Whether you’ve made the change from going into the office each day to telecommuting for your regular job, you run your own business selling crafts online, you’re a freelancer, you work as a tutor or you earn money in any other number of myriad ways, working online can be lucrative and carry a number of other benefits as well.
This way of working can allow you to take care of your children, pursue your education or even see the world without giving up an income.
Raise a Family
It’s no accident that some of the pioneers making money online were stay-at-home mothers. With annual child care costs as much or more than some yearly incomes, in many families, one parent—often the mother but sometimes the father—stays home while the children are young. Some work-from-home jobs lend themselves perfectly to the demands of stay-at-home parenting, allowing them to quickly do tasks in between interruptions from children. As children become older, there are many opportunities to work part-time online that still allow a parent who has primary childcare responsibilities the flexibility to take children to and from school and be available if they are sick or have other needs. Many work-from-home opportunities also make it easy for parents to take time off for holidays or vacations as desired.
Go to School
Just as online classes give people the opportunity to work toward a degree while also going to school, working from home can offer the opportunity to take classes in person while still making money on a flexible schedule. This can be particularly important for those who are pursuing a degree program that requires clinical hours, such as most health care degree programs do. Some may be concerned that they cannot earn enough to pay for living expenses and tuition while working online, but they can take out private student loans if necessary. These can be applied for at both brick-and-mortar banks and credit unions and with online lenders. The process in the latter case is often much faster and easier. Be sure to compare interest rates and repayment plans before selecting the best offer.
Travel the World
Have you ever heard the term digital nomad? There is a growing subculture of people who travel part-time or full-time, working while they’re on the road to pay their way. This ranges from people who are living in RVs or vans, traveling the United States, to people cruising on boats to those who visit a new country every month. Others simply enjoy the flexibility of moving between two or three locations. There are a number of challenges to being a digital nomad, including finding reliable Wi-Fi, making sure that you observe all immigration and visa regulations if you are traveling abroad, and filing your taxes correctly, but there are online communities that can help you with these questions and more. If you’re worried about loneliness, you shouldn’t be. Coworking spaces and digital nomad meetups exist in cities all over the world, and it’s easy to make friends and network to find out even more money-making opportunities online.
