A little side income can go a long way especially when it comes from tasks that do not occupy too much of your time and resources. With the growth of internet and advent of internet marketing, earning a second income online has never been easier. Internet has made it easy for people who are looking for a little side income or even a significant paycheck to stay at the comfort of their home and make money. This works out best for people who have a main job but want to supplement their income or for stay at home moms or even college students looking for a source of income to finance their expenses.
The number of people earning income online continues to grow astronomically. A general myth is that you require specialized skills or training to be eligible for any of these gigs. This cannot not be more far away from the truth. It is true that some specialized online gigs, such as tutoring and mentoring, require skill and certification but there are many jobs and opportunities which require no specialized skills at all. It is completely possible now to make $1000 a month side income online with minimum to no training necessary.
In this post, we will explore the top 10 ways to make $1000 a month side income with little to no experience necessary.
1. Freelance Writing
If you have a passion for writing, Freelance writing would be one of the best ways for you to make $1000 a month side income online. In fact if you market yourself right - the sky is the limit. It is not uncommon for freelancers to make $5000 - $6000 per month on a full time basis. Freelance writing means writing content for your clients while working on your own and not being employed by a company or organization. Writers can work as generalists or, they can specialize in one area, such as food and health.
All Freelance gigs don't pay the same, and you can find both high and low-paying projects. On average, you can earn around $20 per hour for a general article. For specialized articles, the average rate increases to $25 - $30 per article with some specializations (such as a SEO listicle etc.) charging even more due to customization
Specializations and Resources
While not a passive income source, Freelance writing is one of the best ways to earn online. Many clients look for a degree in English, though it's not mandatory. An inexperienced person with a flair for writing can find suitable jobs and build his credibility..
You will need a computer and an internet connection, to begin with. Professional writers also use paid editing and proofreading tools. Expertise in research and the ability to express technical concepts in easy words are highly sought after.
How much money can you make?
All Freelance gigs don't pay the same. You can find both high and low-paying projects depending upon your niche. On average, you can earn around $20 per hour for a general article. For specialized articles, the average rate increases to $25 - $30 per article with some specializations (such as a SEO listicle etc.) charging even more due to customization. This flexibility and range makes Freelance Writing our number 1 choice amongst the top 10 ways to make $1000 a month side income online.
Where to find Freelancing Jobs?
There are many freelancing platforms available and most of them work. Listed below are some of the platforms which offer freelancing writing jobs:
Freelancewriting: A great resource for freelance writers to get assured jobs since 1997.
Upwork: Offers a range of freelance writing jobs in various niches.
Freelancer: One of the oldest platforms to find the best remote writing projects.
Remote.co: Offers a range of jobs in copy or content writing.
Fiverr: One of the trusted and most used platforms. Has one of the highest number of projects available but pays less compared to others
Click here for the best Freelancing platform for beginners
2. Data Entry
Data entry is a popular form of freelance work which requires little technical knowledge, minimum professional skills and can be easily done from home. Data entry jobs are also one of the most sought after in the freelancing world and hence unfortunately are prone to fraud and spams. Hence its very important to only seek data entry jobs from a reputable source.
Data entry jobs typically pay per hour and the amount of money you can earn online depends on your expertise and commitment you show for the job. While it may not be a passive income, it is still a reliable source of income that requires little effort and time.
What is Data entry ?
Data entry is the process of taking data from one source and inputting it in another source. The most popular form of data entry jobs fall in 2 categories:
- Hardcopy to Softcopy - This refers to taking hard-copy of information like sales receipts, address , invoices etc and inputting them in a computer system. This can be in the form of keying the details, scanning and transcribing audio files or scanning data files to be stored in an online folder.
- Softcopy to Softcopy - This refers to taking data from one online source to another online source. This can be within different programs and may sometimes require transformation of data in a specific format.
Specializations and Resources
- Basic Computer Skills including MS office (MS word / Excel / PowerPoint)
- Fast and accurate typing skills
- Access to high seed internet and a good computer system
- A dedicated phone service if required
How much money can you make?
A good data entry job can help you make somewhere between $25 to $50 an hour. Once you have some experience under your resume, you can sign up for long term contracts and make more money
Where to find Jobs?
To find the best data entry jobs, it is advised to look on job boards, freelancing websites or directly contact companies that handle large amounts of data. Additionally, you should make sure to read the reviews and ratings of a company to ensure its legitimacy before you take any job.
Below are some of the best sites to consider finding a data entry job:
- Working Solutions - An online community of 150K + agents across US and Canada. Once registered, the platform matches data entry jobs with your skillset
- Indeed - One of the largest employment portals in the world, Indeed often posts of data entry jobs which can be worked upon remotely
- FlexJobs - Flexjobs is one of the largest and most diverse job portals with a speciality in freelance jobs. They have a dedicated category for data entry which can be found here.
- Amazon Mechanical Turk - This segment of Amazon caters to freelancing jobs and offers data entry jobs. Just register and search for the data entry jobs to your suitability
- Clickworker - Catered towards freelancers and millennial travel bloggers- Clickworker offers an array of jobs including data entry which can be worked from any location.
3. Audio Transcription
If you are proficient in English and are looking for the best ways to make you $1000 a month side income online, without any prior experience, then transcription is one of the options you can explore.
Transcription gives you the freedom to make some sizable passive Income while working from home and setting your own work hours.
What is Audio transcription and how does it work?
Transcription requires you to listen to audio files and convert them into readable material. You enroll with one of the audio transcription companies (listed below). Generally a small written / hearing test is required before you get accepted. Once accepted the companies will send you an audio file. You listen to the audio file and type the contents in your laptop
Specializations and Resources
The basic necessities you would need to be a qualified transcriber is as below:
- Fast typing Speed
- Good Listening skills
- Patience and Attention
How much money can you make?
A transcriptionist can make anywhere between $25 to $50 an hour depending upon your speed and experience. Like anything new, you would need to be experienced to make more money. Most experienced transcriptionists, on a freelance basis, can make $1,000 - $3,000 per month, transcribing a range of materials
Where to find Jobs?
Below are some of the best sites to consider finding a data entry job:
- Scribie - Provides home based job in which you can make $5 - $25 per audio hour. Specialized in short files - usually 10 minutes or less
- TranscribeMe - An industry leader in transcription jobs. Offers flexibility, training and scaling opportunities. Earnings between $15 - $22 per audio hour.
- Go Transcript - A company providing transcription services both domestic and worldwide. Rates start at $0.60 per audio minute
- SpeakWrite - one of the higher paying transcription portals with an average payout of $450 (compared to $250 from others).
- Transcript Divas: Pays around $1.39 per audio minute, and you can apply directly. The screening process is tough however the pay is one of the best in the industry
If you want to learn more in-depth about transcription and need an extra helping hand, you can take the help of this free mini course here.
4. Teaching English Online
Teaching English online is a lucrative and accommodating career which can provide a sizable paycheck along with the flexibility to work on your own schedule from anywhere. Globalization has led to a huge demand for English teachers which provides an awesome opportunity to native English speakers who can teach online and create a secondary source of income without much hassle. The classes vary from being live to pre-recorded sessions which can be uploaded into a website to be used by students at their disposal.
Specializations and Resources
While there are companies which do not require specialized qualification, most do seek a bachelors degree. With the growing number of regulations online, it is now becoming increasing important to consider specialized certification for hiring. There are 2 kinds of specialized certifications available
TEFL - Teaching English as a foreign language
TESOL - Teaching English to speakers of other languages
Both of these certifications are easy to do and can be available in Group-On for less than $100.
How much money can you make?
We love the prospect of online teaching and believe it is one of the best and easiest ways to make $1000 a month side income online. You can teach from your home and earn an average of $20 per hour. Most teachers earn upwards of $1,000 even if they teach only 7 - 10-hours each week. As a freelancer you can consider making a minimum of $15 - $25 an hour.
You can also pursue this full-time in which case its not tough to make $40,000 to $45,000 a year.
Where to find Jobs?
VIPKID: The industry leader in Online education for kids. Payment is based on the number of classes taught and can vary between $14-$22 per hour
Teachaway - Has the most comprehensive education network internationally. Earning varies between $15 - $25 per hour
Magic Ears: Teach English to 4 to 12-year-olds and earn up to $26 per hour.
Cambly: Specializes in teaching English. Average earnings between $10 - $12 her hour
Say ABC: You can earn $15 - $21 per hour teaching English to non English speaking school kids over the internet.
Oakary: An interactive platform where you need to interview with the school first and, if hired, you can make the choice if the opportunity suits you. Pay - $16 - $25 per hour.
PalFish: This is an App only education platform. Teach kids and adults to earn up to $30 per hour.
5. Virtual Assistant (VA)
Virtual assistant is one of the top 10 ways to make $1,000 a month side income online while working from home and managing clients needs worldwide. Virtual assistants work like a personal secretary - managing business, and personal tasks. Companies hire virtual assistants to handle calls, send emails, arrange meetings, schedule appointments, make reservations, and more. Some jobs are skill-specific, like a bookkeeping virtual assistant or medical virtual assistant.
Specializations and Resources
You don't need a specific degree, though expertise in the area of your work would be necessary. You will need a computer and a fast internet setup to get started and make money online as a VA. In some cases, you may need to learn using different software your employers use. The training on these softwares is either provided by the client themselves or by the mediator VA company whose platform is being used to connect. The average pay is around $19 per hour, and you can easily earn $2,000 or more every month.
How much money can you make?
The pay scale of VA's vary vastly depending on the nature of work being undertaken. For instance, a VA managing household chores such as booking appointments, managing online delivery could be expected to earn somewhere in the vicinity of $10 - $15 per hour. On the contrary a VA managing a complex client work requiring sorting and arranging of sensitive data could make close to $25 or more depending on the tax and effort involved.
On an average, VA's earn around $19 per hour, and you can easily earn $2,000 or more every month.
Where to find Jobs?
- Belay Solutions: Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Georgia, the company specializes in Virtual Assistants, Virtual Book-keepers and Online marketing strategists. The company has team spread across the US and hires hires both Part time and Full time Virtual Assistants
- Smith.AI - A company that specializes in Inbound and Outbound Call and Chat services which can be done from home. The company provides all the equipment and support needed
- Byron - Byron is an on demand assistant platform that connects the VAs to companies based on their skill set. The company interviews candidates and trains them before assigning them to clients
- Time Etc: If you have existing experience as a VA or as an Assistant, you can approach Time Etc for good-paying jobs. The company offers both full time and part-time jobs for experienced assistants.
- Fancy Hands - One of the largest VA companies in operation, Fancy hands offers opportunities for both Partly and full time VAs. The company is well known for having a variety of VA jobs, some include research and even data quantification. The earnings are based on tasks, the quicker you do them, more money you stand to earn.
- Assistant match : Assistant match provides an end to end platform for people interested in becoming VAs. The company provides training, resources and clients for being a successful VA.
- Equivity : Equivity provides a good platform to seek VA work if you have experience in MS office, Gmail, Microsoft exchange, and Online marketing. The minimum requirement is a 4 year bachelor degree. Prior experience as a VA is a plus.
- VA Networking: One of the oldest platforms that helps virtual assistants train, set up business, find jobs and make money online. A company has built a community forum where people can exchange ideas, learn from others and even enhance their skills to a better paying job.
- Magic: This platform specializes in providing a remote workforce for a range of jobs. You can work as a virtual assistant in administration, sales, and talent sourcing.
- 24/7 Virtual Assistant: Earn $10 - $12 per hour working for clients worldwide. You can send in your resumes online to apply.
- Virtual Gurus: A niche company to find and apply for VA roles. The company prides itself with working with the best and brightest talent and has a hiring rate of 3% of all resumes submitted. However all people hired can be assured to have work contracts long term.
6. Proofreading
Do you have the eye to catch simple grammar and spelling mistakes in an article. Do you know where to insert commas, hyphens, apostrophes etc. Are you well versed with the APA, MLA, or CLM style guides?
If you answered yes to these, then proofreading may be a job aptly suited for you.
Proofreading is one of the top 10 ways to make $1000 a month Side income online and offers enough flexibility that it can be pursued with other full time endeavors.
What is Proofreading ?
Proofreading is the final stage of an editing process before the article is finalized for publication. This includes checking the article for grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, spacing, sequencing etc. Proofreading is often outsourced by bloggers, small companies and writers to experienced freelancers to save them time and effort.
Specializations and Resources
While there is no necessary academic requirement to be qualified for a Proofreader, it helps if you have a specialized degree in English or Journalism if you are looking to be hired by a big company. For freelancing its the credibility which matters. Freelancing is often based on reviews and feedbacks. Once you have those, the work inflows constantly.
If you want more insight into the world of Proofreading - There is a free training course available here.
How much money online can you make as a Proofreader?
At a freelance level, you can charge anywhere between $25 to $50 dollar an hour depending on your expertise levels. Once you get more proficient and experienced, you can start to charge more depending upon your clientele.
Top proofreaders can earn $1,500 - $3,000 per month.
Where to find Jobs?
- ScribeMedia: ScribeMedia is the World’s #1 Professional Publishing Company and offers a variety of proofreading jobs, from beginners to experienced.
- English Tracker - A company specializing in editing and proofreading for clients. The company offers a pay towards the higher side but seeks people with prior experience.
- Edit Fast - An old reliable company which matches the client needs with the proofreading skills of the freelancers.
- Proofreading Pal - Proofread books, manuscripts, business documents, and more for long-term earning opportunities.
- Proofreading Services - Founded by a Yale Graduate in 2011, the company now has 10000+ clients spread across 100 plus countries. Get hired for proofreading jobs and earn up to $46 each hour.
- Word R Us - Dedicated proofreaders can expect a good income for editing and proofreading.
- WordVice - A company which has a staggering 99.8% client satisfaction rating. This is another excellent platform to join as a proofreader
7. Taking Surveys
Taking surveys is an alternative way to make $1000 a month side income online with no training necessary.
Businesses always want to learn about customer preferences. They invest in surveys where you can get paid to answer honestly. You can join survey platforms where you get surveys based on your interests and preferences. You enroll in a survey and provide answers to all questions and in return get awarded with either cash or gift cards or coupons.
Specializations and Resources
You can work from anywhere and anytime using just a computer or mobile device with internet. No skills necessary, and everyone can earn without restrictions.
How much money can you make?
Taking surveys will not make your rich but can help you earn enough to buy the massager you want. Additionally, you can earn vouchers and gifts worth hundreds of dollars. You however do have to work for hours daily to make $1,000 in a month.
Where to find Jobs?
Survey sites to check out-
- i-Say: Find plenty of surveys that pay back in Amazon gift cards or PayPal rewards.
- PopulusLive: Get paid up to £1 every 5-minutes by taking a range of surveys.
- Curious Cat: Cash out instantly by taking surveys and questionnaires.
- Branded Surveys: Get surveys from brands to earn up to $0.50 per survey
- Panelbase: Take surveys on different topics to earn a maximum of £10 per survey.
- Swagbucks: Earn gift cards by taking paid surveys.
- Pinecone Research: Earn points for providing your honest opinions. You can earn points by completing surveys and exchange them for cash or rewards.
- Inbox Dollars: Get cash for taking surveys and polls.
- Survey Junkie: Gives you gift cards you can redeem for rewards for taking paid surveys.
- Vindale Research: Earn $20 - $25 per survey from leading brands worldwide.
- Shopper's Voice: Get coupons and discounts for completing surveys.
- Opinion Outpost: Pays in Amazon, PayPal, and Visa gift cards for answering polls and surveys.
8. Design, Customize and Sell T-Shirts online
If you have the creativity to customize T-shirts, Outerwear, Tote bags or Accessories such as Coffee Mugs, Beer Glasses and iPhone covers, you can make a lot of money online designing and selling merchandize without the hassle of an inventory or worrying about shipping.
How does it work?
There are many vendor websites that can help transform your design ideas into reality. The company provides a selection of T-Shirts, Caps, Yoga Pants, Tote bags, Phone covers etc. upon which you can imprint your design and make it user ready. Once ready, you can promote them to customers and make money online. The company keeps a portion of profits but the margin is enough to give you a handsome return.
You can create an account on one of the vendor websites (mentioned below) and start creating your designs by selecting a product and using their designing palate. You can also upload your own designs, photos etc. as long as they are in the compatible format. Once the product is complete, you can promote it via the 2 ways below:
- Organically through your blog or YouTube and make sales.
- In-Organically through Facebook / Instagram paid Ads
Once the order is received, the vendors manage the entire sale process such as logistics of Shirt printing, shipping, labeling and returns. They also offer discounts to make your product more attractive. Some vendors require a minimum order before they start printing and shipping to customers.
Specializations and Resources
You just need a laptop and some creative ideas to design and market your T-Shirt. You may need some money for Paid Ads if you are going that route to promote your sale.
How much money can you make?
This concept of virtual T-Shirt design was conceptualized by TeeSpring which has now transformed into a major niche market and has made many a millionaire. Take the example of Tan Tran who went from $2,500 to a $1Mn in just under 2 years. Or brothers Keegan & Cortland Rush who sold $2.7Mn worth of T-shirts and generated a take home profit of $1.6Mn.
Where to find Jobs?
Here are the top 10 websites through which you can customize and sell T-shirts:
9. Online Researcher
Researchers are in high demand all around the world. We aren't talking about academic researchers, but about people who are good at finding information online. You can get both part-time and full-time jobs doing research and collecting information from the web.
The type of research you undertake will depend on your employer. For example, you may need to conduct online market research of a new market where the company is looking to expand. Or, you may need to research information about industries in a state, financials, and more.
Specializations and Resources
A computer and an internet connection is the basic requirement to do online research. You will also need expertise in your area of research. Some jobs may quire prior legal or financial understanding.
How much money can you make?
You can earn a fixed rate per project or per employed on a per-hour basis. Either ways, it is not tough to to make more than $1,000 per month. Hourly rates range between $15 - $30 per hour.
Where to find Jobs?
- ClickWorker: A great place to find short-term online gigs, including online researcher jobs.
- Upwork: Find freelance online research jobs in a variety of areas.
- PeoplePerHour: A range of research and analysis jobs available for beginners and experts.
- Truelancer: Another freelance platform where clients post web researcher projects.
- FlexJobs: Freelance web research jobs from leading employers.
10. Offer services as a Web-Designer
With the expansion of Internet Marketing and online blogging there has been a substantial increase in the demand of web-designing services. A web-Designer is a person who helps designs blogs/websites and creates a basic structure of the website starting with homepage, blog, legal pages etc.
Specializations and Resources
Web designing is one of the most sought after service in freelancing platforms such as Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer.
Nowadays with access to online training and the drag and drop feature for website creation, there is no longer a requirement for learning codes etc. to create a website. Companies like Thrive themes and Hostgator have made it super easy to create website without any technical expertise.
Moreover they also offer free tutorial classes for beginners and advanced levels which are self explanatory and help build the foundation for effective website designing
An essential for web designers is to create an online profile where people can take a look at your profile and previous projects to convince themselves for placing orders. See the example of Ryan Gittings whose online profile is impressively laid out so as to showcase his work and his expertise in a captivating way.
How much money can you make?
A freelance web-designer can charge anywhere between $25 to $40 an hour. For advanced website design the rates can go unto $100 per hour.
Where to find Jobs?
Listed below are some of the platforms which offer Web-Designing jobs:
Summary - Top 10 Ways to Make $1000 a Month Side Income
In this detailed post we covered the top 10 ways to $1000 a month side Income online. However these are not the only ways. There are others such a starting a YouTube Channel or Blog which have long term benefits and can also turn into full time earning potential. There are also ways in which you can earn by joining virtual teams online where you manage projects jointly and get great returns. Please keep a lookout for other blog posts on similar articles.
The key to earning a good income online is the same as any other job, consistency and practice. Once you begin and keep at it, success will come eventually.
