With unemployment at record highs, it’s no secret that jobs are hard to come by these days. The good news is you don’t have to let the unemployment rate get you down. If you’re creative, resourceful and willing to leverage technology, you can find new ways to support yourself. Here are five clever ways to put money in your pocket now.
Get Paid to use Twitter
If you are a Twitter user, consider signing up for Sponsored Tweets. They have three simple requirements: Your account must be 60 days old, you must have at least 100 followers and 100 status updates. When you sign up for Sponsored Tweets, the site assigns a value to your tweets based on your follower count and how engaged you are.
So if you have a few hundred followers, you may start off making approximately a dollar per tweet, with a few offers per month. The more followers you have and the more engaged you are, the more offers you receive and the more money you make.
You have complete control over the offers you promote, which are based on the category and key words you enter on your profile. Each offer you receive has to be approved by you before the tweet goes out.
Become an Online Juror
If you like watching court TV, why not try your hand at being an online juror? Lawyers deciding on whether or not to try a case, use various online tools to research the potential outcome of a case. Sites like eJury.com and OnlineVerdict.com, pay fees ranging from $10 to $60 to home-based e-jurors, depending on the length of the e-trial.
Make Money as a Website Tester
If you are web savvy and can clearly articulate your online experience navigating various websites, Usertesting.com pays a $10 dollar flat fee for every site you test.
Here are the requirements:
1. You must be at least 18 years old.
2. You must have a computer running Windows XP or higher and a broadband Internet connection. You can record your voice with a microphone or by telephone.
3. Fill out a one-page form with your demographic information.
4. Complete an evaluation by downloading and running their software to record your screen and verbal comments as you browse a sample website.
If you pass the evaluation, you are placed in their database and you are eligible to complete web site testing assignments that are posted on their site.
Be a Web Content Provider
If you are a talented and experienced photographer, videographer or writer, check out Seed.com. This is a new company owned by AOL, which operates 80 web sites on a wide variety of topics. It’s easy to get started… You register on their site, complete one of the posted assignments, and if your submission is the best, you are paid between $25 and $75 dollars for each assignment.
Put Your Investigative Skills to Work as Mystery Shopper
Many businesses hire mystery shoppers to help them evaluate and measure how well they serve their customers. You can schedule shop assignments around your work or school schedule and accept as many or as few assignments as you like. One word of caution… Beware of any company that charges a fee for you to become a mystery shopper. For list of reputable companies click here.
More Resources:
The editors of The Rat Race Rebellion, Chris Durst and Michael Haaren, screen dozens of work at home opportunities and post them to their site weekly. The have also co-authored two books: Work at Home Now: The No-nonsense Guide to Finding Your Perfect Home-based Job, Avoiding Scams, and Making a Great Living
Tory Johnson of Good Morning America, is the founder of Women For Hire. Her new book, Will Work from Home: Earn the Cash–Without the Commute
Are you successfully working at home? Share your tips, resources and ideas.
Image credit: Photos8.com, Microsoft
