By Michael Keenan

Real Ways To Earn Online
Best Ways To Earn Online

If you're a crafty person, selling some of your online handiwork might top your list of ways to make money at home. Sites like Etsy make it easy: You pay no monthly fee, just a 20-cent listing fee. Highlights: You can make good money from the site, asserts Dan Bochichio, a web designer and digital strategist in Albany, New York, who runs a two-person company called Bocain Designs.

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Whether you're between jobs, a stay-at-home parent or just want to make some extra money without leaving the house, these work-from-home jobs can add quite a few dollars to your budget. Knowing how to make money online can help you make ends meet or reach your savings goals.

See: 5 Unexpected Work-From-Home Jobs You Can Do Right Now

Legitimate work-from-home jobs do exist, but beware of scams that require you to pay up front for the chance to earn extra money. Find out how you can easily make extra money from home.

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There is no better time than now to get a side hustle up and running. If you’re looking to make some extra cash but aren’t sure what you want to do, we’ve rounded up 25 legit — we checked! — ideas to help you start generating cash online.

One important note: some of these ideas could require you to get a business license from local authorities. Make sure to do your due diligence, so your small business is not on the wrong side of the law.

OK, with legalities out of the way, let’s start making money online!

We’ll Support Your Side Hustle

Whatever your business goals, we’ll be right there with you, making sure your website is fast, secure, and always up. Plans start at $2.59/mo.

Start Your Own Web-Based Business

These ideas require a lot of initiative to get off the ground but can pay big dividends long term.

1. Start a Blog with a Custom Domain

Are you passionate about one particular topic or an expert at something special? If so, start a blog! This is a great way to build a business and make money on advertising, sponsorships, and even your own brand.

How to Get Started:Research is the first step! Check out the following guides:

Then sign up for a great domain and shared web hosting (psst, we can help you with that).

2. Write and Sell an E-book

Sometimes a blog can be a starting point for launching into publishing your own book. In fact, many bloggers make most of their hard-earned cash by selling e-books. The best news? You can too!

How to Get Started: Setting up a blog is your first step. Once you have your blog up and running, you can write an e-book, publish it, and sell it on your own website. As an example, here’s an e-book we put together at DreamHost that still gets lots of clicks.

3. Make an App

Maybe you are the designer of the next MyFitnessPal, Flappy Bird, or Pokemon Go. If you have an app idea, don’t wait to execute it.

How to Get Started: Making an app is easy these days if you rely on the help of an app builder. Ask yourself what you want your app to do and then research which software best suits your needs.

Related: This DreamHost Customer Built an Aviation App

4. Build an Online Store with WooCommerce

You may be savvy at selling things online through Craigslist, eBay, and Amazon, but what about striking out on your own? With a simple website, you can run your own digital storefront.

How to Get Started: Getting started is simple. All you have to do is create a website, download the WooCommerce plugin, and follow the directions.

5. Sell Custom Plans for DIY Projects

Are you a DIY expert like this chicken coop designer, for example? If you have a special talent, you can make and sell detailed plans to others who fancy weekend-warrior projects.

How to Get Started: All you need is a website, a plan, and some patience for getting your custom plan design sales off the ground.

6. Start Your Own Podcast

Podcasting is one of the hippest new ways to get your ideas out into the world. Not only is it fun, but if you get an audience, you can start making money with advertising.

How to Get Started: To create a podcast, you need to make sure you have the right equipment. This includes getting a microphone, laptop, headphones, and even a sound engineer, depending on how professional you want your production to sound.

Related: The 6 Best WordPress Plugins for Podcasts

Partner With an Existing Business or Website

Another great way to make money online is to partner with those who already have a large internet following.

7. Promote Affiliate Links

Another way to create a revenue stream is by incorporating affiliate links on your blog or website. Essentially, this means you’ll promote another brand’s products or services on your website and include links for customers who want to find out more. If one of your readers decides to buy, the merchant will give you a cut of the sale.

How to Get Started: You can either reach out independently to merchants you like and set up a deal or you can join an established affiliate program. And if you really like DreamHost and want to spread the word about us, we’ve got an affiliate program too!

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Affiliate Marketing

8. Become a Micro-Influencer

If you’ve built a devoted social following, you can turn that niche audience into passive income. More and more, brands are looking for micro-influencers — not big-time celebrities — to promote their products and services online. Most micro-influencers are paid less than $500 per sponsored post, but hey, that’s not bad for one Instagram snap or Facebook missive, right?

How to Get Started: The key is to build an engaged, niche audience with your blog, website, or social channels. Then look for products or brands that are a natural fit for your message. You can reach out to brands and offer to run a giveaway, do a product review, or host a live demonstration for your followers.

9. Write Content for Cash

The internet is fueled by content, and that’s not going away anytime soon. This means if you have a knack for writing, you can make a monthly windfall by starting a freelance writing business.

How to Get Started: You’ll need to create a portfolio website to showcase your writing samples.

Real Ways To Earn Online

10. Create YouTube Tutorials

Podcasting and blogging aren’t the only ways to share your talents with the world — and bring in cash while doing it. Video tutorials are also a great way to instruct others, get an audience, and make money off of advertising.

How to Get Started: The first step for creating video tutorials is to start a YouTube channel. Then plan out your content, start filming, and create a posting schedule.

Related: How to Start a YouTube Channel

11. Do Simple Tasks for Cash

Do you like crossing things off a to-do list? If so, there are a lot of online networks that you can join to hire out your services. You won’t make a ton of cash — on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, for instance, some minute-long tasks pay just one cent — but this is an easy way to supplement your income when you’ve got a few seconds to spare.

How to Get Started: Mechanical Turk offers a ton of quick, low-paying gigs. If you’re handy around the house, however, Task Rabbit offers better rates, and you can do anything from put together flat-pack furniture to lift heavy stuff for paying customers.

12. Tutor Students Online

Are you an expert in math, science, or a foreign language? If so, you can money by offering tutoring services. And the internet makes it easier than ever to find the right students for your particular skill set.

How to Get Started: Start by reading about the basics of online tutoring. Then you can start your own tutoring website or join a tutoring network, like Tutor.com, Homework Tutoring, or Aim-for-A Tutoring, to find pupils.

13. Rent Your Home Online

Best Ways To Earn Online

Do you have a beautiful home or cozy apartment that you’re not planning on staying this season? If so, make some extra money by renting it out.

How to

New Way To Earn Money Online 2017