Earn money from home – 15 strategies for beginners

Imagine waking up, making a good cup of coffee, and starting your workday from the sofa at home with bed hair and slippers. No delayed trains, long car queues, or obligatory working hours – just you, your creativity, and an internet connection.  

Or how about a workday that begins with you being greeted by a warm breeze when you open the window and look out at the palm trees on the beach outside?  

Although both scenarios sound too good to be true, it is now easier than ever to launch a project that makes it entirely possible to earn money from home or as a digital nomad. 

But how do you get started? We will cover that in this article, where you will get 15 great ideas on how you can start making money online, whether you’re looking to earn money online in the UK or abroad as a digital nomad. We have also created a practical list of the tools and services you need to succeed with your project. Let’s go! 

Is it difficult to earn money from home?

The short answer is no. That being said, the level of difficulty naturally depends on what your goal is and which project you choose to embark on. Regardless, the fact remains that the days when you had to be physically present to earn money are over. As long as you have a functioning internet connection, your home, holiday cottage, or hotel room can be your office, shop, yoga studio, atelier, or even your classroom. 

Whether your dream is to earn extra money alongside your current job or to fully support yourself with your online business, there are nearly endless possibilities. You can sell products or services online, offer courses, blog, work freelance, and much more. And the best part is that all you need to get started is a computer and internet access. 

Important tools for earning money online

Before we present the list with the 15 ideas, let’s take a quick look at the tools and services you need to get started with earning money online. Think of them as a digital toolbox containing everything that makes it possible for you to build and run your business online. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll need all of them.  

In our list below, you can see exactly which tools you need to get started with each idea. 

• Domain: Your domain name is your address online. It’s the first thing your users see and remember. It should be easy to remember, easy to spell, and match your concept. For a UK business, consider securing a .co.uk domain name. Before you choose a company name for your business, it’s a good idea to check if the name is also available as a domain name. 
  
• Web hosting: Web hosting is a bit like a digital plot of land where you can place your website. By choosing a reliable hosting provider, you ensure that your visitors have a good experience on a website that loads quickly and is always online.
  
• WordPress hosting: If you want to blog, offer courses online, or simply prefer to build your website with WordPress, you need WordPress hosting. Look for a WordPress host that ensures good performance and includes important security measures such as an SSL certificate and malware protection.
  
• WordPress plugins: Plugins are a bit like apps for your WordPress site. They allow you to add more features, such as accepting bookings or creating online courses. Some WordPress plugins, such as WP Rocket and Rank Math, improve the performance of your website and give it an SEO boost, increasing your chances of appearing at the top of Google’s search results. 
  
• Website builder: With a user-friendly website builder, you can quickly create a website without any coding. Many website builders, such as the Website Builder from one.com, include drag-and-drop tools and AI tools that make it easy for anyone to create a beautiful website in no time.
  
• Online shop: If you want to sell physical or digital products online, you need to start an online shop. When you purchase one of the packages with the Website Builder from one.com, your package always includes the option to create a small online shop with up to three products. If you need a larger shop, you can always upgrade to the Business + eCommerce package. You can easily create the shop with drag-and-drop or AI tools.
  
• Professional email: With a professional business email on your own domain, you ensure that you appear professional and reliable when sending emails to potential customers and partners.
  
• VPS: If you want to start a more ambitious online project, host multiple websites, or run a large online shop, you may need a VPS (Virtual Private Server). It gives you more processing power and flexibility than web hosting because you are allocated a number of resources that are only available to you. This ensures that your project is not affected by other users on the server.

How to earn money from home – 15 ideas

If you’re ready to start earning money from home, here are 15 ideas to help you turn your home, hotel room, or backpack into profitable business headquarters. 

1. Sell handmade products online

Are you good at making handmade jewellery, candles, hair accessories, crocheted flowers, ceramic vases, or something else entirely? Selling your own handmade creations online can be both rewarding and profitable. Create an online shop tailored to your personal style and sell your products to customers who are looking for unique, high-quality craftsmanship that they won’t find anywhere else.

What you need: Domain, web hosting, online shop, professional email.

2. Start a niche blog

Do you have a great passion for a particular subject? If you can’t get enough of sharing your knowledge about vegetarian cooking, backpacking, sustainable fashion, or another topic, you can start a blog. On a blog where you focus on a specific niche, you can share your passion and knowledge with others while earning money through affiliate marketing and sponsored content.

What you need: Domain, WordPress hosting, professional email.  

3. Offer online coaching

Are you an expert in fitness, personal development, health, finance, or mindfulness? Then you can create a website and offer online coaching. With an online booking system or a free booking plugin for WordPress, you can make it possible for clients to book a session or a series of sessions with you.

What you need: Domain, WordPress hosting, professional email, booking plugin.

4. Sell online courses

If you prefer to share your expertise as a course where several participants can attend simultaneously, you can create and sell online courses with video lessons, quizzes, and written material. Online courses are popular because they are so easy to participate in from the comfort of one’s own home. Yoga courses, language courses, photography courses, drawing courses, and coding courses are just a handful of examples of courses you can make money by offering. If you create a WordPress site, there are a number of really good course plugins you can use. Most of them are easy to get started with!

What you need: Domain, WordPress hosting, course plugins, and possibly VPS if you want to host many large video files on your website.

5. Freelance as a writer or graphic designer

Are you a copywriter or graphic designer who dreams of avoiding grey office landscapes and stressful commuting? Earn money from home instead by creating a portfolio website that showcases your best work. Armed with a beautiful website and a business email on your own domain, you are ready to accept assignments from clients who need your expertise.

What you need: Domain, web hosting, website builder, professional email.

6. Organise virtual workshops and webinars

Do you love sharing your knowledge, ideas, and thoughts with others? Why not organise virtual workshops and webinars? In your webinars, you can give lectures on a subject you know a lot about, show step-by-step tutorials, or open up for discussions. Create a website with a landing page where visitors can register for your webinars. A monthly newsletter is also an option that can help you engage your audience before and after a webinar.

What you need: Domain, web hosting, website builder, professional email.

7. Sell print-on-demand products

Do you have many design ideas that get halted every time you think about how complicated it is to print things and manage a stock? Then print-on-demand is the perfect solution for you. Find a company that offers print-on-demand services and create an online shop where visitors can order your designs on t-shirts, posters, and mugs. Don’t forget to create mock-ups so your potential customers can get an idea of how the design looks on the t-shirt or poster size they choose.

What you need: Domain, web hosting, online shop, professional email, print-on-demand service.

8. Create an affiliate marketing website

If you love writing reviews or sharing your thoughts on beauty products, restaurants, electronics, or another niche subject, affiliate marketing can be your shortcut to earning money online. Create a website where you focus on a specific niche, such as electronics, sustainable cafes, or hair care, and earn money by promoting and reviewing products from different brands.

What you need: Domain, hosting, WordPress or website builder, professional email.

9. Sell subscription boxes

Subscriptions to boxes with coffee beans, chocolate, gourmet snacks, books, beauty products, and other similar products for self-care and wellness are popular among consumers. This means you have a great chance of fulfilling your dream of earning money from home if you can put together an irresistible subscription box.

Create an online shop and sell subscriptions that are paid monthly for a set subscription period, such as 3 months or 6 months. This way, you can both build a loyal customer base and secure recurring revenue. 

What you need: Domain, web hosting, online shop, professional email.

10. Become a virtual assistant

Are you tidy, organised, punctual, and good at juggling multiple tasks simultaneously? Many companies, influencers, and entrepreneurs need virtual assistants who can help with planning, social media, communication, and other administrative work they don’t have time for themselves. Create a website where you market your services so potential clients can read about how you can help them.

What you need: Domain, web hosting, website builder, professional email.

11. Start a dropshipping business

Just like print-on-demand, dropshipping can be a great option if you dream of starting an online shop but don’t want or have the means to manage and operate a warehouse. With dropshipping, you can sell products directly to customers without worrying about inventory management. You simply set up an online shop with your products, and the dropshipping supplier sends them directly to the customer.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to dropshipping. The main advantages are that you don’t end up stuck with a lot of unsold goods in a warehouse, and you don’t need much start-up capital to get going.  
 
That said, the profit margin with dropshipping is typically a bit lower, as the goods are purchased individually or in smaller quantities, leading to a higher purchase price. You should also account for any VAT or shipping fees for customers both within and outside the UK. You can learn more in our article What is dropshipping?

What you need: Domain, hosting, online shop, professional email, dropshipping supplier.

12. Sell second-hand items online

Hunt for used clothes, furniture, ornaments, lamps, or toys at flea markets, auctions, in the basements of friends and family, or in your own garage, and set up an online shop. In the shop, you can offer a hand-picked selection of lovely second-hand treasures to customers who prefer to avoid searching through dusty charity shops full of chipped coffee cups, worn-out Barbie dolls, and thousands of old ashtrays.  
 
Are you up for restoring or painting an old, tired chest of drawers or sewing new eyes on a teddy bear? Go for it! Many customers are looking for furniture with a unique design or cute toys with a cosy story. By selling second-hand goods, you’re also helping to reduce consumption, which is something many consumers appreciate and prioritise.

What you need: Domain, hosting, online shop, professional email.

13. Offer clothing repair, tailoring, or alteration

While we’re talking about reducing consumption—if you always repair and alter your own clothes, or perhaps you’re already working as a tailor, you could set up a website where you offer to repair or alter clothes that would otherwise be discarded or forgotten. Many of us buy a pair of jeans that are too long or a dress that’s a bit too loose, but we never wear them because they just end up sitting at the back of the wardrobe. You could be the solution to that problem!  

Make it possible for customers to send clothes to you for repair or alteration, perhaps after an online meeting or by filling out a contact form where you agree on details, measurements, and special requests.

What you need: Domain, hosting, website builder or WordPress, professional email.

14. Sell digital products

The products in an online shop don’t have to be physical. You can also live the dream of a passive income by selling digital products such as stock photos, e-books, design templates, knitting patterns, video courses, and music. Designing colouring books or calendars that your customers can download and print themselves is also an option.

What you need: Domain, hosting, online shop, professional email, and possibly a VPS if you need to make very large files available for download.

15. Create an exclusive membership site

Are you already successful as a blogger, influencer, podcaster, or YouTuber? Create a website with content for paying members or set up special member pages on your existing website. On the site, you can give your fans access to exciting content that isn’t available to other followers. If you already have many followers on your free channels, there’s a good chance that many of them will be willing to pay for more of your content.

What you need: Domain, WordPress hosting, WordPress plugins, professional email.

Get started earning money from home

Making money from home is no longer just something to dream about. It’s a realistic goal that’s within reach for most people. Armed with the right tools, a good dose of creativity, and the courage to explore new opportunities, it’s entirely possible for you to turn your home or suitcase into a profitable business.

Whether your dream is to sell handmade designs, offer online courses, or blog, there are endless opportunities to succeed online. The most important thing is that you decide to take the first step and dive in. Let yourself be inspired by one of our ideas or create your own business idea, gather the essential tools, and make your dream a reality.