So, there will be much more to come as the new year (2018) approaches and, God willing, arrives. This post is just meant as a quick-start guide of sorts. Below, you'll find several links to legit, verified work from home opportunities. When I say work from home opportunity, I mean it - I'm not sending you to Amazon Turk to make pennies for hours of work (though it's something this author has done to make ends meet in hard times, so, I don't cast doubt or shame on any who choose to utilize this resource.)
No, these are legit, often full-time positions that never require you leaving home (well, other than Uber and Lyft... those, of course, require you to drive a bit ;) )
But enough said, let's get down to business.
Since I've already mentioned them, let's start with Uber and Lyft (and, I've been informed, there are other similar services available, but if you're anywhere near a larger city, and I'm not talking NYC or Dallas, just, a remotely busy central hub, you're going to do well with Uber and Lyft.) As a note, all links open in new windows and will pass through adfly, this author's gotta eat too ;) these opportunities are well worth 5 seconds of your time, I promise. I only mention this for the sake of honesty - I intend to be fully honest in all of my write-ups here as well as my intentions (which are to make money helping you make money.)
I will mention that the links are NOT referral links - Signing up for any of these opportunities will not gain me a thing and I am in no way affiliated with any of them other than the fact that I've worked through most and personally know folks who have vouched for and explained the others.
The Links at the beginning of each description will take you straight to the registration page for each service, so, no searching around necessary as they're not always the easiest to spot (other than maybe Uber, it's right there on the home page ;) )
Uber:
Lyft: Uber and Lyft, if you have a car with four doors and seating for five (yourself included,) at the time of this article's conception, that is, you can sign up for and drive for Uber. Mind you, it also helps to have some basic people skills and a moderate tolerance for loud, obnoxious, and occasionally drunk or just poor smelling individuals. Keep air fresheners in your car, a can of deodorizer in the glove box, and baby wipes (not necessary, but often helpful.) I also recommend a roll of paper towels, snacks (these always go over well, gum and mints and bottled water,) charging cables for Android and Apple devices, and an audio cable with some non-offensive music playing. Let your customer use your audio cable with their device to listen to whatever they like if they ask, it will score you serious points.
Now, I drove (and, in fact, still drive, occasionally,) for both Lyft and Uber, so, I'll share with you what I found worked best for me. I've tried hitting the larger towns early mornings during the week (catching folks heading into work or school and such,) during off peak hours, and on the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) between 07:00PM and 03:00AM (adjust for bar closing times in your area as I know not all states are open until 02:00AM like mine, but keep at it for a good hour after closing time, people straggle out of bars slowly.) I can honestly say that between a Friday and Saturday night I'll make twice what I make the rest of the week between the cost of the rides and tips. Just a side note, you will not always get tips. In fact, they're rather rare in my area as I averaged about one tip per five to ten rides. You can be tipped in the apps or in cash, so, always carry change in case someone wants to tip you but doesn't have small bills. I always start the night out with a five and five ones.
Now, learn your areas. I drive mainly in Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill here in North Carolina but will now and then head to Winston-Salem and Greensboro. It's a bit more of a drive to get there initially, but I find much more business with a steadier flow of customers. As well, the streets are so much easier to drive. The Raleigh/Durham area is a nightmare if you're new to it. So, go where you know or learn it if you don't and it will save you monumental headaches.
As I mentioned, snack up and keep a clean ship. I keep empty grocery store bags in my glove box. I'll break one out for the trash and wrappers customers might have and always have a set of two or three inside one another in case I get an overly inebriated customer who can't hold their liquor. Three plastic bags isn't great, but it's better than that whole mess in your back seat and the customer just might be grateful you saved them the (I believe it's) $80 cleaning fee - though, I've never had to use this feature and only know for certain that Uber offers it, as I haven't looked into Lyft's policies in this area and it was a customer that had been fined that informed me of the cost, so, I cannot tell you if you get the entire fee or if Uber nets a bit for their own profit.
As for snacks, keep it simple - bubble gum and mints. I always keep a case of the small bottled waters that Walmart has - I believe it's something like $2.50 for a 35 pack, so, a sound investment. I've had customers leave reviews complimenting those little bottles, often with a tip as well.
As for the music, keep it PG unless a customer asks to take over or asks you to play something specific. I have a monthly subscription to Pandora so get unlimited commercial free listening in any genre I can think to search for, but usually start out by creating a channel based off Modest Mouse. Their music is mellow, laid back, easy to listen to, and for the most part, non-offensive. If something does come on that sounds a bit too harsh for the company in the car (any children present and what not,) switch over to the app and skip that song.
My best night with Uber was on the weekend of Halloween. It was that Saturday and I left home at around 07:30PM and made it to Durham just after 08:00PM. Just before hitting the Durham city limit, I got my first ping on Uber, my first ride request of the night, so, I knew it was going to be decent. I wrapped up right around 03:30AM and shut the app down because even though more riders were out there, I was done. I brought in $248 in base fairs and another $35 in tips. I should also mention that I took an hour off right around midnight to get myself a bite to eat and stretch my legs. I should also mention, for those not familiar with the Durham area, that Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, that area is not a major metropolis by any means. If you're near a spot like Albany, Dallas, Orlando, or any other larger town or tourist trap, you're set to make some real money driving.
For those interested, I start my nights out with both the Uber and Lyft apps running. When I get a hit on one, I accept it and then shut the other one down (go offline, it's a feature in the app, right up top and easy to see on both apps.) I'll then run that app until I go five to ten minutes without a hit and I'll start the other app back up. It's just an easy way to keep from getting bogged down but keep your options open. Just be mindful if you get a request on both apps at once not to accept both... little 'oopsie' I made on my maiden voyage. Had to cancel one trip, which didn't help my rating on Lyft any.
The rest of the options I have for you will be true work-from-home scenarios, no driving necessary. You won't even have to get out of your pajamas.
Speechpad: Speechpad is a simple platform. Click the link, sign up, take the typing test, and, if you type even moderately fast with decent accuracy, you're a shoe-in. I worked on transcriptions for this company for several months while in between 'real work'. And, as a side note, don't let anyone tell you that these options aren't 'real work', they are, and can be very rewarding. Speechpad typically has dozens of open jobs waiting. They can be anywhere form a few seconds to hours in length and always offer a sample of the audio so you can get a feel for it before accepting. This is good because it gives you an idea of the accents/dialects that are used in the file as well as the overall quality of the audio. If, however, you accept a file and find that it's just too much or too difficult to understand or get done in your allotted time, you can return the job with no penalty (other than you won't be allowed another chance at that particular file.) As well, if you're running low on time in your deadline, you can request one extension on every job you take that will give you half of the original allotted time added to your deadline.
The folks that run the site are knowlegable and have always been easy to work with. Any issues that might arise (say a bad review of my work or a file that's obviously been sped up some so the individual requesting the transcript has 'less time' to pay for,) are quickly addressed and in a professional manner.
Convergys: Convergys often have both full and part time work from home jobs available. You will most likely need a decent headset with microphone and a quiet work space. These jobs can include customer service, sales, and other similar categories. The clients that they hire for are often serious heavy-hitters - by this, I mean that they are well established, well known companies with status already. When you field calls for these clients, there'll be no question that you're working for a professional establishment.
With that said, this is why you'll need a decent headset and somewhat newer computer (within the last 2-3 years should be sufficient, perhaps older.) They'll often send you software packages required (they'll typically run off of a provided USB key and require no installation,) and provide paid training for the organization you'll be tending to.
I've known of three folks who worked through Convergys. I actually dated one of them for quite some time and she lived with me while working that job. I only mention it to support the claim that they represent serious, professional clients. I'll not provide the name of the client out of professional courtesy to said ex-girlfriend and to Convergys as well, just know that you've heard of them and many of you may use their products and services.
Convergys will not require you to open a second landline (or a first, if you're like most these days and don't have one,) as all calls will be handled through their software, no personal information or personal telephone number ever divulged outside of your first name.
Skyes: Similar to Convergys, Skyes offers positions to work from home fielding inbound calls. These positions require no outbound or cold calling. Like Convergys, you'll be supplied with a software platform and training and will be able to work from home making a respectable hourly wage.
As well, like Convergys, they require a professional and quiet atmosphere with the use of a decent quality headset and mic. Again, you're own number will never be used and calls are fielded through your internet connection, your privacy always protected.
Teletech: Teletech, again, is another great at-home-job provider with customer service positions frequently available. These positions pay from $9-$10.50 an hour, to start. They're a well established organization with an active social media presence you can check out for yourself from the link above, perhaps get a feel for the organization to see if they'll be a good fit for you.
But, of course, again, expect to be required to maintain a quiet and professional atmosphere and telephonic presence.
Upwork: Upwork is a very interesting prospect for any stay-at-home...well, anything. There is no contract, no set hours, no base salary, etc. Upwork works on a simple framework. There are clients and workers. A client will describe the job they want done, post it to the site with tags for specific areas/fields/genres (i.e. Data Entry, Transcription, Graphic Design, etc.) and workers will be able to search the available jobs listed. When you find something in an area you're comfortable and knowledgeable in, you submit a proposal. It's all very simple and elegant. Freelance, Elance, whatever you want to call it, it's basically a means to set your own hours, pay-rate, and terms with each job you go for. For a better understanding of how it all works, see their informational page HERE.
Fiverr: Many of you most likely have either heard of or even used Fiverr, so this one is more of an honorable mention. But with Fiverr, again, there are no set hours, no set pay, and no set job. You sell yourself. Okay, that sounds bad... You sell your products and services. Do you make custom jewelry? Graphic design? Custom audio mixes (that you're legal to sell, obviously you should always consider copyright infringement a bad idea)? Well, give Fiverr a shot. You can create an account (free) or just login with Facebook (also free.) From there, it's very easy and intuitive to set up a gig and the site will even give you pointers on adding features and different price-sets for your products and services. For instance, if you offer a three minute long custom audio file for $25, maybe offer a five minute file for $35? Or if you offer three mock-up designs/sketches for $10, have second and third options for more detail, retouching, color, specialized fonts you've designed, etc. for higher prices.
Fiverr is another spot I've had some luck with myself, so, can vouch for its authenticity. The catch is, of course, if you're selling a product or service that is somewhat common, you need to make your listing stand out. Take the time wording your headlines, your descriptions, etc. Be competitive in pricing - NEVER be afraid to undercut other offers you see out there if you feel you can do it better or cheaper. And you'll be surprised, on occasion, when someone asks you for something random, not at all related to any listings you have, that's incredibly simple. 'Fill out this survey' or 'Write a review'... just be cautious, always, and be sure you're not violating any of the site's rules (they're pretty simple and straightforward) or laws, obviously (not always as simple or straightforward, but, you know, just don't do illegal things like prostitution and selling drugs through the mail...that's really frowned upon.)
So that's it for now, my friends. But check back later to see what goodies I find for you come the new year. I'm aiming to update at least monthly, if not bi-weekly or weekly, with new leads and sources of income from home. Seldom will I ever list a prospective opportunity that requires anything out of pocket to get started as I've never utilized such a service and find them to be extremely suspect. For instance, these 'fix windshields' or 'repair phone screen' jobs popping up all over - they require you to send them decent stacks of cash (not literally, they accept credit card, of course,) for the source material to do the jobs and then can't even guarantee you'll have a clientele in your area to use the tools and supplies you've just bought. So, if I do happen upon any such service that I've decided to give a shot at, I'll bring mounds of proof that it's something potentially profitable with minimum risk... just, don't hold your breath... I like making money, not losing it.
No, these are legit, often full-time positions that never require you leaving home (well, other than Uber and Lyft... those, of course, require you to drive a bit ;) )
But enough said, let's get down to business.
Since I've already mentioned them, let's start with Uber and Lyft (and, I've been informed, there are other similar services available, but if you're anywhere near a larger city, and I'm not talking NYC or Dallas, just, a remotely busy central hub, you're going to do well with Uber and Lyft.) As a note, all links open in new windows and will pass through adfly, this author's gotta eat too ;) these opportunities are well worth 5 seconds of your time, I promise. I only mention this for the sake of honesty - I intend to be fully honest in all of my write-ups here as well as my intentions (which are to make money helping you make money.)
I will mention that the links are NOT referral links - Signing up for any of these opportunities will not gain me a thing and I am in no way affiliated with any of them other than the fact that I've worked through most and personally know folks who have vouched for and explained the others.
The Links at the beginning of each description will take you straight to the registration page for each service, so, no searching around necessary as they're not always the easiest to spot (other than maybe Uber, it's right there on the home page ;) )
Uber:
Lyft: Uber and Lyft, if you have a car with four doors and seating for five (yourself included,) at the time of this article's conception, that is, you can sign up for and drive for Uber. Mind you, it also helps to have some basic people skills and a moderate tolerance for loud, obnoxious, and occasionally drunk or just poor smelling individuals. Keep air fresheners in your car, a can of deodorizer in the glove box, and baby wipes (not necessary, but often helpful.) I also recommend a roll of paper towels, snacks (these always go over well, gum and mints and bottled water,) charging cables for Android and Apple devices, and an audio cable with some non-offensive music playing. Let your customer use your audio cable with their device to listen to whatever they like if they ask, it will score you serious points.
Now, I drove (and, in fact, still drive, occasionally,) for both Lyft and Uber, so, I'll share with you what I found worked best for me. I've tried hitting the larger towns early mornings during the week (catching folks heading into work or school and such,) during off peak hours, and on the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) between 07:00PM and 03:00AM (adjust for bar closing times in your area as I know not all states are open until 02:00AM like mine, but keep at it for a good hour after closing time, people straggle out of bars slowly.) I can honestly say that between a Friday and Saturday night I'll make twice what I make the rest of the week between the cost of the rides and tips. Just a side note, you will not always get tips. In fact, they're rather rare in my area as I averaged about one tip per five to ten rides. You can be tipped in the apps or in cash, so, always carry change in case someone wants to tip you but doesn't have small bills. I always start the night out with a five and five ones.
Now, learn your areas. I drive mainly in Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill here in North Carolina but will now and then head to Winston-Salem and Greensboro. It's a bit more of a drive to get there initially, but I find much more business with a steadier flow of customers. As well, the streets are so much easier to drive. The Raleigh/Durham area is a nightmare if you're new to it. So, go where you know or learn it if you don't and it will save you monumental headaches.
As I mentioned, snack up and keep a clean ship. I keep empty grocery store bags in my glove box. I'll break one out for the trash and wrappers customers might have and always have a set of two or three inside one another in case I get an overly inebriated customer who can't hold their liquor. Three plastic bags isn't great, but it's better than that whole mess in your back seat and the customer just might be grateful you saved them the (I believe it's) $80 cleaning fee - though, I've never had to use this feature and only know for certain that Uber offers it, as I haven't looked into Lyft's policies in this area and it was a customer that had been fined that informed me of the cost, so, I cannot tell you if you get the entire fee or if Uber nets a bit for their own profit.
As for snacks, keep it simple - bubble gum and mints. I always keep a case of the small bottled waters that Walmart has - I believe it's something like $2.50 for a 35 pack, so, a sound investment. I've had customers leave reviews complimenting those little bottles, often with a tip as well.
As for the music, keep it PG unless a customer asks to take over or asks you to play something specific. I have a monthly subscription to Pandora so get unlimited commercial free listening in any genre I can think to search for, but usually start out by creating a channel based off Modest Mouse. Their music is mellow, laid back, easy to listen to, and for the most part, non-offensive. If something does come on that sounds a bit too harsh for the company in the car (any children present and what not,) switch over to the app and skip that song.
My best night with Uber was on the weekend of Halloween. It was that Saturday and I left home at around 07:30PM and made it to Durham just after 08:00PM. Just before hitting the Durham city limit, I got my first ping on Uber, my first ride request of the night, so, I knew it was going to be decent. I wrapped up right around 03:30AM and shut the app down because even though more riders were out there, I was done. I brought in $248 in base fairs and another $35 in tips. I should also mention that I took an hour off right around midnight to get myself a bite to eat and stretch my legs. I should also mention, for those not familiar with the Durham area, that Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, that area is not a major metropolis by any means. If you're near a spot like Albany, Dallas, Orlando, or any other larger town or tourist trap, you're set to make some real money driving.
For those interested, I start my nights out with both the Uber and Lyft apps running. When I get a hit on one, I accept it and then shut the other one down (go offline, it's a feature in the app, right up top and easy to see on both apps.) I'll then run that app until I go five to ten minutes without a hit and I'll start the other app back up. It's just an easy way to keep from getting bogged down but keep your options open. Just be mindful if you get a request on both apps at once not to accept both... little 'oopsie' I made on my maiden voyage. Had to cancel one trip, which didn't help my rating on Lyft any.
The rest of the options I have for you will be true work-from-home scenarios, no driving necessary. You won't even have to get out of your pajamas.
Speechpad: Speechpad is a simple platform. Click the link, sign up, take the typing test, and, if you type even moderately fast with decent accuracy, you're a shoe-in. I worked on transcriptions for this company for several months while in between 'real work'. And, as a side note, don't let anyone tell you that these options aren't 'real work', they are, and can be very rewarding. Speechpad typically has dozens of open jobs waiting. They can be anywhere form a few seconds to hours in length and always offer a sample of the audio so you can get a feel for it before accepting. This is good because it gives you an idea of the accents/dialects that are used in the file as well as the overall quality of the audio. If, however, you accept a file and find that it's just too much or too difficult to understand or get done in your allotted time, you can return the job with no penalty (other than you won't be allowed another chance at that particular file.) As well, if you're running low on time in your deadline, you can request one extension on every job you take that will give you half of the original allotted time added to your deadline.
The folks that run the site are knowlegable and have always been easy to work with. Any issues that might arise (say a bad review of my work or a file that's obviously been sped up some so the individual requesting the transcript has 'less time' to pay for,) are quickly addressed and in a professional manner.
Convergys: Convergys often have both full and part time work from home jobs available. You will most likely need a decent headset with microphone and a quiet work space. These jobs can include customer service, sales, and other similar categories. The clients that they hire for are often serious heavy-hitters - by this, I mean that they are well established, well known companies with status already. When you field calls for these clients, there'll be no question that you're working for a professional establishment.
With that said, this is why you'll need a decent headset and somewhat newer computer (within the last 2-3 years should be sufficient, perhaps older.) They'll often send you software packages required (they'll typically run off of a provided USB key and require no installation,) and provide paid training for the organization you'll be tending to.
I've known of three folks who worked through Convergys. I actually dated one of them for quite some time and she lived with me while working that job. I only mention it to support the claim that they represent serious, professional clients. I'll not provide the name of the client out of professional courtesy to said ex-girlfriend and to Convergys as well, just know that you've heard of them and many of you may use their products and services.
Convergys will not require you to open a second landline (or a first, if you're like most these days and don't have one,) as all calls will be handled through their software, no personal information or personal telephone number ever divulged outside of your first name.
Skyes: Similar to Convergys, Skyes offers positions to work from home fielding inbound calls. These positions require no outbound or cold calling. Like Convergys, you'll be supplied with a software platform and training and will be able to work from home making a respectable hourly wage.
As well, like Convergys, they require a professional and quiet atmosphere with the use of a decent quality headset and mic. Again, you're own number will never be used and calls are fielded through your internet connection, your privacy always protected.
Teletech: Teletech, again, is another great at-home-job provider with customer service positions frequently available. These positions pay from $9-$10.50 an hour, to start. They're a well established organization with an active social media presence you can check out for yourself from the link above, perhaps get a feel for the organization to see if they'll be a good fit for you.
But, of course, again, expect to be required to maintain a quiet and professional atmosphere and telephonic presence.
Upwork: Upwork is a very interesting prospect for any stay-at-home...well, anything. There is no contract, no set hours, no base salary, etc. Upwork works on a simple framework. There are clients and workers. A client will describe the job they want done, post it to the site with tags for specific areas/fields/genres (i.e. Data Entry, Transcription, Graphic Design, etc.) and workers will be able to search the available jobs listed. When you find something in an area you're comfortable and knowledgeable in, you submit a proposal. It's all very simple and elegant. Freelance, Elance, whatever you want to call it, it's basically a means to set your own hours, pay-rate, and terms with each job you go for. For a better understanding of how it all works, see their informational page HERE.
Fiverr: Many of you most likely have either heard of or even used Fiverr, so this one is more of an honorable mention. But with Fiverr, again, there are no set hours, no set pay, and no set job. You sell yourself. Okay, that sounds bad... You sell your products and services. Do you make custom jewelry? Graphic design? Custom audio mixes (that you're legal to sell, obviously you should always consider copyright infringement a bad idea)? Well, give Fiverr a shot. You can create an account (free) or just login with Facebook (also free.) From there, it's very easy and intuitive to set up a gig and the site will even give you pointers on adding features and different price-sets for your products and services. For instance, if you offer a three minute long custom audio file for $25, maybe offer a five minute file for $35? Or if you offer three mock-up designs/sketches for $10, have second and third options for more detail, retouching, color, specialized fonts you've designed, etc. for higher prices.
Fiverr is another spot I've had some luck with myself, so, can vouch for its authenticity. The catch is, of course, if you're selling a product or service that is somewhat common, you need to make your listing stand out. Take the time wording your headlines, your descriptions, etc. Be competitive in pricing - NEVER be afraid to undercut other offers you see out there if you feel you can do it better or cheaper. And you'll be surprised, on occasion, when someone asks you for something random, not at all related to any listings you have, that's incredibly simple. 'Fill out this survey' or 'Write a review'... just be cautious, always, and be sure you're not violating any of the site's rules (they're pretty simple and straightforward) or laws, obviously (not always as simple or straightforward, but, you know, just don't do illegal things like prostitution and selling drugs through the mail...that's really frowned upon.)
So that's it for now, my friends. But check back later to see what goodies I find for you come the new year. I'm aiming to update at least monthly, if not bi-weekly or weekly, with new leads and sources of income from home. Seldom will I ever list a prospective opportunity that requires anything out of pocket to get started as I've never utilized such a service and find them to be extremely suspect. For instance, these 'fix windshields' or 'repair phone screen' jobs popping up all over - they require you to send them decent stacks of cash (not literally, they accept credit card, of course,) for the source material to do the jobs and then can't even guarantee you'll have a clientele in your area to use the tools and supplies you've just bought. So, if I do happen upon any such service that I've decided to give a shot at, I'll bring mounds of proof that it's something potentially profitable with minimum risk... just, don't hold your breath... I like making money, not losing it.
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