In this day and age, it’s not surprising that more and more people are looking for ways to make money with their phones. Whether you want to make an extra $100 a month or whether you want to build an app that can turn into millions of dollars, you can use your phone as the ultimate tool to make money online. Here are nine ways to do just that.
1) Getting paid to play games
If you’re looking for a way to earn money, play games on your phone—and then let other people watch you do it. Websites like Viewpoints reward users for trying out new apps, watching videos, and testing products. If that sounds more like your cup of tea, enjoy your coffee break playing online games or taking surveys. Each paid survey will pay about $5—not quite as much as a job in an office but rewarding nonetheless (we promise). The best part is that anyone can join—there are no qualifications or special training required! You may have spent years getting schooled; now it’s time to put those skills to work (we know what we just said sounds really wrong, but we swear it's right)!
2) Selling your photos
Take photos, edit them on your phone, and sell them as stock. You can get started by signing up for an account with Shutterstock (or taking photos for free), then uploading your most marketable images. When it comes time to sell, you'll be able to set prices based on demand from buyers—and keep 100% of what you earn. (The higher price your photo sells for, of course.) If you're really ambitious—and have a knack for design—you can even create your own website and make custom products like magnets or mugs with your photos on them. This is another way to make money with almost no startup costs. And remember: Most creative pursuits are something you enjoy doing anyway; why not earn some money while doing it?
3) Buying apps and products for cheaper
Another way of earning money with your phone is by finding apps and products you like, then buying them at a cheaper price. For example, if you love games and have an Android device, you can head over to Google Play and look for software made by Rovio (the makers of Angry Birds). If you buy their app or something else they have listed on sale, using a service such as Google Wallet will allow you to get deals like paying $0.99 instead of $2.99. You could also check out Amazon's app store and see what kind of discounts are available there. The best part about these methods is that you don't even need to leave your house! Just make sure that whatever you're buying isn't from some sketchy website—you don't want someone hacking into your account and stealing all of your hard-earned cash.
4) Renting out other people’s goods
Peer-to-peer rental markets, like AirBnB for property or RelayRides for cars, offer a fresh way of generating income. You could lease out stuff you already own (like your car, some tools, or an extra room) or even create new opportunities by renting out items you’ve borrowed from others (like a power drill that you only use occasionally). Remember: These sites can generate cash whether your item is rented via someone else or if it’s given away during an auction. In fact, sometimes listing auctions can lead to paying rentals too. Just remember that in order to make money through these services, you have to be able to get people interested in what you have to offer.
5) Getting paid from coupons
Before you start couponing, you should set a budget for yourself. Coupons can add up very quickly, and it's easy to spend too much when you're first starting out. It's tempting when there are freebies or extra savings involved! So once you've determined your monthly budget for coupons, stick with it. To make things easier on yourself, consider printing out only double coupon days at first--this way all of your coupons will be applicable, and you won't have a bunch of leftover ones with no matches. And if you find that you're still spending more than you'd like, try clipping coupons during non-double coupon weeks. You'll still get some great deals, but probably not as many as if you were clipping every day. This is also a good time to remember that free isn't always truly free—you may need to buy something else in order to use that coupon properly (like another item from their sale). That said, it doesn't hurt to try! And if nothing else, saving money is worth it in itself.
6) Use special events as a way to get free items
One of my favorite ways to make a little extra money here and there is by using special events as a way to get free items. You see, in our culture, we celebrate most everything with gifts. Birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, and other holidays are just some of the many times when it’s appropriate (and even expected) that you give a gift. The problem is that sometimes finding something appropriate can be tough. Even if you do find something great it can be tough getting it delivered in time for your celebration; I don’t know about you but I hate giving store-bought flowers or balloons for a birthday present! But what if you could actually earn free items from your local businesses?
7) Create an app that pays you
If you have any kind of tech-savvy, you can create an app that pays you. It’s relatively easy and there are numerous platforms available. You can get paid for posting a photo with your hashtag or receiving ad revenue from views on your videos (similar to YouTube). If you’re creative, look around for inspiration on what kinds of apps people want and create something similar. Be sure it is something that takes a lot of time or effort so people don’t find out about it and steal it! For example, if you’re really into photography, consider creating an app that organizes all of your photos by date and location. Charge $1-2 per download to start. This will be especially appealing if you live in a touristy area where people would be willing to pay $1-2 just to keep their memories organized while they travel.
8) Save on gas by taking rideshare instead of driving yourself
If you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash, look no further than your phone. If you have a car, why not put it to use when you aren’t driving? Taking rideshares such as Uber or Lyft can earn some great extra cash; it’s not just for empty-nesters and new parents who are trying to get out of dropping their kids off at daycare every morning. Sign up for each service, set up an account, and start going online on nights and weekends when typically fewer people in your area are looking for a ride. You might be surprised how many fares come your way!
9) Freelance writing & editing
Freelance writing and editing jobs are plentiful, especially if you have a specialty or niche area of expertise. (This is one way I've been able to generate six figures freelancing part-time.) Depending on your experience level, you could make between $10 and $50 an hour. In some cases, you may get paid per piece—$300 for every 1000-word high-end financial write-up for instance. Regardless of how it’s sliced, it’s a sweet deal when you can bring in extra income from something that requires a minimal time commitment on your part. To really start earning, build out your portfolio with as many articles as possible. Then once you land a client, keep them coming back by delivering top quality work on time and staying within budget. Once they're happy with your work, ask for referrals, and be sure to give them plenty! The more clients you have referring new business to you, the more likely it is that others will want to hire you too.
Conclusion
If you have some extra time on your hands, why not turn it into a profit? These nine ways to make money with your phone aren’t exactly quick fixes, but each method can be profitable if done properly. If you have an old smartphone or even an older flip phone just sitting around, consider one of these ideas for getting some cash for it. Maybe one of them will provide enough income for you to afford that new smartphone you want! No matter what type of device you use—smartphone or otherwise—make sure that you’re always making smart decisions and taking advantage of opportunities. Making money with your mobile device doesn’t have to be difficult: Just remember how far technology has come and realize how much further it will go in the future.
