More Ideas for earning money online with your computer

Here are some more great ideas for online money making using your computer. Some of them are things that you can carry out entirely online and some can involve an element of 'off line' work.

Franchisee

If you want to avoid some of the pitfalls of setting up a home business, then it's worth taking a look at some of the franchises which are available. Basically when you buy a franchise, you buy a proven business model and the rights to use it. In return for your investment, the franchisor gives you training, support and the benefit of their business experience. There are a variety of computer related franchises which are suitable for both part-time and full-time home-workers:

Hardware installation, tech support and repair for domestic and small business users - you don't even need to be a geek! - packages can include training and technical support helplines so even if you hit a problem you can't solve while you're at a customers help is just a phone call away.

Web Design - Franchises for web design tend to work around the franchisee acting as the salesperson rather than the designer. You visit local businesses and sell them a web site which you then pass on to the franchisors design team to implement. Depending on the package, your customers can then update the site themselves or will need to contact you for updates. It's a useful way of getting into web design if you don't have the know-how to make sites yourself but look carefully at what the franchise fee gets you. Might it be worth looking for a local web designer you could work with or even acquiring the skills yourself rather than invest in someone elses?

Franchises involving web marketing and SEO (search engine optimization) services are available as an adjunct to web design or as stand-alone packages. Essentially you're promoting ways to get visitors to the website either via search results or paid-for advertising. Again, the franchisee's part generally involves the sale of these services with the fullfillment being carried out by a back-office team at franchise HQ.

Directories and Local sites - Essentially an online version of the local business phone directory, this business model has proved to be popular to franchise. You approach local businesses and sell them an entry in the online directory. This can range from a paragraph with a phone number right through to a fully functional website and there are opportunities to upsell to stand-alone websites, e-commerce packages etc.

The local site works on the same principle - your franchise fee buys you a site covering an exclusive area with content supplied by head office. Your income comes from selling advertising and directory listings. Look at the results that franchisees in other areas have achieved, how many advertisers are there on the site? Why would someone want to list on a local directory instaed of a popular national one?

See our buying a franchise page for more details about buying a franchise..

Graphic design

If you have an artistic bent, graphic design is a good way of earning some cash with your computer although it can be difficult to get into if you haven't had experience in this area. Many designers combine on and off-line work and also offer design-to-print services - essentially the graphic designer also takes on the role of project manager, taking the customer's requirements through from initial concept or brief through to the finished article - brochure, menu website or whatever.

Your customers are likely to be small and medium businesses and start-ups. You'll need a top-notch website and good relationships with printers and web-designers (if you don't do this yourself). Don't forget to promote any areas of expertise you have such as working in other languages or specialising in corporate makeovers or logos.

Homeshoring

Increasingly popular in the UK, homeshoring or homesourcing is a good way of earning with your computer working for someone else at home.

Essentially, you act as a work-at-home callcentre operative taking calls and dealing with enquiries. The work can be inbound and outbound and can involve sales, customer service or technical support. It usually requires a short training course which can be web or phone based, a computer with broadband connection, and a telephone/VOIP with headset. You'll usually need to commit to a minimum number of hours (15+ per week) and some firms require you to have a separate dedicated land line and/or a home office.

Find out more: Arise UK | Hirepoint (external site - opens in new window)

Mail order and eBay

eBay has made buying and selling almost anything easier than ever and millions of users around the world make extra cash by trading. It's easy to get started and offers some protection from scammers.

You'll need to open an eBay account and also a paypal account so you can receive payments. If you've never used eBay before, it's probably best to try buying a couple of low-cost things first so you get the feel of how it works.

Your first sale items should ideally be low value as well as there are a lot of scammers out there and it doesn't hurt to start off cautiously. Check out the buyer/seller's star rating and never deal direct as you lose the security benefits of eBay/paypal if you do.

If you can't think what to sell, just browse the categories untill something springs to mind and then go for it! For more ideas, there are hundreds of books and websites which tell you how you can get rich on eBay.

Some users buy goods in wholesale lots on or offline and sell them on and many buy in car boot sales, charity shops and jumble sales with a view to selling on.

Some people have gone on to run big online stores which make them thousands a month but most users are happy to do a little buying and selling and earn a useful spare time income. If you incorporate trading on eBay with an existing interest or hobby, it can be an enjoyable way of making extra cash.

How to buy and sell on eBay (external site - opens in new window)

Online tutor

Tutoring has traditionally been a popular way for the impecunious graduate or student to make a few extra pounds and with the advent of the web, it's become very easy to tutor over a distance. If you have the necessary skills or qualifications, you can earn money as a tutor without ever moving from the comfort of your own PC.

You can promote your services using sites such as home tutors and communicate with your students using email, phone, skype, live chat or a remote access package. Tutors for 'A' level science subjects and Maths are in particular demand.

Paid surveys and paid to surf

Paid surveys have had some bad press owing to the number of rip-off's that seem to proliferate whenever earning money from home is advertised. You sign up with a survey company and then you are paid points or similar for completing each survey. The type of survey can vary greatly - some may require just a couple of answers and others can be extremely lengthy with many lifestyle questions.

In other examples, you may be sent a particular product which you then have to use for a period and then complete feedback for the manufacturer. You can make money by completing surveys but it's never likely to amount to much more than pocket money. The big caveat is to be very wary if you are asked for any kind of fee up front.

Do your research online before you sign up and certainly before you part with any money. More on paid to surf scams here

Programming

Programming is another skill that's ideally suited to working at home. If you have skills in this area, you can get in touch with potential clients by registering with freelance sites such as project4hire.com You can then bid for work as clients post their requirements on the site.

Although the web has made it easy to work from home as a programmer, the downside is that global access has driven prices down so that you might find yourself bidding against programmers in countries with a much cheaper cost of living than the UK.

Proof-reading

If a misplaced apostrophe is like a red rag to a bull and you regularly cringe at spelling and grammar errors in all kinds of written material, then proof reading could be for you. Pretty much everything that's published is proof-read and corrected so if you have the necessary level of literacy, it can provide a steady income once you have built up a client base. There are loads of on-line and correspondence courses in proof-reading.

Find out more about proof reading from the Society for Editors and Proofreaders. (external site - opens in new window)

More Ideas for making money with your computer

Find out about franchises