4 Proven Ways to Make Money Online

You've heard it…you've read it…people making 5 or 6 figures a month from the internet, working from home, and working only a few hours a day…and you thought to yourself…you gotta be kidding me!

The big question is…is it really possible to make money through the internet legally? The big answer is YES.

My goal in writing this particular topic is to educate you and suggest ideas, my friends, so that you can make a well-informed decision on which method you would like to take and find creative ways to make it happen. While there are people all over the world trying to make an honest living off the internet, there are definitely some that just wants your money and never give anything in return. My advice: Be cautious.

So let's get to the bottom…what are the legitimate ways to make money online?

1. Sell your own products.
Common misconception is you have to be a big company and a well-known brand that have large marketing and advertising budget to make it online. Wrong. Anybody can sell anything online: From flip flops, to electronics, to real estate! If you have something to offer, then you can offer it online…

a. Sell in auction sites.
My first taste of internet income was through eBay. This was when eBay was at its peak, their rules not too strict, and fees not too high yet. This was also when people were still too trusting and would send cash in the mail! I remember making up to $2,000/week and about $800-$1000 of that were in cash. I sold anything from 'NSync memorabilia to vacation incentive certificates to home decors.

Unfortunately, eBay's users declined throughout the years but many other auction sites emerged. Below is a 2010 Review of Auction Sites from http://online-auction-sites.toptenreviews.com/.

b. Sell in classified ads.
The most popular one is definitely Craigslist. Craigslist has one for every city in the United States and some internationally. There is a "For Sale" section there for just about every category. Craigslist gets a lot of traffic and can be a great avenue to generate leads. Although it is an online classified ads, most transactions take place offline, especially for local buyers and sellers.

c. Sell on your own website.
Nothing beats having your own website because this puts your brand out there but this usually involves more investment time wise and cost wise into developing and marketing. There are ways to getting around costly development of custom-built e-commerce website to begin with such as using a template or subscribing to third-party e-commerce providers. There are also some that would start selling using a blog platform such as WordPress.

2. Offer your services.
My second taste of internet income is through my web design business. Although we are pretty established locally in Houston, TX, about 90% of our clients come through the internet.

What are you good at? Are you good in writing? How about data entry or payroll processing? Can you offer consulting in a certain industry?

Throughout the years, the internet and technology has connected millions of service providers and employers throughout the world. The following are just some of the sites that you can check out.

a. Sologig.com - No registration fees, no charge on project fees, and no bidding. The service provider can negotiate price directly with the employer.

b. Guru.com – Free registration but different membership types.

c. Elance.com – There is a free and paid subscription plan. The system is based on bidding to get the job. In addition to the membership fee, Elance charges 6.75% – 8.75%

d. oDesk.com – There is a free and paid subscription plan. The system is based on bidding to get the job. In addition to the membership fee, Elance charges 6.75% – 8.75%

e. Hiremymom.com - Connects stay-at-home mom professionals and small business owners seeking termporary or per project basis help.

3. Promote other people's products.
What's in it for you if you promote other people's products? A commission. Affiliate marketing is one of the biggest things online today. Since this is a very broad topic, I will dedicate a blog post or blog series about affiliate marketing to cover it more in depth.

4. Offer information/your expertise.
There are several ways to do this. This can also fall under #2 above. When you're an expert at something, you can offer your service. However, you can also just put your expertise in writing and offer it in the form of an ebook or a blog. I think I know what your next question will be. *Smiles*

There are several ways to monetize your blog. One blog post, just like the affiliate marketing, just won't cut it. So check back everyday to see what I have got going on. Be sure to subscribe to my RSS feeds too!

Hope you found this post helpful!