Twenty-one Ways for Empty Nesters to Make Money Online

Back in the day, if you wanted to make money online, it was tough to find something legitimate. Now, opportunities abound for people like empty nesters who want to contribute to the family income, help put the kids through college, or just make some “fun” money. When my nest emptied, I wanted to do something that would challenge my mind, use my gifts, and hopefully make a difference. Honestly, I also wanted my kids to be proud of me! (Probably silly, I know, but it was important to me!) I ended up starting Empty Nest Blessed, and I love what I do! I’m also grateful for the flexibility of working online, because it means I can work at home. (See pictures of the Empty Nest Blessed International Headquarters — Hahahaha! — in this post.) Today, I’m sharing 21 ways that empty nesters can make money online. Some are more online than others, and some require pre-existing knowledge or skills. One quick note: I wanted to share some fresh, new ideas, so I didn’t include businesses like Etsy or Ebay. 🙂

Make Money Online: NO Special Skills Required

 

1. Project Payday Research

Earn cash by taking online surveys to help companies improve their products and services. If you enjoy taking online surveys, also check out Survey Club.

2. Mechanical Turk

This service, owned by Amazon, is a marketplace for work, enabling individuals and businesses to hire individuals to perform tasks that computers are currently unable to do. These include things like rating search results, determining if a website is suitable for a particular audience, pulling usable information from images, etc. Workers (known as “Turkers”), browse available jobs and complete them in exchange for a monetary payment set by the employer. Tasks don’t pay much, but they also don’t usually take a lot of time.

3. UserTesting

This site hires people to try out websites and make videos providing feedback so companies can test out site designs and effectiveness. You make $10 per test. If you have strong opinions and like to share them, this might be a great opportunity.

4. WeGoLook

This unique customer service company provides an on-demand workforce (translation: you only work where and when you want) that helps businesses and individuals gather and validate information. As a “Looker,” you complete tasks (called “Looks”) requested by customers around the world. There are many types of Looks, but they generally fall into categories like inspections (of vehicles, properties, scenes, etc.); assessments (documenting damage, etc.); document services (notarizations, document signing, etc.); pick up/delivery (item retrieval, courier services, and other custom tasks). Most jobs take only 15-20 minutes to complete, and they train you.

5. TaskRabbit

Find jobs you choose, that fit your schedule, and set your own rates. Real people hire real people to help with tasks like handyman services, cleaning, assembling furniture (thanks to Ikea, this is a job!!!), or personal assisting.

6. Convergys

When you have a question about your electricity bill, and you call customer service, you’re probably talking with a Home Agent like the ones this company hires. If you enjoy customer service and want to work from home, this might be a company to consider. Some of the positions are more sales and tech-based than others. They train you and provide benefits.

7. Arise

Join over 25,000 independent client support professionals who work with large companies that want to outsource their customer service. You can work as a customer service phone rep, as a customer service representative returning emails, online chatting, or tech support.

8. Field Agent

While you can’t quite work from home, I thought this was worth including in this list! In what used to be called “underground shopping,” Field Agents work via an app on their phone to collect photos, video, and information from stores and other locations. Businesses use the information to improve the customer experience. Depending on the assignment, agents can earn up to $12 per task.

9. OnlineVerdict

Be an online juror as a part of a legal focus group, providing feedback on all types and sizes of cases. Jurors provide feedback through an online questionnaire, and each case review takes between 20-60 minutes to complete. Jurors make $20-$60 based on the time the company estimates it will take to review each case and they indicate payment information before each job.

10. MusicXray

If you’re a music fan, get paid to listen to new songs and earn a little extra spending money! Songs arrive in your inbox, and you earn $0.10 for every song you listen to for 30 seconds. It won’t replace your full-time job, but you could potentially earn up to $12 an hour!

Make Money Online: Special Skills Required

11. Homepolish

If you’re an experienced interior designer, or just starting out, Homepolish may be the company for you! They match designers with a network of clients and give them the opportunity to work as independent contractors while offering support and advice. Jobs are available in many major cities.

12. Zeel

If you’re a trained massage therapist, look into Zeal. Massage therapy can be a rewarding field, but starting out and building a list of clients can be tough. Zeel is an app that lets clients connect with massage therapists for same-day massages in their homes. Available therapists receive notifications when someone nearby wants an appointment and therapists make a 75% cut of each payment. Zeel vets clients for safety and allows therapists to rate clients so problematic ones get weeded out. The service is available in over 50 cities nationwide.

13. SpeakWrite

If you’re a fast typist, look into this online transcription company. They hire independent contractors who set their own hours and work from home. Typists typically earn about $300 per month, although their top earners make upwards of $3000. You must pass a typing test for speed and accuracy and be proficient in Microsoft Word.

14. Stock Photography

If you’re good with a camera and have a knack for styling great photos, turn your skills into income by listing your images on sites like Shutterstock, and Adobe Stock or apps like Foap. When customers purchase the right to use your work,  you get a royalty. Sellable stock photos should be professionally shot and edited and may require certain file formats, so be sure to review the companies requirements before uploading images.

15. Society6

If you’re an artist or designer, you can upload your original work to Society6, which prints the images on a variety of products from tees to pillows and iPhone cases. It operates a little like Etsy, but they handle all of the fulfillment, so as an artist or designer, you don’t have to create or ship the products yourself.

16. Fiverr

If you have a skill or product to offer, you can offer it on this freelance platform. The catch? Every job (they call them “gigs”) costs $5. You can offer any service you wish as long as it’s legal and complies with their terms. You can offer your services however you choose. For example, if you want to sell your artwork for $5 each, that’s a gig. If you’re a graphic designer and you want to offer your design services for $10/hour, you would offer a 30-minute gig. If they need two hours of graphic design, they pay you $20, or $10/hour by buying four gigs. Skills might include things like voiceover, music, graphic design, etc. They have a list of over 100 categories to browse to get ideas.

17. Leapforce

Leap Force is one way that Google rates websites for search engine ranking. If you’re hired, you make decent money (usually $11+/hour), set your own schedule, and you will view and rank websites. Ideal candidates are self-motivated and internet savvy, have a broad range of interests and enjoy online research and evaluation. Before starting, you must take and pass a three-part qualification exam. which tests your theoretical and practical comprehension of search engine evaluation.

18. BrainMass

If you have a graduate degree or higher, turn that knowledge into cash by becoming an online teaching assistant. Here’s how it works: Students purchase credits to have questions answered, and as a teaching assistant, you’re paid a portion of the credit after you give a response. (The portion increases after you’ve given ten responses.) You can also publish your existing knowledge in eBooks and turn your teaching experience into video form.

19. AccountingDepartment.com

Are you a bookkeeper with 2+ years of experience or a CPA/Controller with 5+ years of experience? This company provides outsourced accounting services to businesses nationwide, and you can work from home.

20. Chegg Tutors

As an online tutor, you virtually connect with students and teach them right from home, whenever it’s convenient for you. Tutors are needed for high schoolers, college students, and even professionals. Payment starts at $20/hour, and Chegg handles the billing. If tutoring appeals to you, another good online service to check out is HomeworkTutoring.com.

21. Wahve

If you’ve got knowledge in the fields of insurance and accounting, this company may allow you an opportunity to extend your career via consulting, while allowing you to retire from your full-time job. They seek out “vintage experts” (read that: “older workers”) to meet their staffing needs. You negotiate your hourly rate.

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Have you made money by working part-time since your kids left home? I’d love to hear about it! Leave me a comment and tell me about your business, okay?

This post is the fifth in an occasional series about ways that empty nesters can make or save money in the empty nest. Click the links below to read any of the other posts:

Wanna Work? Part-time Job Ideas for Empty Nesters

Seven Smart Ways to Save Money in the Empty Nest

How to Generate Income in the Empty Nest

The Business of Blogging: A Look Behind the Scenes

Blessings,

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