15 Business Ideas That Can Really Make You Money During This Pandemic

Because of the global pandemic, many people have lost their regular jobs and are utilizing unemployment benefits to pay bills and other expenses. The good news is that there are numerous opportunities to earn extra income and possibly start a new career. You’ll need to assess your skills and interests to get an idea of which opportunity would be the best for you. Here are 15 of the best opportunities to make money during the pandemic.

Affiliate marketing is when you promote another company’s products on your website or social media platform in exchange for a portion of what the company earns when customers purchase items from your links. The good thing about affiliate marketing is that there are no signup fees to get started, and you can promote mainly products that you believe in or are relevant to your website.

Dropshipping is a type of business where you order products for your customers from a third-party company, and it is the company that ships your customers’ products. This means that you don’t have to do the packaging and shipping. There are few startup costs associated with dropshipping and the overhead is low. Also, you get to offer diverse products to customers.

Another idea would be to sell your best stock photos to websites such as Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Alamy, and Etsy. You can also create your own stock photo website and sell your pictures to customers. You won’t start out with high earnings but with hard work, self-education, and good networking skills, it’s possible to earn a decent income.

If you’re not into entrepreneurship but want to work from home full-time, become a virtual assistant. As a virtual assistant, you’ll need to have strong time management skills and have the ability to multitask. Some of the main duties of a virtual assistant include:

• Scheduling appointments and meetings
• Responding to phone calls and emails
• Maintaining databases and other important records
• Performing research for clients as needed

Some of the best companies to work as a virtual assistant include Task Bullet, Remote CoWorker, Wood bows, and Belay.

For all of the talented foodies out there, you can start a home-based catering business. The first step is to research other home-based catering companies to get an idea of what your competition offers and who their target customers are. You would then talk to people you know and ask what kinds of services and menus they would order from a caterer. Also, consider the niche you intend to specialize in. Finally, research your state’s regulations on home-based catering businesses.

If you don’t intend to return to teaching in a classroom this fall but still need a steady income, you can work as an online tutor. Many online tutoring companies require you to have some form of advanced education and certification. It also helps if you’re willing to work during the peak times that tutors will be needed. Some good tutoring companies are VIPKID, Cambly, Wyzant, and Chegg Tutors.

At least for the rest of this year and possibly part of next year, it will be mandatory for everyone to wear face masks in public. This is why now would be a good time to put your sewing skills to work and create stylish face masks. You can sell them on Etsy, eBay, or even your own website. Know the guidelines certain websites have about selling them. For example, Etsy says that you can’t advertise masks as medical devices.

If you can create a more natural and non-toxic hand sanitizer, then this is an excellent way to make money during the pandemic. Some of the best ingredients for homemade hand sanitizer are:

• Rubbing alcohol
• Witch hazel
• Aloe vera
• Essential oils
• Lemon juice
• Hydrogen peroxide

You can stand outside different hospitals, schools, banks, restaurants, government buildings, and public parks to sell your homemade hand sanitizer. Another idea would be to sell them on your own website.

With many gyms still closed due to the pandemic, more people are doing workouts at home. Take advantage of this by becoming an online fitness coach. One low-cost way to do this is to start a Youtube fitness channel. You can monetize the channel by including affiliate links to your fitness equipment recommendations or your own online fitness courses. Before getting started, obtain certification.

There is no shortage of opportunities to write for both print and online publications. If you have solid writing and researching skills, then you can be a freelance writer. It helps to specialize in a certain niche if you want to start your own freelance writing business. Some good websites to seek out writing opportunities include:

• Upwork
• Media Bistro
• Indeed
• Pinterest boards that deal with writing jobs from home
• Freelancer
• Verblio
• Problogger

If you’re tech-savvy and variable to teach complex computer concepts to others, then you can offer remote computer lessons. If you teach at the collegiate or high school level, here are some colleges that pay you to teach remotely:

• American Intercontinental University
• Grand Canyon University
• Kaplan
• Pearson
• Rasmussen College

For those who enjoy shopping at the supermarket, turn it into a side hustle by delivering groceries to busy families. Some companies that partner with supermarkets to offer this service are Instacart, Peapod, and Shipt. The good thing about grocery delivery is that you can set your own hours.

One of the best ways to make extra money in this pandemic is to work in food delivery. Many restaurants are closed or only open at half operating capacity, which could mean long lines. You can help these families by delivering delicious meals to their homes. Some good companies to try are DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub.

These days, you no longer have to visit your local pharmacy to get your medicines. Now patients can have medicines delivered to them, and you can work in medicine delivery. Contact local pharmacies in your area and find out if they’re hiring medicine delivery drivers.

If you’re skilled in foreign languages, then you can work as a translator. To translate assignments effectively, you should read the document carefully and the directions given for translating it. Also, take on assignments with subject matters that you’re the most comfortable with. Use different foreign-language dictionaries, reference guides, and glossaries to assist you. Some companies that hire translators include:

• Appen
• Aerotek
• Kelly Services
• Duolingo
• Language Services Associates
• VocoVision

In conclusion, these cool business ideas offer an amazing way to earn extra money or even start a new business from home in this pandemic.

If you don’t want to start a business of your own, you can also find work from home jobs on Jooble