How I Earned My First $100 Online

Making money online always sounded like a scam to me. I used to see ads about “get rich quick” and thought it was impossible unless you had coding skills or thousands to invest. But last year, out of necessity, I tested the waters—and to my surprise, I actually made my first $100 online without any prior experience.

Here’s how it happened, step by step, and the exact methods I used that don’t require fancy degrees or heavy investment.

1. Selling My First Digital File on Gumroad ($25)

One weekend, I created a simple budget tracker using Google Sheets. I formatted it neatly, added a few formulas, and turned it into a downloadable template. Then I uploaded it to Gumroad, a free digital marketplace.

I priced it at $5 and shared the link in two Facebook groups about saving money. Within two days, five people bought it. That was $25 from something I built in an hour—no design skills, no upfront cost.

2. Writing a Micro-Article on Vocal Media ($12)

I stumbled across Vocal Media (the very platform you’re reading this on). They pay per read. So I wrote a short piece called “3 Habits That Doubled My Productivity as a Student.” I shared it on Twitter and a few friends read it. To my shock, it earned me $12 in the first week.

It wasn’t viral, but it proved to me that writing online can literally pay. And I wasn’t even a “writer.”

3. Doing Quick Video Captioning for a TikTok Creator ($20)

One of my friends runs a TikTok account but hated adding subtitles. I offered to do it for free using CapCut just to try. He loved it and told another creator, who paid me $20 to caption 10 short videos. It took me about an hour.

This showed me that creators are willing to outsource small tasks—even if you’re a beginner.

4. Reselling a Free Resource Pack ($18)

Here’s an odd one: I found a website that offered royalty-free sound effects for podcasts and videos. I downloaded a bunch, organized them into a single neat folder, and listed it on Ko-fi as a “sound pack” for $3.

Six people bought it within two weeks. That was $18 for just curating free things in a more convenient way. People pay for organization, not just creation.

5. Transcribing a Short Podcast Clip ($25)

I joined a small podcasting group on Reddit where creators were asking for help. One needed a transcript of a 15-minute episode. I used Google Docs voice typing to draft it, then cleaned it manually. It took an hour, and he paid me $25 via PayPal.

No experience, no training—just listening and typing. And suddenly, I’d crossed the $100 mark.

The Lessons I Learned

Looking back, here’s what stood out:

• Small tasks add up. None of these jobs were big or glamorous, but combined, they easily crossed $100.
• Zero investment is possible. I didn’t spend a dime—only time and free tools.
• Skills are overrated at the start. What mattered more was showing up and offering help, even in small communities.
• Leverage existing platforms. Gumroad, Vocal, and Ko-fi gave me ready-made marketplaces without needing a website.

Final Thoughts

Earning that first $100 online completely changed how I view the internet. It’s not about quick riches, but about stacking small wins. If you’re stuck wondering where to begin, start with the skills or tools you already use daily—Google Sheets, typing, or even just organizing information.

You don’t need to be an expert to make money online—you just need to offer something helpful. For me, it started with a budget sheet, a short article, and some video captions. For you, it might be something different. But I promise—once you make that first dollar, the confidence you gain is worth far more than the money.