It’s no secret that the global pandemic we are currently living through has had quite the effect on the economy, and odds are, you’re probably in the market for some extra income. Besides, who doesn’t want a little extra cash? Here’s my fool-proof list of five ways you can make money from home right now during the pandemic. And all these methods have been tested by yours truly!
- UserTesting
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UserTesting is a Human Insight Platform where companies reach out to have ordinary people (like you and me) test out websites and apps to see how user friendly and well-received they are! After registering to be a tester, workers receive $10 a test to record audio and screen recordings (and sometimes video) of their live reactions to developing sites. A typical test consists of simple tasks where you answer questions and navigate through website simulations, and with a ten-to-fifteen minute recording, you will receive $10 sent to your PayPal exactly one week later!
In order to sign up, interested individuals should head to https://www.usertesting.com and click on “Get Paid to Test”. From there, you can create an account and submit a test video of you navigating to a sample website. Once your application is approved, you’re on your way to some super easy and fun extra income!
I made over $520 in 2020 alone and have already started earning in the new year!
- Teespring
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If you have a knack for designing or an eye for fashion, then TeeSpring is a great way to create some extra income selling your designs! TeeSpring allows sellers to create original designs on their website (or upload previously created ones) and list them on various products to sell. Once listed, you can promote your listings on social media and start making sales. But the best thing is, you don’t have to do any work when something sells! TeeSpring prints, provides and ships the products in-house once they sell, so you don’t have to worry about any logistics! Just create some killer designs, and then cash out when they sell!
To get started, sign up as a seller on https://teespring.com and start designing! There’s tons of helpful articles and YouTube videos online that can give you tips for designing and listing products that will sell! After TeeSpring takes the costs of shipping and printing designs out of the sale, all of the profit can be sent to your PayPal!
I did this a lot in high school and sold a number of my designs. It can take some time to create profitable designs and advertising your work can be cumbersome, but the payoff is awesome once you’ve put in the work.
- Poshmark
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We’ve all got clothes lying around that we haven’t worn in ages (and secretly know we never will again), so you should list them on Poshmark! Poshmark is online platform where sellers are able to easily list their used and new clothing items to make profit. One of my favorite things about Poshmark is how easy it is to buy and sell. Unlike some other online seller platforms, Poshmark handles all of the logistics to make everything super easy. You don’t have to worry about shipping problems, you can just list your items, package them in a box or envelope, print the pre-made Poshmark labels and then drop your items in the mailbox!
Make an account on https://poshmark.com to get started selling! Plus, as an added bonus, Poshmark has new items constantly being listed from sellers like you, so you might be able to snag a bargain for something great while you’re browsing the app!
I’ve made over $400 selling clothes since starting, and it’s a great way to give your pieces new homes (especially since so many donated clothes end up landfills). It’s like virtual thrifting!
- Fiverr
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If you’ve never heard of Fiverr, you’re missing out. Fiverr is an online freelance platform where you can sell various services for as little as $5. Fiverr sellers can earn money doing pretty much everything, but I recommend focusing on a specific niche you can provide, like photo or video editing, paper editing, etc.
You can start up your account on https://www.fiverr.com to begin to create your listings! There’s tons of previously sold gigs on the site that can also spark inspiration, so I recommend browsing through those to find something that fits your personal talents and abilities.
My freshman year of college, I created a posting on Fiverr and was able to earn money by editing college application essays for seniors in high school. It’s super easy to create listings for whatever you want to sell, but it can be difficult to find buyers. If you’re gonna try out Fiverr, be sure to look up instructional videos online in order to make listings that will draw in attention!
- Google Rewards
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Compared to the sites previously listed, Google Rewards is the most passive and smallest income, but it’s something you should definitely be using. Google Rewards is an app where you get notifications to take brief surveys (typically based on businesses you’ve visited). The app is designed to help improve Google’s Adsense, and each survey typically pays out 20-50 cents. While the payout is low, and you can only pay out when you reach $2.00, it’s super easy, and the app prompts the surveys directly to your phone.
To get started, just head to the App Store and download the Google Rewards app. Google and Android phone users will get their money sent to their Google Store account (for game and music purchases), and Apple users get their money sent to PayPal.
It’s definitely not a replacement for other forms of income, but compared to the other survey sites, this is my number one. It takes almost no effort, and the money will slowly roll in. Over the time I’ve had it I’ve made about $35, and who doesn’t mind a little extra cash.
All opinions in this article are mine alone, and Her Campus UGA is not being compensated for any part of this post.