How To Use A Laptop To Make Money
zenvatech
Would you like to know how to use a laptop to make money? Fortunately, there are lots of methods to earn money using a laptop!
Would you like to know how to use a laptop to make money?
Fortunately, there are lots of methods to earn money using a laptop!
For many years now, I have been generating money only from my laptop. I have a flexible schedule, no commute, the ability to work from home, and more.
Being able to work from a laptop is fantastic (it’s the finest thing ever!).
There are numerous methods to generate money with just a laptop and an internet connection, regardless of whether you’re seeking a full-time career or just some additional money. The opportunities are nearly limitless, ranging from creating an online business to working remotely and freelancing.
Best Ways to Earn Money with a Laptop
Before we start, here’s a quick list of some popular ways to make money using your laptop:
- Blogging: You can start a blog about a topic you enjoy and earn money through advertising, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing. Learn more about how to start a blog in our FREE course.
- Proofreading: If you are an excellent proofreader, selling proofreading services can be a lucrative side hustle. Learn more in this free workshop on how to become a proofreader.
You can answer paid online surveys and provide feedback for companies such as American Consumer Opinion, User Interviews, and Branded Surveys. - Freelancing: entails selling your writing, bookkeeping, graphic design, or other services on platforms such as Upwork or through networking. As a freelancer, you can set your own hours and choose what projects to work on.
The following are the various ways you can make money with a laptop.
Making money from a blog or website.
If you want to learn how to make money with a laptop, my preferred method is to start a blog. This is exactly how I make money using a laptop.
I began Making Sense of Cents in 2011, and since then, my blog has helped me earn over $5,000,000.
I started my blog on a whim to document my own financial journey. When I first started, I had no idea people could make money from blogging or how to create a successful one.
And now it’s my full-time income!
So what is a blog? A blog is content that is published on a website. It usually contains articles similar to what you’re reading now.
You can blog about a topic that you are passionate about or that you are very knowledgeable about. Or simply a topic that you want to learn more about (people enjoy following other people’s firsthand accounts!).
My free How To Start a Blog Course will teach you how to start a blog. Sign up by clicking here.
Bloggers and content creators are two of my favorite business ideas for working online from a laptop.
Virtual assistants
You can make money using your laptop as a virtual assistant by performing administrative tasks for clients online.
Virtual assistants, or VAs, perform administrative assistant duties from the comfort of their own homes or anywhere with internet access.
As a virtual assistant, your responsibilities may include managing social media, formatting and editing content, scheduling appointments or travel, answering emails, and more.
I have previously worked as a virtual assistant and currently employ one. So I understand how helpful they are!
Bookkeeper
Becoming a bookkeeper is an excellent way to make money with your laptop.
Bookkeepers keep financial records, track expenses, and generate financial reports; this job requires meticulous attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
This is a job where you can earn more than $40,000 per year. Furthermore, many types of businesses require bookkeepers, making it an excellent career choice with plenty of opportunities for advancement.
Freelance Writer
Becoming a freelance writer is an excellent way to make money from home using a laptop.
I’ve been a freelance writer for years, working from my laptop. I enjoy being a freelance writer, and many of my friends do as well.
A freelance writer writes for a variety of publications, including websites, blogs, magazines, advertisements, and books.
As a freelance writer, you don’t work for a single company. Instead, you work for yourself, selling your writing services to a variety of clients.
This job can pay you more than $50,000 per year (I have several friends who earn more than $200,000 per year as freelance writers), and there are plenty of opportunities for advancement.
Selling Printables on Etsy
Selling printables is an excellent way to generate passive income using a laptop.
Creating printables on Etsy is a good idea because you only need one digital file for each product. After that, you can resell it as many times as you like.
Printables are items that you can order online and print at home. They can be useful, such as grocery shopping lists or gift tags. You can also find quotes to hang on your walls and patterns to use.
Online tutoring
You can use what you know well in a specific subject to assist students who require extra assistance. This could include assisting with homework, explaining complex concepts, or preparing for exams.
As a tutor, you may spend 30 minutes to an hour teaching a lesson, answering questions online, or working individually with a student via video lesson.
Tutors can earn different amounts depending on the subject they teach and the length of the session. Tutoring in advanced subjects, such as calculus, is typically more lucrative than tutoring in simpler subjects, such as first-grade math. Some tutors make around $20 per hour, while others make more than $100.
Answer paid online surveys
Earning money online has never been easier, and one popular method is to earn extra cash by taking paid online surveys.
Many businesses are looking for feedback from regular people like you, and all you need is a laptop, some free time, and a reliable internet connection.
When I was paying off my student loans, I completed paid online surveys almost daily. I did them before work, at lunch, and after work. Even though these surveys didn’t pay well, they gave me flexibility because I could complete them whenever I had time. And they required no mental effort (they are so simple!).
Joining these surveys is free, and they typically pay between $1 and $3 for each survey you complete.
Here are some survey companies I suggest:
- American Consumer Opinion
- Survey Junkie
- Swagbucks
- InboxDollars
- Branded Surveys
- PrizeRebel
- User Interviews
Transcriptionist
As a transcriptionist, you can earn money using your laptop to convert audio or video files into text documents.
Businesses frequently hire transcriptionists to convert audio and video into text. The clients are diverse, including marketers, authors, filmmakers, academics, speakers, and conferences.
Beginner transcriptionists typically earn around $15 per hour.
Here are some websites where you can start looking for transcription jobs:
- Rev earns an average of $245 per month, with top earners making up to $1,495.
- CrowdSurf provides short transcription tasks, which are ideal for those looking for quick, manageable projects.
- TranscribeMe is an excellent choice for beginners because it offers training and requires only a reliable internet connection and a computer.
Creating and selling online courses
You could design a course on topics such as parenting, woodworking, dog training, guitar, languages, programming, travel, watercolor painting, gardening, calligraphy, and business.
You can make money by sharing your knowledge and teaching online classes. It’s an excellent way to work on your computer. Furthermore, many people prefer to learn online, and websites like Teachable (which I personally use for my two courses) make it simple.
Writing and selling e-books
Writing your own ebook is a way to earn money using your laptop.
Ebooks are electronic books that can be downloaded and read on a variety of devices, including tablets, phones, e-readers, and laptops. They have grown in popularity due to their low cost and ease of availability.
I’ve purchased many e-books over the years, ranging from nonfiction to fiction, so I understand how valuable they are. I’ve also been thinking about writing my own e-book!
Developing software
If you’re a software developer, you could start out by freelancing because many businesses and individuals require skilled developers to create new software or modify existing systems. Websites such as Upwork, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour have jobs that match your skills, and you can demonstrate your computer skills with a strong portfolio.
You could also create and sell your own software by identifying a problem to solve or a specific group that requires a specific type of software and begin developing it. You don’t have to be an expert coder; you can hire programmers to handle the technical aspects while you come up with creative concepts.
Social media influencer
Becoming a social media influencer can be a fun way to make money using your laptop.
As an influencer, you will promote your brand by sharing your interests, photos, and opinions on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and others.
As a social media influencer, you can earn money through sponsored posts (when brands pay you to promote their products or services in your Instagram posts), affiliate marketing (when you earn commissions on sales made through your referral links), and digital products (when you create e-books or online courses).
Social media manager
Social media managers use a laptop to earn money by managing social media accounts for businesses and individuals.
This includes creating interesting posts, posting regularly, and monitoring and responding to comments and messages. To do well in this job, you should be familiar with various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
To gain clients, begin by offering your services to local businesses, friends, and family. Increase your client base through recommendations, positive reviews, and a strong presence on social media for your own business. You can also look for people in need of social media managers on freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr.
E-commerce and dropshipping
Dropshipping is a business model in which you can make money from your laptop without having to keep inventory or ship products yourself. Instead, you work with suppliers to handle inventory and shipping for you.
Your primary responsibility is to establish an online store and market products to potential customers.
The most important part is choosing products that your target customers will enjoy, so you’ll need to conduct market research to determine what they want.
Some ideas for a dropshipping business are:
- Travel accessories like portable luggage scales, neck pillows, or compact travel organizers.
- Fitness equipment like yoga maps or resistance bands
- Smart home devices and electronics like smart plugs, smart bulbs, or home automation kits
- Sustainable products like reusable utensils, bamboo toothbrushes, tote bags, or eco-friendly cleaning supplies.
- Pet supplies like toys, dog food, or bathing items
- Home office supplies like ergonomic chairs, desk accessories, or home office decor
And so much more!
Sell Canva templates
Canva templates are pre-designed templates for social media graphics, presentations, ebooks, and printables that individuals and businesses can purchase to make their lives easier.
I’ve bought Canva templates several times in the past, and they’re extremely useful as a business owner. I like how I can buy the exact template I need rather than spending days, weeks, or months trying to design something (especially since I am not a good designer!).
You can sell and earn money by designing Canva templates from the comfort of your own home, without having to send anything in the mail. You only need to create the templates once and can resell them as many times as you want.
Investing and trading stocks online
Having a laptop allows you to make money in a variety of ways, including investing and trading stocks online.
With online brokerages, trading platforms, and stock apps, you can easily enter the stock market from your laptop.
Important note: This type of investing is not a quick way to become wealthy. Short-term stock market trading may not be profitable for everyone, and it differs from long-term investing. There is a high risk of losing money, so I recommend doing more research on your own because stock trading is risky.
Start a YouTube channel
Starting a YouTube channel allows you to make money with a laptop as well.
You can start a YouTube channel about a variety of topics, including finance, home, travel, toys, pets, and much more. Nowadays, there is a YouTube channel for almost everything, and there is always room for more!
You can include affiliate links in your YouTube videos, make money from advertisements, receive brand sponsorship, and even sell products in your videos.
Create videos that entertain, educate, or inform viewers in order to monetize your YouTube channel. Try to get as many views as possible, because in most cases, more views equals more money.
Host webinars
Webinars are similar to online classes or workshops on specific topics (see list below for some examples). If you’re an expert in a particular field, you can record a webinar and charge people to attend or sell products and services related to the subject matter during the webinar.
I’ve purchased a number of webinars over the years, and I enjoy how they condense a lot of information into just 30 or 60 minutes. This way, I can learn everything I need in a short period of time.
I know many other people enjoy webinars for the same reason.
You could sell a webinar about the following topics:
- Financial planning for beginners – You could teach budgeting, saving strategies, how to start investing, and more.
- Social media strategies for small businesses – You could share techniques to help businesses grow their online presence, such as tips for TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and more.
- How to find remote jobs – You could talk about different remote jobs and how to find them.
And so much more.
Travel agent
As a travel agent, you can earn money with only your laptop.
People frequently use travel agents to help them plan their vacations.
Whether you work for a travel agency or start your own business, you will book travel for clients, including airline tickets, rental car reservations, and hotel accommodations.
As a travel agent, your job is to help people plan their vacations. You assist them in deciding where to go, organizing the trip details, and handling all of their travel bookings.
This can also be a full- or part-time job!
Gaming and Twitch streaming
If you enjoy playing video games, one of the best ways to make money is to stream them on Twitch.
Twitch is a website where you can make money by playing video games, chatting online via live stream, and more.
You can earn money on Twitch in a variety of ways, including paid subscriptions, displaying advertisements, selling merchandise such as T-shirts and mugs, and more.
Some Twitch streamers are very successful, earning hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per year. However, it is important to note that most streamers do not make much money.
Sell stock photos online
If you enjoy taking pictures with your camera or phone, you can make money by selling them on websites like Shutterstock, Getty Images, or Adobe Stock.
People buy stock images for a variety of reasons, including using them on their websites, articles, blog posts, and social media. I buy stock images because they can make a blog post more interesting to read. This blog post includes some stock images (all of which I purchased online).
Many different types of pictures can be sold, including travel, business, people, food, animals, health, fashion, sports, and more.
For example, if I write a blog post about how to make money with a laptop, I’ll purchase a stock photo of a laptop that I like. Or, if I need a picture of something related to making money and traveling, I’ll look for a vacation photo to include in my blog post.
Sell print on demand
Using print-on-demand (POD) is an excellent way to earn money with your laptop. POD allows you to sell personalized products without keeping an inventory of items.
To begin your print-on-demand (POD) journey, select a fulfillment partner, such as Printify, Printful, or Sellfy. These platforms handle printing, shipping, and customer service for your products. This allows you to focus on creating attractive and unique designs.
Then, decide which products you want to sell, such as T-shirts, hoodies, posters, or phone cases.
Book reviewer
As a book reviewer, you can make money by working from home and writing reviews about books you’ve read.
Some websites pay you to review books. The payment method varies, but you usually receive cash via PayPal or bank transfer. In some cases, you may also be offered a free book in exchange for your review.
Here are a few websites that pay you to review books:
- At Online Book Club, you’ll receive a free book for your first review. After that, you can earn money for reviewing books, and you’ll still get free books. They pay you approximately $5 to $60 for each book review.
- At Kirkus, they’re seeking reviewers for both English and Spanish books. Your reviews should be around 350 words, and they should be submitted two weeks after you get assigned a book.
- Booklist is a website that pays for reviews, and they prefer them to be about 150 to 175 words. Your review should cover the plot, suggest the target audience, and more. Booklist pays $15 for each published book review.
Data Entry
Data entry clerks are responsible for entering, updating, and verifying information in databases and spreadsheets. They enter information such as numbers and names into computers to keep organized and accurate records.
Jobs in data entry typically pay between $15 and $20 per hour.
Manage Facebook ads for small businesses
You can make a living using Facebook on your laptop. By using Facebook advertising, you can assist businesses in reaching more people and expanding their presence.
In the past year, business owners spent over $80 million per day on Facebook ads. This figure is expected to rise further, establishing Facebook as one of the largest advertising platforms.
Small and large businesses alike frequently require assistance with Facebook ads, which can be both tedious and time-consuming.
I know a lot of people who hire Facebook Ads experts to handle their advertising. It’s a popular service with high demand right now.
How To Make Money With A Laptop – Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on how to make money using a laptop and the internet.
There are many full-time jobs or side gigs that may interest you, including becoming an affiliate marketer, a virtual assistant, starting an online course, opening an Etsy shop, selling photography, or something else.
I’ve been working from my laptop for years and highly recommend it. I can work from anywhere and set my own schedule. Also, there is no commute!
What is your favorite way to make money using a laptop?
