That’s why we’ve put together an insider’s guide to help you make the most of your Survey Junkie experience. Between fun monthly promos and social giveaways, there are so many ways to participate and reach your earnings goals. We also have some advice for how you can minimize common survey-taking frustrations, like disqualification. 

Whether you’re a long-term member or simply looking for a new side hustle, we’re here to help you earn the most with Survey Junkie.  Your opinion really does matter to companies and they’re willing to pay for it, so let us help make that happen. 

1. Take advantage of the onboarding points.

Did you know that you receive points just for signing up and completing your Survey Junkie profiles? Get yourself up and running on Survey Junkie, and you’re already 160 points closer to your first redemption of $5 before you even take your first survey. Here’s how:

• Sign up (+25 points) 
  
• Confirm your email address (+25 points) 
  
• Complete your general profile (+50 points) 
  
• Complete your category-specific profiles (+60 points)
  

As you get yourself set up, here are a few other things to keep in mind:

• The email you use to sign up is permanently locked into the platform for security purposes. You must create a new account if you change your email in the future.
  
• The bank account information you provide for redemption can only be updated through our Member Support team once, in exceptional cases.
  
• Your PayPal email and bank information cannot be used for multiple accounts, even if there are multiple people in the same household using Survey Junkie. 
  

Get started now, here.

2. Update your general and category-specific profiles regularly.

Your Survey Junkie profiles are key to optimizing your earnings. They’re used to match you with surveys that align with your lifestyle and interests, so we recommend keeping them up to date.

Why does this matter? Brands often need input from a particular type of person based on who they are trying to reach or sell their product or service. 

It is important to note that brands may have additional criteria beyond what is included in your profile so just because you’re an initial match for a survey doesn’t mean you will qualify for that survey. But complete and updated profiles will optimize your survey matches and overall success.  

3. Maximize your earnings with monthly Rewards Boosts.

Survey Junkie is always looking for ways to help you earn more. We offer monthly Rewards Boosts that allow members to earn bonus points for completing a set number of surveys daily within a dedicated time frame. The points and time frames for each Rewards Boost will vary so be sure to read the rules carefully. 

These opportunities are a great way to boost your earnings while participating in a fun challenge. 

4. Take your time with surveys and answer honestly to minimize disqualification. 

Survey responses can only yield value for brands if they are accurate and honest. While it may seem like a good idea to speed through a survey for fast points, Survey Junkie has systems in place to detect this type of activity and disqualify survey participants. Additionally, if you answer questions differently within a survey than you did in your general profile, this will lead to disqualification as well. 

Because brands often need input from a particular type of person, someone with specific life experiences, not everyone qualifies for every survey. The information you provide within your general profile is used to match you with surveys, so it’s important to ensure your profile is accurate and up to date.  

In addition to a specific audience, brands and organizations require a specific audience size. Once a survey reaches the required number of survey completes, the survey will close.

It’s possible for a survey to fill up while you are taking it because thousands of people are on the platform taking surveys at any given moment. 

Disqualification can be very frustrating, especially after you’ve spent time on a survey so make sure you take your time and answer accurately to minimize the possibility. It will pay off in the long run.

5. Keep track of survey details.

Your time and opinions are extremely important. That’s why we highly recommend keeping track of survey details, especially those with higher point values and time commitments. Take note of Survey IDs and the survey provider as you’re taking surveys. And when relevant, take screenshots of any survey errors that you encounter in the process. 

Keeping track of these items will ensure that you get compensated for your time and efforts on a survey, should you ever experience an error or technical difficulties with a survey. If this happens, please send details to support@SurveyJunkie.ca so that our team can look into the issue. 

6. Turbocharge your earnings by sharing digital activity through Survey Junkie Pulse.

Your opinion is valuable, and connecting it with your online activity can be even more powerful. Opting in to share your online activity through Survey Junkie Pulse is the way to turbocharge your earnings by way of guaranteed monthly points and exclusive surveys.

Once you’re a Survey Junkie member, you can opt in to Pulse via desktop or mobile device:

• Install Pulse on your desktop or mobile device, or both if you like!
  
  • On desktop (Windows or Mac), go to the left bar on your dashboard, click “Add Desktop App” and follow the prompts.
    
  • On the Android mobile app, click “Mobile Pulse” at the bottom of the screen and follow the prompts.
    
• Remain active on your device/s for a minimum of five online sessions monthly – you probably do that daily anyway!
  
• Keep an eye out for your Pulse-exclusive surveys.
  

Your monthly points (50) are rewarded after 30 days of installation. If you keep Pulse installed for one full year, you can earn 750 points on Pulse desktop and 600 points on Pulse mobile, or 1350 points on both devices – with your monthly points alone. 

Automatic monthly points. Exclusive surveys. Unmatched brand influence. Pulse comes with perks, get yours today! For more details, see here.

7. Follow Survey Junkie on Facebook to be the first to hear about our 1000-point giveaways.

Survey Junkie offers limited 1000-point ($10) giveaways on our Facebook page providing an additional way for members to earn points and have some fun with fellow members. Our giveaways feature timely and trending topics, giving members an opportunity to join the conversation and maybe even score 1,000 points. Be sure to follow Survey Junkie on Facebook to stay in the loop on the latest giveaways.

8. Get acquainted with your verification options.

Survey Junkie takes pride in the integrity of our platform, and the security of our members. To maintain this high standard and prevent fraudulent activity, members must undergo a verification process before redemption to ensure honest and accurate information. 

• Online verification: Members provide their full name, address and phone number; they must enter the verification code they receive on their phone via text or call.
  
• Call verification: Members undergo a brief 1-2 minute call with our Member Support team to answer standard questions. These calls are conducted Monday – Friday between 8am – 5pm PST in the US, or at an appropriate time zone outside of the US.
  
• ID verification: Members must submit standard photos of the front and back of their government-issued ID to confirm their residence in the country they’ve listed on their SJ account, along with a current selfie to compare with the ID photo.
  

The standard online verification is instantaneous on the Survey Junkie platform. However, members may be subject to call verification or ID verification to confirm their identity in the future for security checks. 

We recommend getting familiar with these options early so that you don’t experience any delays in the future.

9. Keep an eye on your earnings.

We want to help you rack up those points! As your points grow, please be aware that U.S. residents earning over $600 within the same calendar year on Survey Junkie must fill out a W-9 form so that we can issue you a 1099 document. To prepare for this, we require you to complete your W-9 once you reach 55,000 points or $550. 

The W-9 form can be accessed here and sent back to support@SurveyJunkie.ca once you reach the 55,000 point threshold. If you reside outside of the United States, please check your country’s requirement for earning and reporting income. 

For security purposes, members who earn over 5,500 points ($55) must also go through a manual withdrawal process. This typically entails a brief phone call with our Member Support team to confirm details. We recommend cashing out before you reach that threshold to avoid any delays.

If you reach either of these thresholds (or both!), it’s a good thing – and means you’re well on your way to making more with Survey Junkie!

10. Fit Survey Junkie into your lifestyle, anywhere you go.

The beauty of Survey Junkie is that members can choose what, when and how they share, earning rewards in a way that suits their unique schedule. Once you download the mobile app, you’ll have money-making opportunities everywhere you go – in line for morning coffee, on the commute to work, or even picking up your child from school. Survey Junkie helps you take advantage of them!

Survey Junkie is available via the Google Play and Apple app stores. Navigate to the Survey Junkie app page and download the application. You will be able to create an account or login with your existing account information if you’re already a member. 

Find a time of day that works for you, and start taking surveys. Share more, earn more and make it worth your while.

11. Familiarize yourself with each redemption method.

Survey Junkie members can cash out beginning at 500 points or $5 for valuable rewards including cash through PayPal or bank transfer, and gift cards for Amazon, Target, Walmart, Sephora, Starbucks, Visa, Apple, and more. The best part is you can choose what option best suits your earning needs.

Below is an overview of each option and its availability for members, so you can determine which is best for you:

• Bank transfer is only available for our U.S. members. Members must first verify their address and phone number before they can add their unique bank account and routing number.
  
• PayPal is available for all members globally and is the only payout option for non-US members. Some members will have to verify their Survey Junkie account through Photo ID verification to redeem with PayPal. Please confirm your PayPal email address on Survey Junkie, and verify your account on PayPal before redeeming.
  
• Gift cards are only available for our U.S. members. Some members will have to verify their Survey Junkie account through Photo ID verification. Please confirm your email address for receiving your gift cards on Survey Junkie before redeeming.

12. Keep an eye out for Survey Junkie emails to be the first to take surveys.

We send surveys to members via email as soon as they become available on our platform. Monitor your inbox for updates so that you can take advantage of surveys before they fill up. At any given time, thousands of members are taking surveys so getting ahead of the surge will help set you up for success. Survey Junkie also sends updates about promos and giveaways via email, so keeping track of your inbox is the best way to stay in the loop.

13. Make survey-taking part of a consistent routine to earn more over time.

You won’t get rich taking surveys and it’s not meant to take the place of a full-time job. But if you’re consistent, Survey Junkie can give you a little extra income to cover unexpected costs, chip away at monthly expenses or set aside some cash for extracurricular activities.

Your individual earnings depend on the time you choose to commit, the ways you participate and your earnings goal. Complete three surveys daily and earn as much as $40 monthly. It may not seem like a lot, but it can add up in the long-term!

14. Check both your desktop and mobile app for different surveys.

Most members don’t realize that there are actually different survey opportunities for mobile and desktop devices. If you’re not seeing any surveys on one platform, be sure to check Survey Junkie across all devices to access the most surveys and earn more. 

Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to making the most out of your Survey Junkie experience. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@SurveyJunkie.ca.

The post Your Insider’s Guide to Survey Junkie Success appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

What is Self Employment?

Self employment is when you’re the only person on payroll. Right? Or is self employment when you’re a consultant at a company who participates in staff meetings but can say “yes” or “no” to work anytime, for no reason because it says you can in your contract? Are Lyft and Uber drivers self-employed? This article will answer all these questions and more so you can consider whether you’re a self-employed kinda person…or not.

The Pros and Cons of Being Self-Employed

It’s basically the pros and cons of being single vs. being married. OK, that’s not exactly a perfect analogy, but when you’re self-employed, you can have multiple partners, go where you wanna go, do what you wanna do. When you’re an employee, your employer is your loyal spouse who expects a minimum 40 hours per week of your time, sometimes more, because the pace of the online economy is HELLA FAST. And if you’re really committed, you’ll have a 401K that grows over time, plus really amazing health insurance for your whole family. 

The Advantages of Being Self-Employed

If you are a natural driver of your own life, switching to self-employment can be a dream. In the driver’s seat, you are in complete control of the speed, direction and pit stops. It can be a very freeing, new reality for someone who has been trying to fit into a more traditional style of work dynamic. Is this you? If so, the next question to ask yourself is, “What kind of driver are you?”

 If you’re fast and a bit reckless while knowing exactly when to turn,  you might totally thrive as a self-employed person. You’ll rarely get bored as there is always something to do, something to say, something to negotiate, something to learn. 

If your natural driving pace is easygoing, weaving in and out of traffic like a meditating monk and taking breaks when you need to, you can also thrive as a self-employed person, especially if you have clients who value quality and thoughtful work that is time-intensive. 

Regardless of how you drive, communicating your style to your clients is key.

Self-employment can also be rewarding in terms of finances and work routine. When you become self-employed, you are in full control of your work. You can structure your work environment however you want. For example, instead of commuting to an office, you can set up a desk at home and work remotely, or sit in a cafe where you can meet other self-employed people.

You do not have to follow the many rules and policies of established companies and you can make your work decisions by yourself. This way, you can set your goals and achieve them with dedication and the spirit of entrepreneurship. 

Becoming self-employed also allows you to create your own schedule. This way, you find a work-life balance. When you create your own schedule, all you have to consider is your own vision. You would know the precise hours of work you need to achieve your business goals.

The flexibility of self-employment will also let you have your time off when you wouldn’t have to request a leave approval. Besides the freedom of making your own schedule, you’ll also have the freedom of creativity. It means that you can be creative without the limitations and restrictions that come with being an employee. 

Entrepreneurship requires creativity. If you have that mindset, the chances are that you will feel trapped in a work environment that diminishes your creative side. Thus, it is time to say goodbye to monotonous work and set up your own business.

Building your own business will let you shape every component of your work life. Another advantage that comes with becoming self-employed is that you can design and sell your products or services according to yourself. You can work whenever you want. 

Here are other advantages of self-employment.

• You can build your own network
• You follow your own business plan
• Your income depends on your work initiatives
• You’re the business owner 
• You do not have to follow pre-existing rules
• No toxic workplace environment 

The Disadvantages of Being Self-Employed 

Continuing with the analogy of driving, if you are the type of person who prefers someone else in the driver’s seat while you play games on your mobile phone, you may want to think twice about switching to self-employment. As an employed person, you usually have a set schedule and a paycheck you can depend on every two weeks or once per month. Your employer will take taxes out of your paycheck for you, manage the accounting and navigate the business strategy. 

Not so once you become self-employed!

Being your own boss means there is no room for procrastination. You have to get things done, which means you may end up working more than 40 hours per week because you’re doing the jobs of several people. You’re responsible for managing your taxes, health insurance, vacation time, sick leave, retirement plan and building networks. 

Here are some other disadvantages of self-employment.

• Initially, you will have an unstable income
• It will take time to build a target market 
• No guarantee of success
• You may need to take on debt via loans, credit card, etc.

Down the road, you can hire a virtual assistant to help with the multiple tasks of self-employment, but this is dependent on how much you’re earning and how much you can afford out of your bottom line. In other words, running the business of ME,Inc all day long, seven days a week can be exhausting. If you prefer the passenger seat, at least from a professional perspective, self-employment may not be for you.

But if you’re not spooked by these disadvantages, read on!

The Types of Self-Employment

Freelance

Freelancers are like the professional football and basketball players who travel from team-to-team. Or the traveling nurses you’ve heard so much about during the pandemic. Freelancers fill out a 1099-MISC form in exchange for a service. They can work for hourly or flat rates through platforms like Upwork.com or Thumbtack. It all depends on the agreement between customer and freelancer. Freelancers who make more than $400 per year, have to file taxes. Freelancers also need to make quarterly estimated payments to the IRS.           

Consultant

This is probably the most fancy of the self-employment types. It’s like, “I am an expert in this subject and now I am charging a premium for my IP.” No judgments. It’s a great way to make way more money once you’ve accumulated knowledge as a freelancer or as a full-time employee. Just make sure you’re actually an “expert” by taking a personal evaluation (see below!). Consultants also need to make quarterly estimated payments to the IRS.            

Small Business

A small business can sell services or goods or both. Unlike freelancers and consultants, small businesses have their own branding and products. A small business is a local beauty salon while the beauticians inside the salon are freelancers or consultants. 

Sole Proprietor or Sole Trader

A sole trader is a business owner that keeps all the profit after paying taxes. Sole traders are also known as sole proprietors. 

The sole proprietorship is operated by self-employed individuals who take complete responsibility for unlimited liabilities. Thus, they generate an income from the cheapest business structures. Like sole traders, they manage every aspect of their business. Lyft and Uber drivers are technically classified as sole proprietors.

Startup

A startup is a company in its initial stages of business. This means that the founders finance the startup and earn a very limited income until the business stabilizes. Startups also attract outside investment. But startups require a high initial cost of setting up and generating limited revenue. After the business takes off, a startup can become a successful company that generates stable income.

Startups come with one major downside, which is the risk of failure. To minimize this risk, you must have innovative strategies and funding sources. Funding sources include family, friends, crowdfunding, loans – not to mention the most important funding source: revenue generated from the actual startup.

Startups have a certain allure to them because they’re in the idea phase before an investment banker comes along and asks how the startup generates revenue. In other words, you need a business model to demonstrate your success potential. Either that or someone doing it better may replace you! Yeah. It’s brutal out here, as Olivia Rodrigo sings.

How to Become Self-Employed

Now that we have discussed the various types of self-employment along with the advantages and disadvantages, it is time for you to rethink your job. Let’s begin by doing a personal evaluation that will lead to self-employment. 

Do a Personal Evaluation and Make a Decision to Work For Yourself

Remember when your teacher or boss gave you evaluations? Like, on a scale of one to 10, how’s your attention to detail? Are you responsible? Do you make up imaginary deadlines all the time so you can finish projects? Do you say yes to every project or can you sometimes say no in order to better curate your time? There are a few online personal evaluation tools that can help you take your own temperature before diving into the cold waters of self employment.

Personal evaluation is necessary because it helps you understand your motivation towards your business objectives. You need to ask yourself why you’re starting your own business and what set of skills you can utilize to make your startup successful.

Suppose you’re passionate about cooking, and you want to set up a restaurant. In that case, you need to evaluate your cooking skills and understand how to monetize them to bring something new to the market. This way, you can think of ways to make your business stand out from competitors. So it’s vital to do your research to make the idea viable. 

You should also consider timing. Most businesses take some time to flourish. Until then, it is wise to hold onto your job because it provides you with some financial security until your business setup starts generating stable revenue. This means you should also be prepared for long work hours and setbacks when you execute your business plan.
         

Choose Your Niche and Target Market

Huh? What’s a niche? What’s a target market? Great questions. 

Niche is a French word to describe whatever little quirk of the human experience you are attempting to leverage. For example, creating data visualizations is a niche skill and product within the data analytics industry.

Target market is a demographic or group of people you know are interested in your services and/or products. Journalistic or information-based organizations will be the target market in need of data visualizations. That’s the most obvious target market. But if you can identify more specific target markets, this can separate your niche from competitors. For example, Etsy targets people looking for handmade art, clothes, furniture and more. Etsy is not an obvious target market for data visualizations, but if you search for “data visualization” on Etsy, the results are totally different from what you’ll find on search engines or Amazon.

When you choose a niche, you should have a fair amount of knowledge about it. This will help you speak more authentically and passionately to the target audience. You should also choose a profitable niche that is in demand. Therefore, you won’t have to convince your target audience to invest in your service/product. It also helps to find a “pain point,” which is a specific problem faced by current or prospective customers in the marketplace. Then you can position your product or service as a solution, and your target audience will be willing to invest money. For example, maybe the data visualization skills you use  to create interactive maps and graphs in the health tech industry can also benefit writers who want to visualize the ups and downs of conflict in their screenplays or novels.
         

Make Your Business Legal

Now that you’ve chosen a niche, it’s time to decide on the structure for your self-employment. Should you set up an LLC? Inc? S Corp? B Corp? No corp? Which one is the correct one for you? 

• Sole Proprietor

As described above, Lyft and Uber drivers are technically classified as sole proprietors.

In a sole proprietorship structure, one person owns the business and runs its operations. It is the most common business structure because it is the simplest to set up. If you plan to work alone, this may be the right structure for you. Keep in mind that in a sole proprietorship, you, as the owner, are personally liable for all of the business’s financial obligations such as debt and losses. This structure works well for low-risk, home-based or retail businesses. A sole proprietorship can also allow an owner to test their business idea before creating a more formal company.

• Partnership

In a partnership business structure, two or more people own and operate the business. There are two types of partnerships:

General partnerships:  The partners hold an equal role in owning and operating the company as well as liability for its debts, other partners’ actions or financial obligations. This type of business structure is also known as a “limited liability partnership (LLP).”

Limited partnerships:  A limited partnership (LP) includes general and limited partners. The general partners hold the same role and liability as they would in a general partnership. The limited partners, usually investors, have limited control or input into the company along with limited or no liability. Profits are reflected in personal tax returns. 

A partnership is the simplest structure for multi-owner companies or professional groups. It also allows owners to test a business idea before establishing a more formal company

• Limited Liability Company (LLC)

A limited liability company (LLC) is a hybrid business structure that lets you take advantage of aspects of partnerships and corporations. To set up an LLC, you must file paperwork with the secretary of state of the state in which you plan to do business. This structure works well if you have a medium- or high-risk business, want to protect your personal assets or pay a lower tax rate than you would with a corporation.

• Corporation

In a corporation, the company is considered an entity that is independent of its owners. This makes it more complex and expensive than most other business structures since it must comply with more regulations, record-keeping and tax requirements. You may want to choose a corporation structure, also known as a “C corp,” if you have an already established medium- or high-risk business, need to raise funds, have plans to take the company public or sell it.

There are other types of business structures, but these are the most popular for self-employed people. You may want to find a lawyer and an accountant who can guide you through setting up a legal business in your city. It would help if you also made separate business and personal accounts to manage finances. 

Create a Business Plan 

If you’re still reading at this point, you’re probably ready to draft a business plan. It can be hard to do this if your expertise is NOT business. The best way to start is by gathering some facts:

• What are my personal goals?
• What is the purpose of my business?
• Who is my target audience? 

• How do I target that audience?
• Who are my competitors?
• What is my product/service description so my audience understands what my business offers?
• Who is on my team and what are their responsibilities? 
• What do my finances look like?
• How much are my costs compared to my income?

Then you need to develop a vision to understand the future of your business by identifying strategic objectives and making tactical plans to achieve your business objectives. Yeah, it’s like playing chess, so if you naturally lie awake at night, envisioning strategic moves like the main character in the Queen’s Gambit, you’ve got the right mindset for self-employment.

A blueprint of your business will help guide you in the startup process and push your business toward success when it is in the early stages. Making a business plan does not have to be difficult, especially if  you narrow your focus to the following:

• An executive summary of your plan so that you know what you want to accomplish
• The financing required
• A business description (an industry overview)
• A marketing strategy to help attract consumers
• Analysis of competitive set and identification of your own strengths and weaknesses
• Your product/service description showcasing your business offer
• Management and operations to describe team member responsibilities
• Financial plan that details associated costs and your path to a stable income

Get Financed and Make Investment

Once you have your business strategy in black and white, it is time to get financed. So how do you take out the startup cost for your business? When starting, it is common for businesses to run from savings.

However, you need to have a financial plan to fund your business in the long run. Here are some ideas that will help you manage your business finances.

Tap Your Savings

Once you know the costs of your startup, you can choose to use your savings to fund your business. According to Indeed.com, you should be able to successfully run the business for a minimum of six months without any profits from customers or clients. If not, keep your job and build your business as a side hustle. This way, you can use your salary from your part-time job to support your business until you start making profit.

 Take a Business Loan

If you don’t want to pull funds from your savings account, a loan might be an attractive alternative. You can apply for a small business loan from a bank, which will ask you to provide a business plan. Then you can use the loan to resolve cash flow problems and leverage growth opportunities. 

Use Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project by raising money from different people, usually online. Platforms like Kickstarter, GoFundMe, or Indiegogo allow you to set up a profile with your funding goal. When you share your profile with your network, those who are interested can donate in exchange for rewards from your company. There are restrictions on the uses of the funds, depending on the platform, so be sure to match your needs with each platform’s guidelines.

Launch a Marketing Campaign

Crowdfunding can be a marketing campaign in itself, but a larger, ongoing marketing campaign is crucial for attracting the target audience to your product or service. Delivering good products and services in itself is also part of a larger, overall marketing strategy to convert target audiences into clients.

Make Connections and Build Your Network

Do your friends and family know what you do? You may be surprised that your aunts and cousins have no idea what you’re doing on your computer all day long. They may assume you’re playing video games or watching cat videos on YouTube. But if they know you are building, designing and managing websites for nonprofit organizations, they can refer you when they meet someone who needs that service. 

Making connections to build your network is vital in establishing a successful business. In the early stages of self employment, you need as many brand ambassadors as you can get, so it’s important your networks understand what you do. LinkedIn is the social media platform of choice for many self-employed people to create awareness about their business. Building a network will also help you get feedback. You can use the feedback to improve your business. 

You should set up your business website because this becomes your digital business card when meeting new, potential clients and customers. This way, more people will trust your business. 

Quit Your Job and Become Self-Employed

Once you come up with a smart business strategy, utilize it to set up a steady flow of customers and clients, and generate income higher than the salary at your full-time job, it’s probably a good time to call yourself officially “self-employed.”

You can safely resign from your full-time job. Take your time with thinking through this decision before you go ahead with it. And good luck!

The post HOW TO BECOME SELF EMPLOYED AND QUIT YOUR JOB appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

What is a Transcriptionist?

A transcriptionist listens to an audio or video recording and produces a document that is an accurate reflection of its contents. Some transcriptionists do verbatim transcriptions, where they type exactly what is said, while some do “clean verbatim” transcription, where they leave out stutters, grunts, or other irrelevant sounds while still capturing the meaning of the recording accurately. All transcriptionists have to have a good ear to understand what’s being said and excellent grammar skills. 

What Types of Transcription Services Can You Provide?

Although typing what you hear may sound simple, transcription can be a complex field. There are several different types of transcription, and each type has its own standards and guidelines. If you’re planning to start your own business, you may want to specialize in one area or offer a range of services. 

General Transcription

General transcription consists of all types of transcription other than legal or medical transcription. General transcriptionists may transcribe many types of video or audio recordings, including:

• Video captions
• Speakers at conferences
• Insurance interviews
• Lectures
• Worker’s compensation interviews
• Meetings
• Podcasts

Medical Transcription 

Medical transcriptionists listen to clinicians’ notes about patients and transcribe them into a special type of document that becomes part of a patient’s medical record. Medical transcription requires training, although it may be on-the-job training or a training course. Medical transcriptionists usually do “clean verbatim” transcription, so they don’t transcribe every “uh” or “um” the clinician dictates. However, medical transcriptionists have to know the difference between easily confused medical words such as aphagia and aphasia. 

Some medical transcriptionists edit speech-to-text documents. This involves taking a document that was produced by speech recognition software and making sure it’s an accurate reflection of what the doctor, nurse practitioner, or therapist dictated. Transcriptionists also have to be skilled at understanding foreign accents since many doctors have accents, even if they speak excellent English.

Legal Transcription

Legal transcriptionists make printed documents from legal audio recordings. These documents become a part of the legal record. Legal transcriptionists can work for attorneys, paralegals, court reporters, or other legal professionals. It’s important to understand the difference between legal transcription and court reporting, however. Court reporters work inside the courtroom recording the proceedings of a trial. A court reporter may then hire a legal transcriptionist to create an official transcript. 

Legal transcription is usually strictly verbatim, meaning that every utterance gets transcribed. Legal transcriptionists have to know the proper way to format grammatically incorrect language since people rarely talk in complete, grammatically correct sentences. 

What Tools Do You Need to Become a Transcriptionist?

To be a transcriptionist, you’ll need a computer, high-quality headphones or a headset, a foot pedal to control audio (thus freeing your hands to focus on typing), high-speed internet, and transcription software. A good headset is imperative since you’ll need to hear even faint noises. You can order noise-canceling headphones from Amazon. These block out room noises so you can hear the audio recording better. If you’re doing legal or medical transcription, you may also need reference books as well. A comfortable office chair, a desk and a quiet room are also helpful for transcriptionists. If you’re working for your own clients, you may also need bookkeeping and invoicing software. 

What Skills Do You Need to Become a Transcriptionist?

No matter what type of transcription you plan to offer, you’ll need the following transcription skills: 

Fast and accurate typing skills. It’s not the only skill you’ll need, but typing is one of the most important. To make money in your transcription business, you have to type fast and accurately. Before you begin transcription, you should have a typing speed of at least 65 words per minute with a high degree of accuracy. However, you should try to get your speed up to between 75 and 90 words per minute since transcriptionists are paid by the line. The faster you can type, the more money you’ll make. 

Attentive listening. Transcriptionists have to listen to a lot of different people and accurately transcribe what they’re saying. You need to be able to understand a variety of accents and dialects. Very few people speak perfectly. Most mumble, trip over their words, start and restart their sentences, or switch ideas in mid-sentence. Our brains normally ignore these types of errors in normal conversation, but you’ll have to type them all out. You’ll need well-developed listening skills to pick up on all of the subtle grunts and noises that you hear. 

Good memory. When you’re transcribing, there’s a lot of stop-and-go with the recordings. You use a foot pedal to control the recording. You press it to play the recording, then let up to stop it. If you didn’t catch something the first time or don’t remember it, you have to rewind the recording to listen again. If you have a good memory, you’ll spend less time rewinding the recording, so your work will go faster. 

Excellent grammar and spelling. While spellcheck will catch many common spelling errors, you need to know you’re using the right word. Transcriptionists can’t mix up you, your, and you’re. Additionally, your grammar skills need to be top-notch because you’ll be dealing with a lot of tricky grammar issues, especially if you’re doing strict verbatim transcription. 

Research skills. When you run into unfamiliar terminology or acronyms, you need to research them and make sure you’re formatting them correctly. Being able to do accurate research is especially important in medical transcription. You should be able to tell the difference between an authoritative website such as a medical center and an unqualified blogger. It’s imperative that all of your research is done from authoritative places. 

Communication skills. As a business owner, you need to communicate with your clients effectively. When you’re your own boss, doing a good job is only part of the equation. You also have to be sure you understand your client’s expectations, and your client understands the  services you provide. 

Computer skills. You don’t need to know the latest in tech to be a transcriptionist, but you do need to know your way around the computer. You should be skilled in word processing software and transcription software. You also may need to know how to use file transfer protocol (FTP) to transfer completed files to your client’s or other specific platforms. If you work for a transcription service, they may have their own proprietary software you’ll need to learn. However, many of these are cloud-based and have similar functions. Basically, you’ll have to access a job, type it, and submit it. There may also be functions for notifying quality assurance (QA) if something needs to be double-checked. 

Where Can You Find Transcription Jobs as a Beginner?

If you’ve never done transcription before, it’s a good idea to start working as a general transcriptionist for a service. You can build up your skills before you have to worry about finding clients. Make sure you understand the pay structure before you invest the time and effort into working for them. 

Many companies pay per minute of audio transcribed. This is not how much you get paid per minute of working. A minute of audio may take a beginner 10 minutes to transcribe. Even very experienced transcriptionists take at least four minutes to transcribe a minute of good-quality audio. Bad audio may take much longer. You should do some test transcriptions to determine how long it takes you to transcribe a minute of audio so you can calculate your true pay rate. 

If it takes you 10 minutes to transcribe a minute of audio, you’ll make $3.60 per hour working for a service that pays 60 cents per minute of audio. If you can do a minute of audio in six minutes, you’ll make $6 per hour working for that same rate. The good news is if you do it regularly, you’ll quickly improve your accuracy and speed, and therefore your pay. However, you’ll never make a lot of money working for these services. 

If you want to make more money in transcription, you’ll need to do more specialized transcription work, such as medical or legal, or work for clients directly. Working for a transcription service while you build up your own business can be a good strategy. If you’re interested in building up some experience before you find your own clients, a service may be a good option. Here are some companies that hire transcriptionists with no prior experience for online transcription jobs: 

Gotranscript

Gotranscript is a web-based transcription service that frequently hires beginners. It pays 60 cents per minute of audio transcribed. You can choose how much or how little you want to work, and you choose which jobs you want to take. Gotranscript pays weekly via Paypal. To apply, you will have to take a grammar quiz and do a transcription test, which is the industry standard when you’re applying for transcription jobs. 

Crowdsurf

Crowdsurf is a transcription platform that’s always hiring new transcriptionists. If you’re accepted, you’ll start with basic jobs, but you can level-up to more complex work that pays better. The platform provides transcription and captioning services, so you’ll have access to a variety of work. Crowdsurf is different from some other transcription sites because your audio files are 15 to 35-second segments of an audio file. After they’re completed, they’re combined with other segments from the same file. So you’re only working on a portion of a file, not the entire thing. 

Crowdsurf pays  via WorkMarket, so you have to set up an account there to getpaid. Your pay is based on the volume and accuracy of your work, in addition to any bonuses. After you complete at least 100 tasks on level 1, you’ll be eligible to level-up to higher-paying tasks. Crowdsurf doesn’t list pay rate on its website, but Glassdoor reportsaverage transcriptionist salary at Crowdsurf is $6 per hour, with a range from $2 to $9 per hour. 

Quicktate

Quicktate transcribes voicemail messages, memos, letters, legal files, medical files, phone call recordings, conference calls and other audio files. It features a variety of work and gives priority to fast and accurate transcriptionists. It offers audio files in many different languages, so if you speak another language, you may get extra work. You’ll take a typing quiz and a test to apply. They pay 1/4 cent per word for general transcription and 1/2 cent per word for medical transcription. 

Upwork 

Upwork is a platform that matches freelancers with work opportunities. After you create an account, you can bid on posted jobs. People who post jobs can set a price they’re willing to pay or leave the price open and see what bids they get. The pay rate for jobs on Upwork is much higher than the pay rate of most transcription services. However, you may have a harder time finding consistent work on Upwork. 

Transcribeme

Transcribeme offers general transcription jobs starting at $15 per audio hour, which works out to 25 cents per audio minute. You’ll be eligible for higher-paying jobs and advancement opportunities after you’ve been there a while and develop your skills. 

Happyscribe

Happyscribe is a company based in Barcelona, but hires US-based transcriptionists. It has a higher pay rate than many other transcription services at .9 euro per audio minute, which works out to a little more than $1 US at the current exchange rate. The process for applying is similar to other services. You’ll need to take a quiz and do a test transcription. Happyscribe pays every two weeks in your currency, so you don’t have to worry about exchanging it. 

How to Become a Transcriptionist and Make Money From Home

The best way to make money as a transcriptionist is to start your own business. Once you’ve built up some experience and are confident you can handle the work, you can charge substantially more than you would make working for transcription companies. The downside is that it may take some time to build your business to the point that it can support you. Here are the steps you’ll need to get started: 

Identify Your Skill Set and Choose Transcription Service to Provide

The first thing you need to do is decide what type of transcription services you want to offer. If you specialize in medical or legal transcription, you can charge more than for general transcription. Captioning video may require special equipment like MixCaptions or Amara, so make sure you factor that into costs to start up. If you want to offer services but you don’t currently have the skillset, this would be a good time to take a class at Skillshare or Udemy. Once you’ve decided whether you want to be a generalist or specialist, you can decide on your best option. 

Take a Transcription Course or Training Online

Medical transcription is the highest paying type of transcription work, but you’ll need the training to do it. You don’t have to be certified as a medical transcriptionist, although you can. The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) is the certification body for medical transcriptionists. It offers two types of certification, the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) – Level 1 and the Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS) – Level 2. 

Certification would certainly give you a competitive edge over other transcriptionists when you’re trying to get clients. There are many online transcription courses that offer training in medical transcription, but none of them offer certification. To get certified, you’ll have to go through ADHI and take a test to qualify. 

Legal transcription pays better than general transcription. Like medical transcription, certification is optional. The American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) offers a test for certification as a legal transcriptionist. Its website offers a list of approved schools and courses for legal transcription. 

You can also look into transcription training courses for setting up a general transcription business. However, you should check with people who have taken the course before you invest a lot of money. You want to verify the quality of the program before you commit to it. A good program should include information that will help you set up your business and find clients, not just offer the type of information you can find in a free mini-course. 

Set Up Your Transcription Business

Once you’ve finished training and decided what services you want to offer, you’re ready to set up your business. After you decide on a name, check with your Secretary of State’s website to see if it’s available. You can set up your business as a sole proprietorship, a limited liability corporation (LLC), or a corporation. There are benefits and drawbacks to each, so you may want to consult with an attorney to decide which is best for you. 

Create Social Media Presence

When you have your official business name, you can set up a website and create social media profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn. You’ll need a Facebook profile to buy ads, which you may want to do in the future, and LinkedIn is the best social platform for business networking. 

Your main online presence will be your website. Make sure it’s simple and easy to navigate. It should be easy for your clients to contact you, so put your contact information in a prominent place. 

Choose Your Pricing Structure

Before you decide on your prices, figure up the cost of running your business. You want to keep your prices competitive but make sure you’re charging enough to give yourself a good hourly rate. You’ll need to charge more than the hourly rate you want to earn because you will have to invest a lot of unpaid time in running your business. 

Consider varying your rates based on factors such as turn-around time, audio quality and the number of speakers. You can charge higher rates for rush jobs, poor audio and more speakers. 

Land Potential Clients by Applying to Jobs Online

You can start applying for online jobs after you have your website and pricing structure in place. However, don’t overlook your own website and social media channels for marketing opportunities. Reach out to your network and let them know you’re offering transcription. Use your platform to create value and establish yourself as an expert. Start looking for transcription work in freelance marketplaces such as FlexJobs, Guru, and Upwork.

FAQS on How to Become a Transcriptionist

Some frequently asked questions about becoming a transcriptionist include: 

How do I start to become a transcriptionist?

You can get started as a transcriptionist by applying to work with transcription companies that hire beginners. You won’t make much money to start with, but it’s a good way to develop your skills. You can learn what equipment you need and how to be more effective. Starting with a transcription company is an easy way to get started without an up-front investment. 

Trying it out before you commit completely will also give you a chance to make sure you enjoy transcription. If you decide you want to pursue a career in transcription, you can do some training courses or get certified in specialty areas of transcription such as legal or medical. 

How Much Do Transcriptionists Make?

According to Indeed, the average salary for a transcriptionist is $16.48 per hour. This number includes all types of transcriptionists, including those working for transcription services that don’t pay very well. You’ll make much less than this just starting out, and you can make much more if you’re running your own business. 

What Do I Need to Become a Transcriptionist?

If you’re just starting out as a transcriptionist, you can get by with a computer, a high-speed internet connection, a foot pedal, and a headset or headphones. Transcription can be hard on your body, so if you’re doing it full-time, you may want to consider investing in a good ergonomic chair and keyboard. Transcriptionists are prone to developing carpal tunnel syndrome, and an ergonomic keyboard may help protect your wrists. Additionally, if you start your own business, you’ll need transcription software and you may need other specialized software for certain types of transcription, such as video captioning. 

How Long Does it Take to Become a Transcriptionist?

You can get started as a general transcriptionist right away, but it will take a while before you’re making any money. Most medical transcriptionist courses take six- to- 12 months to complete. After you complete one of these courses, you can start as an entry-level transcriptionist. Legal transcription courses can be completed in three- to- six months. 

Do You Need Training to Become a Transcriptionist?

You don’t need any training to find work in general transcription. However, if you don’t know how to touch-type, you’ll be at a significant disadvantage. You will need training to do legal or medical transcription since there are specific guidelines you have to follow. You can get this training on the job, or you can take a course. Most places aren’t willing to hire people who aren’t trained. So if you’re interested in legal or medical transcription, your best option will be to take a course. 

Is It worth Becoming a Transcriptionist?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, medical transcription jobs will decline 7% between 2020 and 2030. Electronic medical records and speech recognition software have replaced many medical transcriptionists. Legal transcription jobs are also expected to grow slower than average. If you’re searching for a high-paying job in an in-demand field, transcription may not be the best option. 

On the positive side, transcription is an easy field to get started in, and it offers a lot of flexibility. You can set your own schedule and work part-time or full-time. While it may not be as fast-growing or in-demand as some tech industries, it’s still possible to work in the transcription industry. If you start your own business, your possible earnings can increase significantly. 

Conclusion

Becoming a transcriptionist is a relatively easy process, although becoming a specialized transcriptionist can take up a year of training. Transcription offers you the chance to make some money by working when it’s most convenient for you. Starting an online transcription business can be a great side hustle if you’re looking to earn some extra money but don’t want to have to deal with a commute. 

While you won’t make much money when you first start, after you learn the basics, you can earn a lot more money by offering your transcription services directly to clients. Setting up a business is a lot of work upfront, but once you have some regular clients, you’ll reap the rewards. 

The post HOW TO BECOME A TRANSCRIPTIONIST AND MAKE MONEY FROM HOME appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is an independent contractor who provides support services through remote work. Virtual assistants often perform administrative tasks, but they may provide any support service a business needs. Many small businesses and entrepreneurs need help with tedious but necessary tasks but don’t want to hire permanent employees. A virtual assistant can do most tasks an on-site assistant can do, but they do them remotely, either full or part-time. 

The skills you need to be a successful virtual assistant include:

Organization

You’ll need strong organizational skills to keep your business and your clients’ jobs on track. Since you’ll probably be doing online jobs with more than one client, it will be essential for you to stay on top of many different tasks at once. 

Communication Skills

Communication, both with your clients and for your clients, will be a considerable part of your job. You need to be proficient in all types of communication, including written and oral. You should be familiar with popular platforms for business communications such as Slack. 

Time Management

Without a boss, you’ll be responsible for pacing your own work. To get everything done, you need to be a master of time management. This may involve taking your laptop to your child’s soccer practice or getting up early to work before your doctor’s appointment. Your clients will depend on you to get things done, so you need to be able to work on deadlines. 

Typing

Although your work will be far more involved than simply typing, you do need to be able to type proficiently. You don’t have to hold any speed records, but since a lot of your work will involve some kind of typing, being skilled in touch typing is essential for virtual assistants. 

Reliability

Reliability is a top priority for virtual assistants. If your clients know they can depend on you, they will return to you repeatedly. Most people prefer to work with people they know they can count on. As a virtual assistant, you should make sure that you always get your tasks accomplished on time. 

Resourcefulness

As a virtual assistant, you’ll be doing something new every day. Your clients will want you to do research for them and find them options they may not have considered. You may need to fact-check an article, book entertainment for a birthday party, and find the best Thai restaurant in a city you’ve never visited, all before lunch. 

What Virtual Assistant Services Can You Provide?

You can provide almost any service as a virtual assistant, from general to highly specialized. Some popular services offered by virtual assistants include social media management, marketing, design and data entry. Many businesses want to outsource these jobs to focus on their primary business objectives. 

Social Media Management

An online presence is a necessary part of running any kind of business these days. As a result, social media is a significant part of most companies’ marketing and brand-building strategies. Additionally, customers now expect brands to respond to them almost immediately if they reach out on social media. 

However, because social media often isn’t a core business activity, many small businesses hire a virtual assistant to manage their social media. If you know all of the ins and outs of various social media platforms and enjoy interacting with others on them, this could be a good service for you to provide. 

Some social media management services you can provide include: 

• Creating social media profiles
• Creating and posting content to social media sites
• Interacting with customers via social media
• Creating and managing social media campaigns and email marketing
• Researching high performing, relevant hashtags
• Optimizing social media posts.

Bookkeeping, Invoicing & Data Entry

You don’t have to be an accountant to offer bookkeeping services as a virtual assistant. Keeping track of invoices, expenses, and financial data is another task that busy business owners often outsource. If you’re proficient in cloud-based bookkeeping software such as Quickbooks and you enjoy working with numbers, you might want to offer bookkeeping services. 

Here are some standard bookkeeping services you could offer: : 

• Paying bills
• Sending invoices
• Sending payment reminders
• Entering and categorizing expenses
• Preparing profit and loss statements
• Reconciling expenses 
• Entering and categorizing income

Data entry is another related service you can offer. You’ll need to be proficient in spreadsheets and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Data entry virtual assistants perform tasks such as: 

• Preparing, categorizing, and entering data
• Creating spreadsheets and reports
• Converting data from one format to another
• Checking data for accuracy
• Maintaining information in databases
• Transcribing data into specialized codes 

Editing and Proofreading

If typos drive you crazy and all of your friends call you the grammar police, offering editing and proofreading services as a virtual assistant may be an excellent fit for you. Editing and proofreading services range from quick grammar and spelling checks to more complicated editing for voice, tone and style. For example, you may be editing 500-word articles for bloggers or complete books for authors. 

Editors and proofreaders need to pay close attention to detail. You’ll also need an in-depth understanding of grammar and knowledge of style. Many organizations use AP style, but some prefer MLA style or their own in-house style guide. As a virtual assistant, some editing and proofreading services you can offer include: 

• Checking articles, papers, essays and books for spelling and grammatical errors
• Providing feedback about voice and tone
• Highlighting structural issues in writing
• Giving feedback about word choice, strength and clarity

Email Management 

Many busy leaders are overwhelmed with the number of daily emails they receive. Wading through junk emails to get to the ones that matter can take valuable time away from work that’s more important. 

You can fix this pain point by offering to manage email for your clients. You’ll need to be organized, friendly and tech-savvy to provide this service. Additionally, you should have strong writing skills since you’ll be composing emails on behalf of your clients. 

Each client will probably have specific guidelines they want you to follow when handling their emails, but here are some jobs you’ll probably be expected to do: 

• Declutter inboxes by sorting, categorizing, and deleting emails
• Delete spam emails
• Keep email list subscriptions up-to-date
• Respond to emails as directed
• Mark any important emails that need to be read
• Manage calendar invitations 

Travel Arrangements

If you have a talent for finding the best prices on airline tickets and hotels, you might want to offer travel arrangements as part of your virtual assistant services. Managing travel arrangements is a common request for virtual assistants. 

Making travel arrangements can involve almost any aspect of business or leisure travel, including:

• Booking hotels
• Reserving flights
• Finding local entertainment options
• Making restaurant reservations

Graphic Design

Graphic design is a high-value service for many businesses. If you enjoy graphic design but don’t want to focus on it exclusively, you can include it as one of your VA services. Many small business owners need occasional help designing social media ad campaigns, email flyers, and other marketing materials. With tools like Canva, you don’t need to be trained as a graphic designer to produce professional-quality results. 

Graphic design is a perfect service to pair with another service, such as social media management. For example, designing social media graphics and ad campaigns and handling social media management lets you create added value for your clients and added income for yourself. 

When you’re putting together a package of graphic design services, here are some you can include:

• Logo design
• Website graphics and page layout
• Business cards
• Infographics
• Image editing
• Infographics
• Ebook layouts and covers
• Social media visuals
• Brand design
• T-shirt design

Where Can You Find Virtual Assistant Jobs?

When you’re first getting started, finding work can be difficult. Once you’ve been working for a while, you’ll probably have more jobs than you can handle. Here are some of the best places to start looking for VA jobs: 

Upwork

Upwork is one of the largest and most well-known freelance sites for finding all types of work, including VA jobs. Upwork includes a section for virtual assistants, so you can start looking for jobs to bid on as soon as you join. You’ll need to create a profile before you can start bidding. Upwork includes skill tests you can take to get verified, which might increase a client’s confidence in you for specific jobs. 

Fiverr

Fiverr is an ideal platform for those just getting started or for testing the waters before you start offering a new service. Fiverr is slightly different from other platforms because you’re selling a “gig,” not an ongoing service. It’s most often used for one-off projects, such as designing a book cover, but it’s a good way to make contacts that may turn into longer-term relationships. 

FlexJobs

FlexJobs is an online platform for finding vetted remote, flexible and hybrid jobs. There are usually hundreds of virtual assistant jobs available. Additionally, FlexJobs provides skill tests, courses and professional advice to help you find the best jobs and to advance your career. 

99 Dollar Social

If social media management is one of your services, you may want to consider 99 Dollar Social. They’re looking for virtual assistants to curate and write content for businesses that use their site. You would be freelancing for them instead of working for companies directly. They pay a flat rate per account, so as you get more accounts, you get paid more. You will have to do seven to eight hours of unpaid training before you can start working for them, though. 

ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter is an online job marketplace that uses artificial intelligence to match you with appropriate jobs. Just type in virtual assistant jobs and see what turns up. 

Zirtual

Zirtual may be an option if you’re just getting started and don’t want to focus on finding your own clients. You’ll be working for them instead of working for individual clients. You won’t have as much freedom in deciding what services to offer since their clients pay for packages that include set services. They will pay you as a 1099 freelancer, and the average starting pay is between $3000 and $3500 per month for full-time. They have pretty stringent requirements, so this may be an excellent opportunity if you’ve worked as an in-office personal assistant before. 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is known as a great place to network. While its job board is still mostly focused on traditional jobs, it’s worth a look. Additionally, LinkedIn is a good place to network and raise your profile. It gives you the opportunity to provide valuable content and become known as a leader in your industry. You can publish articles to increase your visibility. 

Time Etc

Time Etc is a platform that matches you with three to five clients. You’ll have an ongoing relationship with those clients doing normal administrative duties. They only hire people with at least five years of experience, but experience working in a traditional office counts toward that time. When you’re working, they ask that your availability includes at least a few hours during traditional business hours, but most of your work can be done whenever it’s convenient for you. Pay rate starts at $13 per hour. 

Belay

Belay is another company that matches you with clients. You can work as little as 10 hours per week or more than 40 hours per week. You are expected to be on-call and available to your clients during normal business hours. They are a great option if you’re looking to transition from a traditional role to a remote one. 

Belay offers a variety of roles, including social media manager, bookkeeper and virtual executive assistant. According to Glassdoor, Belay pays executive virtual assistants around $20 per hour. Once you apply, you’ll have to take a test of your skills to qualify, and then you’ll be matched with clients for the number of hours you want to work. 

Indeed

Indeed is a job board where you can look for any type of work. It’s not specific to freelance workers or virtual assistants, but you can find almost any type of job listed on Indeed. Just type in “virtual assistant” in the search box and see what turns up. 

Guru

Guru is a platform for freelancers to find work. With Guru, you set up an account to get access to jobs. If you’re interested in doing a job, you bid on it and wait to see if your bid is accepted. You can increase your chances of winning bids by crafting a relevant cover letter and completely filling out your profile. 

The Mom Project

The Mom Project is a job board that was founded by women who are committed to helping women stay active in the workforce throughout their lives. They work with companies to provide opportunities that allow women to balance work with their family obligations.

How to Become a Virtual Assistant and Work From Home

Setting up a business can seem overwhelming for a lot of people but if you’re a whiz at organizing paperwork and staying on top of deadlines (and most virtual assistants have to be), it will probably be easier for you. Requirements for different states and municipalities will vary, so check with your local officials for guidance about getting a business license and paying taxes. 

In addition to fulfilling the tax requirements, almost all virtual assistants will need to do the following

Identify Your Skill Set and Choose Virtual Assistant Services to Provide

If you have experience as an administrative assistant and already know what services you want to provide, this step may be easy. If you’re brand-new to this idea and exploring your options, take some time to think about your strengths and existing skill set. 

Write down your work and volunteer experience – not just your job title but the types of tasks you did in each role. You can also take a free Skills Health Check to evaluate your skills and interests. 

This is also a perfect time to think about things you don’t enjoy doing, even if you are good at them. This is your business, and you’re probably going to spend a lot of time working on it, so make sure it’s something you enjoy. If you’re a whiz at doing taxes, but you hate it, don’t offer that as a service. 

The area where your skills and your interests overlap is your sweet spot. Think about the skills you can offer in this area. If you find a skill deficit in an area that you enjoy and are interested in, consider taking a class to learn some new skills. For example, if you’re interested in graphic design but you don’t have any experience, you can take a free or inexpensive course from Canva or Udemy. To stay competitive, you’ll constantly need to be upgrading your skills anyway. 

Based on your list, develop a set of services you’ll offer. You might want to group these into sets, such as bookkeeping, social media management and graphic design. You can market each as a package for a set price. Don’t forget to include an option for custom packages for clients who want to design their own packages. 

Set Up Your Virtual Assistant Business

Once you know what services you’ll be offering and have a plan, go ahead and take care of the legalities like applying for a business license if you need one and registering your business name with your Secretary of State. You can usually search your Secretary of State’s website to make sure your name isn’t taken. 

When you register your business, decide what type of entity you want to form. You can be a sole proprietor, which is most common for one-person businesses, a limited liability corporation (LLC), or a corporation. You should consult with a professional about which option is best for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them. 

Now is also a good time to get all of your tools together to set yourself up for success. Presumably, you already have a laptop and a good internet connection or somewhere to work that you can access one). While you can get by on that, there are some other tools that may be useful as well.

You’ll need some type of invoicing and bookkeeping system so you can get paid and file taxes. Project management software can also come in handy for keeping clients and the services you’re providing organized and on time. If you’re charging by the hour, you may also need a tool for tracking your time so you can bill accurately. 

Create Your Website and Social Media Presence

Wait until you’ve officially registered your business before investing in a domain name or website, just in case you have to pick a different name. However, it’s not a bad idea to check to see if your business name is available as a domain before you register it. Brainstorm some different related names if you don’t have your heart set on a particular one. 

Unless you have some clients to start with, you will probably have some time on your hands when you first start out. Use this time to set up your website and other social media channels so you can start marketing. Landing your first client will be the toughest part. Once you do work for a client, ask them for a testimonial. You can make this a standard part of your workflow. Including testimonials on your website is a form of social proof that will help you attract more clients. 

Choose Your Business and Pricing Structure

It’s a good idea to include your pricing structure on your website, although if you only want to offer this information to potential clients once they’ve contacted you, you can set it up on a hidden page. 

There are several different ways you can set up your pricing: 

Flat fee. This is a good option for specific, one-time tasks. You might charge a set fee for setting up a simple website, for instance. Only choose a flat fee if you have done the task before and you know how long it will take. You don’t want to charge a flat rate for a skill you’re just learning, since you may end up working for much less than a fair hourly rate. 

Hourly rate. Setting an hourly rate for general administrative tasks lets you get paid by the hour for whatever work you’re doing. The benefit of this is that you don’t end up putting in a lot of unpaid work on jobs that turn out to be more complicated than you originally thought. If you’re just starting out, you may want to choose this option so you can get a better idea of how long different jobs take. Then you can set up package pricing structures more accurately. Keep in mind that you need to charge a higher hourly rate than you’d make if you were working for a company. You will have a lot of unpaid labor involved in running your business, so if you charge the same as you’d make as an employee, your actual rate will be much lower. 

Hourly package rate. You can set up a package for a set number of hours. An hourly package might include a 10% discount. So if your hourly rate normally totals $500, you might offer the same number of hours for $450. The benefit to you is that you get the money upfront instead of having to invoice after the fact. 

Monthly fee. If you have a longstanding relationship with a client, you might want to offer a flat monthly fee so they can be sure you’re always available to give them the help they need. Just make sure you include a scope of services in the contract so that you don’t end up working for less than you want. 

Service package rate. When you bundle your services, you can offer a set service package rate. For example, you can offer social media management for a flat rate of $800 per month. As with other options, it’s a good idea to make sure you know how long it will take before  a flat rate instead of an hourly rate. 

No matter which pricing option you choose, you should have a contract for each one that outlines what services you’re providing and exactly how payments should be made. You can find examples of these types of contracts online, or you can consult a lawyer and have them drawn up. You and your client should both sign it and have a copy before you start working.

Land Potential Clients by Applying to Jobs Online

When you have your business practices and pricing structure set up, it’s time to start finding clients. You can start by checking out the job boards and platforms listed above. Get started by bidding on or applying for jobs. However, don’t ignore the power of your own website and network. A good social media marketing plan can draw clients to you. 

One of the most vital parts of good social media marketing is creating value. Before you ask your customers to spend money with you, create value for them through your posts and articles. You might offer a free “How to Work With a Virtual Assistant” booklet as a lead magnet. Collecting email addresses through social media marketing will give you an email list of potential clients that you can market to directly. 

FAQS on How to Become a Virtual Assistant

Starting a business as a virtual assistant can be very rewarding, both financially and personally. Like anything, there are advantages and disadvantages to running your own business. Yes, you’ll be able to set your own hours, but your income (especially at first) is likely to be unstable. 

The more you know before you start, the better position you’ll be in to decide if it’s the right choice for you. Here are some frequently asked questions about becoming a virtual assistant:

What is the Average Salary for a Virtual Assistant?

According to Indeed, the average pay for a virtual assistant is $19.43 per hour, so how much you make depends on how much you work. It’s worth noting, however, that this number includes virtual assistants that work for companies as well as those who work for themselves. You can make more than average by finding your own clients and working with them directly. 

What Do I Need to Become a Virtual Assistant?

To get started, you have to have a computer and an internet connection. While there are other tools that will come in handy, those two are must-haves. In addition, you should have any software that’s required for the services you’ll be offering. If you’re offering image editing, you’ll need to have access to image editing software such as Photoshop. Sometimes you’ll use the client’s software for services, and you won’t need your own copy, but that’s not always the case so be sure to factor in software expenses into your overall rates. 

Do You Need Training to Become a Virtual Assistant?

You don’t need any specific training to get started as a virtual assistant. For many administrative tasks, you probably already have the skills you need. If you’re offering specialized services, you’ll obviously need to know how to perform those skills. 

If you’re not comfortable with your skills or you want some help with starting your business, there are many virtual assistant training courses available at Udemy, Belay and more. You can enroll in free introductory courses, or you can pay more for step-by-step guidance through the entire process. 

Is It Worth Becoming a Virtual Assistant?

If you already have the skills you need to be a virtual assistant as well as the equipment and tools you’ll need, becoming a virtual assistant is definitely worth it. Being a virtual assistant is a well-paying job that you can do from almost any location. Plus, running your own business gives you control and flexibility over your working conditions. 

Final Thoughts 

Being a virtual assistant can be a perfect way to earn extra money and own your own business. With so many entrepreneurs launching startups and the proliferation of e-commerce sites, virtual assistants are in high demand. You can start a new career as a self-employed professional by providing administrative support to other businesses.

The post HOW TO BECOME A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT WITH NO EXPERIENCE appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

If yes, perhaps you didn’t know becoming a freelance writer is the best way to get the most out of your skill and make money online.

But how to become a freelance writer? 

To begin with, a laptop, a stable internet connection and a passion for writing are all you need to get started. 

We’ll uncover more on the topic below.

What Is Freelance Writing?

Before we discuss how to become a freelance writer, it is essential to know who a freelancer is in the first place. 

A freelancer simply refers to a self-employed person who sells their services to companies or individuals on a contract basis. These contracts can be long or short-term. 

Simply put, a freelancer is his or her own boss, has almost unlimited earning potential and can work from the comfort of home.

Did you know there are 57 million freelancers in the US and 82% are writers?

A freelance writer is someone who writes for an individual client, company, or agency. Due to flexible work hours, you can manage it as a side hustle or as a full-time career – however you prefer. 

If you want to get started with your freelance writing business, we’ll explain the nitty-gritty of the process below.

What Skills Do You Need to Become a Freelance Writer?

Freelance writing is like managing your own small business. 

You won’t only be writing but also coping with tons of other things, from proofreading and editing to networking, content marketing, and of course, managing payments. In other words, it requires a solid skill-set to succeed as a freelance writer. 

Yes, it may sound a little overwhelming, but success doesn’t come easy after all. Nonetheless, if you stay dedicated, consistent and passionate, success isn’t a far-fetched dream either. 

So, before you communicate with your first client, make sure you have these skills:

Sound Writing Skills

If your basic grammar and sentence structure is good, congratulations! You’re a few steps away from becoming a successful freelance writer. 

You do not necessarily have to have exemplary writing skills to excel in the field. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t be a terrible writer either. If you have general writing ability, you can gain competence gradually by improving your writing skills and selling your work. 

If you’re a beginner, you can use an online tool like Grammarly to check your writing for grammatical errors and punctuation mistakes. 

Besides, make sure you do your research well; wrong information in your written work can be a huge turn-off for your client.

Editing and Proofreading

As beginners, many writers overlook the importance of editing and proofreading. 

When you’re typing, you can easily blunder  sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. 

Editing and proofreading are often used interchangeably, but there’s a fine line between both. 

When editing, you work on sentence construction and correct errors with language clarity. On the flip side, proofreading requires you to check your work for missed or incorrect punctuation, misspellings, typos and grammar. 

To ensure you do both well, step away from your work for a while. 

Proofreading and editing cannot be done with an exhausted mind, and you might not spot your mistakes just after you’ve completed a long, tiresome article. 

Read your work with a fresh, objective mind. Also try reading it out loud, and the errors will jump out at you. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 

With sound writing, editing and proofreading skills, you might make the best first impression on your client, but if your work isn’t optimized for search engines, people may not find your quality content. 

I agree you might be a good writer for print, but with no SEO skills, you won’t be a good FREELANCE writer for online publications and websites. 

SEO incorporates the most commonly searched terms in your content. 

You have to optimize your content to rank in the search engines. If your client is serious about his or her website or blog, perhaps they’d want their site to rank in SERPs. Simply put, they expect you to optimize your quality content accordingly. 

Besides searching for the most-searched keywords, keep your content readable and scannable – split those long paragraphs from hell!

Additionally, create internal links, add images, and keep your headings intriguing. 

Handling Feedback, Criticism and Rejections

You might be proud of the writing piece you compiled, but your client may need some tweaks. 

As long as their feedback is constructive, don’t let it hurt your pride. Instead, take it as a learning opportunity to improve your writing skills. 

Feedback promotes personal and professional growth and helps you take constructive steps toward developing as a writer. 

But, again, you should be able to discern between positive and negative criticism; if a client is rude and disrespectful for no apparent reason, it’s best to part ways with them. 

Nothing is more important than your emotional and mental health, and if a client is draining it, they are probably not for you or anyone for that matter. 

However, if you committed a serious error with a long-term, loyal, and otherwise decent client, you better not take their rudeness personally. Instead, stay calm, avoid reacting, listen and apologize for your mistake. 

Besides criticism, you’d also deal with rejections in the world of freelancing. 

You’ll reach out to dozens of clients regularly; some may refuse to work with you, and others might not respond at all. 

But don’t let these rejections get to you. Remember, we talked about consistency earlier; you have to reach out to clients consistently, and in the process of winning clients, you’ll also face rejections. 

Being Organized

If you’re unorganized and wondering how to become a freelance writer, I highly doubt the sincerity of your question.

Yes, you have the freedom to set your working hours, but don’t let this privilege get in the way of your success. 

The blogs or articles you’ll work on as a freelance writer have a deadline. Running out of the given time frame can cause you to lose clients, and if you aren’t organized enough, perhaps you’ll struggle to meet the deadlines. 

Make sure you set specific working hours, avoid distractions, and work from the same place every day – a coffee shop, a public park, your bedroom, a library, or anywhere around your house. 

This will help you stay more organized. Besides, be realistic when committing to your client. Tell them how much work you can crank out in a given time, and stick to it!

Strong Communication Skills

Lee Brown, an American businessman, politician and criminologist says, “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in the pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.” 

Hypothetically speaking, your client asks you to discuss a writing project over a phone call. 

You may be an eloquent writer, but if you fail to communicate efficiently, your client will regret choosing you in the first place. 

So, before you disappoint the client with horrible communication, make sure you polish your communication skills. 

Listen to your client, let the information sink in, be brief and direct, and think twice before speaking.

Good communication skills will improve relationships with existing clients and help you win new projects. 

Business Management and Accounting

To make your finances and income less complicated, you must be strategic about managing your business. 

Otherwise, you’ll soon lose grip on things and might find yourself mismanaging business big time and out of your depth. 

To avoid running into such situations, try keeping precise records of all the payments and invoices. Besides, understand and calculate taxes you have to pay as a freelancer. You can find more on the topic here. 

What Are the Types of Freelance Writers?

Beat Writer

Do you have a burning desire to write about a particular topic ? If so, this one’s for you. 

A beat writer or reporter dives deep into a topic that intrigues him or her.  A beat writer can publish articles in newspapers, magazines, websites and email newsletters.

It takes time to build a reputation and a network of reliable sources as a beat writer before you can  make enough money from this niche. As a beginner, you might find yourself battling to make your way down the road. 

Therefore, it’s best to take up other sorts of writing gigs, especially if your goal is to earn money. 

Copywriter

The goal of copywriting is to sell the target audience your brand. 

In other words, copywriting is meant to persuade the reader, through ads, landing page content, slogans, scripts for YouTube or Tiktok commercials and any other media platforms..  

Web Content Writer

Web content writers aim to attract the target audience to your website via SEO. They dedicate hours of research to produce engaging and relevant content that helps build a brand’s reputation and connects with relevant customers. . 

Most writing pieces center around marketing services and products, but not always. A few also inform and educate the readers. 

Ghostwriter

If you write content that gets published under someone else’s name, you’re a ghostwriter. 

Ghostwriting isn’t limited to one form. You could be writing blogs, a series of books, or autobiographies as a ghostwriter. 

Several celebrities hire ghostwriters to write their autobiographies.

What Is the Average Salary for a Freelance Writer?

Your average salary as a freelance writer depends on a number of factors: The type of content you produce, the platform you’re working on and your expertise. 

A content writer who consistently produces content might earn more than a feature writer who only writes occasionally. 

Similarly, the price rates can also vary depending on your skill level. As a beginner, perhaps you’ll charge less. A skilled writer will demand a lot more. 

Upwork, Linkedin, and Freelancer.com are a few popular freelancing platforms to find long or short-term clients. 

An average salary of a writer on Upwork is between $30-$40 per hour and around $42,000 annually. 

If you’re just starting on your freelance journey, keep your rates less than top-rated writers – you would need to do some homework in this regard. 

However, don’t keep them lower than the average rates of that particular platform. 

Clients may doubt your skill level and hesitate to reach out to you if your rates are too low. Plus, after you land a few clients and strengthen your skills, you’ll want to avoid selling them cheaply.

How to Get Your First Job as a Freelance Writer?

If you’re scratching your head, wondering how to land your first job as a freelance writer, here are some popular and killer ways to make your way into the freelance market. 

Join Social Media

Are you truly serious about looking for online work but aren’t on social media? 

Social media is a goldmine for landing jobs. Be it Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter, you cannot get enough of these platforms. 

There are plenty of freelance writing groups on Facebook. Make sure you join the most popular and trusted Facebook groups and apply to the job postings like The Freelance Content Marketing Writer group, Copywriter Cafe, or The Content Marketing Lounge

Additionally, build a profile on Linkedin and reach out to clients there. Did you know 87% of recruiters regularly use Linkedin?  

That means the recruiters are out there, looking for you. Do your best to reach out to them!

Build a Website

A professional-looking website is a great way to attract high-paying clients. 

Try building a personal blog in your spare time. Later, you can reach out to your clients or use your blog as a portfolio. 

Your website will enhance your credibility as a professional writer. Even if you can’t afford hosting when you’re starting out, there are free blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger or Wix. 

A writing portfolio is your chance to display the work you’re proud of. While you can always upload writing samples of your previous work, it’s best to write a sample that aligns with a client’s needs. For instance, if a client is looking for someone to write diet articles for them, perhaps the pet article in your portfolio won’t work for them.

Ideally, it’s best to write a sample similar to what the client wants. For instance, you can write a short 400-500 word article, “5 keto breakfast ideas,” and upload it to your portfolio. 

When clients see you have experience in a similar niche, they’ll be more likely to hire you. 

Once you make your way into the freelancing business, you can revamp your website and invest in quality hosting. 

Write Guest Blog Posts

You can write content for your website, but the number of people visiting your site will perhaps be lower than those visiting a popular site. 

Here’s when guest posting comes into play. 

Also referred to as guest blogging, it involves writing content for another company’s site. 

The two-way traffic offers benefits to both the guest blogger and the website owner. 

Make sure you go for a relevant niche because the goal is to attract people back to your website. 

Here’s how guest posting may help you as a freelance writer:

• It can serve as your writing portfolio if you do not have any writing samples to show to your clients. 
• Though all bloggers won’t allow you to do so, you can create at least one link to your site. This will compensate for your hard work because even a single backlink from a credible website can benefit your SEO. 
• It will allow you to build authority in your particular niche. 
• Thousands of people landing on a website get to see your writing skills. Simply put, some of the readers could be your potential clients. 
• You get to create and strengthen networks with professionals in a similar niche as yours. This helps you learn more about the relevant industry. 

Pitch to a Job Board Ad

A job board refers to a website where employers advertise their jobs. You can join similar websites and pitch job ads. If you do it consistently, you’ll end up landing some freelancing jobs. 

Most novice writers use this method to find constant work. 

Platforms like Upwork offer you a chance to pitch jobs using job boards. You’ll come across plenty of recruiters finding people for long and short-term contracts. All you need to do is write an outstanding cover letter proving your worth and skill as a writer and pitch to jobs. 

Since the platforms have thousands of other applicants seeking jobs, you’ll face fierce competition, of course. However, don’t let it stop you from chasing your dreams. 

Be consistent, and you’ll eventually find work.

Create an Online Freelance Writer Profile

Regardless of what platform you choose to join, you’d need a sound profile to attract clients. 

Because your profile is the first thing your potential client sees, you’d need to invest some time building it. Here are a few basics most freelancing platforms – including Upwork – require. 

Your Photo

Make sure you upload a professional-looking picture. Keep your shoulders at a slight angle when facing the camera, and do not forget to smile. 

A smiling face makes you seem like an easy-to-talk-to and trustworthy person. So avoid uploading an uninviting, grim picture. 

Title

The title is generally a line or two describing who you are or what services you offer. Keep it simple, concise, and direct. Do not forget to add value to it. 

Instead of writing, “I’m a freelance copywriter,” try something unique like, “Sale-focused copywriter with creative writing credentials.” 

Your goal is to use language that’ll instantly click your potential clients, and they’d prefer you over others in the business. 

Description

The description is your chance to prove your worth as a freelance writer. How are you better than others, and what skills do you have to fulfill client needs and demands? 

The overview should offer a solution to your client’s problems. For that purpose, it’s best to do some homework about your potential clients. Later, discuss their pain points and explain how your skills can benefit them. 

Testimonials 

You know how to write quality content, but do you have anything to back your claim? Here’s when testimonials come in handy. 

A testimonial is a formal statement that further supports your qualifications. If you’ve worked with someone previously, ask them to write one for you. Here’s an example of how a testimonial looks:

“Charles did a wonderful job on this project. His creativity added value to my project. Besides, he met the target deadlines and was easy to communicate with. Would love to work with him again!”

This will leave an excellent impression on your potential clients, and they might likely trust your words written in the overview. 

Price Your Writing Services 

You do not have to set a price out of nowhere. Instead, try to search for relevant profiles of people working in a similar niche. 

A seasoned freelance writer will have higher rates. However, that doesn’t imply you have to set lower rates. 

Ideally, it’s best to go with average rates on a particular platform in a specific niche. Gradually, as you earn some loyal, long-term clients and do more work in the field, you can increase your rates. 

Note: Do not set low rates in the hopes of getting work faster because you’re a beginner. Generally, platforms like Upwork have professional recruiters from across the globe seeking talent. Lower rates will make potential clients dubious about your skills, and they may reject you right away.

Improve Your Skills By Taking Freelance Writing Courses

You’re all set now: you have an attractive profile, a compelling portfolio and testimonials. Simply put, you have all the essentials to begin your freelancing journey. Now is the perfect time to hone your writing skills. 

There is no such thing as perfect writing, and even the most skilled writers are not perfect. 

However, you can always make your writing better, if not perfect. For that purpose, consider taking a writing course. 

You can go for copywriting, content writing, or grant writing courses – whichever aligns with your niche.

FAQs on How to Become a Freelance Writer?

We’ve rounded up some frequently asked questions regarding freelance writing. 

How Do I Get Started as a Freelance Writer?

Before you join a platform like Upwork and start applying for jobs, it’s best to hone your skills as a writer. 

To get started, begin with improving your writing, editing, proofreading and SEO skills on a free blogging platform like WordPress, Blogger, or Wix. 

Polish your communication skills and be prepared to handle criticism. 

Once you’ve made up your mind to set off on your freelancing journey, join a freelance platform, write an intriguing overview, add testimonials, upload a portfolio and begin applying for jobs. 

Refer to the sections “What Skills Do You Need to Become a Freelance Writer” and “What Are the Types of Freelance Writing?” to learn more.

How Do I Become a Freelance Writer With No Experience?

Every experienced professional was once a beginner. So, if you do not have any experience but are passionate about freelance writing, consistency, patience and hard work are all you need to proceed. 

As a rule of thumb, begin by gaining some writing experience. You can always apply for jobs later on; there are plenty of platforms for that purpose. But first, you must know how to WRITE. 

Refer to the sections “What Skills Do You Need to Become a Freelance Writer” and “How to Get Your First Job as a Freelance Writer” for more information. 

Is It Easy to Become a Freelance Writer?

Freelance writing has its pros: you work from your comfort zone and have flexible working hours. Do you think it all works magically and out of nowhere? 

Realistically speaking, you need to put a lot of effort into building your skills and staying consistent to become a freelance writer. 

It would be wrong to consider this journey a walk in the park, but it’s not daunting enough to discourage newbies.  

Nothing in the world comes easy, and freelance writing is no exception. If you have general writing skills and the ability to stay focused and determined, you’ll eventually be a successful freelance writer. 

Go slow, and don’t give up!

The post How to Become a Freelance Writer: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

Pretty much anyone from any background can start a freelance career. There’s a wide range of freelance jobs that each require their own time commitments and talents. Top freelance skills can include anything from computer programming to survey taking.  

No matter what type of freelancing career you choose, there are many universal benefits to freelancing. In most cases, you’ll have a highly flexible schedule and the ability to choose your assignments. Read on to learn more about the most in-demand freelance skills to make money online.

Mobile App Development

Since nearly everyone owns a cell phone, it shouldn’t be a surprise that mobile app developers are some of the most in-demand freelancers today. To do this job, you need to use coding and programming skills to create apps for all kinds of mobile devices.

Why Should You Learn Mobile App Development?

The demand for freelance app developers continues to grow with each passing year, particularly for people who specialize in Android and iOS devices. It’s a great way to make money while growing your skillset. You can start with smaller projects and quickly work your way up to larger and more complicated apps. This means that you’ll be able to make more money as you improve at the job.

How Much Do Mobile App Developers Make?

Mobile app developers make a national average of $61 to $81 an hour. This can equal more than $107,000 a year, making this one of the top high-paying freelance skills.

Where Can You Learn Mobile App Development?

Colleges near you may offer courses on coding. But there are also free (and paid) Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that focus specifically on app development. Some of the sites that host these MOOCs include edX, Justinmind and Udacity, which offers free courses from Stanford University.

Where Can You Find Mobile App Development Jobs?

Once you’ve learned the basics of app development, you can start looking for jobs by networking on sites like LinkedIn, or looking for posts on AngelList. There are many places to look for remote app development gigs including WeWorkRemotely, YunoJuno, Jobspresso and Airtasker.

Virtual Assistant

Freelance virtual assistants are people that can make a career out of their strong organizational and communication skills. This is the career for you if you enjoy helping other professionals balance their work and personal lives.

Why Should You Learn to Be a Virtual Assistant?

Experts say that the demand for virtual assistants is likely to rise over the next few years. It’s a field that’s seen remarkable growth since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. The main reason for this growth is that businesses are becoming more aware of the existence of this career option, especially when they begin to expand their online presence. Plus, with enough experience, you could eventually turn this career into your own business.

How Much Do Mobile Virtual Assistants Make?

The pay range for freelance virtual assistants varies widely depending on the number of clients and the exact nature of the work. According to Ziprecruiter, yearly income can be as low as $13,500 or as high as $107,000.

Where Can You Learn to Be a Virtual Assistant?

Another great aspect of being a freelance virtual assistant is that it isn’t necessarily an education-focused career path. Rather, it’s your individual competence and attention to detail that are the most important skills for this position. There are also some virtual courses available on sites like Udemy, that can help you learn the necessary skills. 

Where Can You Find Virtual Assistant Jobs?

Networking on LinkedIn is a great way to find work as a virtual assistant. There are also a number of helpful websites including Taskrabbit and Zirtual. 

Taking Surveys

Taking online surveys for money is one of the most flexible options for a freelancer. All you really have to do is take paid surveys. It involves answering questions for any number of clients on a computer or mobile device.

Why Should You Learn to Take Surveys?

One of the best aspects of taking surveys  is that you can share your opinions in a powerful way with various brands. You’ll answer questions that companies care about and provide feedback that could actually make a difference. You can also incorporate taking surveys  into practically any lifestyle:  fit it into a busy schedule as a student or a stay-at-home parent. 

How Much Do Survey Takers Make?

The price you make per survey will vary greatly, but a consistent survey taker can make an average of $2-$8 an hour. 

Where Can You Learn to Take Surveys?

A great thing about taking surveys  is that pretty much anyone can do it. There’s no advanced degree to earn or coding language to learn. All you need is  a device to begin.

Where Can You Find Jobs Taking Surveys ?

The best place to find consistent but highly flexible work taking surveys is at Survey Junkie. With this site, you can make cash with paid surveys and generate a consistent income. Other sites like this exist, as well as in-person surveys at research institutions. 

Graphic Design

Around 21% of all graphic designers are freelancers. This job entails creating visual art and media to increase the visibility of particular brands. It was traditionally focused on print media, like newspapers and magazines. But recent trends are shifting toward online work, making freelance positions more plentiful. 

Why Should You Learn Graphic Design?

Graphic design is a fun and creative way to engage with a large variety of media. No two projects will be exactly the same. It’s a skill you can improve while doing projects. Plus, the wide variety of projects means that you can choose what skills and content you want to focus on.

How Much Do Graphic Designers Make?

Freelance graphic designers make an average of $52,000 a year, which is a little more than $25 an hour. This rate will vary depending on your skill level and the particular assignments you choose. 

Where Can You Learn Graphic Design?

Many universities offer bachelor’s degrees in graphic design or similar fields. But it’s also a skill you can teach yourself with MOOCs and other online resources. Local art classes can help as well. The main computer software to focus on are Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and other design software.

Where Can You Find Graphic Design Jobs?

There are many online platforms that hire graphic designers or connect designers to clients. Some of these include Dribble and Behance, which both have a design-specific focus. There are also sites like 99Designs and DesignHill, where clients crowdsource design solutions for their projects.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Search engine optimization specialists know the best ways to draw traffic to a given website. You do this by modifying the site itself or its content in order to make it more accessible to a search engine like Google, Youtube and Amazon.

Why Should You Learn SEO?

The number of clients in need of SEO optimization is growing. It also allows you to choose between different specializations to find the ones that best suit your skills. For example, you could specialize in SEO-focused website design, social media management, or even reputation management.

How Much Do SEO Specialists Make?

SEO specialists can make anywhere from $20 an hour to $119 an hour, depending on your expertise and the size of the client. The average annual salary ranges from around $50,000 to over $80,000 a year.

Where Can You Learn SEO?

One of the best ways to learn SEO is by monitoring traffic on your own websites. Online MOOCs and local colleges have classes on website development and the coding that underlies the platforms that you seek to optimize.

Where Can You Find SEO Specialist Jobs?

Everyone with an online presence can benefit from the work of SEO specialists, so you should reach out to local businesses and organizations. Online job boards such as Indeed and Glassdoor are also helpful resources for finding SEO specialist jobs.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Programming

Blockchain and cryptocurrency programmers are a specialized and high-paying section of the freelance job market. These freelancers are programmers who know how to work with code for blockchain. Blockchain is an electronic ledger that ensures financial transactions between clients. It’s a foundation that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin depend upon.

Why Should You Learn Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Programming?

The best reason to learn blockchain and cryptocurrency programming is that it’s one of the top 20 fastest-growing job skills today. This career does require some expertise, but you can learn the skills on your own if you approach the task with enough determination and enthusiasm. 

How Much Do Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Programmers Make?

Blockchain programmers are some of the highest-paid freelance workers. The average rate that you could charge is from $81 to $100 per hour. This can be more than $180,000 a year with full-time work hours. 

Where Can You Learn Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Programming?

In order to do this particular freelance work, you’ll need to learn at least one coding language like JavaScript, Python, or C++. Local colleges and online MOOCs, at sites like edX and Udacity, are great places to find classes that teach these languages. Even newer coursework exists that focuses specifically on blockchain. 

Where Can You Find Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Programming Jobs?

Common online job boards that hire blockchain and cryptocurrency programmers include UpWork and Toptal. There are also skill-specific sites, such as LaborX where you can earn cryptocurrency for coding work. 

Freelance Writing (Copywriting)

If you want to start a career in freelance writing, you first need to choose between content and copywriting. Content writers can write about any topic for any purpose. Copywriters are focused on selling products. All of their pieces are geared toward persuading or influencing their audience. If you enjoy working with words, then either of these jobs could be a great fit for you.

Why Should You Learn Freelance Writing?

There’s plenty of consistent work for writers in the freelance world since so many businesses need it. Also, with freelance writing, you’ll rarely feel bored.  With this job, you can learn and write about new topics every single day. 

How Much Do Freelance Writers/Copywriters Make?

Freelance copywriters can make more money on average than freelance content writers. Initial rates for both jobs average around $25 per hour or $50,000 a year with full-time hours. Highly skilled copywriters, with a track record of increased product sales, can make up to $300 per hour.  

Where Can You Learn Freelance Writing?

The first step to learning more about freelance writing is accurately assessing your current skills. Be honest with yourself about your writing abilities and go from there. Online MOOCs on edX and local colleges teach a variety of writing courses. For copywriting work, other skills will come in handy like an understanding of sales and consumer psychology. 

Where Can You Find Freelance Writing Jobs?

Online job boards are a great place to find clients looking for freelance writers. UpWork and Fiverr are generic platforms that offer freelance gigs, but there are also more specialized places such as Reddit’s /r/hireawriter. Plus, there are platforms you can join like Compose.ly, that are designed to connect clients with available writers. It also never hurts to pitch your skills to local businesses that could be in need of new copy. 

Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping can take on many different forms in the freelance world, from a one-time look at someone’s taxes to monitoring a company’s every transaction.

Why Should You Learn Bookkeeping?

Since freelance bookkeeping jobs come in a variety of project lengths and types, you can really make this job work for you. This means you can fit your freelancing work in with another bookkeeping job or take on multiple freelance clients at one time to make it a full-time position. It also has decent job security since every business needs some form of bookkeeping.

How Much Do Bookkeepers Make?

Freelance bookkeepers typically charge around $26 an hour, with a full-time average rate of $55,094 a year. But, according to Ziprecruiter, there can be a great range of incomes from the low end of $20,000 a year to the high of $97,000. The exact rate will depend on the project, your location, and your experience.

Where Can You Learn Bookkeeping?

It’s not a bad idea to have a bachelor’s or associate degree in accounting, statistics, or math before starting your career as a bookkeeper. Companies may require this as a qualification. Coursework is available at many virtual and physical colleges around the country. The main skills to learn are Quickbooks and other types of payroll software so look for online MOOCs or tutorials on these topics. 

Where Can You Find Bookkeeping Jobs?

The best places to look for freelance bookkeeping jobs are online job boards like UpWork, Freelancer and Indeed. You could also try directly offering your services to local businesses at busy times of the year, like tax season.

Social Media Marketing (Management)

A career as a freelance social media marketer or manager is focused on getting more views and followers for particular accounts. This means if you already enjoy social media for its own sake, you can turn your passion into a career. 

Why Should You Learn Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing is a growing field that shows no sign of slowing down. It’s a career you can slowly get better at by taking on single projects at first then expanding to the launch of entire campaigns. Plus, you can boost your own brand of marketing skills while helping your clients. 

How Much Do Social Media Managers Make?

As a freelance social media manager, you can charge an average of $21 an hour for your services. The average annual income for this position is $42,705 a year. But keep in mind that you may have to charge low prices at first until you’ve had time to establish a good track record. Some Social Media Managers only make around $9 an hour. 

Where Can You Learn Social Media Marketing?

You don’t need a degree to get into social media marketing. But classes in communications and marketing can help. These can be found on sites like edX or at a local college. What’s more important is for you to learn the skills you need through experience with your own social media accounts. The main first step is to find your niche or target audience and get as many followers as you can on your platform(s) of choice. 

Where Can You Find Social Media Marketing Jobs?

One of the best ways to find a job is by advertising your services through your own website or social media. It’s okay if your website is made with a template on a platform like WordPress because you’re not trying to show off your web design skills. Sometimes job boards like Indeed could be helpful but your best bet is word-of-mouth.  

Video Editing

As a freelance video editor, your job is to bring your clients’ visions to life from their unedited footage. It requires both software knowledge and an eye for visual design. So, if you have these skills, this is a fun and creative way to make money.

Why Should You Learn Video Editing?

Experts expect job growth in the field of video editing until at least 2028, which means you’ll have a consistent client base. It’s the sort of job that allows you to specialize in content you care about, and grow into video production. It’s also a great way to get a start in a competitive industry. You can improve your skills while bringing in some cash. 

How Much Do Video Editors Make?

The average freelance video editor makes around $26 an hour. According to Zippia, the median annual salary for this job is about $53,000 a year. 

Where Can You Learn Video Editing?

Around 76% of freelance video editors have bachelor’s degrees and 5.4% have master’s degrees. This means you might want to pursue a degree in order to pursue this position. But you can also learn while you work on projects. The best thing you can do in the beginning is edit your own videos and create a portfolio. This is a great way to show off your skills to potential clients. 

Where Can You Find Video Editing Jobs?

YouTube is a massive marketplace featuring video content that needs to be edited. Try contacting the company itself or individual clients who clearly create a lot of content. Also, don’t be afraid to try local places. For example, sports teams always need footage edited.

Proofreading

Proofreaders comb through most published and mass-distributed media for mistakes in grammar, spelling and sentence structure. If you’re highly detail-oriented and have a solid grasp of grammar, then freelance proofreading could be the job for you.

Why Should You Learn Proofreading?

Freelance proofreading is consistent work that doesn’t require a formal degree. It’s a very flexible job that can be squeezed in around another career or while your baby takes a nap. You can limit yourself to small assignments or find ways to take on larger projects, depending on your needs and availability.

How Much Do Proofreaders Make?

The average freelance proofreader makes around $25 an hour, so about $50,000 a year with full-time assignments.

Where Can You Learn Proofreading?

There are plenty of online guides to help you brush up on proper grammar. Fantastic free sources also exist for current Associated Press (AP) or MLA (Modern Language Association) styling and sourcing standards. Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) is a fantastic resource for all of these proofreading needs.

Where Can You Find Proofreading Jobs?

The online job board UpWork has a specific subsection for proofreaders. Duolingo and American Journal Experts hire large numbers of freelance proofreaders. Duolingo provides educational materials for learning new languages, and American Journal Experts is a company that’s focused on academic writing.

Web Design

Freelance web design is a fun way to turn your eye for aesthetics into a decent profit. You do need to know some basic computer programming. But, once you’ve got a handle on this, you’ll find that your skills are in high demand since every business benefits from a solid online presence.   

Why Should You Learn Web Design?

Besides a consistent demand, freelance web design is the sort of job where you can develop a niche based on your own passions and hobbies. Although you may need to take on smaller, low-paying projects at first, you can grow your skills while you make money. Eventually, this can become a career where your creativity is able to shine. 

How Much Do Web Designers Make?

As a freelance web designer, you can charge an average of $35 an hour, depending on the size and scope of the project, your skill level and your location. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual income is $72,280 a year. But this also has a wide range, from a low of around $24,000 to a high of $128,500 a year. In general, web design is one of the most high-paying freelance skills. 

Where Can You Learn Web Design?

Many courses and boot camps exist at local colleges and online MOOCs. For example, give edX or Udacity a try. Luckily, it’s not always necessary for you to pay for this kind of education. With enough practice and determination, web design is a skill you can learn all by yourself. 

Where Can You Find Web Design Jobs?

A great way to practice web design while looking for work is to build your own website. This is an easy way to show off your skills and advertise your services to potential clients. Online job boards like Freelancer and UpWork are another way to find freelance web design jobs. LinkedIn can also be a great place to advertise your own website and portfolio. 

Data Analysis

A freelance data analysis job can encompass a wide range of skills from machine learning to data mining, management and visualization. To do this job you’ll need to have some level of expertise. Once you have the freelancing skills, you’ll be able to easily make money online with data analysis.

Why Should You Learn Data Analysis?

The demand for freelance data analysts is incredibly high and unlikely to decrease at any time soon. In fact, the amount of data that companies and organizations generate increases on a daily basis. It’s also a great way for you to learn new skills and improve old ones while growing your portfolio. This is either a great supplement to an existing job or the springboard to a promising future in data analysis.

How Much Do Data Analyzers Make?

As a freelance data analyst, you can charge an average of $36 per hour. The average annual salary is around $75,000 a year. But this falls in the middle of a broad range, from $22,000 at the lower end to $159,000 dollars a year at the top. 

Where Can You Learn Data Analysis?

For data analysis, it doesn’t matter where you learn your skills as long as you can actually perform. Find tutorials, online classes, or local education courses that focus on scraping data and other ways of manipulating data for companies. Udacity and edX  can be great sources for this kind of information.

Where Can You Find Data Analysis Jobs?

There are some online job boards that specifically hire freelance data analysts, such as Coding Ninjas. Other good freelance job boards include AngelList, Toptal, UpWork and even LinkedIn in the contract section.

What it Really Means to Be a Freelancer:

Working freelance jobs means you’re accountable for all of your project’s details and deadlines. Your client will depend on you, and you alone, to complete the work to their satisfaction.

You Must be Self-Motivated & Self-Disciplined.

In order to accomplish most freelancing tasks, you need to be highly self-motivated and able to avoid distractions. This might mean finding particular places to work or setting strict schedules for yourself. You’ll need to find your own techniques to keep yourself focused and motivated throughout your workdays. If not, you may fall behind, develop a bad reputation, or fail to find enough clients to pay your bills.

Freelance Jobs Don’t Offer Work Benefits.

Healthcare, sick days and other work benefits aren’t built into freelance positions. Instead, you need to manage your own schedule when you’re sick or want a vacation.  And you’ll need to look elsewhere to find other benefits. 

Freelancing Doesn’t Guarantee a Stable Stream of Cash.

Freelance work can come and go. You may need to put a lot of work into finding clients at certain times or look for an online platform to help you consistently connect with clients. Regardless, you aren’t always guaranteed a steady income and will need to budget appropriately. For these reasons, you’ll want to focus on high-demand freelance skills with the highest pay. 

There is Little Social Interaction Involved.

Freelancing can be lonely work because it rarely requires any kind of face-to-face interaction. You can deal with this by working in public spaces like cafes and scheduling time with your friends or family. 

In general, these disadvantages can easily be outweighed by the enormous advantages of setting your own schedule, choosing your projects and controlling your future. They’re simply something to keep in mind as you begin your freelancing career. 

The post TOP IN-DEMAND FREELANCE SKILLS TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

Rakuten

How it Works

Rakuten, previously known as Ebates, offers a wide selection of cashback options for both online and in-store purchases. Although you’ll need to spend on shopping first, Rakuten gives you cashback rewards for purchases you’d be making anyway. More than 2,500 stores including Walmart, JCPenney, H&M, Macy’s, eBay, Amazon, and other big-name brands are partnered with Rakuten. These retailers pay Rakuten a commission for inviting referrals and sign-ups. Rakuten then shares this commission with the users as cashback. As an added benefit, Rakuten automatically applies all eligible coupons for every online purchase you make. This saves you money at every checkout and even notifies you of cheaper pricing options with other retailers. 

Payment Methods

The cashback rewards vary by retailer, with some as high as 40% of your purchase. You can choose to receive the payout through a check or PayPal once every three months. New users are also eligible for a $10 sign-up bonus after spending $25 at any Rakuten-partnered store. You will receive a $20 referral bonus when new users you bring to the app spend their first $20 with Rakuten.

IBotta

How it Works

IBotta is a cashback app for shopping at grocery/clothing stores, restaurants, pharmacies, liquor stores and even gas stations. It allows you to earn cash rewards by simply uploading the receipt of your purchase. In some cases, you might have to scan the product barcodes or complete an additional task like taking a survey or watching a video. IBotta gives you three options to earn gift cards:

1. Upload the receipt of your purchase to the app
2. Link a store loyalty card with the app to sync with billing directly (also gives you access to special offers)
3. Shop from partner retailers with the IBotta app

Currently, IBotta works with more than 300 retailers including 7-Eleven, Starbucks, Costco, Target, Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Aeropostale and Bed Bath & Beyond. While the network of IBotta partners is not as extensive as some other apps, you can get great offers with large, national brands.

Payment Methods

You can transfer your IBotta cash to PayPal, Venmo, gift cards, or a bank account. The only condition is that you must have at least $20 in earnings to request a withdrawal. Cashback from most partner retailers gets credited to your IBotta account within 24 hours of the purchase. The app also offers a $20 welcome bonus and a number of other referral bonuses. 

Survey Junkie 

How it Works

Survey Junkie has been one of the best money-making apps on the market for years now. It is a free app that allows you to ​earn extra money and gift cards in return for your opinions. You complete surveys in a variety of product and brand categories that are relevant to your lifestyle. To sign up with the app, you   create a simple profile that has details like your zip code, date of birth, education and shopping habits. This information is used to find surveys that are relevant to you. For each completed survey, you get a certain number of points that can be exchanged for cash. It is important to note that Survey Junkie submits all responses anonymously to protect your identity. Each survey is optional and you can also choose to share your browsing data to access additional points and exclusive  higher-point surveys. 

Payment Versions

You can cash out Survey Junkie points as gift cards or PayPal cash. One hundred points earns you $1, and you need a minimum of 500 points or $5 to cash out. While using Survey Junkie will not make you rich, it is a great app to build a side hustle. It is a dependable app to make extra money and earn gift cards in your spare time.

Taskrabbit

How it Works

With Taskrabbit, you earn money by completing tasks or providing services to the people in your area. Put simply, Taskrabbit connects people who are willing to do different jobs/tasks with people who are willing to pay to get the job done. The jobs or gigs can be as small as standing in a line or as vast as landscaping. When you sign up as a “Tasker,” you can list as many services as you’d like to provide. You can also set your own rates by task or by the hour. Once your profile is approved, you will be able to see all relevant postings and requests in your area. You can get in touch with the client to learn more about the job or negotiate payment directly through the Taskrabbit app. 

Payment Methods

Taskers are paid directly through Stripe, typically within 24 hours of finishing the task. It might take 3-5 days for the money to get transferred from Stripe to your bank account. Taskrabbit generates its earnings by charging a 15% service fee from the clients. This means that you make 100% of the task price posted on the app. 

Instacart

How it Works

The Instacart Shopper app allows you to earn extra money by grocery shopping for others. It is essentially a grocery delivery service that relies on independent workers to deliver the shopping directly to the customer’s home. There are two different roles you can play with Instacart: a full-service or in-store shopper. As a full-service shopper, you’ll be responsible for buying and delivering groceries to the customer’s house. This means that you’ll need a reliable source of transportation, preferably a car. You can take orders directly from the Instacart shopper app whenever work is convenient for you. As an in-store shopper, you’ll be a part-time Instacart employee. You’ll need to work a minimum of 15 to 20 hours a week, but you also get access to benefits like a 401(k) savings plan.

Payment Methods

Instacart shoppers are paid weekly by direct transfer to a checking or savings account. Full-service shoppers can also make instant cashouts after successfully completing five batches. You can cash out up to five times a day, with a minimum of $5 in earnings. Shoppers make at least $5 for each delivery-only (in-store) batch and $7 to $10 for each full-service batch.

Airbnb

How it Works

Airbnb is a short-term lodging service that allows you to rent out your home, apartment, or any additional properties to guests. The process of setting up your Airbnb host profile is fairly simple:

• Provide information about your property (location, features, maximum occupancy)
• Upload photos of the rental unit
• Set up an availability calendar
• Add house rules (bringing pets, smoking/alcohol restrictions, inviting additional guests)
• Establish prices (and/or offers)
• Review local laws on providing and managing a rental
• Secure renters insurance policy to protect you from any damage to the property or costs of litigation

If you have at least one spare room to rent out, becoming an Airbnb host is one of the best apps to make money. How much you can earn with Airbnb depends on your rental unit, the included amenities and marketing skills. 

Payment Methods

Creating a listing is free but Airbnb charges a 3% service fee for every booking you make. Guests make payments directly through the app and Airbnb releases your earnings within 24 hours of your guest’s arrival. You can choose to receive payments through PayPal or Payoneer prepaid debit cards for processing within one business day.

Sweatcoin

How it Works

Sweatcoin is a unique health and fitness app that pays you for simply walking outside. The mobile app uses GPS and your phone’s accelerometer to track your outdoor steps throughout the day. The more steps you take, the more Sweatcoins you can earn with the app. Currently, there is a daily limit to the number of Sweatcoins you can earn with the free version of the app. You can make up to five Sweatcoins (with 5,000 steps) with the free “Mover” subscription. To earn more, you’ll need to upgrade to one of the paid subscriptions that range from 4.75-30 Sweatcoins per month to $0.99. Keep in mind that you won’t be making hundreds of dollars with this app. But it is a great way to generate passive income in return for developing a healthy habit.

Payment Methods

Every 1,000 steps earn you 0.95 Sweatcoins that can be spent immediately in the in-app marketplace. The prices for products range from five to 20,000 Sweatcoins. You can buy running shoes, jewelry, audiobooks, magazines, electronics and even restaurant discounts and holiday offers with Sweatcoins. The app makes money from advertisements and partners who pay to be featured in the marketplace. 

DoorDash

How it Works

DoorDash is a food order delivery service that pays you to deliver restaurant orders directly to the customer. Independent contractors, or Dashers/Drivers, pick up the order from one of the partner restaurants and drop it off at the customer’s location. The job pays frequently and offers lots of flexibility to fit your schedule. After setting up your Driver profile with DoorDash, you’ll be able to view available deliveries within the app. You’ll see details of each delivery (location of restaurant and customer, payment) and you get 40 seconds to accept or reject the opportunity. If you accept the delivery, you’ll see driving instructions to get to the restaurant and then to the customer. 

Payment Methods

DoorDash offers a guaranteed base pay rate of $2 to $10 (or more) for every delivery. Factors like the travel distance and estimated delivery time are used to calculate the final amount. You also get to keep 100% of all tips you receive. Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay gas and vehicle maintenance out of your own pocket. The standard method of payment is by direct deposit into your bank account. You’ll receive weekly payments for deliveries completed Monday through Sunday of the previous week.

Uber

How it Works

Uber is a popular ride-sharing service that makes money by connecting nearby drivers and passengers through innovative smartphone technology. Driving consistently for Uber can make you much more than spare change. It provides a flexible way to earn and all you need is access to a car. How much you can earn with Uber depends on where you drive, when you drive, how many hours you dedicate to the job, and your vehicle maintenance expenses. Once you create a Driver account with Uber, you’ll receive notifications of ride requests from nearby passengers. If you accept the ride, the app gives you turn-by-turn directions to pick up the passenger and drop them to their destination.

Payment Methods

Per-minute and per-mile rates for Uber drivers vary by city and demand. Uber reports that their drivers make an average of $19 per hour. You get paid based on the fares that passengers pay for each trip. Uber claims that its “take rate,” or the amount it charges from drivers is 25% of the total ride fare. But a recent report by Jalopnik found that the company regularly takes 35% or even more of the fares for each ride. The earnings get transferred weekly to a linked bank account. With the Instant Pay option, you can cash out up to five times a day. You keep 100% of the tips you make.

Lyft

How it Works

Just like Uber, Lyft is another popular ridesharing app. For the most part, the job responsibilities and pay rates are very similar to Uber. Lyft just happens to be more popular in some cities across the U.S. In addition to the standard method of using your own car to accept ride-sharing requests, Lyft also offers an Express Drive option. With Express Drive, you can rent a car from one of Lyft’s partners with flexible pricing plans. There are no long-term contracts or minimum Lyft ride requirements. Each rental comes with vehicle insurance, standard maintenance services, and roadside assistance.

Payment Methods

The Lyft revenue model is very similar to Uber’s and has the same lack of transparency about its “take rate.” On average, drivers report earning slightly more with Lyft compared to Uber. By default, drivers are paid weekly by direct deposit to their bank account. Lyft’s Express Pay option allows you to withdraw your earnings within a few hours for a small fee of $0.50. If you apply for a Lyft Direct debit card, you can get payments instantly after completing each ride.

Nielsen

How it Works

The Nielsen company essentially pays you to keep its mobile app on your smartphone. Before you jump on board for “free money,” you need to know the background for this offer. Nielsen is a respected market research company that has been in business for decades. They started off by tracking TV ratings across the U.S., but have now expanded to measuring the popularity of online videos and websites. The Nielsen mobile app runs in the background and collects data about your browsing patterns and interests. The company then sells this data (along with other related services like analytics and consulting) to make its money. To register on the app, you’ll need to share detailed personal information and review a lengthy Nielsen Survey Privacy Statement.

Payment Methods

The Nielsen mobile app pays up to $50 per year in reward points. This is a strictly limited amount and there is no possibility of earning more. You can also register your computer to participate in Nielsen’s monthly sweepstakes. They claim to give away $10,000 to registered computer users every month. Nielsen also sends out small survey cards that pay you (about $2) to share your viewing habits and opinions.

Bookscouter

How it Works

Bookscouter is a unique online platform for buying and selling used or old books. It is home to more than 30 online vendors including Amazon, Bookstore.com, Byback101, and Cheaper College Books. One or more of these vendors will offer competitive resale prices for your book. Bookscouter has an advanced search toolbar that allows you to type in or scan your book’s ISBN code. This will instantly show you the current going rate for your book based on the retail price and condition. When you’ve selected a vendor offering good prices and facilities, simply click on “sell” and follow instructions to ship your book.

Payment Methods

Selling your books on Bookscouter can be much more profitable than selling them directly on Amazon or eBay. The platform also allows you to compare the different rates available for your book across multiple websites. Keep in mind that while most vendors provide a prepaid shipping label with the book purchase, some may not. In this case, you’ll need to factor in the shipping costs before you can calculate your profit. Payment methods vary by vendor but most of them will transfer earnings directly to your PayPal account. 

Postmates

How it Works

Postmates is one of the largest on-demand delivery services in the U.S. It is a great side hustle that gives you the freedom to work on your own time. As a delivery driver, aka Postmate, you can be called on to deliver anything and everything — from food and beer to ping pong balls. This whatever-you-can-think-of delivery service model maintains a much higher demand than standard food delivery services. To work as a Postmate, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old, have access to an insured vehicle and a valid driver’s license, and pass a Postmates background check. As opposed to DoorDash or Instacart, Postmates does not need you to set your work hours in advance. You can simply open the Postmates Fleet app and look for nearby deliveries whenever you get some downtime. 

Payment Methods

Postmates pays by weekly direct deposit to your bank account. You can keep track of all your payments from within the app. It might take two to three days for the earnings to reflect in your bank account. The Instant Deposit option allows you to cash out whenever you want, with a $0.50 fee per transaction. You also keep 100% of customer tips.

Mistplay

How it Works

Mistplay is an Android-only app that earns you points and rewards for playing games! The more you play, the more points you earn. When you play mobile games with Mistplay, you build points in the app’s loyalty program. You can earn these points by playing and ‘levelling up’ with a wide variety of games like virtual casinos, Bingo, Solitaire, board games, and war or strategy games. Once you’ve completed a specific game or unlocked an achievement, you’ll need to answer some simple questions about your experience with the game. Just like survey apps, you earn rewards for sharing your opinion. These points or app credits can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards, Steam credit, Google Play points, eBay gift cards or other prizes.

Payment Methods

The app is completely free to download and you don’t need to enter your credit card information to sign up. While you cannot redeem the points directly for cash, you can use them to buy gift cards worth $0.50 to $50. You’ll receive your gift card within two days of making the purchase.

Shopkick

How it Works

Shopkick is a retail rewards and mystery shopping app that earns you store credit for scanning barcodes, making purchases, watching videos and more. The Shopkick app offers six different ways to earn rewards:

1. Simply enter eligible stores in your area
2. Scan barcodes of select products in the store
3. Purchase any eligible item and scan the receipt into the app
4. Link a Visa or Mastercard with your Shopkick account
5. Use Shopkick as a ​shopping app to make purchases at online partner stores
6. Watch in-app videos and advertising

This way, you can earn Shopkick rewards with both online and physical shopping. Once you’ve earned enough points or “kicks,” you can redeem them for gift cards from a wide range of stores.

Payment Methods

There’s no limit to how much you can make with Shopkicks. On average, you can earn one dollar of store credit for 250 kicks. So, you’ll get $5 for 1,250 kicks, and $25 for 6,250 kicks. A single trip to the grocery store can easily earn you more than 1,000 kicks, so it is a great way to earn rewards for something you’d be doing anyway.

Rover

How it Works

Rover is a popular dog-walking app that connects pet sitters with pet owners in need of services. The services you can offer include dog-walking, dog-boarding, pet-sitting, house-sitting and doggy daycare. You get paid to play with dogs and you can even set your own hourly or task-based pay. Rover is a flexible way to earn extra money, with minimal qualifying requirements. However, accepting requests as a new Rover user can be a little challenging. You’ll need to go through the initial process of meeting the dog owner before you can accept their request. Rover also has an excellent community of pet owners and sitters who can help you maximize your earnings. 

Payment Methods

You have the freedom to set your own hourly rates. According to Glassdoor, the rates range from $14 to $29 on average. Pet owners are charged a 15% service fee in addition to the sitter’s hourly pay. Rover takes a 20-25% commission for every job you take. You can receive payments via PayPal or by check. You can withdraw this amount two days after the job is completed. 

Acorns

How it Works

Acorns is a micro-investing platform geared toward people who are new to saving and investing. In contrast to apps that pay you for your opinions, data, or shopping, Acorns is aimed at growing the money you already have. There are five main ways to grow your money with Acorns:

1. Acorns Invest: Invests your spare change in a diversified portfolio with more than 7,000 stocks and bonds
2. Acorns Later: Offers multiple IRA options for retirement planning
3. Acorns Checking: Offers a traditional checking account
4. Acorns Earn (Found Money): Earn money with every purchase at Acorns’ 350+ retail partners
5. Acorns Early: Start investing for your kids with just $5

With so much flexibility and convenience, Acorns is one of the most accessible investing apps available today. The app is simple, intuitive and requires no investment knowledge. 

Payment Methods

Acorns creates investment portfolios that are personalized for your goals and risk tolerance. The app allows you to start investing with as little as $5. While there is always a chance that your investments could lose money, Acorns has a historical stock market return of about 10% in the long term. Acorns charges a nominal fee of $3 for a personal account and $5 for a family account. 

Turo

How it Works

Turo, the peer-to-peer car-sharing platform, is basically Airbnb for cars. It allows you to rent out your car whenever it is convenient for you. Turo estimates that vehicle owners can make an average of $700 per month in passive income. For your car to be eligible for renting out on Turo, it should:

• be released in the past 12 years
• have fewer than 13,000 miles
• have a current market value of up to $150,000

Keep in mind that large vans, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles are not eligible. Once you’ve successfully listed your vehicle on Turo, renters can request a booking immediately. Turo allows booking for a minimum of one day, so renters cannot pay for just a few hours. 

Payment Methods

You can set your own daily rates for renting the vehicle. Turo takes 15-40% of your rental cost. This commission includes vehicle insurance and advertising on the Turo website. You can also make more money by offering one of 50 “Extras.” For example, if you can charge extra for a child seat or for getting the vehicle to the customer’s location on rent day. 

Poshmark

How it Works

Poshmark is a popular resale platform that allows you to flip fashion and luxury goods. While most people use Poshmark to clear out their closets, it can also provide a respectable income each month. Poshmark has a community of more than 60 million users looking to buy pre-owned fashion items. You can choose to sell clothing, accessories, home decor, or beauty products. To create a listing, you only need to add photos, write a quick description and set your desired price. Being active in the community and adding appealing photos/descriptions will help sell your products faster.

Payment Methods

The Poshmark app is free, listing items on it is free, shipping and shipping materials are free, and you can easily start with items you already have. The company charges a flat fee of $2.95 for items that sell under $15, and 20% of the sale price for products more than $15. This fee is very reasonable compared to other resale or consignment apps in the market (ThredUp can charge up to 95% in commission). Poshmark handles billing and holds the payment until the item is delivered and accepted. You can withdraw your earnings via direct deposit to your bank account or request a check.

Earny

How it Works

The Earny app automatically gets you your money back when a recent purchase drops in price. Earny works with more than 5,000 retailers and claims the price difference on your behalf. The app offers a powerful way to get the best price for purchases you’d be making anyway. Earny scans your email inbox for online purchase receipts and instantly notifies you about price drops. In fact, you don’t even need to log in and check the app to get your refund amount. Earny runs in the background and deposits the price difference directly to your account. Earny’s retail partners offer up to 90 days of price protection. All you need to do is make sure that you use the same email address for the purchase and with Earny.

Payment Methods

Earny currently offers two subscription models: $4.99 billed per month, or $39.96 billed annually. With this business model, you get to keep 100% of the price difference whenever you get a refund. Earny does not ask for your credit card information. Instead, it transfers the refund amount directly to the account with which you made the initial purchase. 

BeFrugal 

How it Works

BeFrugal is a cashback and coupons platform that earns you rewards for every online purchase. It has more than  5,000 partner stores and offers a “best rate” guarantee that will pay you 125% of the cashback offered by other sites. BeFrugal offers coupons for stores like Home Depot, HP, Bloomingdale’s, Forever 21, Lenovo, Staples and Aveda. You can keep track of how much cashback you earned in your BeFrugal account dashboard. Online retailers pay BeFrugal a commission for bringing people to their website. BeFrugal gives you a share of this commission through offers and cashback coupons. While the site promises cashback of up to 40%, most major retailers offer about 2-10% discounts.

Payment Methods

You can receive the cashback payouts via check, PayPal, direct deposit, Venmo, Zelle, or gift cards. BeFrugal also doubles as a shopping app and has an entire section dedicated to “Today’s Top Deals” with the biggest discounts. BeFrugal gives you a $10 sign-up bonus, payable after you’ve made your first $10 in cashback with the app.

Capital One Shopping

How it Works

Capital One Shopping is a web browser tool that earns you retail coupons and discounts. The extension is free to download but only works with Google Chrome. Capital One Shopping is particularly useful for shopping with Amazon. It has a dedicated Amazon button that notifies you if there’s a lower price in its large database of retailers. It applies eligible coupons automatically and even informs you about local offers. If you want to buy something but the current price seems too steep, you can add it to your Capital One Shopping watchlist. You’ll receive an instant notification any time the item’s price drops. 

Payment Methods

In addition to saving money with retailers, you can also earn Capital One Shopping credits. These credits can be redeemed for gift cards at a number of different stores including Walmart, eBay, Lowe’s, Sephora, American Eagle, Hulu, PetCo, and GameStop. You are issued the gift card instantly after purchase. Note that you cannot get your cashback via Amazon, PayPal, or Visa gift card.

Dosh

How it Works

Dosh is yet another cashback rewards app with more merchant partners than any other platform on this list. Dosh partners up with more than 100,000 merchant partners and offers cashback at more than 15,000 retail partners. In addition to popular retail chains, Dosh also works with a large number of restaurants, hotels, delivery services, gas stations and even streaming services. It has a much more hands-off approach to saving money while making online purchases. You never have to scan receipts, use coupons or promo codes, or even log in to the app before your shop. Every time you make a purchase with a qualified merchant, your “Dosh Wallet” gets credited with cashback automatically. Dosh makes money by taking a commission on each transaction made using its cashback network.

Payment Methods

Your “Dosh Wallet” gets credited with cashback for every eligible purchase. Even if you’re not a big shopper, you can save significant amounts of money with Dosh (some merchants offer cashback of more than 20%). Once your Dosh Wallet has at least $25, you can transfer it via direct deposit or by PayPal. You can also get a $5-$10 referral bonus for each person who joins Dosh with your unique link. 

While these apps won’t exactly guide you on how to make money online, they’re an excellent way to save money and don’t require much effort.

Sweepstakes

How it Works

Sweepstakes, or giveaways, are a type of prize promotion where the winners are drawn at random from all valid entries. By definition, entering a sweepstake must be free of charge and the hosts cannot require a purchase to enter. Prizes can range from t-shirts or sticks to cars or enormous amounts of cash. Major companies like Walmart, Hallmark, HGTV, Dave and Buster’s, Coca Cola, Heineken, Hyundai, and Chevrolet regularly hold sweepstakes with huge rewards like cars, cash, or vacations. While you may not always win these dream prizes, entering more sweepstakes more often can save you a good chunk of change.

Payment Methods

Payment methods vary widely depending on the host organization. Most sponsors offer cashback rewards and coupons as the smallest winnings. 

FAQs on Money-Making Apps

Which is the best app to earn cash?

Survey Junkie is hands down the best app to earn cash in your spare time. It has an active online community of more than 20 million lifetime members and excellent reviews across more than 30,000 user experiences on Trustpilot.

What apps pay you real money instantly?

While most apps on this list earn you rewards or coupons, Survey Junkie allows you to make real money in exchange for your opinion. The minimum payout is just $5 that you can get via PayPal, e-Gift cards, or direct bank transfer.

Which app gives real money for free?

The Survey Junkie app makes you real money for answering simple online surveys. Signing up with Survey Junkie is 100% free and each quick survey pays about $0.50 to $3.

The post 24 BEST MONEY MAKING APPS TO EARN EXTRA CASH appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

The question is, how can you save money in today’s troubled economy? Maybe you’ve been trying to save up your cash and you’re having trouble. Or maybe you’ve recently had some bad luck and you’re not sure how to start saving money again. 

Whatever your situation is, don’t get discouraged! This guide will teach you 11 proven ways to save money and create a nest egg. No matter what your circumstances are, you can still set some money aside every month. Keep reading for valuable advice and saving tips.

Resell Your Unused Items

Do you have a lot of possessions that you don’t always use? Are your closets crammed with clothes that you never wear? Is your kitchen counter cluttered with appliances that are gathering dust?

Most of us have unused items around our homes, whether it’s jewelry, clothing, technology, or other items. The good news is that you can sell these items very easily.

Sites like Poshmark, eBay and DeCluttr are great ways to auction off your unwanted items. You can also list your for-sale possessions on social media. Or, if you’re comfortable with it, you can have an old-fashioned garage sale.

Take the proceeds from your sale and put them straight into your bank account. Right away, you’ve got a little nest egg. Selling off your unused possessions takes very little work, and it’s usually a quick, straightforward process.

As a side benefit, you’ll also get rid of some of the clutter in your home. And you’ll enjoy knowing that somebody else is enjoying the items you weren’t using. It’s a win-win situation.

Start a Side Hustle to Make Money

These days, it seems like just about everyone has a side hustle.  In fact, one in three Americans has a way to make money on the side. And even more people say they’re looking into building up a side hustle in the coming year. 

There are plenty of different ways to start a side hustle. You may simply go out and get a part time job to supplement your existing income. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, you may be able to find work during the hours your children are in school. You may also find a job that allows you to stay home during  the week and go to work on the weekends or in the evenings.

Of course, the digital age has opened up a lot of new options. Instead of getting a traditional part-time job, you may prefer to go a less traditional route and join the gig economy. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr have thousands of opportunities every day for energetic freelancers looking for short-term work.

Not sure what kind of freelance work you’re qualified for? Ask yourself, what are my skills? Where can I add value? Where do I stand out from the pack? Those areas are good starting points when you’re looking for part-time or freelance work.

If you browse Reddit, you’ll find a number of websites that are dedicated to ways you can earn cash online. Survey Junkie is one example. You can fill out surveys from the comfort of your own home, on your smartphone, tablet, or any other device. It’s a great way to earn extra cash while entertaining yourself.

Whatever you choose as your side hustle, put all of the earnings in the bank. Then sit back and watch your savings grow. Congratulations – you earned this.

Automate Your Bill Payments

Are you still paying your bills the old-fashioned way, by mailing in a check every month? Or, are you going to a store and making cash payments in person?

If so, you’re missing out on a very easy way to save a little bit of money every month. Automating your bill payments takes the hassle out of paying bills, and it saves you some cash, too. 

When you pay your bills manually, you run the risk of falling behind on your payments. It’s all too easy to mail your payment in late, especially if you’re busy and stressed with work. Paying bills manually is time-consuming and tedious. That’s why so many people procrastinate on paying bills.

Unfortunately, late payments can cost you money. In many cases, you’ll have to pay a late fee. Even if you don’t get hit by a late fee, your credit score will be impacted by late payments, and that can impact your financial future.

When you set up automatic bill payments, you’ll never be late for a payment again. You’ll be able to build up a higher credit score, and of course, you won’t face any more late fees. You can automate just about any bill: utilities, phone, car payment. It’s a good idea to set all of your regular monthly bills to automatic payment. 

Of course, before you automate your bills, you should make sure you have a steady income, and that you’re earning enough to cover all your bills each month. If you’re regularly coming up short, or if you’re struggling with heavy debt, then before automating your payments, focus on the first part of this blog about building a side hustle. You can also consider opening a checking account at a bank that does not charge overdraft fees.

Create an Automated Savings Account

Sometimes people want to save money but they have a hard time getting started. Your paycheck comes in, and you spend it all before you even have time to consider setting some of it aside for a rainy day. Maybe you have bad spending habits, or you’re just not great at planning. Whatever the reason may be, you struggle to save your money.

Fortunately, there’s an easy hack to make sure you save some of your money from every single paycheck. Many banks allow you to create an automated savings account so you can save without thinking about it.

Every time you get a paycheck, your bank will automatically deposit a certain portion of the check into your savings account. You won’t have to transfer the money, or decide how much to save. Your bank does it for you.

In order to make this happen, you need to receive your paychecks by direct deposit. Ask your bank if they’ll allow you to set up a recurring deposit straight from your paycheck into a savings account. You can also set up a regular payment to a retirement account, like a 401K, if you prefer.

Remember to start with reasonable goals. If you haven’t been saving until now, it might feel strange at first. That’s okay. Your goal, for the first few months, should be to get comfortable saving money. Even if you set aside just a few dollars every paycheck, you’ll soon see your savings grow. It’s often a good idea to start small, by saving $10 or $20 every month, and then build up from there as you become more comfortable with the habit of saving money.

Put a Spending Limit on Your Credit Card

Does your credit card spending get out of hand sometimes? If you’re like many other Americans, you may have trouble getting your credit card spending on track. It’s easy to get carried away and spend too much money with a card, whether you’re doing some online shopping or hitting the stores in person.  

And of course, the more you spend on your credit card, the less money you have to save. If your credit card has a high interest rate, it’s even harder to save. You could end up in increasing debt, with high monthly payments. 

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to curb your spending habits, even if they’ve gotten out of control. And this method doesn’t even require will power.

Many credit card companies allow you to put a spending limit on your credit card.

American Express, for example, allows you to set a spending limit as low as $200 per month. If you try to run up charges that are above the $200 limit, you’ll be automatically blocked from paying out the money. Barclays and Citi also allow customers to set limits on their spending.

Placing a spending limit on your credit card has other benefits, too. A spending limit will prevent hackers or identity thieves from stealing your credit card information and using it to run up charges on your account. That could be financially disastrous for you, making it even more difficult to save money.

So, go ahead and put a spending cap on your credit card. You’ll save money every month, because you won’t be spending as much with your credit card. Make sure you deposit your savings into an account, and then sit back and watch your nest egg grow.

Cancel Unused Subscriptions and Gym Membership (Work-Out at Home)

The average American consumer spends $273 every month on subscription services. That can include cable and internet services, gaming systems and other entertainment services.

Fitness has also turned into a major expense for many people. The average cost of gym memberships in the United States is $507 for the first year. 

Remember, many people subscribe to services they don’t even use. How many people do you know who pay for a gym membership they never use? Similarly, plenty of people sign up for costly subscriptions which they rarely use.

If you want to save money, spend some time thinking about subscriptions you actually use. Check to make sure you’re really watching all the channels in your cable bundle, for example. If not, you can look for a cheaper deal – and put the money you save straight into the bank.

In the same way, you can save money by canceling your gym membership. That doesn’t mean you should give up on your fitness goals. You can get in shape by jogging in the park, swimming at a free local pool, or even working out in the comfort of your own home. There are countless free workout videos online that can show you how to get in great shape right in your living room, without the hassle of going to the gym.

Take the money you save on the gym and put it into a savings account, where you can see your nest egg grow.

Earn Cash Back on Your Purchases

Do you like to shop? You may be able to earn cash back on your purchases. That means extra money which you can put into your savings account.

Some credit cards offer cash back to their customers. You can get cash back on gas, groceries, or other items, depending on the terms of the credit card. 

Your bank may also offer a cashback checking account, which earns cash for shopping with certain companies or paying bills. Your online bank might offer rewards too. Every little bit of free money adds up, and before you know it, you could be looking at a sizable savings account.

Websites like Rakuten and Ibottaoffer cash rewards in return for shopping through their portals. Just be careful not to overspend! Cashback systems work best when you’re shopping for items that you would have bought anyway.

Make sure you put your rewards in the bank right away, and enjoy the feeling of seeing your savings grow!

Use Coupons While Grocery Shopping

A study from Coupon Follow found that the average American family can save as much as $316 every year, just by using online coupons at the grocery store! The study found that families could save another $272 per year by using digital coupons for household items.

That’s money you could be putting in the bank, or even investing in your retirement fund.

Of course, you can still clip your coupons from newspapers and circulars, the old fashioned way. But today’s digital coupons make the process easier and more convenient. There’s no clutter, and you don’t have to worry about forgetting your coupons at home when you go to the supermarket.

It takes time and practice to learn how to take advantage of coupons. Coupon Follow says that big, nationwide supermarket chains tend to offer the best coupon deals. Certain seasons, like the spring and the fall, tend to be better for couponing too.

If you decide to coupon, be careful that you only buy what you actually need. Sometimes, shoppers get excited at the chance of a discount, and they end up buying items that they have no use for, losing money in the process. But if you’re careful, you can save real money by couponing.

Sign up for Rewards and Loyalty Programs

If you’re a smart shopper, you can use store loyalty programs to save money on your regular purchases.

Many supermarkets and other stores offer rewards to loyal customers. That might mean offering cash back once you’ve spent a certain amount of money in the store. Some stores offer discounts for first-time customers. Or it could mean rewards for shopping with a store a certain number of times. Autozone, for example, offers customers 20% cash back for shopping with them five times in a year.

Other stores offer discounts for first-time shoppers, or for customers who take out an in-store credit card. There are endless possibilities for rewards and loyalty programs.

Just remember that loyalty programs are a little bit like coupons. They’re a great way to save money – as long as you only buy things you actually need. Make sure you don’t get tempted to make unnecessary purchases for the sake of earning a reward.

Start Budgeting Your Personal Finances

Creating a household budget, and sticking to it, can save you a lot of money. If you’re not sure what budgeting means, don’t worry. It’s much simpler than you think, and the benefits are huge.

You can start by making a list of all of your normal expenses. Rent or mortgage payments should go on your list; so should groceries, utility bills, and any recurring subscriptions you have. You can also add fun items like vacation, date night and takeout.

Figure out your monthly income, and decide how much you can spend on each category once you’ve paid your fixed costs (like housing and car payments). Then, over the course of the month, track your spending in each category and make sure you avoid overspending.

You might also consider ways to reduce your fixed costs, like refinancing your mortgage, bundling your student loans, or changing your car insurance provider.

You’ll also be able to save a lot of money on groceries by meal planning and always going to the store with a shopping list, instead of just wandering through the aisles.

When you’re making your budget, build in a section for savings. It’s a good idea to plan on saving a certain amount of money every single month. Even if it’s a small amount at first, you’ll reap the benefits down the road. Setting aside even $10 a month can get you into the habit of saving money for the future.

Set Up an Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is money set aside to pay for unexpected expenses. If you or your spouse loses a job, for example, your emergency fund can tide you over until you get back on your feet again. You can also use your emergency fund to pay for medical bills, property damages, or car repairs.

How much do you need in your emergency fund? It’s a good idea to save up at least three months worth of income in your fund. If you work in the gig economy, or if you’re at risk of losing your job, then you might want to save more money. You might want to aim for saving up to six months of income.

All of the tips and tricks in this article are great ways to start saving money toward an emergency.

FAQS on How to Save Money Fast

Here are some of the most common questions about how to save money fast.

What are 5 tips for saving money?

1. Set a clear goal. 

Decide how much money you want to save. It helps to think about what you’re going to use the money for. Do you want to build up an emergency fund? Are you saving up for a down payment on a home or car? Or do you want to take a vacation in Hawaii? 

Whatever it is, set a savings goal and write it down so you won’t forget it.

2. Create an action plan. 

How are you planning to save money? Are you going to look for a side hustle? Are you going to sell off your unwanted items? Are you going to create a budget and start couponing?

There are lots of great ways to save money. Pick the method, or methods, that suit you best, and you’ll be off to a great start.

3. Set monthly financial goals. 

You already decided on how much you want to save for the year. Now, break it down into monthly sums. Having short-term saving goals, or benchmarks, makes it a lot easier to see progress. And the more you see progress, the easier it becomes to stick to your savings plan.

4. Make sure you’re saving your money.

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget! Sometimes people focus on saving money but forget to actually put that money into a savings account. If you put your extra cash back into your checking account, you could wind up spending it. And that defeats the whole purpose of saving.

So, make sure you’re putting your saved money into a savings account, or a retirement fund!

5. Track your progress.

Keep a written record of how much money you’re saving every month. You should also track your progress toward your annual goal. There are lots of different ways you can do this. You can use an app, a spreadsheet, or even a piece of paper. The main thing is, keeping track of your progress will inspire you and ensure that you meet your goals.

How much should I save each month?

How much you save depends on your income and your expenses. A general rule of thumb is to save 20% of your income every month. If you can save more, great. But if 20% is too high, don’t worry. Even if you’re living on a very tight budget, you can still make a plan to set just a little bit of money aside every month.

What is the 30 day rule?

The 30 day rule is a great way to stop making impulse buys. Basically, if you see an item you want, don’t buy it right away. Wait 30 days. 

If you still want the item at the end of those 30 days, go ahead and buy it. In many cases, you won’t want it anymore, which means you shouldn’t waste your money on it. Following the 30 day rule is a great way to kiss impulse purchases goodbye!

SUMMARY

Saving money is a great way to build a better life for yourself and your family. By setting aside a little bit of money every month, you can create a safety net, plan for important purchases, and prepare for your retirement.

Filling out surveys with Survey Junkie can earn you extra cash to build up your savings account – and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Visit us today and get started right away.

The post HOW TO SAVE MONEY FAST: 11 PROVEN WAYS appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

But is it really possible to make money on a blog as a beginner? Can you really make a living with it? Whether you’re looking for a side hustle or you want to jump into blogging full-time, the answer to both questions is:  Yes! It’s not just possible, but it’s within your reach. 

To learn how to start a blog and make money with it, you first need to know the ins and outs of the industry. You aren’t the only one to stumble on the secret of profitable blogs. While the lucky few have learned how to play the system and earn a living (even six figures or more), the vast majority of would-be bloggers fail before they even get a chance to start monetizing their work. 

First off, a word of warning: Blogging can be a great way to make money online, but that doesn’t mean it’s a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes time, investment and hard work. 

That being said, for those willing to put in the work, you can reap the rewards. 

If you’re ready to take the leap into blogging as a source of real income, then let’s dive in. Here’s your step-by-step guide to making money online with your blog — even as a complete beginner.

How to Choose Your Domain Name and Blogging Platform (like WordPress)

It all starts with a blogging platform. Before you can even think about starting your blogging journey (let alone making money), you need to set up the basics. 

Blogging Platform

The first step is finding the right platform to host your blog. A blogging platform is a service that you can use to publish your content online. It allows you to set up a website, design it how you like and manage the posts you create. There are quite a few blogging platforms on the market, some of them free and some of them paid. 

Here are a few of the most common options: 

• WordPress 
• Wix
• Weebly 
• Squarespace
• Medium 

While a free option might feel safer in the beginning, it might make it harder for you to get paid for your work. The bottom line is this: With a free platform, you won’t truly own your blog. On top of no ownership, your design options may be limited, advertisements may litter your blog, thus compromising the potential for landing sponsorships, and you might be restricted in your ability to monetize it. 

If you want to take your blog to the next level and start earning money, you need to start a self-hosted blog on a web server that gives you full freedom and support. 

Any of the above blogging platforms can help you build the blog of your dreams, but WordPress is one of the most popular in the industry. It currently powers more than 30% of all websites, and it’s easy to see why. 

A WordPress blog offers almost complete control, letting you customize it however you like. If you’re new to the platform, you might not be familiar with two of its most powerful features: 

1. WordPress themes 
2. WordPress plugins
   

WordPress themes allow you to apply different design templates to your website in one quick and easy step. WordPress plugins allow you to add new features and functionality to your site without having to code. For example, you can install a plugin that filters through spam, helps you optimize your keywords, or check for broken links. 

Web Hosting

to start writing, posting and building your community ASAP. 

But you can’t skip one of the most vital steps for creating a secure, functioning blog: web hosting. A website host is like a hard drive for your blog. It stores all of your data on the cloud.  A host is also responsible for making sure your blog is running smoothly, accommodating traffic and keeping all digital information secure and encrypted. 

Some of the best web hosting options include: 

• Bluehost
• HostGator
• DreamHost
• GoDaddy
• SiteGround
• A2Hosting

Domain Name 

Your domain name is the name of your blog (like yourblog.com) . It’s going to be the first thing readers lay eyes on so it needs to make a great first impression. It should represent the vibe of your blog, what you’ll be writing about, or your own personal brand. 

This could look like: Your name, your small business name, or a creative combination of words that sums up what you do. 

The general rule of thumb is to keep it short, catchy, and easy to spell. Above all, make sure it feels personal to you and what you want to write about. 

That being said, your dream domain name might not be available. You might not get your first pick — in fact, you’re more likely to have to settle for your fourth, fifth, or 12th pick. 

Want to know if a domain name is available? You can check with this handy tool right here. 

How to Choose a Profitable Blog Niche

Maybe you started this project with a clear idea in mind, but if you’re like most new bloggers, you’re probably still wondering: What should I be writing about? 

Before you start writing, you need to come up with a plan. And that plan includes a niche. 

Your blog’s niche is the general area or topic you’ll be focusing on. That could look like travel, fashion, tech, cooking, parenting, and more. 

We’ve all heard that you should be following your passions. And that’s true for blogging too — to an extent. Sure, you need to have a passion for whatever you’re writing about. After all, you’ll be spending countless hours on the subject. But if you’re serious about making money (or even a living wage), you need to be thinking about profitability too.

When picking a niche, you need to be thinking about both passion and about potential. 

Understand Commercial Intent

When the average person browsing the Internet can be divided into two categories: Informational consumers or commercial consumers. 

An informational consumer is just looking for basic information. They’re looking for knowledge about a particular topic without any intent to purchase something. If your blog leans toward informational topics, you’ll have to rely more heavily on advertising and a high volume of traffic. 

A commercial consumer, on the other hand, is already in purchase-mode. They’re actively looking to buy products and services. This makes it easier to make money even with lower traffic through affiliate programs and other revenue streams. 

Before you settle on a niche, you need to understand which market you’ll be appealing to. In a lot of cases, you’ll stumble across a niche that isn’t so easily defined — it might be both informational and commercial. 

Finding a profitable niche that has commercial intent is important, but it’s not a deal breaker. Some bloggers have had great success monetizing their content through other means. For example, selling books, e-books, online courses, email newsletters, access to online communities, and website memberships.

Measure Market Demand and Audience Budget Potential 

Before you settle on a niche, you need to make sure one thing is rock solid: Revenue potential. The revenue potential of your audience will tell you whether it’s possible to actually make money blogging in this niche or not. 

All of this comes down to market demand and audience budget potential. 

First of all, you need to make sure there’s a demand for your niche. When your target audience turns to Google to solve a problem in their lives, you’re there to present the solution. But if there aren’t enough people with burning problems or questions that you can resolve, your blog will flop before it even has a chance to start. 

The next problem you need to address is audience budget potential. Even if there’s lots of demand for what you have to offer, your earning potential is still limited by how much your audience is actually willing to spend. 

This is going to depend mostly on who your customer is. How old are they? What kind of job do they have and what’s their income? In the overall industry, how much are people typically willing to spend?

Even if the demand is there, your audience needs to be willing — and able — to spend if you want to make money blogging. 

How to Scale Your Blog Content Creation

Many new bloggers start out with pure passion. They write their hearts out and pour their knowledge onto the pages. Passion can take you pretty far, but blogging is a competitive industry. Not only is there a demand for a steady stream of content, but also content that has value. You can’t just throw out anything related to your blog topic. It has to build your brand and take your blog further than it’s ever been before. 

That’s where scaling comes in. 

Scaling your content production means implementing a well-structured strategy designed to establish your brand voice as a reputable source that people will turn to for answers. Scaling can get you on the path to making revenue. 

The right scaling strategy won’t just prepare your blog for growth. It can put your blog on the fast track to success.

So how do you get there? Let’s take it step-by-step.

Make a Content Calendar

Running a successful blog means churning out quite a bit of content. Informational posts, product lists with affiliate links, personalized newsletters and more. The content never stops. 

Instead of trying to keep it all straight in your head, you need a content calendar.

A content calendar can help you lay out your plan for the day, the week, the month, or even several months in advance. It’s also an opportunity to track your progress on each project: Outlining, writing, editing, keyword research, formatting, visuals and more. 

Develop a Consistent Style Guide

A consistent style is the foundation of your blog. Once you find the unique and catchy voice that reflects the energy of your content, it will soon become synonymous with your brand. 

Creating a dedicated style guide is even more important as you begin to grow. As you bring new writers onto your team and begin to outsource your content production, it’s important that all your work meets brand standards. More importantly, it needs to align with that powerful voice you already made a part of your blog’s unique brand.

The style guide directs your brand’s standardized language, tone and overall structure. Love a professional tone with some humor sprinkled in? Prefer short and choppy paragraphs? A style guide will take care of that — and keep it consistent.

Create a Content Production Funnel 

Creating an organized content calendar instead of throwing your planned posts on a spreadsheet in a random order can go a long way toward structuring your content.. 

Remember that you’re creating content with a purpose. You want to guide readers through the “buying” process, even if you’re not selling anything right away. This means you need to take them through a sort of sales funnel— taking them stage-by-stage to pull them deeper into becoming a loyal reader (and eventually, consumer). 

Here’s an example of the kind of content you might focus on for each stage: 

• Stage One. This stage catches the attention of your viewer, creating awareness and making yourself an authority in their eyes (Social media posts, website design, visuals, blog posts, FAQs)
• Stage Two: This stage draws the readers in and offers them content packed with value so they keep coming back for more. (Blog posts, personal essays, and in-depth content like courses, guides and e-books) 
• Stage Three: The final stage is where you secure your audience as  loyal readers and keep them engaged on a deeper level –mail subscribers, newsletters, discussion groups and other interactive content. 

Plan For Monetization From Day One 

A lot of bloggers get this advice early in their careers: Focus on your passion and worry about the money later. 

It’s not necessarily bad advice — passion is what gets a project off the ground. It’s also going to take time before you can make any real money off of your blog.

However, if you want to reach the point where you can make a living with your blog, it’s important to plan ahead. You’re much more likely to succeed if you think like an online business owner just as much as a blogger. 

For example, let’s say you’re a mommy blogger thinking about topics to write about. You could possibly rank for an article like “Tips for Raising Twins,” but an article like that is much harder to monetize. Instead, something like “Products You’ll Need If You’re Raising Twins” is much better suited for affiliate marketing. There’s a huge difference in potential revenue later. 

Write Content Based on Your Own Experience 

These days, there’s a lot of content out there. Whatever you’re planning on writing about, it’s probably been done before. So how do you make your content stand out? 

While the topic has been covered before, you can still bring a unique perspective to the idea. What has your experience been with the topic? Do you have any personal stories that outline why something is important? 

Don’t be afraid to bring in some first-hand knowledge and expertise. Not only will this make you seem more relatable to your audience (especially for stories about your past mistakes), but it will also cement your status as the voice to turn to for advice in this field. It shows that you can bring something to this idea that nobody else has brought before. 

Outsource Your Blog Content Creation

When you put together your own blog — something built on your personal passion and drive — the last thing you might want to do is hand over the creative control to somebody else. 

Those doubts are perfectly normal. Content creation is deeply personal, and it isn’t always easy to find the right person to capture your story and unique brand voice. 

But content creation is also hard. And if you’re looking to grow your brand to the point where you can make real money, it can be even harder to keep up with the demand for new content. 

Outsourcing your content creation means turning to a third-party to produce new articles, website material and more. It can have some serious benefits for your blog, including: 

1. Increasing your bandwidth and helping your blog grow faster 
2. Taking work off your plate so you have more time to focus on strategy and monetization 
3. Bring experts onto your team with powerful new ideas

There’s no way for one person to create all of the content you’ll need for a rapidly growing blog. Once you get to the point where it starts to feel unmanageable or your growth is starting to stagnate, it might be time to turn elsewhere. 

Use SEO, Guest Posting and Link Building to Increase the Domain Authority

If your content scaling strategy begins and ends with the words on the page, you’re not going far enough. You can write the most compelling blog post in the world, but nobody can read it if it doesn’t end up in front of them. 

To drive traffic to your blog, you need to start ranking higher on the search engines. Google uses a combination of different factors to decide ranking, but an easy way to determine where you stand is by looking at your domain authority. Developed by Moz, domain authority is a score from 0 to 100 that estimates how well your blog will rank on Google. A higher domain authority means higher web rankings. 

But how do you boost your domain authority? There are a few hacks that can help you get a leg up on the competition. 

SEO 

You can improve your domain authority — and your search engine ranking in general — just by creating valuable and high-quality content. But making a few key changes to your copy can help take your SEO ranking to the next level. 

From keyword density to organization, here are a few simple tips to help you optimize your content: 

• Do your keyword research 
• Keep keyword density between 0.5 to 1.5% (no stuffing!) 
• Look for long-tail keywords to help you rank
• Use your focus keyword within the first paragraph of your content
• Include the focus keyword in your title if possible
• Organize your content with headings (H1, H2, H3, etc)
• Don’t forget to fill out your meta description (and include the focus keyword)

Guest Posting

Guest posting is one of the top ways to quickly grow your brand’s authority. 

When you write a guest post on another person’s blog, you get instant access to exposure. People who are already invested in your niche will get a chance to read your words, see your expertise, and get linked back to your own blog. 

While it’s not always easy to land a guest post on a high-authority site, the rewards are well worth the effort. You can get a significant boost to both your ranking and your brand reputation overnight. 

Link Building

Another powerful way to build domain authority through your content is by being strategic with your links. Link building is the process of getting hyperlinks from other pages or websites to your own. This can be internal, where someone can crawl the links between pages on your blog. Or it can be external, where someone crawls the links from another blog to your own. 

Internal linking just means you need to link to some of your older posts throughout your newer ones. Not only can this help direct readers to a more in-depth explanation of the topic you’re breaking down, but it can also be a valuable SEO tool. It reduces the bounce rate, i.e., keeps a visitor on your blog for longer.

External linking is actually where guest posting comes back in. Featuring a guest post from a reputable website lets you weave your own blog’s links throughout. It earns you backlinks from a site that already has an established audience and high authority in the eyes of Google. 

How to Increase Blog Traffic with Social Media

Now we’re getting to the serious stuff: Monetization. While there’s so many ways you can start to cash in from your successful blog, there’s one thing you’ll need before you can dive in. Without blog traffic, you won’t be able to make money. 

If you’re still in the beginning stages of your blog, you might start to feel frustrated. It can feel like you’re pouring hours of time and energy into your blog, creating page after page of what you know is high-quality content, but nobody is reading it. 

In the oversaturated online market, it isn’t easy to get readership. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There are some clear ways to boost your blog traffic and get on the path toward monetization. Here’s how. 

The #1 way to increase your blog traffic is through posting on social media. It’s really that simple. Let’s break it down: 

Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools out there — and you can access it all right at your fingertips. These days, almost everybody is on social media, which makes it the perfect medium for driving traffic to your blog. 

Regularly sharing your content on some of the top platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram can put your work in front of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of new eyes.  

And you shouldn’t just be sharing a post once. Sharing a blog post on social media three times can get you up to double the traffic. 

To help you maximize your exposure on social media, be sure to: 

• Create engaging captions with snippets from the blog post
• Include relevant visuals from stock photo sites, or design your own using Photoshop or Canva 
• Write attention-catching headlines that will make people want to share 
• Use a program like Buffer to stagger your posts and plan them ahead of time 
• Post when your audience is most active to get the most eyes
• Use hashtags for greater reach 
• Ask a question in the caption to encourage engagement in the comments

How to Create a Monetization Strategy 

Finally, it’s time for the question we’ve all been waiting for: How do you make money online with blogging? 

But hold your horses for just one second. Monetization is a big step forward for your blog. If you’re going to do it, you need to do it the right way — with the right foundation of traffic, readership and engagement. 

Even if you’re not quite ready to take that step, you still need to have a plan in mind. As you grow, you can focus on goals and strategies that will get you where you need to be to start cashing in.

Plan your Future Blog’s Monetization Timeline 

In the early stages of your blog, you need to be looking toward the future. When can you start monetizing? When you do, what will that look like? 

Keep in mind that it might take some time before you’re ready. Around 10,000 monthly visitors is a good place to start — it won’t make you rich, but it can kick off a decent revenue stream

But if you’re getting less than 1,000 visits each day, making money will be more of a challenge. 

Each blog is going to have its own life cycle that unfolds in stages. Mapping out those stages — step-by-step toward monetization — can help you get to where you want to be. 

Even if 10,000 visits per month feels like it’s miles away, it’s never too early to start planning your monetization strategy, including which revenue streams you’re going to start with.

Create Your Blog’s Sales Funnel

Just like the content production funnel we covered in a previous section, you can think about monetization in the same way. The goal of your blog is to catch readers’ attention, draw them in and ultimately turn them into consumers. 

Depending on how you’re monetizing, you might need to set up your funnel differently. Let’s walk through what that might look like. 

Step One: Awareness 

The first step at the top of the sales funnel is catching the eye of your target audience. This is most likely going to come through one of your blog posts. 

Maybe they found it through a Google search while researching a question, or they were directed to one of your articles after reading a guest post you wrote on another site. Once they’ve clicked on the article and skimmed through it, that creates awareness. They’ve seen your blog, your website design, your writing style, and ultimately, your brand. 

It’s all about creating a killer first impression. This could look like clean design, an easy-to-navigate website, a catching image and header, and content that brings real value into their lives.

Step Two: Call to Action

The middle of the sales funnel is all about drawing them in. They’ve clicked into your blog. Maybe they’ve skimmed an article or two and they’re starting to get invested in what you have to offer. 

Now it’s time to present the call to action. This is where your content can turn a casual reader into a dedicated consumer. 

A call to action is what directs a reader to do something. Whether it’s to check out an affiliate link, read more about an online course, or even just keep looking through your blog, all of these actions play an important role in actually making you money. 

Step Three: Engagement 

Getting a reader to commit to something once is great. But it’s much more valuable if you can get them coming back again and again — reading, watching ads, clicking on links and investing everything else you have to offer.

That’s why engagement is so important. The bottom of the sales funnel is focused on building a loyal base of readers who will keep coming back for more. This can look like newsletters, email marketing, rewards programs and engagement on social media (DMs, responding to comments, etc.).

How to Choose the Best Ways to Make Money Blogging

We’ve covered how to set up your blog, get a content plan rolling and start to plan for monetization. But how do you actually monetize? 

There are a few options to choose from. Let’s break down each type of monetization — the pros, the cons, and how to balance the two. 

Use Affiliate Marketing Programs 

One of the most popular methods for making money from a blog is to use affiliate marketing. It can also be the most lucrative, if done well. 

This monetization method doesn’t require you to actually sell anything of your own. It’s pretty simple. A company selling a particular product or service will give you a link that you can embed within your content. When readers click on that link and make a purchase, you get paid. 

For example, imagine you’re a blog focused on camping and travel. You might partner with an outdoor supply company — they give you a link to the tent they really want to sell, and you add that link to an article like “Top 12 Heavy Duty Tents for Backpacking Trips.” 

Just keep in mind that you’ll need solid readership for this to work out. And those readers will need to trust you enough to click on links and actually follow through with a purchase. It doesn’t hurt to have a decent amount of traffic per month and a well-established reputation. 

Once your affiliate marketing links are set up, they can act as an almost automated stream of passive income. And the more content you write, the more links you can include — keeping the money coming. 

Create Digital Products for Sale – E-books & Online Courses

While affiliate marketing sounds nice, not everybody has the traffic to pull it off. And some of us might have expertise that goes beyond just a simple blog post or infographic. 

If you want to branch out from your usual content — and make money while you do it — digital products are the way to go. Making content like e-books and online courses can produce a healthy profit. 

People turn to your blog when they have questions that need to be answered. An article might answer that question, but your courses can open up a whole new world of information that might just be the exact thing they were looking for. 

If you do decide to go down this road, don’t rush the process. While digital products can make good money, they aren’t an opportunity for a cash grab. Your readers are smart — they won’t fall for a poorly made book that was clearly thrown together last minute. Do your best to put together something that not only looks professional, but also offers unique value to your readers. 

Add Advertising Banners to Your Website 

This is probably the first thing you think of when “making money blogging” comes up. It used to be one of the only ways to make money online through a blog. When you had a successful blog, an ad network would pay you to throw an advertisement on a banner at the top or bottom of your website. 

While this might sound like a nice way to earn passive income, pay-per-click (PPC) ads through programs like Google AdSense are notoriously low-paying. Unless you’re getting massive amounts of traffic (we’re talking tens of thousands of visitors per day), the income will barely make a dent. 

The other downside is that some ads can look distracting and unprofessional, sometimes turning people away from your site entirely. 

That doesn’t mean it’s completely off the table. If you find the right advertiser in a specific niche that you can cater to, you may be able to negotiate a higher rate that is competitive in the market. 

Create Sponsored Posts

Like affiliate marketing, sponsored posts are one of the more lucrative ways to earn money from advertisers. Unlike affiliate marketing, sponsored posts are much more direct. Instead of subtly including a link in your article, you’ll essentially be creating an advertisement for this particular product or service. 

This could look like a dedicated blog post, a product review, or a social media post. 

There’s nothing wrong with sponsored posts, but you do need to be careful with Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s rules. If you aren’t transparent about sponsorships, you could also risk losing the trust of your audience. It’s important that you always disclose that your post is sponsored by a brand — not your own organic opinion. 

Offer Consulting Services

Options like advertising or affiliate marketing rely on having a high volume of traffic, but what happens if you don’t have that yet? The best way to make money when you aren’t raking in thousands of visitors is to offer a high value service instead. 

E-books and courses can offer value, but consulting takes it one step further. If you’re an expert voice in your field or have expertise to offer, you can charge top dollar for your consulting services.

That means even with a super specific niche and a low number of visitors per month, you can still be making good money. All you have to do is find the few people who need your services and make the most of it. 

FAQs on How to Make Money Blogging

So now we’ve covered the basic breakdown on how to start a blog and make money. But don’t worry if you still have questions. 

The blogging industry is complex with a lot of moving parts. And when you’re just getting started, it can feel impossible to make your brand stand out from the competition and push through toward that coveted monetization. 

Let’s run through things one more time.

Can I Make Money Blogging? 

Short answer: Yes! Absolutely. 

It takes time and dedication to get your blog up and running. It’s also going to take some serious fine tuning before you have the perfect strategy to grow your traffic and make the most of your monetization. 

There are a lot of skeptics out there that will say making money off blogging is impossible. And they’re not entirely wrong to have doubts — a lot of bloggers don’t make much money at all. While professional bloggers can make an average profit of $138,046 in a year, amateur bloggers only make an average of $9,497 a year. That’s not looking great, especially when you consider the countless hours they probably invested.

It’s not easy to break through from amateur to professional, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. With a lot of patience and hard work, you can go from zero traffic to making a consistent living. 

How Much Money Can You Make From Blogging?

So how much can you actually make from blogging? Some of the most successful bloggers make more than seven figures in one year. 

For the average successful blogger, you can expect a more modest income between $40,000 and $200,000 a year. It really all depends on the organic traffic you’re pulling in. 

Let’s take a closer look at how traffic translates into revenue. You can make approximately $0.01 to $0.25 per page view in many blogging niches, just through advertising and affiliate marketing.

So for a realistic number of page views — let’s say 1,000 page views for a month — you can expect to earn between $10 and $25. It might not be paying your bills any time soon, but at the very least it can cover the cost of your domain and web-hosting services to start with. 

But if you’re able to climb to something like 100,000 page views a month, then suddenly your $10 turns into $1,000, and your $25 becomes $25,000. 

The bottom line is the more people your blog reaches, the more money you’re able to make. The more time you put into crafting top-quality content and building a relationship with your target audience, the more likely you are to break through into the lucky few who are making a solid living off their blog each year. 

How Do Bloggers Make Money? 

So far, we’ve covered the top five ways of earning money for bloggers: 

1. Affiliate marketing 
2. Digital products (e-books and online courses)
3. Advertising banners
4. Sponsored posts 
5. Consulting services

But to get a sense at how real-life bloggers are actually making money, let’s look at the statistics. For bloggers making between $2,000 and $7,500 per month, 35% of them are using ads, 27% of them are using affiliates, 14% of them are using sponsored posts, 7% are using consulting or other services, and 3% are using online courses. 

When you get to the top earners, however, the numbers change a bit. Out of all the bloggers who are making $25,000 per month or more, 80% of them sell online courses, 12% of them use affiliates, 3% use ads, and 3% use sponsored posts. 

With all the options to choose from, it’s really going to come down to how your blog is currently performing. If you have a high volume of traffic, advertising, sponsored posts and affiliate marketing might be a good bet. If you have a small, but dedicated readership, then offering services or goods like courses, e-books, and consulting could be especially profitable. 

How Do I Start My Own Blog From Scratch? 

These days, the Internet is full of content. It isn’t easy to make your mark with a blog, especially if you’re just starting out. But you can still build your way up from scratch, even in an industry full of well-established blogs that have been making thousands of dollars for years now. 

• You probably have a vision of where you’d like to see your blog in the future:A polished website
• High-quality content published every week
• A newsletter going out to hundreds of loyal readers 

If you want to get there, it all starts now. Here’s a quick primer on how you can whip up your blog from scratch: 

• Pick a unique (but profitable!) niche 
• Find a supportive blogging platform
• Get a domain and web hosting
• Select a theme and design your blog
• Put together a content calendar for the next month
• Optimize your blog for search engines and domain authority

Putting together a blog is a long process. And even when it’s done, the process of improving and refining your blog never really ends. But if you take things one step at a time, you’ll go from beginner blogger to pro blogger in no time. 

Ways to Make Money Online: Blog or Bust 

Are you ready to create a successful blog? It’s a lot easier said than done. 

This step-by-step guide can take you one step closer to your dream of making money from a blog. But let’s not sugar coat it. Blogging can be hard. Making money from your blog? Even harder. 

You can’t just throw up a few articles, sit back and let the passive income roll in. 

Countless new bloggers quit within their first year. They get discouraged when they don’t reap rewards right away, or their expectations for making thousands of dollars were much too high. 

In the first few weeks, you’ll probably be frustrated. You might feel like nobody is reading your blog, or nobody cares about what you post. You might be overwhelmed with the amount of work you have to put into content production. 

Starting a blog is hard enough, but monetization can prove even harder. Don’t stress about the money right away. Instead, focus on why you started this blog to begin with. Focus on creating useful content that brings readers value — and will have them coming back for more. 

If you put your heart and soul (and don’t forget the right blogging strategies!) into this project, the money will come soon enough. 

The post How to Make Money Blogging: Complete Guide for the Ultimate Beginner appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.

There are plenty of options out there. You may have tried using freelance sites like Upwork, Fiverr, or eBay. You may also have dreamed of launching a startup, building your own business, or earning extra income through affiliate marketing referral programs. These are all great options, but they can also become time-consuming, especially if it’s your first time trying a side hustle.

Fortunately, you can find ways to make a passive income just by logging on to Reddit. Whether you’re looking for a way to monetize your online business, or you’d just like to earn some much-needed cash to cover your bills at the end of the month, keep reading to learn which five subreddits can help you make extra cash. This article will show you how to make money on Reddit.

R/Signupsforpay

If you’re looking for some fast cash but you don’t want to commit to a second job, then the subreddit r/signupsforpay might be just the place for you. 

The subreddit is full of quirky, out-of-the-box money-making ideas. R/signupsforpay lists opportunities for you to receive cash or other rewards if you sign up to try out a new brokerage firm, a financial services firm, or a number of other service providers.

You can make up to $100 in just minutes by signing up for some of the opportunities listed on r/signupsforpay. In some cases, r/signsupforpay also offers you an additional bonus from the person who posted the opportunity. In those cases, you’ll be making money in return for signing up for the service, plus an additional sum from the redditor who posted about it. 

In other cases, you’ll have the chance to earn a gift card from r/signupsforpay in return for signing up.

Be aware that there are plenty of online scams out there. Take the time to read the posts carefully before you sign up for anything. It’s important to read the offers carefully to ensure that you won’t be committing to anything by signing up for services.

You should also be on your guard for redditors who are actively trying to trick innocent people out of their hard-earned cash. Unfortunately, there are a number of people who are using r/signsupforpay to steal passwords or otherwise hack into other users’ bank accounts to steal their money. You’ll find some pinned posts at the top of r/signsupforpay that will warn you about recent scams reported by other users. 

However, there may still be some scam artists posing as markets who haven’t been identified yet. It’s important to exercise basic rules of common sense and caution whenever you’re using Reddit or any social media platform. Never give out your credit card information or your password to any site, and never disclose any financial information to another Reddit user. As long as you stay aware and avoid scammers, you should be safe.

R/BeerMoney

Let’s get one thing straight: r/BeerMoney doesn’t have anything to do with beer.

The subreddit’s name refers to the fact that it’s a convenient way to earn small sums of money – the amounts of money you might use to buy a six pack here and there, for example. But you don’t need to spend the cash on brews. You can just as easily use your earnings to buy coffee, books, or even to pay your bills. You’re not going to earn enough money here to quit your day job, but you can definitely earn enough to improve your overall lifestyle.

r/BeerMoney is a great source of information about the many different ways to earn money online. There are posts about getting cashback from big box stores like Walmart; there are also posts explaining how you can earn money just by doing surveys for Survey Junkie. You’ll also find information about turning gift cards into cash and about getting discounts at specific stores.

One of the advantages to r/BeerMoney is that it’s got a lot of traffic from real users. The site has more than 950 thousand subscribers, and hundreds of them are on Reddit at any given time. That means that if you ever have a question about how something works, you can just reach out and ask. It also means that there’s a lot of information on the site about what works best for users. You can definitely benefit from the experience of other redditors here. Most of the posts walk you through the pluses and minuses of each opportunity so you can easily decide if it’s a good option for you.

Don’t have the time to scroll through lots of posts? There’s a pinned post at the top of r/BeerMoney that lists the most common sites for earning fast cash. It’s a great post, full of details about each option. Just bear in mind that there are other options out there – it’s important to keep your eyes open to other great, low-effort ways of earning a reliable income.

R/ProgrammingTasks

Do you have a background in computer science? Do you know how to code? If so, r/ProgrammingTasks may be a great way for you to earn some extra cash freelancing.

As its name suggests, r/ProgrammingTasks is dedicated to short-term jobs for programmers. If you’re looking for work, you have two options on the site: you can either browse the subreddit for open jobs, which are marked [TASK], or you can post an offer for your services.

Scrolling through the site, you’ll find jobs for people who know specific programming languages like Python. You’ll also find jobs for people who specialize in certain operating systems. Some r/ProgrammingTasks posts are seeking out programmers who can design an entire website, while others need help problem solving or completing a brief project. Most of the tasks don’t specify any college degree, certificates, or job history requirements. As long as you have the right skills and you charge a competitive price, you have a shot at finding work.

Of course, if you’re responding to one of those posts, it’s a good idea to use your common sense. Don’t give away any of your personal information to a stranger online. It’s wise to ask for payment through a service like Venmo or Paypal, instead of giving out your bank account details or asking for a personal check. 

You’ll probably notice that many of the [TASK] posts don’t include a price. That’s because in many cases, you’re expected to name your own price. Not sure what you should be charging? Try asking one of the site’s many subscribers what they consider to be fair. You can also do a quick internet search to see what the competition charges for short-term programming jobs. Remember, you’re trying to hit the sweet spot in your pricing demands: cheap enough to appeal to people so they’ll hire you, but not so cheap that it’s a waste of your time.

If you’re posting an offer on r/ProgrammingTasks, make sure your post is short, to the point and very clear. Don’t throw in a lot of unnecessary language; just explain what your skills are, what you’re offering to do, and what your price is.

R/HireaWriter

If you have stellar writing skills, then you’re in luck. r/HireaWriter is full of opportunities for you to turn your skillset into cash.

There are two ways to find work on r/HireaWriter. You can look for job openings, which are typically marked “hiring.” Or, you can post your services as a writer. That kind of post is usually marked “for hire” or “hire me.”

The “hiring” posts may be either short-term or long-term. Most of them pay at the lower end of market rate for freelance writers. The pay rate may not be enough to make you a fortune, but it’s certainly enough to boost your existing income.

If you scroll through the site, you’ll find posts asking for bloggers, comedy writers and social media writers. Most of the posts on the site don’t specify that job candidates need to have specialized training. They also don’t require any particular experience, although you will need writing skills and a basic knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO).

Be aware that there are many, many posts from writers who are looking for work on r/HireaWriter. That means that every writer who posts on the site faces stiff competition. In many cases, the writers advertising their services have academic credentials and years of experience writing for professional clients. In other cases, these writers are young college graduates who are willing to work for very little money. 

R/HireaWriter can be a great way to earn extra money, but you’ll have to compete against a lot of other writers in order to get jobs.

Can You Really Make Money on Reddit?

The short answer is, yes. There is a wide range of ways to make money on Reddit. 

Whether you’re looking for short-term projects that will net you a few bucks, or you’re in search of a steady source of extra income, Reddit has opportunities for you. 

At the same time, Reddit does come with some drawbacks. Finding jobs on Reddit requires a certain amount of effort and time. In many cases, you’ll be competing against many other qualified candidates for the same limited number of projects. You’ll also need to be on your guard for scams and for people who want to steal your money or your identity.

Can You Promote Your Brand on Reddit?

Reddit can be an effective way to promote your brand and market your talents, especially if you’re looking for a way to earn a second income or promote your ecommerce site. You can use the specialized subreddits to let the public know all about your skills, your experience and your services. 

The post HOW TO MAKE MONEY ON REDDIT: 4 LEGIT WAYS appeared first on Survey Junkie Blog.