How To Make Money From Home: 25 Ideas (2023)

22 Sep 2023
17 minute read

Illustration of a person imagining all of the ways they can make money from home

Making money from home can be exciting and rewarding. With the right欧宝体育官网入口首页andbusiness model, you can transform your career in ways you might not think possible.

Whether you’re running an ecommerce website or branding yourself as a service provider, this list contains dozens of money-making ideas that virtually anyone can try.

25 ways to make money from home

1. Sell custom products

Product developmentisn’t the easiest route tomaking money online, but it’s often the most rewarding. Also, it may not be as hard as you expect. Making custom products is popular amongst jewelry brands, fashion brands, and home décor brands, but it expands through almost any industry where you can make things from scratch. Some evergreen categories you could sell in are:

Apparel and clothing.People look for clothes and accessories that match their style and personality, which can make fashion a fun and profitable space to sell in. The global apparel market was worth more than$1.5 trillionin 2022.
Home décor.你可以在网上出售家居装饰任何人,任何地方, at any time, while keeping overhead at a minimum. The home décor market is forecasted to reach$202 billionin 2024.
Health and beauty.In this category, you can sell skin care, cosmetics, hair care, fragrances, vegan products, and more. There’s also growing demand for men’s grooming products and anti-aging products. Health and beautyrevenue looks set to reach$937 billionby 2030.
Arts and entertainment.This is an online industry that continues to evolve. And with that change come opportunities to find a profitable niche. In the US, for example, podcast listeners grew7.1%in 2022, to reach 157 million.

2. Create a print-on-demand business

Print on demandrefers to working with a supplier to customizewhite label productswith your own designs, then selling them under your own brand. Businesses can create products like hats, t-shirts, tote bags, and more.

The best part? You don’t need to pay for products until after you make a sale.

When you work with aprint-on-demand company, everything from acquiring stock to shipping is handled by the supplier. Usually, it takes just minutes to fulfill an order after a customer checks out.

Creating a print-on-demand business is a great way to make money from home if you need a low-risk, low-investment project. It’s straightforward to add new products to your store and test ideas, since you don’t hold any inventory, keepingbusiness costsdown.

打印需求也给创造者的机会to connect with fans through niche products. Take Shopify merchantBoba Love, for example. For all its products, the retailer focuses on one theme: bubble tea (also referred to as “boba”), a drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Bubble tea has become extremely popular around the world and has a dedicated fan base.

Curious what types of productsyou can create? Here are thebestselling print-on-demand products this year．

3. Make a subscription box

Asubscription businessprovides customers with products on a recurring basis, and can be a winning work-from-home strategy.Shopify researchshows that 63% of founders who sold subscriptions were satisfied with business performance, compared to 55% of founders who did not sell subscriptions.

Types of subscription businesses that have thrived recently include:

Replenishment models

With a replenishment subscription model, subscribers receive the same or similar products each cycle.

An example of this is grooming brandHarry’s．A customer purchases the Harry’s starter set, containing a handle, shaving gel, and razor cartridges. They then receive automatic gel and blade refills monthly, based on their usage and preferences.

Membership models

In a membership model, subscribers get access to exclusive products or perks in exchange for monthly or yearly fees.

Clothing retailers likeRent the RunwayandDia & Cooffer membership models in the form of curated product selections. Subscribers pay for in-store stylists to periodically send them items based on a survey of their preferences.

Here’s a step-by-step guideonhow to start a subscription business．

4. Sell on marketplaces

Selling sitescan be a great launchpad for many businesses, but they force entrepreneurs to comply with their rules and may charge fees. Popular marketplaces include:

Etsy
Amazon
eBay
Faire
Mercado Libre
Rakuten
Facebook Marketplace

Many people who begin making money from home through marketplaces later build their own websites. The big advantage of having your own store is that profits are yours: there are no fees to pay on sales.

5. Sell digital products

Digital productsare media that can be sold repeatedly online. This includes streamable or downloadable files, such as PDFs, plug-ins, and templates. For example, if you’re passionate about music and have experience teaching it, you can teach lessons online through your own course.

Digital assets are becoming more popular because they have high profit margins. It will take time and money to develop them, but once the media or software is made, it’s not expensive to store or deliver to customers.

For example, Shopify merchantUX Kitssells wireflows, user personas, flowcharts, and other products to assist the design process. It has sold kits to over 10,000 designers, developers, and product managers in more than 100 countries.

6. Sell your creative work

It’s easier than ever for creators to sell their work online. Whether it’s music, videos, digital art, photography, magazines, or podcasts, you can set up a digital shop and start selling with little limitation.

While selling creative work sounds similar to digital products, the difference is that your products are more creative ventures. They are a way to express yourself online versus satisfying a buyer’s needs. Creators and artists who don’t have a network or connections with galleries and PR can nowmake money onlinedoing something they love.

以Ketnipz为例。什么开始作OB欧宝娱乐APP为一个纸箱on page on Instagram for creator Harry Hambley grew into arecognizable iconand ecommerce brand that can befound on muralsaround the world.

Resources:

7. Monetize an audience

Monetizing an audience is a challenging endeavor, but the creator-to-commerce business model is becoming more accessible. Today’s bloggers and influencers don’t need to be internet celebrities to make money from home. Instead, it’s about targeting the right people and turning their attention intopassive income．

Sonja Detrinidad, founder of online plant shopPartly Sunny Projects, turned one of her part-time hobbies into a full-time business through TikTok marketing. She didn’t set out to become TikTok’s favorite plant mom, but discovered by accident the possibilities ofmonetizing an audience on TikTok．

Sonja processed more than 1,200 orders in a month at the height of the plant-shopping season. She also increased her subscription box customers four times over after becoming a TikTok sensation.

Sonja processed more than 1,200 orders in one month at the height of plant-shopping season last summer. She also increased her subscription box customers by more than four times since becoming a TikTok sensation, with over 350,000 followers on the platform.

Some ways you can monetize an audience are:

Building your own website and selling online
Through affiliate marketing commissions
Using Instagram shoppable posts
Starting a YouTube channel or other social media account and running ads
Adding Google AdSense to an active blog

Regardless of how you go about it, monetizing an audience is a legitimate way to make money from home. It may take some time to build a targeted audience, but the investment will be well worth your time in the long run.

Related Content:

8. Become a freelancer

Onehome business ideabecoming more popular is offering freelance services to clients online. Almost any role a business would hire for can potentially be filled by a freelancer:

Writing
Graphic design
Marketing
Data entry
Illustration
Transcription
Online tutoring
Shopify store setup

Most of these services are best positioned toward business clients. Why? Because online businesses are the ones who are willing to spend. Freelancers can charge based on the outcome of their work versus the deliverable, which gives them leverage when it comes to pricing their services.

“Every freelancer eventually learns that there are desired business outcomes tied to their work,” explains Elise Dopson, co-founder ofPeak Freelance．“Freelance writers, for example, are not just blogging for a company. They are creating content that increases traffic, leads, and customers for a business. The sooner you learn that, and can deliver on it, the more money you’ll make freelancing from home.”

9. Become a virtual assistant

With so many businesses moving online, the demand for virtual assistants (VAs) is growing. VAs are contractors who work with businesses and individuals on the jobs they are given. VAs work from home and help with tasks such as:

Time management and administrative tasks, like responding to emails
Financial tasks, like bookkeeping and client invoicing
Team management tasks, like following up on deliverables, organizing training sessions, and creating task templates
Social media and digital marketing tasks, like publishing and managing content
Personal tasks, like managing investment properties, paying bills, and planning trips
Content tasks, like video or podcast editing

Alongside client work, VAs can start a blog, sell digital products, or coach other VAs to create new revenue streams and make more money from home.

10. Become a reseller

Don’t want to worry about creating new products or about minimum purchase quantities? Not a problem. You don’t need a revolutionary product idea to make money from home. Instead, you canbecome a reseller．

A reseller is a person who buys products from manufacturers, liquidators, and other retailers, then sells them to their own customers.You can find suppliers to purchase items from through a number of ways:

A dropshipping supplier likeDSers
Vintage boutiques
Consignment shops
Facebook Marketplace

COAL N TERRYis one retailer that sells a vintage collection in its online store. The brand sells classic clothing alongside its own proprietary brand of hoodies and other apparel, giving shoppers a variety of products to browse and buy.

11. Create and sell art

Are you an independent artist looking for ways to make money from home? Artists can fund their craft and sell work directly to fans through online channels like a store ornon-fungible tokens．Try out:

Limited or open edition prints
Digital downloads
Commissions
Merchandise like hats or enamel pins
Repeat prints on fabric
Licensing work to other brands or publications
Influencer collaborations

Learn howtosell art online．

12. Collect and sell vintage clothing

Got a passion for second-hand fashion? Turn it into a business by selling vintage clothing from home.

Agrowing market, vintage shoppers depend on store owners to curate the best items. The rise in demand for vintage clothes has led to the success of brands like ThredUp and the increase of vintage clothing sellers on marketplaces like Etsy and eBay.

Naomi Bergknoff, founder ofOMNIA, has been selling vintage clothing online since 2010. Combining her love for vintage clothes and her retail expertise, she’s defined a particular style that customers appreciate.

Learn moreby reading this guide onhow to sell vintage clothing online．

13. Sell photos

The ability to make money from home as a photographer is about harnessing your creativity and monetizing it. It can seem challenging at first, but by finding your niche and building an audience, you can create multiple streams of income over time.
Photographers have plenty of options to sell online:

Stock marketplaces like Alamy, 500px, 123RF, and Stocksy
Products such as prints, photobooks, and physical goods via print-on-demand services
Services covering fashion shoots, product photography, and events

Start sellingyour photographywith this guide onhow to sell photos online．

14. Rent your unused space

Most people don’t think about using their empty space to make money from home. Yet it’s one of the easiest sources of passive income. From bedrooms to parking areas, you may have some space people will happily pay you to rent.

You have a wide range of options here:

Bring on a housemate to rent a room in your house
Rent a room on Airbnb
Rent out storage space onSpareFoot
Rent out your parking space
Host a foreign exchange student
Offer pet boarding

You don’t need tons of money or time to rent out your space. Rather than let unused space go to waste, offer it as a service to people who need it.

15. Start a pet business

Pet businesses are a fun way to make money from home (if you love animals, of course). There are many different ways to earn extra cash, like providing walking and grooming services, training, making treats, or reselling products like bowls and chew toys.

You’re not limited to dogs and cats either. Specialize in reptiles, fish, bunnies, or whatever animals you enjoy being around. Pet owners spent more than$136 billionon their fur babies in 2022, making this a profitable business opportunity for newcomers.

Turn your passionfor pets into profit by learninghow to start a pet business．

16. Sell coffee

Coffee sellers are always in demand. According to theInternational Coffee Organization, coffee consumption globally grows each year. With a strong brand and marketing plan, selling coffee can be a great way to earn money from home with a strong brand and marketing plan.

Coffee is a commodity product, so it’s widely available. Customers tend to look for branding cues like design and bean origin to decide what to buy. By selling coffee, you’ll have a high volume of potential customers and many niching and expansion opportunities.

Find out what it takesto launch an online cafe andsell coffee from home．

17. Build and sell woodworking projects

如果你是一个木工,或好奇craft, you can make money from home by building and selling woodworking products. There are products to sell for all levels, from beginner to skilled woodworkers. You just need to figure out the best project for you.

Some fun woodworking projects that sell include:

Wooden signs
Kitchen products
Furniture
Surfboards
Boxes
Picture frames
Planters

Check outthesewoodworking projects and how to sell them online．

18. Test computer numerical control (CNC) projects

A CNC router is a computer-operated cutting tool that acts as a combination panel saw, spindle molder, and boring machine. It carves complex shapes out of materials like metal, wood, plastics, and glass. CNC routers use programmable automation, similar to 3D printing, to design complex parts at scale.

Small CNC machines can cost from a few hundred dollars up to thousands, depending on the make and model. With them, you can create handcrafted, one-of-a-kind products for buyers across many markets, including:

Home décor products
Kitchen and barbecue tools
Office supplies
Custom signage
Toys and games
Jewelry

There are tons of resources available online to learn about using a CNC router. There’s a very low barrier to entry. And you can test, create, and sell products with minimal upfront costs.

Interested in starting a CNC business?Here’s a list ofCNC projects that sell．

19. Make candles

Looking for a fun way to make money from home? Start making and selling candles to people online. It takes a little know-how and hard work, but the upside is that you can customize candles and sell them anywhere. It’s also a low-cost business to start. Common costs include equipment to make the candles, like a double-boiler, pouring pots, and containers.

A candle business can be extremely profitable, with the industry valued at over$550 millionin 2022. It’s also a good way to express your creativity and build a brand. Take candle companyBoy Smells, for example, which broke traditional gender norms with its business model.

Build your candle-making startupwith this post onhow to start a candle business．

20. Make soap

Are you an avid DIYer? You may enjoy making and selling soap from home. While soap doesn’t sound like the best income stream, it’s an in-demand product that all customers need.

The COVID-19 pandemic also stimulated the industry, which is projected to reach$67 billion by 2030．这是一个很好的方法让创意与不同scents and materials, with potential to expand your brand to other products like candles and fragrances.

Want to get your hands dirtywith this business idea? Here’show to make soap to sell．

21. Make bath bombs

Bath bombs are all the rage and a great way to make money from home. The US bath bomb market is expected to grow into a$350 million industryby 2025. If you turn to Instagram, you’ll see there aremillions of photosshowing how these colorful balls explode when dropped in water.

If you love DIY and have a knack for crafts, learn如何开始一个浴OB欧宝娱乐APP炸弹业务from home and discover how to source ingredients, make your bath bombs, market them, and grow a business people love.

22. Make skincare products

Indie beauty brands are driving growth in a$150 billionglobal skin care market. If you love taking care of your skin and want to turn it into a business, now’s the time. Newcomers are jumping on trends like hybrid beauty (the combination of cosmetic and skin care), cannabis-based products, and clean beauty (products made without harming human or animal health).

The beauty of being a small brand is that you can tackle a specific problem for a specific audience. Find a market that’s underserved by current brands and create skin care products just for them. You’ll want to learn more about manufacturing and working with suppliers when running a profitable skin care business.

A beauty entrepreneurexplainshow to start a skin care line．

23. Start a food business

Everyone’s got to eat, you can’t argue with that. Which is why starting a food business is a great idea if you want to make money from home.

Outside of restaurants, there are endless high-profit-margin businesses you can run with low overhead and startup costs. The trick is cooking food you are passionate and curious about, regardless of your experience level.

Some food business ideas to start include:

Food truck
Catering business
Cooking classes
Meal kits
Sauces
Pre-packaged snacks
Homemade jams and jellies
Wine, beer, and spirits

Want to see examples of other food businesses in action?Check outSelling Like Hotcakes: 13 Profitable Food Business Ideas for 2022on the Shopify blog.

24. Become a tutor

Are you an expert in math, art, or another subject? You can make money from home doing online tutoring. A prerequisite for most tutoring gigs is a bachelor’s degree in your subject, depending on where you apply for the job. You can find tutoring clients on websites likeSkooliandTutor.com．

Only teach subjects that you have demonstrated expertise in. You’ll want to share skills and practical knowledge to create good learning experiences for your students. You can provide pre-recorded lectures and templates, plus meet students through Zoom. Tutoring is also inexpensive to start (if you already have that degree) and can easily earn you extra money.

25. Offer child care

If you’re a stay-at-home parent or enjoy taking care of children, you can start a child care business from home. You can offer all-day care (eight hours) for parents while they are at work, or before and after school care (one to four hours).

Look at other day care businesses in your area and see what they charge. Choose your rates wisely. Don’t undercharge just to get more business. Start with an income goal for a day, then decide how many children you can realistically watch. Divide those two numbers to see how much to charge per child, per day.

Home jobs to avoid

Now that you have a good idea of different ways to make money from home, let’s look at some jobs to avoid.

Freelance marketplaces

Marketplaces likeFiverrandUpworkmight be a way to get your first clients, but quickly can turn into a price race to the bottom. You’re forced to compete with the cheapest freelancers and have few ways to differentiate your services. Long term, you’re better off creating a freelancer website and building a business that doesn’t rely on renting digital space in a marketplace.

Online survey sites

The pay is very low from online survey sites, and you accrue no long-term value. You’re not building skills or building an asset, you’re just losing time. Trading time for extra cash is always a reasonable short-termside hustle, but if you can, it’s better to think long term.

Online survey sites include:

Swagbucks
Survey Junkie
InboxDollars

Building an app

Look at most websites promoting legit ways to make money online and they’ll tell you to build an app. All new ventures are hard and most fail, but consumer apps are hyper-competitive: the average person uses onlynine apps on their phoneper day, most developed by major companies.

A better option? Grow your skill set by building useful, problem-solving apps for businesses via growing marketplaces like theShopify App Store．

Side gigs

If you want to make a quick buck, then side gig apps like Rover or UserTesting are good options. But similar to online survey sites, you aren’t building anything valuable in the long run.

You are better off learning skills in your spare time, like running Facebook ads or starting a dropshipping store, which can make you money repeatedly, versus a one-off cash gig from Craigslist.

Anything that’s pay-to-earn

Real businesses require investment, but anything that operates in a pay-to-earn model should be treated with extreme caution. Avoid sites that promise you can win money by spending money, or multi-level marketing groups that require money beyond purchasing inventory.

Discover the profitability of a productusingShopify’s free profit margin calculator．

Making money online from home

If you have an internet connection, you can make money from home. Use your time wisely and invest in building a business that’s rewarding and will keep paying out over time.

Make money from home FAQ

How do I make money from home?

Anyone with an internet connection can make money from home. You can start aunique business, sell trending products, or offer services to clients. Popular ecommerce business models include dropshipping, selling digital products, and custom clothing.

How do I make an extra $1000 a month?

Sell custom products.
Create a dropshipping business.
Sell on online marketplaces.
Monetize an audience.
Sell digital products.
Become a freelancer.

How can I make money from home with no costs?

Become an English tutor.
Sell stuff on eBay or Craigslist.
Become a virtual assistant.
Start a print on demand business.
Sell your creative work.
Build an audience and monetize it.
Start an ecommerce store.

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