Category Archives: Work at Home

Are you thinking about starting a small business in 2025? You may have some great ideas, but having small business tools for beginners could make or break your business’s staying power!

With the right set of small business tools, you can create an online shop, design landing pages, streamline operations, and keep your sales on track.

Whether you’re looking to establish a strong online presence, optimize your marketing strategies, or streamline your sales processes, utilizing the right tools can make all the difference.

My guide will explore the best tools available in 2025 designed specifically to help entrepreneurs kickstart their ventures and effectively reach their target markets.

Key Takeaways

Essential tools like Shopify, QuickBooks, and Canva are designed to help small business owners launch with ease and quickly land sales by streamlining operations and enhancing productivity.
CRM tools are vital for establishing customer relationships and growing those relationships like a nice garden, ensuring effective communication with potential buyers and boosting initial sales.
Leveraging marketing automation, social media management, and e-commerce platforms allows small businesses to reach target audiences and secure early market success effectively.

Want some other inspiration for starting a business? Check out the most profitable small businesses you could start this year—and learn how to start a business with no money down!

Top 20 Small Business Tools for Beginners in 2025

In today’s fast-paced business world, having the right small business tools can be the difference between thriving and merely surviving.

Dive into this section to discover the essential tools that have transformed my business operations, making management a breeze and growth inevitable.

Best Overall Tools I’m Using Right Now

These are the top tools I personally rely on to run my business, automate processes, and drive sales efficiently.

1. ClickFunnels – Landing Pages & Sales Funnels

Cost: Starts at $147 per month
Best Features: Drag-and-drop funnel builder, automation, A/B testing
Why People Like It: Simplifies marketing, boosts sales conversions, integrates with email and payment platforms

ClickFunnels made it possible for me to create better webpages to share with customers to get them into my memberships, buy my products, and opt into my email campaigns.

Using it takes all the hassles of creating sales funnels, which lets me automate some marketing tactics. So I can sell people products with better details, reviews, and previews of what they’ll get.

It will also track customer data, such as who is clicking on what emails and whether some pages are performing better than others.

It helped me create great sales pages with my branding, and though it took me a few tweaks, I was able to get people buying!

Check out my full ClickFunnels Review to see why it’s my number one tool!

2. Go High Level – Email Marketing & CRM

Cost: Starts at $97 per month
Best Features: All-in-one marketing automation, SMS and email campaigns, appointment scheduling
Why People Like It: Saves time by combining CRM, automated systems, and marketing tools in one platform

Go High Level is a handy tool designed to help small business owners and marketers manage their customer interactions and marketing activities in one place.

It brings together features like keeping track of clients, sending out marketing emails and texts, and scheduling appointments.

Although I needed to get used to the program, the time was worth it! It’s helped me simplify a bunch of marketing tasks and get the right tactics to connect to my customers.

By taking the time to learn how it works, you can make your business run more smoothly and keep your customers happy.

3. Freedom Funnel – All-in-One Business Growth System

Cost: Pricing varies, check the website
Best Features: Funnel automation, email integration, sales tracking
Why People Like It: Helps entrepreneurs automate sales and marketing without tech headaches

Freedom Funnel is a powerful system that helps automate and grow online businesses.

It offers an all-in-one solution for building high-converting funnels, capturing leads, and streamlining sales processes.

With a user-friendly design, I was able to set up my new funnels without moving things around for hours, getting a headache, or reworking them to make things look right finally.

If you’re looking to scale your business faster and more efficiently, Freedom Funnel is a must-have tool.

Website & Hosting Tools

Having a reliable website is crucial for any small business. These tools help you build and maintain a more relevant online presence so customers can find and engage with your business.

4. Bluehost – Web Hosting

Cost: Starts at $2.95 per month with promotions
Best Features: One-click WordPress install, free domain for the first year, 24/7 support
Why People Like It: Reliable, beginner-friendly, and affordable for small business websites

Bluehost is a reliable hosting solution that is particularly suitable for small businesses.

With its affordable plans and easy setup process, it is an excellent choice for beginners.

I started with it because it was affordable and reliable, and its functionality is why I’ve stuck around.

It’s a tried-and-true web host that I’ve used for over a decade- read my in-depth Bluehost Review to see why I’ve stuck with it this long!

E-Commerce & Sales Platforms

Want to create an online store that draws in buyers just like the typical brick-and-mortar retailers?

These are the right platforms you need to land those sales.

5. Shopify – E-Commerce Store

Cost: Starts at $39 per month
Best Features: Easy store setup, customizable themes, payment processing
Why People Like It: User-friendly, scalable, integrates with tons of marketing tools

Shopify is a powerful e-commerce platform that small business owners can use to set up an online store in minutes.

With over 100 customizable themes, you don’t need to be a graphic designer to create a professional-looking store.

Its integration capabilities with tools like Google Analytics and marketing automation make it a comprehensive solution for online businesses.

I used Shopify to set up a printables business, and it has helped me launch new products, set up Black Friday sales, and more.

Want to learn more about the nitty-gritty of using Shopify? Check out How To Make Money On Shopify to see why I like it more than Etsy and what businesses do best on it.

6. Thrivecart – E-Commerce & Checkout System

Cost: One-time payment of $495 for lifetime access
Best Features: High-converting checkout pages, upsells, and affiliate program features
Why People Like It: No monthly fees, great for boosting sales and maximizing revenue

Thrivecart is another option for an easy e-commerce platform you can use to manage sales and connect with more potential buyers.

It offers features that simplify the process of setting up and managing an online store.

With Thrivecart, you can easily track sales, manage inventory, and optimize your e-commerce strategy.

Thrivecart is a valuable tool for small business owners aiming to enhance their online sales, offering everything needed to succeed in e-commerce. 

Get the full skinny from my Thrivecart Review article!

Marketing & Lead Generation

Marketing is your key to how customers will find you and get them inside your metaphorical doors.

So, let’s talk about tools to create successful sales pages and websites that show up on Google!

7. LeadPages – Landing Pages & Sales Pages

Cost: Starts at $49 per month
Best Features: Drag-and-drop builder, A/B testing, integrates with major marketing tools
Why People Like It: Easy for beginners, no coding required, great for lead generation and sales pages

LeadPages was made to help people without coding experience make landing pages that look good and convert into good sales.

It also works together with Google Analytics, where you can track the real-time performance of landing pages and optimize them for better results.

With its user-friendly interface, LeadPages makes it easy for small businesses to create better looking landing pages without needing a graphic designer.

8. Ahrefs – Website Analysis & SEO

Cost: Starts at $99 per month
Best Features: Keyword research, competitor analysis, backlink tracking
Why People Like It: Helps businesses improve search rankings and drive organic traffic

Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that provides features like keyword research and site analysis.

You can check your pages’ search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your websites by making targeted changes and improvements.

Ahrefs is an essential tool for small businesses that want real-time analytics to review and get valuable SEO insights.

9. ConvertBox – Pop-Ups & Lead Capture

Cost: One-time fee of $495 = lifetime access!
Best Features: Smart pop-ups, A/B testing, personalized targeting
Why People Like It: Increases conversions and captures more leads without annoying visitors

ConvertBox is a powerful tool for increasing conversions by adding targeted pop-ups and lead capture forms to your website or landing pages.

It allows you to display personalized messages, segment leads, and optimize your sales funnels effortlessly.

With ConvertBox, I can create smart pop-ups that capture email subscribers, promote offers, and drive more engagement on my site.

The ability to customize messaging based on visitor behavior has helped me improve my email list growth and increase sales.

10. Systeme.io – Multi-Tool For Sales & Leads

Cost: Free plan available, paid plans start at $27 per month
Best Features: Funnels, email marketing, memberships, automation
Why People Like It: Budget-friendly ClickFunnels alternative with no extra software needed

Systeme.io is a versatile tool for entrepreneurs who want an all-in-one solution to build, market, and grow their businesses.

It offers everything from email marketing to sales funnels, course creation, and automation—without needing multiple subscriptions.

If you’re looking for an affordable, beginner-friendly platform to run your business, Systeme.io simplifies the process by keeping all your tools in one place.

Email Marketing & CRM

Wondering about connecting with customers over email or other ways to interact?

There are some great tools to get follow-up and keep connected with customers.

11. Kit (Formerly ConvertKit) – Email Marketing

Cost: Free for up to 1,000 subscribers, paid plans start at $15 per month
Best Features: Email automation, segmenting, customizable opt-in forms
Why People Like It: Easy to use and built for content creators and small businesses

Kit is an email marketing tool that connects businesses with their customers more passively.

The cost and easy controls make it accessible for beginners to drop in and create the content they want to make successful marketing campaigns.

I can create bulk emails, customize them based on which email list I’m in, and share some good sales and information about my business. I can usually get a few emails prepped in under 10 minutes, getting me ready for a few weeks!

By using Kit’s clear insights into email performance, you can start optimizing your marketing strategies and build strong, lasting relationships with customers.

12. Interact – Quiz & Lead Generation Tool

Cost: Starts at $39 per month
Best Features: Drag-and-drop quiz builder, lead segmentation, integration with email platforms
Why People Like It: Engages audiences and helps grow email lists effortlessly
Bonus Feature: Creates viral quizzes that increase engagement and conversions

Interact is a fun and engaging quiz-building tool that helps businesses generate leads.

By creating interactive quizzes, you can capture emails, segment leads, and better understand your audience.

I’ve used Interact to grow my email list by providing valuable quizzes that not only engage visitors but also guide them toward the right products and services based on their results.

Financial Management & Banking

Now, I’m sure you have money on the brain- and not just what products will be bringing in the dough!

Whether you want to track your money coming and going or get funding, you’ve got plenty of options to keep money under wraps.

13. QuickBooks – Money Management & Bookkeeping

Cost: Starts at $30 per month
Best Features: Expense tracking, invoicing, payroll management
Why People Like It: Saves time on accounting and simplifies tax prep

QuickBooks is a leading cloud-based accounting tool that provides extensive features for managing finances and generating reports.

It is designed to help small businesses with invoicing, expense tracking, and financial management.

QuickBooks simplifies how you manage your money by automating repetitive tasks and offering comprehensive reporting tools, enabling them to focus on business growth.

14. Capital One – Banking & Funding

Cost: Varies by account type
Best Features: Business credit cards, high-yield savings, business loans
Why People Like It: Great rewards for business spending and strong customer service

Capital One is a financial management tool designed to help small businesses with bookkeeping, payroll, and financial reporting.

It offers extensive features that make managing finances straightforward and efficient.

Capital One simplifies financial processes for small business owners, providing everything needed for effective financial management for a small business owner.

15. LiveOak Bank – Business Banking & Loans

Cost: No monthly fees for savings accounts
Best Features: High-yield business savings, SBA loans, competitive rates
Why People Like It: Flexible funding options and excellent banking services for startups

LiveOak Bank provides small business owners with banking solutions, including business loans and high-yield savings accounts.

QuickBooks simplifies how you manage your money by automating repetitive tasks and offering comprehensive reporting tools, enabling them to focus on business growth.

If you’re seeking flexible financial solutions for your small business, LiveOak Bank offers competitive rates and services tailored to business growth.

Content Creation & Design

16. Canva – Design Tool

Cost: Free plan available, Canva Pro starts at $12.99 per month
Best Features: Thousands of templates, brand kit, easy drag-and-drop design
Why People Like It: Makes professional design accessible without hiring a graphic designer

Canva is a graphic design tool that allows users to create high-quality designs easily.

I get access to pre-designed templates for social media posts, brochures, and other marketing materials, making it simple to start a design and tailor it to my needs.

It has a whole library of templates, clip art, fonts out of the wazoo, and more- plus, Canva Pro lets you compose a whole branding kit to make it all cohesive.

Canva is an indispensable tool for small businesses aiming to enhance content creation and social media management, providing everything needed to create stunning visuals.

17. ChatGPT – AI Writing Tool

Cost: Free plan available, ChatGPT Plus starts at $20 per month
Best Features: AI-powered content creation, chatbot integration, text automation
Why People Like It: Helps generate content quickly and improves business efficiency

ChatGPT is an AI-powered tool that enhances customer interactions through instant messaging.

Not only that, but its integration with Google Workspace makes it easy to use with a team putting together content and product ideas.

ChatGPT could improve customer satisfaction by providing clear responses automatically and directing customers around your website.

Video & Social Media Marketing

18. VidIQ – Video Optimization

Cost: Free plan available, paid plans start at $10 per month
Best Features: Video SEO, keyword suggestions, competitor analysis
Why People Like It: Helps YouTubers rank higher and gain more views

VidIQ isa tool designed for video marketing and analytics. With its robust features, small businesses can create popular video content and track all those views.

It connects with Google Analytics to give you insights into all your videos’ performances.

VidIQ is a valuable tool for small businesses aiming to leverage video marketing, offering comprehensive analytics and optimization features.

19. TubeBuddy – YouTube Growth Tool+

Cost: Free plan ($0!); paid plans are $4.99+ per month
Best Features: Bulk video processing/editing, SEO tools, keyword tracking
Why People Like It: Saves time optimizing videos and improves engagement

TubeBuddy is a simple way for YouTube creators looking to optimize their videos, improve search rankings, and increase engagement.

If you’re serious about growing a YouTube channel, this tool will change how you reach and connect with your target audience! It helps with keyword research, video SEO, and performance tracking.

I’ve used TubeBuddy to refine my video titles, tags, and descriptions, leading to higher views and better rankings on YouTube. 

20. Repurpose.io – Automate Content Across Platforms

Cost: Starts at $15 per month
Best Features: Auto-posting, repurposing long-form content into short clips, social media integration
Why People Like It: Saves hours of work by automatically distributing content across multiple channels

Repurpose.io is an automation tool that helps repurpose content across multiple platforms, saving time and maximizing reach.

You can turn your YouTube videos into Instagram Reels, TikToks, and even podcasts effortlessly.

For entrepreneurs who want to get more mileage out of their content without constantly creating new material, Repurpose.io is an essential tool to streamline your social media strategy.

FAQs

What is the best e-commerce platform for small businesses?

In my opinion, Shopify is the best e-commerce website due to its user-friendly design, customization features, and excellent integration options.

You’ll find it makes setting up your online store a breeze!

How can ClickFunnels help my small business?

ClickFunnels can streamline your email marketing and customer relationship management, making it easier to automate your marketing efforts and keep track of customer data.

This can ultimately help your small business grow more efficiently by reaching out to people and landing sales passively.

Is there a steep learning curve for Go High Level?

Yes, I think there is a kinda-steep learning curve Go High Level.

But the powerful features it offers for managing customer interactions make it worthwhile.

I went through their training articles and educational info, but watching YouTube videos and reading other articles online helped me pick up how to use Go High Level quicker.

What financial management tool is best for small businesses?

QuickBooks is a top pick for small businesses because of its comprehensive features in financial management and reporting. It’s user-friendly and can really help streamline your financial processes.

I found it easy to record sales, make sure sales tax was being collected properly, and even receive and pay invoices for clients and freelancers.

How can Canva help with my marketing efforts?

Canva can supercharge your marketing by offering user-friendly templates that help you create stunning designs for social media posts and other materials effortlessly.

I love how the Pro account comes with tons of graphics and images, plus way more templates that I can use and alter for quick designs.

Plus, I could create my own brand folder so that my colors and logos were all in Canva, ready to roll for when I was creating printables or social media campaigns.

What about project management software?

I realize I didn’t touch much on how I manage tasks among my team members, as I focused more on launching and creating landing pages and content to make those sales happen.

But if you aren’t venturing solo, then I suggest checking out free tools to assign tasks and monitor what’s getting done by who.

I use Asana to basically make to-do lists for my writers and team members, like helping me create new printables for Shopify, write new articles, or work on YouTube scripts with me.

Final Thoughts

I started this blog and became an entrepreneur on Shopify almost a decade ago, and having the right tools made creating my brand and landing sales effortless.

Picking the small business tools could significantly enhance the efficiency and success of launching your business!

From managing social media and customer emails to optimizing marketing and nailing sales pages, the tools I’ve shared were my solutions to be more successful.

By leveraging the tools I’m suggesting, you can streamline your new business processes and drive business growth. Embrace these tools and take your new business to bigger heights.

Imagine making money while you sleep—without dealing with inventory, shipping, or even social media. That’s exactly what Emily, a former educator and busy mom of two, has done by selling print-on-demand gifts on Etsy.

What started as a side hustle to earn extra income and spend more time with her kids turned into a $7,500/month business, allowing her to work from home on her own terms.

In my interview, she shares exactly how she built her POD business from scratch, the lessons she learned along the way, and how you can do the same.

Key Takeaways

Print-on-Demand is a Low-Risk, High-Reward Side Hustle: Emily started her Etsy shop in 2023 with no business experience and grew it to $500K in revenue by 2024, with no inventory or upfront costs besides Etsy shop fees.

Niche Selection and Market Research Are Essential: Emily advises new sellers to start with what they know, research trending products, and use Etsy search clues (like “bestseller” tags) to find profitable opportunities.

Focusing on Giftable Products Was a Game-Changer: Shifting from apparel to products like mugs, candles, and tote bags that make great gifts significantly increased Emily’s sales and helped her scale faster.

Success Takes Patience and Consistency: Emily balanced her Etsy shop with a full-time job and saw her first sale within a few weeks. Sticking with it through slow periods and continuously testing new ideas led to long-term growth.

Organic Etsy Traffic Can Drive Sales Without Social Media: Emily built her business without relying on social media or paid ads, focusing on SEO and creating emotionally resonant designs that appeal to gift buyers.

Anyone Can Start Without Graphic Design Skills: Using Canva, Emily created simple text-based designs that resonated with customers. She emphasizes that learning the basics and taking action is more important than having prior experience.

How I Make $7,500/Month Selling Print-On-Demand Gifts (And How You Can Too!)

1. Can you share a little bit about yourself and how you got started with print-on-demand? What inspired you to try this business model?

Hi there! I’m Emily, a mom of two young girls, wife and a former educator on college campuses. I began my side hustle journey on Instagram, searching for ways to earn extra income and have more flexibility to spend time with my kids.

With my oldest daughter starting kindergarten, I knew juggling two full-time jobs would be difficult. I wanted to go on field trips, volunteer in her class, and pick her up everyday from the bus stop.

After trying a few different side hustles like Amazon FBA, I discovered selling print-on-demand on Etsy through a YouTube video. It met all my criteria for a side hustle: low-risk, no inventory, and no need to post on social media!

In January 2023, I made it my resolution and was determined to make it work. Within two years, I reached $500K in revenue on Etsy, averaging a $7,500 monthly profit in 2024. I still can’t believe it most days!

2. What is print on demand for someone who has never heard of it before? 

Print-on-demand (POD) lets you sell your designs on products without the need to print, pack, or ship the products yourself. You can apply your designs to a wide range of products – from t-shirts and candles to tote bags and more.

Here’s a quick overview of the POD process:

Research: Begin by researching current trends on platforms like Etsy. Consider focusing on a specific niche, such as products for teachers.
Design: Create simple designs using a tool like Canva.
Upload: Upload your designs to a POD platform like Printify, which will handle the printing and shipping for you!

When an Etsy customer purchases your design, the POD company manages the printing, packaging, and shipping. Basically, you get to focus on designing while Printify manages the physical products!

3. What were your first steps when launching your print-on-demand store? Did you start on a marketplace like Etsy, or build your own website?

The first thing I did was watch several videos on how print-on-demand works & how to properly set it up with your Etsy shop. I wanted to make sure I set everything up properly before moving forward! 

I highly recommend Etsy, as you can leverage the millions of people already shopping on the website without needing to pay for a website, ads, etc. I knew this was a good fit for me, because I didn’t have experience running a business or my own brand.

After getting my Etsy shop set up & synced with Printify, it was off to the races with doing market research and designing. I am a big believer in learning by doing, so it was important to be practicing while watching how-to videos at the same time.

4. Many beginners struggle with choosing a niche. How did you decide what types of gifts to sell, and what advice do you have for someone trying to pick a profitable niche?

I always encourage new sellers to start with what they know! Yes, I know it seems simple, but by starting out with niches and ideas you know, you are able to come up with unique ideas that speak to those customers. And everyone’s an expert in something! For example, maybe you’re a mom or work in the corporate world or have a certain hobby. 

From there, it’s diving into Etsy to see what is actually selling. I recommend simply typing into the search bar any of the ideas that you brainstormed and look for clues–do you see best seller badges? Do you see items that have sold in the last 24 hours? That is a good sign there is demand for it on Etsy!

5. Can you walk us through what your first few months were like? How long did it take before you made your first sale, and what kept you motivated?

During the first few months, I was spending any available time I had working on my shop. I was working in my 9-5 job, so I would work during my lunch break, after my girls went to bed, or any time I could. I was committed to making it work, and I also was having a ton of fun at the same time!

I remember my first sale clearly–I was at a child’s birthday party at our local gymnastics studio. The kids were eating cake, and I felt my phone buzz, and it was an Etsy sales notification. I had to do a double take, because I could not believe that a stranger across the country had purchased something I designed…and I didn’t have to ever touch the product. 

That first organic sale came a few weeks into starting my shop, and it was the proof of concept I needed to stay motivated. I knew if I could get one sale, that I could get 100 sales. That moment really helped me commit to making this work!

6. Were there any major challenges or mistakes you faced early on? What lessons did you learn that could help beginners avoid common pitfalls?

Since I didn’t have any business or graphic design experience, I was learning everything from scratch. But this is what I love about this business – you can truly start from zero and build a sustainable income. 

Early on, I learned to be patient with myself, watch as much content as I could, and take action (even if I didn’t feel ready). Something I would have done differently looking back is to take a course, which would have saved me a ton of time trying to find answers to my questions.

One lesson I learned was to focus on what customers want and not only what I wanted to design. Ultimately, you are providing a service or products for the Etsy buyers, and it was an important lesson to focus on their needs/wants rather than my own preferences! 

The other big lesson I learned was to experiment with other products, outside of apparel. When I made the shift to giftable print-on-demand products, my sales started increasing consistently, so don’t be afraid to try new products!

7. At what point did you realize this could become a full-time income? Was there a turning point or strategy that really accelerated your success?

This is an easy answer! Focusing on giftable products was really the turning point in my Etsy shop. There was a lightbulb moment where several of my products had sold, and I received messages/reviews from buyers that their mom or sister loved the product as a gift. I had an a-ha moment where I knew I should keep pushing in this direction, and I am so glad I did!

About 6 months into my Etsy shop, I was making an extra paycheck per month. Similar to when I got my first sale, I knew that if I had scaled it to this point, that it was absolutely possible to continue growing my shop to a full-time income. By the fall, I was making my full-time income, and then during the holiday season, I was able to double my monthly income!

8. What strategies have worked best for getting sales? Do you rely on organic traffic (SEO, social media) or do you use paid ads?

Through the last two years, I have relied primarily on organic traffic from Etsy. I don’t run any social media accounts, and I have just leveraged the power of Etsy traffic to scale my shop. I have run limited ads to my products, which shows the power of organic traffic on Etsy. 

I have focused on gifts with simple designs that emotionally connect with Etsy buyers, and this has worked time and time again with primarily organic traffic!

9. How do you handle competition, especially on platforms like Etsy where there are thousands of sellers? Any tips for standing out?

The key to standing out on Etsy is narrowing down your products to a very specific buyer. It might feel like you are limiting your reach, but in reality, you are giving your products a better chance to be seen when you are selling to a very specific person. 

It will be incredibly difficult for a new Etsy sellers to stand out a generic “mama” product, but if you narrowed that down to a “twin mom” or “softball mom” design, you give yourself a much better chance of being seen by Etsy customers!

10. What’s your process for designing products? Do you create your own designs, hire a designer, or use AI tools?

Since the beginning, I have always created my own designs in Canva! As I mentioned, I learned that I could create simple designs that would sell because they emotionally connect with the customers. Most of my designs are simple text on a product, and I love sharing with aspiring Etsy sellers that you don’t need to have extensive experience to do this!

Before designing, I always make sure I have done market research to see what is selling well, where there might be gaps that I can fill in the market, etc. so I know exactly what I will be designing.

11. Can you break down your income streams? Do most of your sales come from one platform, or do you diversify your income across multiple marketplaces?

Since starting this entrepreneurship journey, I have diversified into a few income streams. My primary income stream comes from Etsy selling print-on-demand in one shop and digital products in a second shop. Currently, I only sell on Etsy, but I have goals to expand my products to other marketplaces.

Outside of Etsy, I provide coaching & a course with Gold City Ventures called The Gift Lab, teaching students how to use these strategies to launch & grow their own Etsy shops.

Lastly, I became a specialized Pinterest Manager, where I support business owners with their Pinterest presence to help them find their ideal clients or customers on the platform. This has been such a fun addition to my business, as I love collaborating with fellow business owners!

12. If someone wants to start their own print-on-demand business today, what are the exact steps they should take?

Sync your print partner – Sign up for a free print-on-demand service like Printify and connect it to your Etsy shop.
Research – Pick a specific type of product or audience to focus on, like gifts for teachers or personalized mugs for pet lovers.
Choose your products – In The Gift Lab, we teach students how to sell mugs, candles, tote bags, ornaments, and journals.
Create your designs – Use a tool like Canva to make your designs–and simple is always best!
List your products on Etsy – Add your product mockups, write a keyword optimized title and description, and include a description so customers know what they’re receiving.
Set your prices – Make sure to include a profit margin that covers your costs!
Make a sale – When a customer buys, the print-on-demand company prints and ships the product directly to them.
Get paid! – After Etsy takes its fees, you’ll receive your profit from the sale.

13. What are some common misconceptions about print-on-demand that hold people back from getting started?

The biggest myth I hear about print-on-demand is that Etsy is too saturated and it’s too late to get started. This could not be further from the truth! There is so much opportunity on Etsy–new trends are always popping up, customers are always buying gifts, and so much more. I always joke that if there were 10 more of me, I could easily have another 10 Etsy shops with a different focus. There is truly room for all of us at the table!

Another misconception is that you have to have graphic design skills to get started. I had zero experience before starting my shop! Tools like Canva make it easier to learn, and I recommend starting with very simple designs to start.

14. What’s one tool or resource you wish you had known about when you started that would have made your journey easier?

Everbee is a research tool that I wish I had started using earlier in my Etsy shop. It gives you so much incredible information to understand what is truly in-demand on Etsy, and it would have been an amazing asset to use from day one.

And I wish I would have had my course, The Gift Lab! Many courses & content focus on selling t-shirts, and my course focuses on the power of selling simple designs on giftable print-on-demand products. This strategy changed my life, and I am so thrilled to share it with others!

15. Where do you see your business going in the next few years? Are there any future goals or new business ideas you’re excited about?

This is a great question! First, I want to continue growing my Etsy business with new product types & fresh designs. I love serving my customers with unique products they can’t purchase in a store, and I want to keep doing more of that. My other goal is to work with more aspiring Etsy sellers to help them reach their own goals.

There is nothing better than hearing from students when they get their first sale or meet their monthly goals. We have launched The Gift Lab to teach students the exact strategies I have used, and I am so excited to keep sharing this knowledge with other sellers!

16. Lastly, for someone reading this who feels stuck in their 9-5 job, what words of encouragement would you give them about starting their own side hustle?

First, I want to say I can empathize with anyone in this position! While I was fortunate to really enjoy my last job, I have been in that position before, and it can feel incredibly daunting at the moment. The best advice I can share is to stay patient & focused on your journey.

It is easy to want to give up if sales aren’t happening immediately, and I see so many new sellers quit before they have really learned how to do this. Those that stick with it through the early period will come out on the other side. Everyone’s journey will look different, and the best thing you can do is stay focused, patient, and consistent.

Final Thoughts

Emily’s story is proof that you don’t need a business degree, fancy design skills, or a huge social media following to create a profitable online business.

Selling print-on-demand gifts could be your next open door if you’re trying to make more money and have your own successful business.

If you’re ready to take the first step, follow the simple steps outlined in this article, start experimenting with product ideas, and stay consistent.

Your first sale could be just around the corner—and it might be the moment that changes everything!

When it comes to turning a passion into a thriving side hustle, Rachel, the mom behind a successful Etsy side hustle bringing in $10,000 a month in passive income, has cracked the code.

Inspired by her love for personal finance and fueled by a desire to create a sustainable source of income, Rachel embarked on a journey that has not only transformed her life but also inspired countless others.

In this interview, she shares her story of starting Money Hacking Mama—from her first budgeting template to scaling a passive income business—all while balancing the demands of motherhood and her personal life.

If you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own Etsy shop or exploring the world of digital products, Rachel’s story is proof that with perseverance, strategy, and a little creativity, it’s possible to achieve financial freedom doing something you love.

Key Takeaways

Start with Your Passion: Rachel’s journey began with her love for personal finance, leading her to create digital products that align with her interests and expertise.
Invest in Education and Community: Joining courses and communities gave Rachel the knowledge and support she needed to succeed.
Do the Research: Identifying trends, finding demand, and analyzing competition were key to creating products that sell.
Perseverance Pays Off: Success didn’t happen overnight; Rachel committed to daily habits and stayed motivated even when results were slow.
Leverage the Right Tools: Platforms like Canva and erank.com helped Rachel streamline product creation and market research.
Focus on SEO and Marketing: Driving traffic to her Etsy listings through effective SEO and marketing was crucial to scaling her business.
Balance and Flexibility: Establishing passive income has allowed Rachel to prioritize family and other life goals, proving that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of personal fulfillment.

From Passion to Profits: How This Mom Built a Thriving Etsy Side Hustle Earning $10,000/Month in Passive Income

1. Can you share a bit about your background and what inspired you to start selling digital products on Etsy?

I have always been passionate about personal finance and financial hacks. For example, when I was 10, I told my mom I would find a way to pay for all my college (which I did).

Then, in college, I studied entrepreneurship because I was fascinated with money. 

Rather than go straight into entrepreneurship, after I graduated, I worked in many types of jobs, from a non-profit to biotech to finance and finally in higher education.

While exploring different careers (none of which had me wanting to work in them until I was 65), I came across the idea of financial independence.  

While in the early stages of my personal finance and FI/RE journey, I listened to many personal finance and side hustle podcasts. One fateful day, one of my favorite podcasters mentioned they would sell three new courses.

One was on blogging, another on selling digital products, and a final on freelancing. I was most drawn to the blogging course (which I bought), but the digital products course interested me, so I also bought that one.  

2. Before diving into Etsy, did you have any prior experience with entrepreneurship or creating digital products?

I studied entrepreneurship in college and had a handful of side hustles that never took off before I dove into Etsy.

While I never created a digital product meant to be sold, I had a lot of experience using Canva and felt comfortable with the platform to create unique and valuable assets because I had done that in many of my previous jobs.   

3. What made you choose Etsy as the platform to sell your digital products?

I chose Etsy to sell digital products mostly because that’s what Gold City Ventures recommended. That being said, in hindsight, I still like the platform because it makes marketing easy.

Etsy is already bringing people looking for products to the website so you can access a large pool of customers. I also like that there isn’t a recurring monthly cost.

If you sell products, they take a commission, but if you don’t sell products, you’re not out a monthly recurring fee.

4. Can you tell us about your very first product on Etsy? How did you come up with the idea, and what was the process of creating it?

My very first product on Etsy was a budgeting template.

Since I was interested in personal finance, I thought I’d sell personal finance-related digital products. I created it using Canva and then made it have advanced features by using Adobe.  

4. Were there any initial challenges or setbacks you faced when starting your Etsy shop? How did you overcome them?

My Etsy store didn’t make a sizable amount of money at first. It took me around 9 months before things started to take off. I think the biggest challenge with most side hustles is not feeling successful right away.

It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re not seeing results. Luckily, when I started my Etsy store, I was also studying positive psychology and had learned about the power of perseverance.

I was also part of a community of people also working on creating Etsy stores. By staying focused and seeing other people succeed, I was able to stick with it until the results came.

To do this, I built specific habits like committing to work on my Etsy store daily. 

5. Passive income can sound like a dream to many people. How did you turn your Etsy shop into a reliable source of passive income?

I invested in myself to learn from people who had already achieved what I wanted to achieve.

In the past, because of my frugal nature, I would always try to DIY my education with free online resources. While this was a start, it was never enough, and it was very time-consuming.

I also benefited tremendously from being part of the course’s community, where I could get help when I needed it and also get inspiration that helped motivate me to keep going when I wasn’t seeing results.

6. How do you decide what types of products to create and sell? Are there specific niches or trends you focus on?

I do extensive research before creating a product to find opportunities with some demand and low competition. I focus on catching trends and creating products that will add value to people’s lives by helping them save time. 

7. What strategies or tools have been most effective in scaling your Etsy business?

I use erank.com religiously to do market research before I make a product. I also use Canva to create my products. 

8. As a mom, how do you balance running a successful Etsy shop while managing family life?

Now that my Etsy store is established, I prioritize my family, and my store can be run from my phone in a few minutes a day. In the beginning, though, I had to make sacrifices.

For example, when my daughter was first born, I spent up to 10 hours a day creating products and working on my Etsy store. 

9. What does a typical day look like for you, and how do you prioritize your time?

Right now, my days vary quite a bit, and I haven’t settled into a new routine. I just bought a house which is a fixer-upper, so I’ve been spending a lot of time working on it. My mornings and afternoons are dedicated to my family.

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I teach. The rest of the time is dedicated to working on my business the house, consulting, spending time with friends, and working out.

I prioritize my time based on what will have the biggest impact and help me reach my personal and professional goals. 

10. Looking back on your journey, what’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your Etsy shop?

I wish I knew to do research before you make a product and to only make products that customers are interested in buying. 

11. What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about starting their own digital product business but feels hesitant?

Just do it. The learning you’ll get from this project will help you tremendously. The cherry on top is that it can also positively impact your finances.

12. How important is branding, marketing, and SEO for success on Etsy? Can you share any tips?

I don’t think branding is that important to be successful on Etsy. Many buyers on Etsy think they’re buying from “Etsy” instead of from individual sellers.

While building a brand is great, I don’t think it’s necessary to be successful on the platform. As for marketing and SEO, those are vital to be successful on the platform. You need to find a way to drive as much traffic as possible to your listings.

This can be done by understanding SEO to rank organically on the platform. But it can also be done by being an excellent marketer or influencer and sending people to your store yourself via social media, ads, or other content marketing.

13. What has been the most rewarding part of building your Etsy business and achieving financial freedom?

The most rewarding part of building my Etsy business and achieving financial freedom is the ability to help others from my lived experience.

I’ve always loved to help people and share my knowledge, but it lands differently with people when you can share tips confidently based on your personal experience.  

14. Are there any upcoming projects, goals, or new product ideas you’re excited about?

As I mentioned, I just bought a fixer-upper. I’m excited about the transformation my new home will take on. I’ve been exploring sharing more about this process with others, but I haven’t made a decision just yet, so we’ll all have to wait and see.   

Final Thoughts

Rachel’s journey from experimenting with side hustles to building a thriving Etsy business is a testament to the power of persistence, education, and passion.

She’s shown that starting a digital product business doesn’t require perfection or a massive upfront investment—just a willingness to learn, adapt, and stay the course.

Her story is an inspiration for moms (and anyone!) looking to create additional income streams while maintaining a fulfilling personal life.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, Rachel’s advice is simple yet profound: “Just do it.” The lessons you learn along the way can transform not just your finances, but your entire outlook on life.

If you’re ready to take the leap into selling digital products, let Rachel’s experience remind you that the rewards of financial freedom and helping others can be well worth the effort.

In this inspiring interview, Lisa shares her journey from middle school teacher to entrepreneurial powerhouse. 

When Lisa Fink’s life turned upside down after her husband lost his job of 21 years, she could have crumbled under the pressure.

Instead, she took a leap of faith into a world she knew little about—selling educational printables.

She offers actionable advice for anyone looking to break into the digital product world, along with the lessons she’s learned from years of creating and selling printables.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or side-hustler dreaming of passive income, Lisa’s story is packed with practical insights and tips to help you get started.

What began as a desperate attempt to make an extra $100 to cover a car payment quickly blossomed into a thriving, seven-figure business that has helped her family achieve financial security and freedom.

Key Takeaways

Here are the biggest lessons from Lisa’s story:

Start Small but Dream Big: Lisa began with a single resource and a goal to make just $100. Six years later, she’s earned over $2 million in revenue from digital products.
Fill Market Gaps: By focusing on niche products like Easy Escape Rooms and scavenger hunts, Lisa tapped into an unmet demand and created engaging resources that stand out.
Invest Time and Effort Up Front: Success doesn’t happen overnight. Lisa emphasizes the importance of putting in the work to create high-quality products that solve real problems.
Leverage Templates and Tools: Using platforms like Canva and PowerPoint, along with reusable templates, can streamline the creation process and save time.
Experiment and Adapt: Marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Lisa found success through email marketing and constant testing, refining her approach to meet customer needs.
Don’t Underprice Yourself: Pricing too low can hurt your sales and undervalue your work. Confidence in the value you provide is key.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Instead of churning out quick, generic printables, Lisa focused on creating unique, high-value resources that customers can’t replicate.
Plan for Long-Term Growth: Digital downloads are a sustainable business model as demand continues to rise. The key is solving enduring problems with creative solutions.
Explore Lisa’s Expertise: Visit ThinkTankTeacher.com for inspiration, tools, and step-by-step courses to start your own printable-selling business.

Success Stories: How I Make $650,000 Per Year Selling Educational Printables 

1. Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started selling educational printables?

Selling teacher resources wasn’t something I had planned, it came at a time when I was desperate to cover the next car payment. In late 2016, my husband lost his job of 21 years, and overnight, our family’s financial security was shattered.

The comfort of his steady paycheck was gone, and reality hit hard. We had just moved into a new house one month prior and with his job loss, I knew we had to find a side-hustle or second job if we didn’t want to lose our home. As the sole income earner, I was overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. How could I possibly support my family on a teacher’s salary?

I never even thought I would sell resources online. I was super happy as a classroom teacher of 15 years. I LOVED my job, though that’s something you don’t hear from many middle school teachers. As a teacher, I had purchased resources from Teachers Pay Teachers for my own classroom many, many times over the years.

I never thought of selling and creating my own lesson plans but that was a skill I was familiar with and it seemed like a viable option to help with the finances.

At the time, I was only hoping for an extra hundred bucks or so to cover the car payment. Honestly, I didn’t think it would amount to much, but I had to try. I’ll never forget the moment I heard my first “cha-ching.” I could not believe that someone actually purchased something that I created!

I ran out to my husband jumping up and down with excitement to tell him about my first sale. (I will never forget that day!) Although it was a small amount, that $3.56 sale was the spark of hope that I needed. I realized that with a little effort, this could be something bigger. That tiny sale ignited a fire in me and I was HOOKED.

That moment was a game-changer. I began pouring my heart into creating resources that weren’t just useful – they were engaging, time-saving, and something I would want to use in my own classroom. Slowly but surely, the cha-chings became more frequent, and my side hustle grew into something I never could have imagined.

I dove headfirst into the world of TPT. Late at night before falling asleep, I scoured the internet for seller success stories, looking for inspiration. That’s when I stumbled across an article about a teacher who had made one million dollars on TPT.

My jaw dropped. One million dollars. A teacher. Just like me. It was a wake-up call: If she could do it, why couldn’t I?

Although most of my income comes from educational activities, I decided to branch out and look for alternative income streams and that’s when I decided to open an Etsy store with my brother Ben. I am a FIRM believer of not having all of my eggs in one basket.

2. What exactly are educational printables, and who are they for?

Educational printables aren’t just for teachers to use in their classrooms. They’re incredibly versatile and serve a wide range of needs. Homeschool parents rely on them to create lessons tailored to their children’s learning styles. Students needing extra practice with a skill or topic can also benefit, as printables offer targeted exercises to reinforce concepts and build confidence.

Teachers and parents are searching for those precious gems they just don’t have the time to create themselves. Every teacher dreams of trying an escape room or scavenger hunt in their classroom, but the daunting logistics of puzzles, page layouts, and piecing it all together stops them dead in their tracks. That’s why I decided to focus my business on escape rooms, scavenger hunts and interactive activities. There was a need for these types of activities, a gap in the market.

It IS possible for students to learn and have fun at the same time, without even realizing they’re absorbing valuable knowledge. Every lesson plan I create cloaks the learning with a twist of fun through student-led, game-based activities. We all know the fun of a puzzle, be it a crossword, a cipher, or a jigsaw puzzle – so I do my best to incorporate those feelings into education.

3. How much money can someone realistically earn selling printables?

In my first six months, I made just over$1500. Not life-changing but certainly helped pay the bills and was more than I had before I began. I was determined not to give up. Fourteen months after I opened my TPT store, I had already made over 6-figures in online sales. In less than two years, my Etsy shop was also bringing in 6-figures. Fast forward 6 years later, and I’ve earned over $2 million in revenue from digital product sales alone.

I am not going to sugarcoat the effort that goes into creating printables, as my results are not typical. You will have to put in the work up front. If this is your first time creating lesson plans and printables or selling online, expect to invest some time! It’s not an overnight success.

However, any seasoned business owner can tell you it gets easier with time. You’ll get quicker at creating resources and uploading them online. And you’ll even build loyal customers who come back for more (and make earning income easier).

I love sharing my journey and expertise with like-minded people so they can begin their journey to passive income too! That’s why I decided to create Cloaked In Fun for teachers or TPT sellers and Easy Escape Rooms for Etsy sellers. Each course is filled with templates that expedite the creation process so that you can upload your activity faster than ever.

When you have a go-to set of templates for your escape rooms, scavenger hunts, color by number and digital games, you can fill in any theme or topic and hit publish without having to figure out all of the puzzles, solutions, and complex challenges that come with putting together gamified lessons. (They’re pretty hard to DIY! That’s why I’ve made it easy for you to bring the content and leave the puzzling to me.)

I’ve condensed years of experience, and years of trial and error into easy-to-follow, step-by-step video tutorials to create printable games for kids or educational activities from a template! Just change the theme and voila, you’ve got a new kids game to list in your shop.

4. What are the first steps to get started selling printables?

Starting a business with printables for kids has little to no overhead. There is no need to invest in inventory, manufacturing, storage or shipping. TPT and Etsy are low-cost, low-risk platforms that allow the revenue to come in without creating your own website. Once you create your printables and list them on Etsy or TPT, they can sell again and again, becoming a 24/7 passive income generator.

With your digital product side-hustle, you are in charge! Your earning potential is not tied to the number of hours you work. Regardless of the platform you choose to sell on, you’ll need to register your account and add your profile details to get started and to get paid. You can start both an Etsy shop or TPT shop for less than $60/year!

5. What tools or platforms do you recommend for creating and selling printables?

My best piece of advice is to use the platform you are most comfortable with. I personally use both PowerPoint and Canva to create my printables but you can use the design software of your choice.

You’re not limited to one specific platform or expensive software. Canva is a great tool to create product covers and social media graphics. Although it’s not necessary to find success, down the line you’ll likely want to upgrade to a Canva Pro account.

There are loads of free tutorials for Canva and PowerPoint so if you get stuck, you’ll likely find help with a quick Google search.

6. How do you decide what printables to create?

To stand out in the marketplace you need to think outside of the box and create unique products that can’t be found anywhere else or are too difficult for others to grasp the concept of and recreate on their own.

If it’s that easy for teachers or parents to recreate, it’s not going to sell like hotcakes, plain and simple (nor is it going to motivate students). Teachers can easily make their own version instead of making a purchase. Those “15 minute” creations are not going to be your “top earners” or best-sellers or even get 100% student buy-in. They might add quantity to your shop or lesson plan vault, but they certainly lack the quality that sets you apart or keeps kids eager for more.

Starting from scratch was hands-down the most time-consuming part of my teaching and TPT store journey. Even with the best ideas, I struggled to turn them into something usable. I knew there had to be a better way, and as a creative teacher, I decided to find it. That’s when I came up with reusable, adaptable templates with a twist of fun – perfect for my classroom and my TPT shop.

Teachers everywhere are searching for ready-to-go resources they simply don’t have the time to create themselves. Take escape rooms, for example. They’re an instant classroom hit, but the logistics – puzzles, layouts, piecing everything together – can stop even the most ambitious teacher in their tracks.

It IS possible for students to learn and have fun at the same time, without even realizing they’re absorbing valuable knowledge. A lesson that combines reading comprehension, movement, text evidence, deductive reasoning, collaboration, close reading skills and critical thinking all wrapped into one engaging activity.

BUT…. there’s definitely some printables I would personally steer clear of because everyone is creating them. Printable planners and stickers yield over 600,000 results on Etsy making your odds of being found in the search slim to none. The search bar is your friend! On both TPT and Etsy, you can use the built-in search bar to do free market research. This gives you a glimpse as to what people are actively searching for and gives you a hint at what’s in high demand.

7. What’s your secret to marketing and selling printables effectively?

During the 15 years I spent working as a teacher, I never could have imagined that I would be making 6-figures….much less 7-figures! Because, frankly, it was impossible to do in the field of education.

While now, I have my business running smoothly, I started at the bottom, like everyone else. I was trapped in a classroom creating lesson plans, sending parent emails & enduring micromanagement, all while being underpaid.
For years, I just accepted this as one of the facts of teaching. We teach for the kids, not the money…right? Then I found the power of digital downloads and everything changed. My husband’s job loss was really a blessing in disguise and came with a silver lining.

When I created my first resource for TPT, I was a middle school teacher with no special skill set (seriously, I am just your average teacher). I am not a graphic designer. I didn’t have a “team” of marketing experts, heck, I didn’t even have a large social media following (and I still don’t). I started from scratch with ZERO experience.

TPT and Etsy have built in traffic, a ready-made audience, marketing tools, and payment systems, making your printable easier to be found. Utilizing these marketplaces is much easier than building your own website and driving traffic there.
Of all the marketing tactics out there, having an email list is my biggest driver of sales. I tried social media, but for one, I did not enjoy it and secondly, I never really saw an ROI. Not to say that they aren’t right for you, they just weren’t right for me. I’m an introvert, so putting my face on videos was a definite no for me.

You have to be willing to experiment and test things out – it’s all part of the process. Maybe it’s swapping out a cover image to make it more eye-catching or crafting an SEO-optimized product description to help your resource stand out in searches. Small changes can make a big impact, but it takes time and patience to figure out what works best for you and what resonates with your audience.

Over the years, most of my activities have undergone some form of a “makeover.” Sometimes it’s as simple as updating a title to make it more descriptive or tweaking the content itself to improve the resource. Feedback has been a game-changer for me. Whether it’s from a customer review or a casual comment, I’ve learned to view constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow.

Each update or adjustment not only improves the quality of my resources but also strengthens the connection I have with my audience. Testing, learning, and refining are key to creating products that stand the test of time.

8. What mistakes do beginners often make when starting out, and how can they avoid them?

The number one mistake I see people make is thinking that the market is oversaturated. You HAVE to change your mindset. If I gave in to this misconception, I would never be where I am today.

Mistake number two is poor quality design… yes, page elements matter! Low-quality graphics, hard to read fonts, or even just the page layout can deter potential buyers. Don’t just slap a few random pages together with misaligned text boxes and call it a day.

Do your market research! Not understanding your target audience or trends in printable games can lead to products that don’t resonate with customers. It may also lead to you creating something you THINK your audience wants but there’s no research to back that up. Don’t just create to create. Quality over quantity can make or break your business. When I first started selling, I thought the more products I had, the more money I would make but that quickly proved to be wrong.

Giving up too soon – I see this one ALL THE TIME. Success takes time. Many people decide to open a TPT or Etsy shop, add a few printable games and then give up when sales don’t come rolling in. Let me remind you that 1) Selling on TPT or Etsy is a marathon, not a sprint and 2) If you only have 6 products in your shop, your odds of being found in the search are extremely low. Just keep adding quality products and good things WILL happen.

The last mistake I see printable sellers make is overlooking seasonal opportunities. Failing to capitalize on holidays or special occasions can be a HUGE missed opportunity. Teachers and parents are ALWAYS looking for a way to entertain their kids for a holiday break. Adding seasonal products is the easiest way to keep your shop fresh and exciting while driving consistent sales throughout the year.

9. How do you balance pricing?

The best way to determine pricing is to look at your competitors. You should NEVER try to underprice your competition, although in theory it sounds like a good idea, it does NOT work, plain and simple.

You’re simply doing a disservice to yourself and undervaluing your work. Lower prices DO NOT equal higher sales. Lower prices DO NOT equal more followers. In fact, lower prices may lead browsers to think your products are low quality. Think like a customer, what would you pay?

I’ll be honest here, one of the first resources I made was a very basic flipbook for the classroom that I whipped up in about 20 minutes. I truly thought that if my price was the lowest, people would flock to my store.

I priced it $3 lower than my competition. Oh how I was wrong. I mean dead wrong…that resource NEVER sold, not even once. I ended up removing it from my shop because it does not reflect the quality or vision of my business today.

10. Can you share a success story or standout moment from your printable business?

This journey has been absolutely incredible (and one I never thought possible). One of the most defining moments of my “You did it, Lisa!” story came in 2024 when I was featured in both Woman’s World Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Seeing my name in print felt surreal. I knew my story as a former teacher turned entrepreneur was unique, but I never imagined it would resonate with so many people.

The interviews gave me a chance to share my struggles, triumphs, and everything in between, from the challenges of starting my TPT shop to the joy of turning an Etsy side hustle into a thriving business. It was humbling and exciting to realize that my journey could inspire others to chase their own dreams.

11. How do you manage your time?

When I first began selling printables, I was a full-time teacher. I would come home after work and put 2-3 hours in each day creating printables. I would fall asleep playing on my phone reading success stories and watching tutorials. On the weekends, I put in a few more hours, whenever I could fit it in. One hour here and there seemed to do the trick as long as I didn’t give up and remained consistent.

Working a full-time job, running kids to soccer practice, attending social events, cooking and chores that never end. You might think you don’t have time to put anything else on your plate, but that is a LIMITING belief. You can find success by putting in 15 minutes here or 30 minutes there, just don’t give up.

12. What are your best tips for someone ready to start selling printables as a side hustle?

Start TODAY, not tomorrow, not next week, not next year. Because digital downloads can be sold over and over, it IS possible to turn a $10 printable into hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars! Digital downloads are a billion dollar industry, so why not cash in and get your own piece of the pie? This is your opportunity to get in now while the competition is LOW and the demand is HIGH.

The flexibility of selling digital products is second to none. Since you are the boss, there is no micromanager. No one is telling you what to do every single day. With digital downloads, you have the power to work when and where you want.

Take the shortcut! I started from scratch and I had NO idea what I was doing. I went down the YouTube rabbit hole watching videos for hours on end. I think if I were to do things all over again, I would have found a mentor or invested in proven courses that gave me a foundation for my new business. I made too many mistakes along the way that could have been avoided had I been equipped with the right information.

There’s a variety of fantastic courses from well-established TPT and Etsy sellers to help newbies get started. They may come in the form of a webinar, course, guide, eBook, download, etc. Regardless of how they are delivered, MOST of them truly help sellers start on their path to success.

However, if you’re going to invest in yourself and purchase a course offered by TPT or Etsy sellers… look at their store! No seriously! Many of these course creators are touting that they’re “experts” or “gurus” but have less than 1,000 reviews or less than 3,000 followers. Can they really offer you expert advice that you can rely on?

13. Do you think this business is sustainable long-term?

This question comes up a lot, and I can confidently say that digital downloads have long-term growth and sustainability. The world is becoming increasingly digital, and the demand for educational resources that can be downloaded and used instantly is only growing. Parents, teachers, and homeschoolers love the convenience and flexibility these resources provide, making it a thriving market for the foreseeable future.

Do I think AI has changed the game? Absolutely. AI has introduced tools that can assist with content creation, speeding up processes like brainstorming, proofreading, or even generating basic text. However, when it comes to crafting truly exceptional resources, there’s a level of creativity, attention to detail, and personalization that AI just can’t replicate.

For instance, creating the perfect page layout with balanced borders, cohesive themes, and carefully selected clipart requires a special touch. The ability to match the tone of a resource to the needs of a teacher or student, while making it visually engaging and educationally effective, is uniquely human.

Sure, AI might help with the initial stages, but the heart and soul of a resource come from the creator’s expertise, passion, and understanding of what educators and learners truly need. That’s something AI will never fully achieve.

With Canva being so popular, there are more teachers and parents creating their own resources. But has this impacted my sales? Not at all. In fact, every year, my business continues to grow. Why? Because I focus on creating printables that go beyond what someone can whip up in 20 minutes on Canva.

If your business relies on 1-2 page printables that are simple to recreate, then yes, I think you might face challenges down the line. The goal is to focus on something that solves a problem for your audience. These “problems” never go away. Parents are always looking for a way to entertain the kids. Teachers are always looking for a unique way to engage their reluctant learners. These needs never disappear, and that’s where the opportunity lies.

The goal is to deliver value that can’t be easily replicated. When you focus on crafting one-of-a-kind activities that solve real problems, you’re not just creating a product – you’re building trust and loyalty with your audience. That’s what keeps your business growing year after year, regardless of new tools or competitors entering the scene.

14. Where can our readers learn more about you and your business?

If you want to follow my journey or explore the resources I’ve created, you can visit my website, ThinkTankTeacher.com.

There, I share updates about my entrepreneurial adventures, tips for teachers looking to make an impact in their classrooms, advice for Etsy sellers, courses for printable sellers, and a wide variety of printables designed to save time and spark engagement.

Whether you’re looking for classroom-ready activities, party games, inspiration to start your own passive income journey, or just curious about what’s next, I’d love to connect with you there!

Final Thoughts

Lisa Fink’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of uncertainty, opportunity can emerge when you’re willing to take a chance and put in the work.

From her first $3.56 sale to a multi-million-dollar business, Lisa’s journey proves that selling digital products like educational printables can be a game-changing side hustle or full-time business.

Her advice is simple yet profound: start small, solve real problems, and focus on quality. Whether you’re a teacher looking for extra income or a parent dreaming of financial freedom, there’s room in this industry for you to succeed.

Want to dive deeper into Lisa’s story or explore the resources she offers? Check out her website at ThinkTankTeacher.com for inspiration, tools, and step-by-step courses to kickstart your printable-selling journey.

Steve, the creator of Think Save Retire, retired at just 35 years old! His inspiring story caught our attention, and we reached out to interview him and his wife about their incredible journey to early retirement. With so many couples in their 30s achieving financial freedom, we wanted to get the inside scoop. Enjoy! – The Savvy Couple

“We are not rich. We are not powerful. In fact, we don’t even consider ourselves to be ‘smart cookies.’ Instead, we saved. We downsized. We sold both of our homes and moved into an Airstream we’ve named Charlie. Early retirement is possible.”

1. Tell our readers a little about yourself, your blog, and your early retirement. 

Steve: I’m 35, and my wife is 32. We both quit our jobs to pursue a life of full-time travel. The blog was designed to chronicle our journey and continues to do so. We retired from relatively high-paying jobs in IT, which allowed us to save around 70% of our salaries. That added up quickly and made early retirement a reality.

2. Walk us through the steps you took to retire early. What was your first move?

Steve: The first step was deciding what we were retiring TO. Without a purpose, you risk extreme boredom. For us, it was travel—documenting our journey through our blogs (ThinkSaveRetire.com and FullTimeExplorers.com) and our YouTube channel, A Streamin’ Life. From there, we cut unnecessary spending and focused on essentials. We scaled back gradually, realizing how little we truly needed to be happy.

3. If a recent graduate asked for your best advice in a few minutes, what would you say? 

Steve: I’d ask: Do you want to work in a fluorescent-lit office until you’re 65? If not, don’t live like your peers. Prioritize your future by saving your hard-earned cash. It’s your key to freedom.

4. What was your wake-up call that the 9-to-5 grind wasn’t for you?

Steve: It hit me soon after entering the workforce 12 years ago, but I didn’t act until a few years ago. Marrying my wife gave us the push to combine finances and focus on saving aggressively.

5. What changes did you make to save aggressively for early retirement?

Steve: We cut out anything nonessential—no magazine subscriptions, cable TV, or yearly phone upgrades. We evaluated every purchase, asking if it was worth working longer to pay for it. Almost always, the answer was no. We valued freedom over material things.

6. Why did you choose to live in an Airstream instead of an RV? How has life on the road been different? 

Steve: My dad suggested the Airstream—it’s a great fit for us. Life is different but manageable. Living in 200 square feet simplifies things. Cleaning takes minutes, and we don’t miss the space we gave up.

7. Do you plan to work digitally during retirement for extra income? 

Steve: I don’t plan to work full-time again, but I enjoy a few side projects. The moment they stop being enjoyable, I’ll stop. We don’t depend on extra income, but it’s nice when it happens. For instance, my blog earns around $10,000 a year—enough to fund a third of our lifestyle.

8. How did you know you could retire with less than $1 million in the bank?

Steve: We used tools like FireSim and Personal Capital to model our finances. These tools showed a high probability of success using the 4% rule. Flexibility is key—we’re prepared to adjust if needed.

9. Your investments are still growing even in retirement. Can you explain how?

Steve: We withdraw around 3.5% annually, while our investments grow by 5-8% on average. Most of our money is in Vanguard’s targeted retirement funds, and we keep three years of living expenses in a savings account for stability.

10. Has downsizing improved your happiness? 

Steve: Absolutely. The less we own, the happier we are. Simplifying life means fewer things to maintain and more time to enjoy. We haven’t missed anything we gave up.

11. Tell us something interesting about yourself—your passions, motivation, or lifestyle. 

Steve: We don’t have kids, which helped us save more. I’m a fitness enthusiast and a fan of the movie Erin Brockovich. Photography and videography are my biggest hobbies, and our YouTube channel lets me explore those passions.

12. In a few sentences, what does early retirement mean to you? 

Steve: Early retirement is freedom—freedom to choose how to spend your time and live on your terms, long before the traditional retirement age.

This couple’s story is proof that with discipline, focus, and a clear goal, early retirement is achievable—no matter where you start! What part of their journey inspired you the most? Let us know in the comments below!

We’re incredibly excited to share some fantastic news with you all! Recently, Forbes featured our story on how we turned our financial dreams into reality. As a couple in our early 30s, we’ve managed to achieve $100K per month in semi-passive income, and Forbes recognized our journey.

In the article, we talk about:

Our early struggles and challenges
The strategies that worked for us
Tips for anyone looking to achieve financial independence

We believe our story can inspire others to pursue their financial goals and realize that with the right mindset and dedication, anything is possible.

👉 Read the full article on Forbes

Thank you for being part of our community. Let’s continue to achieve great things together!

An instant sign-up bonus is basically free money– and who can’t use the extra cash in the bank?

Thanks to smartphones, dozens of bonus apps will pay you for completing simple tasks or activities!

Whether you’re looking to make a little extra money online on the side or pad your savings, check out these 37 apps that give an instant sign-up bonus.

Quick Picks: Best Sign-Up Bonuses

I’m always interested in trying new apps, and getting $10+ instant bonus cash is a huge pro!

Here are some of the easiest and highest-paying bonus apps on my list:

Best Overall App – Swagbucks
Best Survey Site – Survey Junkie
Best Cash Back – KashKick
Best Investment Bonus – Fundrise
Get Free Stock – Robinhood 

37 Apps Offering An Instant Sign-Up Bonus

1. Swagbucks

We’ve been using Swagbucks for almost a decade to make extra pocket change, and right now, they’re offering a $10 welcome bonus!

You can earn points by completing tasks, taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, shopping online, and more.

Tasks on Swagbucks usually take 15 minutes or less to complete, and you can redeem Swagbucks points for gift cards or PayPal cash.

If you’re looking for more information about Swagbucks, check out my detailed Swagbucks review.

We go over how you can earn points and redeem them for free gift cards and more!

2. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a great way to earn free cash by completing surveys, shopping online, watching videos, and other activities to earn gift cards or PayPal money.

Plus, you’ll get a $5 sign-up bonus when you take 5 surveys. And if you refer your friends, you’ll get 10% of their earnings for life!

Read more about Survey Junkie in my Survey Junkie Review and see how easy it is to earn free cash.

3. KashKick

KashKick has become one of my favorite money-making sites, and it sometimes offers a sign-up bonus for new users.

You can play games, answer online surveys, and surf the web to earn points that you can turn into gift cards or PayPal cash.

Here’s my KashKick Review for you to read and see how much money you can earn by playing games and answering surveys.

4. Fundrise

If you’re looking for a way to diversify your investment portfolio, check out Fundrise and get $10 in shares after you invest your first $10!

Fundrise is a crowdsourced real estate platform that allows people to invest in low-cost real estate projects, including eREITs and eFUNDs.

The sign-up bonus of $10 is for shares in the Fundrise Real Estate Interval Fund, the platform’s flagship investment product.

Be sure to check out my in-depth Fundrise Review for more information about investing in real estate.

5. Acorns

Acorns is a popular investing app that gives new users a $5 sign-up bonus when they sign up and link their bank account to the app.

The app invests your spare change from purchases by rounding up your shopping trips to the nearest dollar- making investing automatic without you having to think about it.

Learn more about Acorns in my Acorns Review.

6. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is another easy solution if you want to earn more money, and you can sign up and get a $5 welcome bonus.

With InboxDollars, you can get money instantly in various ways, including answering surveys, playing games, watching videos, testing products, and more.

Once you’ve accumulated enough earnings, you can request a payout of your free cash through your PayPal account, Visa, or choose to receive gift cards.

To learn more, take just a few minutes and check out my detailed InboxDollars Review to find out how you can use InboxDollars to get more money with PayPal or gift cards.

7. Robinhood

Robinhood is a commission-free trading app that gives you a free stock for signing up. All you need to do is sign up and link your bank account to the app, and you’re good to go.

Your free stock is randomly picked and valued between $5 – $220- but you do need to keep your free stock for at least 3 days before trading it.

Want to know more about Robinhood before you sign up? Check my Robinhood Review for a more in-depth look at investing with Robinhood.

8. Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is a cash-back site that rewards you when you shop online. New Rakuten users earn a $30 sign-up bonus after spending $30 or more in online purchases in the first 90 days.

They partner with over 2,500 stores, so chances are that you can find the store you’re looking for on their site. You can earn 1% to 40% cash back on your purchases, depending on the store!

You’ll get a referral code when you sign up and earn money when someone uses your code to sign up.

Our Rakuten Review can give you more information.

9. Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys is one of the best survey sites. Taking surveys is an excellent option if you’re looking for a great way to earn some free money with sign-up bonuses.

They offer a 100-point sign-up bonus, and you can also take surveys about products and services. Plus, you can earn money with referrals.

It only takes 500 points to hit the minimum cash out using PayPal, your bank account, or a gift card. You can also donate your Branded Surveys earnings to charity.

Check out how much money you can make with our Branded Surveys Review.

10. LifePoints

LifePoints is a great way to earn free money. You can sign up with my referral link for free and start earning points right away.

Signing up for a new account is quick and easy, and you’ll even get a sign-up bonus of 10 free LifePoints.

Online surveys and polls are a great way to start earning points, and you can cash out your rewards for $10 when you reach 1200 points.

If you’re looking for something a little faster, you can also cash out for an Amazon gift card at 550 points.

11. Chime

Chime is a high-yield savings account that can help you grow your money without any extra work.

You can open a new account, pop in your money, and earn 2% APY just for having your money stashed away for a rainy day.

It’s way more than traditional banks offer, and it’s my #1 pick to passively earn cash without investing.

To sweeten the deal, Chime offers sign-up bonuses on and off during the year- it changes pretty frequently, but the most recent offer was $100!

Make a qualifying direct deposit of at least $200 in your savings account, and get bonus cash added to your account after 30+ days or so if your savings account balance holds that $200.

12. Albert App

Albert App can help you get your finances in order! This handy app helps you manage your budget, invest your money, and save for the future without hassle.

And you can sometimes earn a sign-up bonus 

Visit our Albert App Review for more information on this app and its features.

13. Fetch Rewards

Are you looking for an easy way to earn cash on your everyday purchases? If so, Fetch Rewards is perfect for you!

With Fetch, you can easily earn points on your in-store and online shopping. Plus, it’s free to use and easy to sign up for. Just download the app and create an account. Then, start shopping as usual.

Check out our Fetch Rewards review for more information on this app and how to get the sign-up bonus.

14. Capital One Shopping

Capital One Shopping is a powerful tool that can help you save on your online shopping. It’s a free browser extension partnered with over 3,500 retailers, including Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.

You can sometimes earn a sign-up bonus around the holidays, plus save on all your shopping. Read more about earning cash rewards with our Capital One Shopping Review.

15. SoFi

How does making up to $510 in a sign-up bonus and other offers sound? You can make that with SoFi!

Currently, you can sign up for a checking account and get the following bonus offers for your new account:

You may get up to $10 in checks (1,000 rewards points) by tracking your credit score for free.
On checking and savings accounts, earn 60 X (per Sofi) the national average with 4.60% APY* (requires a direct deposit).
When you set up direct deposits for your checking account, get $300 and your wage up to 2 days early.
Open an investing account in the SoFi app, trade stocks and ETFs, plus crypto, and get up to $1,000 in Stock Bit (fractional shares).

16. Cash App

Cash App is a digital wallet that allows you to buy and sell things, invest in the stock market or Bitcoin, set up a prepaid debit card, and send money to anyone anywhere.

We also found some ways to get free cash right in your Cash App account, so you can bulk up your money online faster!

A sign-up bonus is available to new customers who download the Cash App. When a friend opens a new account using your referral code and signs up for Cash App, you’ll get $5.

17. Trim

Trim is a service that helps you save money by canceling unwanted subscriptions and negotiating lower bills. With Trim, you can rest assured that you’re not wasting money on unwanted services.

You can sometimes get a sign-up bonus when trying to save on bills, so sign up with a referral link today.

Read about how it can save you money with my Trim Review.

18. MobileXpression

With MobileXpression, you can earn money simply by using your mobile phone. The sign-up bonus is a $5 Amazon card if you keep the app on your phone for a week.

The app collects information about your mobile internet usage, which market research firms use to help them understand consumer behavior.

In return for providing this valuable information, MobileXpression will give you rewards that can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.

19. Upromise

Upromise is a rewards platform that helps families save for college. Families can get money instantly for college by shopping at participating retailers, taking surveys, and more.

The money earned is made into a direct deposit into a 529 college savings plan, which can be used to cover tuition, fees, and other costs.

Sign up with Upromise now to get a $30 sign-up bonus and start earning huge cash rewards for your everyday purchases!

20. Dosh App

The Dosh app is a great way to get cash back on everyday purchases at one of their partnered retailers.

Download the app and link your credit or debit card to get a sign-up bonus, ranging form $1 – $5.

You can use your Dosh balance to withdraw cash or gift cards, or you can choose to have the money sent right to your bank account with direct deposit.

You can even make your sign-up bonus instant withdrawal if you have $15 after getting more rewards.

21. Discover

The Discover credit card is perfect for those who want to earn 5% cash back each quarter on everyday purchases.

You’ll receive a $100 sign-up bonus when you purchase at different places like Amazon, grocery stores, and gas stations with this discounted MasterCard during your first 3 months.

22. Opinion Inn

Opinion Inn is a survey site that lets you get paid for sharing your opinions on various topics. 

So why not take a few minutes to get money instantly with this gig app? Sign up today and see how much you can make! Plus, you can get a $10 sign-up bonus!

23. Shopkick

Shopkick is another one of the fun bonus app where you can get rewards for shopping. The app is easy to use, and offers are regularly updated, so you can always find something new to earn rewards and get free money.

You can also view available gift cards and rewards offer to know what’s available before you start shopping. Plus, there are many different ways to earn rewards, so you can tailor your shopping experience to suit your needs.

24. Zap Surveys

Zap Surveys partners with companies to provide feedback on everything from customer service to product satisfaction.

Every time a user is paid for their participation in a survey, Zap Surveys donates money to charity. Sign up today and start making your voice heard for a good cause. You get a guaranteed $3 payout on your first survey!

25. Groupon

Groupon is one of the most bonus apps for getting free money sign-up bonuses on their site and with others, including a 20% discount on the first purchase for new users.

The app frequently offers special promo codes for even more savings. For example, you can get $5 off your first purchase of $25 or more.

26. TopCashBack

The TopCashBack app is a great way to save money on everyday purchases. Whenever you shop online at one of their partnered retailers, you’ll automatically receive cashback in your TopCashBack account.

They frequently run sign-up bonuses when you join, so you can watch for goods offers before you sign up.

27. Current 

Current is another non-traditional fintech app for banking needs that will give you free cash as a sign-up bonus.

There are no monthly fees, credit checks, overdraft fees, and more, so it could be the alternative bank option you’ve been looking for. 

The offer changes, but they’ve offered up to $50 if you open a new checking account and make a qualifying direct deposit of $200+ within 45 days of opening the account.

Within 10 days of your direct deposit, your free money will hit your account!

28. TradeStation

TradeStation is a crypto-friendly trading platform that offers beginners and experts the chance to earn money on their skills.

Crypto investors can transfer their new sign-up bonus from TradeStation into an existing wallet.

29. Public

Public is a stock trading service that allows anyone to trade stocks and create multiple income streams. There are no fees or charges to join or use the platform and no account or investment minimums.

You may get free stock by signing up for a new Public account and being approved for an account.

The stock you receive will be picked from a choice of nine stocks with a value of between $3 and $300. Most investors receive stocks worth at least $10.

30. Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is a great way to earn extra cash simply for doing your grocery shopping. All you have to do is buy the items on the list at any participating store and upload a photo of your receipt to the app.

Once your receipt is verified, you get a direct deposit from your cash back. You can cash out when you reach $20, and Checkout 51 will send you a cheque.

The best part is that there are no coupons to keep track of and no points to redeem. Just buy the items on the list and earn cash back. It’s that easy.

31. PointClub

PointClub is a website that allows users to share their opinions on various topics and earn rewards for doing so. With a 5,000-point welcome bonus, users can quickly start earning points that can be redeemed for gift cards or cash.

You need 25,000 points to cash out for gift cards or free PayPal cash, but you can also enter sweepstakes for $1 million using tokens.

32. Aspiration

Aspiration offers high-yield savings accounts with lower fees than traditional banks to make it easier for you!

You can get a $150 sign-up bonus when you open a new account for Savings. You must spend $1,000 from the account within 60 days to get the sign-up bonus!

33. Blackout Bingo

Blackout Bingo is a new and exciting way to play the classic game. Unlike traditional bingo, there are only two players per round and a winner every time.

What makes blackout bingo even more fun is that it’s a legit cash game. That means you can win cold, hard cash while playing! So if you’re looking for a new and exciting way to win money, why not give blackout bingo a try?

34. PaidViewpoint

PaidViewpoint is an online survey company that pays its users for their participation. You can earn money by taking surveys, referring friends, and participating in other activities.

35. FusionCash

FusionCash is a little different than most GPT sites. They offer a $5 instant sign-up bonus just for creating an account.

That’s right – no need to complete any offers or surveys. Just sign up with a referral link, and the bonus is yours.

In addition, they offer a wide variety of ways to earn money same day, including paid surveys, paid videos, cash-back shopping, and more. Payments are all made via PayPal, and there is no minimum cash-out amount.

36. Drop

Drop is a free app that gives you points for shopping at your favorite stores.

Plus, right now, Drop is offering a sign-up bonus of 5,000 points. That’s enough to redeem for a $5 gift card.

Check out our Drop Review to see how you can earn cash back shopping and earn points from taking surveys and playing games.

37. Titan Invest

Titan is a Robo adviser that offers the features of hedge funds without actually having any investment responsibilities.

The investment options available to you through the Titan app are extensive. You can choose stocks, bonds, and ETFs, giving users more control over their investments than before!

You always look for a good deal, so check out this incredible offer! Sign up and get $10 into your account after investing at least $100 qualifying direct deposit.

Final Thoughts

Plenty of apps out there will give you a sign-up bonus if you want to make a little extra money. And many of these apps offer other ways to earn cash back and rewards.

So, if you’re looking for some side hustle ideas, check out some of these 37 apps that give an instant sign-up bonus.

You can make a few extra bucks just by downloading a few free apps, plus find other ways to make passive income and save money.

Join Swagbucks and more to get free instant sign-up bonuses today!

Swagbucks rewards you for things you are already doing, such as answering surveys, shopping online, or searching the web.

While Swagbucks won’t make you rich by any means, it’s a free and easy way to make some extra cash in your everyday life.

When browsing the net for ways of making money online, you have probably come across many paid online survey sites.

In this article, I am going to give you my deep dive Swagbucks review after personally spending countless hours on the website to put it through the paces. 

Is Swagbucks Worth My Time?

For us, using Swagbucks is just an easy part of any day- we earn extra money as we go and earn rewards for fun, and it helps us use our boredom as a money-making opportunity!

So in my mind, yes, taking surveys and playing games to make a few bucks is definitely worth my time.

But this is still a relative question, depending on how much spare time you have and if there are other things available for you to do/work on that could get you a higher return on investment.

You shouldn’t be ignoring your work to play games; you’ll definitely make more money from your job.

But most of us have time throughout the day that we have a few spare minutes and could do some small things that don’t require a lot of concentration, which will add up over time.

There are some things that you can do to earn money on Swagbucks that won’t mean you doing any additional work to what you would usually do, which we will share with you in this article.

Is Swagbucks Legit Or A Scam?

Is Swagbucks legit?  Yes, Swagbucks is a 100% legitimate and safe way to earn money online if you have some spare time, such as when you are watching TV or waiting for an appointment

Trustpilot scores them at a 4.2 out of 5 with over 35k customer reviews, with over 82% of those reviews being either “great” or “excellent” ratings.

The Better Business Bureau gives Swagbucks’ parent company, Prodege LLC, a B rating. 

I’ve personally used Swagbucks for years, and it’s an easy way to earn rewards throughout your day. It’s easy to use Swagbucks to get a few bucks here and there in PayPal cash.

It’s good to be wary, as you don’t want to be sucked into a scam and end up giving away your personal information or, worse, losing any money.

Luckily for you, we try out everything and let you know what is legit and what isn’t and whether it’s worth spending your time on or not.

Swagbucks is a free way to earn extra cash or a gift card while playing games or earn money back when you shop online without much effort on your part.

Swagbucks has paid out over $266 billion in cash and gift cards to Swagbucks members since they started, so it goes without saying that you are able to get money from this site.

How Swagbucks Works

Swagbucks is primarily known as a survey site, but there are other tasks that you can complete there to earn Swagbucks rewards, known as SB points.

Each task that you do will earn you a different amount of SBs- and there are plenty of fun ways to earn SB points!

So how does Swagbucks pay cash if you earn points instead of dollar bills?

Once you reach a certain amount, you can exchange it for either cash or a free gift card at popular retailers like Amazon.

You could earn a PayPal gift card and use it at even more retailers.

There are some Swagbucks hacks that you will find sprinkled throughout this post to help you earn more SBs, including Swagbucks codes!

Sign up to use Swagbucks today and earn your FREE $10 sign up bonus! 

Earn Easy Money Online With Swagbucks

There are loads of ways to earn extra money with a Swagbucks account, which is great because you can then pick and choose the things that you prefer to do.

Swagbucks shows you the cashback that you can get on various sites, the best paid surveys, popular ways of earning on the site, and a whole bunch of other ways to get SBs from doing different tasks.

There are coupons, promo codes, cash back, survey questions, online shopping deals, and more! We also have a list of Swagbucks hacks to help you earn even more. 

Take Surveys

Swagbucks surveys are probably not going to make you a millionaire any time soon, but you could earn easy SB points when you shop online and do easy tasks.

Surveys are made by market research companies who want your opinions and feedback on products and services.

You will be asked some easy questions to answer, and this will earn you anywhere from 1 to 1,000 SBs.

The amount that you could earn from them will be displayed before you click on them, with the longer Swagbucks surveys generally earning you more.

Paid surveys that are available to you on the Swagbucks app depend on the information that you gave when you signed up.

If you want to make more money by taking surveys, I put together a list of the best survey sites to earn extra money each month.

Coupons & Earn Cash Back

Have you heard about cash back before? Cash back is the best way to earn money on purchases you’re already making!

If you are on a cashback site, and when searching the web while shopping, you’ll earn cash back on the purchases you make.

It’s essentially a way of getting money for free, for doing something that you were going to do anyway!

Make sure that you start off on the Swagbucks website, then select the retailer that you wish to buy from.

This will send you through to the retailer site, where you will complete the transaction as normal and earn cash back when it’s done.

Your click-through will be tracked and you can get cash back on this purchase.

To get free coupons (food and grocery) on Swagbucks, you will need to click on your desired coupons, which will put them into your grocery coupon cart.

You can then print them out and use them at your usual store as you would normally.

If you use their Chrome Extension called Swag Button, you can be alerted if there are any coupon codes on the site that you are on and also if the site you are on offers cash back.

Swagbucks Search Engine

Swagbucks members can earn points while using it as a search engine!

What do I mean by that? You can earn points using Swagbucks just by looking things up online like normal with your default search engine.

I do like Google, but I’ve switched over to the Swagbucks search engine to get points faster when I look things up.

You can set the Swagbucks search engine as your default search engine, just like you would Google or Bing,

When you use Swagbucks to search for whatever you want to know, you earn points that go towards money in your pocket!

Discover Deals & Free Trials

Rather than just earn Swagbucks points that you can turn into extra cash, you can simply rack up your savings using Swagbucks.

It’s worth heading over to the Deals section of the website to see what there is, as there is always so much on offer!

You can also get points for signing up for free trials and trying out new services.

For example, on there right now, as I am writing this, you can earn 75 SB for signing up to receive a free money-making eBook or earn 300 SB for signing up to a credit score site.

Play Games

Are you addicted to playing games on your phone?

You can play games on Swagbucks to earn SB points when you make an in-game purchase. 

It doesn’t matter if you win or lose in the game – you will earn SBs based on your in-game purchases.

You could make money playing games like:

Angry Birds Champions
Wheel of Fortune
Dynomite
Bejeweled Blitz
Solitaire TriPeaks

You can earn 4 SB per $1 on these games, and there are plenty more games for you to check out!

However, pick how you play carefully- some people spend money in order to make money from winning games (or where you can earn SBs with in-game purchases).

Focus on leveling up without spending money on in-game purchases.

Refer Your Friends

This is a great way of getting Swagbucks points because if you are enjoying using the site and want to let your friends know about it, you can earn SBs for doing so.

If you refer your friends to Swagbucks, you will both get 300 SBs once they have reached their first 300 SBs.

Not only that, you earn 200 SB when they’re shopping online and earn 25 SB themselves- you’ll actually get 10% of their earnings for life!

You can refer friends with a unique referral link that is provided for you on the site, or you can enter their email addresses or post on social media.

Birthday Points

On your birthday, you can get a bonus of 50 SB (which is valid for 30 days) when you cash out a voucher. 

These are called a ‘Rebate SwagUp’, which is like a bonus or power-up that Swagbucks will award you.

You can also get SwagUps from participating in Team Challenges as prizes from the Spin and Win Wheel, and you can also receive them randomly from the Swagbucks team.

Swag Codes

Swag codes are like secret codes that are given out, which will earn you extra SBs.

Each code is worth a different amount, but they will all only be valid for a short space of time – so it’s worth keeping your eye out for them!

If you’ve downloaded the Extension, you will be notified when a Swag Code is available.

It won’t tell you that specifically, but it will tell you something like “Check Facebook!” – meaning that there is a code on their page.

To redeem Swag Codes- head to the top of the page and click on the Swag Safe icon (thelock icon), which will bring up the Swag Code box.

You can then enter the code that you’ve found there to redeem.

Daily Goal Bonuses

You can earn extra cash from Daily Goals that will come up on the homepage. For example, on the site now there is a Daily Goal of earning 30 SB to get you a bonus of 3 SB.

Sign up for Swagbucks today and earn your first FREE $10 sign up bonus! 

Swagbucks Reward Options

I’ve mentioned how you can earn points from answering surveys, searching the web, and even from Swagbucks shopping.

Once you’ve earned Swagbucks points, it’s time to get Swagbucks rewards!

You can use your Swagbucks to get gift cards or PayPal cash.

Gift Cards

You can earn points on the Swagbucks app to snag gift cards, and getting a free gift card as a gift is my favorite thing!

It will save me money on something that I either need or want- or I can re-gift a gift card instead of spending my own money, though some people say that may be too frugal.

I just used a couple of gift cards from Swagbucks this past week on groceries and toys for my daughter. All free for me!

Gift cards can be used at a huge variety of places, like Starbucks, Home Depot, Best Buy, and more – but most importantly, Amazon!

You can also buy discounted gift cards via Swagbucks for popular retailers that you can either give as gifts or use yourself to get discounts off your shopping.

PayPal Cash

You can also earn cash in the form of PayPal deposits.

When you hit 2500 Swagbucks points, you can exchange it for a $25 right to your PayPal account.

I love this option since so many places will take PayPal, from local artists and shops to friends and family. 

Signing Up With Swagbucks

Want to become a Swagbucks member and get paid to answer surveys and more?

You can create a Swagbucks account for free (never pay to join a site!) by clicking the button below. 

New users get an instant bonus for joining- and you can check other apps that offer sign-up bonuses here!

You’ll be asked some basic information about yourself, so you answer surveys based on your demographics.

Next, you can add the Swagbucks browser extension, which will provide you with savings and coupon codes while you shop online.

Then your Swagbucks account should be set and you can start making money right away.

FAQs

Does Swagbucks pay real money?

Yes, you can earn real money as a Swagbucks member! They don’t deposit money directly into your bank account, but there is real money involved. 

Swagbucks offers you rewards points for playing games, completing surveys, shopping online, and more, and you can use those reward points to trade in for prizes.

One of those prizes is PayPal payouts, where you get direct deposits of money to your PayPal account.

You can also get gift cards for payout, which are just as good as cash and can be used like normal money, of course.

Can I watch videos to make money?

Who doesn’t enjoy watching videos in their free time? This is my all-time favorite, I’m watching TV anyway so why not earn money doing it? 

This is probably one of the easiest ways to earn extra money because you can leave videos running in the background on your phone or laptop while you’re doing other stuff.

Swagbucks now longer offers videos to watch as a way to earn money online, but there are other survey apps to make money from videos.

InboxDollars has become my go-to app for watching videos and earning easy money.

Want to see how InboxDollars differs from Swagbucks? Check out my article – Swagbucks Vs. InboxDollars!

Savvy Tip: There are other ways to earn money from watching videos too!

Can Swagbucks be trusted?

We’ve used Swagbucks for years, and it is an app we trust to have fun and make money.

There are over 10 million Swagbucks members, and they wouldn’t have so many people if it was a scam!

Swagbucks is certainly a way you can make money from home, make money on the go, and so much more.

Can I make $100 a day using Swagbucks?

In my experience, no you can’t make $100 a day with Swagbucks.

It’s more reasonable to expect to make $100+ a month if you’re actively answering surveys or playing games.

If you use multiple survey apps or gig apps, you’ll be closer to making $100 a day.

What about other survey sites?

There are many other great survey sites I use:

Survey Junkie
KashKick
InboxDollars
MyPoints

Final Thoughts

It’s always a good idea to earn some passive income on the side or earn some gift cards to use down the road with just a small amount of time.

Although taking paid surveys is not earning passive income it is the easiest way to earn a little money on the side in your free time, with just a little bit of effort.

There appear to be many good reasons to start using Swagbucks. So we are happy to recommend Swagbucks to you and have personally used it, but it’s down to you to have a try and see what you think!

Want some other survey sites like Swagbucks? Check out Survey Junkie, MyPoints, and InboxDollars.