6 Ways to Make Money Online

Through the many weeks spent trying to find a job, I ended up with almost no interviews or call-backs and just feeling completely defeated. I can't express how extremely frustrating it is for a young, introverted, shy girl with no college degree to find a decent job. As finicky as it might sound, I don't just want to work at a fast food place or retail store. So with this in mind, I felt a "work-from-home" or online job might very well be the best thing for me. The only problem was, how exactly do I go about doing that? If you're like me and don't want some regular 9-5 job or are young and struggling to find ways to make money or you're just trying to bring in more income, here is a list of online work you can try and see what works for you. The best thing about working from home is how flexible it is; you can choose how much or how little you work.

1. Surveys, Ads, & Games

These types of websites and apps aren't going to make you a lot of money fast. But if you use more than one, you're patient, and you use them regularly, you might very well bring in some fairly decent extra income. And hey, why not get paid to practically do nothing? Whenever you're bored or have some time to kill, just open up the website or app and start working!

Websites:

• InboxDollar
• SwagBucks
• SurveySpot

Apps:

• Surveys On the Go
• Money Mission
• Quick Loot!
• Candy Cash Click
• Cash Rewards
• Big Time
• iPoll

2. Transcription

Although thought to be a pretty easy, laid-back job, it is actually more difficult than what you might think. It pays fairly well and you can pick your own hours, but it requires quite a bit of work. 30 minutes of audio might take you hours to completely transcribe depending on your experience, the quality of the audio, or how the speaker talks. Although if you have fast-typing skills and a good ear, this might be perfect for you. Most websites you apply to will need you to pass an exam first before you can begin working with them. But once you get the hang of it, you can really begin to start raking in the cash. While I made sure these websites were trustworthy, some of them don't have enough work for all the people signed up with them. So keep in mind you might be put on a wait-list before you can do any transcribing for them. 

• TranscribeMe
• Rev
• AccuTran Global
• Get Transcribed

3. Writing

If you enjoy writing and feel you're pretty good, why not get paid for it? There are plenty of websites that will pay you decent amounts of money for good quality work. If you have ideas, lists, articles, or anything else you want to share, there are many different websites and online magazines that will take your writings. They will need to proofread and check your work of course before it gets posted. And you may not always get accepted the first time around, but some of them might give you feedback and ways to fix it so you can resubmit. This helps you improve your writing and gives you a second chance to earn some money.

• Listverse
• iWriter
• InstantShift

4. Freelance

If you're looking for a little "all of the above" then you can check out freelancing sites. There you can bid on jobs you know you'd do well at or post your services for other people to find and pay you for. There are countless job openings for writing, web design, transcription, art, digital design, data entry, the list goes on and on. So essentially, if you're good at practically anything online, there is most likely someone looking for your talents and will pay you fairly well to get it done. Many people nowadays are looking into freelance/self-starter work to try to build their brand or because they want to spend more time with their families. This way you can do the things you're good at or the things you love without ever having to leave your home. 

• Freelancer
• Fiverr
• Elance
• Upwork

5. Sell, Sell, Sell

Some ways to earn easy cash online fairly quickly is by selling things you don't want/use or things you make. There are plenty of different websites you can try and find your specific niche. Whether it's a painting you did or an old book you don't want anymore, there are sites and people that would want to buy it from you. Some websites are specific to the certain things they sell and buy, while others are more general and will take nearly anything. Find which selling platforms work best for you, and just keep selling.

Arts & Crafts:

• ArtPal
• DeviantArt
• ArtFire
• Etsy

Clothes:

• Tradesy
• Poshmark
• SnobSwap

Books:

• Powells
• Bookscouter
• Cash4Books
• BookFinder

Photos:

• iStock Photo
• Alamy
• Shutterstock
• Foap

General Selling Sites:

• Amazon
• Ebay
• Craigslist
• Let Go

6. Blogging

Surprisingly, not too long ago I never knew you could actually make money from blogging. It was a totally new concept for me that I just would've never guessed. Whilst researching work-from-home jobs, I came across blogging as a possible home career choice. How exactly do you make money from blogging? I thought. And just like with any website, there's multiple things you need in order to make a decent income from a blog. First and most importantly, you need good quality content. Then you need to find the right blogging platform for you, some examples include: Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr, etc. Of course, then you need plenty of traffic and a loyal audience to keep coming back to view your website and posts. And finally, you need ways to monetize it. There are countless things you can do to to earn money from your blog. Most, if not all, of these will only be really useful to you if you have a decent flow of traffic to your site. So focus on building good content and followers before jumping into monetization. If you're ready to start earning money, then here are a few ways you can do so with your blog.

Ads- Ads are definitely one of the easiest ways to make money, but also the least efficient. You need to have thousands of people viewing and clicking on your ads to see any considerable amount of money come from it. But with that in mind, if you do have enough traffic, you're essentially making money without doing anything. So I'd suggest having a few ads here and there on your blog, but don't overdue it. 

Affiliate Programs- This is considered a better way of making money via your blog. How it works is you sign up for a company's affiliate program (it could be any sort of place that sells something such as Amazon), they give you a special link to post and then they track whoever clicks it, and then if that person buys the product, you get a commission from it. Simple as that. You pick who you affiliate with and decide what products your audience will most likely purchase.

Services- If you have a special service or knowledge that you feel is of value to others, you can sell it through your blog. Such as, if you have somewhat of a crash course in any particular field, you can have people buy a subscription for your special information that isn't available to non-paying consumers. This can be good for people who have a lot of knowledge and enjoy teaching and helping others.

Products- Like services, you can also sell your own products. If you make crafts or have written your own eBook, you can promote it and sell it on your blog. Depending on how popular your blog and product is, you could be making some serious income if it goes viral. The only problem with blogging or selling as a primary source of income is that the amount of money you make a month varies. You could be making thousands of dollars one month and then barely a thousand the next. But if this is what you want to do, be consistent, be efficient, and just be passionate about what you do. 

Did you find these tips helpful?

What kind of programs do you use to make money online?

If you want to share your experiences with these programs, or if there was something I missed, please let me know down in the comments. (✿◠‿◠)

Cute Things to do for Valentines Day

As Valentines Day gets closer, you're probably wondering "what should I do/get for my significant other??" As a serious procrastinator, I was always scrambling last minute to try to put something together for my SO. I don't really have the money or transportation to get anything extravagant, so I usually resort to getting creative and using my many arts & crafts supplies to make something loving and unique. If you're also looking for some unique and cute ideas for your loved one, instead of the usual "flowers and chocolates", then you've come to the right place!

Deck of Love: 52 Reasons Why I Love You

Sounds pretty corny, but trust me, your significant other is going to love it. You take any deck of cards you find around your house - or you can buy a new box from the store if you prefer - and just write on each one a reason why you love your SO. Pretty simple, right? You can decorate it however you like, you can even hole-punch the cards and make a little book out of it if you want to! However you decide to do it, just as long as you're sincere and genuine, you can't go wrong. 

Love Coupons

I created 12 diverse cards that I knew my loved one would absolutely enjoy. I decorated each one the same, and turned them into a small book.

You can find premade coupons just about anywhere this time of year. While those are always great, I think it just means more if you hand-make them yourself. This way, you can personalize it specifically to your loved one, plus it's super fun to get creative!

Photo Collage

I absolutely adore photo collages. There are plenty of apps you can use if you want to create your collage this way. Then if you want to print it, you can go to your local CVS or Walgreens and pay a small fee to have it printed any way you want. You could even turn it into a poster if you wanted. Or if you already have pictures at your disposal then you can create a collage the old fashioned way. You can use your own printer at home, and print out any photos, quotes, etc. that you want. Then, figure out how you're going to place them, and glue them to poster board, cardboard, or anything sturdy that will hold your photos. This is a pretty easy yet thoughtful gift idea, especially if you already have a bunch of photos laying around. 

"Punny" Love Cards

These are so much fun to do. All they require is some cardstock and really anything you're using to decorate. You can turn them into actual cards with sayings on the inside, or you can keep them like a trading card with just the "punny" quote on one side. If you're trying to think of sayings to use, here are a few examples to get you started:

"You're my significant OTTER."- with a picture of otters.

"I love you a LATTE." - with a picture of a coffee cup.

"You're my BUTTER half." - with a picture of butter and bread.

"I love you BERRY much." - with a picture of strawberries, blueberries, etc.

"OWL always love you." - with a picture of owls.

The list goes on and on. Use any quotes you feel are significant to you and your partner. Not only will they show how much you love them, but they'll also get a good laugh out of it. 

Love Lottery

I created my own scratch-off and gave my significant other a lucky penny that had his birth year on it to scratch off with. (After doing it, I changed the wins from only "1 free" to "unlimited" because it seemed better to me)

Surprisingly this is very simple to do, and works amazingly when you're done. All it takes to do your own scratch-off is to decorate the underpart (the "prizes" you see when you scratch it off), place clear tape over top of it (clear packing tape works really well), and paint on top of the clear tape with a paint and soap mixture. To make the mixture is really easy, all you do is mix equal parts dish soap and any color acrylic paint you choose, and voila! You have yourself an adorable love lottery. 

Write a Poem

If you're a writer, or consider yourself to be pretty good in the poetry department, then why not write your loved one a poem? It might sound super cheesy, but that's what Valentines Day is all about! Showing your significant other just how much you love them with corny, sickly sweet gifts or thoughtful actions. Almost everyone enjoys poems and getting a love poem from your partner just makes it 100x better. 

Decorate a Picture Frame

Find a really nice picture of you and your significant other. Figure out the sizing and pick the picture frame that fits the picture you've chosen. There are plenty of places that sell inexpensive picture frames you can use as a base for decorating: dollar stores, thrift stores, and some second hand stores. Once you have your frame, just decorate to your hearts content! 

If you're having trouble thinking of what to do, here are some ideas on how you could decorate the frame:

Decoden- If you have silicon or whip and some cabochons or charms, you can use these to decorate. Just pipe the whip all along your frame and stick on your cabochons. It takes a little practice to get it just right, but there are plenty of tutorials all over the internet if you need assistance. Plus it just looks absolutely adorable when finished. 

Paint, Sticker, & Paper- If you're not ready for or don't have the supplies to do decoden, then you can just stick with the basics. You can paint the frame however you like using acrylic paints or even spray-paint if you have it. Then if you feel necessary, you can add stickers, ribbons, letters and text, bows, rhinestones, fabric, glitter, and anything else you have around or would like to use.

If you don't have much around to decorate with, you can always check out craft stores such as Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, or even Hobby Lobby. They usually have good deals and are not too expensive.

Scrapbook

If you're looking to do a scrapbook, I'll tell you, it definitely takes A LOT of work, depending on how much effort you put into it. But when finished, they do look fantastic, and you can always save pages in the back to add more to it later if you want. You can find scrapbooks practically anywhere, all you really need is the pictures you want to use and some decorative supplies. 

If you're wondering how to separate the pages or how to theme each page, here are some ideas:

Holiday- You can have a page about spending any sort of holiday together, such as a birthday, Christmas, Halloween, an anniversary, or anything that you two celebrated while being a couple.

Everyday- This can just be a page about what you both do on a day-to-day basis. Like if you both enjoy watching movies, or doing game nights with friends, playing video games together, drawing, writing, etc. 

Activity- This is a page you can use if you and your partner tried something new together such as sky-diving, boating, surfing, or even taking a class together. Anything that you can think of where you both participated in a fun, new experience together.

Trip- You can use a page like this if, lets say, you guys went to Disney Land, Universal, a concert, a festival, Lego Land, etc. Any special trip where you and your loved one had a good time. 

Really you can use anything you feel was a significant moment in your relationship together. Just have fun with it and make sure to find stickers and paper that go with your particular theme. Happy Scrap-booking!

Jar of Candy

I cleaned and decorated an old jar of pasta sauce we had, filled it with his favorite candy (Swedish Fish), and attached a cute little card that says, "You're a great CATCH!"

If your significant other loves candy, instead of just handing them the bag, try giving it to them in a beautiful, decorated jar! You can make it as pretty or as "punny" as you want. Figure out what their favorite candy is, find and clean a good-sized jar, decorate it, then just fill it up with the candy. Simple as that!

Draw Something

If you're artsy or love to draw, try drawing a cute picture of you together. I'm sure plenty of you are saying, "well, I can't draw.." right now, but I bet you that you can, and even if you can't, I'm sure your significant other doesn't care. As corny as it sounds, it's the thought that counts. I've drawn lovey dovey pictures for my partner all the time, and even though I always think it looks awful, he tells me how much he loves it every time. So whether you're a top-notch artist or an amateur, anyone would love an adorably picture drawn by their loved one.

Exploding Box

When I found this idea, I thought it was just so cool. I haven't yet tried it for myself, but if you have the chance, you totally should. All it requires is a small box with a lid, paper, pictures, and a box cutter or other cutting device. Just cut the corners of the box, add some folded papers in the middle to add some extra "explosion", stick on your pictures or write notes, and then just close the sides and put the lid on it. Then when they go to open the box, it explodes open with photos and love notes. Or if you want it to be a little more elaborate, you can check out amazing exploding box DIYs all over Youtube until you find the tutorial that's right for you.

Make a Video

If you're video-savvy and enjoy filming, editing, etc. then make your loved one a video. If you have clips or videos of you both doing cute things (such as playing games together, shopping together, generally anything you'd put in a vlog) then edit them together with some sweet, romantic music playing in the background, and give it to your sweetheart. I'm sure they'll love reliving the memories and want to keep the film forever. 

Create a Playlist/CD

If you and your loved one enjoy music, create a playlist or burn a CD for them. You can fill it with a bunch of romantic, "lovey dovey" songs to be adorably corny, or you can make a playlist of the songs they really enjoy. Either way, you can't really go wrong, and any music-lover would just absolutely adore this present. (Especially if it came from someone they love dearly.)

Make Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

If you don't think any of this creative, artsy stuff is your forté, then you can always do something nice and romantic such as making them food. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner, everybody loves food, especially if it's their favorite. Figure out what their favorite meal is and go from there. Learn the best ways to make it and try not to burn or spoil anything (although if you're not cooking-savvy either, I'm sure your partner will still love that you tried so hard for them). 

And if you'd like, you can even prepare the food to look more romantic, such as shaping things into hearts (like cooking eggs or pancakes into a heart shape, or even using a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make cookies, burgers, sandwiches, you name it!). If your loved one happens to be a foody, this gift will probably be one of the best gifts you could ever give them. 

Something Special Just for Them <3

Now if none of these seem to be working for you, you can always just try thinking of a specific thing you're loved one is a fan of. My significant other is a big fan of Pokemon and Naruto, so I usually try making gifts based around those things. I once made him his very own Poke-Ball that I created and painted myself. I put a little figurine of his favorite Pokemon, Mudkip, inside of it with a little love note. He absolutely adored it. So just think of something that they're really passionate about or enjoy and build around that. 


Did you find this helpful? 

Let me know if there was anything I missed, or if you have anymore good ideas that I didn't think of. (✿◠‿◠)

7 Creepy Party Games

Whether you're looking for games to play on Halloween or just some ideas for a creepy-themed party, here is a collection of fun party games I think you'll enjoy. These are some of my most favorite terrifying games to play with friends that I think will definitely send a chill up your spine. Some you might be able to play with a small group of people, but most will need a larger group to really enjoy the spooky fun.

1. Serial Killer Hide and Seek

Growing up I used to play a game called man-hunt which was basically just hide and seek in the dark. Now the name of this game basically speaks for itself and is very similar to man-hunt, but with creepy twists thrown in. This is best played at night with all the lights shut off and with at least three players. Two player works, but it's more fun the more people you have. Now the most important part of the game is how the seeker or "serial killer" plays the part. The seeker starts at the front door and counts to 30 (or you can change the time if you feel you need more, or less if you want a bigger challenge). To add creepiness the seeker can dress up in a mask or full costume and carry a fake weapon or prop.

Note: I wouldn't recommend using any real weapons as the seeker might accidentally hurt themselves or someone else. 

Here comes the fun part. The seeker then roams around the house taunting the hiders and trying to scare them out of hiding as much as possible. The more you feel like you're in a horror movie, the better. Some examples of things the seeker might say are: 

"I'm coming to get you."

"You can't hide from me forever, I'll find you."

"Come out come out wherever you are."

They can also hum or sing creepy tunes, lock doors, and do anything else they can think of to get their victims hearts racing. 

The point of the game is to role play. The seeker plays as a serial killer while the hiders play as the scared victims. You can go as in depth or as relaxed with it as you want. You can just play a creepy game of hide and seek in the dark or you can go as far as building a backstory for the murderer or even newspaper headlines, and really get into character. 

 The hiders are allowed to roam around the house and don't necessarily have to stay where they started. But if someone gets caught they must "die" in the place they were found. They are then not allowed to move for the remainder of the game. Bonus points if they act/look dead (wide dead eyes, fake blood, etc.). If the seeker touches you with their murder weapon that's considered being caught. 

Each hider carries a similar item with them such as a key, a special coin, or just something small they can carry with them. The last person left alive has a chance of winning by collecting every item from each "dead body" and making it to the front door without getting caught. You can't steal items from people who are still alive and the "dead" person can't help you find the item on their body. The hiders have to search the "corpse", so I'd recommend not putting the special item somewhere you wouldn't want them looking through. Best place I'd say to put it is in your hand or in a front pocket easy to reach.

If everyone dies the seeker is considered the winner or of course if a hider makes it to the front door with every item, they are considered the winner. You can have prizes if you wish or you can just play it for fun. This game can go on for quite a while so I'd play it if you have time to spare and if you have a house or some sort of residence all to yourself.

2. The Midnight Game

If you're a Creepypasta/horror buff like me, then you've probably heard of this game many times before. If you haven't, it's a supposed Pagan ritual used to punish those who went against the Pagan laws and principles. Now it's become a popular occult game for those risk-takers who are looking for something more than just an average scare. Although used to frighten people, it is said this ritual is actually dangerous and could not only cause mental trauma, but also possible death to those who play. 

I've always been curious about this game and have wanted to play it for sometime now, but admittedly I wimp out when I actually consider going through with it. If you're one of the brave ones willing to take the chance, there are a list of materials, steps, and rules to know before jumping into it: how to play The Midnight Man Game. If you've already read everything you need to know, and you STILL want to play, I wish you the best of luck and be sure to follow the instructions to a T, lest the Midnight Man get you. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

3. Pandora's Box

Or rather, Pandora's Boxes. You've probably played a game like this when you were a kid. This is a fun mystery game where you take five water-tight boxes of your choice and cut a hole in the top for a hand to fit through. Each box is filled with something different and you must keep your hand in the box for a minimum of five seconds no matter what's inside it. Three out of the five will be relatively unpleasant, one will be good, and the fifth is a surprise. You can change it up however you like, but here are some ideas to put in each box:

Uncomfortable- Generally a box like this should be filled with something not really disgusting, but just unpleasant to have your hand in. Examples could be; water and ice, or if you're feeling more daring you can put scrap metals or a mild electric shocker in the box.

Disgusting- For this box, you can put anything you find super gross to touch inside. Examples for this box include; mud/bugs, maple syrup, rotten fruits, used tea bags, egg whites to feel like snot, or different types of ground up foods. You can really use anything that's just rank or all-around awful. 

Disturbing- There are plenty of things you can use for this creepy box. You can use cooked pasta or pumpkin guts as entrails, peeled grapes or boiled pearl onions as eyeballs, or you can actually buy certain animal organs like liver or gizzards to add a realistic touch. Make sure to cover everything in fake blood and even hair from an old wig or fake fur if you want. If you're feeling adventurous you can also put a fake head inside and cover it in fake blood and pumpkin guts around the neck area to make it seem like a real decapitation.

Good- You can put any sort of goodies you can think of in this box. It can be pleasant-feeling, prizes they can take, or even candy. Some examples are; feathers, mixed candy (lollipops, chocolates, hard candies, etc.), small toys, marshmallows, soft plushies, and just anything small and pleasant.

Surprise (optional)- This box is optional but really fun if you can make it work. It requires someone being able to be underneath this box, hidden under a table, and sticking their hand through the bottom of the box. So when an unsuspecting person goes to put their hand inside, the hand underneath can then grab them. This is why it's called the "surprise" box. 

You can always mix up what types of boxes you want to use, you can have three disgusting and one good, or two good and two disturbing, or really just whatever you want. The great thing about this game is the flexibility of it. You can get real creative and make it really creepy if you wanted to. It takes a bit of work to set it up, but it's a great game to freak out your friends.

4. Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board

You've probably heard of this game from the movie The Craft or other films and shows. It's always been a popular activity to try at parties and sleepovers. The steps are very simple and don't require any extra materials or prerequisites. All you do is have someone lay down on their back on the floor, have other people surround their body and place their index and middle fingers underneath them, and then just chant the phrase "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a board" while slowly and magically lifting their body from the ground. You can have candles around to add ambiance, but they're not necessary. Try this game for yourself and see if it works.

5. Ouija Board

The Ouija Board has become a popular and fun way for people to communicate with the dead. To skeptics, it's taken lightly and mainly used for entertainment purposes. To others, there are considerable dangers to think about before ever even bringing one into your home. 

For many years, and still is, this "mystifying oracle" was marketed as a family-friendly game to both children and adults alike. Although, to many superstitious believers, it is more than just a game and is considered to be opening the door to the other side. Doing so, is thought to be very dangerous as you do not know exactly who you're opening the door for. Some ways to protect yourself from these unwanted spirits is to light a new, white candle, ALWAYS say goodbye at the end of a session, and it is recommended not to hold a session in your own home. 

To play this properly, you need at the very least three people, (two on the board, and one writing down what the board says) but more is definitely better. Make sure to have at least one person recording or writing down what happens because sometimes you have to decode what the spirit is trying to say.

Example: the board might spell out BDRM which would mean bedroom. 

I own a couple boards myself, but I've never been able to play them in a group because a good friend of mine absolutely hates them. But, if you and your friends do decide to play the "mystifying oracle" just be careful and follow the rules on how to play it. 

6. Murder Mystery

There are plenty of kits you can find to play murder mystery games, or you can make up one yourself! But if you're lazy like me, kits are the easier way to go. My personal favorite is BePuzzled's: Murder Mystery Party Games, but you can pick whichever brand you think looks the best to you. The dialog in these games is a little "out-there" and sometimes just absolutely ridiculous, but it's so much fun and my friends and I could not stop laughing. 

Like with any role-playing game, you can be as serious or as relaxed with it as you want. With my friends, we fully intended to dress up and play the parts, but ultimately we just ended up in our pajamas reading the scripts with funny accents. Regardless of what you decide to do, just be sure to have a good time and enjoy the game. 

If you'd like to make your own murder mystery, it's quite a bit of work. You need to create all the characters and assign who is to play them, plan out the story and script, send out invitations and what each character is supposed to wear, and generally anything else you think you might need for your particular party game. If you feel you have enough time, patience, and creativity to make your own, I'd say go for it! I'm sure it'll come out great, and I bet your guests will probably think you're an amazing party planner and host for doing it. 

7. Urban Legend Mirror Games

There are three different types that you can do to freak out almost anyone at your party. These games are generally played in front of a mirror in a bathroom, with the lights out, alone, and with the door locked. The rest of the guests usually stand outside the door listening and waiting for something to happen. You can bring a candle into the bathroom, but you can't turn on the lights. 

All of these are quite similar in how to play, but just vary slightly. Some are more recognizable than others, and you can just pick the one you like, or try all three!

Bloody Mary- This game has been around for ages, played in many bathrooms during sleepovers and parties. Now, basically to call upon "Bloody Mary", you stand in front of the mirror and say her name three times. You can also try spinning around three times or turning on the faucet to help lure her out.

Candyman- Very similar to Bloody Mary, you just go into the bathroom, face the mirror, and say Candyman five times. You can also place something sweet in front of the mirror such as candy or a jar of honey to coax him out. This helps because as the legend says he was killed by being covered in honey and thrown into a beehive. It also says he's angry and hellbent on revenge, so he'll rip you open from groin to sternum using his hook for a hand. (Yikes... @_@)

Blue Baby Blue- Now this is one I just recently came across. To play it, you stand in front of the mirror chanting Blue Baby 13 times whilst rocking your arms back and forth as if holding a baby. After you've chanted and the baby feels heavy in your arms, throw him into the toilet and flush, and run out of the bathroom. Although odd, you must do this or else Blue Baby's "mother" will come looking for him, and I don't think you want to be there when she does.

Have any of you tried these games? If so, how did it go? Let me know down in the comments your personal experiences and if you know of any more games that weren't on this list. (✿◠‿◠)