A while back, I found an interesting little gadget at a garage sale that made me question why I didn’t already have one. It was a credit card reader, and I figured it could come in handy, especially since I was just starting out as a blogger. So I bought it, and have been using it to make money ever since.
It’s pretty straightforward. You connect the device to your computer via USB, open a file on your hard drive, and the device begins scanning for credit cards. When it finds one, it will flag the card as invalid and display the message “invalid credit card” on its display. But there’s more than one way to earn money with this tool, and it doesn’t take much effort to get started. Here are some strategies that will get you there faster than you know it.
Upgrade Your Equipment
The first thing you’ll want to do is update your equipment. The device I found was quite a few years old, and didn’t hold a candle to the expensive pieces of hardware most credit card readers are capable of. If you scan a credit card on an ancient device, the risk of fraud is very high. Even with the most basic of equipment, you can start making money online within minutes. Just remember: the more expensive the device, the better chance of success you’ll have at earning money. So don’t skimp out!
Use A Virtual Currency
While it’s nice to be able to earn money right away with a simple credit card reader, the truth is you’ll be better off investing your time in a passive income stream. Instead of worrying about making money straight away, consider using a virtual currency to make money online. That’s what I did, and I was able to create a passive income stream by utilizing a credit card switcher, which will be discussed below.
Create A Blog
Blogs have become quite popular in recent years, and for good reason. They’re a fantastic way to establish yourself as an expert in your industry, educate your readers about the topics you’re passionate about, and possibly make some money along the way. If you’ve got a sizable audience, you can use your blog to promote products and services related to your industry. When someone clicks on a link or buys a product after reading your blog post, you’ll earn a commission.
There are a couple of different ways you can go about creating a blog. You can use a standalone blog platform like WordPress to host your blog. Or, you can use the free trial version of Microsoft’s Blogger to build and host your own blog. Whichever one you choose, just make sure you’ve got a reliable internet connection and a way to get the word out about your blog. You can use tools like Google Adsense to get started building a passive income stream. Once you’ve got some money rolling in, you can invest in more effective blogging software.
PPC Advertising
If you’ve got a sizable audience, you can try your hand at paid podcasting. In paid podcasting, you’ll usually be asked to review products or services related to your blog topic, and in exchange, you’ll be compensated with a small commission or fee when someone clicks the buy button or buys a product after listening to your podcast. The advantage of this strategy is many podcasts offer a free trial or low-cost option that allows you to test out the service without risk. You’ll also need a few differentiating factors to stand out from the competition. For example, did you notice I didn’t use the words “review” or “critique” when describing what I did for this blog article?
Affiliate Marketing
If you’ve got a sizable audience, you can try your hand at affiliate marketing. With affiliate marketing, you’ll earn a commission when someone clicks a buy button or makes a purchase after learning about a product or service from your blog post or website. You’ll need to have a reliable source of traffic for this strategy to work, otherwise, you’ll be spinning your wheels trying to get people to click the buy button. You can use Google Adsense to get started building a passive income stream, and over time, you can increase your income via affiliate marketing. But you must keep in mind that you’ll be competing with well-established companies for customers, so make sure you’re offering something special to convince people to click on your affiliate links.
Consulting
If you’ve got a unique expertise or knowledge that can be useful to someone, you can always consult and get paid for your advice. You’ll typically be paid per project, and the pay can be quite decent. If you want to get started quickly, you can always try freelancing or consulting for small businesses. Just remember the competition is always going to be fierce, so make sure you’re offering something special to convince potential clients to pick your brains. Otherwise, they may end up choosing a freelancer or small business they’re already familiar with, which can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. But if you’re looking for a leg up, you can always try networking or reaching out to people you know.
Sell Your Photos
Selling your photos is another way to make money online. You’ll need a good bit of talent to get started, but once you do, the potential is there to make a decent amount of money. You can use online platforms like Fotolia, Pond5, or Getty Images to get some nice bucks. Just remember the competition is fierce, and the quality of images needs to be exceptional to get buyers interested. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending more time promoting your work than earning money from it.
Get A Skill
If none of the above seem like a fit, you can always try your hand at getting a skill. There are a wide array of skills that can be monetized, such as copywriting, proofreading, editing, and graphic design. If you’ve got a talent for something, you can try getting paid to teach others your skill. You can use platforms like Teachable or lynda.com to connect with potential customers, and as long as you’ve got a nice following, you can expect to earn a decent sum of money for your efforts.
Monetizing Blogging Platforms
Blogging platforms like WordPress and Blogger offer a way to monetize your content, allowing you to make money from the site you already have. Did you know you can use a tool like Google Adsense to earn money while you sleep? All you need to do is set up your Adsense account, copy and paste a short code onto your blog or website, and you’ll be able to start making money right away. You may also want to look at the side advertisements that appear on some blogs, or consider creating your own ads to monetize your site.
Make Money With Affiliate Marketing
If none of the above seem like a fit, you can always try your hand at making money with affiliate marketing. With affiliate marketing, you’ll earn a commission when someone clicks a buy button or makes a purchase after learning about a product or service from your blog post or website. You’ll need a reliable source of traffic for this strategy to work, otherwise, you’ll be spinning your wheels trying to get people to click the buy button. You can use Google Adsense to get started building a passive income stream, and over time, you can increase your income via affiliate marketing. Just remember the competition is fierce, so make sure you’re offering something special to convince potential customers to pick your brains. Otherwise, they may end up choosing a freelancer or small business they’re already familiar with, which can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. But if you’re looking for a leg up, you can always try networking or reaching out to people you know.