How to Make Money from Home (Part 1)

“How to make money from home…” –  No, this is NOT about any “getting-rich-quickly” scheme. This is simply about making money (at least some) without having to leave your house.

Maybe you need to stay at home because you need to take care of your loved ones. Maybe your physical or psychological condition makes it harder for you to leave the house. You might live in a location where commuting is difficult. It is also possible that you are looking for ways to earn money from home because of the current COVID-19 (Corona Virus) outbreak.

Make money from home – a few basics

Yes, there are certain ways to create a sustainable career from home.  There are also ways to make a few bucks on the side.I have been working from home for five years now, and yes, I feel a certain urge to tell you what I could do for you re. that matter. But that’s not quite the point right now, so…

…let’s simply talk about a few basic points, so you have something to start with.

• Equipment: If you have a reliable computer including internet connection at your disposal (and know how to use them!), then you already possess at least the essentials to work with!
• Remote employment: The job market has been evolving. Meanwhile, you can actually find employment on a work-from-home basis on the various job-search platforms. Look for keywords like “telecommute”, “home office”, “remote”, “virtual”, “work from home” etc.
• Beware of SCAMS! (Part 1): Yes, that is probably easier said than done. After all, this is the internet. Hey, I love the internet, but I am also a realist about it. So, when/if a job opportunity arises that seems too good to be true, use your gut feeling, your common sense and a few basic internet research skills before committing to anything. Rule of thumb: If a supposed employer wants ANY advance money from you (“application fees”, “setup fees”) – forget it! Oh, and speaking of scams: I sincerely hope this does not need mentioning anymore, but for the record… (*deep breath*)…
• Beware of SCAMS! (Part 2): Sometimes the spam filter of your email inbox might overlook one: an email from an unknown source introducing themselves as a foreign prince, widow of a former president, attorney of a deceased wealthy client or whatever person who for some weird reason supposedly needs to move a huuuuuge bunch of cash or gold out of the country and wants you (yes, you, what a surprise!!) to act as an intermediary (an extremely well-compensated intermediary, of course!!). It such a case, guys, let’s just update our spam filter, delete the email and then forget about it, because these emails and their variations are a load of BULL***!

What could YOU actually DO?

Maybe there is a way to monetize the skills you have been using to earn a living all along. It is also possible that you possess skills and/or knowledge you had not thought of as a means to make money from home.

How about “Virtual Assistance”?

Do you have administrative skills and know how to communicate over the internet?

Great! Professions like “Virtual Assistant” or “Virtual Office Manager” are on the rise! Depending on your particular skill set and technical knowledge, there is a huge array of services you can offer, from relatively simple to very sophisticated tasks:

• Monitoring and working in somebody else’s email inbox: (reading emails, sorting them by priority, tagging them, filtering them, summarizing them and even answering them or at least drafting the replies for the inbox owner).
• Telephone service: making and receiving calls on other people’s behalf
• Internet research: Do you know your way around Google & Co.? Offer to compile information about potential provider and supplier addresses, business conventions, songwriter contests, job offers… you might be surprised what people are looking for!
• PowerPoint and Excel: Turn drafts and notes into presentation slides and Excel charts.

This is Part 1, and by no means a comprehensive list of questions, options and tips. Please bear with me: I am working on the next part and hope to have it ready by tomorrow. Given current circumstances, I  wanted to at least get this published quickly. I do know working from home is a huge concern for many people right now, so I hope I can help a bit.

Best wishes to all!

(To be continued…)

Edit: You can find Part 2 here!