Can you really make money online without paying anything?
This is a question I get quite often especially those new to the world of making money online in Kenya.
And whey I answer that yes, you can actually earn money online with nothing other than internet and, probably a laptop, or a simple smartphone, they think I’m joking.
Well, in this day and age of internet ubiquity, many Kenyans are genuinely making money online without paying a dime.
You will just need some time, A LOT OF patience, the will to make it happen, and a little bit of good luck.
Therefore, in this post I share six ways to earn money online without paying for anything besides your data bundles, electricity bill, and either, a computer, laptop, or smartphone!
These methods may not make you a billionaire overnight but they pretty much add up in the long run.
What's Covered in This Article
Write for pay
Organizations, both big and small are constantly looking for new and unique content for their blogs and websites.
Freelancing platforms are an obvious place for newbies to start off their freelance writing careers. Payment depends on factors such as content quality, number of words, your negotiation skills, article niche, your expertise, etc.
Below are 6 websites to start off your freelance writing career from:
- Freelancer
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- People per Hour
- Constant Content
- Craiglist
Run blog reviews and/or sponsored posts on your free blog
Web hosting platforms such as Wix.com, wordpress.com, blogger.com etc allow you to host your website for free.
Once you start getting some decent web traffic, you can approach advertisers to review their products and services on your blog for a fee.
If you’re lucky, the businesses themselves will approach you to run sponsored posts on your blog.
A word of caution though, make sure you only review reputable products, services, and organizations. Otherwise you could risk ruining your future potential collaborations with other reputable businesses.
List extra space in your house on AirBnB
Other than the few GB of data you will use to set up your profile on AirBnB and upload pictures of your space, there are no other associated costs with making money by listing your space on AirBnB.
To reap the most benefits from this investment, just make sure that your house is located in prime AirBnB locations in Nairobi such as Syokimau, Embakasi, Mbagathi Way, Kilimani, Karen, Riverside, Westlands, etc.
This is due to their proximity to JKIA airport, Wilson airport, high end shopping malls such as Yaya center, The Mall, Westgate, as well as to eateries, remote working hubs, etc.
Sell Maasai African handicrafts on Etsy
This is another ridiculously easy way to make money online in Kenya without paying.
Start by creating a shop profile on Etsy. It’s free.
Then simply walk to Kariokor Market or any of the 6 Maasai Markets around Nairobi. Buy Maasai earrings, jewelry, Maasai sandals, Kiondos, etc. whatever catches your eye. You then take high quality pictures of your wares and post them on your Etsy shop profile.
Thereafter, your most important goal is to nab that first sale and 5-star review. From there henceforth, the rest is a breeze. Take advantage of various free marketing techniques such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, word of mouth, etc.
Transcribe video/audio recordings
If you have a great ear for different accents and are fast in typing, then transcription is one of the ways to make money online without paying.
Essentially, transcription jobs include converting spoken words into written form.
When starting out as a beginner, the only investment you will need is a laptop or computer, and good head sets. As you progress into a professional transcriptionist, and depending on which transcription company you work with, you might be required to get a high-quality foot pedal for controlling audio playback with your feet; together with the popular Express Scribe transcription software.
Where to find transcription jobs as a beginner
Transcribe Anywhere
Through Transcribe Anywhere, you will not only learn how to transcribe, but also how to start your own freelance transcribing business in Kenya, and how to secure clients.
Scribie
Scribie is one of those home-based job opportunities that enable you to work at your convenience.
To sign up as a transcriber though, you must have a PayPal account which you use to log in to Scribie.
The pay is $5 to $25/audio hour transcribed. Scribie also has a monthly Bonus of $5 for every 3 hours completed.
Once you’re signed up, you simply pick and choose the files to work on.
TranscribeMe
TranscribeMe is one of those transcription platforms where you don’t have to bid for transcription work.
You only need to pass TranscribeMe’s short transcription test (10-second audio files) and then wait to be contacted whenever there are transcription projects.
TranscribeMe’s pay is also fair, at $20 per audio hour. You’ll be paid weekly by PayPal for the transcription projects completed.
Quicktate
After passing a skills test, you are eligible to work as much as you want for approximately one cent for every four words transcribed.
Most of the transcription work on Quicktate involves transcribing short voicemail messages. Once is a while, you will also get other types of files to transcribe.
Pay is weekly via PayPal.
Rev
Like the other transcription job platforms above, you will need to pass a skills test before bidding for a transcription job on Rev.
Once you pass the test though, you’re free to work as much or as little as you like.
With a pay of about $24 to $39 per audio hour, Rev’s average earnings for transcription work is $249 per month.
The payout is weekly via PayPal.
Tigerfish
Tigerfish is of those transcription companies that has been around for quite some time – close to 30 years!
Upon successful completion of a skills test, you are eligible to find work on Tigerfish.
The only downside especially for beginner transcriptionists is that Tigerfish prefers that their transcriptionists use transcription software and a foot pedal.
Become a Freelance Research Analyst
Through websites such as AskWonder, you get paid to conduct research.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is whereby you market other people’s products and services in exchange for a commission.
To make money online without paying, through affiliate marketing, you can publish articles on free platforms such as Medium.com, blogger.com, wordpress.com, etc and then insert affiliate links.
Some affiliate networks to look into include:
- Amazon Associates
- MaxBounty
- CJ Affiliate
- ClickBank
Your Turn: Have you tried making money online without paying? What was it like for you? Share with us your experience in the comments below.
