How can a beginner make money online without paying?

You're probably thinking that it's not possible for anyone to start making money online without spending any dollars or investing in some kind of product. But if you know where and what to look at, there are plenty of opportunities out there which allow you to earn cash from home without buying into anything.

It might sound impossible but there is always an alternative way through things. If you just need to get your feet wet then there's nothing wrong with doing this as long as you don't expect to become rich overnight. You should also keep these three points in mind when looking at ways to make extra money.

1. Look at affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing involves selling other people's products on commission. It has been proven time after time that affiliates who have spent little-to-no money will still end up earning more than those who paid thousands to join an expensive program. This shouldn't surprise anybody since most programs require their members to pay monthly fees anyway.

2. Sell stuff yourself

This one is pretty self explanatory really. The easiest way to do this is by creating an account on eBay and listing items for sale. People around the world use eBay every single day so even though it may seem like you'll struggle to make sales, they certainly aren't zero either. There are lots of reasons why someone would buy something offline instead of online, especially if you offer free shipping too.

3. Set up shop

Maybe you think starting a blog is all you can do because everyone else seems to have one nowadays. Or maybe you think getting involved in social media marketing is enough to bring in traffic. While these options work well for many people, there are others who choose to take matters further. For example, setting up a website which sells physical goods is another option worth exploring.

The point here is simple -- whatever you decide to pursue, you should set aside a budget before diving in head first. Don't go overboard though! A small investment here and there won't hurt and could potentially help you achieve your goals much quicker. So let's say you wanted to sell t-shirts for $20 per piece. Then you'd spend about $400 (or less) to create five shirts which means you'll only need to sell 100 pieces to net $5,000 ($10 each). That's quite easy to accomplish once you put in the effort required.

Now that we understand the basics of making money online, lets jump back on track and find out exactly how beginners can make money without spending a dime.

How can a beginner make money online?

One of the best ways to make money online is by joining affiliate networks such as Commission Junction (CJ), LinkShare, ShareASale etc. These companies provide access to hundreds of advertisers while offering commissions ranging between 5% - 75%. Affiliates usually sign up using special links known as "referral codes" which makes them eligible for huge discounts. In return, CJ alone offers over 1.9 million active businesses and brands worldwide.

So what does that mean for us? Well, whenever you visit a site which uses referral tracking services such as Google AdSense, Wistia, Chikita, Mediavine, Rakuten Supermarket, Amazon Associates, ClickBank, Paydotcom, Skimlinks etc., chances are high that the owners of these sites are partaking in affiliate marketing. And guess what? They give away loads of useful information in exchange for clicks. How cool is that?!

These types of websites often employ copywriters to write content relevant to specific niches. As a result, they tend to attract visitors interested in topics related to health, finance, fitness, entertainment, relationships, parenting etc. What better way to advertise a product or service than via articles written specifically for readers seeking answers to questions relating to said niche?

People visiting these kinds of places are already primed and ready to click on ads placed across various platforms. All you have to do is refer potential customers to the merchants' websites where they can purchase goods directly. Once again, this doesn't involve paying a cent!

There are also eBooks available which teach newbie entrepreneurs everything they need to know about writing adverts for different markets, including video scripts, article pitches, press releases, landing pages, email campaigns etc. Some of these books cost several hundred dollars while others charge under $100. Whichever suits your current financial situation the most, remember to follow instructions carefully and take notes along the way.

As mentioned earlier, sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones which turn out to be the most effective. Take for instance, freelance jobs. Many people will tell you that freelancing is dead but if you dig deeper, you'll discover that it isn't actually true.

Freelancers are now considered to be the fastest growing segment within the workforce today. According to research conducted by Deloitte, approximately 33 percent of Americans aged 18+ were working independently last year compared to 27 percent in 2011.

In addition, the number of people who are choosing to stay independent rather than moving fulltime into corporate America continues to increase steadily. Why? Because being a freelancer allows you to control your own destiny. Plus, it gives you complete freedom over your schedule and lifestyle. This is particularly important considering that the majority of workers spend 40 hours per week slaving away for bosses. With that said, imagine having the ability to pick up your laptop at anytime and travel anywhere you desire? Now that's truly liberating!

And finally, don't forget about microjobs. Yes, you heard me correctly. Microjob sites such as Fiverr, TaskRabbit, Gigwalk, Ziptask, Offerup, Crowdflower, Vworker, Helperchat, Freelancer etc., exist solely to connect buyers with sellers. Think of them as Craigslist meets Uber.

How can a 2020 beginner make money online?

But wait, didn't we mention above that it's hard to earn decent income from referrals unless you invest thousands of dollars upfront? Not necessarily. Here's how:

Most microjob sites have strict requirements regarding qualifications and skill sets. Therefore, they typically demand payment based upon hourly rates. Depending on the type of job posted, you can easily rack up multiple gigs per day without breaking the bank.

Also, unlike traditional job applications, microjob postings usually include photos and videos showing examples of previous projects completed. When you receive notification concerning completion of a task, check out the accompanying comments section to see feedback provided by clients. From there, you can request positive reviews if necessary. Remember, every review counts!

Lastly, there are certain microjob sites which focus exclusively on particular demographics such as women, seniors, students, veterans etc. By browsing profiles similar to yours, you could possibly land a gig you never thought was achievable otherwise.

For instance, if you're female and live near New York City, consider signing up on ClassifiedAdsNYC. Likewise, if you're male, try WomenLookingforMenUSA. These two sites cover localities scattered throughout USA, Canada & UK.

How can I make money online with no experience?

I hope you enjoyed learning about ways to make extra money without putting down a penny. To recap, if you're willing to dedicate a few minutes a day towards researching legitimate sources of revenue, you'll eventually reach your goal. However, it will definitely take longer than you imagined. Just realize that patience pays off in spades.

With that said, if you happen to possess skills other than writing, web design, coding, photography, graphic designing etc., feel free to explore those areas and market them online. Even if it turns out to be a total flop, you'll gain valuable knowledge which will serve you well later on. Don't worry about failures! Learn from mistakes and move forward!

What's your opinion of ways to make extra money without paying? Do you prefer to rely on investments, referrals, or both? Let us know in the comment below. We'd love to hear from you.

There are so many ways that people try and fail when they're new in internet marketing. Many of them will go on about making their first $1000 from affiliate programs but there's always one nagging question lingering around the back of your mind -- How can someone like me who doesn't know anything start earning real cash immediately?

The truth is, it really isn't as difficult as most would think. The problem with it all is that some marketers have been programmed to believe that everything needs to be "paid" or else its not worth trying. But here's the thing, even though it may seem impossible at times, what we need to realize is that sometimes things just work out without spending a dime!  It sounds crazy, but trust me, this has happened more than once before. So let's take a look at 3 different methods of getting free money online (without paying) without wasting any time.

How can I get free money if I don't do anything?

This method requires no effort whatsoever. All you need to do is watch videos everyday for an hour. That's it. Don't worry, watching videos won't suck up hours upon hours of your day. You'll find these videos much less appealing than reading articles. They aren't very interesting after all. If you're tired of reading boring stuff then maybe video should appeal to you better. There's also something called autoplay which means that every 30 minutes or so you'll see ads popping up on your screen automatically. This might annoy you initially, but keep in mind that those advertisements help pay for the content you consume.

So why bother watching videos anyway? Because you'll discover a lot of valuable information while watching videos instead of reading. Some topics include:

Video Tutorials - These are short informative clips where somebody shows you exactly how to perform certain tasks. For example, if you wanted to build a WordPress website then you'd probably search YouTube for tutorials on how to do so. What makes these useful is that since they were made specifically for the purpose of helping others, they tend to be written quite well. Most likely whoever wrote them understands your problems and knows what you want to achieve. And because they understand your situation, they usually answer your questions directly. One downside however is that you often end up seeing multiple versions of the same tutorial (often with slight differences). In other words, a lot of the time you'll hear slightly different answers from 2 separate sources. Also, if you're looking for step-by-step instructions then you should check out Step By Step Video Training. It contains tons of helpful info.  (Note: A word of warning regarding Step By Step Videos, although they sound amazing, they have a tendency to contain outdated information.)

Infographics - Infographics are graphic diagrams which explain various concepts through images. These days infographics are becoming increasingly popular among web users due to the fact that they provide quick access to complex information which could otherwise require long paragraphs. As such, you'll notice that websites like Reddit heavily rely on infographics rather than lengthy text based posts. On top of being easy on the eyes, infographics are great for learning about complicated subjects. Take a look at our guide to building a successful blog using Tumblr. It was built entirely using infographics. And yes, you guessed correctly, the best part is that you don't have to spend a penny to view them.  One resource you shouldn't overlook is Visual.ly. It offers both educational and entertaining infographic designs.  Lastly, if you want to explore inforgraphics further then check out these sites: Cool Infographic Tools & Resources [Broken URL Removed] and Design Ideas Gallery.

Videos - Like I mentioned earlier, video is simply superior to traditional media when it comes to quickly conveying important information. Not only does video allow us to observe objects in motion, it allows us to examine objects close up too. When you combine this with audio, we gain another dimension altogether. For example, did you ever wonder how Apple got the gold color for the iPhone 5S? Well apparently they used white paint mixed with copper powder. Now how cool would it be if you knew this beforehand? Of course you wouldn't. However, if you watched the official unveiling video on YouTube or Apple's homepage, you would definitely learn some interesting facts. Another advantage of video is that unlike pictures, videos continue playing even when you navigate away from them (unlike audio files). Lastly, if you're interested in creating videos yourself then check out Lynda.com. Their library consists of thousands of high quality courses covering almost every topic imaginable.

Now that you know more about what kind of material you can expect from the above resources, lets move onto finding some free materials already available on the Internet.

How can I get free money instantaneously?

It takes time to master a skill, especially when you're starting off. Therefore, it stands to reason that the skills you acquire over time must be extremely practical. With that said, there are plenty of good examples of practical skills that anyone can pick up relatively easily and turn into a full blown business overnight. Here are two such ideas:

Affiliate Marketing - Affiliates market products for other companies. This involves promoting items that weren't created by affiliates themselves. To put this differently, you advertise other peoples' products without receiving payment for advertising fees. Since you're basically selling other people's merchandise, you typically receive commissions ranging anywhere between 10% to 75%. An added bonus is that you don't actually need to create any product of your own (unless you plan on writing reviews), nor do you need to recruit any distributors. Simply signup for an account at ClickBank and promote the products listed under your profile page.

Online Surveys - Online surveys offer several advantages over paper surveys including higher response rates, lower costs, and the ability to conduct polls simultaneously. Companies use online surveys to gauge public opinion on countless issues. Once again, signing up for an account at Survey Monkey is enough to begin taking surveys. Just remember, you'll be expected to give honest feedback. Afterall, you're supposed to be answering their questionnaires voluntarily right?

How can I get paid for doing nothing?

Here's a little known secret -- Sometimes you can make money without having to actually sell anything. Yes, you heard correct. Instead of charging customers money, charge businesses money. Sounds hard right? Let me elaborate.

Back in 2008, Google sent out a press release announcing that they had acquired Admeldt Inc., a company specializing in online ad serving technology. Shortly afterwards, Google purchased DoubleClick, a company which offered similar services. At the time, Google didn't disclose the price tag associated with each acquisition. Nevertheless, analysts estimated that the combined value of Google's acquisitions amounted to somewhere around $5 billion dollars. Why did they buy these companies? Simple, they needed competent employees capable of maintaining the existing infrastructure. More importantly, they needed talented engineers who could implement new technologies faster than competitors could.

Think about it. Do you know how Facebook came up with Instant Personalization? Or how Twitter became famous with hashtags? Back in 2005, Jack Dorsey was working at Odeo, a podcasting service founded by Pierre Omidyar. He decided he wasn't happy with his job and started thinking of ways to improve the platform. Eventually he came across RSS feeds, which allowed him to aggregate news stories and send them straight to readers via email. Although the concept itself wasn't unique, it took years for someone to figure out how to apply it properly. Fast forward 4 years later and you now have millions of active daily users thanks to social networking platforms. Bottom line: People love free stuff. Give them lots of it and eventually they'll start calling YOU THE GODDAMN DOG.

As far as I know, Facebook alone generated approximately 1.2 trillion interactions per month during 2015. Can you imagine how many people visited Instagram last year? Even worse, according to Statista, Instagram boasts 500 million monthly visitors compared to Facebook's 750 million. Think about that for a second. Those numbers represent billions of impressions and clicks respectively. This is huge potential and you can capitalize on it today with relative ease. Simply become friends with influencers on social networks like Pinterest, Instagram, and Snapchat. Then share links to relevant content on your wall regularly. Over time, the chances are pretty big that you'll generate massive amounts of traffic resulting in increased brand awareness.

What happens next depends largely on whether you choose to leverage the power of organic SEO or PPC campaigns. Organic SEO uses natural linking patterns whereas PPC relies on keywords. Whichever route you decide to pursue, you should never underestimate the potential impact of strong social proof. Remember, nobody likes buying something from strangers. Likewise, nobody likes giving recommendations to acquaintances either. In essence, social proof works wonders regardless of your chosen approach.

In conclusion, if you're still skeptical about whether you can make money online without paying, please consider the following statement: Money talks. Never forget that simple fact.

I hope you enjoyed this article. Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought. Alternatively feel free to ask any questions relating to my points raised in the post.

The internet has an abundance of information on making money online but it's not always obvious where to start. If you're new to this and aren't sure what exactly it takes to make money from home or even if that's something you'd like to do -- don't worry! You won't have to pay a cent to find out. The truth is there are lots of ways to earn money online without spending any cash at all. Here we'll go over some methods that anyone with little-to-no experience could use to generate extra income on their own time. 

Keep in mind these options may require more work than other jobs depending on your skill set. They also will take longer to bring in consistent revenue so plan accordingly. However, once you establish yourself and build up enough momentum, they can allow you to grow into a full-time job. It just depends on what you hope to accomplish.

What is the best way to make money online for beginners?

1) Freelancing Work - This option allows you to offer your services directly to clients who need help completing certain tasks. One popular example would be freelance writers offering ghostwriting/editing services to authors looking to self publish books. Another example might be graphic designers helping companies create social media graphics. There are many different types of freelancers who can perform various activities.

2) Blogging - Similar to freelancing, blogging gives you complete control over what type of content you produce. While most people think blogs consist only of articles about personal experiences, you can actually blog about pretty much whatever you wish. As long as you provide quality content, readership will follow naturally. A good rule of thumb when starting is to write one article per week (or every two weeks). That means it should generally take you around 2 hours each week to post consistently high-quality material. Of course, you can speed up your process by automating things like SEO posts, which brings us to our next method...

3) Automate Your Content Marketing With Social Media Sharing Tools - When using social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, you typically share links to informative topics related to your niche. Some examples include "Top 10 Ways To Save Money On Groceries" or "5 Things Every New Runner Should Know". These kinds of posts tend to attract followers because they give them value while simultaneously providing useful tips. Once someone follows you, you can then direct them to products and services within your industry -- giving you passive sales commissions via affiliate marketing.

4) Sell Products Within Your Niche Directly - By selling items directly instead of referring others, you essentially become a product owner. Selling physical goods requires no upfront fees and offers better margins. If you already know what kind of item you would personally buy, consider creating custom designs for eCommerce sites. Since you technically created the product, the customer owes you nothing since you sold it and purchased it outright.

While this sounds great, keep in mind that you must first develop trust among potential customers before charging for your creations. Otherwise, people feel ripped off if they paid for something and later found out were duped. In order to avoid negative reviews, you'll need to ensure your website looks professional and trustworthy. At the same time however, you shouldn't try to sell everything under the sun either. Focus on developing strong relationships with particular audiences through relevant conversations rather than trying to force everyone onto your site. Eventually people will notice you and flock to your page.

5) Start An Online Business From Home - For those willing to put in the effort, starting a business from home usually involves purchasing domain names and hosting accounts. Then you simply launch websites which promote your chosen product or service. Afterward, you market your pages via search engine optimization techniques similar to those used for freelancing. Again, the key here isn't necessarily to flood your audience with tons of useless chatter -- focus on being helpful and engaging. People often seek advice and guidance from experts whenever possible whether they realize it or not. Build credibility as a leader in your field and eventually people will look to you for answers.

6) Create And Sell EBooks & Video Courses - Although eBook publishing is arguably easier than ever before, it does still involve several steps beyond putting together a simple webpage. Depending on what you choose to write about, you'll probably need technical expertise in areas ranging from HTML code editing to copywriting skills. Additionally, you'll likely need to purchase software programs to format your documents correctly. Most importantly though, you'll need to spend significant amounts of time writing compelling stories. Writing novels was never hard, right?

Once you finish producing your book(s), you can begin promoting them on Amazon Kindle, iTunes, Google Play etc. Using tools like KDP Select, you can lock down rights to distribute copies of your books exclusively for a limited amount of time. Other distribution channels exist too, although you'll need to contact individual publishers individually.

Video courses are another excellent choice for beginners interested in learning specific skills. Unlike written materials, video provides instant feedback since viewers can watch and listen at their leisure. Unfortunately, videos are harder to produce due to greater complexity involved. Therefore, you may end up having to hire a producer or editor if you decide to pursue this path. Either way, the main takeaway is that video training costs significantly less than traditional forms of instruction.

7) Offer Paid Services Via Fiverr - Have you ever heard of Fiverr? Basically, Fiverr lets users sign up for microjobs they can perform for five dollars apiece. Users submit bids to projects posted by sellers hoping to receive valuable work completed quickly. The trick is finding buyers who genuinely want their stuff done. Don't expect to see big businesses wasting their resources on small transactions. Instead, find individuals seeking help with relatively straightforward tasks. Take advantage of this marketplace by posting requests relating to your area of knowledge or passion. Be sure to deliver exceptional results and soon you'll discover your worth increases dramatically along with your reputation.

8) Join Affiliate Programs - Whenever shopping online, especially on major retail sites like Target, Walmart, eBay, Best Buy, etc., chances are you noticed banners at the top and bottom of the screen encouraging visitors to visit the company's official store. What happens behind the scenes is affiliates are rewarded for bringing in referred shoppers.

In essence, affiliate marketers act as middlemen between retailers and consumers. Retailers pay commission percentages to affiliates based upon total purchases made. Affiliates then pass along part of those rewards to shoppers who clicked on promotional ads. Before joining an affiliate program, it's important to research its compensation structure thoroughly. Make sure to ask questions pertaining to payout limits, minimum thresholds, bonuses, etc.

9) Get Started Making Extra Cash By Taking Surveys - Do surveys for fun instead of expecting to make real money. SurveySavvy is a reputable survey panel provider that pays anywhere from $10-$50 for filling out short surveys. Simply answer questions based on your current mood and schedule, and you'll qualify to participate in future studies.

Surveys can range from 1 minute to 20 minutes and they last approximately 5 minutes. So you really don't have to dedicate large chunks of time unless you want to fill out lengthy questionnaires. Furthermore, the higher number of surveys available during peak times, the bigger your paycheck tends to be. Just remember, the more surveys you take, the more opportunities you increase your odds of winning.

This concludes Part 1 of 3. Upcoming segments will cover additional ideas for earning money online without paying a dime. Stay tuned until then! Also, please leave comments below regarding questions you may have learned today or suggestions regarding topics you'd like to read about. We appreciate hearing your thoughts!