Data aktualizacji: 20.11.2025

Earning money on the Internet can become a full-time occupation if you take the right steps. Did you know that it’s possible to start an online activity without any upfront costs? Here are four ideas you can use!

Earning online with no financial investment through affiliate marketing

Online income can take many forms. For some, it’s just a small side job that brings in modest extra money; for others, it’s a way to monetize their passion; and for many, it becomes a full-fledged career. With affiliate marketing, you can earn online without any financial investment.

Affiliate marketing means earning by recommending products — the publisher earns a commission from sales generated through their recommendations, while the advertiser gains more customers thanks to the publisher and shares a portion of the revenue with them.

Earning online using affiliate links

An affiliate link is the simplest and most effective tool for earning money online. By recommending products from online stores through affiliate links, you’re guaranteed to receive a commission from each sale made thanks to your recommendation.

After registering, the publisher joins affiliate programs that match the topics they cover online. They then generate affiliate links and place them within their content (with full freedom regarding how they choose to do it). When a user makes a purchase using the publisher’s affiliate link, the publisher earns a commission. The publisher always knows the exact commission rate in advance, as it is clearly specified in each program’s terms and conditions.

Anyone can earn money online using links

Affiliate marketing is accessible to everyone. Both creators with large audiences and people without a website — those who operate only on social media or simply want to recommend products to friends via Messenger, WhatsApp, or email — can earn through affiliate links.

To become a publisher, all you need is:

• a niche website or a blog,

• a large circle of friends you communicate with online through various messaging apps,

• a social media account (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest),

• active participation in Facebook groups,

• a discount or cashback site,

• a product search engine or price comparison tool,

• a legally obtained mailing list,

• regular communication with your audience or friends through email and online messengers.

Why it’s worth earning online as an affiliate publisher

Affiliate marketing offers publishers the opportunity to earn significant income or generate additional profits that help support the household budget. It’s also a field that keeps evolving, so the work never gets boring! Why else is this method of earning online worth considering?

You can treat it as a side activity or a full-time job.
You have complete freedom in how you operate.
You can work without extra formalities or the need to sign direct contracts.
You can collaborate with hundreds of advertisers at the same time!
You gain access to various promotional tools. Through the affiliate network, you always have access to affiliate links, product widgets, banners, and XML files.
You also get ongoing access to discounts, special promotions, and coupon codes provided by advertisers.

Earning online – Influencers and YouTubers

Another popular way to make money online — once considered nothing more than a hobby — is becoming a blogger, influencer, vlogger, or YouTuber. We group them together here because the only real difference is the format of the content they produce.

Is being an influencer or YouTuber an actual profession?

A few years ago, saying “blogger is a profession” made many people smirk. Today, no one is surprised that it’s a job capable of generating substantial income. And importantly, you don’t need any financial backing to become a professional blogger or YouTuber. These days, to film and edit videos or write blog content, all you need is a phone and a basic laptop or desktop computer. Six or seven years ago, it was almost obvious that you needed a high-end DSLR to record videos. Today, smartphones offer such high recording quality that many major YouTubers rely on them in their daily work.

Earning money online through blogs and YouTube can take many forms. The most common is sponsored content — sponsored articles or videos promoting a product or service in exchange for payment. Another option is earning through affiliate links (we’ll expand on this topic later in the article). Bloggers and YouTubers also increasingly earn as experts, for example by giving opinions for external services or reports, hosting their own webinars and courses, publishing ebooks, creating paid communities, and appearing as guests on other creators’ channels or at conferences.

You can learn more about earning on YouTube in the article Earning on YouTube – how to monetize even small traffic, and about other ways to earn through blogging in Earning on a blog – a breakdown of possibilities.

How to become a creator who earns money online?

Building your own online space — whether a blog or a YouTube channel — must be well thought out. Not everyone who wants to become a blogger will actually earn money from it. So what do you need to do to ensure your blog or YouTube channel becomes a source of online income?

Earning online – publish regularly

The first and one of the most important principles is to treat your blog or YouTube channel seriously. Consistency is key. Before your first publication, plan exactly what content you will create and how often you will publish it. Prepare a list of titles and topics you want to cover. Allocate the necessary time to produce each piece of content and include it in your weekly work schedule.

Maintaining regular contact with your audience is essential. Your first posts won’t reach a wide audience because you’re only just beginning to build your community. That’s why you should find additional ways to communicate with potential readers and viewers. This could be a newsletter (read how to build your own mailing list) or a profile on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.

You don’t need a million followers to earn money online, but you do need to work consistently on growing your audience. It pays to leave your digital footprint in various places online, not just on your blog or YouTube channel. Use Instagram Stories or Facebook Live — this will help you expand your audience and maintain strong relationships with those who already enjoy your content.

Earning online – choose advertisers wisely

Many people who start earning online focus only on profit. Remember, though, that such short-term thinking can cost you income in the long run. Why? Imagine that your blog or YouTube channel eventually attracts a large audience thanks to your engagement and valuable content.

Advertisers begin reaching out with paid collaboration offers. If at this moment you forget that you are creating content for real people and start promoting products unrelated to your niche, you may lose credibility. Choosing advertisers carefully will protect you from this risk.

Initiate partnerships to start earning online as soon as possible

Don’t wait passively for brands to contact you! You can reach out to companies that match your content and propose a collaboration yourself. If you don’t yet have a large audience, highlight the quality of your content and the positive reactions to your early publications.

Earning online – dropshipping

Dropshipping is a way to sell online without significant upfront investment. It works by shifting the responsibility for shipping to the supplier. This means that the online store does not hold its own inventory and does not invest in a warehouse. That part of the process is handled by an external company.

Earning online through dropshipping – do you need an online store?

Many beginner dropshipping sellers choose to start on popular auction platforms like OLX or Allegro. This allows them to avoid investing immediately in building a website where customers can place orders. It’s a great way to test the demand for products they eventually plan to sell in their own store. The only costs involved are the commissions charged by the auction platform for each sale.

How to start earning online with dropshipping?

If you want to begin dropshipping, you need solid preparation. Here are the 5 essential steps:

1. Choose the industry you want to operate in. Dropshipping works in virtually any sector — cosmetics, car parts, furniture, clothing, and more.

2. Select a wholesaler that supports dropshipping and that you want to partner with.

3. Carefully analyze the cooperation terms offered by the wholesaler and sign an agreement reviewed by a specialist.

4. Pick the auction platform where you want to sell and study its sales rules.

5. Take care of “stocking” your store — write compelling product descriptions, upload attractive photos, and monitor whether the wholesaler’s stock matches the quantities you promise customers.

Do you need a business registration to earn money online?

It is also important to note that you don’t need to register a business to start selling! In the beginning, you can operate under a non-registered business. This setup, which does not require paying social security contributions, is allowed as long as your monthly earnings from the online store do not exceed half of the national minimum wage for that year.

However, keep in mind that non-registered business activity is available only to individuals who haven’t run a business in the last five years. If your revenue grows beyond the limit, you will need to formally register a business and have a cash register as well.

Earning online – how to get your first clients

When you decide to become a copywriter, you need to understand that at the beginning, you will be the one actively seeking clients. That’s why you need a solid portfolio — something that convinces potential clients that working with you is the right choice.

Use job listing platforms

The simplest way to find clients is by regularly checking job portals. If your goal is to earn money online strictly through writing, remember to specify that you’re looking for remote work. The platforms where copywriters most easily find opportunities include Rocketjobs, Pracuj.pl, OLX, and Gumtree.

Engage in social media marketing

Another method is responding to job posts in various Facebook groups and other social media communities. Many people publish collaboration offers there along with detailed requirements. An additional advantage is that these groups help you build valuable connections — not only with potential clients but also with other copywriters.

Send collaboration proposals by email

You can also take the initiative and directly reach out to companies by email, offering your services. Some online store owners and service providers still don’t realize how important strong content is for their websites and social media presence. By explaining the value and effectiveness of well-created content, you can secure your first assignments.

Moreover, many businesses are now embracing unconventional recruitment approaches, where candidates’ proactivity is highly appreciated. Reaching out with a collaboration proposal fits perfectly into this trend.