9 Small Online Businesses and/or Jobs That Can Help You Earn Extra Income

If you could use some extra income and are looking for easy (and even fun) ways to earn extra money, you might be wondering where to start. Look no further! Before discussing some specific work from home remote job ideas, ask yourself what kinds of special skills or talents you may have but maybe never really used before. This could include writing, photography, design, organization, accounting, teaching, public speaking, and much more. Consider your “soft skills” as well, such as communication, leadership, creative thinking, conflict resolution, and teamwork. You may not even realize that these unused skills could be easy moneymakers, and could also be a great way to express your creativity and develop a hobby while earning extra cash!

Note that some of these jobs may require certifications, while others just require passion, creativity, and a willingness to learn.

[Note: Many of these are also great jobs for stay-at-home parents.]

Now let’s dive into some easy ways to start making extra cash.

1. Virtual Assistant

Has anyone ever admired you for your organizational skills? Consider becoming a virtual assistant (VA)! This job can involve various tasks related to administrative and office work–and best of all, it can be done from anywhere and on a flexible schedule. You may even be able to work for several different clients at the same time! 

Depending on the job, you might do many general tasks, or a few more specific ones. This is a job that is growing quickly as the world migrates to remote work in the wake of the pandemic. If you’re highly skilled in a specific area or program, you may be able to negotiate a higher pay rate.

Here are some examples of tasks you might be assigned as a VA:

• Manage email inbox (keep things organized and reply to inquiries)
• Manage calendar and appointments
• Manage social media accounts
• Communicate with customers by phone, email, or chat
• Work on tasks in a certain program, such as Excel
• Proofread PDFs or blog posts
• Research and purchase supplies
• Any other miscellaneous tasks that employees don’t have time to get to

You can find jobs like this on many sites, including LinkedIn, Indeed, Upwork, and even just by networking.

2. Customer Service Representative

As companies everywhere turn to remote work, more and more customer service jobs are becoming available. Similar to what you would do if you had this job in a traditional office setting, this job requires you to communicate with customers via phone, email or chat to help troubleshoot their problems, place orders, etc.

Check out Indeed and LinkedIn for remote customer service opportunities.

3. Online Store Owner

If you have a talent that you never made money from, like making jewelry or candles, you can sell your wares on sites such as Etsy, Amazon, eBay and more. In addition to this, you can sell old or unused items around your home like books, toys, clothes, and electronics on these sites to get some extra cash and clear out clutter (as long as they’re in good condition, of course!).

4. Freelancer

If you have skills in areas such as writing (blogs/articles, copywriting, web/social copy and more), graphic design, photography, web design, social media (content creator, strategist, community organizer) and more, you can do freelance work for clients. You can find gigs through sites such as Fiverr (you’ll have to create a profile) and even traditional sites like LinkedIn and Indeed, or you can create your own business where you are your own boss. This can be a really fun and fulfilling way to make money with what was once just a hobby.

5. Tutor or Coach

If you’re already a teacher, or are particularly skilled in an academic subject like history or math, or a skill such as playing an instrument, you can be an online tutor. The possibilities for this have grown with technology, so it’s even possible to teach music lessons over platforms like Zoom. And you’re not limited by your local area– you can teach people anywhere in the world! 

There are many possibilities for online tutoring. Here’s a helpful guide for getting started.

6. Bookkeeper

If you have previous experience with accounting or are good with numbers and spreadsheets, you can be an online bookkeeper. Similar to being a Virtual Assistant, bookkeepers handle whatever financial tasks are needed by the client, ranging from record keeping to paying invoices. Depending on your skill level and experience, this can be a particularly lucrative way to earn some extra income. Learn more.

7. Therapist or Counselor

This requires more of a formal background, but if you have a degree in a field such as psychology or social work (with specific certifications), or if you are already working in one of these fields, you can supplement your income by being a teletherapist. There are many teletherapy sites such as Talkspace and BetterHelp that you can sign up with, where you can set your schedule and how many clients you want to take on. Here’s a more detailed guide.

8. Health, Fitness, or Life Coach

Some of these also require more of a formal background or training, but if you’re interested in the health/wellness/fitness space, there are many ways to find work.

If you like helping others with achieving their goals, you can become a life coach. This can involve helping people with their relationship skills, career goals, or just organizing things in their life. You can meet with clients by phone or over Zoom. Learn more.

If you enjoy a certain type of exercise or sport, such as weightlifting or yoga, you can become a personal trainer or yoga teacher and start coaching clients online through Zoom. These generally require some trainings and certifications before you can start taking on clients.

9. Influencer

If you enjoy spending time on social media, particularly Instagram and Pinterest, and have a decent following particularly in a specific niche or community, you can make money as an influencer. While there isn’t a specific “path” to becoming an influencer like training for a job, there are certain steps you can follow to develop a good audience. Once you’ve developed a decent following, you can start reaching out to brands who will pay you to post about their products (known as sponsored posts). Learn more about how to succeed as an influencer.