📌 TL;DR:
Yes, you can make money online. But a lot of it is smoke, mirrors, and landing pages promising “freedom.” The key is spotting the difference between real opportunities and suspicious schemes. My personal rule of thumb? If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. I know it’s hard to tell in the beginning if you’re just starting out. So in this post, I’ll walk you through the red flags, the green lights, and what to Google— before handing over your email (or your soul).
Online Income Freedom
Let’s set the scene.
You’re scrolling through social media. Somewhere between a cooking hack and a dog in a Halloween costume, you see it:
“I made $8,000 this month working from my phone.”
You pause. You squint. You wonder—
Is this the online income freedom I’ve been looking for… or just another digital pyramid in a cute Canva outfit?
Welcome to the wild world of making money online. Where everyone claims they “ditched their 9 to 5,” but no one explains what they actually do.
So, let’s talk about it.
Because you deserve better than a sales funnel disguised as a lifestyle reel.
The Truth: Yes, You Can Make Money Online
Let’s get this out of the way first.
Yes. People make money online. It’s a thing. I do it. You probably know someone who freelances, sells stuff, runs a blog, or teaches people how to do weirdly specific things like turn eBooks into audio courses about NFTs.
The internet is basically one giant marketplace of ideas, skills, and digital side quests.
But the how matters. And so does the who’s selling it to you.
The Sketchy Side of Things
Here’s where it gets messy.
Some of the loudest voices in the “make money online” space are not here to help. They’re here to sell you a dream that’s dressed up as a course, or an “exclusive membership,” or a “done-for-you system” that somehow requires you to recruit five friends and their dogs.
You’re not lazy. You’re cautious. And that’s a good thing.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
1. Vague Job Descriptions
If you still don’t know what the work actually is after reading the sales page… back away slowly.
2. Income Claims With No Receipts
“I made six figures in 90 days” means nothing without context. Are they gross sales? Profits? Monopoly money?
3. Pressure to Act Fast
“Spots are limited” = classic FOMO tactic. Especially when the countdown timer magically resets every time you refresh the page.
4. Upfront Fees Without Clear Value
Paying for tools or education is fine. Paying $497 for a PDF that tells you to “believe in yourself”? Not fine.
5. MLMs Pretending to Be “Online Business Models”
If you need to sign people up under you to earn commissions, you’re not building a business—you’re just stacking a pyramid. With internet.
What Is Legit, Then?
Here are real, non-scammy ways people are making money online:
- Freelancing: Writing, design, virtual assistance, video editing, etc. You offer a skill. Someone pays you. It’s beautifully boring.
- Selling digital products: Printables, templates, courses, eBooks. Yes, it works. No, it’s not passive at first.
- Affiliate marketing: Recommending products you actually use. You get a cut when someone buys. No recruiting involved.
- Content creation: Blogs, YouTube, TikTok. It takes time. But ad revenue and brand deals are real (eventually).
- Remote jobs: The least sexy but most stable option. Work for a real company. Still wear pajamas.
All of these require effort, not fairy dust. They take time, skill-building, and the ability to ignore every “one-click cash machine” ad you see along the way.
How to Protect Yourself From Shady Stuff
Before you sign up, hand over your email, or give someone your money, do this:
- Google their name + “scam”
You’d be amazed what pops up.
2. Ask: “What’s the actual work?”
If they can’t explain it in a sentence, it’s not work. It’s wizardry.
3. Check Reddit. Seriously.
Reddit is where hopes go to die and honesty survives. Type in the program name + “Reddit” and scroll.
4. Trust your weird gut feeling
If it smells like desperation and glitter, you’re probably right to walk away.
Final Thoughts (aka The Pep Talk You Didn’t Ask For)
You’re not behind.
You’re not missing out.
You’re just smarter than someone who clicks “Enroll Now” without asking questions.
Making money online is possible—but it’s not magical. And you don’t need to hustle yourself into a nervous breakdown to get there. Just start small. Keep your BS radar on. And remember: If someone’s selling you freedom, check the fine print.
Need help figuring out which income ideas are worth your time?
I’ve got a whole series coming. Minus the hype, plus actual answers. Stick around.
Up Next: The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Finding Your Online Hustle
This post is part of the “Make Money Online” series — your no-fluff guide to finding real online income streams. Check out the rest here.