How To Make Money Without a Job in 2024
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Did you recently lose your job and are wondering how to make money without a job? With the current economic uncertainty and inflation levels, depending on conventional 9-5 jobs isn’t practical.
People, even those with stable jobs, are constantly seeking reliable income streams. So, if you’re confused about the next step now that you don’t have a job, this post is for you.
Thanks to technology and innovation, many flexible money-making ventures let you work from the comfort of home on your schedule and dictate your rate card.
From freelance writing to monetizing your hobbies, you can be your own boss and free yourself from job insecurity.
Evaluate your passions, interests, and financial goals, then dive right in to get insight into the best ways to make money without a job.
How To Make Money Without a Job
Many dream of making money from home or their favorite cafes, away from the confines of the office environment.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or want freedom in your workspace, you can make money online by venturing into transcription, freelance writing, or proofreading.
However, other gigs like delivery driving, pet sitting, and running errands require physical input.
Let’s discuss these income streams in detail to help you choose something that aligns with your goals.
1. Become a Proofreader
Becoming a proofreader is the first way to make money without a job. If you have a keen eye for detail and a good command of grammar, this might be the right gig for you.
Your work as a proofreader will involve reading through texts to find and correct grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. The work can be repetitive, but you might enjoy it if you’re a bookworm.
And if you want to determine if proofreading is the right career for you, sign up for Proofread Anywhere’s free workshop.
From there, scout for online proofreading jobs on freelance platforms like Upwork, Guru, and Fiverr. You can also get permanent positions with publishing companies on LinkedIn or Indeed.
Proofreaders in the US make $18-$35 hourly. However, you can increase your pay as you gain experience and expertise.
2. Take Part In Market Research
Participating in market research is a good idea if you’re seeking an effortless way to make free cash.
Brands and businesses use market research strategies like administering surveys to get user feedback on ways to improve their products.
If you enjoy voicing your likes and dislikes about the products you consume, completing surveys may be the perfect way to make money without a job.
Here are some of the best online survey sites out there:
- Branded Surveys: This site offers a $1 sign-up bonus and pays $0.25 to $5 per survey, depending on length and type.
- Opinion Outpost: Other ways to make money on Opinion Outpost besides surveys are watching ads, completing missions, and testing products.
- Toluna: This lets you answer online surveys for PayPal and gift cards to Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
- Crowdtap: This survey site offers short surveys but only offers gift cards as a payment method.
- YouGov: Answer surveys and opinion polls on YouGov to earn 25-100 points. However, this site has a high withdrawal minimum of 55,000 points for bank transfers and 5,000 points for gift cards.
- Prime Opinion: This paid survey site claims to pay 150% better than similar sites.
- 5 Surveys: Complete five surveys on this GPT site to earn $5.
Surveys won’t pay much, but if you spend much time on your phone, spend a few minutes daily racking up points towards an Amazon gift card or PayPal money.
Combining different survey sites is a practical way to maximize your earnings.
3. Sell Printables on Etsy
The flexibility and ease they bring into our lives make selling printables an excellent way to make cash. You can earn hundreds of dollars monthly if you have something to offer.
There are many printable ideas to sell, including the following:
- Day planners
- Coloring pages
- Stickers
- Budgeting sheets
- Expense trackers
- Templates
- Workbooks
- Fitness challenges
Start by finding a niche and designing your first products. Who is your target audience, and how do you want to impact their lives?
From there, sign up on Etsy and list your printables. Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee for each item.
I’m sure you’re looking at this venture and wishing you were artistically inclined. But you don’t have graphic design experience to excel at selling printables.
You can find free design templates on Pinterest or enroll in the E-Printables free workshop course by Gold City Ventures to learn about using Canva to create best-selling designs.
After honing your skills and setting up your storefront on Etsy, integrate your shop with your social media accounts to reach a wider audience.
Extra Reading – Other Best Items To Sell on Etsy
4. Start a Print on Demand Business
Print-on-demand is worth considering if you want to venture into e-commerce. POD involves creating designs printed on hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, and bucket hats.
The best part is that you partner with a POD supplier like Printify, which handles manufacturing and shipping when a customer orders.
This way, you don’t need to worry about keeping inventory and the hectic shipping and delivery process to customers.
Printify has various outlets worldwide, making it possible to sell to people worldwide at lower shipping costs.
Another perk of POD is you can resell a design repeatedly without recreating it, making this a fantastic source of passive income. However, you’re responsible for engaging with customers.
5. Become a Transcriptionist
Do you have a keen eye for detail and excellent typing skills? If so, transcription is the way to go.
Working as a transcriptionist involves converting videos and audio into text. You can transcribe TV shows, meeting minutes, legal proceedings, and podcasts.
The best part of transcription is that anyone can do it. You don’t need a degree or special qualification to succeed in this venture.
Wondering where to start? Look up beginner transcription videos on YouTube or search “how to become a transcriptionist” on Google for free resources.
Alternatively, you can sign up for Transcribe Anywhere’s free workshop to understand the job and how to scale up.
Once confident about your skills, find transcription gigs on Upwork, LinkedIn, or Indeed. Expect about $12 to $30 per hour.
6. Invest Your Spare Change
Rounding up your spare change is a brilliant way to rack up your savings. With Acorns, you can go beyond saving without a goal to investing in real estate.
This is how this works: when you purchase a product for $4.45, the amount is rounded to $5.00, and the extra $0.55 is saved on Acorns.
Once your savings accumulate to $5, Acorns automatically invests the amount in REITs or ETFs, depending on your risk tolerance and financial goals.
Acorns also diversify your portfolio to spread the risk. Plus, they handle everything. If interested, sign up for a personal, personal plus, or premium account for $3, $5, and $9 monthly, respectively.
When you join Acorns and set a recurring deposit of at least $5, you’ll get a $20 welcome bonus.
Sign up for Acorns today and get $20!
7. Become a Virtual Assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant may be worth trying if you prefer administrative roles. The demand for VAs is increasing as more companies work remotely.
Some of the tasks you’ll do as a VA include:
- Scheduling meetings
- Social media management
- Making travel plans
- Data entry
- Responding to emails
Enty-level VAs on Upwork earn $30-$50 hourly, with the potential for more with expertise and experience.
If you’re wondering where to start, FullyBookedVA offers courses on scaling up your VA business.
The founder, Gina Horkey, scaled up to $4,000 monthly six months after starting her part-time VA gig. She draws inspiration from her story to help you take the right path.
8. Use Cashback Apps
You’re losing a lot if you often take shopping trips but know nothing about cashback apps. Rebate apps let you earn money back for specific products at select stores.
Some pay you in points redeemable for gift cards and PayPal cash, while others reward you with real money. Cashback rates usually range from 2% to 30%.
Here are some of the best reward apps:
- Upside: This rebate platform lets you earn cashback at restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores. It’s my favorite reward app to save $0.25 per gallon at the pump.
- Drop: With Drop, you can earn cashback automatically without scanning receipts. Simply link your cards.
- Pogo: Besides shopping for cashback, you can make money on Pogo by sharing your data and answering surveys.
- Rakuten: Offers cashback for in-store and online shopping at 3,500 stores worldwide.
- Ibotta: Another reputable cashback app out there.
- Receipt Hog: Scan your receipts on Receipt Hog to earn cashback if you reside in the US or Canada.
- Shopkick: This lets you earn cashback whether you prefer online or in-store shopping.
Why benefit from one cashback app when you can combine several? This is a remarkable way to maximize your rewards.
9. Flip Stuff for Profit
Still looking for ways to make money without a job? Flipping can be profitable if you choose the correct items and master the art of flipping.
Flipping items for profit is on this list because it offers flexible working schedules and prices, and you don’t need an educational background.
Plus, you can flip virtually anything, from shoes to houses and digital products like websites. Choose an area of focus and source inventory from flea markets, garage sales, and online marketplaces.
Once you get your goods, refurbish them to increase value and resell them on Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, or Mercari.
Extra Reading – The Best Items To Flip
10. Become a Delivery Driver
Do you fancy being on the go rather than working remotely? Becoming a delivery driver is worth considering.
You simply need to sign up on delivery apps, pass a background check, and you’re good to go.
Here are some of the best driving gigs:
- DoorDash: Expect $10-$25 per hour as a DoorDash delivery driver.
- Instacart: This company pays you to shop and deliver groceries to customers in your area.
- Uber Eats: Make money delivering food to people in your city.
- Walmart Spark: This platform pays you to deliver groceries and household items to Walmart customers.
- Amazon Flex: Earn $18 to $25 an hour delivering Amazon Flex blocks.
- GoShare: Earn $45 to $168 an hour, depending on the size of your vehicle.
- Roadie: Earn up to $12 per local trip.
Extra Reading – How To Make $1000 a Week With DoorDash
11. Sell Your Photos Online
Ever wondered where bloggers, YouTubers, and brands get the photos they use in their adverts?
Some are shot on-site, but most businesses leverage stock photos from sites like Shutterstock to add visual appeal to their content.
If you’re a skilled photographer, you can take random pictures and sell them on platforms like Getty Images, Adobe Stock, and Stocksy.
You’ll earn a commission every time someone downloads your images. Depending on your licensing terms, you can make $0.20 to $1,000+.
12. Become a Pinterest Virtual Assistant
Working as a Pinterest virtual assistant is another way to make money if you know how the platform works.
Your duties as a Pinterest VA will revolve around helping clients improve their presence on the platform and maximize sales.
You’ll need to create pins and boards, engage with followers, and perform Pinterest audits. You don’t need to be an expert to work as a Pinterest VA.
Simply start by creating an account and use it to learn the ropes. From there, add the account to your portfolio and use it to scout for gigs on Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and Upwork.
Extra Reading – How To Make Money on Pinterest Without a Blog
13. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking
You can leverage your love for pets to offer pet sitting and dog walking services. People always hire sitters when they’re too busy to care for their pets or when they travel for work or vacation.
Pet sitting requires no academic background, but knowledge of basic first aid procedures is an added advantage.
Sites like Rover connect sitters to owners. Create a rate card and working schedule and sign up on the platform.
According to Indeed, you’ll earn $8.50-$26 per hour on Rover. You can increase your pay by offering massages, pet sitting overnight, and grooming services.
14. Start a Blog
High-quality content and practical marketing skills are all you need to make thousands of dollars monthly as a blogger.
Choosing a profitable niche is essential for this venture. Research your target audience and brainstorm the content they’d be interested in. You can venture into:
- Finance
- Food and nutrition
- Lifestyle
- Health and Fitness
- Dating and Relationship
Once you have a niche, choose a hosting platform like Hostinger to get your blog running. What I like about Hostinger is that you’ll get a free domain name for the first year of your subscription.
As a new blogger, the biggest challenge you’ll encounter is growing your readership. You can use social media platforms to promote your blog to a broad audience.
Once you gain footing, monetize your blog through affiliate marketing, selling products, and running ads.
Get a free domain name from Hostinger!
15. Rent Out Your Space
Renting out your space is another way to make money without your job. It’s a great passive income stream that you can stack with another venture.
If you don’t have extra space but need cash, consider downsizing your house. Depending on location, size, and ambiance, you can rent out your spare room on Airbnb for $50 to $200 per night.
If your space isn’t big enough to host guests, convert it into storage by installing shelves and hanging hooks. Afterward, list the space on Neighbor to attract potential customers.
You can also rent out an extra garage or parking space to make money without a job.
16. Get Paid To Lose Weight
Are you determined to achieve your weight loss goal? Why not make your journey more fulfilling by adding an incentive?
Platforms like DietBet and Healthy Wage reward you for losing weight. These apps typically let you bet on yourself by wagering some cash.
They pull funds from different people with similar goals and divide the cash prize between the top candidates at the end of the challenge. You can win up to $10,000 in a single bet.
Competish makes it more fun by letting you compete against friends instead of total strangers. Don’t struggle to find motivation when you can sign up on these sites to get paid to lose weight.
17. Sell Digital Products
Selling digital products like ebooks, courses, and music is a low-stress passive income source since you can resell them repeatedly without tweaking or changing the products.
It also offers flexibility in pricing and working schedule since you’re your own boss.
You may need to invest consistent effort initially, but the passive income starts streaming in as you gain footing.
18. Become a Freelance Writer
Freelance writing is one of my favorite ways to make money. It’s worth considering if you’re passionate about a particular field.
Finding a niche is the first step to success as a freelance writer. You can venture into:
- Content writing
- Ghostwriting for blogs and books
- Resume writing
- Product description
- Copywriting
- Technical writing
Venturing into one niche is crucial as it helps maintain focus and gain expertise, which may increase income.
The most popular freelance platforms where you can sell your writing skills include Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour.
19. House Sit
House sitting is fascinating because it allows you to visit new places without worrying about accommodation.
You’ll need to maintain and clean the house along with other minor duties like feeding pets, collecting mail, and paying utility bills.
You can scout for housesitting jobs on Trusted House Sitters, House Carers, or Nomandor.
20. Baby Sit
If you enjoy the company of kids, babysitting is another way to make money without a job. All you need to do is prepare meals, administer treatment, assist with homework, and ensure they go to bed on time.
Some employers require babysitters with a driving license, mainly if your job description includes driving the children to school or parks.
The best way to find a babysitting job is by word of mouth. Ask your neighbors, friends, and family if they need someone to care for the kids as they travel or work.
You can also reach a wider audience of parents who need sitters on Care.com.
Expect around $15 per hour, but you can charge more depending on the number of children, their ages, location, and experience.
21. Become a Beta Tester
Beta testing involves testing games and apps before developers release them. The aim is to identify and correct bugs to optimize user experience.
According to Glassdoor, Beta testers in the US earn $47,000 to $84,000 annually. Sites like PlayTestCloud, UserTesting, and TestBirds offer part-time testing gigs.
You can also work for developer companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sony, and Google.
22. Make Money on Twitch
If you enjoy playing video games, Twitch is an excellent platform for making money without a job. You can use Twitch to stream and share gameplay strategies with gamers worldwide.
Growing a fanbase may be challenging, but your audience will snowball with high-quality content, gaming prowess, and good marketing skills.
Once you gain footing, you can monetize your Twitch account through affiliate marketing, merchandise sales, and brand partnerships.
23. Make Money with Dropshipping
Dropshipping is similar to POD in that both let you sell products while someone else handles inventory and shipping.
Establish your dropshipping business in the following steps:
- Choose a niche
- Launch an e-commerce store on Sellfy
- Choose a dropshipping company like Printify
- Import product listings from your supplier
- Promote your store
- Engage with customers
Once a customer orders, your dropshipping company processes and ships it on your behalf. When the customer pays, the company takes its cut, and you get the rest.
24. Monetize Your Hobbies
From trying new recipes to graphic design and listening to music, you can make money from your hobbies.
Doing something you love for a living is fulfilling. The money is just the icing on the cake.
Start by offering your services to friends, family, and neighbors to build a portfolio. For instance, you can work on community events if you’re passionate about photography.
Once you gain more experience and perfect your skills, you can offer your services on Upwork and Fiverr or through your website.
25. Run Errands
People are often busy and don’t have time for simple errands like picking up their laundry or grocery shopping.
If you want to make money without a job, you can run errands for people in exchange for cash. If you’re 18 and above, you can sign up on sites like TaskRabbit and Steady for errand jobs.
You can also run errands for friends, family, and neighbors.
26. Do Odd Jobs on TaskRabbit
Are you a hands-on person who prefers getting your hands dirty instead of working in front of a computer all day?
If so, you’ll like working odd jobs like window washing, house cleaning, painting, and snow shoveling.
Sign up on TaskRabbit to get such gigs. You’ll need to pass a background check first before accessing jobs.
27. Sell Stuff You Don’t Need
Decluttering brings a sense of clarity and organization to our physical spaces. If you have stuff you no longer use, this is the right time to toss them.
Whether it’s a multipurpose kitchen knife or a couch you’d like to get rid of, you can sell the item online or organize a garage sale.
Start by taking clear photos and listing them on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, or eBay. From there, wait for interested buyers to reach out.
28. Become a Social Media Manager
Do you spend most of your time scrolling through social media? I always find myself spending two hours straight scrolling through pins on Pinterest!
If you’re conversant with social media, managing other people’s accounts may be the right job for you.
Your duties include creating posts, engaging with followers, and developing social media marketing strategies.
Create and grow your accounts so that you have something to showcase to potential clients. From there, sign up on Upwork, Indeed, or FlexJobs to land gigs. You can make $13-$34 hourly.
Have you ever had trouble getting a cab while late for an event? This shows how the demand for rideshare drivers is high.
If you own a car, consider working for companies like Uber and Lyft. Position yourself in hotspots to land as many customers as possible.
According to Indeed, Uber drivers in the US earn an average of $19.50 hourly.
30. Start a YouTube Channel
YouTube is an excellent way to make money without a job. Many influencers on the platform make millions annually.
Like blogging, starting a YouTube channel can be challenging in the beginning. However, with the right content, you can foster loyalty in your subscribers and attract more.
Once your following grows, you can monetize your account through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and product sales.
Tips for Making Money Without a Job
Below are valuable tips for making money without a job:
- Explore different ventures: The best way to find something you’ll stick with is by exploring several options.
- Have a goal: Setting specific financial goals helps maintain focus and motivation.
- Combine ventures: Now that you don’t have a job, you can maximize your income by venturing into different projects aligned with your financial goals.
- Be consistent: None of the gigs in this list are get-rich-quick schemes. You must invest constant time and effort to reap good rewards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Make Money Fast Without a Job?
You can make money fast without a job through the following ways:
- Flipping products
- Selling stuff you don’t need
- Running errands
- Using cashback apps
- Participating in market research
How To Make $1,000 a Week Without a Job?
Making $1,000 weekly without a job is possible through working as a virtual assistant, starting a YouTube channel, and monetizing your hobbies.
However, you must take time to hone your skills and market your services to generate $1,000 weekly.
How Can I Make a Living Without Working a 9-5 Job?
You can make a living without working a 9-5 through the following ways:
- Proofreading
- Transcribing
- Rideshare driving
- Virtual Assistant
- Freelance writing
- Selling Printables on Etsy
Final Thoughts
As you can see, many ways to make money without a job exist. Whether you’re interested in hands-on or online gigs, there’s something for everyone.
Start by setting your financial goals so that you have something to work toward. From there, explore different options to get the best gig.
Stacking side hustles is a fantastic way to maximize your income. However, don’t get carried away or shift your focus from achieving your financial goals.
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