About 12 years ago, I was sitting in a Starbucks in Seattle with a beat-up laptop, $17 in my bank account, and one question looping in my head:
“How the hell do people make money online with no experience?”
I wasn’t a coder.
I wasn’t a designer.
I definitely wasn’t an “expert” at anything.
What I did have was Wi-Fi, time, and a willingness to look stupid online for a while.
That week, I made my first $100 online.
Not fast.
Not pretty.
But real.
Let me break this down exactly how I’d do it if I were starting from zero today.
The Big Promise (No Guru BS)
By the end of this article, you’ll know:
- 3 beginner methods that actually work in 2025
- How to make your first $100 without skills or experience
- The mistakes that cost me months
- The exact tools I used (and still use)
No “$500/day” nonsense.
Just the first real online money—the kind that changes how you think forever.
First: You Don’t Need Experience — You Need Leverage
Most beginners get stuck here:
“I don’t have any skills, so I can’t earn.”
Wrong.
Online money works on leverage, not credentials.
You leverage:
- Platforms (Upwork, Fiverr, Gumroad)
- Demand (what people already want)
- Time (doing small things many won’t)
Your first $100 isn’t about passion.
It’s about proof.
Method #1: Simple Freelance Tasks (Zero Skill Entry)
This is how I made my first chunk of online money.
Not fancy freelancing.
Boring but effective tasks.
What You Can Do Without Experience
- Data entry
- Copy-paste work
- Virtual assistant tasks
- Online research
- Simple Canva designs (templates only)
You’re not selling “expertise.”
You’re selling time + reliability.
Where to Start
- Upwork – slower start, higher trust
- Fiverr – faster first sale potential
If I had to choose one today?
👉 Fiverr for first $100.
Real Example
I listed a Fiverr gig:
“I will do accurate data entry or web research”
Price: $5 per order
First week:
- 1 order → $5
- 3 orders → $15
- One client ordered bulk → $60
Boom.
$80 without knowing anything special.
Method #2: Microtasks That Actually Pay (Not Scammy Ones)
Let me be brutally honest.
90% of survey sites are trash.
But a few are legit if your goal is $100, not a career.
What Works
- Website testing
- App usability tests
- Short feedback tasks
You’re not getting rich here.
You’re stacking small wins.
Platforms I’ve Personally Used
- UserTesting
- Respondent (beginner-friendly filters)
- Clickworker (region dependent)
Reality Check
- $5–$10 per task
- Slow approvals
- But zero skills needed
This method works best when combined with freelancing.
Method #3: Reselling Digital Stuff (Underrated Goldmine)
This one surprised even me.
You don’t need to create products.
You repackage value.
What You Can Resell
- Notion templates
- Checklists
- Planners
- Simple spreadsheets
Created once → sold multiple times.
Tools I Use
- Gumroad – dead simple
- Canva – templates, not design skills
- Stripe – automatic payments
Mini Case Study
I created a 1-page freelance proposal template.
Cost to make: $0
Time: 45 minutes
Price: $7
Sold 17 copies over 2 weeks.
That’s $119.
No ads.
No audience.
Just posting it in the right places.
What I Screwed Up (So You Don’t)
Let me save you time.
Beginner Mistakes I Made
- Jumping platforms every 3 days
- Overthinking skills instead of actions
- Copying guru advice blindly
- Expecting results in 24 hours
Consistency beats intelligence online.
Option Comparison (Pick ONE)
| Method | Speed | Skill | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance tasks | Fast | Low | Low |
| Microtasks | Medium | None | Low |
| Digital resale | Medium | Low | Very low |
My recommendation:
👉 Start with Freelance tasks, add reselling later.
Quick $100 Checklist
✔ Create 1 Fiverr gig
✔ Apply to 5 simple jobs daily
✔ Do 2–3 microtasks/day
✔ Create 1 small digital product
✔ Don’t quit before day 14
That’s it.
Jason’s Signature Advice (Listen Carefully)
Here’s what actually matters:
Your first $100 online isn’t about money.
It’s about belief.
Once you see money hit your account from the internet—
your brain switches modes.
You stop asking “Is this possible?”
And start asking “How do I scale this?”
If I were starting from scratch today?
I’d aim for my first ugly, boring, unsexy $100.
Because that $100 changes everything.