Earning extra money online in your spare time can be an easy way to supplement your income. With just an internet connection and some free time, you’d be surprised at the money-making opportunities available through the web. In this article, we’ll explore 5 incredibly easy methods to start padding your wallet simply by leveraging the internet.
1. Take Online Surveys
Taking online surveys in your downtime generates fast cash and gift cards. Survey companies want to pick your brain to get insight into consumer preferences and opinions. They use this market research to help brands improve their products and gauge demand.
Here’s why online surveys are one of the easiest ways to earn:
- No special skills are needed – You simply share your thoughts and feedback. Surveys generally take 5-30 minutes.
- Wide variety of topics – You’ll take surveys about everyday products/services, political opinions, store experiences, media consumption, household habits – you name it!
- Quick payouts via check, gift card, or cash rewards programs like PayPal. Most surveys pay $1-$5 each.
Some of the most popular survey panels include:
- Survey Junkie
- Swagbucks
- InboxDollars
Sign up with a few panels to maximize your profit potential! Most are completely free to join.
2. Participate in Paid Online Studies
Paid online studies work very similarly to surveys but pay higher amounts for more in-depth participation and feedback. Reputable researchers post studies to get diverse groups of real people like you to test concepts, try new products/services, participate in focus groups, interview about preferences, etc.
Studies typically pay between $30-$200 per hour via check, gift card, or online payments for your time and candid opinions:
- UserTesting – Get paid to visit websites or apps and share your thoughts via video, survey, etc. Studies pay $10-$60 for 10-30 minutes.
- Respondent – Software companies and market researchers post mobile app/website tests and interviews for consumer insights. Studies pay $25-$500+ based on the time and activities involved.
- com – Local and online focus groups on all kinds of topics pay $50-$150 per 1-2 hour discussion.
The best part? Studies are super interesting and fun to participate in to break up your normal routine!
3. Sign Up for Cashback & Loyalty Programs
Cashback and loyalty programs provide free money for your normal spending habits! Here’s how it works:
You sign up for free at one of the many cashback services like Rakuten or Drop. Then browse those sites for your favorite retailers and click through their links to start shopping. The service gets a commission from directing your business and shares a fat cut with you as cashback!
It’s totally free money that adds up quickly when you use cashback sites for all your shopping! Here are a few popular loyalty programs:
- Rakuten – Get 3-40% back at 1000+ online stores and local restaurants! Pays out $5+ via check or PayPal.
- Drop – Earn 1-20% back at partner stores like Amazon, Starbucks, Nike, and more. Instantly redeem for gift cards!
- Ibotta – Get cashback on everyday grocery/household purchases by scanning receipts and verifying offers met.
- Fetch Rewards – Scan any grocery/retail receipt to earn gift cards fast!
Between grocery trips, household needs, clothes, and more – your daily shopping offers easy money-making potential thanks to cashback services!
4. Rent Out Your Extra Space
Have an extra bedroom, driveway, or storage space? Renting out your unused areas offers hands-off income!
Home-sharing services make listing your spaces to lodgers simple and secure:
- Airbnb – List spare rooms, in-law suites, or your entire vacant property to vacationers. Earn up to $1000s per month!
- RVShare – Transform your driveway into a campsite for traveling RV campers from $25-$100 nightly.
- Neighborgoods – List any useful assets neighbors may want to borrow (tools, trailers, equipment, driveway space, etc.) for cash.
Renters book and pay through the sites, which offer background checks plus insurance protections for coverage and peace of mind!
As an on-demand platform, you control availability without a long-term tenant commitment. With little effort, your unused square footage can generate major earnings!
5. Play Games That Pay Real Money
Can you believe playing fun online games can pad your wallet?
Money making games offer opportunities to earn cash, cryptocurrencies, and NFT prizes for your gaming achievements. Here are some top real money games:
Axie Infinity
- Breed, battle, and trade cute fantasy creatures called Axies. This Pokémon-style game pays players crypto tokens and NFTs based on Axie success + demand. Top players earn $1000s/month off rare Axies + in-game efforts!
Coin Hunt World
- This augmented reality app sets you on real-world missions, finding hidden crypto vaults through GPS by walking, driving, or biking around your city. Earn redeemable Bitcoin and Ethereum by completing trivia games and daily challenges.
Mistplay
- Earn gift cards and cash playing 1000+ games by racking up points for gameplay time and achievements. Cash out quickly with low redemption thresholds!
As eSports and crypto gaming climb in popularity, play-to-earn offers incredible at-home-money-making potential. Choose free starter games to learn the ropes before investing in advanced setups.
Implementing multiple easy online money-makers in your downtime can quickly compound earnings. Give a few quick-hit opportunities a try today!