Being a freelance writer can be challenging, especially when you find yourself in between writing gigs. Some months you will earn a significant amount of money, while others will leave you penny-pinching to make ends meet.
If you are looking for ways in which to fill the gap on those slower months, you might want to look into the various other approaches to making money online – but be cautious! Not all online money-making opportunities are created equal, and the reality is that scams are rife.
Here’s how to make a bit extra when you need it without falling victim to cybercriminals in the process.
How to make money online
Some ways in which to make money online include:
- getting paid to write reviews for products, services, or websites
- writing, self-publishing, and selling an e-book
- renting your home on Airbnb
- selling professional photographs online
However, the simplest, most accessible option is to register to take online surveys. Taking surveys for money is something that everyone can do, and as long as you choose to answer these surveys for a trustworthy company, such as Swagbucks, you can be pretty sure that your personal details and earnings will be safe.
You may be wondering why companies would pay individuals from all sorts of backgrounds to answer surveys in the first place. Think about it – countless brands and businesses out there are interested in learning more about their target market’s preferences, opinions, needs, and desires. By answering surveys, you play a big role in providing these brands and businesses with the information that they seek to improve upon their offering, as well as on their future marketing campaigns.
Tips to avoid scams
The most important rule of thumb is… if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There is no such thing as a get-rich-quick guarantee when trying to make money online. So, if there is a website making this promise, do yourself a favor and click away immediately.
Always be on the look-out for tell-tale language when it comes to online scams. If a website is claiming that there is a ‘secret’ to making money online and all that you need to do is sign up to find out what it is, once again, click away as fast as you can. Any legitimate money-making websites will explain in detail what you will be doing to earn your cash before they request for you to sign up.
Finally, be wary when a site requests your credit card information to ‘pay’ you. Never give out your credit card details or any bank account information unless you are 100% sure of the legitimacy of the company for which you are working. You should also steer clear of providing any sensitive personal details, such as your social security number. In fact, if a site asks for this specifically, you can be certain that you are about to get caught up in a scam.
Never let your guard down and conduct plenty of research before signing up to make money online. If you’re cautious, it can be a wonderful way to bring in a bit of extra cash. Good luck!
