Wouldn't it be wonderful to get money without having to work for it? While there is no magic trick that will make you rich without working, there are certain ways to make money that require little or no effort. If you have some money to invest or if you want to put some effort into your next monetization project, you're more likely to make money without having a traditional job.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Make money in non-traditional ways
Step 1. Rent out a room in your house
If you have a room (or rooms) that you don't use in your home, consider furnishing and renting it out. If you do, make sure you follow the law regarding rent and things like that. This way you can collect quite a bit of money each month, and all you have to do is get the room ready before you rent it out.
- The more privacy you can offer, the more you can charge for the room. If you have a studio in your attic, with its own kitchen and bathroom, you can ask for a lot more than if you just rent out a bedroom.
- Only rent out your room to responsible, reliable people who pay on time and who respect your house rules. It's a good idea to pre-screen the tenant by checking his/her background, good name, and asking if he/she can provide a reference from a previous landlord, plus a copy of a recent payslip.
- Services like Airbnb can put you in touch with tourists or others who want to rent something for the shorter term. Then you can ask a significantly higher daily rate than if you rent out the room per month.
Step 2. Make money from the internet
Today there are thousands of ways to make money with the internet, but most of the time you have to put in some effort. If you're committed to developing your own brand, you can really walk in quite a bit.
- Start a website or a blog. If your website becomes popular and attracts a lot of visitors, you can make a lot of money by selling advertising space. If you are not that good at writing, you can also post videos.
- If you know a lot about a topic, you can also create informative content, such as e-books, webinars, or how-to videos. Chances are you'll have something useful to share, whether you're teaching people about math, juggling, or a foreign language!
- If you're willing to do some more traditional work, you can also become a freelance copywriter or virtual assistant. Just search the internet for websites where freelancers are asked.
Step 3. Earn royalties
If you're willing to work hard on something that will pay off later, you can write a book or music, or invent a product. The chances of getting a hit are slim, but if your creation becomes popular, you'll always keep getting money without having to do anything for it.
You can also buy the rights of pre-existing royalties at auction, but do your research first to see if it's worth the investment
Step 4. Get paid for temporary jobs
If you don't like the idea of a regular job, but you don't mind working online for a few hours a day, or in varying locations in your area, you can make good money with temporary work. Make sure you know exactly how much you will earn before you commit to a new job.
- Participate as a test subject or in a focus group. Sometimes you have to be present in person, but often it can also be done online. You get paid if you participate in a presentation and share your ideas about something.
- You can also easily earn a few euros with questionnaires on the internet. There are many companies that pay for questionnaires.
- If you enjoy browsing the web, you may also enjoy testing new websites for a fee and having your say.
- Mystery shopping is a great option if you enjoy shopping and eating out. All you have to do is visit a company, pretend to be a regular customer and then share the details of your experience with the company. Depending on the job, you get paid, and/or free products or services from the company. You can search for individual companies or you can register with an organization such as Mysteryshopping.nl.
Step 5. Sell stuff
If you have things you don't use, try selling them on websites like eBay or Marktplaats. If you're creative, you can also sell homemade items on Etsy or a similar platform.
- If you're willing to put some effort into the things you're going to sell, you can earn a little more when you start buying and selling. The secret is that you have to find bargains at flea markets and thrift stores, and then try to sell them on the Internet for more money. This works well with things like books, which are easy to store and ship.
- If you don't like selling on the internet, you can also go to the flea market nearby.
Step 6. Charm
If nothing else works, you can always simply start asking for money. If you do this, it is best to sit on a busy street, or in another public, safe place with a lot of pedestrians. You can even make a decent income by begging, but you have to sit down for it for a long time, rain or shine.
- When you go begging, your image is very important. You should look like you are needy so that people will want to help you, but you should not look dangerous or threatening.
- You may be more successful if you can entertain the audience by playing an instrument, singing, performing magic tricks, or otherwise performing a trick, but be aware that you may need a license to do so.
Method 2 of 4: Make more money from money you already have
Step 1. Start lending money
If you already have some savings, you can make more of it by lending it out at interest. There are all kinds of companies that connect lenders with potential borrowers. Although there aren't that many private investors these days, there are still opportunities in this area.
If you want to become a lender, always follow the law
Step 2. Earn interest
Instead of leaving the money you have in a checking account (or in an old sock), you can also put it in an account with a higher interest rate, such as a savings or deposit account. Ask your bank for advice if you want to put your money in such an account.
These types of accounts often require a minimum initial deposit. It may also be the case that you have to leave the money on it for a longer period of time, so that you cannot get it yourself without paying a fine
Step 3. Invest in stocks
One way to make money without working is to gamble in the stock market. Stock trading is not without its risks, but if you do it smartly and carefully and you are lucky, you can make a lot of money. Whatever investment you make, never invest more money in stocks than you can afford to lose.
- Cheap online trading platforms are ideal for investors who do not want to pay to have their investments arranged.
- There are tons of different investment strategies out there, so do your research to find out what works best for you. Whatever your strategy, it's important to have a diverse portfolio and to keep abreast of all the changes in the stock market.
Step 4. Invest in a business
Investing in a successful business is a good way to get rich, although it is challenging to find such a business. If you're lucky enough to find a company you really believe in, do some thorough research before investing.
- It is very important that you have confidence in the management of the company. Even if the concept is great, a bad CEO can ruin the company.
- Before investing, make sure you have a clear idea of the company's expenses and potential profits, as well as their brand and image.
- Make sure there is a contract in which your rights are clearly described. You should also know what your options are to get out of the agreement.
- Don't invest all your money in one company. If it goes wrong, you lose everything.
Step 5. Start trading real estate
Real estate trading involves buying a cheap (job) home, letting it increase in value (either by simply waiting for house prices to rise, or by refurbishing it), and then selling it for a profit. Making smart choices and having a practical knowledge of home remodeling can earn you thousands of dollars per DIY home, although unexpected costs or a dip in the housing market can also put you in debt.
- Before you invest in real estate, make sure you know the local housing market well, otherwise you might lose money if you sell it.
- Unless you have enough money to hire construction workers to do the work for you, renovating a house requires hard work. Even if you do hire people, you'll probably have to keep the overview.
- If you don't have the money to invest in real estate, there are other things you can fix up and sell, such as furniture and cars. Anything you can buy cheaply, fix up yourself, and then sell for a profit is a good trade.
Method 3 of 4: Borrow money
Step 1. Take out a payday loan
If you have a job but need some extra cash before your next paycheck, you may want to take out a payday loan. These are low-value loans with a short term, and you can often take out online.
Be careful with these types of loans, because the interest is often high. It is better to use them only in emergencies
Step 2. Withdraw some money from your credit card
Many credit card companies offer the option to transfer money to your checking account or withdraw money from the ATM. As with the payday loan, you often pay a lot of interest, making it an expensive option.
Read the fine print carefully so you know exactly what it will cost you
Step 3. Take a loan from the bank
Banks and credit companies offer all kinds of loans. Some loans require you to have personal property as collateral in case you cannot repay the loan. Even if you do not have your own house or other possessions, you can sometimes still get a loan, depending on your financial situation.
Compare the costs at multiple institutions before you take out a loan. Credit companies often offer lower interest rates than banks
Step 4. Borrow from friends or family
Borrowing money from people you love can be complicated because you can jeopardize the relationship with them if you can't repay the money. If you choose to borrow from family or friends, be honest with them about how long it will take you to repay them, and draft a contract.
Method 4 of 4: Make money without effort
Step 1. Inherit money
If you have a wealthy old relative with whom you are in the will, you may receive money when he/she dies. Of course, if the family member likes you, you're more likely to be named in the will, so try to look good on that family member. Hopefully this won't be an effort as it would be very cruel and mean to treat the oldie with love and respect just for the money.
Step 2. Win the lottery
A lottery ticket usually costs no more than a few euros and can be bought at most supermarkets and tobacconists, so this is one of the cheapest and least intensive ways to make money. But the chance of winning something is much smaller than the chance of losing your money.
Always expect to lose your money when you buy a lottery ticket. While it's true that you can't win anything if you don't buy a ticket, you should never count on making money to live on by playing the lottery. To put things in perspective, the odds of winning the State Lottery's New Year's Eve draw are about 1 in 4.3 million
Step 3. Win a match
Just like the lottery, winning a competition or promotion can change your life overnight. The chance is not very high, but it does happen. The more often you enter a competition, the more likely you are to win cash or other valuable prizes.
- The advantage of a competition compared to a lottery is that you can often participate for free. Search the internet and social media for free competitions and promotions that you can participate in. You can also find out if there are competitions by following the commercials or advertisements. Often you don't even need to buy anything to participate.
- If you really want to participate in as many promotions as possible, you can search the internet for promotions from all kinds of companies on collection sites such as
- There are also many scammers operating, so be careful. In a real competition, you should never have to pay or give your credit card number to collect your prize. Also be very careful with the personal details you have to fill in for promotions.
Tips
- You will probably always have to work for your money, unless you are very lucky. Try to find something you like so that working is less of a pain.
- Find a mentor who is financially well off, and try to learn from him/her.
Warnings
- Do not gamble if you are prone to addictions.
- All forms of investing can go wrong, so don't invest more than you can afford to lose.
- Beware of constructions that could make you rich quick. If it seems too good to be true, it usually is!