As we all know, there are people out there who do everything by the book. They’ve got the respectable job, they’re on top of their 401(k)s, their not crippled by their mortgage. If anything, this seems to be the norm. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only way for you to accumulate wealth.

It might sound like deviating from these tried and true methods will land us straight into ‘this sounds illegal’ territory. While yes, there are dodgy practices out there you can avoid them and still make a good living off of other schemes. All it takes is a bit of ingenuity, patience and guts!

So, with that said, let’s look at 8 clever, definitely legal ways to make money for those who can’t seem to get a grip on the more traditional ways.

1. Crowdfunding Your Business

When you want to make money by starting a new business, the last things you often want to think about are all the hoops you have to jump through just to get started. Needless to say, these hoops come in the form of business loans or taking on investors.

Taking out a loan can boost your chances of success, but you’ll also have to pay interest and assume liability. This is a slippery slope, especially if your business has a shaky beginning. Investors can also help but in return for their money and expertise you’re going to have to give up a chunk of your business. Neither of these are bad options, mind you, but not everyone is comfortable with both sides of each agreement.

Thankfully, the wonders of the internet have got us covered. Through crowdfunding, everything is made easier since you’ll be showing your business off directly to consumers.

How To Get Started

To many, crowdfunding may sound like a cunning way to part money from hard-working individuals and get away with it. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only is crowdfunding legal, it has also been proven to work by hundreds of private business owners that didn’t like the idea of business loans or investors- or worse, dipping into their savings accounts just to get started.

You can try out websites like Indiegogo or Kickstarter to raise startup capital. You’ll need to make a compelling video about your business or product while also introducing yourself and your ideals. You should also come up with tier rewards for any donations coming your way as a little thank you for everyone’s support.

Once you reach your goal you don’t owe anyone any money. All you need to do is make sure you use the funds responsibly in order to, well, kickstart your business! Before you jump on this opportunity, check out a few successful campaigns on either website and take notes.

2. Trading Cryptocurrency

Thinking about how cryptocurrency came about is downright mind-boggling. These magical internet coins that are worth around $8,800 each literally came out of thin air! Well, that is a bit of a stretch. In actuality, the process of farming cryptocurrency is a little more complicated but to the untrained eye, it might seem like magic, right?

But no matter how confusing we might think bitcoins are, it doesn’t mean they’re not worth investing in. Sure, there’s always that little bit of doubt, or there’s always the worry that the market might crash and leave you with nothing but that’s the same sort of reality investors in the stock market have to deal with every day. So, really, trying to use cryptocurrencies to make money isn’t that outlandish.

The bottom line is this: so long as someone is willing to pay for something, it’s worth investing into. And when someone is willing to pay thousands of dollars? We say ‘go for it!’. It’s called “the greater fool theory” and taking advantage of it is not illegal! Just ask any investor out there.

How To Get Started

You can buy and sell cryptocurrency like you would buy and sell stocks. The only difference is that you’re going to have to look for online cryptocurrency exchanges. Coinbase is one place you can start out but there are several options out there. Finding one that is right for you could take a little bit of time but it’s well worth it.

Once you settle on a website you can trust, you’ll need an account which you’ll then link to your bank account. From there on out, all you’ll need is a little bit of time to get used to the process!

3. Gambling

We know, we know, gambling is a slippery slope that can get a lot of people in trouble. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great way to make money if you’re careful about your approach.

The thing is, it’s also a well-known fact that when you gamble, the odds are against you. So, without marking or counting cards and without weighted-dice, how could you possibly win? Easier said than done, but since casinos use math to make sure you won’t win, you can also use math to make sure you come out on top, just not against the dealer.

The trick is to play against other gamblers. If they don’t win then someone else has to. Why not yourself?

How To Get Started

Here are two examples of how to make money legally while gambling.

First, let’s talk about poker. Since the mid-1980s, poker has been classified as a “trade or business” by U.S.. You can absolutely expect to make a profit if you study the game and if you’re good with numbers. Getting there might take a little bit of time, which is why it’s so important to start low and make your way higher and higher.

Another option, if you’re feeling lucky, is to gamble on sports. Sportsbooks make money by taking a cut out of total action and make big profits by making sure all sides have around an equal chance of winning. The more people bet, the more money they make, right? Your task will be to play smarter than everyone else and don’t bet with your heart, especially if you’re into sports and your favorite teams come up.

As long as sportsbooks try to make consistent profits, you can outmaneuver all the other players, without cheating, to see yourself sitting on a pot of gold.

4. Writing Amazon Reviews

Here’s a scheme that sounds illegal but that is, at best, immoral. Why? Because you’ll be doing something against Amazon’s guidelines, but here goes anyway!

I hope by now we’re all well aware of just how many retailers use Amazon to sell their products. Too many to keep count of, that’s for sure. With such a dense and competitive market it’s no wonder that each seller is doing everything they can to stand out. Pricing is one driving factor towards selling more stuff, but user reviews are just as important, if not more important for those who are willing to pay a little extra for better quality items.

Paying for reviews is forbidden on Amazon, whether merchants are willing to give you free products in return for this ‘service’ or not. Still, you can’t deny that it’s a clever way to make or save money. If you don’t have to pay for the things you like you can put that extra money to good use. All you have to do is find a workaround…

How To Get Started

If you’re interested in getting paid with either money or products in exchange for reviews, your best approach will be through Facebook. Amazon doesn’t allow this practice- even though thousands of people are doing it, even big corporations, so scouting out potential ‘buyers’ might be a bit tricky.

That being said, once you find a few you might even see targeted ads advertising more opportunities. So, scouting social media is a good way to start.

Watch out, though! If you’re caught, your Amazon account might be suspended. Again, this is not illegal, it’s just against company policy. So be careful out there!

5. Reselling Items on Craigslist or eBay

At first, reselling items online, either on eBay, Craigslist on or the Facebook marketplace might seem like a dead-end scheme. The trick is in finding enough time to hunt for good items that are worth flipping.

A good bargain hunter knows what to spend money on and what to ignore. You’ll probably need a lot of time and dedication for this scheme to work, but a lot of people claim it’s well worth the money.

Plus, you’ll be working from home half the time anyway. Posting your items online from the comfort of your own living room sounds like a dream come true if you get good enough that you’ll gain thousands of dollars per month- which is totally achievable!

Limited edition items aren’t easy to track, but if you get your hand on a few you’ll be surprised by the profits you’ll turn. Clothes, comic books, shoes, toys, and some decorative items are just some of the things you should be particularly keen about.

How To Get Started

Start by going through your own attic, garage or the deepest, darkest corner of your cabinets and drawers. Think of it as spring cleaning- with a profit! While you’re at it, look through the free Craigslist section. Have you found something that looks a little damaged? Option A, don’t waste any more time on it. Option B, if you think it’ll be worth it, put a little elbow grease into it and resell it for 100% profit.

You could even find free items on the Facebook Marketplace, so check that out too. What we’re trying to get at is this: you don’t need any capital to get started. Once you gain a little bit of money it’s time to buy a few things. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!

6. Selling Your Plasma

You can’t really make money fast by doing this, but if you’re even in a pinch and have an hour and a half on your hands, why not give it a go? On top of gaining $20 or $50 per donation, you’ll also be contributing to helping people in need of medical help.

Plasma is used by those with blood clotting disorders or other diseases. During the procedure, your blood will be drawn. Then, a machine will separate the plasma and return your blood to your body. We don’t recommend this if you’re squeamish around needles since it’s a relatively lengthy process.

How To Get Started

A quick google search will show you your nearest plasma donation centers. Another google search could tell you which company (Octapharma Plasma, Grifols or CSL Plasma, for example) is the most profitable option.

You shouldn’t skip on a meal before donating plasma, or blood for that matter. Medical professionals also remind us to stay hydrated and we couldn’t agree more! Remember to bring proof of address, your Social Security number, and a photo ID to your appointment.

By the way, why not bring a book along too? Some centers use machines that stick needles in both arms, so a bit of leisure reading might be impossible. But donations can also be done on one arm. Just thought you should know.

7. Flipping Real Estate Contracts

Becoming a real estate wholesaler is a lot of work, but you can make a beautiful profit if you study the market and put in a good effort. You also need a lot less capital to get started, which is why so many people have started looking into this money-making scheme as of late.

Flipping contracts involves entering an agreement with a homeowner in which you’ll buy the property, usually at a later date. You’ll then make an equitable interest in the home, but you’ll never take real possession of it. That’s why it’s less risky and that’s also why you don’t need as much capital as you’d initially assume. Traditional real estate investments are a little more treacherous and quite a bit more expensive.

How To Get Started

This sort of scheme is only profitable if you know what you’re doing- and not a lot of people do. That’s why you should be willing to do an initial investment- in yourself! Take an online real estate wholesale mastery certification course to get started, such as the one offered by REWW. This should set you up for a long and successful career.

You must be wondering what the next step is, then. Well, all you have to do is find properties. You can do this either through REOs, auctions, real estate brokers, and FSBOs.

8. Credit Card Churning

Many people claim that credit card churning can be incredibly risky, and they’re not wrong! That’s why we feel obliged to say that you should be especially careful if you want to start as any wrong steps in the process could cost you more money than this is worth.

So what does this involve, actually? Your aim is to claim as many rewards and bonuses as you can by opening up several different credit cards. Most of them require you to spend a certain amount, typically within a 90 day period. Once you’re done, get ready to claim your rewards and stop using that card immediately! Just be careful not to charge more than you can afford to pay back.

How To Get Started

First, let’s go through the risks involved. If you don’t keep your spending in check you might bump into huge problems with your interest. The last thing you want to do is negate all the benefits you could stand to gain. Avoid debt at all costs and make sure to always keep track of your spending.

Credit card churning could also hurt your credit score. Why? Because opening one counts as a hard inquiry and if you’re racking up several over a short time period, this could be disadvantageous to you. This is especially important to keep in mind if you’re planning on applying for a car or home loan in the near future.

With that out of the way, what should you do to get started?

The first order of business, visit every major credit card website that you can think of. Check out their rewards page and their fine print. You might not be able to open several credit cards with some companies over a certain time period and this should count towards your plans. Decide which website offers the biggest bonuses but keep in mind that you should start small. Think of this as a tryout period and don’t go off into the deep end right from the get-go.

So, there you have it. These are our 8 totally legal money-making schemes. Did any of these surprise you? What other schemes have you heard of or what other methods do you think should make it on this list?