Article written by Leah Bailey

​Working as a freelancer is one way to earn extra cash. Have you ever dreamt of having extra income to save for an exciting trip, replace a dodgy old appliance, or to simply enjoy some pocket money and treat yourself? If your answer is a resounding yes, you’ve arrived at the perfect article. In this short five minute read, we will quickly andefficiently explain six of the most effective methods for you to start making money as a freelancer. These remote jobs come without the burden of any boss or time constraints, and you may even find yourself having fun on your journey to financial freedom.

1. Taking Commissions or Payments Online (As Any Kind of Artist or Creative) 
If you have any type of creative skill, this first freelancer job recommendation is for you. There are plenty of waysto get yourself out there and start advertising, but one place to begin is Fiverr if you are completely new to selling your work. It is completely free to start on fiverr, and the website only takes a 20% fee of your earnings, leavingyou with 80% of all transactions. Fiverr is home to thousands of hobbyists and professionals alike, and it isn’t just for the illustrative types; there are tons of more niche sections on the website, such as music and audio, data handling, programming, translation assistance, and more. Similar platforms include Upwork, Freelancer, Toptal, Jooble, Guru, and more.

2. Dropshipping 
One of the most popular ways to start making money as a freelancer is with dropshipping. You may have heard the term thrown around online before but may not be exactly sure what it is. While exact definitions may vary, insimple terms, dropshipping is a business model in which the person or company does not actually handle any of the products that they sell; instead, the product goes straight from the producer to the consumer. While the dropshipper is still responsible for the stock they choose to work with, they never physically have to handle it, which makes dropshipping a great choice for those without extra room in their house or for those who do not want to deal with any physical labor. For the dropshipping approach, we recommend Shopify, where you can both learn more about the process and start your own website with the help of its user-friendly setup. Currently, Shopify is offering a beginner trial period for $1 a month on select plans. Another valuable resource where you can learn about dropshipping is ZenDrop.
 
 3. Blogging
As long as the internet has been around, blogging has been one of the most interesting and sought after parts of it for entertainment and information alike. One of the best things about starting a freelancer blog is that it can truly be about anything your heart desires, from cooking to animals to hardware. We guarantee that no matter what your blog is centered around, there will be an audience with whom to build a community. Wix is an excellenttool to try your hand at starting a blog, and it is completely free to sign up and build a custom site. Moreover,there is a 14-day free trial for any premium plan that you may wish to try out, and after that, prices stay reasonable but vary on the subscription you select. If you have been wanting to write about something for whichyou feel a lot of passion and to contribute your voice on the subject matter, Wix is a perfect first step.
 
 4. Streaming
A misconception exists that streaming is just for those who play videogames, but there are over one-hundred categories on Twitch to try, including sections such as “Just Chatting”, “Food & Drink”, and “Fitness & Health”.There are many ways to make money as a freelancer on Twitch, but your main two streams of income will be AdSense (When individuals watching you are shown advertisements, Twitch gives you a small payout.) andsubscribers / donations from your viewers. You don’t need a special skill to stream, but you will need amicrophone and possibly a webcam. Thankfully, these expenses are one-time purchases and Twitch does not require any type of payment to stream on their website. If you think that you are an entertaining person who is able to interact with an audience, streaming may be for you.
 
 5. Becoming a Virtual Assistant
This approach is a bit different from the others listed previously, but it is still lucrative and scalable depending on exactly what you want and how much time you have. Millions of virtual assistants right now work both part-time and full-time, and the market is growing every year as more things become internet-focused and remote. That said, it is a fairly competitive occupation for freelancers, so we recommend Flexjobs to have the best chance of snagging a great new opportunity to work from home. FlexJobs specializes in hunting down real remote jobs (No scams like you may see on other employment search sites!) and starts at just $2.95 for a 14-day trial, which gives you temporary access to every perk that regular subscribers have access to, including a personalized portfolio and expert job search tips. Anyone can become a virtual assistant with a great resume and application, and FlexJobs can aid with that.
 
 6. Tutoring
 Online tutoring, teaching, and general assisting with subjects is becoming the go-to way for parents and students alike to get help with assignments or writing papers, and it is incredibly easy for freelancers to take up. Many websites offer these types of jobs, and you may even consider marketing yourself by creating your own tutoringbusiness with the aforementioned Wix website tool, but Superprof is one of the leading companies in the virtual industry and has millions of tutors. You may earn up to eighty dollars an hour on the high scale of things and twenty on the lower, but either way it is an amazing opportunity to start a new career and make some extra cash. Superprof allows you to register for free and the site will start allocating students as early as the same week.
 
With the help of at least one of these six freelancer ideas within our article, you will almost certainly be able to start making some extra income for yourself. The best part about these remote opportunities lies in the prospectof freedom—financially, mentally, and emotionally. As a freelancer, you will be able to explore countless business avenues and discover what truly works best for you. The most difficult part of buckling down and starting research is a hurdle you’ve already jumped, so start your freelancer path today and unlock a life you never thought was possible!