During the pandemic, women were disproportionately impacted by specific hardships. After one year, women lost an astonishing $800 billion in income because of COVID-19 globally. When it came to job losses, women lost 5.4 million, while men lost 4.4 million.
Part of the reason for the disparity is that women were more likely to be in jobs that felt the brunt of COVID-related closures. Sixty-four percent of workers in low-wage jobs – such as food service workers, hotel cleaners, hotel clerks, and retail salespeople – were women.
On average, working mothers also shouldered more of the child care burden during the pandemic, with 36 percent saying they had a lot of the child care responsibilities while working remotely. Women also left the workforce to take on caregiver roles far more often.
While the pandemic is calming, women are still impacted by the changes they had to make along the way. However, that doesn’t mean they can seize opportunities to secure an income. Online money-making opportunities can be an excellent option, giving women plenty of flexibility while ensuring they can make ends meet. If you’re looking for the right online options, here are a few to consider, presented below by Alpha Wealth Funds.
Find a Remote-Only Job
The pandemic didn’t just open professionals’ eyes to the potential of working remotely; companies understand it, too. As a result, more businesses are hiring remote-only employees in both full- and part-time positions.
Often, these roles can be found on traditional job boards. However, you can also learn about opportunities through freelance sites – such as Upwork and Fiverr – and specialty job boards that focus on remote roles like FlexJobs and We Work Remotely.
Try Freelancing
If you’re looking for flexible ways to increase your earnings while working online, freelancing could be a great option. You can pick and choose your projects, set your own rates, and stay in control of your career.
Many skillsets are ideal for this kind of arrangement, including:
- Programming
- Social Media Marketing
- Video and Photo Editing
- Content Marketing
- Graphic Design
- Web Development
- And More
Consider your skillset and see if you can take it online. If so, there are likely related opportunities available.
Turn a Freelancing Side Hustle into a Business
Many online side hustles don’t have to stay small-scale. Options like freelance writing, web development, data entry, and similar side gigs are ideal for taking to the next level. When they become full-fledged businesses, you can turn them into reliable sources of income for the long term.
However, if you want to make your small business a success, you need to use the right marketing approaches. Effective marketing isn’t just going to drive sales; it’s also cost-effective.
Options like social media marketing can be great places to start. Similarly, low-cost options like Craigslist can help, as well as partnering with local brick-and-mortar companies that allow ads to be placed on their windows, counters, or bulletin boards.
When it comes to marketing your business, creating a striking logo can help you make a stronger first impression, build brand awareness, and differentiate yourself from competitors. While you can certainly hire a logo designer to assist, small business owners on a tight budget may want to use an alternative. However, you can create an attractive logo on your own using a free logo creator. You pick a style, select an icon, add text, and choose from an array of colors and fonts, ensuring your logo is captivating while keeping the process simple.
It’s no secret that women have been deeply affected by the pandemic. However, there are many ways to get back on your feet. The tips above are just a few of the resources available online that can help you discover ways to pursue avenues you may have never considered before.