Last Updated on February 21, 2021 by Rebecca Lake
Best High-Paying Home Business Ideas to Start Now
Learn the best ways to make money with home-based businesses!
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Are you stuck in the 9 to 5 rut and looking for some ways to make real money without leaving home?
Do you imagine yourself as the boss of your own successful home business?
Would knowing how to start a small business at home change your life?
Working from home is increasingly a reality for millions of Americans.
More than a quarter of employees are expected to do their jobs from home in 2021. And nearly 54 million Americans earn money from home as freelancers.
Running a business from home comes with benefits you don’t always get at a regular job, including:
- Flexible working hours
- Opportunities to do work you enjoy
- Huge earning potential
There are so many businesses you can start from home, there’s really no reason not to consider it.
What is the best home business to start?
In a nutshell, the best home business to start is the one that checks off all the boxes on your list of requirements.
For example, my ideal home-based business:
- Pays well
- Offers a flexible schedule
- Allows me to make money from my existing skills and knowledge
- Doesn’t cost a lot of money to start
Those same boxes might be on your list, too.
When deciding what is the best small business to start from home, think about what you need to get out of it.
If you’re a stay at home mom, for example, then you might want to run a home business that lets you set your own schedule.
Or if you’re just tired of the rat race, you might want to start a business from home that makes 6 figures.
So spend some time thinking about what a successful home business looks like to you. And remember, there’s no right or wrong answer.
What are the most successful home-based businesses?
The answer to that question depends on how you measure success.
Again, what counts as a successful home business to you really depends on what you need and what your goals are.
For example, I measure the success of my freelance writing business based on how much I earn vs. how much I have to work.
I work part-time hours and earn multiple six figures a year so that’s a win-win for me. But your definition of success might be earning enough money to pay off all your debt or being able to travel and work from anywhere.
And it’s also important to remember that there are different ways to make money with home businesses.
So think about whether you want to start a:
- Service-based home business
- Product-based home business (digital or physical products)
- Home business that makes passive income
- Some combination of those three
What do you need to start a successful home business?
The answer to this really depends on the kind of home business ideas you’re interested in.
For example, if you want to start a service-based business like freelancing, then you may only need a laptop and internet.
But if you want to start a product-based business, then you’ll likely need to invest at least a little money in creating your product.
Having a website or blog can also be helpful for starting either type of home-based business.
You can use your blog or website to establish your authority, build an audience and market your business.
The great thing about starting a blog is that it’s really easy to do. I started my blog in under 5 minutes with Siteground.
To learn more about how to get your blog up and running, check out this ultimate guide to starting a blog and making money!
>>If you’re ready to start a blog now, head to Siteground to check out their affordable hosting plans!<<
60 Home Business Ideas You Can Start to Make Money Online
You’re here for ideas on how to make money from home so let’s get to it!
I’ve rounded up my favorite home business ideas to start now that can earn a part-time or full-time income.
1. Freelance writing
Freelance writing is one of my favorite home-based business ideas because it can pay very well and it’s easy to start.
Really all you need to start a freelance writing business is a laptop and internet. If you’ve got solid writing skills, you can launch your own freelance writing business at home in between working your regular job and taking care of kids if you’re a mom.
Pro tip: It helps to specialize in a niche where the demand for expert writers is high. Some of the most profitable freelance writing niches include:
- Personal finance (That’s mine!)
- Parenting
- Lifestyle
- Health & fitness
- Business
- Marketing & blogging
- Beauty
If you want to be a freelance writer but don’t know what to do first, here’s an in-depth guide detailing how to be a freelance writer.
You can also check out this introduction to freelance writing course. It’s a FREE, 6-day email course that walks you through everything you need to know to start making money as a freelancer.
2. Editing
Editing is a little different from freelance writing, though there is some overlap.
It’s an editor’s job to look for the weak points in a story and help the writer polish it to perfection. Editing is something to consider if you’ve got an eye for detail and you know how to shape a story from start to finish.
Here are some good places to start when you’re ready to find your first freelance editing gig:
And just like freelance writing, all you need to start a freelance editing business from home is a computer and internet.
3. Proofreading
Proofreading is one of the most popular (and best-paying) home business ideas to try if you’re detail-oriented.
Proofreaders focus specifically on checking written content after it’s been edited to make sure it’s free of typos, spelling errors, grammatical errors, formatting issues and punctuation errors.
As far as home-based business ideas go, this one has definite profit potential. The average salary for online proofreaders is just over $53,000 but there are some proofreaders making $100,000 or more from home!
If you want to learn the tricks of the trade from a proofreading guru, Caitlin Pyle of Proofread Anywhere is your go-to teacher.
She makes a full-time income from home running an online proofreading business.
And best of all, she offers a completely free webinar on everything you need to get started as a freelance proofreader!
4. Online transcription services
Online transcription is another hot home-based business idea you could try if you’re great at typing.
Digital transcribers take audio or video files and create a written transcript of everything that’s said.
Compared to freelance writing, editing or proofreading, transcribing take a little more equipment to get started. For example, you’ll need a reliable headset.
But it’s got real money-making money potential as profitable home businesses go. The average salary is just under $60,000 but some work at home transcribers are earning more than double that amount.
Interested in learning more about transcription?
Here’s a free general transcription mini-course you can take to see if it’s right for you!
The course is offered by Janet O’Shaughnessy, a pro transcriber and founder of Transcribe Anywhere. It’s a helpful resource to check out if you’re interested in learning more about making money from home as a transcriber.
5. Start a blog
Blogging can be an excellent way to make money from home.
Some of the ways to make money blogging include:
- Selling digital or physical products
- Offering freelance services
- Running ads on your blog
- Flipping blogs
- Affiliate marketing
- Sponsored posts
If you’re interested in starting a blog, the process is fairly simple. Again, you can read my ultimate guide to starting a blog to learn the basics.
Growing a blog into a successful home business takes time and effort. If you’re brand-new to blogging, I recommend investing a little money into a good how to blog course.
The one I took and really benefited from was Ready, Set, Blog for Traffic by Elna Cain.
Elna runs 7 blogs and counting, plus she’s a freelance writer so she knows a LOT about making money with home businesses.
>>Check out Ready, Set, Blog for Traffic to boost your blog’s money-making potential!<<
6. Start a virtual assistant business
It seems like everybody and their best friend is getting into the virtual assistant game, but what is a virtual assistant?
Simple. It’s someone who gets paid to do tasks for someone else online.
Before I started freelancing, I worked for about a year as a virtual assistant for a larger VA company. The company’s client list ran the gamut from a church to a commercial real estate firm to a construction business and no two days ever were the same.
So how do you get started as a VA?
I kind of fell into it by accident but if you want to get the full lowdown, check out this post on how to start a virtual assistant business.
Once you’re done with that, go sign up for this free webinar on how to break into VA work from Gina Horkey at Horkey Handbook.
She’s the absolute authority on making money as a virtual assistant.
7. Become a scopist
Scoping is similar to transcription services, with one key difference. Scopists work with court reporters and stenographers to transcribe legal documents.
Becoming a scopist does take some extra training that isn’t necessary for some of the other home business ideas mentioned here.
But once you’re certified as a scopist, you could easily make $70,000 or more a year from home.
To learn more, I recommend checking out Scope School. It’s a great resource for learning what scoping is and how to get started as a scopist.
8. Teach on Outschool
Outschool is one of my favorite resources as a homeschooling parent. It’s a website where homeschooled kids (or any kids who want to learn) can take all kinds of live and recorded classes online.
As an Outschool teacher, you can decide what to teach, when classes will meet and what to charge. You can charge a few bucks or a few hundred bucks per class–it’s up to you.
And you don’t need to be a certified teacher to lead a class either. You just need to have a passion for your subject and a willingness to teach.
I’ve got a complete guide on how to become an Outschool teacher. Or, you can sign up to become an Outschool teacher today!
9. Make money teaching kids yoga online
Yoga can be a great way to stay in shape and relax. But you can turn your love of yoga into a successful home business as well.
Pretzel Kids teaches you everything you need to know to become a kids’ yoga instructor online.
You can teach yoga classes for kids virtually or host them in your home. It’s an easy way to make money doing something you love and Pretzel Kids teachers make $50 an hour or more!
Learn more about how to make money teaching kids yoga in this post, then check out Pretzel Kids for all the details on how the training works!
10. Create and sell online courses
Online courses can be a great way to make a passive income from home.
This could be the perfect home business idea for you if you want to make money on autopilot.
Here’s how it works:
- You create your course
- You list your course for sale through an online course platform
- You make money when someone buys it!
If you’ve got a great idea for a course, you can design it and upload it to a platform like Thinkific, Teachable or Skillshare.
And of course, if you’re looking for a way to promote your online class, starting a blog that showcases your expertise is a great way to build an audience.
11. Become a copywriter
Copywriters can make big bucks by writing sales copy for businesses.
To shine as a copywriter, you have to be able to write copy that not only attracts would-be customers’ attention but convinces them to buy.
The Copyblogger blog is a great place to start if you want to learn more about copywriting and how to start a home business around it.
As a bonus, there’s also an area of the site dedicated to copywriter education where you can find e-books, webinars and seminars to help improve your copywriting skills!
12. Get paid to write e-books
E-books are great because they tend to contain a lot of information in a very compact format.
You can create an e-book in Word or Google docs, add some graphics, convert it to a PDF and voila! You’ve got a digital product that’s ready for sale and a simple home business that could make a lot of money!
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing service is one of the easiest ways to take your E-book to the masses. And millions of people use this service so you’ve already got a huge audience of potential readers to tap into.
Of course, if you don’t want to pay the fees Amazon charges self-publishers, you could always start a blog and sell your E-book there instead. Don’t forget to check out Siteground for hosting!
13. Try ghostwriting
Ghostwriting sounds all kinds of fancy but really, it’s just writing for someone else. You’re paid to write a piece of content and the person who paid you publishes it under their name.
If you like writing, it’s one of the most profitable home business ideas to try. Ghostwriters make $63,000 a year on average but if you’re really good at what you do you could make $20,000 to $30,000 for a single project!
And, because ghostwriters are often in demand by larger companies and you don’t get a byline, you can usually command a higher rate than you would if you were writing a freelance article under your own name.
14. Make money from home as a grant writer
Nonprofits rely on private donations and public funding to operate. That’s where grant writers come in.
It’s a grant writer’s job to create a stellar proposal that will convince the organization that’s handing out money to give some to the nonprofit.
Grant writing can be tough to break into if you don’t have the skills or experience to write a killer proposal.
If you’re just getting started, I’d suggest checking out some of the courses offered by the American Grant Writers’ Association.
15. Resume writing and consulting
You might be looking for a way out of the traditional 9 to 5 career path but other people are looking for a way in.
If you’ve got great writing chops and a little bit of marketing know-how, you could start a successful home business as a resume writer or resume consultant.
For example, you could write resumes or offer suggestions to job-seekers on how to polish them up. You could easily earn a part- or full-time income this way.
Try these tips for finding clients:
- Consider focusing on one industry that you know well
- Create a sample resume to show off your writing skills to potential clients
- Offer free resume reviews to entice prospects
You can also look for resume writing gigs on the same kind of sites that advertise other freelance writing jobs, like Contena, FlexJobs or Virtual Vocations.
16. Press release writing
Writing press releases might be your thing if you’ve got a knack for telling compelling, but concise stories.
Compared to writing grants or an e-book, press releases usually have a much shorter format so you have to pack a punch with every word.
If you need some help perfecting your press release strategy, you can find over 100 inexpensive courses on how to whip one up on Udemy.
17. SEO consulting services
Search engine optimization is everything if you want people to find your blog or website online.
SEO is what gets you noticed and helps you rank better in search engines so more people can find your site, which means more people buy what you sell, which means more profit and so on.
SEO consultants analyze websites and give their owners feedback on what they can do to improve their rankings. But, being an SEO consultant is more than just sticking the right keywords in the right places.
This post from Search Engine Journal dives into what it takes to be an SEO pro.
18. Become a Pinterest VA
Unless you live under a rock you’ve heard of Pinterest and you know how powerful it can be for driving traffic to blogs.
But as someone who’s still struggling to perfect their Pinterest strategy, I can tell you how hard it is to stay on top of everything you need to do be visible. Enter the Pinterest VA.
A Pinterest VA is a virtual assistant that handles Pinterest management for someone else.
So for example, that might mean:
- Creating pinnable graphics
- Setting up Pinterest boards
- Scheduling pins through Tailwind
- Manually pinning several times a day
- Managing Pinterest ads
- Reviewing Pinterest analytics
This can be one of the easiest home business ideas to get off the ground if you consider yourself a Pinterest expert.
19. Facebook Ads specialist
Businesses use Facebook ads to promote their products and drive traffic to their websites. The quality of their ads plays a big part in how successful they are at attracting new customers.
If you’ve got savvy marketing skills and you know the ins and outs of Facebook, it’s possible to build an entire home business around ad consulting services.
You could very easily get close to earning six figures if you’re well-versed in Facebook.
And the best part is, there are very few startup costs involved. Facebook even offers Blueprint Certification to help you build up your skills and expertise.
20. WordPress consultant
There are several blogging platforms out there but WordPress is hands-down one of the most popular.
It’s the one I used to start this blog because it’s fairly easy to use even if you’re a total blogging newbie. But, I can only do the basics because coding is way outside of my comfort zone.
On the other hand, if you’re a WordPress wizard and you know your way around HTML, there are people out there who are willing to pay big for your services.
It might seem a bit more unusual as home-based business ideas go but it’s one that’s in big demand right now.
21. Social media manager
It’s never been easier to connect with virtually anyone thanks to social media.
It’s especially huge for businesses and bloggers but not every business owner has time to respond to every tweet, like or share. Instead, they hire someone else to do it.
Being a social media manager is a great home business idea to start if you want to get paid to hang out online.
In terms of what you might as a social media manager, be prepared to create graphics, write eye-catching copy, schedule posts and monitor what’s working and what’s not for your clients.
22. Blog manager
Okay, so here’s something you should know if you’re thinking of starting a blog: it’s a LOT of work.
There’s always something to do. And it can get overwhelming, really quickly.
And it doesn’t necessarily get easier when your blog takes off and starts getting tons of traffic.
At that point, it can be even tougher to get it all done but a blog manager can help. If you’re organized and know your way around a blogging platform, some of the services you could offer as a blog manager include:
- Developing a content strategy
- Posting and promoting content
- Managing email lists
- Creating an editorial calendar
- Tracking blog results
You might consider this home-based business if you like blogging but you’re more comfortable managing someone else’s site than having one of your own.
22. Trello/Asana project manager
Trello and Asana are the perfect tools for feeding an organization junkie’s fix.
Both platforms can help bloggers & business owners get organized and stay on task but it takes time to learn their finer points.
If you’ve got experience using either platform, you could position yourself as a Trello or Asana expert to businesses and bloggers.
23. Video and podcast editor
The written word still packs a punch. But by 2022, video is expected to account for 82% of all web traffic.
That’s huge if you’re interested in starting a home-based business that involves video editing.
Because recording videos or podcasts is usually the easy part; packaging them for an audience is a different story.
For the less tech-savvy bloggers (like me) hiring a freelance video or podcast editor to put it all together can be money well spent.
And that could be money in the bank for you if you’ve got those kinds of ninja skills at your arsenal.
24. Landing page designer
Have you ever clicked on a sales page and been blown away by its design?
Some bloggers and website owners have a natural flair for design. Then you’ve got the rest of us who are learning as we go and trying not to make something so terrible-looking that it burns your corneas.
Landing page designers help us design-challenged bloggers bridge the gap by creating pages that grab potential customers’ attention.
If you’re interested in how to start this kind of home-based business, Neil Patel explains what it takes to design a high-converting landing page.
25. Web designer
A web designer is essentially someone who designs websites for a living.
When someone’s setting up a new website, they might hire a web designer to make sure it not only looks great but functions great as well.
You do need to know how to code to be a web designer and coding boot camp can be a pricey investment. There are, however, some coding boot camps that will let you put off paying tuition until you land a job.
You can check those out here.
26. Web developer
Web developer and web designer kinda sound like the same thing but…they’re not.
A web designer would be responsible for making sure that a site’s HTML code is in the right order so the site doesn’t crash and it looks the way it’s supposed to. The developer, on the other hand, is the one who’s writing the code.
If you’re interested in becoming a developer and you’ve got a few hundred bucks to put towards learning the ins and outs, Skillcrush has an intensive class on the subject.
27. Logo designer
Some people are intuitive about what looks good in a logo. And then some people are me.
But if you’re in the other camp, you could easily turn your skills into a custom logo design business from home.
A degree in graphic design doesn’t hurt if you want to pursue this home business idea, but it’s not a necessity.
All you need is an eye for design and knowledge of the types of programs professional logo designers use, like Adobe Illustrator or Canva Pro.
28. App developer
Do you have a great idea for a mobile app?
This is one of those home business ideas I wish I had the tech skills for.
If you know how to code, you could develop the app and sell it yourself, versus paying someone else to do it.
Best of all, you can start learning how to code for free with Treehouse!
29. WordPress theme designer
If you’re more inclined to web design but you’ve got the coding skills to be a developer, you could meet in the middle and be a WordPress theme designer.
It’s totally possible to compete as a freelancer if you’ve got the design skills businesses want.
One of my favorite sites for themes, for example, is Hello You Designs. I’m also crazy about Bluchic’s themes.
Both of these online businesses are based on selling themes. You can totally use them as inspiration for your own web development aspirations as you start a successful home business.
30. Branding strategist
Branding is a big deal for businesses and bloggers.
Your brand is your identity and if your brand isn’t attracting your ideal clients, your business ends up going nowhere.
A branding consultant can:
- Review a business’s brand strategy
- Point out what they’re doing wrong
- Help refine the business’s messaging so they’re connecting with their ideal clients
It’s great as far as home business ideas go because it has low startup costs.
31. Stock photographer
If you spend any amount of time on popular mom blogs you’ve probably noticed a trend. A lot of them use stylish, beautiful stock photos to draw attention to their posts.
But where do they get them?
Easy. From stock photography sites.
Some of my favorite sites for stock photos and graphics include:
If you’ve got a good camera and know how to frame a photo, you could set up your own stock photo site and market yourself to bloggers (like me!) who are looking for the perfect image to include in their next post.
33. Financial coaching
Financial coaches help their clients learn the ins and outs of personal finance so they can manage their money better.
They help people who struggle with money learn how to master their budget, set goals and stay accountable so they reach them.
You need to be certified to become a financial coach but that’s doable if you have a few hours and a few hundred dollars to invest.
You might add this to your list of home business ideas if you’re good with money and you enjoy helping others.
34. Blog & business coaching
Starting a blog or starting a business can be scary hard.
I’m not going to lie; blog-building has been a lot tougher than it was building my freelance writing business. It’s tough trying to do all the things and still stay motivated when the things you’re doing aren’t churning out the results you want.
A blogging & business coach helps bloggers and entrepreneurs beat the challenges that are holding them back from going to the next level with their business.
Again, this is a great stay at home business to try if you can’t afford to spend a lot of money upfront.
35. Virtual fitness coaching
Fitness coaches are all about helping people to get healthy.
Online fitness coaches can specialize in coaching clients with things like:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Weight loss
- Weight training
You’ll need to get certified as a personal trainer first but once you do that, you can start building your clientele.
You can offer coaching virtually via Zoom. Or if you want to add another revenue stream to your home-based business, you could teach fitness courses via YouTube.
36. Productivity coaching
I won’t lie, I struggle to get things done some days.
If you’re the super-organized type who knows how to master a to-do list, you could start a business as a productivity coach.
Productivity coaches help busy people manage their work-life balance, find their focus, stay motivated and get things done like a boss.
This has to be one of my favorite home business ideas for stay at home moms since we have to be super productive every day already.
37. Online dating consultant
Meeting people isn’t as easy as they make it seem in the movies.
There are a ton of dating apps out there to help people connect but those don’t always work.
Online dating coaches and consultants offer guidance to people who are spending a lot of time on these apps but coming up empty in the love department.
If you consider yourself to be a Tinder, Bumble or PlentyofFish pro, you could have a future as an online matchmaker.
38. VIPKID teacher
VIPKID is a platform that connects teachers from around the world with Chinese children who want to learn English. Specifically, it caters to kids aged 4 to 12.
You’ll need to have at least a bachelor’s degree to become a VIPKID teacher. But it’s possible to use the platform to build a profitable home business just by sharing your English-language skills.
39. Online tutor
I homeschool my kids. While it’s not so hard now, I’ve considered bringing in a tutor when they get a little older to help with math.
Sites like Tutor.com offer tutoring for kindergarten to college students.
You have to successfully pass both an exam and a background check to offer your services through the platform. But the site accepts tutors with a wide range of backgrounds.
Note: You have to live in the U.S. or Canada and commit to at least 5 hours per week.
40. Foreign language tutor for adults
VIPKID is geared towards kids. But there are plenty of adults who want to learn a new language.
Wyzant is another tutoring platform that you might be interested in if you’re fluent in a foreign language.
The best part about this platform is you can set your rate, depending on your background and experience, and plan tutoring sessions around your schedule.
41. Online translator
There’s another way you can leverage your language skills if you’re looking for home business ideas: become an online translator.
Translators can take anything from textbooks and technical documents to sales brochures and website copy.
Platforms like Gengo connect translators with well-known brands like Etsy, YouTube and Airbnb. The price you earn per word for translating gigs increases the more proficient you are in a particular language.
42. SAT tutor
It’s been like a million years since I took the SAT. Looking back, I probably could have benefited from having a tutor help me prepare.
If you aced your SAT or you’re just an expert in coaching other people on how to take tests, you might consider the flexibility and income potential of building an SAT tutoring business from home.
And if you don’t believe you can make serious money, just ask this guy who charges $1,500 an hour for SAT tutoring services.
43. Fulfillment by Amazon
Fulfillment by Amazon is one of the most straightforward home business ideas.
You buy products to sell on Amazon. Amazon stores those products for you.
Once you make a sale, Amazon ships it out for you in exchange for a fee.
Sounds complicated but it’s not as hard to grow a business around Amazon reselling as you might think.
If you’re not fully sold, check out The Selling Family to see exactly how it’s done.
44. eBay seller
If you’re looking for home-based business ideas that cost almost nothing to start, this is one to put on your list. You can sell practically anything on eBay: antique furniture, books, handmade crafts, the list goes on.
All you need to set up a storefront on eBay is a seller account and an idea of the kind of features you need.
You’ll need to do some research to figure out:
- What to sell
- How to price your items and
- How to ship them
But eBay selling can generate big profits without a huge investment of time.
45. Etsy seller
Selling on Etsy is similar to selling on eBay; the difference is in what you sell.
Generally, anything you sell on Etsy has to be handmade.
Although a rule change a few years back now allows sellers to offer select maker-developed manufactured items.
If you’re struggling with selling or how to establish your brand, check out Unsettle’s guide to making money on Etsy.
46. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is essentially the same thing as Fulfillment by Amazon. Only you can store and sell your products through different platforms.
You set up an online store that partners with a dropshipping supplier. A customer buys something from your store and the supplier ships it out. Easy peasy.
The main appeal of dropshipping is that compared to other home business ideas, it carries fairly low overhead costs.
And, it can allow you to be completely location independent, which is huge if you want to be free to travel when the mood strikes.
A Better Lemonade Stand has a whale of a post detailing everything you need to know to get started with drop shipping.
47. Subscription box service
I love subscription boxes, it’s always fun getting a package in the mail filled with goodies!
The great thing about starting a subscription box service from home is that the possibilities for what you can sell are limitless.
For example, you might try:
- Subscription boxes for kids
- Subscription boxes for moms
- Boxes built around a theme, like books or science
- Snack boxes
- Beauty boxes
This kind of online business tends to come with higher startup costs since you have to purchase or make items to fill your boxes.
But, if you can tap into the right audience you could make that money back pretty quickly.
If you’re stumped on what kind of subscription box service you want to offer, take a look at this list of 50 subscription box business ideas from Cratejoy.
48. Product reviewer
Before I buy something for the first time or use a business’s services I want to know whether it’s worth it. So I scope out reviews to see what other people are saying.
While you could throw in your two cents for free, there are plenty of companies out there that will pay you to test and review their products.
And you can make money with this business from home!
49. Tax preparer
Tax time is the worst and I dread crunching all those numbers. I use QuickBooks but it’s still a headache.
You might be a total math nerd, though. And if so, you could have a calling as an online tax preparer.
This is one of the home business ideas that requires certification to start. But it’s got great earning potential, especially during peak tax season.
50. Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is another home business idea that might appeal to your inner math geek.
Bookkeepers handle tasks like:
- Managing accounts payable and receivables
- Managing payroll
- Keeping track of inventory
- Generating financial reports
You don’t necessarily need any special education, although there are bookkeeping certification programs (both paid and free) that you can use to learn the ropes.
If you want to learn more about how to start a virtual bookkeeping business, check out this course from Bookkeepers.com.
51. Domain flipping
Domain flipping is kind of like house flipping. Only you’re investing in virtual real estate.
It simply involves buying domains and then reselling them on a marketplace like Flippa.
The key to succeeding as a domain flipper is finding high-quality properties.
You’ll need to spend some time studying what kind of domains have the most potential to be profitable. But otherwise, it could very quickly become a profitable home business!
52. Online travel agent
If you love to travel or help other people book their travel plans, you could parlay that into a career as an online travel agent.
When you’re starting a travel agency from home, it’s a good idea to connect with a host agency that offers travel packages like Cruises Inc.
Your host agency can help you lay the groundwork for your home-based business. That can help you get on the fast track to booking clients.
53. Online event planning
Planning baby showers, weddings and other events is something some people seem to have a natural talent for.
If you want to start an online event planning business, start by picking your niche. For example, weddings, birthday parties, baby showers.
Once you’ve got that handled, you can work on setting up a website for your home business and spreading the word about your event planning skills.
54. Professional meal planner
Cooking dinner is not my thing.
I do it but I don’t love it. Because figuring out what to make for two kids who have different preferences = major stress. And I like meals that are easy (and cheap!)
But you might be a pro at pulling together healthy, nutritious dinners for your family. And that makes you a great candidate to launch an online meal planning business.
This is one of those easy home business ideas that mainly requires creativity to get going. For some examples of how this kind of business works, take a peek at $5 Meal Plan or Fresh Meal Plan.
55. Online researcher
Online research is another way to make money with a home-based business.
Companies big and small need people to collect data and information. That’s what online researchers do.
You can specialize in researching a specific niche or hire yourself out as a general researcher. It’s possible to create a client base as a freelance researcher.
You can also look into companies like Ask Wonder that handle research outsourcing and hire freelancers.
56. Sell printables
Designing and selling printables can be one of the best money-makers where home business ideas are concerned.
Sarah Titus is probably the best example of how to make money with an online printable business. Her Shopify store makes over $1 million a year, which is nuts.
If you want to make and sell printables as a home-based business, there are a few things you’ll need:
As far as the kind of printables you can sell, it’s really up to you!
You can pick and choose what to sell in your online store, based on what interests you or what you think your target customers need.
Some ideas for printables to make and sell include:
- Budgeting printables
- Home organization printables
- Meal planning printables
- Decluttering checklists
- Homeschooling organizers
- Planners and calendars
- Journals
This is one of the best home business ideas for creative types because there are so many possibilities for making money!
57. Make and sell jewelry
My mom used to run a home business making and selling custom jewelry.
The pieces she made were always beautiful and half the time, I think she regretted selling them.
But if you’re okay with sending your jewelry creations off into the world, this could be a perfect home business to start.
You’ll need to invest some money in materials if you don’t have anything on hand to make your first jewelry samples.
And if you want to sell your jewelry online, you may need to set up an Etsy store or website as well.
58. Start a home bakery
Do you have the magic touch when it comes to baking?
I hate cooking but love baking, even though I’m not great at it. If you’re a good baker, then you could start a home-based bakery right in your kitchen.
One thing to know about this home business idea is that local laws might dictate what you can and can’t sell out of your home kitchen. So be sure to check those out before you get started.
59. Become an online stylist
Starting an online stylist business could make sense for you if you know how to accessorize.
What’s great about this home-based business is that you can start it with very little money. And you can make it without leaving the house.
As a Stella & Dot stylist, for example, you get your own online storefront. Stella & Dot holds your inventory for you so there’s nothing you have to store at home.
You can connect with clients and make sales online, without having to do any in-home parties. Stella & Dot consultants make over $2,000 a month from home on average, so it’s a great way to earn a part-time income in your spare time!
>>Sign up now to become a Stella & Dot consultant and start growing your online stylist business!<<
60. Get paid to take surveys
Taking surveys might not be exactly what you think of when you think of home business ideas. But if you’re willing to put in some time, this can be one of the fastest and simplest ways to make money from home.
There are tons of survey sites out there that let you earn cash, gift cards or a little of both.
You sign up for free and take surveys in your spare time. And the more surveys you take, the more you could earn.
Sounds good right?
If you’re looking for some of the best survey sites to make money, here are my favorite picks:
>>Get a $30 reward instantly when you sign up for RewardSurvey and share your opinion!<<
Starting a home-based business is easier than you think
This was a way long list of home business ideas and I hope you made it to the end!
Now it’s your turn — do you have any profitable ideas for home businesses to start that I missed?
If so, head to the comments and tell me all about it! And please pin and share this post if you found it useful!
Read these posts next for more money-making ideas:
30 Proven Ways to Make an Extra $1000 a Month (or More)
40+ Things to Sell to Make Money (Sell Stuff for Cash Fast!)
Ultimate How to Start a Side Hustle Guide: Make $1000 a Month (or More!)
5 Legit Business Ideas for Moms You Can Start to Earn $5,000+ Monthly
