In today’s time-strapped world, weekends offer a little free time to enjoy your life. But for many of us, it can also be used as a way to get ahead financially.

There are countless stories of people who have gotten out of debt by using the money they earned on the weekends and in their free time.

Luckily, everyone has the skills to make some extra cash in their spare time – as long as you’re willing to work for it.
Below, we outline some of the best ways to make some extra cash on the weekends and in your free time – ranging from very casual work to things that you can become more intensely engaged in.

1. Rate Music

If you love listening to music and consider yourself a connoisseur, you can make money while listening by reviewing music on sites like SliceThePie.
A great way to make some money while doing something you truly enjoy (or don’t, depending on what you find).

2. Become a Mystery Shopper

There are many apps and tools you can use that will allow you to work as a “mystery shopper.”
Consider using apps like EasyShift, WeReward and Field Agent – which allow you to pick up small tasks such as taking pictures, or answering a few questions on an establishment in your area and you can make a few dollars per task.
Tasks are assigned by retailers and other businesses conducting research, and this can be a great way to make some extra cash by completing very simple tasks.

3. Make Money While You run Errands

Busy people sometimes need help with simple tasks.
TaskRabbit is an app and website that allows you to browse for tasks and chores available in your area and complete them for cash.
Tasks available can range from waiting in line to get tickets to an event, to picking up packages, to assembling furniture.
If you have free time and skills, odds are you can make some extra money easily by joining TaskRabbit’s group of pre-approved workers.

4. Sell Your Strange Talents

If you have a strange skill or a job you can do very quickly, consider selling it online.
Sites like Fiverr allow users to sell things such as jokes, voiceovers, creepy stories, or cover letters to users.
If you have a unique or creative skill, you can make a lot of money by completing short, easy, and often entertaining tasks at $5 per task.

5. Be Neighborly

Chances are, you might have the skills and tools needed to make money in your neighbourhood.
Consider raking leaves, shovelling snow, or cutting grass for a fee. If you know how to fix computers, set up routers, or help with any general household handy-work, you can make a lot through word of mouth.
This can be a great way to foster a relationship with your community, and to make money casually and locally in cash.

6. Make Money from Your Car

If you have a car and some free time, you can easy make some extra money by providing ride sharing, car sharing, and taxi-like services in your free time.
Services like ZimRide allow you to sell seats in your car for trips you are already planning for up to $25.
Relay Rides allows you to rent our your car by the day or hour (and provides insurance coverage for your car).
Apps like Uber allow you to use your car as a taxi in your free time.

7. Return to Babysitting

Almost everyone has been a babysitter at one point or another, but many people forget that child care is a part-time option.
Older candidates with complementary skills such as First Aid and CPR certification, nutritional backgrounds, or Early Childhood Education certificates can make quite a bit of money providing child care on the side.
Try using websites such as SitterCity and Care.com to see if there is a demand in your area.
Generally, you can charge at least $15 per hour per child, and can make more depending on your age and experience (SitterCity provides a rate Calculator that might help you determine what to charge).
You can also try local postings, and speaking to your coworkers, family and friends to find babysitting opportunities.

8. Become a Tutor

Any skill that you have is a skill that you can put to use in tutoring others.
Some skills are more lucrative and in-demand than others, and depending on what you are teaching, you may be able to earn $50 an hour or more teaching in your own home or visiting students.
To get started, determine what you would most like to teach, consider the rates you would like to charge, and start spreading the word.
You can use Facebook, Twitter, and sites such as Tutor.com, the Princeton Review, and Kaplan to connect with students.
But you can also go the old-fashioned route and use fliers, word of mouth, and contact with local schools to find pupils.

9. Take Surveys Online

If you spend a lot of your free time online, you may be interested in taking paid online surveys to make some extra money.
Websites like SurveySpot and PineCone Research allow you to fill out a profile, and begin filling in paid surveys from home.
Focus Groups can be another great way to make some sporadic cash, but sometimes require that you participate in person (try FindFocusGroups.com to connect with these opportunities).

10. Collect and Sell Scrap

Collecting and selling scrap metals and materials can be a really great way to make money through scrap yards.
If you have metal or the opportunity to salvage pieces from old equipment, saving it for sale can be a great way to make cash with minimal effort – and as a bonus it allows you to help old parts be recycled!

11. Make Money on YouTube

There is a reason that YouTube is one of the most visited sites in the world.
While you may use YouTube mostly for entertainment now, many people have and do use YouTube as an income generating platform.
All it takes is a viral video and you are in!

12. Become a Pet-Sitter

If you love animals, you might want to consider becoming a pet-sitter.
When neighbors, friends, or people you can find online go on vacation, many prefer to have someone home with their pets rather than sending them to a kennel.
If you are an animal lover, the job will come naturally – and sometimes you may be offered house-sitting as part of the job, a lucrative way to take a staycation.

13. Blog

Just having a blog isn’t in and of itself enough to make money.
However, if you have a niche to write about and the willingness to build up your content, you can build a community of followers, build advertisers, and eventually even be paid to produce content.
That is how I was able to take my first blog from zero to over 100K in just about 2 years!
It does take a lot of hard work and dedication, but the good thing is that you can do it on the weekend and in your free time.
Plus, it doesn’t cost much to get started. All you need is a domain name which you can get from sites like NameCheap for less than $10, and a hosting account which you can get from companies like Bluehost for under $5 a month.

14. Sell Some of Your Stuff

We all have things we don’t need.
With so many online options for selling, it is easier than ever to sell these unwanted possessions for cash.
Try selling specific items online, posting them to a board like Craigslist, Etsy, Ebay or Amazon, or hosting a large garage sale.
Anything you can’t sell can always be donated, and with minimal effort, it can be very worth your while to try selling your old things.

15. Rent Out Part of Your House

Renting part of your house is not something everyone can do.
However, if you are fairly comfortable with other people, travel often, spend a lot of time out of your house, or have a basement that you can slightly renovate, you may be able to make some side cash by renting.
You can use sites like Airbnb to make the process safer and easier.
If you live in a city with high demand, you can command a lot of rent for even a single room and shared common space.
If you don’t want a full-time tenant, you might also consider letting people rent house home for occasional travel or business trips.

16. Donate Blood Plasma

Most people know about donating blood plasma, but some don’t realize that you can be paid $20 to $45 dollars for each donation at some clinics.
You will have to provide some information and background to donate blood, but if you are in good health it is something you can do frequently for some spare cash while knowing you are helping others

17. Consider Selling Your Hair

This may sound like a strange idea, but wigs, weaves and extensions made from real human hair are in high demand and actually quite expensive.
If you have hair to spare, consider visiting sites like Hairwork and Online Hair Affair, where you can sell your hair.
You can also sell your hair locally, as well as on eBay and other sites, but be cautious about your buyer and ensure you are paid upfront and well for your hair.

18. Donate Your Eggs or Sperm

Donating eggs or sperm can be a great way to earn a large sum of money.
Sperm donation pays a smaller sum per donation, but is far less invasive.
Egg donations can be worth up to $1500 per donation (a donation is about 10 to 15 eggs), but does require a minor surgical procedure.
While you can make good money, keep in mind that this process involves extensive testing, medical information, and sometimes a bit of patience.

19. Take Stock Photos

If you already love photography, consider licensing or selling your photos for cash.
Flickr users can easily sell images through Getty Images, and you can also provide photos to Shutterstock, iStockphoto, and other stock photo sites to make money.
If your prints are more on the artistic side, you might consider putting some up for sale on Etsy.

20. Sell Your Artwork

If you love to craft, build, or create artwork of any kind, you can make excellent money through sites like Etsy.
People have had success selling everything from knitwear to wedding favours, and the range of demand and what is sold is huge.

21. Do Some Freelance Work

In the age of the Internet, it is easy to forget that sometimes actual people are needed to review and complete certain tasks.
There is a huge amount of work available online, with skill demands ranging from research to typing.
Consider signing up for programs like Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, or ShortTask to find a range of available work.

22. Provide Information and Answer Questions

If you are knowledgeable about a subject and a capable writer, you can be paid to provide thorough, well researched answers to online communities.
Try browsing sites like Just Answer to find opportunities.

23. Write

Quality and fresh content is always in high demand amongst webmaster and online marketers. If you are a skilled writer, you can use sites like Constant Content to write articles on the weekend and get paid.

Final Thoughts

The amount of money you make on the side will depend on what skills you have, and of course on the amount of time and energy you are willing to commit.
Consider your options, how much money you’d like to be making, and how much time you are realistically able to commit to your side project.
With some hard work and creativity, you can use parts of your weekend to make some extra money to help pay a few bills.
If you’re looking to make some extra money in an interesting and productive way, you may want to consider becoming a beta tester for a website called Erli Bird.

Beta testing is just like product testing where you are compensated for testing products. But the main difference here is that with beta testing, the majority of products are digital – video games, apps, software…
Now, I have in the past talked about paid video game testing jobs, but ErliBird is not exclusive to video or computer games. They have beta testing jobs for lots of different kinds of products.

Beta Testing for Erli Bird

Erli Bird is a website that can potentially net you monetary rewards for reviewing or testing products, and providing quality feedback.
Usually, you’ll net around $10 or so per test completed with feedback intact.
That’s not bad at all, is it?
The website generally gets good reviews, too, which is a definite plus-sign.
However, when I went to go investigate the site personally, I found that not all of the testing will actually give a payout.
That makes it a little hard to jump right in, since you’ll often require an invitation to be part of a paid focus group. Not always-always, but often.
You can check the focus group section of the website to see if you can join any right away. If there are none, at least enter your demographic and device information– this can net you some invitations to betas down the line.

How Does a Focus Group Work?

Focus groups are a lot like paid online surveys. But instead of filling out questioners, you normally are invited top a round table (it could be a physical place or virtual) with a dozen or so other participants where you all talk about the product.
And ErliBird uses this system to get feedback from beta testers.
There are other, non-paid betas to do which will allow you to get in on the ground floor of some cool apps and sites… But they aren’t paid, so if you’re only here for the money, you’ll only be needing to look for focus groups (participating on the site is a good way to earn invitations, though!)
You can browse the open groups if you don’t want to wait on an invitation, and you’ll want to check it regularly, since betas open and close all the time!
Giving feedback is almost always easy.
The process is generally simple, a case of “download our product, try it out for a while, and get back to us about it.”
They are just looking for some honest-to-goodness testers here, so all you really need to do is try it out in earnest and give some punctual feedback about the pros and cons.
Being thorough and helpful will net you higher rewards, so don’t bother slacking around if you’re in a focus group!
Giving helpful and detailed feedback will increase your chances of being invited to new betas, so if you do well on your first review, you can expect more on the way.

Getting Paid

Each focus group has a time limitation on it, so after the limit has expired and the beta is over, the beta will close.
After the beta closes, your rewards will be sent out in a few days.
You can earn between $5 to $15 per review, depending on the quality of your feedback.
It will be credited to your Erli Bird account and await transfer to PayPal.
Note: You need a PayPal account to receive your payment!
If you don’t have one, don’t worry, it’s free and they hook right to your bank account. Making one should be easy, and will go a long way in your adventures with making money online.

Qualifications for Joining a Focus Group

There are only a few requirements for joining a focus group, and they’re really simple:
  • Be over 18 and have a PayPal
  • Get an open slot
  • Have the right device for their program (might need Linux, or iOS, etc.)
  • Fit their product demographic / receive an invitation (does not apply to all)
So there’s the full list, which should be easy enough to manage.

Requesting a PayPal Payment

Now about sending out the money you’ve made to your PayPal, it’s as simple as clicking and transferring.
However, you should be aware that transfers less than $15 will cost you a $1 fee.
You can transfer funds over $15 without a fee, 4% fee from PayPal notwithstanding.

Referral System

Though you should know that they do have a referral system.
For some, referral systems are a red-flag, bringing to mind images of pyramid schemes and diminishing returns.
But fear not!
Erli Bird has a very reasonable referral system.
It works this simply: you only need to get one friend to sign up under you.
That’s it, and it doesn’t take any skin off their back to sign up under you. However, you will be given Priority Membership, which grants you several guaranteed invitations to focus groups and gives you a more prestigious-looking profile.
It’s a strong reward for such little work, especially if you compare it to referral systems on other sites.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a little money on the side, and you’d like to help someone else perfect their goals along the way, Erli Bird is definitely worth checking out.
Even if you’re just going to make an account and let it sit there, you still might be invited back to participate in some betas!
I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested.

"Everyday when I wake up I make breakfast for my daughter and drive her to school. I usually work out and run some errands before I head back home to get to "work".
It's hard to even call it "work" though, because all I do is give my opinion on products and web sites and I get paid CASH! Companies need our opinions to make their products better so they can make even more money and will pay very well!
The best part is that ANYONE can take paid surveys. It doesn't matter if you're young or old, man or woman, or what language you speak! You WILL get paid for your opinion!
It's hard to believe how great my life is now because it wasn't always like this..."

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It is not simply a survey that is what you have to offer their own ideas to complete exactly Profile
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I've been taking paid surveys for years now and I know the best ways to get started making money right away even if you have never taken a paid survey before. I will take you by the hand and show you everything you need to do to get started and getting paid today!

Thank you
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It’s an unfortunate truth that sometimes we reach the place in life where our own ways of earning moneysimply aren’t enough.
In times like this, people often turn to requests for charity; Or as you may call it, panhandling.Few people are comfortable considering the idea of panhandling, or requesting assistance, but there are situations which do call for it.
Sometimes people need more money than they can make, and it’s as simple as that.
In the modern age, one does not even need to hit the streets with hat in hand to request money from others.
There are tons of ways to get free money. Even the government has programs where they give you free cash.
But when all else fails, the internet can help.Here we enter the idea of internet charity, or in more polarizing terms, “cyber-panhandling.”
There are millions of people on the internet all day, every day, and some of them are willing to donate to you for just about any reason.
We’ll be talking about two sites here:
  1. Fundly.com
  2. and Begslist.com,
both of which have their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Fundly.com

Fundly is a website that helps people organize and advertise a fundraising cause that is close to them.
It is a fairly large organization, with full Facebook Feed support as well as a streamlined mobile interface.
You might imagine that this is perfect for our intentions here, but it’s important to note that Fundly heavily favors those who have a “legitimate” cause– building a library, supporting the arts, international support.
These things have the highest success rate by far.
It can be personally focused, as well; at time of writing, a cancer survivor’s campaign is on the front page of the website.
It’s not recommended to try to defraud the contributors of the website.
Aside from the obvious moral implications, Fundly is a website which is big on updates and progress– something you’ll be having a hard time managing with a fraudulent campaign.

2. BegsList.com

Begslist is a website on the other side of the spectrum, because it says right in the title what the premise is.
This site is designed with your unabashed intentions in mind, you simply type up your “beg” and put it into a category (To pay rent, to pay for school, etc.)
People see this and decide whether or not they want to donate or not.
The clarity of this website is its big upside.
There are two downsides to complement this, one being that it is called “Begslist.” Your more distrusting donors are going to be turned off by the name alone. It might be a “beg,” but it certainly isn’t good to call it one.
The second downside is that the site layout isn’t as refined as Fundly’s.
Don’t be completely soured by those downsides, though, because it is a site which is operational and perfectly fits our needs.

Other Crowdfunding Sites for Personal Use

There are, of curse, many other crowdfunding sites that cater to people looking to raise money for personal reasons.
Here are a few of the biggest ones:
8. Rally
10. Indiegogo

Why Not Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is probably the first thing you think about when you hear about “crowdfunding.” And it’s true that Kickstarter really illuminated the world of crowdfunding to the mainstream audience.
The problem is that Kickstarter is centered around kickstarting products, as in, strictly related to something that you will produce and then sell, for a profit.
This means that charity is not their interest.
Kickstarter is income-driven, if you have no product to make, they’re not interested.

Online Panhandling Done Correctly

Ok, let’s talk in general about some general guidelines for doing this sort of thing.
There are a lot of reasons that people are afraid to ask for others’ help in paying their bills and costs of living.
Part of it is a culture that emphasizes self-sufficiency, and part of it is the notion that seeking charity is shameful and reflects poorly on oneself.
For some, it is the simple idea that they would fail if they sought charity. Others still might think that gaining others’ charity is simple as long as you have the right approach.
The truth is that the charity of strangers is not so predictable.
Lots and lots of factors come into play when people are considering a charitable act, but more than anything else, it’s just about context.
Was it presented in a way that compelled them? Did you make them want to trust you?
These questions are more important than how good or bad your cause is, or how much you legitimately need the money.
Sadly, your level of need is irrelevant to the potential donors.
It only matters how your cause made them feel.

Give Your Campaign a Face

If you want people to have the maximum impact from your cause, you’re going to want a good “face” for your campaign.
It needs to be stated simply– you need a kid, or an attractive friend, or someone who is emotionally impactful to look at.
The reality is a little unfortunate, but you need to advertise your cause just like anything else. Which means a trustworthy face is a must.
It can be you, of course, but if you have anyone in your life who makes a perfect face for a cause, seize that opportunity.
It’s going to effect your bottom line.

Extend Your Reach by Using a Simple to Understand Language

When you are writing for your cause / campaign, use easy, friendly language.
Don’t scare away your potential donors by “talking over them.”
Preferably, your language will be simple enough that people in other countries will still be able to get the gist of what you’re saying.
You want the absolute widest audience you can get here, so details like the language you use are going to be incredibly important. N
o slang, no cliches, and absolutely (absolutely!) no foul languages.
A brief glance at any fundraising site shows that campaigns which use expletives almost universally fail.

Wrapping up

These are all ways that deal with “cyber-panhandling,” and we’ve only really discussed the online ways to do it.
But if you’re truly and honestly desperate for money, and getting more work isn’t an option, you can always hit the streets the classic way.
It doesn’t have to be shameful if you don’t want it to be, after all.
If you have marketable skills like artistry or musicianship, selling or performing in a public space can be fun and profitable. Some street musicians make far more than their peers in 9-5 jobs, so it’s not a bad avenue to consider.
Just don’t forget to check your local ordinance to see what the laws are about public performance / street vendor-ship.

When it comes to making money as an affiliate marketer, ClickBank is one of the first places you are told to look into to find products to promote. Choosing a product from CB’s market place is one thing, promoting the selected product is another.

There are lots of guides on how to choose the best ClickBank products to promote including this one I wrote a while back. So, I am not gonna get into that here.
Instead, today we are going to focus on how to actually promote once you find a good product that has been converting for other marketers.
Let’s get stared, shall we?…

1. Promoting Clickbank Products with a Website

For such promotions to make sense, you will have to either have your own website or at least a place where you face minimum restriction to create content.
So, it now comes down to two choices:
  1. a free website
  2. or a hosted website (it is recommended that you at least invest in a domain name, www.mysite.com).
Between the two, my obvious pick would be to buy a domain name (I don’t want to force this choice on you, as it is perfectly all right for you to choose website to test the water out first, especially if you are new to this field).
Anyway, you get started with buying a domain name that has some relevance to whatever you are promoting.
After you sort out the domain name, you will have to find a Web hosting company and subsequently have a WordPress installed.
Once you are fairly satisfied with the setup of your new website, it is time to fill it with fresh content.
Content like:
  • Main pages (home, about me, contact, and so on).
  • A host of articles that revolve around your niche.
  • A somewhat detailed content about the product under promotion – a product review for example.
  • A page that describes how the product differs from the competitions (two products at least, but this is optional).
  • A couple more pages with detailed description of those products (optional).
After the site and content are both ready, you can start to look for ways to do your promotion.
You can start doing this even the expected content may not be fully up yet, but you should have at least the product review page.
As you go along, further content can be published, usually this takes the form of blog entry.
Your objective is to draw in the traffic with expressed interest on the ClickBank product you are promoting.
As more come abroad, you can expect sales to pick up by then.
As your site and the product gain traction with progressively more readers, you may want to consider adding additional products related to your niche (not necessarily just from CB, but some other affiliate networks as well).
Try to think of products that can be useful to the existing set of readers that you have managed to attract to your site.

Promote Your Site

Remember that setting up your website is just a necessary first step. Your goal is to create a platform that leads to more sales for you, for which you have to draw traffic to your site, and you’ll need to have a proper plan in place to attract eyeballs.
There are certain tactics that can work for you in terms of promotion:
  • Produce articles (with corresponding links to relevant pages, things like sales page, product review and comparison table).
  • Actively participate in various forums, and always sign off with the link to your website.
  • Open a Facebook account dedicated to your site.
  • Participate in other social media platforms (Twitter, Pinterest, and more).
  • Create YouTube videos and embed links to either your website or the specific Clickbank products that you are promoting. You could include these videos in your website as well.
The trick is to add fresh contents to your site on daily basis if you can help it.
As you produce more and varied stuff on the niche you are promoting, over time, you will add credibility to your status as an authority in your chosen subject matter. Soon, more opportunities would present themselves and you would be able to close more sales.
In a nutshell, the above approach should be able to help you in your product promotion.

2. Promoting Clickbank Products without Website

So far, our discussion has been focused on promotional activities conducted out of website or blog site.
There are other options available with regards to products promotion for those who don’t have a website or would rather not deal with building and maintaining a website.
I actually wrote a short guide about making money with ClickBank without a website a while back.
Yes, it is possible!
Here is how…

Article Marketing

You start by going to Google Adwords’ Keyword Tool to draft out a list of useful keywords.
This Google Adwords’ Keyword Tool is really helpful in identifying popular phrases that are used by Internet consumers for their searches. So, your objective is to link these phrases to your product features.
Identify a handful of keywords from this list and go on to produce may be about 5 to 10 articles surround these keywords.
Your articles should be short in nature (no more than 500 words ideally).
Don’t be overly concerned about the theme of these articles. You can sound really serious or you can apply light touch to them. The objective is to disseminate information about your products to be promoted, and they should not sound like sales articles.
As you work on these articles, make an effort to consciously include your chosen keywords, at least make them appear two to five times in each article.
To guarantee readership, you should submit your carefully crafted articles to the most popular article directories (I can think of GoArticles and EzineArticles). With every submission, always include the author’s resource or biography box.
This author’s resource or biography box does not need to be extensive, just create a short sentence that describes you as the author, or the Clickbank product you are promoting. And don’t forget to embed your affiliate link.

Use eBay

Another optimal approach is to leverage the buyers who have already purchased from you previously on this popular auction site.
Previous buyers collectively represent an ideal source for you to take your new Clickbank promotions to. Assuming the past transactions have gone well, they would have developed a trust in you, and that makes it easier to recommend and sell new stuff to them.
Once a purchase is confirmed already, take the initiative to write to them to inform them of shipping arrangement, in that same e-mail, you may want to direct them to your other promotional channels, like a new e-book that you recently produced (always include a summary description of whatever you are promoting and certainly your affiliate link).

Distributing Viral Reports

I find this to be particularly useful for Clickbank promotions. For maximum effect, I consciously try to compress the whole cycle, i.e. producing and distributing as many e-books as possible in the shortest timeframe practical.
This tactic works excellently at eBay simply because there are great too many sellers who are always on the lookout for new products to sell.
On your part, you will need to pick a product, produce a short report on the niche you are promoting, and sell it on this popular online auction site.
To illustrate my point, you may want to try your hand on weight-loss products. You start off by producing a simple report of 8 to 12 pages in length.
You can fill this report on the merits of healthy eating, for example. Once it is done, you embed your affiliate links and sell it for one dollar at eBay.
Your buyers will then resell them to their buyers in turn.
Soon, your e-book could land in potentially thousands of Internet consumers, and some of them may just buy from your through your affiliate link.

Squidoo

Squidoo Lens could be just as effective. Create one for every Clickbank product you are promoting.
You can do this by adding articles, writing product reviews or sales copy. If you have glowing customer testimonials, add them just the same. But whatever addition should always include relevant keywords and products, as well as your affiliate link (ideally this should be dispersed throughout the page so you make it easy for potential buyers to click it and buy the product).

Blog

Your blog can either focus on one single CB product you are promoting, or make the blog dedicated to all sorts of products reviews from Clickbank.
There is no restriction on the content of the blog, so you could include product reviews, testimonials, and even informational articles, but keep them in perspectives, or that they should be relevant in term of your chosen keywords and affiliate links.

Forums

Look out for forums and message boards related to Clickbank products.
If you are currently promoting an exercise machine then you should join a fitness forum or message board. This principle applies to other product niches as well, so you could potentially participating in gaming forums, technology forums, and webmaster forums.
Sign off with your affiliate links as signature in these forums or message boards.
Regularly post helpful contents there so as to convince the forum members of your credibility, which makes them want to buy your Clickbank products through your affiliate links embedded there.

Take Away
There is no one “best” way to promote a ClickBank product. There are tons of different ways and each of these options can be effective if done right.
The only you are going to find out what works for you, is to test and test some more.
That said, the guide above should get you started in the right direction when it comes to making money as a ClickBank affiliate.

In the past, I have shared a list of websites that pay you to play games online, but today I am going to talk about making money as a video game tester.

 Considering the popularity they enjoy, you are very likely to have some video games at home, and may even be addicted to playing one of the most popular games like Halo, Final Fantasy, Wii Fit, Grand Theft Auto, SSX, and Metroid. (by the way, if you have too many of them and are wanting to sell them, read best places to sell video games for cash).
 here are thousands of video games available in today’s market, and it is estimated that more than forty percent of the households in the US have video consoles.
Designing and production of video games is a long process, and no new game gets released in the market before it has been tested thoroughly to eliminate all errors and bugs. This is almost like market research and those paid surveys where you get paid to share your opinion about products before they are released to the market.
The people who test video games before they are launched are known as video game testers. It is the responsibility of the tester to ensure that consumers are provided with a product precisely conforming to the standards established by game developers.
If you like the idea of making money as a video game tester, here are some things you should know.

What’s the Job of a Game Tester?

The job of a video game tester is to find if there are any flaws in the video game before it is released commercially. They get paid for reporting the flaws to the manufacturer within a specified period of time that is usually seventy hours for one game. So, anyone addicted to video games will love working as a game tester.
From the manufacturers’ point of view, it is critical to ensure the quality of their products, and the only sure way of doing that is to thoroughly test any new game before its launch.
It is easy to understand that video game with any kind of error will irritate customers and thus bring a bad name to the manufacturer, affecting their business adversely.
Some of the features that testers need to inspect are:
  • compatibility
  • compliance
  • functionality
  • localization and beta
  • regression load
  • locating faults that may cause crashing of console, freezing of games, erasing of programs or distort visuals.
The tester has to play the game to identify flaws and shortcomings.

The Process

The process of testing is not fun as many may expect it to be. Once a tester has identified a problem, the same must be brought to the notice of the designer of the game in writing for fixing it up.
Before submitting report to the designer, the tester may need to keep playing the same game or same part of the game for 8-10 hours a day. You’ll agree repetition is the most grueling part of any job.
What takes the fun out of this testing of games is that often you are not likely to get a game of your liking for testing. For example, you may be a fan of Guitar Hero but may be asked to test problems occurring in the latest edition of a Hannah Montana game.
As a tester of video games, you must remember that you are at work that allows you to play video games and get paid for it. Getting tired due to monotony of your job and having sore eyes is an essential part of this job. Although, at times you may be lucky and get paid for testing one of your favorite games like Ninja Gaiden or Mario Kart!
The testers are not required to have any formal education in any specific field, though formal education in computer science helps. However, it is important that the testers be aware of the latest technology for being competitive. It is not surprising that majority of video game testers gain experience by playing video games on computer, Playstation, iPhone and other portable devices that are popular these days.

How Do You Get this Job?

Manufacturers of video game like Namco, EA Sports, Sega, Playstation, Capcom,
Sony
, Konami, and Apple too have jobs for video games testers. Since testers are required for each game on every gaming console, there are plenty of jobs available. However, the tester needs to have the ability of handling controllers and playing games with the intent of finding flaws and point out flaws in writing. Many prefer going to video games testing school to be proficient in their job.
Most testers are employed on contract basis. If you can frequently point out and fix flaws, you may get a full time job.

Here are a few companies offering video game testing jobs:

  1. Volt: Volt, an industry leader in video game testing, is often looking for enthusiastic gamers who can find the flaws in their forthcoming new games ready for release.
  2. Game-Testers.net: They may ask you to test a few games every month.
  3. Nintendo: On working as a game tester with Nintendo, you get an opportunity of testing software, identifying programming problems, assessing the product for providing guidelines and recording of quality assurance tests.
  4. Blizzard: The company hires games testers as temporary workers and only from the Southern California area as they need to work from the company’s headquarters in Irvine, California.

How Much Money Can You Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average wages of a full-time video game tester in the region of $50,000/year, though the wages of a fresh entrant are quite low.
The earnings of a game tester may vary from just $10 /hour and go up to $100 per hour or $18,000 to $80,000/annum. The average earning comes to about $49,000 per annum.
For many game testers the most valued part is to see their name appearing in the credits of the game.

A Few Tips

Here are a few tips to help you get that dream job.
Location matters
If you are keen to work as a game tester, it is imperative for you to be in cities that have games manufacturer. Reports from Houston Chronicle suggest that major cities like Los Angeles, New York and Seattle offer maximum opportunities for working as a game tester.
Generally, manufacturers do not allow testers to work from home. That’s why one needs to be living in close proximity to the manufacturer of games.
Learn to speak the language
When looking to work as a game tester, you need to sharpen your skills as a video game player.
Game developers look for people who are passionate and talented about games.
You should get familiar with gaming terminology and trends. You may even want to start a blog on this topic or join a social media network focused on gaming.
If you are already an expert of certain types of games, try some new games.
It will be helpful for you to learn how to write a test report, be aware of the ongoing trends of video games, and accept to work as an interne at one of the gaming companies. Including all such things and experiences in your resume helps in getting a better job.
Get practical training
Generally, employers do not insist the game testers to have a degree for entry level jobs. Yet, it helps qualifying for a degree in software development, computer programming or graphic design.
On gaining some experience, game testers with degree in a related field can expect getting promoted and having a career in this industry.

Your Turn

Have you ever been paid for testing video games? Do you work in the industry? Would you do it if you were offered a job?
Share your comments and feedback about video game testing as a job, by leaving a comment below.

I am a big fan of online surveys. Taking surveys for money was my first attempt at making money online and it ultimately lead me to where I am today in regards to my online business.

That said, most survey sites pay pennies compared to other online money-making opportunities. Which is one reason why many people don’t even consider taking surveys as an extra income stream.

Well, if you are one of those folks, you are going to like today’s post.
In the past, I have shared my list of favorite legit paid survey panels. Today, I am going to introduce you to a different kind of survey site.
I have found a survey panel that pays you $50 per survey.
Yes, 50 dollars for every survey you complete.

MindSwarms

MindSwarms is like any another market research company. They commission surveys after surveys to collect market intelligence data.
This may surprise you, but it is a well established fact in the marketing world that businesses and manufacturers are willing to pay good money to get their hands on consumer spending habits and their corresponding demographic information.
Just think about it this way, if I have any interest in setting up a car repair facility in Seattle, the information related to car ownership and driving habits in that particular area would greatly interest me.

Sign Up Process

First of, you’ll need to have an account.
Membership registration with MindSwarms is straightforward.
There are two options for you:
  1. Through the Website: one is to assess their website and register yourself as in any other sign up process from your computer or laptop. Sign up here.
  2. Install App: or you can alternatively download their application right into your mobile devices. Here is the links to their Android App, and here is the Apple App link.
During the registration process, you will find that they insist on video profiles.
Don’t get stressed over it, as it is their to make sure that you have a working Web
camera
. Assuming no problem with the prerequisite hardware, you can then start applying for surveys available.

How it Works?

Once you are into the MindSwarms site, you will be presented with a dashboard that is filled with numerous surveys.
The Web master has made your job easier by presenting just the sorts of surveys applicable to you. This decision is derived from the earlier information you submit during the registration process.
The usual parameters they look out for are typically geography information, sex and age.
The application to work on survey is accompanied by a so-called prequalification questionnaire. It is presented in multiple-choice format and your responses to the questions will decide your qualification to take on that particular survey.
Don’t worry, the whole process takes no more than one minute.

Completing Surveys

If you have been active in the online survey panel industry, you will immediately notice that MindSwarms do things a bit differently.
Rather than typing away the question asked, you will be required to do the survey with your Web camera attached to your computer or notebook. Meaning, you will answer questions by talking in a short video. Simple as that!
If you happen to be on a smart phone or any mobile device, you will take the survey via video.
Usually the invitations will take you to a survey, where you are required to respond to up to seven questions.
Of course, this will be done through webcam or the video device connected to your tablet or Smartphone.
Don’t restrain yourself, just talk your way through as if you were in any casual conversation.
Lest I forget, your facial expression and body language would count just as well. People familiar with psychology or criminal law would agree that sometimes there can be more clues given out this way than the usual spoken words.
All in all, a typical survey should not last longer than 20 minutes.
The following criteria will be used by MindSwarms to determine the adequacy and suitability of your response:
  • how the light got reflected off your face
  • holding up the product to create product placement
  • casual dress
  • detect moments of hesitation (when you try to talk around in a long-winded fashion rather than a simple yes no answers)
  • ideally, you should be able to block off background noise
  • show off emotion whenever appropriate (of course within the boundary of decency)

Getting Paid

As mentioned right at the start of this article, your compensation is $50 for 20 minutes of survey participation.
Your pay will come one day after the successful completion of any survey, in the form of PayPal money.
They occasionally offer sign-up bonus of $50, only if you are able to configure your WebCam correctly and be agreeable to take on some sample survey questions, in accordance to their instruction.

Is MindSwarms a Scam?

It is normal to assume that such doubts would naturally arise when any online panel can boast of such generous payout for survey participation. But I can attest to the fact that the company does make good on its side of the bargain, and I have been on the receiving end of this generous payouts multiple times.
Now, you may be thinking you can quit your day job and just take 2 surveys a day with this site.
Not so fast…
I have thought about that too, but the issue is that there isn’t that many surveys available. You may qualify for a few surveys a month.
Now, here is the thing… even if you take 3 surveys a month, that’s an easy $150 extra cash in your pocket. Who wouldn’t like that?
Are you looking for an easy source of extra income that you can utilize in your own time?
Then look no farther than Newslines, a website that pays you for writing news.
They don’t even require any writing experience, or any specific place of residence.
They do ask that you be a native English speaker, which is unfortunate for some of us, but a small hurdle when all things are considered.

What is Newslines Anyway?

Newslines is a place where you can browse through events, products, people and places which are all arranged into timelines.
Newslines is a relatively new site, only founded in 2012. Their aim is to become the “Wikipedia of News,” which is a pretty audacious claim, but they do have a pretty healthy site by this point!
The site operates a little different than other sites that you to write articles online, at least in terms of article length requirement.
Newslines.org operates on a very simple premise: provide a 50-100 word post that gives an update on a current topic. Not past information, mind you, but an update on a topic (they are quite particular about this.) These posts are quick and easy, and if your post is rejected, they’ll send you a concise message about how to edit it so that it will be accepted.
They ask that you become familiar with their style guide first, but that’s not altogether uncommon for any website about writing. It’s definitely among the easier sites to get the hang of.
You can either start a new topic, or make a post adding onto a preexisting one.
The best thing about this opportunity is that almost anyone can take part.
We are all bombarded with news every single day. Sure, not everybody watches CNN, but if you watch Housewives, that counts as news too – – celebrity news!

How is the Pay?

Pay is standardized– $1 per accepted post. It’s a low payout, but if you’re diligent, it won’t be hard at all to stack up a series of posts in a row (they are 100 characters max, after all!).
You can receive your payout to PayPal after amassing $20. So, even if you write 5 posts a day, you can make $20 in 4 days.
Now that’s assuming you only write 5 piece a day, that’s only 500 words long. I would imagine most of us could write 1000-2000 words in less than 2 hours or so.
So, hoping to make $20 a day off of this site is a reasonable goal if you set aside an hour or two to do your research and make some posts.

What Does it Take to Get a Piece Accepted?

The editing process is very easy to work with. Each post you submit is looked over by their editor, who will then approve or reject it. If they reject it, they’ll send you a message back letting you know why and what you need to do to get it approved.
A few things that will get a post rejected are: Not citing sources, making value judgments in your post, or adding unrelated information to your post. There are plenty of reasons, but you won’t likely run into any issues if you follow the style guide.
You can check out the full list on this page on Newslines’ official site.

Sounds Great! Where Can I Sign Up for this?

You can register right on over at Newslines.org, and there will be a link right on the front page where you can click to fill out your information.

Bottom Line

I would say that Newslines is doing quite well, especially in terms of satisfying the people who submit for them.
Since the payouts are at self-determined intervals, and the editing process is so easy to manage, it is a website which can appeal to the experienced and the inexperienced writer alike.
Moreover, it’s work that pays out in actual cash, which is a welcome sight in the online workspace.
I think it’s a wonderful opportunity.
I mean, writing 100 words posts shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Crank 5-10 of these a day, and you are looking at $5-$10 daily.
That said, it’s more a side for supplementing your income than anything, all told. But if you learn how to consistently submit posts that get accepted, then you’re looking at a pretty reasonable boost to your wallet!
Crazy as it may sound, there really are ways that you can earn money from your computer without doing any work.
I am not talking about earning money while playing computer games!
And no, recycling your old computer, although a great option for getting some cash for an old and unused PC, is not what I am talking about here, either.
I am talking about making money by simply turning your PC on and walking away!
With the power of your home computer and internet connection, there are a range of software options you can employ to turn you computer into a money maker.

1. Slicify

Using software created by companies like Slicify, you are able to set up a partitioned Linux Virtual Machine on your home PC. This means that other people can run software on your computer, without having access to any of your personal information, programs or files.
It is essentially a small-scale version of what large companies like Amazon or are doing when they rent out their servers to other businesses.
It is known as Distributed Computing.
When you use this software, you are listed on a secure pool where buyers in need can see the details of what your computer can provide.
If they want to make use of it, they simply select your computer and pay to use it by the house, bringing in money with zero effort from you.
As more and more business moved online, many businesses find themselves needing extra storage space, servers, or other support.
On a large scale, companies like Amazon add billions to their revenue by sharing their computing power with companies from a range of industries, including finance, science, engineering, and more.

Do I Have to Do Any Work?

No!
After installing the software, all you need to do is tun on your PC.
That’s it!
If your computer is on and has an internet connection, the software will ensure that everything else runs smoothly.
If any problems occur, there is an impressive customer support and FAQ available for users that should guide you through any problems.

Is this Safe?

Softwares like Slicify exist so you can undertake this process securely.
It ensures that your private information remains private, and that nothing harmful can be installed or accessed.
Using tools like the VirtualBox Hypervisor from Oracle, you can be insured nothing can be installed.
Using tools to complement your firewall, you can be sure no one can see your personal files.
Any traffic that goes through your computer goes through Slicify first, making sure every access is secure.

How do I Get Paid?

Currently, Slicify uses PayPal to conduct payouts, so you will need to simply set up an account to get paid.
Whenever your machine is rented, you are paid by the hour.
If you make referrals to other people, you can also make referral bonuses from the work done on their computers.

How Much will I Make?

Larger companies using this process currently charge between $0.02 to $4.60 per hour depending on the need and capacity of the PC.
For home computers, you can earn between $0.10 and $0.40 per hour, depending on the provider and service.
You have a chance of making more on Slicify, because bidders can compete for your PC.
That said, the amount of money you can earn is really not much. But then again, you aren’t doing anything either.
You just turn on your computer in the mooring (or whenever you like) and go about your daily routine. Your computer’s power does all the work and collects you a few dollars a day.
All payments will be made through PayPal, and getting others to participate means you make money even more quickly.
You can find out more specifically how much your PC is worth by using the Calculator on Slicify.

Other Paid Distributed Computing Projects

Slicify is not the only service available for this option. There are also many other paid distributed computing projects.
Here are the other 3 well-known and trusted networks you can join to get paid for distributed computing:

2. Gomez PEER

Gomez PEER is one of the most popular distributed computing company for home users.
Simply download the software you need form the site and instantly begin making use of your computer’s power immediately.
There are over 150 000 computers on this service and actively making money.
The sign up is free, and you can help companies grow while making your own money.

3. Digital / Coin Generation

Just like the other tools discussed, Digital Generation requires you to simply install software and allow it to run.
The software runs in the background of your programs without impacting your computer’s performance.

4. MQL 5 – Distributed Cloud Network

Think of how much of the time your computer is not being used by anyone. Why not make use of that time to make money with no effort.
Sell your computer’s CPU time to members of MQL 5, who use the additional power for analyzing data or developing new math models.

In Summary

Each of the services discussed above have been used popularly by thousands to make money easily.
While you won’t make a living off this process, it is an easy and steady revenue to add with no effort.
Your own use of your home computer is not limited in any way by the use.
It almost seems crazy not to do it!
Are you one of those people who have your old books lying around collecting dust? Would you like to turn these books into cash you can use?
If so, then the Cash4Books app can help with making this become a reality. Cash4Books is one of those book buyback sites. This app is available for all devices, making it easily accessible for anyone.

With the Cash4Books app, you simply scan in the books that you are wanting to sell. The app will then search for prices on the books you have listed, and give you a quote on what you can expect to get for these books.
If you agree to the price and want to sell the books, a prepaid shipping label is sent to you for free from Cash4Books.
Once you ship the books and these have been received by Cash4Books, you get paid. You can be paid via a check mailed to you, or through PayPal, which is great since many apps buyback books with payment in the forms of gift cards.
There are certain criteria in which books must meet in order for Cash4Books to buy these back from you. However, if your books are not damaged, Cash4Books can be a great way to get rid of those textbooks (or any other kind of book for that matter) that you no longer want.

How I Use this App to Make Money

I have talked about selling used books for cash before. And one of the book buyback sites that I use is BookScouter. The reason I use BookScouter is because you can enter the ISBN of the book on the site and it instantly searches over 40 book buying sites (including Cash4Books) to find you the highest price.
So, I have combined the Cash4Books app with BookScouter in order to help me make money buying and selling old books.
When I first heard about book buying sites, I was selling my old books that I was no longer needing. Then, I stated thinking about the idea of actually buying used books and selling them through these sites. So, I started going to garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and anyplace where I could buy used books for pennies.
Now, it was a little difficult trying to figure out which books to buy. Obviously, not every book you buy is going to turn a profit for you. So, I needed a way to make sure I could make a profit on any given book before buying it.
And since I had used BookScouter before, I thought why not just use it here again. So, whenever I was buying books, I’d simply pull up BookScouter’s website on my phone, then I would enter the ISBN of any book that I was going to buy, wait for the site to finish searching, and once it gave me a price of how much I could possibly sell the same book online, I would buy the book if it was cheap enough to allow me to make a profit on it.
Now, this was a bit time-consuming, entering ISBNs one by one. Sure, if you are buying a few books, it takes a few seconds. But if you are like me and are planning to buy hundreds of books to resale, it would take hours to weed through hundreds of books to find the ones that could make you some money. So, that kind of held me back.
Fortunately, I came across the Cash4Books app. The app allows you to scan the bar code of the book and it instantly gives you a price. So, there is no need for me to manually enter hundreds of ISBNs. That saves a lot of time.

But How About BookScouter?

Well, here is how I combined these 2 to make my life easier. You see, Cash4Books app made it easy and quick to find out if a book is worth buying to resale. But, it doesn’t necessarily give me the best price I could sell each book for. It just gives me the price that Cash4Books will pay me for the book.
On the other hand, BookScouter searches over 40 book buying sites and gives me the highest price. But again, entering ISBNs manually is very time-consuming.
So, I decided to use the app to scan books faster and ensure they are going to be profitable to resale. You see, if Cash4Books gives you a price, that means they are going to pay you exactly that much for the book. So, right there, I would know that I can sell the book for at least that much. Knowing that, I buy the book (s).
But I want to make sure I resale the book(s) for the highest price possible. So, when I get home, I simply pull up BookScouter.com, type in the ISBN and find the site that is willing to pay me the most for each book.
Sure, this takes time too, but the difference here is that you are not weeding out through hundreds of books to find the ones that are profitable. Here, you are entering ISBNs of books you already know you can sell for profit.

Update:

BookScouter came up with their own app that lets you take a picture of the bar code. It then searches the database to find you the highest price a site will pay for your book.
So, you don’t have to use Cash4Books’s app first, then go home and enter codes manually on BookScouter’s site. You can now do everything right from BookScouter’s app.
That makes the process of buying and selling used books much much faster and easier.
You can find out about the app by visiting BookScouter.com.

Takeaway

If you are thinking about side business ideas that can fetch you extra cash without having to invest thousands of dollars, this can be a great option.
On average, you can profit $3-10 on a book. Of course, it all depends on the book. For example, selling college textbooks for cash can fetch you good money compared to say short novels.
But it’s not unheard of to buy a used book for pennies and resale it for a few hundred dollars. That said, in most cases, you are looking at a few dollars profit, which is not bad for a few seconds of work.