Earning money online
These days, one will find a lot of information on how to earn money online. Like everyone else, I too wish there was a standard way/procedure of doing it! But is there really such a path? Absolutely not. Because it is a jungle out there and everyone has to chart out his/her own path. So, what have been my experiences from all of these ways/methods of earning money? In this article, I will share my input in this regard.
Tell me who does not like earning money?
I have expressed this saying in Kannada language several times before – ‘Hana nodidare hena yeddi koodtade’. Translated into English, it means that upon seeing money, even a dead body will get up and sit! Jokes apart, who does not benefit from some extra money in their life? I think even the richest person on this earth would not deny an offer of earning money.
Essential Skills = Earning money
In today’s uncertain world where people are losing their jobs at the drop of a hat, it pays to have at least a few essential skills that will hold them in good stead during difficult times. Like times of layoffs or other personal crises in their lives. Not just that. I was just talking to my ex-classmate (from my medical college days). She had a long gap of about eight years after she delivered her second baby. In an effort to regain her lost time, she has taken to medical transcription from her home itself.
Earning money = Remaining sane
It is not just about financial independence for even my ex-classmate I just talked about. It is more about finding and doing something meaningful. I hope you are getting my point. Otherwise, you know that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop! So, to ward off the devil and keep one’s own personal demons in check, it is best to be preoccupied with something good and meaningful. And if you are able to earn something for doing the work, then it is definitely ‘sone pe suhaaga’ as they say in the Hindi language. Which means ‘icing on the cake’!
My personal experience/s
After I resigned from an Indian private university in 2015, even though I had sufficient money to start something on my own, I did not squander it all. Probably I was a bit more than extra careful with regard to it. Not that I did not have an appetite for risk. I have been a perennial risk-taker throughout my life and have followed my heart more closely than my head (brain)! And maybe that is the reason I am in this state today.
But whatever state I am in today, I am perfectly happy with it. Because I know that whatever is in my destiny is bound to happen. No matter what. The mental satisfaction you derive with the hope in divine providence is enormous. As they say, hope and faith are two enormous mountains upon which you should perennially rest your hopes. Of course, hope and faith without action are not of much use. Hence you should strive with a solid plan and do something useful always in your life.
Find your USP
I was referring to essential skills earlier in my article. Each one of you will have at least one skill that will fetch work and money for you. You have to identify it and hone it to perfection. Since this article is about my personal experiences, I will share my skills too here. This is not to brag about them but just to inspire and spur you into doing greater things in your lives. All of you are endowed with something special. Identify it, polish it, and make it your unique selling proposition (USP)!
Websites/Blogs for earning money
Just a little bit about what I did in 2015. I bought a domain www.homeowealth.com. I had personally selected the domain name after nearly a day of sitting. One of my cousins volunteered to create the website for me for free. I am thankful to him for that. Right now, I am primarily using it to treat patients. But I still have a long way to go in converting it into a one-stop solution for anything related to Homeopathy.
In 2019, I bought another domain, https://jameelshaik.com/. I have been using this as my personal blog. Even though I was able to add Google AdSense after a considerably long period of time, I have still not earned anything from it. Because the minimum pay-out is US $100!
Content creation for earning money
Now coming to my other skills besides my primary profession, Homeopathy. From the beginning, I have had a flair for writing. And that has held me in good stead. I have earned quite a bit of money (a little less than INR 40,000) from January 2021 until now for creating written content. This has been from a single company.
Mind you, the earnings from the creation of written content mentioned above were in different periods of time. After the period of January-April 2021, I was forced to ‘cool my heels’ for a few months by this company for failing to complete a few assignments.
The truth is I was unable to keep up with the increased flow of work as I had to travel to my native place, Renigunta, Andhra Pradesh in March 2021. So, you have to always take into consideration the whims and fancies of corporates. Because every corporate has its own agenda. And mind you, the saying, ‘The house always wins’ is not just limited to casinos but to each and every corporate!
Spoken English – my untapped skill
Spoken English and communication skills have held me in good stead. After my father’s passing away in August 2020, I along with my family moved to Hyderabad, India. We stayed there for two months but the hectic lifestyle over there was too much for at least me.
So, we moved to a smaller city, Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, and there I started Passion Life Skills Academy to teach spoken English and communication skills. So, along with my primary profession of Homeopathy, spoken English has helped me. Of course, my US Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering needs to be put to good use pretty soon!
User testing platforms – another success area of mine
Another platform where I met with success has been user testing platforms. These platforms pay money for gaining insights into their products from customers. Though there have been a few companies from which I have earned money in this regard, the lion’s share (US $332) has come from only one company from September 2022 until now! From the rest of the user testing companies, the amount has been very little, probably less than US $20 in total.
The amounts from these two types of platforms might appear very less for a few people out there. What with astronomical sums of money claimed to be earned by a few people online. But the harsh truth is that it takes a very long time to meet with success online. Luck might play a small part but as the saying goes, success is 99% perspiration (hard work) and probably only 1% luck!
My take on earning money online
My take on online earnings is this. First of all, identify your niche/s. Then scout for work online in your niche/s. Of course, you have to complete all the registration formalities and participate in online tests/exams. Mind you, sometimes these formalities also include uploading videos of a few tasks assigned, and writing samples (essays, articles, etc.) of your work.
Though the language used is mostly English, if one knows multiple languages, then the doors open for other works like translation, transcription, etc. For that matter, I even tried medical transcription and several other tasks like captchas, translation, etc. But the payouts for most of them are very low. This is due to the stiff competition and excessive manpower available to do these tasks.
Come what may, you will succeed if you have the zeal and unswerving enthusiasm to excel in your chosen fields. And find the right platforms to exhibit your skills and earn money. The thing is you have to persevere until you find success. And not easily give up. Then you will certainly meet with success one day or the other. For sure. Until then, best!