Businesses are slowly coming back after months of being closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last spring, at least 6.5 million Americans filed for unemployment in what is seen as one of the highest jobless rates in recent U.S. history. In the first week of September 2020, another 857,000 employees lost their jobs.

Some economists already predict a “prolonged and shallow recovery,” which means that belt-tightening must continue and growth in the economy will be very minimal. Given this scenario, what can people do to stay afloat and keep their finances stable? Are there options available for those who already lost their jobs and those who are still at work but need extra income? Continue reading to learn what opportunities are available to those who are ready to make money online. 

Online Reselling of Food and Other Consumer Products

There are multiple ways of making money online, some take more time and effort while others offer big rewards that come with great risks. For those who have a very conservative risk profile, reselling of food products and other consumer items online is a simple but effective way to make money using the internet.

One of the most common ways to sell online is to offer food since it is an essential human need. If you have a talent for baking cakes or making pasta, capitalize on your culinary skills to meet this need. In some places in the U.S., people still have limited mobility due to public health restrictions.

Some cannot easily venture out to supermarkets or restaurants due to their apprehensions about potential viral infections. Many restaurants have already shifted their focus on food deliveries, but they cannot meet the huge demand. If you live in the city, there is a market for good, quality yet affordable delivery food. By making your own brand of artisanal meals, you can do the community a much-needed service and earn from it, at the same time.

Another idea is to sell old books and other stuff online via Amazon. Rummage through your home and garage to see all items that are still in good condition and can be sold online. Aside from books, other items that have many online buyers include electronics, sports equipment, and car accessories. While this may not be a long-term option, liquidating all unused items in your home is a good way to monetize things that you would have simply thrown away with the trash. The basic Amazon Seller account does not have a monthly subscription but the company charges 99 cents for each item sold.

People are also looking for old and new gaming CPU towers and other consoles. About 17 percent of all video games sold in the United States today are still in physical form while the rest are the downloadable digital formats. By working on the niche of gamers who prefer to go on budget by buying second hand items, selling old consoles is still an opportunity worth looking into. There is also a special niche of gamers who prefer custom-assembled gaming set-ups and are willing to pay the price as long as they get the right specifications on the components they want.

Online Tutorials

For those who are not into selling products, why not offer a valued service instead? If you have talent or skill that others would like to pay for and learn, why not offer online tutorial services? This opportunity is for anyone who has real talent in playing a musical instrument, sport, or even an academic subject.

For example, if you can teach how to play piano, guitar, or the violin, you can join a music academy and be one of their salaried online teachers. If you want to set-up your own academy, the first step is to have a video recording of a series of lessons. Upload a view samples on Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram. The key is to generate online interest in what you offer. If you have the budget for it, go for a sponsored page on Facebook so you can get more views which would likely result in inquiries and sign-ups. After the marketing phase, schedule specific times when you can hold online classes via Zoom or any other audio-video streaming app.

Those with sports skills can also do online coaching by developing a specific curriculum and having appropriate pricing for beginners and advanced students. You can either record each session or offer it as a live coaching program. Eventually, you will build up an entire video library for your specific sports course. The level-up business is to offer memberships on your own sports coaching website where students can access the tutorial videos as long as they are subscribed. 

Of course, academic tutors will be greatly in demand as many students shift to online schooling due to health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many parents would be interested to hire an additional tutor since most learning management systems (LMS) are one-way except for the live interactions with teachers online. There are many school children who will still need tutors for traditionally difficult subjects like mathematics and science.

Making a Living Online

Earning one’s keep using the internet is definitely possible and many have successfully transitioned to online careers. There are many other online opportunities such as being a virtual assistant or a home-based sales agent. One only needs to remain open to change and have the willingness to try out new ways of making money. With millions of opportunities for work or business online, no one needs to stay unemployed for long. Financial stability and career success can literally be found using the tips of our fingers. 

Meta title: Beating Unemployment by Exploring Online Opportunities

Meta description: Learn why going online is a viable alternative to finding a job. There are many online businesses and employment opportunities waiting to be discovered.