Legitimate Ways to Make Money Online

I work from home full time. It has literally been years since I've clocked into a day to day job and I've come to the point where it's increasingly hard for me to remember waking up at 4:20AM because the boss wants an extra hour of overtime. I try not to brag and I'm certainly not rich but I realize that I definitely am fortunate.

I'm not a guru and I'm not selling a get-rich-quick scheme or an e-book. The purpose of this article is to make you aware of simple, tried and true methods being used to make a living online.

First Things First...Beware of Work From Home Scams

The amount of pure nonsense I had to go through to find valid ways to make money online while working from home was totally unbelievable. Unfortunately, one of the darker ways to cash in on the internet is to dupe people with false promises and information. That being said, the internet really is a place bursting with oppurtunity...so on we go!

Freelancing From Home

This is the real deal and almost any kind of profession has potential to work here. Freelance internet work is the new tele-commute. I manage all my taxes and expenses, line up my own benefits and clients and deal with merchant fees and other interesting aspects of being a freelance contractor.

Any type of programming, design or usability experience is easy to convert to the freelance lifestyle. Writing, data entry and many other jobs are out there to be had as well.

A few things to remember about freelancing...

Don't pay for jobs(Data entry, Secret Shopper, Etc Etc) as it's a good chance you're giving your money away unless it's a reputable freelance job network.Â There are real jobs out there. Don't fall for the wiles of some black-hat marketer.
Start freelancing on the side. If you jump right in you may find yourself short on bills and stressed out.
Keep your monthly overhead as low as possible. You don't want to get surprised on a weak month.
Save up a nest egg for emergencies. Once again, you may have "one of those months".
Make sure to allow for needed benefits and taxes. Don't get into tax trouble and don't rip your arm off on accident without medical insurance.

Best Ways to Find Freelance Jobs Online

Craigslist has always been a good source of freelance work, both on and offline. Check out their gigs section for your locality and list your quality services in the services section(no spam please!). There is alot of scamming happening there as well so please be honest and make sure you don't get taken. Scope creepers and non-paying people abound so pick your business carefully and make sure you really do know what you're doing.

Any of the popular freelance networks are good as well. Bids can be very competitive so be ready to work for prices that may be lower than what you're used to. If you're into writing then there are several good places that specialize in copyrighting.

Never under estimate the value of building a network of friends and associates online. Peoples lives mesh more and more with the internet. The "online community" is full of people with websites and things that need done by various types of professionals.