3 Amazing Ways to Rake In Cash On Your Own Time

From writing emails to transcribing interviews, these women are making serious dough — without punching the clock.

“I bring in $15 an hour sending emails!”

“When the online business my husband and I own started to slow down, I needed to find a way to make money.

Since I have back problems and can’t stand for long, I wanted to continue working from home. Last year, I was searching for jobs and found SimplrFlex, a company that hires people to answer customer service emails on behalf of their clients. It sounded like a fun and flexible opportunity, so I applied.

“To get the job, I had to read mock customer service scenarios and take a quiz about how to handle them. Then I had to answer 10 customer service tickets that were more specific to ensure my answers addressed the issues, were concise, and didn’t contain typos.

“Once hired, my work consisted of answering emails about the status of orders, tracking information, and returns or exchanges. SimplrFlex provided templates, but I could also customize emails. As I gained more experience, I moved onto accounts that also use a chat feature.

“I work between five and six hours a day, helping clients in industries from retail to insurance. I love working for SimplrFlex because I have autonomy and flexibility and can work as much or as little as I want. I get paid $1.50 an email and make between $12 and $15 an hour. The money I earn pays the bills and is saved for home-improvement projects.”

“I earn a full-time income moderating social media!”

“Not long after I left my full-time job in sales to stay at home with my child, a woman I used to work with launched her own marketing company, Web Marketing Therapy. She offered me part-time work handling social media for her clients, and since I could work from home and I spent time on social media anyway, I knew it would be the perfect gig for me.

“My job entails handling social media marketing and management for a variety of clients, including a medical spa, a restaurant, a plastic surgeon, an attorney, a health and wellness coach, and a company that sells Chinese medicinal herbs. I write and post content, thank customers, redirect them to services and respond to their comments. Some clients ask me to post specific content, such as their product promotions on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn, while others let me decide what to post. I use free tools like HootSuite to schedule the posts and Canva to create graphics. The best part is that it’s creative, and when I get to know the clients, they give me free rein to post content.

“I work around my kids’ schedules, between 10 and 20 hours a week and make a full-time income — money that pays for the gym, my kids’ activities and vacations to places like Hawaii!”

“I make up to $485 a week transcribing conversations!”

“I used to work as a medical transcriptionist for a children’s hospital, but from an emotional perspective, the work became challenging.

About five years ago, I was looking for a change, something I could do from home so I could take care of my daughter as well as my mother. I learned that CLK Transcription, a local company that offers transcription services for journalists, authors, educators and researchers, was hiring.

“While I did have experience in the field, their only requirement was to have good grammar, spelling and accuracy. I knew it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about new topics while working from home and making my own hours. So I emailed the owner to express my interest, and I was almost immediately hired.

“When I start a new project, I receive an audio or video file that I download. I then transcribe the speaker’s words into a Word document. I’ve transcribed so many interesting things from interviews for magazine and newspaper articles, books, documentaries, podcasts, and even TV shows. I also transcribe files from roundtable discussions, conferences, market research studies and for college professors and students.

“I enjoy this work because every day is different, and I’m constantly learning something new. I also like that it’s flexible — I work between 15 and 40 hours a week, depending on my schedule, and can make as much as $485 a week. The income I earn goes toward paying the bills and for extras like my daughter’s volleyball fees.”

This article originally appeared in our print magazine.