Beginner Tips to Make Real Money Online in 2023
Looking to make a little extra money this year? Who isn’t? Times are tough! Learning to make money online, from home, is such a common goal. But it’s also common to have no idea where to start. So I’ve put together a little list of 7 Real Ways to Make Money Online For Beginners in 2023.
This post contains affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure here.
I’m all about helping beginners. That’s what I do here.
And I was once like you, desperate to find a way to make extra money from home so I could have more control over my life and my time.
So if you are a total beginner, looking for real ways to make extra money online, these are just a handful of legit ways you can get started.
Let’s go!
1. Make money online as a Virtual Assistant
If you have a computer, you can become a virtual assistant.
This is actually how I started making money from home with just my computer and an internet connection.
In this day and age, you’d have a hard time convincing me that you have zero computer skills.
That’s why virtual assistance is a fantastic way to make money online, from home, on your own terms.
I started doing virtual assistance work for friends in my spare time years ago and have now turned it into a thriving, full-time business.
What IS a virtual assistant?
It’s exactly what it sounds like! An assistant who works virtually.
Tasks could include data entry, web design, social media management, monitoring emails, booking appointments, answering phone calls, graphic design, ghostwriting, calendar management, Facebook group moderating, and so much more!
Literally, anyone can be a VA. If you don’t believe me, check out this completely Free Webinar created by The Virtual Savvy that explains how easy it is to get started.
This is the same webinar that made me take the leap, launch my business, and ultimately, quit my full-time day job.
Seriously. My VA business is thriving, busier than I ever imagined and I now have a long waitlist of potential clients waiting for a spot to open up.
Being a VA is something that can be done part time as a side hustle to supplement your income, or full time once you line up enough clients. The Virtual Savvy can help you do it.
Related Reading: How to Start Offering Virtual Assistant Services
2. Make money online by starting a blog
Another big part of my income comes from running this blog. It definitely didn’t happen overnight, but I put in the time, and blogging now contributes to my income on a daily basis.
It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme by any means. But the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see the benefit.
If you have something helpful to share, you can start a blog and earn passive income from it. Do you have knowledge on any topic in particular?
The topic could be something you went to school for, something you have years of experience in, a hobby, or just something you’re really passionate about.
Turn that knowledge into valuable advice, find your audience, and start earning!
Find out some of the first steps needed to start a successful blog below:
How to Start a Blog (Almost) For Free
9 Tips for New Mom Bloggers
Start a Blog From Scratch
And once you have your blog up and running. There are many ways to monetize it. Start a mailing list, creating products, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and posting ads from a reputable ad network are a handful of ideas to make money blogging.
Learn more about getting paid to post ads and various ad networks to join HERE.
3. Earn money online with Affiliate Marketing
Now that I’ve mentioned blogging, the next real way to make money online would be affiliate marketing. The two really go hand in hand.
What IS affiliate marketing?
If you’ve never heard of it, affiliate marketing is when you promote another marketer or company’s product for them and if that promotion leads to a sale, you earn a commission.
This is one of the main ways most bloggers make money from home. Or at the very least, that’s where they tend to get started as beginners.
Many companies offer affiliate programs and provide you with a custom link that you can use to recommend them. For example, Amazon has an affiliate program that is VERY popular among bloggers.
It’s popular for good reason. As an Amazon Associate, if you suggest an Amazon product to your readers and they go on to purchase ANYTHING from Amazon, you make money on that sale. Even if they buy something you didn’t recommend!
Learn more here: How to Get Started as an Amazon Associate
If affiliate marketing sounds right up your alley, you can take this Free Affiliate Marketing Course to help you get a better understanding of how it all works.
Related Reading: How to Maximize Affiliate Marketing Efforts (& Sales!)
4. Make Money Creating & Selling Digital Products
There is a huge market for digital products. And the possibilities are endless. Templates, planners, checklists, colouring pages, eBooks, invitations, and more!
People love buying digital products because they get the thrill of online shopping, plus the instant gratification that comes from being able to download the item right away.
A lot of these items tend to be sold at a low price point, which sells well given the affordability.
If you have a little creativity, you can create a product that you design once, and collect money from indefinitely!
Sounds pretty great, right? Learn more about creating your products and setting up an online store in my post:
How to Make & Sell Your First Digital Product
5. Sell PLR Products to make passive income
So above I said “if you have a little creativity”… but if you don’t, you’re not out of luck just yet!
What if I told you you could sell digital products without having to do any of the product creation? All you’d need to do is set up an online shop and get yourself some PLR products.
What are PLR Products?
PLR stands for Private Label Rights. Buying these rights lets you take existing content, or other digital goods, customize them, and sell them as your own.
Basically, they allow you to hit that easy button and start earning asap! It’s usually a small investment that has the potential for a big reward.
PLR is a great way to make money online in 2022 as a total beginner. They’ll help you get your feet wet until you feel confident making your own products.
There are lots of places to buy PLR digital products, but my favourites are:
You can learn everything you need to know about selling PLR here:
How to Make Extra Money With PLR Products
6. Take surveys to make money from home
Surveys. You’ve likely heard of this one before.
But Survey Junkie makes earning money online with surveys really easy.
You take surveys, collect points, and they can then be redeemed for gift cards (Amazon, Target) or put on your PayPal balance.
If you’re anything like me, you’re scrolling your phone in the evenings while watching TV. Why not take some surveys while you’re at it?
Or maybe you have a long commute to and from your 9 to 5? Another great opportunity to pass the time and build up points.
Will you make a fortune? No. But it will pay for your take-out coffee habit or a tank of gas here and there!
Or put those gift cards toward Christmas gifts for your friends and family as a way of saving money.
Become a member for free HERE.
7. Freelance Writing for Extra Money
Love writing? Total grammar nerd? You can become a freelance writer! And make damn good money doing it.
You might not be aware of it, but lots of bloggers and content creators hire freelance writers to write their articles for them. Especially as they gain success, get busier, and are earning a decent income.
Freelancing is great because it can be done in your spare time and eventually turn it into a full time gig if you want to.
My friend Heather over at writerslifeforyou.com offers a great course on how to get started as a freelance writer, even if you have NO experience.
Have a look here: The Freelance Blogging Blueprint For Success
Making Money Online: In Conclusion
What do you think? Are any of these online income streams an option for you? Yes, you may need to put in some time and/or money at first to see the rewards. But that’s true of any job.
If you start now, you could see major financial benefits in the future.
Still feeling lost but know you need to start an online side hustle? You will LOVE this eBook by Angela at Stray Curls:
I had the privilege of reviewing this book before it launched and it is so in-depth and offers a ton of value. I actually wish I could have read it before I started out on my online income journey.
Use my coupon code: KAREN for $7 off The Complete Roadmap to Setting Up a Profitable Side Hustle here.
If you want extra guidance on any of these ventures, reach out and I’ll see if there are any additional resources I can provide 🙂
Related Reading:
4 Ways to Make Money From Home With Sendowl
How to Set Up a Sendowl Store to Sell Digital Products
Using Pinterest to Make Money From Home
How Content Creators Make Money + 14 Ways You Can
Pin For Later!
I really thought I’d heard of every make-money-online option there was, but #5 was totally new to me! What a fascinating concept — can you imagine trying to explain to someone from 40 years ago what PLR products were? 😂
Yes! PLR is such a brilliant way to make money online. The investment is small and has huge earning potential. And no creative skills required.
Great blog post! Although they seem easy jobs but they require some efforts (Just like everything duh)
For sure! Note that I didn’t title the post “quick ways to make money online” 😉
They all require some time and effort of course. Thanks for the comment!
I love how in depth your description of each method of online income is. I need to check out that VA webinar 🙂
Thanks Cindy! You should totally check it out. Once I watched it I realized I had all the skills I needed (mostly through blogging experience) to start a VA business. Now I have regular clients that allowed me to quit my full time job. And it’s given me the freedom to work on my blog more to boost the passive side of my income.
This is really insightful. A lot of valuable information in one article. I’m definitely coming back for more content.
I’m glad you found it helpful, Henry!
Fantastic ideas, thanks! I’m especially intrigued by PLR. Such an opportunity. Thank you for the inspiration!
You’re welcome! Isn’t PLR an interesting thing? You could technically create an entire printables business without having to design anything yourself! Makes it so quick and easy to start earning.