Since part-time job opportunities are slim in this town and we’re trying to get through the summer without spending our savings, I’m looking for ways to earn extra money online.

As you can imagine, most work at home jobs don’t pay much, but I’ve earned about $30 a month plus gift cards and discounts through various online methods.

Blogging

Tony and I both maintain blogs. Unfortunately, we haven’t really made any money yet. I’ve earned a little in advertising, but it just barely covers what I’ve paid in hosting fees and domain name registration. Anyone have any suggestions for ways to monetize a blog without compromising editorial value (i.e. no sponsored posts).

PineCone Research

I’m a PineCone reseach panelist, which pays anywhere from $3-$12 a month. This has been the most consistent online survey site for me. Unfortunately, they’re also very selective when choosing panelists. The only way to sign up is to stumble across a PineCone ad online, and even then they only accept those who fall under the demographics they’re seeking. I signed up several times before I was accepted. If you can get in, though, it’s an easy way to earn a few dollars a month. The surveys can be long and tedious, but the payout is consistent, and you’re paid immediately after completing the survey with no minimum for cashing out. I’ve earned about $60 in 6 months.

MyPoints

MyPoints doesn’t pay in cash, but it pays consistently in gift cards for a wide range of restaurants, gas stations, and stores. Every day I receive offer emails. Most of them just require clicking through to earn points. You can also receive additional points for registering for offers or shopping through their portal. I typically earn enough points for a $25 gift card every 3 months or so, and I seldom sign up for offers or shop online. You can earn rewards more quickly if you’re more aggressive. If you’re interested in signing up, shoot me an email and I’ll send you a referral link!

InboxDollars

InboxDollars doesn’t add up as quickly as PineCone, but requires less time. It works like MyPoints. Every day I receive several emails from them with earning opportunities. For most of the emails, I earn a few cents for clicking through. Some of them are offers that pay a little more and require signing up for something or completing a survey. I’ve earned about $20 through InboxDollars in 6 months, but I’m not very aggressive about earning. The downside — you can’t cash out until your account reaches $30, which takes some time if you’re like me and you rarely sign up for offers. Use my referral link and you’ll get a $5 sign-up bonus!

Ebates

Ebates offers cash-back for shopping done through their portal. You can often earn up to 10% cash back on purchases, and you’ll get a $5 sign-up bonus (paid only after you earn $5 in rebates through purchases). And of course, here’s a referral link that I hope you’ll use if you’re interested in signing up.

YouData

YouData pays consistently every week without a lot of work. All you have to do is fill out some demographic information and log into YouData once a week. You’re paid 10-25 cents for clicking through advertisements chosen specifically for you. I like YouData because it pays every week with no minimum for cashing out. I get anywhere from 75 cents to $1 deposited in my PayPal account each Thursday. Not a lot of money, but that little trickle adds up. I’ve earned about $40 in the past 6 months (roughly $1.50 – $2 a week). If you decide to sign up, do me a favor and use my ID (livingwellonless) as a referral code!

As you can see, you won’t get rich through any of these online earning sites. But they require just a little time every day, and it’s basically money for nothing. I look at it this way — coupon clipping only saves pennies at a time, but the savings adds up. Online money making is the same way. If you’re willing to put in a little work, your earnings will gradually add up.

So now I’m asking you — how do you earn money online?