Can I Make Money Online From Home This Year?

Updated: January 1, 2024
by Ray Alexander

Can I make money online from home this year? Sure you can. Are you willing to invest as much time as you can to learn all about affiliate marketing, listen to our advice and copy what we do? Then believe me, with your determination and persistence, you will be able to make a living online. 

Happy New Year

Throughout the year, I receive countless messages via social media or contact form asking how to make money online from home. I welcome them all, and I'm always delighted to help. I'm glad to witness many new affiliate hopefuls find a perfect niche and start their first website, then gradually start making commissions.

You Have To Learn Like Any Other Jobs

But sadly, majority of the messages I receive are from those who wish for some miracle quick bucks. A typical message starts with a self-pity introduction - "Hi, I'm a single mother desperate for a school tuition fee / I'm a refugee / lost my mother for illness last year... I need work on the internet. Can you help me with that?"

I reply and suggest a few ways to work from home as an affiliate, but unfortunately those quick-buck seekers never message back to my reply. I guess they don't like to hear words such as 'training' or 'learning'.

My heart goes out to those people who are experiencing hard times - I've lost somebody in the past, and find myself in unfortunate circumstances at times too. But online work is work. It's not charity or lottery. Just like any other daytime jobs, you have to receive a training, take the experts' advice just like taking advice from your boss at work, and continuously learn to improve your skill over time.

It's Going To Be YOUR Year

"New year's resolution" is often just an excuse for not having done what you were supposed to do in the previous year. It's pretty implausible. If you are a regular gym user or swimmer, you witness how your gym/swimming pool gets overcrowded in January every single year. It's so crazy and stupid how so many people make an easy promise "new year, new me" and drop out a few weeks later.

If you're prepared to dedicate your time and effort, step up a little further and make a practical plan - then 2019 will be your year of success. Here are some tips to make it happen: you can make decent money online from home this year.

Related Post: How To Make Money Online Blueprint

Nothing Happens Overnight

If you're looking to grab a short-term success, you should be aware of the consequences too. Wealth that you earn in a short period of time won't repeat itself. This is what often happens with network marketers who are not willing to learn. You contact random people on social media for example, and persuade them to join a membership. You might receive a percentage of the membership fee as a commission, but these people soon leave. So you contact more people in search for new commission resources. In a long term, you'll be continually repeating the same routine 

In order to receive passive income (regular income without making an effort to maintain it), you need to build trust with your audience or whoever you are in contact with. And you know it takes time to gain trust.

Choose One Method, One Niche

As you may be aware, there are many different internet marketing methods (like mentioned in my homepage). If you don't know what to start with and don't have your own products to sell, affiliate marketing or drop-shipping is a way to go.

My recommendation has always been to build your own website and promote affiliate products as a blogger, because this is the most reliable way and the best way to build trust with your audience online.

If you choose to write blog contents and make money as an affiliate, choose one niche that you feel most passionate about. If you choose a particular product line just because it's currently on-trend or pays a good commission rate, you'll most likely to get bored of it and give up.

My friend was a good example - he was interested in Keto diet when it suddenly became popular a couple of years ago. He built a website about it. Unfortunately he loves eating out 3 times a day, he never cooks at home, rarely goes supermarket food shopping. 2 months later he decided that talking about diet plans wasn't his thing, and gave up his website.

If it's something you don't have enough knowledge of, you will struggle to keep up with the niche for a while. Until you grow to absolutely love it and can't get enough of it.

You might be interested in more than one niche - my advice is to stick to one in the beginning. Make a steady passive income out of one niche and convince yourself first, then try another one if you're still interested.

Set (Realistic) Monetary Goals

"I will make $10,000 every month this year" is not a realistic statement, because you're not setting the timescale, and the amount is not comparative to your current earnings online. If you are completely new to making money online from home, the first landmark can probably be your first $100. Then gradually scale up your goals. For example;

  1. Make my first $100 by the end of March
  2. Continue to make at least $100 per month
  3. Monthly target of $500 by the end of June
  4. Monthly target of $1,000 by the end of September
  5. Monthly target of $5,000 by the end of 2019...

...and beyond. 

Review Your Goals and Work Towards Them

And of course more importantly, you need a platform where you can receive training (daily, at least in the beginning), ask questions, receive advice and feedbacks from experts. The key is to keep your goals in mind and review them on a weekly basis if you can. Monthly at least. There is no 'ifs' or 'buts' - you will achieve your goals, and in order to achieve them, you'll always be actively working towards them.

This is what we do in our Wealthy Affiliate community to make sure to succeed online;

  • Online Entrepreneur Certification courses (5 courses, 50 lessons)
  • Affiliate Bootcamp (7 courses, 70 lessons)
  • Training HQ - you can find a classroom, training or tutorial by keyword search
  • Weekly Live Webinars
  • Live Chat 24/7
  • Ask questions and get answers from the community
  • Send private messages to experts

Write Down What You've Learned Today

I keep a memo book beside my laptop at all times, and write down everything, such as blogging ideas, SEO keyword search results, things to do tomorrow - as well as what I've learned today. I know it doesn't have to be a pen and paper, but I prefer it. You can use a digital diary such as Penzu, or just type in anywhere that you can access easily.

When you work online, you continuously learn new things - whether through success, failure, advice from fellow marketers or through a discovery by accident. It's very useful if you re-acknowledge yourself what you've learned at the end of each day. You may or may not check back, but the information will be vast even after just a few months, and you'll know how far you've come. It'll be motivational in that sense.

Never Give Up!

I've said it many times in the past and I'll say it again...

If you never give up, something will happen.

We are humans, there are days that nothing seems to work out and everything seems to go against you. But don't let anything sway your determination to succeed online. 2019 is going to be YOUR year. You can do this.

Happy New Year to you - may 2019 bring great achievements and many new inspirations on your life!

About the Author

ASD. Recovering alcoholic. LGBTQ+ advocate. Semi-retired. 15+ years of web-designing experience. 10+ years affiliate marketing. Ex-accountant. I'm nice and real. Ask me if you need any help in starting up your home business.

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  1. Very motivational. I would love to earn $5000 every month like you do but right now I am too busy with work 12 hours shift every day, spend 1.5 hours each way traveling, plus kids to look after, I hardly find time to concentrate. But I know nothing will happen until I make myself get started. .I must start taking training at some point in the near future. Luckily I have a few good hours over weekends. My dream is start making some affiliate money and at least I can quit one of the jobs that I hate. Wish me luck, and I wish you all the best too. Thanks.

    1. Hi Buddy, I see you struggle to find time and it must be really hard, but it’s great to see your positive attitude. If there’s anything you want me to help, I’m more than happy to give you a hand. Getting your new website started, for example. I hope you’ll be able to quit the job that you’re not keen on. You’ll definitely get there with your positive determination. Good luck! Contact me any time 🙂 Thanks for leaving a comment.

  2. What an excellent post, I’m so impressed! Everything you said makes sense, and there are so many things that I can learn about. I love internet marketing! Check my post please http: // www

  3. Hi, great post. Most people think internet allows them to make money like nothing else but you are right just like working offline you need to work hard.

    I have one question unrelated if you don’t mind me asking. I really like your images in the post. Where do you get them from? I you are making them by yourselves are you are designing firm? I’m impressed. God bless, Chris.

    1. Hi Chris, thanks for your comment. I create these images by using Canva.com. Original images are obviously royalty free, and I add text & icons on top. Occasionally with Photoshop too. Thanks for your compliment!

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