5 interesting ways to earn money online

Earning money online has never been easier. And that’s a good thing.

While it's important to save and cut unnecessary spending, so is making money. 💸 After all, there's only so much you can cut back.

However, there's an infinite amount of money you can make. We’re not talking about becoming millionaires, we’re just saying that a little extra money can help: to build that emergency fund, to go on a nice holiday, and make life a little less stressful.

The best part? All you need is an internet connection and a laptop or phone. Which then allows you to work straight from the comfort of your couch… or from Bali on your holiday.

If this sounds appealing to you, here are 5 interesting ways to help you make a sweet side income online.👇

1. Become a virtual assistant 💁‍♂️

A virtual assistant is basically a normal assistant but… you guessed it: online! A VA is someone who manages email, data entry, and usual administrative tasks.

The great thing about this is that most people can do it. You just need to be an effective communicator, organised and know how to use Word, Excel and Google Drive.

Start small using freelance platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr, and focus on a niche. The more clients you get, the more you’ll be able to charge in the future.

2. Become an online tutor 👩‍🏫

If you feel particularly knowledgeable about a certain subject and don’t mind teaching others, tutoring could be a good option. You can teach anything from languages to Maths to personal finance. 💰

ChampionTutor is a great place to start finding your first tutoring job in Malaysia. But with online tutoring, you're not just limited to jobs in the country you live in. You can tutor anyone from anywhere in the world!

If you’re interested in building your international tutoring portfolio, these are some other websites that could help: TutorsClass, BuddySchool, and VIPKid

3. Start freelancing 👩🏻‍💻

One of the easiest and most direct ways to make money online is to start freelancing.

Yes, you’ll need a marketable skill such as writing, designing, web development or marketing.

The good news is that many of these skills can be learned. You can build those skills through free online courses like Coursera and Codecademy, and you can also learn them on the job, by doing.

Translation, for instance, is a skill that has good earning potential in Malaysia, since everyone is pretty much bilingual or multilingual. You may consider providing translation services online as a freelancer.

Once again, finding a niche, understanding who your client is and pitching correctly is key to freelance success. And if you find something that combines your skills, experiences and interests, selling this to customers can produce a sweet side income. 🤑

A few websites to find clients are:

• Upwork

• Fiverr

• Freelancer

• Favser

4. Sell products on an e-commerce website 📦

E-commerce is booming in Malaysia, opening up a lot of opportunities for those who want to make some extra income online. So how can you make this work for you?

You can sell your own items, other people’s items or go all in and start selling your own products.

If you’re going all in, Lazada is a good place to start. If you’re looking to declutter your apartment and make some extra money, Shopee makes it super easy with their mobile app. Selling is commission free and free shipping for the first 5 kgs. 😉

If you really want to take it to the next level, why not start your own website to sell those products? With the internet, the sky is your limit.

5. Start a website and use affiliate marketing 🌐

Affiliate marketing basically means being the middle man or woman. You’re selling someone else’s product by referring customers to their shop, and getting a cut of the sale. 😎

How do you get customers into their shop? Well, you could get your friends and family to join but you probably won’t get very far.

So, you could start a website and reach out to millions of people camping out on the internet. By using marketing skills such as SEO, keyword research and content writing, you get your website to rank on Google and people to click through.

Suddenly, thousands of people are reading your reviews, guides and advice on product X, Y and Z. They click on your link to buy the product on, say, Amazon, and you get a nice cut.

Sounds easy, right?

But to make money, you first need to get people to read your reviews and guides. For this reason, marketing gurus recommend focusing on one niche such as outdoors, languages, pets, etc. Then using platforms such as Amazon Associates and Awin to source your products.

Affiliate marketing is not quick and easy money. But in the long run you learn some useful marketing skills and can make some decent money. 💰

Earning money online does take time and perseverance. But it’s extremely rewarding once the fruits of your labour pay off.

Try one of our five ideas and see where it gets you. The key is to experiment and adapt to your own skills, experiences, and connections.

Who knows… you might find something you love so much it becomes your full time job!