While spending more of your time at home, you may have wondered what side-hustle you could pick up to occupy your time, AND earn income! So, take a look at these exciting ways you can start making money!

1. Work as a Consultant

Depending on your skills, you might be able to work as a consultant from the comfort of your home. Many companies use consultants to gain perspectives on how they can improve. 

If you want to market your services as a consultant, you will need to create a website and include the following information: 

• Examples of ways you have helped other businesses
• Your skills and professional accomplishments
• Your resumé
• References and testimonials

You can also apply for open positions online, or contact businesses you would like to work with to see if they need your services. Don’t be afraid to use your network to get a foot in the door, too!

2. Sell Items You Are Not Using Online

Selling products online is a great way to make money from home. Consider selling the things you no longer use that take up storage space. You can print postage and package items all in your home. Then, all you have to do is drop them off at the post office. If your business is booming, word will spread around town and you can start selling locally!

Here are some sites where you can sell household items: 

• Mercari | The Selling App
• eBay
• Craigslist
• OfferUp
• Amazon
• Etsy

Many of these sites only charge a nominal fee to sellers, and most do not require you to pay until you sell your item.

Related: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Claiming Unemployment

3. Start a YouTube Channel

Starting a YouTube channel is a lot of fun, but did you know it’s also excellent way to make extra money? You can earn income through views on your channel, ads, and sponsorships. However, you need to stick with it for a while before you see revenue coming in monthly.

Some types of content gain traction faster than others. So, here are a few you can try: 

• Sharing a skill
• Showing people how to cook (Enter to win a $5,000 Costco Gift Card!)
• Funny skits
• Makeup tutorials
• Hair tutorials
• A day in the life videos/Vlogs
• Product reviews

After you get started, you should share your channel and content on your social media accounts. Asking others to collaborate with you can lead to more views and subscribers too.

4. Work as a Translator

If you are bilingual, working as a translator is an excellent way to use your skills to make money from home. Translators are in high demand. You can translate for plenty of companies and market yourself for freelance work. Most translation companies do not have a lot of requirements. However, you will need to complete an assessment test and have PayPal or a bank account so they can pay you. A similar way to make money is to teach English online, or become a tutor!

5. Be a Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants are in high demand. If you have office skills, this is a viable option for making money from home. To get started, you need to have a professional resumé and references. Then, you can begin applying for open positions. After a company reviews your resumé, they might request that you take an assessment test or interview.

Most virtual assistant positions require you to work a certain number of hours per week, have a quiet space to work, and pay through direct deposit or PayPal.

6. Start a Website

Starting a website is more straightforward than many people think, and it is a fantastic way to make income from home. It is best to create a site that interests you because you will be more likely to stick with it. On your website, you can:

• Blog
• Write reviews
• Dropship products
• Become an eBay or Amazon affiliate 
• Advertise for other businesses
• Sell backlinks

While starting your website is not an overnight way to get rich, it is something you can build on. Once you start making money on your site, it is easier to gain traction. Sharing high-quality content is the best way to gain followers who share your site with others. If you’re not completely bought in on monetizing a website, it can also be a great way to host your resumé and portfolio for your next job search.

Related: 7 Easy Ways to Invest Your Tax Refund!

7. Freelance

Freelancing is becoming very popular as people realize they can make a living while working remotely from anywhere with an internet connection. Freelance jobs are very competitive, though. So, you need a high-quality resumé that lists your skills and past professional accomplishments. If you’re creative, this could be your best bet!

You can apply for freelance positions on sites like: 

• Monster
• Indeed
• Remotely
• Upwork
• Toptal
• Freelancer
• Craigslist
• Guru

The great part about working as a freelancer is that you can choose when you work and how much work you want to take on.

8. Offer Web Design Services

Every business needs a web presence, and many businesses need to update their sites. So, there is plenty of web design opportunities if you have this skill. Even if you do not know how to design websites, we encourage you to consider taking online classes to learn. Copywriting and photography are services websites often need too.

Then, you can market yourself to businesses in your area, online, and apply to web design job openings. You can also search the freelance job sites above for web design gigs!

9. Make Things and Sell Them

If you are creative and enjoy making things, you should try selling them online. There is a high demand for handmade items, especially ones that are personalized. After you make a few products, you can list them on sites like Etsy or eBay.

Need arts and crafts supplies? Get a $100 Gift Card to Dollar Tree!

Start Your At-Home Business Today! 

Making money from home is very rewarding, both financially and personally. It is very likely that you could start making money without needing to acquire a new skill. In fact, you might not have realized how you could turn your favorite hobby into a successful business.

The ideas listed above do take time and effort. So be patient, stay persistent, and go for it!