Unexpected job loss can be traumatic. If you were laid off or furloughed because of the coronavirus outbreak, money might be tight. You may need to make some difficult decisions as you navigate paying bills and putting food on the table during financial uncertainty.
After you assess your current financial situation, prioritizing and eliminating non-essential expenses, and creating a new workable budget, its time to look at alternative income sources to help you get through these tough times until the economy recovers. Here are eleven ways to earn money in the COVID-19 work environment.
1. Explore Remote Job Openings at Major Employers
In addition to the 24% of small businesses that have shut down, over 90 major retailers in the US have closed their doors.
But don’t let that discourage you. The pandemic has opened up new remote job opportunities in some industries. Check the job boards on sites like Flexjobs for remote job listings.
Recent remote job posts included:
-
- Marketing Director
- Systems Engineer
- Public Relations Manager
- Customer Service Representative
- RN MDS Registered Nurse Coordinator
- Telehealth Triage Nurse
2. Be an Online Tutor
With states issuing stay at home orders, school districts across the country have transitioned to at-home learning.
Parents are facing many challenges as they struggle to take on the role of a teacher. As a result, online tutors across a wide range of subjects, including English, Biology, History, Calculus, Computer Science, and hundreds more, are in high demand.
Work with students in Middle or High school, College, and even in the Professional marketplace.
Visit sites like VIPKid, TutorMe, Chegg, Varsity Tutors, and Smarthinking to learn more.
3. Rent Out Your RV
Not everyone owns an RV, so this tip might not apply to you. But if you do, you can use it to make extra money during the pandemic.
Medical staff and essential workers need places to stay that allow them to self-isolate away from their families. RVs have become a popular solution, and you could rent yours to a First Responder or medical professional. Visit RVs 4 MDs Facebook Group to learn more.
Visit sites like RVshare to determine how much you could potentially earn by renting out your RV.
4. Design and Sell T-shirts and Other Custom Apparel
If you have a knack for coming up with memorable quotes or designs, put your ideas on a t-shirt. The best part is you don’t have to manage an inventory or do any of the shipping.
Create an account with a dropshipping site like Printful, Print Aura, or Merchify to simplify your t-shirt and custom apparel business.
5. Explore Gig Websites
The gig economy has opened up enormous opportunities for freelancers. Sites like Upwork, Guru, and FlexJobs typically list hundreds of tasks you can complete from home to earn extra money.
Some top gigs include copywriting, proofreading, coding, social media management, graphic design, SEO consultant, transcriber, or editing videos.
You could also be a virtual assistant. Businesses hire virtual assistants to help with inbox management, appointment scheduling, social media management, and customer service.
6. Be a Personal Shopper or Deliver Food
The stay at home orders has increased the need for personal shoppers. Shipt and Instacart are hiring new shoppers to meet demand.
Restaurant and fast food delivery services are also hiring hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide, including Grubhub, Uber Eats, and DoorDash.
As a personal shopper or food delivery driver, you set your schedule and get paid quickly.
7. Get Paid to Be a Handyman
Service and repair businesses are running with skeleton crews. With limited availability, scheduling an appointment is more difficult.
If you have handyman skills, it’s a great time to jump in and turn your skills into cash. You could offer home repair help for:
-
- Door installation
- Drywall repair
- Yard maintenance
- Fixing a leaky faucet
- Unclogging a drain
- Replacing screen windows
Here is an excellent article on How to Start a Handyman Business.
You can advertise your services on sites like Thumbtack, Angie’s List, and HomeAdvisor.
8. Sell Your Unique Handcrafted Items Online
If you love to craft or sew, open an online store with Etsy or Shopify, which both give you easy to use platforms to sell your creations.
But you don’t have to be crafty to open an online store. You could make extra money selling craft supplies, raw materials, and vintage goods. Printables, such as planners, budget worksheets, and children’s birthday party invitations, can also do very well.
9. Narrate Audio Books
Audiobooks are a rapidly growing market for authors and publishers, and as a result, the demand for freelance narrators continues to grow.
If you have a great voice and some acting talent, this may be for you.
Visit sites like acx.com, Fiverr, Freelancer.
Here is a helpful article on how to become an audiobook narrator.
10. Get Paid to Search the Web
Many of us search the web throughout the day for one thing or another. Why not get paid for doing so? Become a freelance researcher at Wonder Researcher, where you can choose from a wide variety of research request types such as researching products or service offerings, gather statistics, competitor studies, and more. You can also sign up for Swagbucks or InboxDollars and get paid for every day online and offline activities like watching TV, taking surveys, watching videos, reading emails, and even playing games.
11. Get Paid to Edit Podcasts
Podcasts are a popular source of information and entertainment. In 2019, there were over 86 million podcast listeners in the US, and that number is expected to grow. Someone has to edit all of those audio files.
The best podcasters earn up to $1,000 or more each month for editing a weekly podcast. There’s little startup cost, too. Many use Audacity, which is a free audio editing software.
If you lost your job, replacing your income might be a top concern. But keep in mind that your mental health is essential.
During this unprecedented time, it’s okay to take a break to regroup. Being unemployed is always stressful. Give yourself time to process what happened. Then explore these income ideas to ease some financial stress.
You must be logged in to post a comment.