Make Money Online

I did a little bookmark scrub this morning and thought I would share the remaining content of my "Online Money" folder. To warn you, there are certain things that I don't like and never bookmark so:



What's NOT included: Taking Surveys, Get Paid to Surf the Internet, MLM, Programs with a ton of negative user experiences (based on researching forums, Googling them, etc.), Contest Sites, "Buy my DVD, CD, Audiobook", etc.

What IS included: Things you can use to legitimately make money online - Everything from Getting Paid to review software to good ole' Adsense.

Anyway, here you go. The second batch is is available here.

* Adbrite - Sell space on your site for text ads

* Amazon Affiliate Program - Easily create a store or shopping section on your site instead of sending your visitors to Amazon. Amazon handles the shopping cart and fulfillment.

* Amazon Seller - Sell your stuff on Amazon

* Associated Content - If you write a story, how-to, rant, etc. you can submit it to them and they will pay you $3-$20 per article if they like it

* Azoogleads - Another ad program. They do have some decent companies lined up as advertisers. You provide space, they'll provide an ad.

* BidVertiser - PPC (pay per click) program with a low $10 payout amount.

* Bravenet - These guys offer a ton of services for webmasters and blog owners. Although I feel like I was spammed for a while, it has ceased and they'll pay you $1 for each person you send over

* Blog - Start a blog and consistently write excellent content. With good ad placement, you may make some money.

* Business Opportunities Blog - I am adding this because I am a subscriber to their site and I see ideas everyday that could result in making money. A lot of the ideas pertain to online businesses. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, it's a good reference.

* CafePress - You provide a design, they'll toss it on a T-Shirt, Hat, etc. No upfront costs. Get a free online shop and promote your products on your website.

* Chitika - Their eMiniMalls service has shown great results for many Bloggers and site owners. You choose a keyword and they show relevant products on your site using a pretty unique interface.

* Clickbank - Another Affiliate Program site with 10,000+ products to advertise

* ClicknWork - Get paid $5-$150 per hour for basically doing freelance work on a per-assignment basis. You have to pass a pretty tough test to get in.

* Clicksor - These are the guys that generate contextual ads on sites that show up when you hover over a double-underlined word.

* Commission Junction - If you have a site, you can join Commission Junction. Once enrolled for free, you can choose companies whose ads are pertinent to your site. Companies have the ultimate say on working with you. There are easily over 1,000 companies to choose from here.

* CreamAid - For blogs only, advertisers provide you with a topic and you write about it on your site. To do this, you have to install a flash widget into your blog post. The more people you bring into the conversation through the widget, the more you get paid. It's difficult to explain.

* eefoof - Think of it as YouTube + Flickr + Music. You add original content and they pay you based on the visitors you attract.

* Ether - If you are an expert on something, Ether provides a way for people to pay you to talk about it in a one-on-one setting. If you want to charge $250/hr, that's fine. You have to do all the advertising so you should have a blog or site already established.

* eBay - Come on, you know what this is. Gather your junk and sell it!

* eBay Stores - If you have a real store and want to sell your stuff online, this is a decent option to get you started.

* ELance - Name gives it away. Programmers, Codes, Web Designers, Writers, Editors, can look for freelance opportunities.

* Feedvertising - This is an arm of Text Link Ads and is currently only good for Wordpress 2.0 Users. This does me no good currently, but as you can guess, they place ads in your feed(s).

* Feedburner - Not only are they the best place to house your feeds, they will also add ads to your feed and website. You get paid per impression.

* Google Adsense - Come on, you don't need an explanation. These ads are all over the place. Google displays relevant ads based on your site's content

* Google Adwords - Create simple text ads and choose keywords that determine when they are displayed. This is where the Adsense Content comes from. You do not need a site for this.

* SHUT DOWN Google Answers - If you are good, Google will pay you to answer questions in your specialty. Questions all come from normal people like you and me. You can get paid $2.50+ per answer you provide.

* H3.com - Get paid to fill jobs. Commissions range from $50-$5,000. It all depends on how tough the job is to fill and how desperate the hiring company is. This is another one that's tough to explain.

* Indeed.com - Add their job board to your site. They then post jobs based on the geographic location of visitors and the position types you pre-select. I tried it and I they continually report that I sent 0 visitors and I know that's not right. Nevertheless, I may have an isolated problem so they make the list.

* InnerSell - If you have a customer that wants to buy something you cannot sell, you can sell the lead here.

* Jellyfish - This is a shopping site that pays you a percentage of the purchases made by people you refer. They are not part of a wider affiliate program so you do it direct.

* Jigsaw - It's a pretty flaky model but if you have a Rolodex full of good contacts, you can sell them here. I can't make sense of it but it looks like you get $0.10 per profile.

* KarmaOne - They are basically a recruiting website. If you fill one of their jobs by finding a good candidate, you'll get paid anywhere from $50-$12,000. It all depends on how desperate the hiring company is.

* LinkShare.com - If you have a site, you can join Linkshare. Once enrolled for free, you can choose companies whose ads are pertinent to your site. Companies have the ultimate say on working with you. Like Commission Junction, there are a ton of companies waiting to evaluate your site.

* Microsoft Adcenter - Bid on keywords and Microsoft places your created ads then they are searched for. This is similar to Google Adwords. You do not need a site for this.

* Overstock.com - Sell your stuff on Overstock.com

* Pageflakes - This is a company that developed a user-defined Ajax homepage to show feeds, flickr photos, and a ton of other things. Think of it as a replacement for your Google Homepage. Anyway - they'll pay you $1 per referral that you send over. They are not part of a wider affiliate program so you do it direct. This one is pretty simple.

* Pay Per Post - I don't agree with this model entirely but they have advertisers that will pay you to write about their products on your blog.

* Pheedo - If you have an RSS feed, run it through Pheedo. Like Feedburner, they can include ads into your feed and if you really become large, advertisers will pay a premium for you to show their ads.

* Shareasale.com - I've never really worked with them but I do have an account. They are similar to Commission Junction and Linkshare however they seem to have lower tiered companies with advertising offers.

* Shoemoney - This is a blog that can teach you a ton on making money online. I've spent hours reading his old stuff.

* Software Judge - They will pay you up to $50 to review software.

* Text Link Ads - I have never made a dime here but I know people that have. You can earn by sending advertisers to them or by selling spots on your site. You must have a real site or blog to do this - nothing on a shared domain (i.e. /blogspot).

* Vibrant Media - Don't bother unless your site has 500,000 page views of text based content a month. If you have that readership, these are the guys that display bubble box ads to underlined words on your site.

* West Work At Home Agent - Not entirely online but this is worth a mention because it's won awards and is very legitimate. If you are an at-home Mom or free-lancer without work, you should check this out.

* Yahoo Publisher Network- This is the Yahoo version of Google Adsense.

Google Adsense may be the best online money-making program right now, but Filipino publishers looking for an alternative or complementary means to make more money need not look further.

Asia Century Multi-Advertising, Inc. or AsiaCenturyPH.com is a Philippine-based online advertising network that is very similar to the Google Adsense program. Like in Adsense, a website owner registers his site in Asia Century’s affiliate site and, when approved, can start placing ad codes on his site. The site publisher earns whenever the ads deliver a click, a lead, or a sale.

Here is our initial review of Asia Century after trying the program for one week.

First impressions

We first received an invitation to join Asia Century in June this year. We took a look at the site but back then, we were not yet ready to entertain other advertising networks. But Asia Century’s CEO Anders Barris was persistent. Almost every other week, the email invitations kept on coming. And so last week, we decided to give it a try. We thought, what’s not to like if it’s going to complement our Adsense earnings?

We signed up and in a matter of minutes, PinoyMoneyTalk.com was approved and the ad codes were ready to be placed on the site. We logged in to the affiliate site and, interestingly, the interface was very similar with another affiliate management site Commission Junction (CJ).

The CJ-like interface works for Asia Century’s advantage because it is familiar and easy to use. The main difference, of course, is that Asia Century’s ad campaigns are targeted to the Filipino public and well, sadly, offer lower payouts as well.

Still, those looking for a complementary money-making program won’t be disappointed. More than 34 affiliate programs are running right now, with varyings offers such as free music streaming, free TGIF gift cards, and a games site that gives away free cellphone load (sample ads can be seen at the bottom of this blog article).

Ads have various formats that can suit a site such as text links, small banner ads, big banner ads, and, yes, bigger banner ads. We noticed, however, a few campaigns that do not offer any ad unit so we wonder how a publisher can promote that campaign.

One good thing is that most offers don’t necessarily have to generate a lead or a sale in order to generate income. A click on the ad normally would suffice, and the income from one ad click may vary from P0.50 to P0.70.

Another plus point is the comprehensive earnings report which details which ads made money and when the ads were clicked. These information surely help site owners determine which affiliate programs should be highlighted and which ones should be terminated.

Needs improvement

As a new player in the local online advertising industry, Asia Century is definitely not without flaws. One major problem is the slow loading of the affiliate login site. Actually while writing this review, it took us 3 minutes before we were able to log in to our account.

We also noticed that the Affiliate Login field in the AsiaCenturyPH.com main site doesn’t work. It looks like a JavaScript problem but we’re not sure if the problem is with our PC or with the site itself.

Regarding the ad campaigns, having more ad format options won’t hurt, and we’re not just talking about the size of the banner ad. Alternative ad colors or new ad content can help publishers select which ad formats they think will generate more clicks on their site.

It also would be good to have a search function that can filter campaigns depending on how a publisher can earn from the offer, i.e., per-click or per-lead or per-sale.

Of course, constantly adding more merchants and affiliate programs is a must and, if possible, increase the commission rate as well to attract more publishers. We think the per-click commission of P0.50 might be too low but we’re extremely satisfied with the per-lead payout of up to P100 per successful lead.

Our Conclusion

A week of trial with Asia Century earned us a total of P40.00. Asia Century is definitely nowhere near the caliber of Google Adsense in terms of higher payout but why complain if you can earn by simply adding a simple code to your site?

If you’re looking for an alternative or complementary way of making more money online, you should take a look at Asia Century advertising network.

The stock market has picked up steam lately, but for many investors the resurgence isn't enough. Instead, they look for quicker ways to bolster their portfolios. The problem is, some promised high-return opportunities are downright frauds.

Ponzi scammers top the list of scam artists taking return-hungry investors to the cleaners, according to the latest look at the investment industry by the North American Securities Administrators Association. A close second -- investment fraudsters targeting seniors.

"These schemes offer products and pitches that may sound tempting to many seniors who've seen their retirement accounts and income dwindle in recent years," says Ralph A. Lambiase, NASAA president and director of the Connecticut Division of Securities. "It pays to remember that if an investment opportunity sounds too good to be true, it usually is."

The quest for a safe investment vehicle is the common theme in all the scams. Here are this year's top 10, ranked roughly in order of prevalence or seriousness:

1. Ponzi schemes. This is an old scam named for Charles Ponzi, a swindler from the early 1900s who conned $10 million from investors by promising 40 percent returns. His scam has been copied by countless crooks. The formula is simple: Promise high returns to investors and use their money to pay previous investors.

According to the NASAA, Ponzi scammers often blame government intervention for the failure of their system. In Mississippi last year, two Ponzi scammers pled guilty to a scheme that bilked 41 investors from four states out of $10.2 million. They told investors they were taking part in a money-trading program. The program never existed.

2. Senior investment fraud. Record-low investment rates, rising health care costs and an increased life expectancy have set seniors up as targets for con artists peddling investment fraud -- like Ponzi scams, unregistered securities, promissory notes, charitable gift annuities and viatical settlements. Last year, Pennsylvania securities regulators shut down a Ponzi scheme that bilked $2 million from seniors' pensions and IRAs.

3. Promissory notes. These are short-term debt instruments often sold by independent insurance agents and issued by little-known or nonexistent companies. They typically promise high returns, upward of 15 percent monthly, with little or no risk.

4. Unscrupulous stockbrokers. As share prices tumble, some brokers cut corners or resort to outright fraud, say state securities regulators. And investors who have grown more cautious and scrutinized their brokerage statements have discovered their financial adviser has been bilking them via unexplained fees, unauthorized trades or other irregularities.

5. Affinity fraud. Taking advantage of the tendency of people to trust others with whom they share similarities, scammers use their victim's religious or ethnic identity to gain their trust and then steal their life savings. The techniques range from "gifting" programs at churches to foreign exchange scams.

6. Unlicensed individuals, such as independent insurance agents, selling securities. From Washington state to Florida, scam artists use high commissions to entice independent insurance agents into selling investments they may know little about. The person running the scam instructs the unlicensed sales force to promise high returns with little or no risk.

This is the third year this entry has been on the top-10 list.

Investors approached by an independent agent should first call the state's securities regulator and ask if the salesperson is licensed. Then ask whether the investment being offered is registered as well. If the answers are yes, the investors should be more comfortable about the product. But investors should review the product with the same healthy skepticism that they would any investment opportunity.

7. "Prime bank" schemes. Con artists promise investors triple-digit returns through access to the investment portfolios of the world's elite banks. Purveyors of these schemes often target conspiracy theorists, promising access to the "secret" investments used by the Rothschilds or Saudi royalty. In an effort to warn investors, the Federal Reserve pointed out that these don't exist. But unfortunately, that government denouncement just feeds into the conspiracy mindset linked to this scam.

8. Internet fraud. According to NASAA, Internet fraud has become a booming business. In November, federal, state, local and foreign law-enforcement officials targeted Internet fraudsters during Operation Cyber Sweep. They identified more than 125,000 victims with estimated losses of more than $100 million and made 125 arrests.

"The Internet has made it simple for a con artist to reach millions of potential victims at minimal cost," says Lambiase. "Many of the online scams regulators see today are merely new versions of schemes that have been fleecing off-line investors for years."

Lambiase warns consumers to avoid the infamous Nigerian 419 scam, saying Internet users should ignore e-mails from individuals in need of help who want to deposit money in overseas bank accounts.

"Don't be dot-conned," he says. "If you get an e-mail pitching a deal that can't be beat, hit delete."

9. Mutual fund business practices. Recent mutual fund scandals have made the national news and attracted the attention of investors and launched several investigations.

"These investigations demonstrate a fundamental unfairness and a betrayal of trust that hurts Main Street investors while creating special opportunities for certain privileged mutual fund shareholders and insiders," says Lambiase. "We will continue to actively pursue inquiries into mutual fund improprieties," he says.

10. Variable annuities. As sales of variable annuities have risen, so have complaints from investors -- most notably, the omission of disclosure about costly surrender charges and steep sales commissions. According to the NASAA, variable annuities are often pitched to seniors through investment seminars -- but regulators say these products are unsuitable for many retirees. Lambiase says variable annuities make sense only for consumers who can afford to have their investment locked up for 10 years or longer.

"Our fight against fraud never stops because each year con artists discover new ways to fleece the public," says Lambiase. "Sadly, many of the age-old scams still work to cheat victims of their hard-earned savings as well

When you begin starting an investment, you may find yourself wondering where you should begin. You may have heard friends or co workers talking about their investments, and decided you should give it a try. You may have also found yourself wondering where they got the money to start or how they knew what to invest in. Then again, there are a lot of people who don't know where to begin, so they never start at all.

The wide array of investment related choices, the vast amount of information about investing, and the risk alone is intimidating and may prevent you from taking those first steps towards starting an investment. Keep in mind that is doesn't have to be that way. Believe it or not, you only need to know a few basics in order to begin your career in the world of investing.

The first question most people have is where you get the money to invest. If you look around, you will find plenty of stock mutual funds that allow you to invest with 500 dollars or less. You could use your next bonus at work, your income tax refund, or simply put in some overtime for some extra cash. If you are unable to come up with 500 dollars to start your portfolio, many funds will allow you to skip the initial lump sum investment if you sign up for monthly withdrawals from your checking account.

When starting an investment, you are ready for some long term investments. The step in choosing is knowing what your goals are. The investment type you choose will depend on the amount of time available before you need the money. Most all stocks are considered long term investments, and therefore it's best to plan on holding stocks or stock mutual funds for five years or longer.

The next thing you will need to know when starting an investment is your risk tolerance. If you're the type of person that hides your money under your mattress because you don't trust the bank, you're probably not going to feel very comfortable investing in volatile technology stocks.

Now, you may be wondering how to choose an investment. Most investors and experts will recommend spreading your money over several different types of investments in order to reduce the risk, because one type of investment typically does well when another one doesn't. By having money in more than one type of fund, you're more likely to get a decent combined return in one category takes a downturn.

When you are ready to begin starting an investment, you should use caution and research everything that is available to you. The above will assist you in getting started; the rest is up to you.