16 Work From Home Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well (I Do #1 To Make $8,333/Month)
Working from home, remote jobs are not just “on the rise”, they are now common.
According to US Census data, 5.2% of full-time workers (8M) in the United states work from home. That number is a huge jump from just a couple of years prior and has most certainly increased in 2019.
According to FlexJobs, more that 61% of workers have left or have considered leaving due to lack of job flexibility. Of those that are currently working remotely, more than 90% plan to work remotely for the rest of their careers.
As long as you’re self-motivated, there’s something out there for you to pursue (from home!).
Three years ago I left my full-time job in pursuit of more flexibility. Let me save you some time doing the research that I did for hours and days.
I am pleased to report that I tried and tested all of the following, one of which I still use to make to make $8,333 per month. All of these companies are legit and get very high ratings (nothing below a 4) on Glassdoor.
Run a Blog
Virtually all of these work from home opportunities could have a higher earning potential if accompanied by a blog. Blogging can be a form of a passive income and/or a full time hustle with endless monetization options. Despite what many people may think, ads are not the only way to earn money from a blog.
I currently run three blogs full-time, and I am earning close to $8,000 per month on just ONE of my three sites.
To get started you will need:
-a topic to write about (it can be literally anything under the sun!)
-a website and hosting provider
-a way to market and grow your following
I can’t help you with the first, but for hosting, I recommend Bluehost for reliable hosting at less than $3/month (can’t beat that!). The setup is easy–you can have your site up in less than 30 minutes. Once your site is up, there are endless ways to monetize your blog from advertising, to sponsored content, to affiliate programs, to digital products. Pro tip: I have been able to grow my sites through a platform called ClickFunnels. Clickfunnels is an online sales funnel builder that can help you market and sell products online. They make it easy to create killer, high-converting sales pages that can be customized for your niche. Clickfunnels also has one of the best recurring affiliate programs that will allow you earn commission when your followers use your links or sign up as a member. If you are curious at all about the program, I recommend checking out the Affiliate Boot Camp.
And if you’re serious about starting a blog, definitely check out my post How to Build a Profitable Blog in 2020.
Freelance Work from Home
Technically most of the suggestions provided in this article will fall under this category, but here I’m specifically referring to work that you can post on sites like Fiverr or Upwork that fit under a broad range of categories from creative writing to voice impersonations. It’s pretty easy… you post a service for a fee, or apply for projects to work when and with whom you want. It’s easy to sign up and get started here.
Like most of these other ideas, having a personal blog with a portfolio may give you an edge over the competition. Either way, you’ll need to craft a compelling bio and job listing to optimize the number of type of projects that are offered to you. You can apply to jobs as well. Keep in mind that reviews can really make or break you on these types of sites when it comes to growing your online freelance business!
Take Surveys
Yes, you can get paid to take surveys online. The earning potential isn’t as high but it’s also one of the easiest and mindless ways to fill time while earning some cash. There are tons of survey sites out there that are willing to pay you for your opinion so that they may deliver a better product and customer experience. My top recommendations are: SurveyJunkie and Inbox Dollars. Some survey sites will compensate you in the form of rewards like giftcards, while others will deposit cash directly to your Paypal account. The more survey sites you join, the more you can make! Be sure to check out some of my recent blog posts that cover several survey sites (how to and how much can I make) in more detail:
12 legit survey sites that pay
Review of Neilsen Computer and Mobile Panel (survey site)
8 online apps to make money fast
Virtual Bookkeeper
Bookkeepers are responsible for maintaining financial records for individuals and small business owners. A good friend runs a bookkeeping business from home and makes $2000 per month part time. There are plenty of courses out there to teach you how to get started. If you want to work for a large company, you should expect a rate of $15-50 per hour.
If you do not have bookkeping experience you will want to take some online training to see if it is a fit. If you already have bookkeping experience, go on and get started! I would check out sites like:
-FlexJobs
-Upwork
-Accountingdepartment.com
Online Writer
No matter what type of writing you are drawn to (creative, scientific…) there is a way for you to make money online as a freelance writer. The best part is that you can earn even a full-time income entirely on your own schedule.
So are you ready to be a professional writer? No problem.
One way to get started is to create a blog. This is where you will include some of your work, and gives you an opportunity to develop your writing style (and audience). Make sure to have a place for visitors to contact you for new opportunities. Make it as easy as possible for them to reach you with a “hire me” button in a prominent location on your blog.
Once you have your blog up, try to find other websites that are getting a significant amount of traffic and pitch a guest blog blog post. However, before you pitch the blog post, you will need to familiarize yourself with the guidelines to make sure you go in with best strategy. If they agree to let you submit your guest post, be sure to a link to a bio on your website as well as a photo to gain more exposure.
Another idea is to self publish a book on Amazon. Don’t have a finished novel yet? You don’t have to write the thing over night, just a chapter at a time. Once your book is uploaded be sure to tell all your family and friends to order their copy and write a review on Amazon. This is a tried and true strategy for getting your book on the the best seller list once it’s launched. And of course, add a link or a side-bar ad for your E-book on your blog!
One more suggestion would be to create a profile on freelance sites like Fiverr. You’ll have to write a compelling bio, and link as much of your portfolio (and personal blog!) for prospective clients to consider. The beauty of Fiverr is that you may not only receive offers but you can also apply for certain copywriting jobs that are your cup of tea.
So I bet you’re wondering, “how much can I make as an online writer?”
According to recent surveys you should be able to make at least $40-50,000 per year as a full-time writer.
Proof Reader
What you should know is that anyone can become a proofreader, with a little bit of training if necessary. Do you cringe when you see improper word usage and tenses? This job is for you. And as a proofreader you can easily make (and there are many others that are making) between $1000-4000 per month.
Online Transcriber
Another way to make a (relatively easy) side-income is to become a transcriber. As a transcriber you will need to listen to audio files and write/type the spoken content. As long as you can be patient and focused to sit for long periods of time to record the files, it might be the right gig for you. You can expect to get paid between $7-20 per hour for your efforts.
Social Media Manager
Are you one to keep up with new trends and report on company and industry news? Are you active on social media or would you take an interest in posting on behalf of other people and businesses? You may want to consider a job as a freelance social media manager. Positions do typically require a bachelor’s degree (even better if it’s in marketing, advertising or public relations).
As a social media manager you will be required to manage marketing campaigns and daily activities such as: developing a content calendar of topics to reach your audience as well as curate and manage all published content on all social media channels.
There is a growing need for social media managers from small to large brands, so the opportunities are endless right now. The average salary ranges from $35,000-$55,000. The average hourly salary for a social media manager in the U.S. is $16.68 per hour.
Virtual Receptionist
If you’re friendly and don’t mind spending time on the phone or on web chats, working as a virtual receptionist could be a great option. The site smith.ai is entirely dedicated towards sourcing resources (in the form of virtual receptionists) for solopreneurs, small and medium businesses.
From their website, as a virtual receptionist either by phone or web chat you may be required to capture website leads, book new clients, complete client intake, and build relationships with existing clients. The hours are a little less flexible as a virtual receptionist. You typically must be available at least four hours a day and five days a week. You can expect a starting hourly rate of $10 with raises based on performance. You may also be eligible for benefits and retirement plans!
Virtual Assistant
As a virtual assistant, you will have a great opportunity to earn money from home on your own schedule. Over time, your earning potential will increase without increasing your hours. You heard that correctly. Once you gain experience and expertise in your niche (based on your inherent strengths), you can attract higher paying clients or request pay raises.
Some tasks as a virtual assistant may include anything from email management, to social media management to bookkeeping. You will be rewarded for your time and efforts at an average rate between $25-100 per hour.
Travel Agent
If you are personable and good at helping people, consider working as a remote (home-based) travel agent. There are agencies that are willing to hire travel agencies, or you can always start your own business. I recommend starting a blog with interesting travel tips or a portfolio to send to prospective clients–start with friends and family! Also, if you have been to DisneyLand or DisneyWorld, there is a growing demand of travel agents/trip coordinators to facilitate all the finer details of passes and reservations that go into booking a dream Disney vacation! As a travel agent, you can expect a typical salary range between $29,000 and $58,000 per year.
Customer Service Representative
We’ve talked quite a bit about remote opportunities as a virtual assistant, but another option is to work as a customer service representative. The typical hourly rate (according to Glassdoor) runs between $10 to $21 per hour. As a customer service representative you will have to be very familiar with the company and their product. Most importantly you must be prepared to answer questions efficiently, even if that means referring the customer to a better point of contact. Many online retailers such as a Zappos and Amazon have available positions. However, the more direct approach may be to go to a general job board site like Indeed to uncover new opportunities and companies where you may choose to submit an application.
Online Tutoring
Online tutoring is growing in popularity whether it is for adults trying to learn English or kids needing help with math. If you have teaching experience, or you are just particularly knowledgable in a certain subject, online tutoring may be a good fit for you.
Online tutoring is growing thanks to the advancements in technology, and it’s an excellent way to work from home if you have teaching experience or knowledge of a specific subject. You have a couple of options: work for a company or start your own business. If you are working for a company, you can expect to get paid around $12 per hour. If you decide to go out on your own, you have the freedom to charge whatever rates you believe your customers are willing to pay. Before starting your business make sure you have all of your require video communication software set up as well as a Paypal account to accept business. Like so many of these freelance job opportunities, it’s never a bad idea to start your own blog as a platform to market your services and grow your customer base over time.
Become a Life Coach
If personal development is your thing and you’re a generally positive person, you should definitely consider becoming a Life Coach. There is serious earning opportunity here if you’re good at it–I’m talking 6 to 7 figures!
You’re going to want to figure out your niche, and your target audience. Are you interested in group coaching or individual coaching. If your target audience is lower income, you can charge around $40-45 per hour versus close to $300 per hour for high-income individuals/groups.
Virtual Recruiter
Are you good with people and even better, do you have experience in HR? A virtual recruiter is essentially the same position as a traditional recruiter, you just get the flexibility of working from home. The main difference is that you will need to scout the web for new hires to fill position vacancies. You will need reliable phone and internet as you will be required to screening prospective employees for new positions. You can make as much as $125 per hour as a virtual recruiter.
Open an E-commerce Store
E-commerce shops run the gamut in size, scope, and business model. You’ll have several options or models to consider for your business from the get-go:
Do you want to offer drop-shipping? This means forget the hassle of managing inventory, just send product directly from the manufacturer to the client. However, this model also presents additional challenges associated with quality management and customer support. Are you going to manufacture your own product, wholesale or white-label? In case you’re not familiar, white-labeling is a product manufactured by another company that has been re-branded as your own. If you have an idea, you may want to search a site like Alibaba to compare prices and interview different manufacturers. Be sure to also request product samples.
Many successful E-commerce merchants will tell you that the key is to find products with low competition and a high search volume. You do not want to find yourself in a position where you are competing with Walmart on price and SEO rankings. Once you settle on the right business model and product, check out sites like Shopify to open the (virtual) doors to your new online business. You may also want to consider building your E-commerce business on a blog platform. Again, I recommend checking out my article How to Build a Profitable Blog in 2020 for specific steps on how to sell physical products from your blog.
Life coach is the most interesting profession out of all these. But it was surprising for me to know that you can work online.