We talk a lot about side hustles on this site, but frequently, those require you to be active. For example, doing lawn work or picking up household chores can be a great way to bring in some extra income. But what about side hustles for immobile persons?
Online Survey Sites
An easy way to start bringing in a small amount of cash is through online sites where you can be paid to take surveys. Obviously, you're not going to be making a lot of money doing this, but it's something you can do instead of scrolling Reddit while reading breakfast, or while you're watching tv in the evenings.
One site that seems to get a lot of love is Survey Junkie. I've also used Inbox Dollars and Swagbucks. When I was doing a lot of commuting on public transportation, I also regularly used the Qmee app. While I certainly didn't earn a fortune, every little bit counts.
Mechanical Turk
I've written before about Mechanical Turk. Basically, this is a site where people outsource their work and you can pick up bits and pieces of it for pay. There are translation jobs, transcription jobs, and even some survey and user testing jobs. When you first get started, you may not be eligible for the higher paying jobs, but the more small jobs you complete, the more you prove your skills, and the more money you can make.
Online Freelancing
Do you have a skill that translates well to online freelancing? Are you a writer, editor, or graphic designer? Are you a musician or great at social media? Consider putting yourself out there as a freelancer. One site a number of my friends have used is Fiverr. Fiverr is a great site for people who are looking to purchase as well as people looking to work. It helps you find gigs suited to your skills and lets you set the rates. And that isn't the only site out there. You can also just start putting the word out on social media that you're available for freelance work. Set up a portfolio of your work and offer competitive prices. It's not an easy gig, but you can definitely make a name for yourself and start bringing in money.
I also recently talked about transcription services, and this might be a good way to bring in some extra money.
Online Tutoring
Have you ever considered tutoring? And if you're thinking "No, because I was terrible at math and science in school, and isn't that what people need to be tutored in?" Sometimes, yes. But you can also make money teaching English online. A former classmate of mine teaches English through VipKid, and while that means she's often working very early hours (her students are in China), she has made some amazing connections and earned quite a bit of extra money for her family. There are plenty of different services out there, or you can even start your own tutoring business.