How to Make Money With the Internet at No Cost

The online world provides a number of ways for ordinary people to make money, but it is important to steer clear of work at home scams. One of the hallmarks of a work at home scam is the need to invest large quantities of cash up front before you see a dime in profit. Fortunately, there is no need to make that investment, since there are many ways to make money online for free.

Online Surveys

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  Sign up for market research studies and Internet survey companies, but steer clear of any that require a membership fee or other charge. Legitimate market research firms make their money by charging companies to research their products and solicit the opinions of ordinary consumers, not by charging survey respondents.

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  Fill out a screening survey for each company you sign up with. This screening survey makes it easier for the company to match you with the right survey opportunities.

• 3

  Check your email frequently for survey opportunities. Some surveys are open for a short period of time, so be sure to respond right away if you want to participate. The subject line of the email often lists the amount of compensation being offered, so you can screen your in-box and respond to the most lucrative offers.

Online Auctions

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  Go through your closet and pull out items you no longer use. Do the same with storage sheds, basements, garages and extra rooms in your home.

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  Sign up for an account with an online auction site like eBay. It is free to join eBay, and you will pay only a small listing fee when you list your items.

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  Take quality digital photographs of the items you have for sale, then go to the selling section of the site to start listing your items. Be sure to post your items to the proper categories. If you are unsure which categories to use, look up similar items on eBay and see which categories they are using.

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  Watch the auctions closely, and answer any buyer questions promptly. Being a responsive seller can help you get more for your items.

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  Ship your items promptly when the auction ends. Be sure to email each buyer to let him know the items are on their way.

Freelance Opportunities

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  Make a list of the skills you have and use that list to find suitable freelance opportunities. There are many freelance sites on the Internet--just avoid any that charge a fee to join. You can find many freelance websites that do not charge an up-front fee. Many freelance sites simply take a percentage of the project's value to cover their costs and make a profit.

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  Search through each freelance site for opportunities that fit your interests and your skills. You can find opportunities for everything from freelance writing and editing to Web design and database development.

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  Read the requirements of the project carefully and make sure you will be able to fulfill them. Check the price being offered for the work and accept it if you feel it is fair. In some cases you will be asked to submit a bid for the work instead. When calculating your bid, think about the number of hours it will take to complete the project, then determine a fair hourly wage for the work involved.

• 4

  Complete each project you are awarded to the best of your ability. It is best to limit yourself to one or two projects until you develop a comfort level to take on more work. As you become more experienced as a freelancer, you will be better able to estimate the time involved in each project, and that will enable you to juggle multiple assignments at once.