by HM Wilson

Created on: July 21, 2008   Last Updated: September 06, 2010

Can you make money online? That question has been posed repeatedly as more and more people seek a way to say goodbye to their 9-to-5 jobs.

With the proliferation of get-rich-quick schemes and fly-by-night Web sites, the prospect of making money online may, to some, seem like fool's gold. Despite the fact that there are quite a few scams out there, the fact is that quite a few people are making money online.

The question, then, should not be "can you make money online?" Enough people have proven that you can do just that. The question then becomes, "Can you make reasonable money online?" Or, in other words, is it possible to earn a living online?

The answer to that question is a resounding "Yes!" While you may not be able to afford caviar and champagne for every meal, it is entirely possible to earn a living online. There are plenty of people who are, in fact, earning as much online as they would working full-time at a non-online job.

There are a number of ways to get there. Some are more traditional than others are; some require more work than others do; some have set hours, while others offer flexibility; some show steady earnings immediately, while others take a while before they offer a stable income.

Legitimate online earnings opportunities come in a variety of shapes and sizes; not all work for all people. There are many, many opportunities out there, and there are many more waiting for talented, creative people to create them- perhaps that could be you!

Here are some companies that hire online employees:

- Chefsline (www.chefsline.com): Do you know your way around a kitchen? Do you amaze guests with splendid dishes? If so, this company may want you!

While having a degree in the culinary arts is helpful, it is not necessary. What is necessary, however, is culinary prowess.

- Tutor.com (www.tutor.com): This online tutoring service hires people to serve as tutors for their elementary-to-college-aged clients. Pay is based on the number of hours that you schedule to tutor online, rather than by the number of clients.

- VIPdesk (www.vipdesk.com): This company hires Home-based Brand Ambassadors and Home-based Concierge. Hours are flexible for both positions; however, ambassadors can expect to work 1-4 hours per day. Concierges work either part- or full-time and pay starts at $14/hour.

Here are some other ways to earn money online:

- Blogging: If you have a passion for something, anything or everything and you want to share it with the world, blogging could be for you. If you are good at promoting your blog, and it has enough appeal to keep people coming back, you may be able to turn what is a hobby for many into a paying job for you.

Participating in programs such as PayPerPost (www.payperpost.com) and various affiliate programs (it seems like just about every shopping site offers some sort of affiliate program) can keep the money flowing.

However, this is not "easy" money. You must have something to say, and you must work to drive traffic to your blog.

- Web sites: Many of the same rules that apply to blogging apply to running your own Web site. You must offer something worth coming back for, and you must get enough traffic to make your participation in affiliate programs and such pay off.

- Writing: There are numerous online opportunities for writing, including Helium. This is definitely not a way to get rich; however, if writing is in your blood, you can definitely make a living writing for various sites.

While this is just a brief overview, there are plenty of other opportunities out there, and there are more coming into existence on a regular basis. The online world is a frequently shifting landscape - and a frontier of great opportunity.

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