You don’t have to be a marketing genius, SEO expert or a web designer to make money online. While being a bit savvy in those areas will certainly help, you shouldn’t feel like the only people out there making money online are internet marketing experts…there are plenty of every day people like me who taught themselves along the way. Now that we’re clear on that, let me also say that making money online is even easier because it’s one of those rare areas where you don’t have to spend money to make money to get started.

Here are 5 profitable ways you can make money online with no investment other than your time.

#1 Start A Blog
Anyone who’s knowledgeable about an interesting topic and has a flair for writing can start a blog. No need to buy a domain name with the plethora of free blog hosts around. The earning potential with a blog is huge if you write quality content, build a solid readership and monetize it smartly with related ads and affiliate programs. You can also get paid by companies to blog about their products through services like PayPerPost. At Blogger, you can be set up in minutes without knowing a thing about web design. Blogger also automates the process of placing Adsense in your blog so that all you have to do is insert your account number and you’ll get paid every time a user clicks the ad.

#2 Writing Articles and Reviews
If you love to write then why not get paid for it? There are plenty of opportunities online to cash in on writing articles, reviews and blog posts. Don’t expect to quit your day job anytime soon though because you’ll generally need to really build up your reputation on sites and really perfect a profitable niche that’s right for you. Some places to get started are Review Stream, Associated Content, PayU2Blog, Helium and Blogitive. Learn more on how to get paid for writing content online.

#4 Surveys and GPT Programs
I personally make an extra $300-$500 a month through this GPT (get paid to) sites alone. In a nutshell, companies are willing to pay generously for consumer opinions, new users and leads. I spend a couple hours a week signing up for free websites, filling out short surveys and trying out free trials and it’s been the easiest money I have ever made. Read my post here about how to get started and tips on avoiding spam and increasing your GPT income.
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#4 Sell Other People’s Products and Services
There are several advantages to joining an affiliate program. You don’t need to make, store, distribute any products and there are no upfront costs. Your job is simply to drive buyers to their website to make a purchase using your a unique URL that will identify you as a referrer and credit you with a commission. While there are definitely advantages to having your own website, there are ways around it. Generally you’ll get bigger commission on digital products so check out CBMall, a storefront for informational e-books and Commission Junction which features advertisers that will pay you for referring people to complete loan applications, credit card applications, etc.

#5 Sell on Ebay for Yourself and Others
Everyone knows that you can make money quickly by putting up your own unwanted items or children’s outgrown clothing up for auction but not everyone is comfortable navigating their way through the Ebay beast. If you are savvy enough to list auctions then why not charge others to list for them? Alternatively, if you have a talent for making really cool handmade jewelry, crafts, art or clothing then you could even open up your own Ebay store and make a steady income. Go and check out the site, do some searching and see what’s selling and for how much to get a feel for the marketplace.

* For more resources, read my Squidoo Page Easy Ways How You Can Make Money Online