Are Your Daily Commutes Driving You Nuts?
Have you ever thought of working from home and eliminating the daily drive to and from work? How does a 30-second commute in casual dress and flexible hours sound? There are lots of legitimate ways to work from home using a combination of today’s technology and a little creativity.
Whether you’re looking for a new job, thinking about a second act, or wanting to learn a new skill, there are a ton of opportunities out there.
Work from Home Opportunities
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is where you earn a commission for promoting a company’s products or services. The affiliate simply searches for a product or service within their chosen niche and promotes them by writing blogs. The affiliate earns a commission from each sale made by each person they have referred to the merchant’s website. The sales are tracked via affiliate links that direct the visitor to the merchant’s website.
Starting an affiliate marketing business is free and you can be up and running with the following steps:
- Join an affiliate marketing community. Visit my Wealthy Affiliate page to see how you can get started as an
affiliate marketer for free. - Choose a niche market that interests you.
- Setup a website.
- Join affiliate programs that offer products relevant to your niche.
- Write and publish articles reviewing products and services in your chosen niche.
- Earn commissions for everyone that clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase.
More merchants are offering affiliate programs than ever before as they have discovered it’s a cost-effective way to market their products and services. The merchant gets the sale and the affiliate earns a commission. It’s a win-win for both the merchant and affiliate.
Google AdSense
Google AdSense matches ads to your site based on your content and visitors. The ads are designed and paid for by merchants who are promoting their products. The merchants pay various prices for their ads. As result, the amount you earn will vary. Simply follow these steps to earn money with Google AdSense:
- Apply for AdSense on Google.
- Once accepted, simply copy and paste the assigned HTML code to your site.
- Google will automatically show ads that are custom fit to your site’s layout.
That’s all there is to it. You get paid when anyone clicks on the advertisement.
Sponsorship is when a merchant (brand) uses your influence to promote their products or services. Actions like having you post their logo on your website or making a YouTube video demonstrating the use of one of their products as an endorsement. Unlike affiliate marketing agreements that are usually paid on commissions per sale, a sponsorship pays as per agreement between you and the merchant (brand).
Airbnb Host
Got a spare bedroom and enjoy hosting guests? Since 2008, Airbnb has provided a temporary place to stay for travelers worldwide. On any given night, 2 million people stay in Airbnb homes located in 100,000 cities. There are more than 6 million listings in 191 countries to choose from —that’s more than the top five hotel chains combined.
Airbnb hosts earn about $1,500 per month based on 15 nights of occupancy. Hosts share their passions and interests with both travelers and locals. The group encounter can be a great experience for everyone. It beats overnight at a motel anytime.
Go to the Airbnb Help Center for information on renting your space. Create a free account and let them know of your availability to host.
Customer Service 
Customer Service Reps are busy taking orders, logging customer issues, and explaining details about a product or service. They are often the first point of contact that customers have with a company.
Many companies are hiring home workers to eliminate the overhead costs of staffing a call center. Typically, you’ll spend the day on the phone in front of your computer and will answer calls or respond to questions online.
Staffing companies like Arise, Flexjobs, and The Penny Hoarder Work-From-Home Jobs Portal usually have a list of Call Center Customer Service jobs..
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is in high demand as many need talented writers to design quality content, edit existing content, transcription, or even translation. As you gain more writing experience you build a portfolio of your work and a name for yourself. Several companies like Fiverr, Upwork, Textbroker, and Writers Work all offer opportunities to freelance writers.
Freelance writers can earn annual incomes that range from $24,000 to $115,000 depending on their experience and the project.
Lyft Driver
Drivers are independent contractors so you can set your own schedule to work whenever you can. Earnings will vary with location and the number of hours worked. The average Lyft driver in Atlanta, GA works about 30 hours per week and earns over $32,000 annually.
Eligible Lyft drivers need to be at least 21 years old with a year of driving experience, have a valid U.S. driver’s license, and pass a background check. Your car must be registered in-state and be covered by in-state insurance.
No car? No problem. Lyft can arrange a fully insured rental for you to use on the job.
Online Surveys
What’s great about online surveys as a side gig is that you can earn extra cash from anywhere you have an internet connection. The payouts certainly won’t buy you that private island in the Caribbean but being paid for simply answering a few questions over a Wi-Fi connection at your local Starbucks is hard to pass up.
Simply register and the survey company will send you a list of open or close-ended questions for you to answer. Submit your answers in exchange for cash, gift cards, and prizes.
Survey Advocate is just one website that lists the best survey sites that are legitimate and pay well. I would recommend signing up for more than one and go with the ones that work best for you.
Pet Sitting
Pets of all ages are one of the most adorable things you can be around. How about turning your love for pets into a business? There are lots of people who have pets and need someone to look after them while at work or on vacation.
Depending on the arrangement, you can either go to your customer’s place or host the pets at your place. As of 2020, ZipRecruiter has reported that pet sitters are earning an average of about $31,000 annually.
Photographer
Getting paid to take pictures is a great way to turn a photography hobby into a home business. If allowed by the zoning laws in your area, you can run a portrait studio from your home, taking pictures of families, grads, and even pets.
Or consider photographing events like weddings. A wedding photographer can make approximately $2,600 for a $20,000 wedding. Weddings are almost exclusively held on the weekends so taking wedding photos is something you can do part-time while you build your portfolio.
You can sell your photographs online through sites like Shutterstock.com and Adobe Stock Photos.
Tutoring Services
Tutoring is an excellent way to help people while testing your own knowledge and earning money at the same time. There’s a demand for tutors in subjects that range from calculus to English as a second language. Students can interview prospective instructors and schedule tutoring sessions online or in-person. Companies looking for tutors online include Tutor.com, Pearson.com, and Wyzant.com to name only a few.
Selling e-Books
E-books in specialized subjects are a hot seller these days. If you have cooking expertise in Thai cuisine, a book of recipes would be well received by Thai food lovers in that niche. Just like an online store, if you want to make massive sales, you need to do enormous advertising. Convince people why they should buy your e-book.
Turn Your Garage into a Business
Starting a business in a garage is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination. Many successful businesses like Apple, Disney, Harley-Davidson, and Hewlett-Packard all started in a garage.
Garage sales are common where you can sell your unwanted items such as toys, furniture, bicycles, or just about anything usable.
Computer repair, laundry/ironing services, auto detailing, pet grooming, and tutoring are some of the many services you can provide in your garage. Got hair styling or barber skills? Your garage would be a good place to offer salon services.
Virtual Assistant
There are a lot of companies seeking virtual assistants as an economical way to complete everyday administration tasks. As an independent contractor, you get a list of tasks that your client wants to be done, and you go out and do them according to the agreed terms and conditions. It’s a win-win for everyone. Work from home for an unlimited number of companies while retaining your own personal freedom and independence.
The national average wage for virtual assistants is around $19 per hour. Tasks can include bookkeeping, data entry, email management, and website maintenance. Virtual Vocations and ZipRecruiter post virtual assistant jobs frequently.
Home is the New Workplace
Working from home has become a popular way to earn supplemental or even a full-time income. All you need is an organized and functional working space, a laptop, reliable internet access, and a good work ethic.
Working remotely is most ideal for stay-at-home parents, college students, and anyone else who needs to have flexibility in their schedule.
Careful research is a requirement in detecting online scams. Companies like FlexJobs and Virtual Vocations pre-screen their hiring employers to ensure that the organization and jobs are legitimate.
Thank you for browsing my website. Feel free to share your recommendations or questions about legitimate ways to work from home below and I will respond to all of them.
This us really great post and to be honest, I really found this post worthy. I am a big time fan ofonline working and earning. Seeing the potentials attached to working and earning online, I see the ways you have shared here worthy. Affiliate marketing, blogging and freelancing are what I resonate with better and I can really get myself established here. Thumbs up to you
Hi Emman,
Thank you for the kind words. I get the most enjoyment out of helping other people. I’m excited to find a way to do it from home. 🙂
Larry
Hello Larry, you have some really nice ideas to make money from home and I love most of them. Starting from the first, affiliate marketing is one online business many people are interested in and would love to go into, but I advise a good training course should be taken. Also, selling e-books happens to be a very nice idea too and with the right niche, one would be making some really cool cash out of it.
Hi Benson,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that e-books would be a nice venture. I love to read and do so as much as I can. Finding the genre that’s most in demand is worth surveying to find answers. I’ve heard the idiom “So many good books, and so little time” which holds true.
Larry
Long before I could quit my job and enjoy passive income. I personally spent the most of my money on educating (e-books, courses) and I’m not sorry for one dollar. On the contrary, I see now that it was my best investment. Knowledge is the most valuable investment because no one can take it away from you. For when you possess knowledge you will know how to make money in every situation. I always say, you can take everything I have, leave me in any city (or village) on the earth, just give me the Internet and the computer and I’ll rebuild my business and make money.
Thank you for your content.
Hi Alisa,
Thank you for your comments. You’re absolutely right. Knowledge is not only power but it’s yours to keep and nobody can take that away from you.
Larry
Hello Larry, these are all very wonderful work from home ideas that you have here on your website and I have to confess to you that it is a very nice thing to see that you have done this now in a time when people are looking to work from home and make some really good money. Personally, I have tried surveys and freelancing but it feels like one still has a boss but being an affiliate marketer is the best in the list but that’s just my own perspective.
Hi Riley,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that not all work from home jobs are perfect as you’re job satisfaction can sometimes be defined by the quality of management.
Larry
With the global crisis that is sweeping the world, people have stopped and really started to reconsider what they want with their lives. Many are reconsidering their lifestyle and a sizeable number of people are seeking new online methods to earn ethical ways to make an income on-line. Your blog fills an important niche and is timely. I have considered all of the factors you describe and yes, my journey to work has on occasions d*****n me NUTS!. The Affil***te Marketing you describe sounds very good. I have actively considered AirBnb indeed my partner and are looking seriously at this. Your description was helpful. Thank you. You made it sound so easy. The idea of a remote “call centre” does not appeal but what I like about your site is that you have summarised and explained a range of options. I`m saving the URL and will share it with friends who want to make the change I described above. I was also impressed by the warnings you highlighted in “scams” and “the length of time Affiliate M***ting will last. Thank you.
Hi Trevor,
Thank you for your comments. Yes indeed. The daily commute has been getting old for a long time now. The warnings about the use of smartphones while driving has also made the drive hazardous. I think the current situation will shed some light on things and more companies will allow employees to work from home. And by all means, hang your own shingle.
Larry
Hi Larry,
It is so comfy working at home. I’ve been doing it for almost 3 weeks now because of the COVID-19 pandemic and I love it!
I’m lucky because my full time job allows me to work from home.
This is my goal for the next two years that’s why I’m slowly building my website and doing affiliate marketing.
Selling e -books is in my plans also, but this will come much later.
Starting an online store looks promising as well, let’s see if I can get there in the near future.
There’s lots of ways as long as we plan and persevere!
Thanks for these doable ideas.
Marita
Hi Marita,
Thanks for your comments. I’d like to look into selling books online too. All in good time.
Larry
This information is really important and useful now that most countries are under lock-down due to the current pandemic disease, atleast people can work from the comfort of their homes, besides it is not that hard and does not require much work,also Airbnb is also a nice idea in that way you will be earning money and also helping humanity,tutorial is also nice because you learn while teaching and also writing is awesome and one of the many things i love to do… thanks for sharing, they are all great ideas
Hi Alexy,
Thank you for your comments. Yes, it is a timely article. More and more companies are realizing the financial and environmental benefits of having their employees work from home. The current situation with the pandemic will likely be an example and drive more companies to allow for people to work from home.
Larry
YES ! I do agree with you that you can work and even earn money while staying at home and free yourself from the traffic,avoid waking up early just to prepare for work and spending too much of your car maintainance and gas. Making money online is a remote possibility before but thanks to the advent of technology that it became a true experienced. You really have to work for it and spend time inorder that your business online will flourish because your online business will not just become a side earner but it will become a main source of your income if manage properly and diligently. Thanks
Hi Laertes,
Thank you for your comments. Yes, building an online business is lots of work and takes persistence. It’s fun to help other people that come to your website looking for information or a product.
Larry
Hi Larry, this is a great post on different ways to work from home and earn money from online business of different kinds. You have also given a link that gave a great review of Wealth Affiliate which is a great platform to learn and train on how to become a successful entrepreneur as an affiliate marketer. Through your post, I have remembered that I can become an Airbnb host using the spare room in my apartment. Keep up the good work. Cheers.
Hi Joseph,
Thank you for your comments. There were a lot of opportunities for me to place links in the post but Google only allows 1 outbound link per 500 words. Yes, I think Airbnb is the new lodging of choice worldwide. I’ve read where some of the experiences have been great when visiting different countries.
Larry
Hi Larry, I too, am a baby boomer looking to make money at home. It is a challenge to find a way, but in this day and age, lots of people are trying their hand at it and bringing in the grocery money while staying at home.
We have used an Airbnb, and my brother-in-law does something like Lyft and enjoys doing that. I know quite a few who have done surveys, and a friend of mine has created a quite successful online children’s clothing store. Tutoring and selling eBooks are all frequently done. There is lot’s of opportunity out there, you just have to make it work for yourself. That is what I am trying to do!
All the best,
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for visiting my site. Your comments are always welcome.
Yes, there are a lot of us out there looking to earn our keep from home as so many opportunities have surfaced with the technology.
Best of luck to you in your business and let me know if I can help.
Larry