How to Make Money from your Couch
One of the best things about the global economy is that it’s possible to earn money just about anywhere.
Think about it. When previous generations needed to make extra money to supplement their family’s income, they probably had to take on a part time job. That meant spending even more time away from their family and loved ones.
But in today’s world, the internet has opened up countless money-making opportunities with much more flexibility than a second job.
As a matter of fact, you can even earn money while sitting at home on your couch. How’s that for convenient?
Don’t believe me? Well here are seven examples to get you started.
👉 Rakuten Insights - Cash out directly to PayPal!
👉 OpinionOutpost - Earn up to $25 per survey!
👉 Survey Junkie - Make $150 for select focus groups you complete!
👉 Swagbucks - Get a $5 bonus instantly!
👉 InboxDollars - Get a $5 bonus when you register today!
👉 Pinecone Research - Earn fast money taking surveys
👉 Survey Voices - Make money taking online surveys
Take Online Surveys
Here’s another way to earn some extra money from the comfort of your sofa: online surveys.
There are tons of survey companies out there and some of them are either a scam or just not worth it. A few that I’ve tried myself and can honestly say are legitimate are:
Now, you can’t expect to get rich taking online surveys. Most surveys only pay out a few cents to a couple of dollars. Higher-paying surveys are harder to come by and they fill up fast.
But if you’re just looking to earn enough to pay for a nice dinner out once a month, paid online surveys are a great option.
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Use Referral Bonuses
Some websites will offer cash bonuses for every friend you refer. For example, you'll earn $1 for every friends that registers plus you'll get 30% of their earnings. Register for InboxDollars here to get a free $5 + the ability to earn money referring friends.
With Swagbucks you can earn 10% of your friends earnings without doing anything! What's better than free money?
Start a Blog from the Couch
I’m actually writing this article from the comfort of my couch. It’s one of the glorious parts of blogging. You can do it from pretty much anywhere and at any time of the day that fits your schedule.
What’s great about blogging for a living is that you can make money in a number of different ways.
- Selling advertising space on your blog through ad networks or working directly with sponsors
- Selling your own products (either digital or physical products)
- Affiliate marketing, where you recommend products and services you like and earn a commission when someone makes a purchase
- Creating online paid courses where you teach your readers how to do something
- Building small sites and then flipping them for a profit
- Creating a membership site where users pay a fee to access premium content
- Using your blog to promote yourself and acquire clients for your business
Just choose the methods that best suit your personality and interests.
Make Money Freelance Writing
If you enjoy writing, but you don’t want to deal with any of the headaches or back-end work that come with starting and maintaining a blog, you can always sell your skills as a freelance writer.
As a freelancer you’ll take on writing assignments and submit your work for payment. You can work with all sorts of clients, from small bloggers to giant websites and magazines.
It can be tough when you’re just starting out so expect to put in some time chasing new clients in the beginning. Once you build up a reputation for yourself, prospective clients may start reaching out directly to you.
Graphic Design
I have a good friend who used to work in the advertising industry. She quit her job years ago so she could stay at home with her kids, but she still does graphic design work on the side.
There are always people looking for help:
- Creating logos for small business to use online or in print
- Designing web graphics for bloggers and website owners
- Complete website design and development
- Designing flyers, business cards, and other physical products
- Creating banners and signs for a business or organization
- Designing templates for printables and selling them on Etsy
- Pin design for people who need help with Pinterest
- Designing graphic t-shirts and selling them on Merch By Amazon
And don’t worry if you’re out of practice or don’t have the latest and greatest version of Photoshop. If you have an eye for design you can create professional grade graphics using simple programs like Canva.
Test Video Games
I know this sounds crazy, but you really can get paid to play video games. Just download the Mistplay app to your smartphone (Android users only for now) and create you free account to start earning extra cash by playing games on your smartphone.
There are all sorts of games to play including strategy, trivia, arcade, adventure, casino style, puzzles, and more. The more you play the more Mistplay “units” you earn, and when you earn enough you can redeem them for gift cards to places like Amazon or Starbucks.
I’m not a big gamer myself, but I tested the app out myself so I could write a Mistplay review. After trying it out for a week, I earned enough for a $5 Amazon gift card.
It’s not going to replace my day job, but it’s pretty cool to get paid just for playing video games on your couch.
Become a Virtual Assistant
In today’s world where it seems everyone is working from home, virtual assistants are more common than ever.
Small business owners realize they don’t need employees or assistants sitting in the same location as them, and by opening up a job to remote workers they might find someone way better than if they limited their search to just their immediate area.
What kind of work do virtual assistants do?
Almost anything!
As a virtual assistant you might be asked to monitor email and take calls for your client, make travel arrangements and manage their calendar, manage a social media profile, moderate comments in a forum, and just about anything your client needs help with.
Related: How to Build a Money Making Machine
Transcription
As a transcriptionist, you listen to audio or video files and transcribe what you hear into a written document.
You might be asked to transcribe speeches, interviews, conference calls, meeting minutes, or even film or TV shows. If you speak multiple languages you can earn a higher rate by translating from one language to another.
You’ll need a good ear and a quiet place to work, so it’s probably best to keep the television turned off and the kids in another room while you’re transcribing.
The good news is that you don’t have to stick to a set schedule. Squeeze in your transcription work whenever is most convenient to you.
Conclusion: Making Money from Your Couch
Even if you had an exhausting day and just want to crash on the couch at home, you can still use that time to earn some extra money without even getting off your butt.
Some of the options discussed above are strictly side hustles, but some of them have the potential to turn into full time businesses that could one day give you the freedom to quit your day job forever.
What do you think about our list? Are there any good ideas we missed?
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