New Ways to Make Money from Home in 2018

12 New Ways to Make Money from Home in 2018

1/Offer Video Services to Others

For many years, freelance writing has been a great opportunity to earn extra cash with a flexible schedule. The latest online content need is video. If you can turn your client’s written content into professional, high-quality video, you may find yourself with no shortage of business. And these don’t necessarily need to be you in a “talking head” video. They could be PowerPoint presentations, screencasts, photo montages, animations and more.

2/Publish on Medium

Medium recently opened their Partner Program to everyone. It’s really too early to tell what the future holds, but it’s already paying off for some. This is a revenue-sharing model in which you are paid for reader engagement with your articles, mainly “claps” given to the piece. Here are some preliminary numbers for the early adopters:

For the month of November 2017:

• 47% of authors or publications who wrote at least one story for members earned money. The average amount earned for the month was $81.30.
• $4,781.22 was the most earned by an author, and $4,388.67 was the most earned by a publication.
• $1,182.39 was the most earned for a single story.

There are definitely some pitfalls to these programs which I will be addressing in an upcoming article along with my own results for the things I have published over there. Make sure you are signed up for my newsletter (box below the post) for the case study.

3/Cancel Your Subscriptions

We all sign up for subscriptions that we eventually don’t want. As I’m sure you have found out, sometimes cancellation isn’t so easy. What I love about Trim is that they will identify these recurring charges in your bank account, let you know what you are being charged for and then give you the option to have them cancel them. They can send an email, make a phone call or even send a certified letter if that’s what the company requires. This service is currently free. Trim can also negotiate things like your cable bill. For that service, they charge you a percentage of your annual savings. Sign up here.

4/Share Your Opinions (in a video)

Survey apps have only been increasing in popularity over the past few years and we are starting to see some new and exciting twists. Voxpopme is an app that pays you for sharing your opinions through video. Brand questions will be displayed on the app. Just select those of interest and share your videopinion to get paid.

5/Refer Your Friends

How many times have you told your friends about a great service or product you love? Could you have been compensated for that referral? Many companies today have refer-a-friend programs that will pay you in cash or store credit for bringing them new customers. Look in your online profile for these opportunities. The website will often provide you with a link you can share on social media or in an email. If it’s a product or service you are asked about a lot, it may even be worth your time to get cards printed up with your link for handing out.

6/Invest Your Change

We all know we should be investing money, but it isn’t always as easy as it sounds. This is especially the case for those with limited dispensable cash or inconsistent income. Acorns (get $5 to invest when you sign up through this link) is an app that will allow you to round up your everyday purchases and invest that spare change. While you may be unable to write a sizeable check for investing each month, you may not notice an extra $.25 tacked onto your morning Starbucks. Stockpile is another micro-investing platform I love. Get $5 to invest free when you sign up here. 

7/Get More Cash Back

Who doesn’t love cashback opportunities like Ebates? It’s one of my favorite ways to earn extra money with little or no extra work. But what about in-store cash back? Dosh is a newer app that offers just that. You can earn cash back on things like getting your oil changed or eating out in addition to the usual in-app and travel purchases. They give you $5 just for downloading the app and connecting your debit or credit card.

8/Rent Your Knowledge

You have likely heard of subscription boxes such as Birchbox and Julep. While almost anyone can start a subscription box service, they can be incredibly labor-intensive and the profit margin usually isn’t so great for those operating on a small scale. Did you know you could start a subscription for your knowledge that’s almost pure profit? With sites like SubHub, you can offer a monthly membership offering anything from meal plans to workout plans to crocheting patterns and beyond. The sky is the limit. You do need to provide new content on a consistent schedule to keep your customers happy. But if there is something your friends are always looking to you for new ideas, you may have an easy little side business on your hands.

9/Share Your Stuff

Do you have a big ticket item or two that you only use part-time? We are living in an age of “peer sharing” which has opened a door to earning income from renting everything from RVs (RVShare) to sailboats (see Sailo). This works for smaller items, too. KitSplit lets you lend out professional cameras. If you have a desirable item that costs more than the average person can afford, someone out there may be willing to pay to borrow it.

10/Become a Courier

Many of my readers aren’t hip on the idea of becoming a rideshare driver. It can be a little intimidating being in a car alone with a stranger. A great alternative in the same industry is becoming a courier. Sites like Postmates, UberEats, Amazon Flex and others can be a great opportunity to earn extra cash delivering everything from lunch to packages. These can be good side hustles with flexible schedules. In some areas, I have also seen a big boom in medical courier opportunities, and these don’t pay too shabby!

11/ACT Test Prep

Not necessarily new, but definitely a great opportunity! Jen Henson was a teacher in Ohio when she was approached by her principal to tutor an athlete preparing for ACT testing. He had a full ride offer from a college but need the test scores to seal the deal. After hearing about the results Jen was able to help this student achieve, he’s in the NFL today, she started being approached by other coaches. 

She both taught full-time and tutored on the side as long as she could. This year, she decided she could no longer handle both. She was able to walk away from her 22-year teaching career to pursue ACT test prep full-time. 

Jen has found a lot of fulfillment in the work she now does. In addition to the student now in the NFL, she has tutored two others now playing in the MLB. Her biggest accomplishment, however, is all of those who she has helped secure a free education or a spot at their dream college because of their ACT test scores. 

12/Online ESL Tutoring

Speaking of teaching, even if you don’t have a teaching degree or current certificate, you may be able to make money teaching English online. Sites like VIPKID have made the process easier than ever, and this is a great side gig for those working a full-time job. The scheduling is flexible and you can work in the evenings and on weekends