Being A Remote Worker
First, what exactly is a remote worker?
There is nothing complicated here, it is simply working from a remote location. Instead of having to drive into work every day, you simply do your work from home, hopefully with the use of a home office. You can have this ability largely due to technology. Gone are the days of having to be tied into your company infrastructure. With VPN connections and virtual meeting technology such as Teams, being remote is really no different than being in a cubicle.
Benefits Of Working Remote
The benefits of remote work are fairly obvious. You will spend less time commuting, This allows you to save money and time. The extra money is obviously helpful, but so is the time. Use this extra time to have a more rewarding family life or possibly to earn extra money.
Responsibility Of Remote Workers
Being a remote worker does come with a responsibility. With nobody working over your shoulder, you have to stay on track, which is not something everyone is good with.
In addition, there are some ethical concerns with remote work. Your employer does expect you to be working during company hours. If you are found to be not contributing or working another job during company time, you can very well find yourself without a job. This means that you should be responsible and only do side work on “your time”.
Making Extra Money As A Remote Worker
All that being said, as a remote worker a larger part of the day should be “your time” and you can use this time to add to your income. There are many ways that you can do this.
Affiliate Marketing
One of the most intriguing ways to make additional money is through affiliate marketing. The idea is simple enough, you recommend a product that you actually like and when people buy it, you earn a commission. The trouble is that the market is saturated with affiliate marketers and you have to work hard to actually make money at it.
The best way to find success with affiliate marketing is to find your niche. Find a subject that you are truly interested in and hopefully have expert level knowledge of. Then, give people your expertise. Make yourself useful to people and they will be more likely to click that link, buy the product and allow you to earn extra money.
Online Tutoring
Just as employees are going remote, so are students. This means that there is often a need for online tutors. Even if you do not think that you have a skill that is in demand, you are probably wrong. For example, do you speak English. You could help non native speakers perfect their knowledge of the English language.
To make money from tutoring, you have a number of outlets. You can sign up with a formal online school that will sell classes with you as the instructor or you can go into tutoring alone. Websites like Udemy allow you to make your own training courses that you can publish and earn money from.
Consulting
If you have business skills or industry knowledge, you may be able to make extra money as a consultant. Companies need your knowledge but they may not be willing to hire a full time employee to fill a short term need. This is where you come in.
Websites like Indeed can help you get into part time consulting, but you must be careful not to step on the toes of your current employer. Make sure that the work you do is on “your time” and that it does not interfere with your current employer.
And More
Affiliate marketing, tutoring and consulting are great, but these jobs just scratch the surface. Take a look at your individual skill set and look at ways that you can profit from it.
Benefits Of An Extra Income
So, just why should you try to make an extra income? Shouldn’t you just sit back and enjoy the perks of your remote job?
Well, you can certainly do that, and many do, but pushing for a bit of extra income has numerous benefits.
Financial Freedom
The term is often expressed as “F You” money. Having enough money that you are not dependent on your employer to survive. It can be very reassuring to know that you have enough money in the bank to live on, even if you were to lose your job. This can take much of the stress out of your life, which is a good thing, but this financial freedom also gives you another ability. It allows you to explore higher paying job opportunities.
With the knowledge that you are not dependent on your current employer, you may be more likely to explore the job market. This comes with a risk which is why many people become complacent in their current position. Complacency comes with the benefit of a 3 to 4 percent annual raise. Exploring the market can often result in 10 to 20 percent increases in pay.
Early Retirement Opportunities
We all have a magic number of how much money that we need to retire, or at least we all should. Take that number and divide it by your current rate of savings and you have the age where you will be able to retire. It makes sens that the higher your rate of savings, the quicker you will reach this magic number. Adding a side job can therefore shave years off of your working career.
Get Exposed To New Career Opportunities
Some of the most successful people made their fortune from what initially started off as a side gig. That part time consulting job could turn into a launch of an entire consulting firm. The blog that you set up to make money in affiliate marketing could blow up and result in a six figure income. The possibilities are endless, but they are not always predictable.
Putting yourself out there will at least leave you exposed to the possibility of an incredible development. It is like playing the lottery. Will you make a fortune, maybe not, but you have to play to have a chance. Your side job will certainly allow you to save more and live a better life, but it could also change your life in a drastic way.
Best Advice For Making Extra Money As A Remote Worker
Obviously, there are a lot of perks to responsibly earning an extra income as a remote worker. Here are some tips on getting started.
Use The Skills You Have
While it is always great to learn a new skill, it is not as productive as using the skills that you already have. Take a look at what you do currently in your profession and focus on using some of these skills in your part time job.
If you are a good writer, write. Sell your services on websites like Fiverr or create your own website offering content creation.
If you have QuickBooks skills, sell yourself to local businesses, Many of them can use the skill of a talented bookkeeper but do not have the volume of work needed to bring someone on full time.
In short, if you want to make money now, don’t try to do a new thing. Take your current skills and apply them to part time work opportunities.
Network With Others
Websites like Indeed and even Reddit allow you to talk with others who are in your same situation or who possibly need professional help. Stay in the loop, keep your information updated and be prepared to take advantage of an opportunity when it arises.
Take Care Of Your Main Job
A side income is great, but until you have that “F You” money, you need to take care of your main job. Always prioritize it over your side income and never do side work during hours that you are supposed to be focused on your remote job. Do so and you could find yourself with just one income, your side gig.
