Let’s address the elephant in the room—making money isn’t easy. That said, people have gotten creative with how to make money and have shown us different ways to obtain financial freedom.
Luckily, there are many ways to make money online in South Africa. From using skills you already have to sharing your insights about certain topics, you’re bound to find something that can make you some quick cash.
So what’s the secret to making money fast in South Africa? Read on to find some inspiration.
How to make money online in South Africa
The thing with working online is that you will only be limited by what the technology can offer you. These days, that means we aren’t as limited as we were just a few years ago, evidenced by the variety of freelance work and job opportunities.
1. Become a translator
Becoming a translator is undoubtedly a great way to make money. After all, not everyone is capable of learning a new language. If you’re one of those people who can fluently speak more than one language, it is high time that you capitalize on your skills.
Time – Depending on your expertise in the language and the length of the file to be transcribed, this can range anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – According to Ziperecruiter.com, the average monthly income for a professional can reach as high as 106,392.98 ZAR.
Tools needed – Text editing programs like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
2. Watch videos
You may find this one a little weird, but yes, companies do pay people to watch videos! Unfortunately, these won’t be any blockbusters. An example of this would be Wintub, a website that hosts paid videos. This kind of task is perfect for your off-hours, letting you make a little money on the side while taking a break from your other jobs.
Time – This won’t demand a lot of your time unless you prefer to watch multiple videos at a time.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – The more videos you watch, the more you stand to earn.
Tools needed – A computer and possibly earphones.
3. Take online surveys
As any business will tell you, insights from their target audience are valuable information. That said, you can easily find websites that host surveys from these curious companies. While the payout per survey may not be that big, the fact that it’s easy to do is a great way to rack up some extra income on the side. Swagbucks is a great example of these platforms.
Time – This will depend on how many surveys you wish to fill out.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – The more surveys you answer, the more you stand to earn.
Tools needed – A computer with an internet connection.
4. Become an online English teacher
Similar to the earlier tip on translation, being multilingual is a big advantage for money-making ventures and a great way to make money online in South Africa. After all, if you’re familiar with the language, you can help others learn English while making money for yourself.
Time – This can take up a lot of your time if you’ll be working full time as an online English teacher.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – On average, 280 ZAR per hour
Tools needed – A computer with an internet connection and video conferencing applications.
5. Do freelance work
The freelance industry has become a great option for people in between jobs, with others relying on full-time freelance work. The best part is that you can offer freelance work for a wide variety of tasks. For example, others might offer audio engineering services, while others might offer copywriting work. The limitations will basically be up to you and what you’re willing to do or learn.
Time – This will depend on the nature of your work.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – This will depend on the nature of your work.
Tools needed – This will depend on the nature of work but you will need a computer with an internet connection at the very least.
6. Become an online tutor
Everyone will agree that education is important. You can do your part while making a living by offering your services as an online tutor. The great part about online education is that you have all these modern technologies available to assist you in teaching, allowing you to effectively and efficiently fulfill your job requirements.
Time – This will depend on the number of students.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – The average hourly rate for tutors is 152 ZAR per hour.
Tools needed – A computer with an internet connection and video conferencing applications.
7. Monetize your hobbies
Most, if not all, people have a hobby, right? Why not hit two birds with one stone and monetize the things that make you happy? Whether it be baking, writing, or making music, you are bound to find someone who will happily pay you for your services.
Time – This will depend on your level of participation.
Cost – Free, aside from your operating expenses.
Possible earnings – This will depend on your product or service.
Tools needed – Dependent on your hobby, but all will require you to advertise your products over the Internet.
8. Start a dropshipping business
What prevents many people from starting their own businesses is the fact that a lot of their ideas need infrastructure for storing inventory and the like. Dropshipping is a great way to alleviate this problem, where instead of storing the inventory, you are merely acting as the middleman in the transaction between the supplier and the customer.
Time – This will depend on your level of participation.
Cost – Free, assuming payment to the supplier is made upon confirmation of purchase.
Possible earnings – This will depend on your marketing and the product itself.
Tools needed – A computer with an internet connection.
9. Trade cryptocurrencies
Making money trading BTC and other cryptos has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years as a great way to enter the world of financial trading. What’s different is that, unlike stocks, it is much more possible to make a quick profit with crypto trading. The best part? Peer-to-peer platforms allow underbanked communities to participate, making this one of the most accessible ways to make money in South Africa.
Time – This will depend on your level of participation.
Cost – This will depend on how much you want to invest.
Possible earnings – No limits
Tools needed – A computer with an internet connection.
10. Play cryptocurrency games
Just this past year, the world saw the popularity of NFTs explode. Thanks to them, we can now play video games that allow users to earn real money just by playing a few hours daily. This method can yield instant results, but most individuals will only remit a portion of their total earnings.
Time – This will depend on your level of participation.
Cost – At the lowest, an Axie Infinity team will cost you 7,932.19 ZAR.
Possible earnings – Average earnings per month is 6,345.75 ZAR.
Tools needed – A computer or smartphone with an internet connection.
11. Get a transcription job
If you have a good ear and can type accurately, transcribing is a great way to make money online. It will take some skill and patience, but the payoff is pretty great for something you can do at home, with Rev becoming a great platform for a lot of freelancers out there.
Time – Can be treated as full-time or freelance, depending on your needs.
Cost – Free
Possible earnings – Rev reports an average monthly income of 3,920.53 ZAR as of writing.
Tools needed – Text editing programs like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
Making the most out of your opportunities
All this is to say that anyone can make money online in South Africa. The trick is to figure out which ones work best for your lifestyle.
So what’s the bottom line? You don’t have to just choose one. Given you have enough time, it is perfectly possible to attack the problem from different angles. You can work freelance and use that income to get started with crypto. The most important thing to do is to just simply start something.
*The content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. You should carry out your own independent verification of facts and data, do your own research and may want to seek professional advice before making any decisions.
