This post may contain affiliate links meaning that I make a small commission when you click the link, but at no cost to you. I only promote products and services that I love and use myself!

It's no secret that the year 2020 changed the entire world and the way that people make money.

From the tens of thousands of jobs lost and businesses shut down to those being faced with vaccine mandates, many are turning to a more convenient work-from-home (or remote), be-your-own-boss solution.

In today's post, I'm going to be sharing 6 business ideas or side hustles that you can start working on now with literally no money up front!

1. Selling Digital Products

At the top of my list is selling digital or virtual products.

From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that this is one of the EASIEST ways to start making money on the side with the potential to become a full time money-maker.

If you really put your effort into this, you could potentially make thousands and thousands of dollars! I really love this option because once you create your products, your sales become a source of passive income because they can sell and resell, over and over again!

All you need to get started is a free account with an online graphic design tool like Canva, and a selling platform like Etsy or Creative Market to list your products.

I use Canva to create my digital templates because their easy-to-use drag-and-drop platform is beginner-friendly for my customers! It requires zero professional design skills or knowledge. As long as you know how to use simple editing tools like changing colors, text, crop , etc. you can create endless digital products like planners, logos, social media and a ton of other templates.

Canva's free version is perfect if you're just getting started, but I highly recommend upgrading to their Pro version if you decide to turn this into a serious gig because you are going to get access to so many more amazing features and tools, as well as their quick share template links that you don't get with the free version.

Try Canva Pro free for 30 days here!

Another way to make good money with digital products (if you're a little more tech-savvy) is selling website templates or offering custom website services. This is how I was able to make over $4,000 my very first month selling on Etsy!

2. Become a Virtual Assistant

Working as a Virtual Assistant is a great option for anyone who doesn't mind office duties such as scheduling appointments, answering emails, making calls, organizing documents, making travel arrangements, managing projects and potential clients, etc.

A virtual Assistant will typically work as an online receptionist (of sorts) from a remote area or from home making on average $15 - $30/hr. Your employer may be a small or large company, or simply a business owner who looking for a personal assistant.

It's easy to get started by updating your resume with any experience you already have in the field and/or highlighting related knowledge and skills that you possess.

You can sign up for a job posting website like Indeed, Upwork, or Zip Recruiter, and then use a seamless client management system like Honeybook to start booking your clients!

3. Become A Social Media Manager

Okay, now this one is growing more popular by the hour it seems, but it is still a great time to join the trend and start making some money with it. If you enjoy being on social media, this one is for you!

Social Media Managers do just that, manage other people's social media. Although it may seem like fun and games, managing a company or small business owner's social accounts also involves some hard work.

You will need to be able to create a social media strategy to target the right niche audience for each account's engagement and growth, utilize social media marketing tools to create, run and maintain ad campaigns, analyze insights, and stay on top of the latest social media trends.

Now this may seem like a lot, but seeing as you can make up to $80,000/year, I'd say it's totally worth it!

If you think a Social Media Manager career is a good fit for you, then it's a good idea to start doing some research to better understand how engagement and growth works through social platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok!

4. Become A Freelance Copywriter

Do you love to write? Then this work-from-home job has your name on it!

There's currently a huge market for writers willing to create written content for e-commerce and small businesses.

As a Freelance Copywriter, you're like the "writing sales team", the persuasion, so-to-speak, that helps move the customer closer to taking action (whether it be placing an order or booking a consultation with a business, etc).

Because of this approach, you'll need to understand (or dive into some research) on marketing and business. While there are plenty of paid online courses,, you can actually learn copywriting skills by diligently researching the web through books, podcasts, and blogs (for FREE)!

To get started, there are websites like writers.work that require no experience and actually train YOU to write for them! Sweet deal, huh?

Copywriters on average earn over $55K annually with top earners coming in at $85K/yr.

5. Become an eBay, Mercari or OfferUp Seller

You've heard the expression, "One man's trash is another man's treasure".

Well, I think we can all agree that many people have an abundance of clothing, accessories, decor items, etc. just sitting around that they have no use for anymore.

LIGHTBULB! Turn it into a business!

It's actually super easy to flip your gently-loved (or still new, never used) items and sell to someone who will actually use it!

All you have to do to get started is decide what platform you want to sell on (or use them ALL!), create an account, snap some nice, clear pictures, add a description and list your items!

I love this option because you not only get to make some extra cash, but you also get to minimize what's become "useless junk" in your life.

I'm all about it!

6. Be an Affiliate Marketer

As an Affiliate Marketer you'll promote another business's product or service online with a special link and earn a commission each time someone clicks your link and purchases.

You can can get started with an affiliate marketplace like Clickbank or join your favorite retailer’s affiliate program through their website.

If you have a blog, you could be making money by promoting products with your affiliate links in your blog posts, or designating a "Favorite Tools and Resources" page on your business website like I have here.

You can also market your affiliate links through your email list, on your social media accounts, and on a high-traffic website like Pinterest!

By creating eye-catching visual graphics with Canva and combining the power of a Pinterest post scheduler like Plann, you can set up your affiliate marketing business on autopilot easily earning $40,000 to up to over $100K/yr!

The Takeaway

With all the freelance options above, you can start today with zero dollars and little to no experience! You can gradually increase your rates as you get gain more experience in the field and become an expert at your craft.

Wishing you the best of luck on your endeavors!

Know someone looking to start a business?

Make sure to share it with a friend who's looking for an at-home or remote work solution!