Making Money During Covid

With the proliferation of COVID-19 cases across the globe, many people have been forced out of their livelihoods and the economy has suffered on a national and international level. While people still have expenses such as water and electric bills, food, education, and so on, many are forced to find alternatives to their former stream of income as they search for a job. Below are a couple things that I have some experience with and believe can help some get through some difficult times.

1. Freelancing
   Freelancing refers to offering your services publicly and accepting payment for those services. This is a great source of income because you have the freedom to choose your hours, who you work for, and what work you want to do. Two of the most common, yet competitive platforms for freelancers are Upwork and Fiverr. By putting effort and a substantial amount of time into freelancing, as well as considering demand for particular services, one can make thousands. Some have even gone so far as to make freelancing their full time job after a degree of success. However, I would not recommend this until one is confident they can make a living with this stream of income.

2. The Stock Market
   Going into the stock market is something I believe everyone should go into with any amount of money. There is a common misconception that to be an investor, you need years of experience or a large amount of capital to get started. However, as one that began investing in college with $3,000 with others that invested with as little as $500, anyone can do it. Frankly, one does not even need to know anything about the stock market besides basic information. Investing comes down to keeping up with the news to see what companies are up to and among the pool of companies with potential, examining their past history and current prospects. I do plan to make further posts on investing in the stock market so tune in for my next posts. I will be brushing up on tips everyone should know about as well as some stocks that may do well in the future.

3. Gaming
   In the past, gaming was a fun way to pass the time after a stressful day of work. Today, to some, gaming constitutes their day of work. By using streaming platforms like Twitch, gamers can make a bit of cash as content creators. Twitch also offers the option of becoming an affiliate or partner with them when one attains a significant audience. There is also the competitive yet profitable method of participating on tournaments on sites such as Gamebattles and Checkmategaming.com for money. All in all, gaming has evolved into more than just a pastime and can now be capitalized on.

4. DIY Business
   A profitable way that I found one can pass the time during quarantine is engaging in their own DIY business. What do I mean by that? Other than selling things in your own house as a profit, it is very possible for one to buy products wholesale and sell individually on websites like eBay. Phone cases, for example, can be bought for 50 cents on Alibaba and sold on eBay for as much as $5-$10.

I hope that the above can be of use to some people looking to make some cash while they're at home or for people of all ages trying to start a side hustle. I hope to make posts elaborating on each method aforementioned and maybe even a part two to list more ways! Stay tuned!