From side hustle to main income: Some useful money-making ideas for Germans

You can make money to supplement your current income in many ways. Whether in a full-time job, out of work, or just getting started, there's a ready platform for you: the internet. Numerous opportunities have arisen with the recent shift to virtual workplaces. And Germany is on track, with a growth from 0.5 to 1.5 million freelancers within the last decade. So why not jump onto the bandwagon? All it takes is a laptop or phone and connectivity.

Achieve financial success with these brilliant money-making tips for Germans

The beauty of online money-making is that it's borderless. So, if you're in Germany, this article is for you. Sit tight, read on, and start earning immediately from your couch. Let's dive into the various opportunities right away!

Be a wordsmith

This venture is unlimited; there's something for everyone, from academic journals to articles and blogs. While some content-writing platforms demand expertise, others don't; you only need to write a sample article for their review. Freelance writing websites have clients who post jobs daily, from which you can pick what suits you. You then write, submit, and get paid. Besides, other platforms like Medium allow you to write in your style, voice, and more personal stories and earn from membership perks.

Freelance writing has numerous advantages that include:

• You can work from anywhere.
• Little to no expertise is necessary.
• There are multiple fields, presenting an opportunity for every interest and know-how, in addition to various other benefits.

Open a drop shipping business

With online marketplaces like Amazon and Alibaba, marketplaces have gone digital and are easily reachable. You can leverage this trend to start a business selling products without the pressure of owning a physical shop or logistics. How does a dropshipping business work in Germany? Once you identify what you want to sell, list it in your online shop and link up with the supplier. So, what happens is your clients buy from you, then you order from the supplier on their behalf and give the buyer's address for direct delivery.

The benefits of drop shipping are numerous:

• It is a zero-investment venture; you only order when you have a buyer.
• Drop shipping is easier to manage than a brick-and-mortar business as you don't need to manage a physical shop.
• You can run your business from anywhere.

Start a YouTube channel

YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users, with 122 million visitors daily. Imagine what you could make from this population. And the good news is you only need attention from a fraction of them to profit. How? Create engaging content.

You could make videos on what you're passionate about or have studied or experienced and share helpful information with the world. Once you know your niche, create videos or vlogs, upload them on YouTube, and wait for people to watch. The more people view your content, the more subscribers you gain, pushing you towards joining the YouTube Partner Program for monetization. And this is where the income comes in.

In 2022, the platform generated over $29 billion in advertising, evidence that businesses are willing to pay for video marketing. So, once you've gathered a vast audience and thousands of views, YouTube will advertise on your channel and pay you for it. Imagine earning from something as easy as sharing your workout or travel videos!

Why is YouTube a good money maker? Here are a few reasons:

• You don't need expertise to excel.
• It allows you to leverage your passion or interests.
• There's a vast audience and ready advertisers.
• You can work from anywhere.

Share your internet

You can also make money in Germany by sharing your internet. How does this happen? Sign up on an internet-sharing platform and install an app on your laptop or phone. Other web users will utilize part of your bandwidth to access the web.

Does this mean someone will plug into your device? No. Signing up via a third-party platform shields you from direct contact with other users. You won't even see or know who is using your connection. Additionally, this gig will not affect your browsing speed. What these platforms do is utilize your unused bandwidth.

Sharing your internet is a fantastic idea because:

• You don't need to put up capital or initial investment.
• You earn from your unused bandwidth.
• You can do it alongside the other passive income gigs.

Take online surveys  

Another way of making money in Germany is by participating in paid surveys. You'll provide the feedback companies seek to help them improve their products and services.

What's the beauty of paid surveys?

• Imagine being paid to share your opinion - there's no easier job.
• It requires no experience or expertise.
• The only investment is your time.
• Enjoy the flexibility of remote work.
• You contribute to companies' success and growth.

Combine your skills and resources

The opportunities for making money are endless with the internet, from freelancing to online businesses. And what's better than the ability to make money with these ideas for Germans while still earning additional income? Suppose you're working as a writer; you can do so while sharing your internet for money and taking surveys. So, why not pick up your computer or phone and sign up immediately at various platforms?