5 Ways to Make Money Online From Home

By Constance Gustke Bankrate.com

It pays to cast your financial net online, where possibilities abound.

Monetizing your expertise -- whether in social networking or transcribing -- is one way to make money while sitting at your computer at home. But others also are popping up, such as taking online surveys or even predicting election results.

The good part: You don't have to pay a dime. And with some sites, you can start to make money online immediately. Most of these gigs are small, steady streams of cash. But they can add up to steady earnings over time.


To avoid scams, forget unknown or untested sites with big promises. "Find out if the site is legitimate," says Nick Mokey, associate editor of DigitalTrends.com. "How long has it been around? And what are they asking you to do?"

Also, keep a clock running so you can maximize your income without wasting your time. Follow these rules, and you'll find the Internet awash in moneymaking opportunities.

Pitch products online

Pitching other people's products is one of the Internet's best-paying gigs.

One method is being an affiliate at a mega-site such as Amazon.com, where commissions are up to 25 percent. Anytime anyone buys a product you're pitching, you get a cut. And you can choose from more than a million products, including gift cards or computers.

At ClickBank, commissions are even higher -- up to 75 percent -- and there are more than 50,000 products to choose from. Signing up is free.