So you’re stuck at home and work is drying up. Now what? It’s time to get creative about how to earn a living while you isolate in place.

 

Use your skills

Do you have a skill that doesn’t involve in-person contact, like graphic design, illustrating or editing? Let people know that you are available, either by contacting friends and colleagues directly, or posting in your local Facebook group. You can also use platforms, like Fiverr or Graphite to look for opportunities.

 

Teach with technology

Do you teach? Virtual instruction is becoming more common these days, and it’s perfect for right now, while we’re all staying home. Even if you’re accustomed to teaching in person, you can tweak your lessons to teach virtually using platforms, like via Zoom or Skype. Things like music classes, fitness instruction and tutoring can all be done this way.

 

Earn while you shop

While many of us will be pulling back on our shopping for financial reasons, we still have to buy things. I talk about ways to save money all the time, but you can earn money while you shop, too. Coupon Cabin.com, allows you to earn up to 20% cashback at over 3,500 partner stores. Just log in, click a coupon link or Shop Now button for a participating store, and shop as you normally would. They also have a browser extension called Sidekick, which will allow you to earn as you shop. During the COVID-19 crisis, they have committed to waiving their own commissions from retailers, allowing you to earn even more. And they’re making sure you get your payments even faster than usual.

 

Take surveys, test products and provide feedback

This is a fun way to earn a little extra cash, but it’s not a steady flow. The L’Oreal Consumer Testing Bureau and Pink Panel provide opportunities to test beauty products for free products and cash. And then there are focus group firms, like Advanced Opinions (aka OA Groups) and FocusGroup.com, that offer surveys you can complete for cash.  G2 is another one that I discovered recently. You can complete reviews of specific tech platforms, like Zoom or Dropbox, in exchange for Amazon gift cards.