How I Made Money Online: Real Strategies That Work
Have you ever felt stuck in a financial rut, trying every method to make money online with no success? You’re not alone—many have walked that path, but there’s hope, and I’m here to share how I turned my life around.
Introduction to Making Money Online
Let's face it—there's a lot of noise out there about making money online. Many so-called gurus promise quick wins, but end up peddling courses with no real support. In this guide, I distill years of trial and error into three proven methods that you can start using today with minimal risk. By focusing on actual skills, real opportunity, and consistent action, you can move from barely breaking even to building a sustainable revenue stream.
My Background and Initial Struggles
Growing up poor and often homeless taught me that financial success goes beyond working hard—it’s about spotting the right opportunity. I bounced between trailer parks, Section 8 housing, and church shelters with only a backpack and a dream. Those experiences drove home one lesson: if everyone else zig, you need to zag. That mindset prepared me to experiment with unconventional money-making methods, eventually turning that strategy into multiple six-figure monthly earnings.
Selling Physical Items as a Money-Making Method
The first method is selling physical items—both in person and online. Contrary to popular belief, some of the best money-making opportunities still lie offline. When I was down to my last few dollars, I met someone at a Western Kansas county fair selling eyeglass cleaner for under $1 per bottle. I bought the recipe, moved to Eastern Kansas, and started selling at state fairs, gun shows, and RV expos. On my best day, I made over $1,000, and in one weekend I pulled in more than $1,800.
Key Lessons from Selling Physical Items:
- Go Where the Opportunity Is: Target local events with high foot traffic.
- Learn In-Demand Skills: Salesmanship and customer engagement never go out of style.
- Avoid the Crowd: Seek niches with low competition but strong demand.
Tip: Flip electronics or bikes on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Start small—test products in yard sales or flea markets—and reinvest profits into larger inventory as you learn what sells.[verify]
“Sometimes the best opportunities are in the places others overlook.”
— Growth mindset from my early trading days
Tutoring as a Profitable Skill
The second method is tutoring—leveraging your expertise to make good money helping others. You don’t need an Ivy League degree; you need results. I focused on the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) after achieving a near-perfect score. I charged over $100 per hour, thanks to two factors: proven results and word-of-mouth referrals. Students I tutored improved their scores by 20–30 points, and word spread quickly.
Steps to Succeed in Tutoring:
- Master a Subject or Skill: Invest time to become exceptionally good at something you love.
- Let Results Speak: Demonstrated success lets you justify premium rates.
- Utilize Word-of-Mouth: Encourage satisfied clients to share testimonials on social media or educational forums.
You can find clients on Chegg, Fiverr, or through local schools. Offer a free demo session to showcase your skills, gather testimonials, then gradually increase your rates as your reputation grows online and offline.
Documenting Your Journey for Success
The final method is documenting your journey—sharing your highs and lows via blogging, podcasting, or video. I chose YouTube to chronicle my thoughts on the education system and entrepreneurship. Growth was painfully slow at first, but a mentor taught me to focus on authenticity and SEO-friendly titles. Once I nailed that, my channel soared to multiple six figures per month.
Key Takeaways for Documenting Your Journey:
- Be Authentic: Viewers connect with genuine stories, not polished facades.
- Provide Genuine Value: Solve real problems your audience faces, using clear examples.
- Consistency is Key: Post regularly and refine your content based on feedback and analytics.
Repurpose videos into blog posts and social snippets to maximize reach. Use keywords like “money,” “online,” “methods,” “skills,” and “opportunity” to capture search traffic. My free YouTube crash course covers all these strategies—check the link in the description.
Bonus: Combining Methods for Maximum Impact
Use your content platform to advertise your other ventures. For example, create YouTube product demos for eyeglass cleaner or highlighted flipping deals, then link your online store in the description. Show snippets of tutoring sessions, share student success stories, and offer live Q&A sessions. By cross-promoting selling, tutoring, and content creation, you amplify each method. This hybrid approach leverages building an audience to drive sales and referrals for your tutoring business or physical products, while your revenue streams fund high-quality content production. Start by dedicating one weekly video to showcasing a real sale, tutoring tip, or behind-the-scenes flip and watch how these methods feed momentum.
Resources and Tools to Get Started
Leverage free or low-cost platforms to minimize upfront investment. Use OfferUp, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace for flips; PayPal or Stripe for secure payments; Zoom or Google Meet for tutoring; YouTube Studio and Canva for content creation; Otter.ai for generating captions. For SEO research, try Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner. To manage tasks, tools like Trello or Notion keep you organized. Building basic skills in these tools takes hours, not weeks, and positions you to hit the ground running as you pursue these proven online and offline money-making methods.
Conclusion and Mindset Shifts
The common thread across these methods is simple: go where the opportunity is and leverage core skills to create value. Whether you’re selling glasses cleaner at a fair, tutoring a standardized test, or documenting your entrepreneurial journey online, the same principles apply.
- Pick one method and commit to consistent action.
- Be prepared to learn in-demand skills and adapt quickly.
Take the first step: Choose one strategy, set a small goal (like your first $100), and take consistent action every day.
If I can shift from homelessness to earning multiple six figures each month, you can too. The road less traveled often holds the greatest rewards—now it’s your turn to zag when others zig.