors wanting to expand their online presence.

A high-quality website that is easy-to-navigate is essential to building a loyal audience and keeping readers engaged. You can also advertise your website design skills on the freelancer platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, or even your very own website.

10. Be a Virtual Assistant

Behind nearly every successful business, website, and blog is a virtual assistant (VA). Depending on your skills, you can get paid to be a social media manager or content creator for a blog as you coordinate posting schedules and expanding the social media presence of the site.

Other VA tasks can include email inbox management, bookkeeping, or data entry. Fancy Hands is one of the leading resources to connect with clients that need a little extra help to keep their business humming.

However, you may be able to earn more money by starting your own freelance virtual assistant business. My friend Kayla earns around $10,000 per month as a VA. She’s even started an online course called $10K VA to teach others to do the same.

11. TranscribeMe

Audio transcription is another lucrative way to make some extra cash. At TranscribeMe, you can earn at least $20 per audio hour. Plus, the rates are even higher if you have legal or medical experience.

Most audio clips are only one to two minutes in length making it easy to complete each micro-task quickly and immediately start your next task to earn even more. Another positive of audio transcription is that no initial investment is required and you only need to be proficient at typing and have a computer that lets you pause and rewind a clip with the click of a button.

Want to learn more about how to become a transcriptionist? Check out Transcribe Anywhere!

12. Tutor Online

While you can certainly tutor in-person, online tutoring has also grown in popularity as a video session can be just as efficient and even more convenient for you and the pupil.

Students of all ages are always looking for academic help whether they need additional practice to understand a specific concept or want assistance with their homework. There are several online tutor platforms looking for tutors just like you, but, you might check out Tutor.com or WyzAnt first.

13. Start a Blog

Blogging can be very rewarding as you build an online portfolio that helps you connect with future clients that are looking for talented writers, graphic designers, or virtual assistants.

A blog can help set you apart from other freelancers because it’s your very own piece of Internet real estate that lets you network with others in the online community and you can even have your content rank in search engine results or be shared on social media to be noticed by potential clients.

You can start a blog with Bluehost for only $3.95 a month. In addition to using your blog to earn active income, you can also earn passive income through affiliate marketing (the next suggestion) and advertisements. Until you start making passive income from your blog, you can immediately begin referring potential clients and customers to your site to start earning active income immediately.

14. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is different from the other suggestions in this list because you earn recurring income as some bloggers earn six figures a month just from this one income stream.

By partnering with specific companies, you earn a small royalty each time a visitor makes a purchase through your blog, YouTube channel, or social media account. It only takes a few seconds to place a link in each post and you can theoretically earn money every time a person visits your post.

To be forthright, you most likely won’t have an immediate return on investment with affiliate marketing. That is unless you already have an established audience on your website or social media pages. With a little work, you can soon be earning a check each month from affiliate earnings.

If you want to do affiliate marketing the right way, you should consider taking the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Course created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner who happens to be one of those successful bloggers that earn over $1 million a year from her blog!

15. Test Websites and Apps

UserTesting will pay you to test websites and apps as companies want to see how normal people (including you) interact with their website. By completing a set of tasks on the website, you share your opinion via video as you interact with the site. You provide honest feedback about what you like and where improvements can be made.

You can also get paid to test physical products mailed directly to your front door.

16. Shop Online with Rakuten

In addition to credit card rewards, did you know you can earn additional cash back by shopping online? With Rakuten, you can earn 1% to 40% on every online purchase from over 2,000 stores like Walmart, Kohl’s, GNC, and everything in between. Plus, you can earn a $10 cash bonus after making your first $25 purchase through Rakuten.

If you’re going to be making the purchase online anyways, why not make it through Rakuten? It’s one of the few ways to get “free” money. You don’t have to spend more than you already planned.

Making Extra Money In Your Community

It’s also possible to make money within your local community. This can be an ideal situation if you have in-demand skills, enjoy being outdoors, and simply love helping others in-person.

17. Be a Local Handyman

If you enjoy working with your hands, you can get paid to do a variety of physical tasks. This can be things like assembling furniture, installing flat screen TVs, moving and packing, or making house repairs. Apps like TaskRabbit will connect you with local homeowners-in-need that will pay you for your knowledge.

18. Drive For Uber or Lyft

Another way to make a little extra money is to drive for Uber and Lyft in your spare time. And, it can also be a good way to get paid when you need to make a trip across town, drive to work during rush hour, or go out on Friday night. Since you choose the gigs you want, you can drive as often as you want.

You can read our tips on how to become a successful Lyft driver to maximize your time. As long as you have a clean driving record and a safe, four-door vehicle, you can usually accept your first ride within 48 hours of signing up!

19. Deliver Meals and Groceries

In addition to delivering people to their destinations, you can also make some extra cash by delivering food. DoorDash will pay you to deliver restaurant meals to houses and businesses as you set your own delivery hours.

In addition to delivering for restaurants, you can also deliver groceries by partnering with an online grocery shopping service like Instacart.

20. Get Cash Back Every Time You Buy Groceries

Another app that helps you earn money each time you buy groceries is Ibotta. All you have to do is activate the offers before you shop. Then you can receive a discount for items you buy on a regular basis.

21. Care for Children

If you love children, you can open a home-based child care center. This can help you earn extra money as working parents drop their children off at your house. This can be a good option if you are a stay-at-home parent and looking to replace your income from when you worked outside the home.

You can advertise your services on Care.com where parents can easily access your references, reviews, and background check to feel at ease with leaving their child in your care.

22. Become a Dog Walker or Pet Sitter

Care.com can also be used to connect with pet owners that need somebody to walk their dog during the work day or to look after their pets while they work or travel for business and vacation.

Pet sitting and dog walking can be very lucrative! Some professional dog walkers earn more than $100,000 a year in some areas of the country! And that’s just to walk dogs.

If you have a special place in your heart for animals, this can be a rewarding income stream.

23. Rent Your Spare Bedroom or House on Airbnb

Maybe you don’t want to be a landlord yet you still want to rent your spare bedroom or vacation house when you aren’t using it. Being an Airbnb host is the easiest way to rent your room to travelers that don’t want to stay in a stale hotel room.

Not only do you begin earning money for renting unused rooms, you also have the opportunity to make new friends from all over the world!

24. Mow Lawns

Whether you only offer to mow the lawns of people within your neighborhood or you have access to a truck and trailer to cart your equipment around time, mowing lawns and landscaping can be an excellent seasonal income stream. Chances are you already own all the necessary equipment to mow your own lawn. You only need the time to do your neighbors’ yards.

To earn money during all four seasons, you can also offer to rake leaves and remove snow.

25. Have a Garage Sale

Instead of placing your unwanted items on the curb for the trash man to haul off, sell them on Craigslist or by hosting a yard sale. You can also make money flipping unwanted items through a concept called retail arbitrage.

By browsing your local thrift stores and yard sales, you can buy items at a discount and sell them for a premium online with a Shopify store or locally through Craigslist.

26. Complete Random Gigs Around Town

You might also consider downloading an app like Gigwalk or Job Spotter to get paid to complete specific micro-tasks around town. For instance, you can get paid to mystery shop, check prices of items in different departments stores, or even take pictures of “Help Wanted” signs to post job openings on the Indeed website.

If you are seeking variety and also want to get a little extra exercise while you hustle, this can be an exciting opportunity.

Summary

Applying for work at a local fast food joint isn’t the only way to make money in a hurry. There are many different ways to boost your monthly income online and within the community. In many instances, you might already do these same activities for free and the transition to paid work will be painless.

How can you monetize your free time? If you could eventually replace your current job with one of these suggestions, which one would you choose?