With a record number of people being laid off in recent weeks, more and more people are looking for creative ways to make money outside of a job. Working from home has always been attractive for a lot of people, but never has it been more appealing than it is now. Those who are able to work from home may be able to continue to work and earn income, while others are impacted much more significantly.

While there are plenty of ways to make money from home and lots of different businesses that you could start, sometimes you may be looking for something quick that you can start immediately. These options may not give you the highest earning potential and you might not earn a full-time income, but if you’re just looking for an easy way to start making a little money, they could be great options.

1. Test Websites

Did you know that companies are willing to pay you to test their website or app? They need to get user feedback, and they are willing to compensate people like you for helping.

There are a number of different websites like User Testing and Userfeel that allow you to sign up as a tester. Once you’ve signed up, you can see the opportunities that are available, complete the test, and get paid. All you need is a computer or device with a microphone and camera, as well as an internet connection.

One of the best things about working as a website tester is that it’s totally flexible and you can do the job whenever it fits into your schedule, making it a great option for a weekend job.

2. Transcription

If you have some typing ability, working as a transcriptionist is an excellent option. There are many websites that offer transcription work. All you need to do is sign up, complete a practice test, and then you can claim the jobs that you want. You can work as much or as little as you want.

See How to Become a Transcriptionist to learn more about how to get started.

3. Microtasks

Websites like Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and Clickworker make it possible for anyone to earn some cash by doing small online tasks. This can include anything from simple surveys to categorizing data to verifying addresses.

Most of the tasks will take no more than a few minutes each and you’ll be paid a specific amount for each task. You can login and see the work that is available, complete the tasks that you want to do, and earn some extra money in your spare time.

The rate you earn for microtasking isn’t great, but it’s extremely flexible work that can be done at any time, and anyone can do it.

Author's Bio: 

Marc Andre is a personal finance blogger at VitalDollar.com. He worked in the finance industry for 6 years and has been a full-time blogger since 2008.