The recent Coronavirus outbreak has impacted the livelihoods of billions around the world in one way or another. When the virus first appeared in Wuhan, China, back in December of 2019, other countries did not seem to give it that much attention. Little did they know that the fast-paced virus would spread like wildfire across the world. Although a specific treatment against COVID-19 has yet to be developed, governments are deploying their best efforts to follow the recommendations of health organizations, enforcing social distancing and advising the public to stay confined at home in an attempt to slow down, and eventually contain the pandemic.

While some nations chose to go on a complete lockdown where citizens are only allowed to go out to buy necessities such as food or medicine, other countries remained reluctant to impose this strategy, fearing the terrible blow on their local economy. However, not so long after, the exponential growth in infection rates made these initially skeptical countries adopt the same restrictions and confinement rules.

As a result, both small businesses and powerful multinationals have suffered trying to stay afloat during these challenging times. With the sudden drop in business activities and operations, a number of companies are no longer able to distribute salaries, resorting to either pay cuts or fully-fledged layoffs. Unemployment rates have soared and are expected to continue on this trajectory during the Coronavirus recession economy that is evidently already taking shape. With thousands of people now out of work, with no source of income or clear prospects as to when exactly the situation will turn around, many believe that now is the time to live frugally and practice self-sustenance.

If you find this situation relatable and are wondering how you can sustain yourself and earn money from home while under quarantine, here are some ideas.

Get Into Virtual Tutoring

Everyone is responding to this pandemic and lack of human interaction in their own way. While some people decided to slow down and practice some much needed physical and mental care, the majority that is unable to forgo the fast-life rhythm simply chose to make the most of their time at home. For the latter bunch, watching online tutorials and pursuing certifications have been their salvation to spend their isolation in a productive manner.

In truth, anyone can benefit from this growing trend and set up their own virtual tutoring platform to cater to these growing needs. All you need to do is to put your professional expertise into designing a legitimate course about your area of expertise, whether it is finance, economics, digital marketing, graphic design, or any other subject. If you are new to teaching and are having a hard time creating a fully-fledged curriculum, you can partner up with one of the more established virtual learning websites and show them what you can bring to the table.

They will help you design your course and possibly give you a crash training on how to teach online. That said, be aware that the competition is fierce, so it’s best to make your course price justifiable by offering access to your own library, or a chance for private one-on-one sessions. In the end, you will be offering knowledge seekers a great service while setting a routine for yourself and guaranteeing a good source of income that you can fall back on during quarantine days.

Write For an Online Magazine

Online magazines have been growing in popularity during this period of global lockdown. Since people have nowhere to go, they are either watching TV shows and movies, or perusing online magazines reminiscing about the good old times, looking forward to getting back out into the world. Therefore, online publications are striving to meet this surging demand by doubling their reading output, meaning that they will be on the lookout for new writers to fill in this gap.

If you have the writing bug and the passion for showcasing your talents, you can reach out to one of those magazines and apply for a freelance writer post. Not only will you have a decent source of income, but if you connect with the right outlet, you can have a much-needed platform for the emotional build-up you are most likely experiencing during this confusing time.

The best thing about freelance writing is that you can actually work for more than one place at a time and increase your chances of boosting your income. You can also keep it on as a side gig when the time comes, and you are able to go back to work or find a new full-time job. If you are new to this line of work, it is important to do quick research to ensure you are fairly compensated, and that the job is secure enough. Especially at this time, you do not want to risk losing another job.

Set Up an Online Wellness Platform

A positive outcome of the Coronavirus health crisis is that people are becoming more health aware and are realizing the importance of leading more wholesome lives. A great number of people are trying to eat cleaner, exercise, and look for ways to improve their immune systems, hoping to stand a chance against the virus if they ever contract it. If you have experience in the world of health and wellbeing, now is the best time to put this knowledge into effect and reap its financial benefits.

You can either do it on your own or collaborate with other like-minded friends to build an all-inclusive online health and wellness platform. Create a one-stop-shop for everything that has to do with health improvement and preservation. You can sell organic produce, superfoods, and offer online health consultations as well as paid-for fitness classes and downloadable recipes.

As people are spending more time on social media than ever, it is imperative that you build a strong online presence to stand out from the crowd and increase your visibility. Reach out to local wellness talents and health coaches and collaborate on an Instagram video or a more exclusive session through videoconferencing. To be successful and start earning real money, you will need to convince your audience that you are serving a real purpose in the new quarantined life where everyone is paying extra attention to how they spend their money.

The more relatable your platform appears, the higher your chances of building viewership and eventually, subscribers. However, note that you will face great challenges to secure suppliers and shipping, given the disruptions in global production. Lastly, make sure that you are not in dire need of immediate income since this kind of venture requires time and effort before you can start being profitable.

Sell Activity Kits for Kids Online

If there is another online category that is striving as much as health-related items, it has to be kids’ activity kits. With nurseries and schools being shut down, parents have found themselves for the first time having to care for their kids around the clock. Between working from home, having to keep up with homeschooling, and entertaining them during their free time, most parents are now constantly on the hunt for fun activities they can purchase online to keep their children busy under quarantine.

In truth, there is no need to design a fancy package or spend a lot of money perfecting the look of your kit. You just have to curate some unique activities to encourage parents to buy your product. Sourcing the essential materials will be challenging, and that is why you have to be resourceful and try to limit your operating costs as much as you can. Simple items like colored sand, activity sheets, and homemade playdough can be easy enough to assemble a compelling package that parents will be willing to invest in.

Also, you can reach out to some of your friends in the educational field, to co-design your activity kits and make them more comprehensive and age-appropriate. This could indeed be a great way to build up a customer base for later on after the quarantine period is over when you will be able to scale your business to be more elaborate, versatile, and lucrative.

Seeing as everyone is rightly paranoid about receiving packages, make sure you convey the message that you are taking all the necessary health and hygiene precautions. Have your couriers wear face masks and gloves and practice no-contact delivery. This will make a world of difference to your customers, which will make them more likely to recommend your services to their friends and families.

The pandemic has emphasized the sense of community and made people more caring about each other’s wellbeing, especially toward local and small businesses. So, let go of your doubts, given that you have a very good chance to start a profitable business and flourish amidst this difficult global context.

Start a Podcast

Podcasts continue to be a great source of entertainment and knowledge and are faring rather well during quarantine time. Although people usually listen to interesting and informative podcasts on their daily commutes to work, they are still proving equally popular as a way to pass the time in home isolation. Starting a podcast does not require a lot of money; with a good quality microphone, headphones, and a couple of downloadable software packages, you will be set to go. Do some quick research beforehand to get a sense of what is currently in demand, then select your niche and your podcast theme (Q&A, news, motivational, and such).

Connect with interesting public figures to discuss possible topics that will appeal to your target audience and encourage them to tune in. Before you know it, companies will start taking notice – even though most of them are currently saving on advertising, they still need to continue operating. As your podcast grows and becomes more successful, you will have a bigger audience, which could earn you potential advertising income.

In light of the ongoing global crisis, people are finding it much easier to relate to one another; everyone, regardless of where they are, is talking about the same topics, discussing the same shows, and sharing similar thoughts and experiences. This is a great opportunity to start discussions that will resonate with people from around the world. Try to strike the perfect balance between providing distracting content without sounding tone-deaf to the current situation. Do not be afraid to reach out to companies and brands yourself and share your growing statistics to secure a profitable advertising deal.

As much profit as the podcast medium can potentially offer, you will not be able to surf its waves unless you are proactive and ready to do what it takes to get noticed and build a sizable audience.

Start a Delivery Business

If you own a client-based business like a restaurant or a coffee shop and have had to shut down due to movement restriction regulations, you can temporarily shift your operations and set up a delivery business. Use your fleet of delivery vehicles to support businesses that are still operating and thriving during quarantine, such as supermarkets and pharmacies.

These establishments are mostly overwhelmed with an unprecedented flow of orders, making it hard for their existing couriers to fulfill their clients’ orders in a timely manner. Instead of letting your drivers go due to the drop in business, and have your vehicles sitting idle, set up an agreement with one or two grocery stores and have them pay you for your services. This way, you will be able to carve out some income for yourself as well as your drivers.

As a business owner, you can make money from the comfort of your own home. Nevertheless, you need to showcase vigilance and responsibility vis-a-vis the health and wellbeing of the people you employ. Make sure they follow the necessary safety measures recommended by health experts. You will want to stay connected with your team and provide them with regular support, so they do not feel like they are expendable.

Once the lockdown is lifted, you can go back to your core business and continue from where you left off prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The world at large is going through one of the most turbulent times in modern history. Fear and uncertainty seem to be getting the best of everyone, especially for those who worry about their livelihoods and how they will get their next paycheck. Ultimately, as dark as the current situation may seem, you still need to keep your eye on that faint glimmer of hope and keep hustling. Tap into your creativity and identify new needs to cater to – who knows, perhaps you will find your true calling during the Coronavirus times!