I am SO sick of reading ads and ebook promo copy that claiming they can show you how to make money online literally overnight with no investment. I am even more sick of people believing that crap, buying the ebooks and then becoming frustrated and giving up because they don’t get any sales or traffic to their cheesy blogger blog they just uploaded over the weekend. I mean COME ON!! I have been at it now for about 6 months and have only now started to find my way. I currently spend 10-12 hours a day when I can working on my business because I am determined to live life on my own terms and create a steady income from the internet that will eliminate having to live paycheck to paycheck and allow me to enjoy life and doing things I am passionate about such as web and graphic design, internet marketing, music, and hanging out with my daughter.

Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket

If you are sitting around waiting for people to click your AdSense ads or buy a book from your Amazon links then you are setting yourself up for failure. As an internet entrepreneur, you have to be a Jack or Jill of all trades. Imagine a carpenter with a big tool belt and only a hammer in it. That carpenter is going to do a lot of nothing because he is waiting around for a job that requires only a hammer. Now if he fills that tool belt with all sorts of useful things like a tape measure, screwdriver, wrench, etc. then he’s going to have the resources to earn some real money! For instance, last week I sold posts, logos and banners over at digital forums. Check out the screen shot from PayPal (I blacked out the names for their privacy):

Success Takes Time

If you are going to make money online successfully then it will take time and effort just like starting any other business. The upside is that there is little or no start up costs but be prepared for many hours of research, learning, testing, failing, networking, brainstorming, etc. One day you may make $80 and only $3.00 the next but just keep pushing and eventually you will figure out a successful method that will work for YOU. I have been working on a few niche websites and am finally starting to see some traffic and sales…I will keep on planting my little “money making seeds”, water them with some seo and hope to see them all bloom into a beautiful little money making garden!

Get Creative, Be Passionate

Because there are so many ways to make money online, it’s really important to decide from the get go which way is right for you. That means sticking to what you are good at and making your talents and interests work for you. You may not be able to make websites or logos so offering your services on Digital Point like me wouldn’t be an option but maybe you really love to cook so why not start a blog about your favorite recipes with AdSense ads and links to your favorite cookbooks on Amazon that you could get a commission on. While you’re at it, sell some featured links to advertisers that would be interested in your market and do a sponsored post once a week? Use your subject-area expertise to make money!