Covid-19 may have upset the world economy and kept us stuck at home. Here are 15 legit ways to make money from home and tide over any recession

Covid-19 cases are on the rise worldwide, and the lockdown in India has been extended for another three weeks. It’s pretty much established that we’re going to be facing a recession after this, and things are quite unpredictable right now. To tide over this situation, in our previous post we detailed some ways to save money. However, there is another alternative solution – just make more money!

Yes, we know that you’re stuck at home without maids or other help and you probably have your hands full right now. You may also be going through some anxiety due to the current situation and don’t really feel like doing anything constructive. Yet, think about it – if you can manage a couple of hours early in the morning before the family wakes up, you’re fresh and alert. So why not use this time to make some extra cash?

We can’t predict the future, but in the off chance that you or your spouse has to take a pay cut, you’ll still have something to fall back on. Even if you don’t, who wouldn’t like a little extra money? And who knows, maybe your side hustle turns out to be so successful that you end up turning it into a full time job!

It can be confusing, wondering where to start, so we’ve rounded up 15 of the most legit ways to make money from home. Some of these can be started on right away; but some others may need more supplies or help which may not be available during the lockdown. Nevertheless, you can still start doing your homework and gather all the information you’ll need when you actually get down to business.

15 Legit Ways to Make Money from Home

 

1. Teaching

What you’ll need: A computer/laptop with a high speed internet connection, language fluency, communication skills

Teaching is one of the simplest ways to earn money online, and it can be anything from children’s subjects to complex university-level topics. There are online courses for almost everything these days, whether it’s an academic subject like Math or another skill like sewing, baking or yoga. There are even courses for ‘soft skills’, like time management and project planning.

Whatever your area of expertise is, you can easily become an online tutor for it. You can also create courses on sites like Udemy, Skillshare and Teachable, through which many people have earned well. Educational apps directed at kids are also becoming increasingly popular, so you can work with one of them too.

If you’d prefer doing things the old school way, you can conduct tuitions for kids in your area – either online or from home. All you need in case of the latter is a room with a large table, enough chairs and a blackboard.

2. Blogging

What you’ll need: A laptop/computer with a high speed internet connection

I’m sure this is something you’ve always wondered about, especially since there are many successful bloggers out there who make blogging look super easy! Blogging is certainly not a new way to earn an income, although it can take many months (sometimes years) to actually bring in some significant income.

Yet, blogging has many plus points. You will be blogging about a topic you care about, which means it’s an interesting job. You need very little expenditure when starting out, and once you’re established, there are many ways you can monetize it – affiliates, advertisements or sponsors being just some of them.

It is important to be consistent with blogging, since it can be discouraging in the beginning when you put in a lot of work and see little benefit. You also need to be creative enough to be able to stand out among the many, many blogs already in existence.

3. Stock Photos

What you’ll need: A good quality camera, basic photography and photo editing skills

Love taking pictures? You’re in luck, because good stock photos are always in demand! Nearly every blogger or social media manager or website owner needs stock pictures regularly, and Indian faces are hard to find.

Once you get some good clicks and are satisfied with the result after editing, you can sell them online. You can either list them on Etsy, or sell them to other stock photo websites like Shutterstock, Fotomoto and Fotolia.

If you’re ready to take your job outside the home, you can start offering custom photo shoots. You can also take your photography to the next level and specialize in certain categories like baby photos or wedding photos.

4. Virtual Assistance

What you’ll need: A laptop/computer with a high speed internet connection, basic computer skills, fluency in English

This is a great job idea that’s a little more than just a side hustle. Depending upon the kind of jobs you take up, it can be a part time or full time job, although you’ll be in charge of your hours.

Being a Virtual Assistant means just that – assisting someone virtually, from a remote location. This could include a variety of tasks including copy writing, social media management, scheduling and other tasks. The more experienced and well known you get, the higher you get paid.

One of the best parts of being a virtual assistant is that you don’t need any particular qualifications. The job is completely flexible and you can choose the clients you like. You will, however, need to stay updated on all the latest tools and apps in the biz.

5. Freelancing

 

What you’ll need: A laptop/computer with a high speed internet connection, basic computer skills, fluency in English

Want complete freedom to do whatever you want from the comfort of your home and still earn? You might just find that freelancing offers you a very tempting offer compared to your current 9-to-5 job! The ‘free’ part of freelancing is why many people have opted for this lifestyle.

Freelancing covers a wide variety of jobs – web design, graphic design, coding, web development, social media management, writing, proof reading, resume writing, translations, transcriptions – pretty much anything!

Finding the right freelancing job can be a bit of a task, but there are many Facebook groups where recruiters and freelancers network. You can also look up job listings at Upwork or Freelancer.com. Be careful not to fall for scams, and if you’re working with someone new, ask for payment upfront.

6. Digital Products

What you’ll need: A laptop/computer with a high speed internet connection, Some skill with Photoshop or designing

Thanks to the internet, you can set up a shop even if you don’t have a single physical thing to sell – you can sell digital products! As with many of the other work from home options, you don’t need any special qualifications to create your own digital products,basic computer skills will suffice.

However, if you do know your way around Photoshop or have dabbled a little in graphic design, your options increase. You can create art prints, printable stickers, worksheets, planner inserts or any other kind of printables. You can also create manuals, ebooks and workbooks.

You can create your own website to sell or set up a shop on Shopify or Etsy. Digital products are a great way of passive income, since you do the work once, and you get paid every time someone buys your product, without having to go through the hassles of packaging and shipping.

7. Consulting

What you’ll need: A laptop or computer, mastery in your subject

Virtual consulting is a good idea for those who’ve had some years of experience in a certain field, enough to quality as an expert. So whether it’s copy writing, branding, social media management, interior decoration or Vastu Shastra, if you know a lot about the topic, you can become a consultant for brands or companies, and offer your services.

And the best part is that you don’t even need to step out of your home. You can easily offer your services over phone or skype. A high speed internet connection is definitely a requirement to ensure seamless communication.

If your area of expertise is a niche one and there aren’t too many consultants around, you could end up becoming quite sought after! That’s why it’s important to have the right knowledge before you start. If it helps, take any relevant certification to add more weight to your qualifications.

8. Baking

What you’ll need: A good quality, large size oven, reliable electricity, baking supplies, packaging materials

You may have noticed people baking all over the world ever since this lockdown started, and it’s even got a name – anxiety baking! If you love creating baked goods and you’ve got quite the reputation for tasty fare, it’s time to turn this into a money making business!

When taking up baking as a business, you can either bake general baked dishes and supply them to bakeries, like cookies or muffins. Or you can specialize in healthy baking, with goods made from whole wheat flour, millets and nuts and seeds. You can also offer special vegan or dairy free desserts.

Another area that’s become very popular are glamorous cakes with lots of intricate detail. These cakes are quite expensive but require quite a bit of skill. Sourcing the ingredients may also require more effort and money. You can take special orders for occasions and festivals like Christmas.

9. Tiffin Service

What you’ll need: Large size cooking utensils, lunchboxes, transport arrangements, phone with internet connection

Covid-19 has really brought health to the forefront, and made people realize that it is more valuable than anything and everything else. As a result, people have started eating better, finding ways to workout and maintain a healthy lifestyle in general.

When things go back to normal and people go back to work, they would love options to help them continue their new habit of eating home cooked food, and this is where a tiffin service can help. If you are good with cooking and have access to fresh, organic ingredients, this is a great opportunity to make a small, home-run business.

Unlike baking, the ingredients will be more easily available, but you will have to arrange for a reliable system that can consistently deliver the tiffins on time every working day. You will also have to source a number of tiffins or lunchboxes, which you can increase when your business expands.

10. YouTube

What you’ll need: A good quality camera including accessories like a tripod stand, lighting, laptop/computer with high speed internet connection, supplies for channel content, video editing apps

YouTube has always been huge, but it’s really stepped up during this lockdown as people turn to it to learn everything from baking bread to installing a shelf. If you are not camera shy and have a skill to share, YouTube is an easy way to make money while working from home.

You can make money either from ads or from affiliate products that you promote, but you will have to put out some good content for a while before that happens. When it comes to YouTube, presentation is also important. You may have valuable information to share, but if it is presented sloppily, it may put people off.

You can make videos on any topic under the sun – life of a stay at home Mom, toddler life, technology and gadgets, personal finance, crafts and DIY, home management, gardening or the most popular one – cooking! Most videos fall under either the informative category (like the ones mentioned), or the entertaining type, which is great if you’re the kind of person who’s usually the life of the party.

11. Crafts

What you’ll need: Supplies to make crafts, laptop/computer with internet connection (to sell online), a good camera, logistical arrangements to package and ship products

If you’re good with DIY, you can set up a blog or YouTube channel based on it, but if that’s not your cup of tea, you can always sell your creations! If you’ve ever browsed through Etsy, looked the products and thought ‘I could make that’, you have a business idea on your hands!

Covid-19 has also put the focus on locally made products, and people are realizing the value of supporting local businesses. Handmade items also tend to have more soul and love in them than those mass manufactured in a factory – not to mention that they’re often better quality.

There is nothing you can’t sell when it comes to handmade products. Jewelry, toys, stationery, bags – you can make just about anything and sell it. You can either have a tie-up with a physical store or sell at craft fairs or flea markets. When it comes to selling online, there are many ways – you can either set up a store at Shopify or Etsy, or just create a new page on Instagram or Facebook for free. In this case, make sure to take good pictures and write detailed product descriptions.

12. Boutique

What you’ll need: Sewing machine and sewing supplies, Basic sewing and cutting skills, laptop/computer with internet connection (to sell online), a good camera (to sell online)

If you’re good with a sewing machine, you have an in-built income source right there! A home based boutique is an excellent way to earn more while doing something you love. If you have a natural flair for fashion and style – even better!

You’ve probably noticed many people taking out their sewing machines to stitch face masks to deal with the pandemic. You can start out with making clothes based on a customer’s specifications, or you can make your own designs and sell them online. You can also make home furnishings like cushion covers, table runners, aprons and the like.

You can also consider specializing in certain areas, like dresses for girls, or wedding trousseaus. Initially, a part of a room will suffice, but once you grow, you’ll need to setup your own studio for your boutique.

13. Child Care

What you’ll need: Enough child-proofed space with security and bathroom, valid government license, assistant(s)

If you have enough space or large rooms in your house, you can set up your very own daycare center! As parents go back to work post Covid-19, daycare centers will become operational again, and that’s your chance to join. However, this is an area that requires a lot of thought and care, so you need to be prepared for it.

Go through the national guidelines as well as the guidelines specified by your state government to know the legal requirements for setting up a daycare center. The National Resource Centre for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education has some information about this. You may need to go through inspections, attend child care classes and get a completion certificate.

You’ll also need to ensure enough space for a certain number of children, reliable support staff and a well secured environment. Child care is not easy, so you need to be active, fit and healthy to be able to care for very small children.

14. Books and eBooks

What you’ll need: A laptop or computer, fluency in the language you’re writing in

Always wanted to write that bestseller? Or have you always wished there was a book on a particular topic? Now’s the time to make that book happen! People often have a lot to share in a book, but the amount of work involved puts them off from the start.

However, writing a little every day will eventually add up, and you’ll have a completed book in your hands. You can write fiction or non-fiction and there are many genres in both categories. You can write about mythology, healthy eating, time management, or a collection of folk tales from your area.

Whatever topic you choose, you have to be very good in the language you’re writing in – no compromise on that. You may have to edit and re-do sections of your book before it is finished, but once it’s published, you’ll have a good passive source of income.

15. Re-Selling

What you’ll need: Anything of value that is in good condition

Wait, haven’t we already talked about selling products and services? Yes, but those were about selling brand new products – now we’re talking about selling second hand products. This is a super easy way to make some money quickly.

If you’ve got a lot of books, good quality children’s clothes and toys, high end designer accessories and clothes or unused appliances, you can sell them for a lower cost and make some money while also getting rid of clutter you wont’ use. However, it is crucial that the things you’re selling are as good as new and clean.

Another way to spin this is to buy beaten up products from others at a very low cost, repair them and beautify them yourself and re-sell at a higher cost. This is called flipping, and it is done for everything from toasters to houses! You can sell your products on Amazon, OLX, eBay or other sites specifically for second hand books or clothes.

If you’re willing to include some outdoor work, here are a couple more options you can try:

Party Planner

Are you the one everyone calls when there’s a party to be planned? Turn that talent into money, by becoming a professional party planner! Themed parties are getting bigger and bigger, and once the pandemic goes away, people are going to be throwing parties and get-togethers left, right and center!

You’ll need to have a team for this – a single person will not be enough. You need to be in line with the trends, but you can easily get loads of ideas online. You can make your own decorations or source them from wholesalers. You will also need to have reliable people  the food and other logistics from.

Travel Planner

If you love spending time planning your dream vacation and looking up prices of flights and hotels, this is the job for you. You can tie up with an existing travel agency or start one up yourself.

A big part of this job is research and you should know the places to get good deals. With travel severely restricted now, there is likely to be a surge when things settle down, and people would rather have someone handle all the details and travel stress-free.

Whatever you do, make sure it is of the highest quality, whether it is a product or service you offer. When starting out, most of us don’t have advertising or marketing budgets, so word of mouth is our only kind of recommendation. For this to happen, your product or service has to be top notch. Do a bit of research before starting out, but don’t get intimidated by it. Continue to learn and you’ll automatically get better at what you’re doing and before you know it, you’re an expert in your field!