How To Make $5,000 a Month – 13 Real Ways

Do you want to learn how to make $5,000 a month?

I’ve been making more than $5,000 a month for over 10 years now, and I think it’s a great way to change your life if you want to start making more money. I still remember the first time I reached this monthly income level and being so happy.

If making $5,000 a month seems like a far-off goal, realize that it is most likely possible with the right steps.

You can make $5,000 a month through a mix of jobs, side gigs, and smart money moves. Some options include starting a small business, working from home, selling products, and more. I will be talking about the many different ways below!

Best Ways To Make $5,000 a Month

Below are the top ways to make $5,000 a month.

1. Blogging

Blogging can be a great way to make $5,000 a month. I’ve been blogging for over 10 years, and it has completely changed my life. When I first started, I had no idea it would grow into a business that earns over $5,000 a month consistently (I actually make well over this amount – I have earned over $5,000,000 from Making Sense of Cents over the years altogether).

You can start your blog by picking a topic or niche that you’re interested in writing about or that you have experience in, such as family, personal finance, food, travel, advice, and more.

There are many ways to make money with your blog, such as advertising, affiliate marketing (this is my top way to make money with a blog), sponsored posts, and even selling your own products like courses or T-shirts.

It personally took me about one year to make $5,000 each month from my blog. At around the two-year mark, I was earning $10,000 a month from my blog, and it has grown since then! I love blogging because I am able to earn a great income, I can create my own schedule, I am able to write about something that I have passion for, and I am able to help so many people around the world.

A helpful article to read is How To Monetize A Blog: How I Grew A $5 Million Blog.

I also recommend joining my How To Start A Blog FREE Course. In this free course, I teach you how to start a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers. Over 80,000 people have taken my free course!

2. Proofreading

Proofreaders check written content for errors, and this includes things like spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Proofreaders might work on blog posts, books, newsletters, or even restaurant menus.

Many people need proofreaders. Writers, businesses, and students all want their work to look perfect.

I have a proofreader for my website and it is a very much-needed job!

Recommended reading: 20 Best Online Proofreading Jobs For Beginners (Earn $40,000+ A Year).

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This free 76-minute workshop answers all of the most common questions about how to become a proofreader, and even talks about the 5 signs that proofreading could be a perfect fit for you.

3. Freelance writing

Freelance writing can be a great way to make $5,000 a month. Freelance writers work for themselves and write for different clients. They might write blog posts, articles, website content, email newsletters, or even books.

Many businesses need writers to help them reach their customers. This means there’s a lot of work available for freelance writers. You can start by writing short articles for $50 to $100 or more each. This is typically the newbie rate. As you write more, you can make much more. I know many, many freelance writers who earn over $500 (and some even over $1,500) per article that they write.

If you charge $250 per article, you would only need to write 20 articles each month in order to make $5,000 monthly. If you charge $500 per article, then that would only be 10 articles each month.

These are very doable numbers in freelance writing.

I have been a freelance writer for several years, mainly as a side hustle now. I typically make around $1,000 to over $1,500 per freelance article that I write.

You can learn more at 14 Places To Find Freelance Writing Jobs – (Start With No Experience!).

4. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of my favorite ways to make money online. This is where you share affiliate links (also known as referral links) on your website, blog, Instagram, Facebook, email newsletters, and wherever else you want, promoting products or services that your followers want to buy.

There are referral links for everything out there, such as books, kitchen items, clothes, furniture, travel bookings, and more.

I think affiliate marketing is a great way to earn $5,000 or more each month too. I have been doing affiliate marketing for around 10 years, and I think there is still a lot of room for growth in this area. I simply share products that I use and love, and I get to help others, so that is a huge benefit!

Recommended reading: What You Need To Know About Affiliate Marketing For Beginners

5. Start a YouTube channel

Starting a YouTube channel can be a fun way to make money. You need a few things to get going, but not much – just a camera on your phone and an idea (eventually, you can upgrade to a good camera and other items, but plenty of people just start with what they already have!).

There are many topics that you can start a YouTube channel on, such as:

• Money and personal finance
• Health and fitness
• Travel, RVing, adventure
• Self-care
• Food and cooking
• Video games
• DIY and craft projects
• Comedy and entertainment
• Storytelling
• Pets and animals

And the list goes on and on. There are millions of YouTube channels out there and it just continues to grow, and what’s even cooler is that even brand new YouTube channels are still becoming popular these days!

You can learn more at How Much Do YouTubers Make?

6. Become a virtual assistant

I was a virtual assistant in the past for several years, and I really liked it. It opened the door for me to the online world and gave me a flexible schedule. Now, I have a virtual assistant of my own who is extremely needed in my business and helps me so much.

Virtual assistants do all kinds of work, and it can really vary depending on their skills and services. Virtual assistants may manage social media accounts, plan travel, write content, answer emails, create graphics, and more. Some may specialize in just one area, or they may do a little bit of everything for the business owner that they work for.

Virtual assistants usually make around $15 to $25 per hour when starting out. As you gain skills and experience, you can charge more. Some full-time VAs even earn over $5,000 a month, and I know someone who has been able to make over $10,000 each month as a VA.

Recommended reading: Best Ways To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs

7. Social media management

Social media management can be a great way to earn $5,000 a month. You can help businesses grow their online presence and connect with customers.

A social media manager may specialize in one platform, or they may help a business with several. Platforms may include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, X, and more.

Social media managers, depending on the work that they do, may be able to charge thousands of dollars each month per client. So, if you want to make $5,000 each month, this may mean having 1 to 4 clients that you work for each month.

8. Create and sell digital products

Digital products are a great way to make money online because you can create them once and sell them many times.

Some popular digital products include self-published ebooks, templates, and printables. You could write an ebook about a topic you know well or you could make printables such as wall art or greeting cards.

Recommended reading: How I Make Money Selling Printables On Etsy

Do you want to make money selling printables online? This free training will give you great ideas on what you can sell, how to get started, the costs, and how to make sales.

9. Sell stock photos online

Selling stock photos online can be a great way to earn money. Many websites need photos for their content, and you can provide them.

I use stock photos all the time for my website, and so do most other small websites and businesses that you come across. This is because we don’t have the time or expertise to take the photos that we need. For me, I need a lot of photos, so it would be hard for me to take them all!

There are many websites that accept contributors, such as Deposit Photos, Shutterstock, and Adobe Stock. You simply sign up and upload the pictures that you want to sell.

To start, pick a stock photo site like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock. Sign up as a contributor and upload your best pictures. Make sure they’re high quality and follow the site’s rules.

You can earn money each time someone buys your photo. The amount varies, but it can be anywhere from 15% to 60% of the sale price.

10. Create an online course

Making an online course is a way to earn $5,000 a month, and it’s a great way to share what you know and make money at the same time.

I think it’s actually one of the best ways to learn how to make $5,000 a month online too because you can create the course once and then the income is fairly passive well into the future.

Topics that you can teach in an online course include:

• Gardening
• Watercolor painting
• Investing
• Health and wellness
• Creative writing
• Resume writing
• Learning a new language
• How to start RVing
• Cooking
• How to make money with rental properties

And so much more.

I started my first online course almost 10 years ago, and it has helped me to earn over $2,000,000 over the years and help over 10,000 people learn the topic that I am teaching.

A popular platform for uploading your course lessons is Teachable, and it is what I personally use for my two courses. This platform makes it easy to set up your course and handle payments. 

Recommended reading: How I’ve Made Over $1,000,000 From My First Course

11. Print on demand

Print-on-demand can be a fun way to make $5,000 a month. I have actually been thinking about starting a print-on-demand business myself, as I buy so many print-on-demand products throughout the year and I have so many ideas for things that I am unable to even find!

Print-on-demand products are items with custom designs on them, such as:

• T-shirts
• mugs
• phone cases
• greeting cards
• tote bags
• candles
• doormats
• towels
• journals
• water bottles
• baby onesies
• pet bandanas

And more!

You design the items but don’t make them yourself, which is really nice. When someone buys your product, a company prints and ships it for you. You never touch the actual item!

Starting costs are low since you don’t have to deal with any inventory too. You’ll pay small fees to list items and use design tools. But you don’t need to buy any inventory up front.

I recommend signing up for the How to Make Money with Print-On-Demand free workshop. In this workshop, you’ll learn how my friend Emily made $500,000 in two years selling gifts, the best types of products to sell to maximize your earnings, and how to start this side hustle on Etsy.

You can learn more at How I Make $7,500 Monthly Selling Print-On-Demand Gifts.

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Want to learn how to make money selling print-on-demand products on Etsy? Check out this free workshop and learn how Emily made $500,000 in just two years.

12. Facebook marketing

I’m sure you’ve been on Facebook before and have come across a Facebook advertisement. Someone creates and adds these to the Facebook platform, and that could be you!

Facebook marketing can be a way to make $5,000 a month because many small businesses need help with Facebook ads. They know Facebook is important, but they don’t know how to use it well to reach potential customers.

You can charge $1,000 to $2,000 per month for each client, so with just a few clients, you can reach your $5,000 goal.

You can learn more about this business by joining the waitlist here for the FB Side Hustle Course. It’s run by my friend Bobby and my sister-in-law Ariel, and they really know their stuff!

13. Start a subscription box service

Starting a subscription box service can be a fun way to make money. You pick a theme and send boxes of goodies to people each month, and people love receiving them!

Some ideas for a monthly subscription box include:

• Snack box – International or healthy snacks delivered each month
• Makeup box – New and trending beauty products each month
• Book lovers box – A new book plus themed accessories like a bookmark
• Plant subscription – A new indoor plant each month
• Candle box – Handmade and seasonal candles
• DIY craft box – Supplies for a different project each month
• Dog treat box – Natural treats and toys for dogs
• Baby essentials box – Diapers, wipes, and baby-friendly products
• Toddler activity box – Fun learning activities for little ones

And so on and so on. There are so many great subscription boxes that you could create.

You will want to set your prices carefully and make sure that you charge enough to cover your costs and make a profit. Most boxes cost between $20 and $100 per month.

So, if you charged $25 per month for a subscription box, then you would want to sell at least 200 to make $5,000 each month. Of course, you’ll want to account for your expenses as well, as the items you put into the box will cost money.

You can learn more at How I’ve Made Over $1,000,000 With A Subscription Box Business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to common questions about making $5,000 a month.

How can I make $5,000 per month working from home?

You can make $5,000 a month from home through different ways such as blogging (this is what I do!), starting a subscription box, freelancing (such as writing or bookkeeping), selling print-on-demand products, and more. There are many more ways that I didn’t even list in today’s article too, such as by becoming a consultant, flipping items for resale on online marketplaces, selling on Amazon FBA, renting out rental properties like an Airbnb, and more.

Are there jobs that can pay me $5,000 a month without a college degree?

Yes, you can make $5,000 monthly without a college degree in many ways. Affiliate marketing is one way and this is where you promote products online and earn commissions. Creating a YouTube channel can also bring in good money, and you can make videos about your interests and earn from ads.

How much should I invest to get a monthly return of $5,000? How to earn $5,000 per month in passive income?

The amount you need to invest depends on the return rate. If you get a 7% yearly return, you’d need about $1 million invested. This is a lot of money for most people, so it may be better to focus on building income streams rather than relying only on investments at first while you’re trying to reach that level.

What creative methods can kids use to earn $5,000 each month?

Kids usually can’t earn $5,000 a month as that is a lot of money! But they can start small businesses to earn some money, and maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones who have enough time to do so. They might walk dogs, mow lawns, or babysit. Kids can also make and sell crafts online. You can find more ideas at 23 Best Business Ideas For Kids To Make Extra Money.

Can you live with $5,000 dollars a month?

Yes, you can live on $5,000 a month in many places, and this amount covers rent, food, and bills in many U.S. cities. You might even save some money each month. In expensive cities like New York or San Francisco, $5,000 would be tight, of course. Your lifestyle and family size also affect how far this amount of money can go.

How To Make $5,000 a Month – Summary

I hope you enjoyed my article on how to make $5,000 a month.

Whether you want to work from home, start an online business, or grow a side hustle, there are many ways to reach this income goal.

I still remember when I first started making $5,000 a month – it felt like a life-changing amount of money. If this seems like a big goal, remember that it’s possible with the right steps.

Why do you want to make $5,000 a month? What idea on the list above interests you?

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