The coronavirus has applied a new thought process to everyone around the world over the past few weeks. The lives of nearly every individual in the world have been turned upside down and shrouded in panic as new changes occur every day. And unfortunately, these changes often include unemployment and pay cuts. On the surface, making money during quarantine seems nearly impossible. Germs spread easily in almost any common workplace, making it a high-risk area for those worried about catching the coronavirus. Selling lemonade is probably quite controversial too.
And with people working from home or out of work, many innovative and unique forms of making money have hit the internet with fire. Homemade brands, selling clothes and designs, creating Youtube channels, etc., have all been common themes in the bedroom of a broke and bored teenager.
Money is a hard thing to come by at times like these unless you choose one of the following options.
1. Dust off
Similar to the idea of eBay, Depop is a platform for those who want to sell their clothes, jewelry, artwork, and everything else under the sun. The app is well known for being populated by vintage enthusiasts and those who want to reduce their carbon footprint by practicing sustainability. The app also includes item recommendations based on your tastes, best sellers based on style, and global favorites, all on the search screen. Users can decide to follow stores and sellers to track the items they are selling as well as meet mutuals on the app.
Getting started on this app is very basic. The user only has to connect his Paypal account for transactions and other payments. In addition to payments, many sellers and app users also participate in exchanges where they exchange items from either store of similar value. After this step, all that’s left to do is create an account with a profile picture, bio, and social media links, if that’s what your heart desires. From there, you can post photos of anything you want to sell and choose the price.
Tips for selling on Depop:
– Always take as many pictures of your product as possible. It usually increases the likelihood that someone will buy it because you show all the angles of the product as well as any flaws it may have.
– If your item is clothing, jewelry, or an accessory of any kind, wearing it in a photo for reference is normally preferred by buyers so they can see how it might suit another individual.
– Always style your articles! Wearing a cool outfit increases the appeal of an item you may think is an abomination. Everyone has a different taste.
– Always include measurements in the description (this does not include the size(s) you list).
– Include a bunch of tags related to your article below the post. These tags are used when other users search for an item using keywords.
– Put your Depop link in your Instagram bio, Twitter bio or post stories on Snapchat about new posts! Some of your friends or followers may want to indulge in your plays.
– Be open to bundling, this will both satisfy your customer with a price offer and earn you money.
2. Sell your paintings
This option is much more universal than you might think. Whether you’re a skilled artist or not, selling paintings or artwork on eBay is a lot easier than you might expect. Start by making a small abstract piece. Be creative, stick something on it. The world population is approximately 7.5 billion. The likelihood of someone liking your art is less than zero.
A recent trend on Tiktok gained popularity for something similar. One creator, @gianniverduchi, made an amateur abstract painting and put it up for sale for $250 to see if anyone should buy it. Within hours, a buyer asked to buy it for $500 with next day shipping.
Although he won’t provide an update video on Tiktok, in an interview on Instagram posts, Verduchi said, “I ended up selling the painting, but not on eBay. [I] I sold it to someone in my area who came across the Tiktok video.
Additionally, Verduchi advised those who want to try selling paintings “to make it your own painting and make it your own artistic value.”
With this idea in mind, a few hundred dollars can be a lot easier than you think.
3. Consult or give advice
Whether you’re an astrophysicist, tarot card reader, or basketball coach, this option can serve a myriad of people. Start by thinking about some topics in which you have expertise. Maybe you’re really good at writing, so you go to Tiktok and post about writing tips or writing essays. This lucrative technique can be done on a bunch of different platforms: Instagram, Craigslist, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. You can even reach out to your friends or family to see if they need help with areas within your area of knowledge.
This idea can be used in so many different ways that money doesn’t necessarily have a sure bearing. If you’re giving history advice at the high school or college level, you can get paid $8-10 an hour, whereas if you’re giving professional advice to a business, you can be paid a legitimate salary. Either way, this option is open to so many different people, everyone is bound to find something.
4.YouTube
For creators from all walks of life, Youtube is one of the golden media platforms of Gen Z. Established in 2005, the video streaming platform offers millions of videos covering everything you can imagine. From compilations and tutorials to vlogs and movie scenes, the platform is extremely versatile. And that’s where you come in. Like the previous idea, take something you like and throw a chain at it. If you’re really religious, start a channel about things you’ve learned or practiced. If you love makeup, become a beauty guru. Or maybe even just do daily vlogs and stream your trip to the grocery store.
The possibilities of Youtube are endless, but it doesn’t always promise you money. Many Youtubers associate their significant earnings from Youtube with brand deals, views, hard work, etc. But the message about success in the Youtube space is clear: you have to be patient. Although there are phenomena like Emma Chamberlain and how she made a million in less than a year, or how Jake Paul gained 5 million subscribers in six months. Success on Youtube doesn’t just come from clicking the download button, you have to work for it or do something worth remembering. That doesn’t mean your daily vlogs aren’t worth it, but it does mean that you have to work hard to start making money from the website.
5. Work with or represent brands
And now we’re down to our last option: branded deals. Brands, usually smaller brands, are always looking for a good, fun representation that matches their brand image. More often than less brands will contact you if they are interested in your accounts or online presence, but that doesn’t limit you to waiting for them to contact you. If you like a brand, look on their website to see if they are looking for brand ambassadors. There you can sign up (if you meet requirements such as age etc.) and start representing them.
Start by improving your Instagram feed, whether it’s talking about more professional photos or posting regularly. This will increase your number of followers and your likes. And with that, you can often add a theme to your account like pastel filters or post three photos from the same shoot to create a pattern on your feed. The offerings that intertwine with the representation of a brand vary. They may offer to give you money, give you discounts on their items, or send you items for free. Either way, these deals will save you money even if you don’t leave your house.
