What was the first way you ever made money online?

[xanthianne]

I thought this would be an interesting discussion since everyone here comes from different backgrounds.

Some people started with affiliate marketing. Others got into dropshipping, social media management, SEO, copywriting, blogging, graphic design, video editing, or selling digital products. A few people even made their first dollar from online games.

My first experience taught me that making money online isn’t nearly as easy as social media influencers make it seem. There is definitely a learning curve, and most people fail a few times before they find something that works.

 

[diegowurtz]

Selling custom RuneScape armor for $5 on PayPal back in 2011. Thought I was a Wall Street prodigy.

 

[islamoore]

Selling custom RuneScape armor for $5 on PayPal back in 2011. Thought I was a Wall Street prodigy.

I wrote fanfiction and someone paid me $10 on Ko-fi to make two rival characters kiss.

 

[diegowurtz]

I wrote fanfiction and someone paid me $10 on Ko-fi to make two rival characters kiss.

The return on investment on that is insane compared to my 40 hours of mining virtual ore.

 

[islamoore]

The return on investment on that is insane compared to my 40 hours of mining virtual ore.

Supply and demand. Romance drives the global economy.

 

[diegowurtz]

Supply and demand. Romance drives the global economy.

Fair. My second hustle was online surveys. Earned $2.40 after 12 hours of work and a severe malware infection.

 

[islamoore]

Fair. My second hustle was online surveys. Earned $2.40 after 12 hours of work and a severe malware infection.

Classic. I sold drawings of cursed frogs on Tumblr. Made $50 before my mom made me delete the blog.

 

[diegowurtz]

Classic. I sold drawings of cursed frogs on Tumblr. Made $50 before my mom made me delete the blog.

Cursed frogs? What made them cursed???

 

[islamoore]

Cursed frogs? What made them cursed???

They all had realistic human teeth and tiny cowboy boots.

 

[diegowurtz]

They all had realistic human teeth and tiny cowboy boots.

Honestly I would pay $5 for a human-toothed frog PNG right now.

 

[islamoore]

Honestly I would pay $5 for a human-toothed frog PNG right now.

Drop your Venmo, I’m reviving the business.

 

[diegowurtz]

Drop your Venmo, I’m reviving the business.

Money sent. But wait, did anyone else try Neopets stock market manipulation or was that just me?

 

[islamoore]

Money sent. But wait, did anyone else try Neopets stock market manipulation or was that just me?

No, but I traded Club Penguin furniture for Neopets items in a shady Discord server when I was 12.

 

[diegowurtz]

No, but I traded Club Penguin furniture for Neopets items in a shady Discord server when I was 12.

Black-market penguin arbitrage. Absolute respect.

 

[islamoore]

Black-market penguin arbitrage. Absolute respect.

felt like a mob boss. The primary currency was purple velvet igloo couches.

 

[diegowurtz]

felt like a mob boss. The primary currency was purple velvet igloo couches.

I once spent three weeks making $15 on Fiverr recording custom video intro voiceovers.

 

[islamoore]

I once spent three weeks making $15 on Fiverr recording custom video intro voiceovers.

Did you do fake accents or just your normal voice?

 

[islamoore]

Did you do fake accents or just your normal voice?

Wait, don't tell me.

 

[diegowurtz]

Wait, don't tell me.

A terrible radio DJ voice. “YOU’RE LISTENING TO DJ D-LITE IN THE MORNING!”

 

[islamoore]

A terrible radio DJ voice. “YOU’RE LISTENING TO DJ D-LITE IN THE MORNING!”

I am begging you to never type that sentence out loud again.