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I’ve worked since the age of 15. Most of the time, I also had more than one job. I’ve had various blue-collar jobs and my fair share of office jobs. Since becoming a mom, though, my priorities have changed. I wanted to be home with my kids while still contributing financially. I’ve tried several different ways to make money from home. Some worked better for me than others. Some were surprisingly simple, while others took more time than I felt they were worth.
So, instead of putting together a list of random work-from-home jobs and side hustles, I wanted to share the ways I’ve personally made money from home and what I actually thought about each one. If you’re looking for legitimate ways to make money from home, hopefully my experience can give you a few ideas to try.
Product Reviews. This is one I honestly didn’t believe at first. I actually came across this idea on social media. Essentially, you create a review type video to earn a certain percentage of commission. At first, I thought, “There’s no way I can make a product review video, without posting it to social media, and make money.” Well, I was wrong! I began to research this specific program through Amazon. I saw real people sharing their real experiences and results, but I had no idea where to start.
Eventually, I found a program. Sure, I could have pieced together how to do it on my own. But being home with kids and having little to no help, I wanted something I could learn quickly. I took the course and made over $400 my first full month. Another pro: I was reviewing products I already owned. Obviously, my results are not a guarantee that someone else will make the same amount. But for me, it was proof that there really is a way to make money creating product-review videos.
You can find the course I took HERE. And if you are familiar with how to get into the program and are interested in the advanced course, you can check it out HERE.
*This is an affiliate link. I am not the creator of the course, nor can I guarantee any type of results. I may earn commission at no extra cost to you.
Freelancing. What is freelance work? Freelancing is working independently for a person or company on a specific project or task rather than being hired as a traditional employee. Freelancers can offer all kinds of services, including writing, graphic design, virtual assistance, social media management, data entry, customer service, and even simple tasks that don’t require a specialized degree or certification.
I have personally used the app Upwork and found some decent freelancing opportunities. My personal favorite was a simple job handwriting postcards for a company and mailing them out. They provided the postcards, stamps, addresses, and the message to be written.
I liked these types of freelance jobs because I could do them in my free time with no strict schedule. It wasn’t necessarily a huge income stream, but it was a good example of how freelance work from home doesn’t always mean sitting at a computer for eight hours a day.
UGC. User-Generated Content (UGC). What is UGC? UGC is content created specifically for a brand or company. Content could include short-form videos, product demonstrations, photos, testimonials, unboxings, tutorials, lifestyle content, and more. There is typically a contract or agreement that outlines where the content will be posted, who will post the content, how the content will be used, and what type of compensation you’ll receive.
For example, a brand may hire you to create a video featuring its product and simply send the finished video back to the company. The company may then use the video in its own advertising or on social media. Other times, brands will request that the video or photos be sent to them, and they will handle the marketing themselves. Or, the brand may pay you to post a video or photo on your social media. It just depends on the agreement.
That being said, UGC can be done without posting to social media. Just like the product-review videos, a course may not be necessary, but THIS course has so much great information that would have taken me months to piece together on my own.
You can check out the exact UGC course I took HERE.
*This is an affiliate link. I am not the creator of the course, nor can I guarantee any type of results. I may earn commission at no extra cost to you.
Depop. Selling old clothes or clothes you no longer wear is another way to make some extra money from home. Again, I have donated clothes plenty of times. But sometimes, when I knowingly spent a decent chunk of money on something, it is nice to get some type of return. Depop makes selling clothes online very simple. The app is pretty self-explanatory, and the buyer typically pays for shipping. You choose the price, upload photos, and mail the package out when someone buys your item.
I personally purchased a pack of mailing bags (see some HERE). I download and print the shipping label at home, package it up nicely, and put it in the mailbox for USPS. That’s it! For me, this is one of the easiest side hustles from home because you’re turning things you already own into cash while also decluttering your home. Getting rid of clothes you no longer wear AND making money from them is a great combination, if you ask me.
TikTok Shop Creator. Another way I experimented with making money was through TikTok Shop. The basic idea is that you create videos featuring products available through TikTok Shop. The video is posted to your TikTok page, and if someone clicks your product link and makes a purchase, you can earn a commission. There are other ways to monetize as well, depending on eligibility. However, this was the first and easiest one I qualified for.
The biggest thing to consider is the algorithm. If you make a great-quality video with a high-commission product and only 100 people see it, you might not make anything. On the other hand, a video can take off and generate sales while you’re doing something completely unrelated.
Can it work? Absolutely. Do people make a living off of it? Yes. Was it my favorite way to make money on the side? No. For me, I found that the amount of time I spent creating the content didn’t always match the amount of money I made. I also noticed that many of the creators I saw having significant success already had larger audiences. That doesn’t mean you need a huge following to make money with TikTok Shop. It simply wasn’t the best fit for me. The biggest thing I’ve learned from trying different side hustles and ways to make money from home is this: just because something works well for someone else doesn’t mean it’s the best income stream for you.
Most content creation can be done using just your phone. However, if you’re wanting some budget friendly content tools, you can check some out HERE.
What I’ve Learned From Trying Different Ways to Make Money From Home
There are A LOT of ways to make money online and from home. Some may require more time and learning new skills. Some ways are more passive than others. And some may not be worth the amount of time they take. At times, I felt like I was trying to learn everything and anything instead of prioritizing what was working and expanding on that. As a mom, flexibility is key. I want to be able to work around my family’s schedule instead of having to rearrange our lives around a job.
These are real ways I have learned to make money from home. Keep in mind, they all still require work, and results vary for everyone.
This post may contain affiliate links. I am not the creator of the courses, nor can I guarantee results from courses. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may earn commission if you click a link and buy something, at no extra cost to you. Please see full disclaimer HERE.
