Honestly, we couldn’t find any real envelope-stuffing jobs that weren’t sketchy. And if it was legit, it was just one task in a line of an administrative job that wasn’t working from home!
Don’t get caught up in envelope-stuffing scams – let’s find a legitimate work-from-home option that works for you.
In this blog post, we will explore some of the best alternatives to envelope-stuffing jobs that you can try out.
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Table of Contents
Quick Picks
Since envelope-stuffing jobs aren’t really an option anymore, here are the best alternatives for jobs you can start today from home:
Best Paying Work-From-Home Job – Proofreading
Best Jobs For Beginners – Freelance Writing
May Include Stuffing Envelopes – Virtual Assistant
7 Alternative Jobs To Envelope Stuffing
1. Proofreader
Average Hourly Rate: $24 – $34 an hour
Proofreading is the perfect job for you if you have excellent grammar and spelling skills.
The job involves reading written content and correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors before it gets published.
As a proofreader, you can work from anywhere in the world as long as you have a laptop and an internet connection.
Sound like something you might want to try? Check out the free workshop by Proofread Anywhere. You can see what proofreading is about and how to start your business!
2. Freelance Writing
Average Hourly Rate: $18 – $33 per hour
Freelance writing can provide an excellent source of income from the comfort of your home and still get paid well as a beginner.
If you love to write, you can get paid to write blog posts, product descriptions, social media posts, and even eBooks.
You can find different clients by promoting your writing services on Steady, an app dedicated to helping you find side hustles and job opportunities fast.
3. Virtual Assistant
Average Hourly Rate: $24.17 per hour
The demand for virtual assistants has skyrocketed in recent years, and with good reason.
As a virtual assistant, you can work with clients from all over the world and provide various services to help them run their businesses smoothly without direct supervision.
‘Virtual assistant’ is a broad term that covers a wide range of tasks such as administrative support like emails, data entry, clerical tasks, and customer service.
A good place for virtual assistants to find clients is on a freelance website like FlexJobs or by networking with people on LinkedIn.
4. Data Entry
Average Hourly Rate: $17.74 per hour
Data entry jobs are great entry-level jobs that involve typing and entering data into a computer system.
A data entry specialist might be required to type customer information, transfer data from a hard copy to a computer, or input invoice information into a spreadsheet.
It’s one of the home jobs that just take paperwork and turns it digital!
And there aren’t any special qualifications for data entry jobs other than excellent typing skills, being detail-oriented, and the ability to work with spreadsheets and typing software.
5. Transcriptionist
Average Hourly Rate: $16 per hour
Transcription might be the perfect job for you if you have good listening skills and speedy typing abilities.
Transcription involves converting audio or video recordings into written documents with high accuracy for your clients.
It’s also a great entry-level job- most jobs require a high school diploma, though some companies may require a college degree or certificates to demonstrate your skills.
Many companies offer transcription jobs in legal, medical, and entertainment fields. Knowing specific subject matters for industry-specific transcription jobs is also beneficial.
Transcribe Anywhere offers a 7-Lesson mini-course to help you jumpstart your transcription career and launch your business from home quickly.
6. Website Testing
Average Hourly Rate: $26 an hour
Many businesses constantly revamp their websites to make them user-friendly and optimized for search engines.
As a website tester, you get paid to give feedback and recommend improvements through surveys or by recording your screen as you complete certain tasks on the website.
The best part is that you get to work from home using a mobile device or computer with no experience or expertise required.
You can look for website testing jobs on sites like Fiverr or UserTesting.
7. Customer Service Rep
Average Hourly Rate: $16 – $20 an hour
Another great alternative to stuffing envelopes is a customer service representative position.
Customer service representatives handle customer inquiries, complaints, and support requests.
You need good communication skills, a computer, and a reliable internet connection to get started.
Some popular companies that hire remote customer service agents include Amazon and American Express.
Do Envelope Stuffing Jobs Exist?
Envelope-stuffing jobs were popular in the 1950s and 1960s when there was a high demand for mail-order catalogs.
People would sign up to receive a kit containing all the materials needed to stuff envelopes, including the envelopes, stamps, and other mailing materials.
They would then be paid a certain amount for each completed envelope that was mailed out.
With the rise of the internet and digital marketing, the demand for envelope stuffer jobs has significantly declined.
The cost of producing and mailing physical marketing materials has risen, making it less cost-effective for companies to use this method. They’ve swapped to digital means, mainly email!
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
The BBB has issued warnings about envelope-stuffing scams in the past, cautioning job seekers to be skeptical of such offers for years to come.
Scammers reach out to people through ads, flyers, and spam emails, presenting the opportunity as an easy way to make money from home or make lots of money.
They may ask you for personal information or credit card details, claiming they need to verify your identity or set up a payment method.
However, they use this information to steal your identity and money.
Always check BBB’s website for company reviews and ratings before applying and starting any job opportunity!
Amazon
One scam that has been around for a while is the stuffing envelopes scheme masquerading as an Amazon job.
The scheme promises people easy money to fill envelopes, which sounds like a perfect job for stay-at-home parents, students, and anyone needing quick cash.
You’re told that you only need to work a few hours a day and can make 1,000s of dollars per week.
The catch? You have to pay a fee for a training kit, which is supposed to teach you about Amazon’s policies and operating procedures to be an envelope stuffer.
They may also ask for your social security number and other personal details, leading to identity theft.
However, this envelope stuffer job doesn’t exist, and it’s a huge Amazon scam that you should be aware of.
How To Identify Legit Envelope Stuffing Jobs
With the pandemic causing economic difficulties for many, it’s unsurprising that some people are looking for the best side hustles to earn money.
While many legitimate work-from-home opportunities are available on Steady, there are also plenty of scams and pyramid schemes on the internet that can waste your time and money.
Here are three ways to identify if it is a legit envelope-stuffing job or a scam:
No Money Down
Legitimate companies won’t require you to pay anything before you start stuffing envelopes for them.
You shouldn’t have to put money down to apply to stuff envelopes or pay for training or company materials.
If a company asks you for any payment upfront to do tasks, that’s an immediate red flag that it is one of the illegitimate companies looking to scam you.
These scams are designed to take advantage of people looking for work and willing to pay to get a job.
Real companies cover supplies costs and provide adequate compensation for your work stuffing envelopes.
Asking for SNN & Other Personal Details
Be wary of any job online for stuffing mail that asks for unnecessary personal information, such as your SSN, bank account details, or copies of your ID.
While some legitimate employers may require this information for tax or payment purposes, it’s usually on official tax forms that you fill out and sign.
You should always research the company online and with the Better Business Bureau to ensure the company is reputable before sharing sensitive data.
Weird Emails
Watch out for suspicious emails or online postings that promise quick and easy ways to make money through envelope stuffing and may even claim that the work is “government-approved.”
These scams often look unprofessional, including spelling and grammar errors, typos, or links to untrustworthy websites.
Also, check the email addresses and domain names of companies offering envelope-stuffing jobs.
Scammers may use email addresses that don’t match the company’s official domain or look unprofessional.
Pay Isn’t Clear OR Pay Is Insanely High
Another thing you should consider when applying for envelope stuffing work is how you will be paid.
If the pay structure for an envelope-stuffing job isn’t clear or seems too good to be true, it’s likely a scam. I never applied for jobs if there wasn’t any income info listed!
Also, be cautious of opportunities that promise extremely high pay for minimal work, as they’re likely fraudulent.
Any company that claims to make you rich overnight, sets unrealistic earnings or promises quick riches is a sign of a scam.
Although legitimate envelope-stuffing jobs can provide a minimal income, they won’t make you a millionaire.
FAQs
How much do envelope-stuffing jobs pay?
Legitimate envelope-stuffing jobs are rare and usually pay by the hour, not per envelope. Many advertisements claim that the job pays around $1 – $2 per envelope, but most are scams.
If you can find one, legitimate envelope-stuffing jobs typically offer low pay, often around minimum wage.
You could probably make more money by signing up for one of the survey sites like Swagbucks or InboxDollars to take surveys, play games, and watch videos.
Are there legit work-from-home envelope-stuffing jobs?
The short answer is no. Most businesses don’t offer only envelope-stuffing jobs because they don’t need them.
In the past, businesses would hire temporary or seasonal workers to come in and handle their mailing- especially mail-order catalogs.
As technology progressed, the need for hard copies and paper mail decreased drastically, and most businesses have switched to sending digital copies of ads.
Most companies still sending physical mail have invested in machinery to stuff their letters and marketing materials automatically, so there is no space for envelope-stuffing jobs.
And most of our ads and magazines now aren’t even in envelopes- they get printed, get shipped, and arrive at your door.
Our Thoughts
Envelope stuffing jobs might seem appealing, but they’re often scams or not worth your time. Legitimate envelope-stuffing jobs are now rare and offer low pay.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Our list of the seven best alternatives to envelope-stuffing jobs has given you many high-paying career opportunities that await you.
From proofreading to freelance writing, these jobs provide a variety of options to suit your skills and interests.
Our best work-home jobs give you a real chance to earn extra income from home without falling prey to stuffing envelope scams.
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