Intentional finance. Intentional family. Intentional business.

Here's what's new:

Crystal’s Kroger Markdown Shopping Trip

If you’re looking to make extra money online from home to increase your income, there are plenty of ways to start. Over the years, I’ve seen countless readers successfully earn extra income online in practical, flexible ways — whether that’s freelancing a skill they already have, selling digital products, managing social media for a small business, or picking up simple tasks during spare moments.

Maybe groceries cost more than you expected this month. Maybe you’re trying to rebuild your savings, pay down debt, or create a little breathing room in your budget. Or maybe you simply want an income stream that fits into real life.

Earning money online is more accessible than ever and, no, it doesn’t have to involve scams, sketchy offers, or promises that sound too good to be true. Below, I’m sharing legitimate, up-to-date ways to earn money online that real people are using right now.

Easy Ways to Earn Money Online

Screenshot from Swagbucks with the a call to earn FREE gift cards.

1. Swagbucks

If you’ve read my blog at all, you know I’m a big fan of Swagbucks. And you probably signed up a long time ago and have been earning gift cards ever since.

For the handful of you who have yet to sign up for Swagbucks or for the many others who have signed up but feel like you’re not earning much from it, you can go here to learn more.

2. Rakuten

Rakuten works with online stores to offer you a percentage, usually somewhere between 3-10% of your total purchase, back as a rebate. While this might not seem like much, it can really add up over time. And if you’re already going to be making the online purchase, you might as well get a little kickback, too, right?

They currently offer cash back at over 1800 stores including Walmart, Target, JCPenney, Staples, Lands’ End, Sephora, and many, many more.

One of the oldest cashback sites, Rakuten has an easy-to-navigate website and, in my personal view, is the best cashback program. (You can read my full review of Rakuten here.) I especially like that you only have to earn $5.01 in rebates in order to get a check or Paypal payment.

Screenshot for Amazon Trade-in Tech Program.

3. Amazon Trade-In Program

Amazon’s Trade-In Program is wonderful for two reasons: 1. You can earn extra cash for very little effort, and 2. You can declutter your house at the same time!

Find out more about how to earn cash by trading in your unused things here.

Stack of six used books with spines to the left.

4. Sell your used books

Selling your gently used books is a great way to boost your budget! Books can be expensive, so selling your used books through sites like World of Books, Thrift Books, Amazon Trade-In Store, eBay, or Pangobooks can not only help you get the extra cash you need, but it can also help others get great deals on books. Win-win!

You can take this a step further by visiting thrift stores or library sales to buy books you’re confident will resell for a profit. Books often cost as little as $0.25–$2 at these places, so if you find a rare title or a popular recent release, you could turn a small investment into a nice return by reselling it on one of these platforms.

5. Fiverr

Fiverr is a great place to earn cash for doing simple tasks for people who are looking for specific services. It can be as easy as writing a 300-word article (Note: This post has 566 words at this point, so 300 isn’t all that much!), recording a short video, proofreading, etc. People generally pay $5 for these small tasks (or more, depending on the job), and that can really add up!

Check out this guest post by Lisa of The Frugal Batavian that outlines all the need-to-know facts about how Fiverr works and how you can make money doing things you’re already good at!

6. Online tutoring

Working as an online tutor is a great way to make extra cash in your free time, and it doesn’t take much to get started. Check out what Alaina of Telecommuting Mommies has to say about the different options available and how you can start earning in her guest post here.

Desk with an open laptop, flowers, coffee mug, and open notebook with a pen.

7. Freelancing

The idea of freelancing can intimidate some folks, but the truth is, most people have skills they don’t even realize they can monetize.

If you have writing, graphic design, editing, bookkeeping, customer service, photography, programming, or other marketable skills, freelancing is one of the most versatile ways to earn online. You can find clients on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, and more.

Here are some ideas for freelance services you can offer:

Freelance writing or editing
Graphic design services
Website building / management
Virtual assistant tasks

Sara Haley, a successful freelancer, shares her story of how oDesk (now Upwork) helped her and her family recover from financial challenges — and how she got her first client within 24 hours! You can read her full guest post here. So inspiring!

8. Become a virtual call center agent

Seasonal work as a virtual call center agent is a fantastic way to earn some good cash on the side, whether you need cash for upcoming birthdays, the holidays, or other costs. Hear what Alaina Forbes from Telecommuting Mommies shares in another guest post she did for MoneySavingMom.com about the ins and outs of getting started and what companies hire seasonal agents!

9. Take online surveys

If you’re looking for a very low-commitment way to earn money online, taking surveys can be a simple option. This definitely won’t make you rich, but I can say that in our lean years, I was able to earn extra cash to help us pay for the things we needed with online surveys.

Check out this post that lists the survey companies I recommend the most!

10. Listia

Another fantastic way to earn free gift cards is with Listia. Listia is an online auction website similar to eBay, except that no money is exchanged. With the credits you earn, you can cash out for gift cards among other things.

You can go here to learn more about what Listia is and how to use it.

11. Write basic articles

Textbroker works with people from all over the United States to write very basic articles on a wide variety of topics. If you have good basic English grammar skills, this is a great way to earn extra money on the side

Find out more about Textbroker from Miranda of WAHadventures.com in her guest post here.

12. Get paid to listen to music

SliceThePie is another money-making website we learned about from Miranda. If you love listening to new music, this is a wonderful opportunity to earn cash doing what you love.

Find out more from Miranda here.

13. Transcribe other people’s voicemail and phone calls

QuickTate hires entry-level transcriptionists to transcribe audio files into text and is another site we heard about from Miranda’s guest post. This could involve transcribing 2-3 minute voicemails or longer legal files, medical files, recordings of phone calls, and more. This job won’t make you rich, but it will help boost your income to budget for extra items around your home.

Person at a desk with open laptop and typing hands.

14. Transcription and Captioning

If you’re a fast typist with a good ear and solid grammar skills, transcription and captioning can be a reliable way to earn money online. This type of work involves listening to audio or video files and converting them into written text, captions, or subtitles.

Transcription jobs can include podcasts, interviews, meetings, YouTube videos, lectures, or even TV content. Captioning is similar, but focuses more on syncing text accurately with video, which is especially important for accessibility.

Here are a few legitimate companies and platforms where you can apply for transcription or captioning work:

Rev – One of the most well-known platforms for transcription and captioning. Work includes interviews, podcasts, and video captions, and you can choose jobs based on your availability.
TranscribeMe – Good for beginners, with shorter audio files and straightforward transcription tasks.
Scribie – Offers transcription work with flexible scheduling and regular task availability.
GoTranscript – Provides transcription and translation opportunities and is open to international applicants.

Woman earning money online at home with an open laptop at her desk.

15. Usability Testing for Websites

Ever hear about usability testing for websites? Well, Anna of Real Ways to Earn Money Online says that companies are willing to pay good money to have their websites tested by people like you and me to better understand what improvements could be made. If you enjoy surfing the web and visiting new websites, this is a great way to earn some extra cash doing what you already enjoy!

Check out Anna’s list of companies hiring website usability testers here!

Crystal Paine smiling at her desk with her open laptop and a bookshelf full of books behind her.

When it comes to earning money online, the most important thing isn’t finding the perfect opportunity. It’s getting started with something that fits your current season of life.

Some of the ideas above are great for quick, flexible income. Others take more time and effort upfront but can grow into meaningful long-term streams of income. There’s no right or wrong place to begin. What matters most is choosing one option, taking the first step, and giving yourself permission to learn as you go.

Crystal’s Kroger Markdown Shopping Trip

I stopped by Kroger yesterday after school drop off to see if Kroger had any markdowns. I’ve found that when I go around 8:30 a.m., there are usually at least some meat and produce markdowns. Sometimes, there are other markdowns, too!

Well, yesterday, I was so excited to find SO many great markdowns!! Here’s what I got…

Everything I bought was marked down!

2 pie crusts — I’ll stick these in the freezer to have on hand for quiche or pies! – $1.79
Bananas – $1.92
Bagged salads (for my lunches) – $1.80, $1.80. $1.62
Spinach (got this to use in smoothies) – $1.03
3 Chobani Flips – $0.79 each
2 Pad Thai with chicken meals – $3.60 each (I gave these to Kathrynne to use for a dinner with her friends. She also took one of the bagged salads. She was SO excited about these — I love that my markdown finds can bless others, too!)
5 packages organic chicken – $2.03 (there was a $1/1 digital coupon making these just $1.03 each!)
Roast – $9.80
2 steaks – $10.97, $12.80
3 cans prebiotic soda – $0.70 each
2 boxes of plastic silverware – $0.99 each
2 boxes Rice Krispies Bliss Bars – $0.40 each
Crackers – $1.46
6 cartons Nutpods – marked down to $1.99 each (I LOVE Nutpods and buy them to use in my tea, so I was thrilled with this price as they are usually $5+. They said they were good through May 2026, so I stocked up!)
5 cans International Delight Peppermint Mocha cold foam – $0.50 each (This was by far the best deal I found and they had a lot of them. I wasn’t sure if we’d like these so I only bought 5. They are pretty sweet but I’m excited to come up with some creative uses for them. Let me know if you think of any unique ideas!)
2 bottles International Delight creamer – $0.99 each