Free And For Me

How To Make Cash Online For Free

Nowadays, more people are wondering how to actually earn money online.  There many ways to make money online ranging from participating in focus groups, being a customer service representative, e-commerce, and more.

Focus Groups

Online Focus Groups/Market Research Groups 

Focus groups typically pay $25 – $250 per focus group. There is never a fee. A focus group is a group interview involving a small number of demographically similar people. Their reactions to specific researcher-posed questions are studied. Focus groups are used in market research and studies of people’s political views. The discussions can be guided or open.  A focus group session may last 30 – 4 hours.  It all depends on what type of focus group you will be participating in.

How to find online focus groups

• Register with sites like focusgroups.org
• Type in phrases like “focus groups near me”, “online focus groups, or “focus group companies” in the search engine.   Sites like Quirks media will have a list of companies you can register with.   Quirks Media has a list of 200 companies you can register with.
• Do a search on Facebook.  Type focus group in the Facebook search bar.
• Craigslist has focus group opportunities listed as well.  In the search bar of craigslist, type in focus groups, go to the drop-down menu that says jobs, and then hit search.  Focus groups will be listed that you can apply for.
• Register with as many focus group/market research firms as possible.

The Focus Group Process

• The application process may be a little long.  The information you provide will allow them to know which focus groups you may be able to participate in demographically.
• Applying for a focus group is called a screener.  After completing the screener does not mean you have been selected.  After you submit the screener, you will be contacted if your application meets the criteria.  The person that calls you will go over your answers.  If you are a fit, they will schedule you to participate in the focus group.
• There are times you may submit your application/screener and they will select you immediately.

Top freelance companies

Upwork –  Connects businesses of all sizes to freelancers, independent professionals, and agencies for all their hiring needs.  Upwork offers one-time gigs, ongoing projects.

1. Get your free account
2. Create your profile – Highlight your skills, your experience, and portfolio, and indicate your desired hourly pay rate.
3. Set up your payment option – Tell us how you want to receive your earnings so that you can be paid easily.
4. Get paid through Upwork – All invoicing and payments happen through Upwork for a simple and streamlined process.
5. Hourly and fixed projects – For hourly work, submit weekly invoices. For fixed-price projects, set milestones and funds are released via Upwork Escrow features.
6. Multiple payment options – Choose a payment method that works best for you, from direct deposit or PayPal to wire transfer and more.

Freelancer 

1. Complete your profile – Select your skills and expertise Upload a professional profile photo Go through the Verification Center checklist
2. Browse jobs that suit you– They have jobs available for all skills. Maximize your job opportunities by optimizing your filters. Save your search and get alerted when relevant jobs are available.
3. Write your best bid – Put your best foot forward and write the best pitch possible. Read the project and let the clients know you understand their brief. Tell them why you’re the best person for this job. Writing a new brief for each project is more effective than using the same one!
4. Get awarded and earn– Get ready to work once you get hired. Deliver high-quality work and earn the agreed amount.

Guru – is a freelance marketplace. It allows companies to find freelance workers for commissioned work.

1. Join the community – Sign up to join the website and verify your details in a single step.
2. Build your profile – Describe the services you offer, showcase your portfolios, and include other details that will make your profile stand out from the crowd.

Task Rabbit – is an American online and mobile marketplace that matches freelance labor with local demand, allowing consumers to find immediate help with everyday tasks, including cleaning, moving, delivery, and handyman work.

Online Chat

Site Staff – Hires chat agents to assist customers online for various companies. Pay is $10 per hour. Hours are also flexible.

ACD Direct – This company works with non-profit organizations and hires call center agents to take calls for pledges. You can make up to $18 per hour. Pay is per minute 0.25 to 0.30 per min.

Appen Butter Hill – This company offers work for search engine website evaluators and offers opportunities Internationally. They pay around $10- $12 an hour. You will be paid once a month.  You will be an Independent Contractor.

Arise – Hires work-at-home customer service agents in the US. Pay is between $10- $20 per hour quoted online. Pay is based on what client you are assigned to work with. You will also have to create an incorporate to work for Arise since they are offering a business and other certification and training is required.

Brighten Communications – Hires telemarketers in the US. They pay their agents $12 -$18 an hr. You need a long-distance phone service and a landline phone to do Business to Business calls. You will be an independent contractor for the company.

Carlson Wagonlit – Offers travel services and most often hires travel agents to work from home.  Starting pay is $15 an hour.

Contract World – Works with businesses such as KFC, Pizza Hut, and other businesses. They hire work-from-home customer service agents. Pay ranges between $11-$16 per hour. You will need a landline phone, internet, quiet space, and computer camera.

Delegated Careers – Offers the opportunity to become a virtual assistance to various clients. You will be able to work both full-time and part-time. Pay has been stated to be $12 – $15

Direct Interactions – Hires agents to work from home taking calls from motorists and addressing unpaid parking tickets.  You will be paid for training at of rate  $9 and afterward, it is $10 -$12 an hour. Bilinguals are welcome to apply. Additional positions may be available.

Great Virtual Work – Offers customer service positions. Pay ranges between $10- $15 an hour. You would have to register yourself as an independent business owner prior to working for this company.

LiveOps – A 24-hour call center that offers their customer service agent the ability to choose their own schedule. You will be an independent contractor. You will take inbound calls to assist customers for various clients. Sales agents are making up to $20 per hour. Starting out you can expect to make at least $10 an hour.

Nex Rep – Hires customer service and sales agents to work from home. You will take inbound and outbound calls. Agents for NexRep have reported to make up to $25 per hour. Pay is hourly and commission-based.

Virtual Jobs That Do Require A Phone 

Concentrix – This company does not require a landline to work. You will, however, be required to have a landline or cell phone to do their training. You will be considered an employee.

On Point Advocacy – Hires agents to take calls to provide information and educate the public on current events such as political issues. You will need a USB headset.

Transcom – Hires work-at-home agents to provide customer service and tech support to their customers via email or online chat.

Call Center QA – Hires agents to do mystery shopping over the phone. You will need a USB headset to make calls through your computer.

NextWave Advocacy – Hires work-at-home agents to make calls and educate the public about current events in the news.

Enterprise Holding – Hires work-at-home agents to do reservations and customer service. They are a rent-a-car service.

Market Link – Hires agents to work at home in various positions across the US. You will be doing sales and telemarketing work.

Pactera – This company has several online jobs to complete in your spare time such as translating, transcription, data collecting, etc. No landline needed.

Parameds – Hires work-at-home agents to perform data retrieval/medical records, you will make outbound calls. To make calls agents use Skype and/or Google Voice.

Maritz – This company prefers agents to have a landline but I have heard they may make an exception. They are reported to be agents using Skype, Google Voice, and even their cell phones to conduct calls.

Perception Strategies – This company does not require a landline. Agents make healthcare-related mystery shopping calls. Some of their workers use cell phones and they will accept any other forms of phone communication.

Click Worker – Hires agents around the world to do simple online tasks such as categorizing data, scanning invoices, searching the web, etc. Pay is weekly and varies based on tasks.

CAUSEWORX – This company is based in Canada and hires around the US. They are a fundraiser phone company.  No landline is needed. The average pay is around $11 per hour.

Door Dash – Hires agents to take orders from customers who place orders through an app. You can use your cell phone to take calls.

American Kidney Services – Hires work at home agents to make calls collecting donations. You can use a cell phone to do this task.

Apple – Hires work at home agents as advisors. They provide you with the equipment you will need.

Great Virtual Work – Hires agents as Independent Business Owners to work with their company. You will be doing customer service and sales calls. Pay is weekly at $10 per hour.

VIP Desk – Hires agents as their brand ambassadors to take calls. No phone line is required.

Kelly Services -Hires work-at-home agents in various states in the US. The majority of their positions do not require a landline. You can register on their site to stay updated on open positions in your state.

Wonder – Hires agents to work from home around the world as a researcher. Agents are paid per task around $4- $8 per assignment.No landline is required.

ViaSource – Hires work from home 1099 contract agents to take inbound calls, lead generating, and fundraising. They pay $9.50 per hour. Offer part-time and full-time positions.

Create Your Online Store/E-Commerce

Etsy –  is an online marketplace that connects sellers with buyers. It is primarily used for selling vintage items, handmade goods, art, and crafts. To sell on Etsy, you must create an account before you can open a storefront. Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, plus a 5% transaction fee when an item sells.

Poshmark – is a social commerce platform and mobile app for buying and selling garments.

Swap.com – is an online thrift and consignment store offering pre-owned baby, kid’s, maternity, men’s, and women’s apparel, and accessories.

Thred Up –  is an online consignment and thrift store where you can buy and sell high-quality secondhand clothes.

Gazelle – Buy and Sell your used cell phones and electronics. Sell your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, iPad, and more for cash, or buy used iPhones, iPads, and other cell phones.

Online Tutoring Companies

• Chegg
• Brainfuse
• PrepNow Tutoring
• TutorMe
• Skooli
• VIPKID
• Tutor.com
• Studypool

Start a blog and monetize it

Adsense – You will have to research how to start your own blog or website.  This can be done online.  YouTube and other blogs are good resources. This research includes choosing the domain name, hosting, templates, layout, and overall design for your website.  After you have created the site and content, sign up for Google Adsense. When your visitors visit your website and click on the ads, you will make a profit.

Sponsored posts – A sponsored blog post is a blog post that you are paid to publish on your blog.  Companies will pitch you to collaborate which should be a paid exchange.

Affiliate marketing – is the process by which an affiliate earns a commission for marketing another person’s or company’s products.

Start freelance writing

Best freelance content writing websites

• Upwork
• iWriter 
• FlexJobs
• BloggingPro
• Guru 
• Freelancer.com
• People-Per-Hour
• The Writer Finder

Publish an eBook

An electronic book, also known as an e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices.

How to publish an eBook:

1. Write a strong book.
2. Create an Amazon KDP account.
3. Format your ebook for publishing.
4. Upload your ebook to KDP.
5. Choose your ebook publish date.
6. Build your book launch team.
7. Create hype for your ebook.
8. Publish your ebook!

There other ways to publish an eBook.  This is just a suggestion.  YouTube and online searches are great tools to help you publish an ebook.

Create an online course for free

How to create an online course for free:

1. Choose Your Course Topic
2. Identify the Target Audience
3. Gather and Structure Your Knowledge
4. Create an Online Course Outline
5. Choose Your Online Course Software or Platform
6. Create the Course Content
7. Make Sure Your Content is Engaging
8. Create a Community for Your Online Course
9. Gather Feedback for Your Online Course
10. Adapt, Improve and Update

Online mystery shopping 

Mystery shopping is a method used by marketing research companies and organizations that wish to measure quality of sales and service, job performance, regulatory compliance, or to gather specific information about a market or competitors, including products and services.  Register with companies like Second to None.  Telephone mystery shopping jobs can be done from the comfort of your home.  Here is a list of some telephone mystery shopping companies.

Telephone mystery shopper jobs from home

• ARC Call Performance Solutions — The pay rate for each call with ARC varies, but you will generally make between $3 and $12 per call you do. Payments are done through direct deposit. When you have been with the company for a while, you may have the chance to become a call center evaluator, which provides more steady work. Another great thing about ARC: They hire from all over the world and bilingual speakers are especially welcome!
• Confero — Confero offers both in-person and phone shops, and they update their shop list daily. You will be doing things like customer service inquiries and price checks over the phone.
• Multi-Value — Registering for this site is quick and easy.  You will be able to access both in-person and telephone shops.
• Mystery Shopper Services — They specialize in all kinds of mystery shopping opportunities.  Signing up to be a shopper is simple.
• Perception Strategies — This company deals solely with healthcare institutions. Your role as a caller is to ask questions and evaluate how the customer service representative response. They do not record your calls, but they do ask for a highly detailed report. Between the call and the report, you can expect to spend about 20 minutes on a job, and you will be paid around $15 (sometimes more, sometimes less).
• Reality Based Group — RBG offers a range of mystery shopping opportunities, including in-person and video shops in addition to phone shops. Once you are accepted into the program, you will be able to chose which opportunities you are interested in.
• Secret Shopper — This website is a mystery shopping site, but they also offer phone shops.
• Shoppers Critique — A company offering a variety of mystery shopping gigs, including calls. They also promise fast payment!
• SkilCheck — To work for this company, you will need to be able to make calls all over the U.S. with unlimited calling; phone-related expenses aren’t reimbursed.
• Talk2Rep — While they are not always hiring mystery shoppers, they do hire remote workers for a variety of work-at-home opportunities. 
• Yardi Matrix — This company works primarily seasonally, and they operate within the real estate rental industry. You will receive a base hourly rate and then are paid per call that you make, with different payments for things like busy signals and answering machines. All gigs will last about 8 weeks.

This is how to actually earn money online.