How to Make Your First $100 Online(Step-by-Step for Beginners)

If you have ever wondered whether making money online without technical skills or prior experience is possible, the answer is yes. Making your first $100 online may sound modest, but it is a milestone that proves earning from the internet is real and achievable.

Whether you are a stay-at-home parent, student, job seeker, or someone simply curious about new income streams, starting with $100 can build your confidence, open up new opportunities, and give you a taste of financial freedom.

In this beginner-friendly guide, I will show you five practical methods to make your first $100 online. Each method includes clear steps, free tools you can use, and no fluff — just actionable strategies you can apply right away.

My Story: How I Earned My First $100 Online

A few years ago, I was in a place many beginners find themselves. I had just discovered that people were making real income online — from their homes, with no formal experience or high-end equipment.

At the time, I did not have a website. I was working a regular job and exploring ways to make extra income that did not involve working more hours. I tried a few things that did not work. But what finally clicked for me was combining free tools, a bit of creativity, and simple tasks that solved real problems for others.

I made my first $100 by recommending a web design tool I genuinely used and loved. I wrote a short post on Facebook explaining how it helped me, added my referral link, and shared it in a few Facebook groups.

Within three days, I got my first commission. That moment was a breakthrough. It was not just about the money. It was proof that I could build something online, even in small steps. Below is the proof of the payout I got.

What followed were freelance gigs, digital product sales, and more affiliate wins. But it all started with that first $100.

You do not have to follow the same path I did, but in this guide, I will share the methods that have worked for me and many others just getting started.

Why Making Your First $100 Matters

Most people never get started because they assume earning online is either too complicated or takes too long. The truth is, the first $100 is often the hardest — but once you hit that point, everything becomes easier.

Your first $100 validates that the method you chose works. It proves that you can earn based on effort, not just employment. From there, it becomes a matter of scaling.

Even more importantly, reaching this first goal gives you real confidence in the online business model. You begin to understand the process, from setting up systems to promoting offers to receiving payments.

Once you know that a simple blog post or shared link can generate income, you will approach digital entrepreneurship with a new mindset.

This guide is not about get-rich-quick schemes. It is about real methods that beginners can execute with consistency and minimal resources.

1. Promote a Digital Product You Did Not Create

Affiliate marketing is one of the fastest and most beginner-friendly ways to earn online. You do not need to create a product, deal with customer service, or manage inventory. Instead, you promote a product someone else created and earn a commission for every sale.

What You Will Be Doing: Join an affiliate program for a digital product, such as a course, eBook, or tool, and share your unique referral link with your audience.

Steps to Get Started:

1. Choose a niche (e.g., productivity, freelancing, personal finance).
2. Sign up for an affiliate program such as Systeme.io, Canva, or Fiverr.
3. Write a helpful blog post or create a Pinterest pin sharing tips related to the product.
4. Insert your affiliate link in context. For example: “This free tool helped me plan my first digital product.”
5. Share your content in Facebook groups, on Pinterest, or in a WhatsApp broadcast list.

Why This Works: You are earning from the value of a product that already exists. Affiliate links allow you to make money by helping others solve problems.

Estimated Earnings: $25–$100 per sale, depending on the program.

2. Offer a Simple Service on Fiverr

If you have a skill — even a basic one like writing, design, or research, you can offer it as a service on freelancing platforms like Fiverr. I earned my first $25 on Upwork by building a WordPress website for a client back then, which earned this client review below.

What You Will Be Doing: Create a Fiverr gig offering a specific service, such as editing resumes, designing Pinterest pins, or proofreading blog posts.

Steps to Get Started:

1. Sign up at fiverr.com.
2. Create a new gig with a clear, keyword-rich title. Example: “I will design 3 Pinterest pins for your blog.”
3. Write a professional description explaining your service.
4. Add tags and images (you can create these with Canva).
5. Share your gig on social media and niche forums to gain visibility.

Here are Beginner Tips To Pay Attention to:

• Start with a low-competition Gig and a simple service that is easy to deliver.
• Focus on quality over quantity in your first few gigs.
• Ask satisfied clients for reviews to boost your profile visibility.

Estimated Earnings: $5–$25 per gig; repeat this 4–5 times to reach $100.

3. Sell a Pre-Made Digital Download

Digital products are popular because they can be created once and sold repeatedly. But as a beginner, you do not need to create one from scratch. You can buy or customize existing templates.

What You Will Be Doing: Use Canva to edit a done-for-you planner, checklist, ebooks, or worksheet and sell it on Selar, Payhip, Gumroad, or Etsy.

5 Free & Freemium PLR Websites

These 5 websites offer free PLR content, often with premium upgrade options you can start with.

1. PLR.me
   • Focus: Health, wellness, coaching.
   • Free credits on signup (limited).
   • High-quality content.
2. IDPLR
   • Massive library of ebooks, software, videos, and templates.
   • Free membership gives limited access; lifetime membership is available.
3. Resell Rights Weekly
   • Free and gold memberships.
   • Ebooks, software, templates, graphics.
4. PLR Database
   • Wide variety of PLR products.
   • Free products available; paid plans for full access.
5. BuyQualityPLR
   • Mix of free and paid PLR content.
   • High-quality content, especially in internet marketing.

5 Paid PLR Websites

Listed below are premium-quality content—usually better written and more niche-specific.

1. Tools For Motivation
   • High-quality self-help and personal development PLR.
   • Paid products with lots of bonus material.
2. BigProductStore
   • Huge collection of PLR, MRR, and resell rights products.
   • Monthly or lifetime access.
3. Content Sparks
   • Business and marketing training PLR.
   • Professionally written, customizable.
4. CoachGlue
   • Done-for-you content for coaches.
   • Email sequences, workbooks, planners, etc.
5. PLR Assassin
   • Similar to IDPLR with ebooks, videos, and templates.
   • Membership-based access.

Steps You Need To Get Started:

1. Find a free or paid PLR (private label rights) template.
2. Open it in Canva and customize it — add your name, colors, and slight tweaks.
3. Export as PDF.
4. Upload to Gumroad or Payhip.
5. Create a promotional pin on Pinterest linking to your product page.

Why This Works: You only need to create one digital item, and it can be sold endlessly without extra effort. PLR templates save time and give you a starting point.

Marketing Tips:

• Add testimonials or reviews if you have them.
• Create mockup images in Canva to show the product.
• Use keywords in your product title and description to increase visibility.

Estimated Earnings: $7–$25 per sale.

4. Write a Paid Guest Post or Medium Story

If you enjoy writing, some websites will pay for your content. You can either write for platforms like Medium or submit guest posts to blogs that accept contributors.

What You Will Be Doing: Pitch a relevant blog idea to a niche site or post a helpful tutorial on Medium with a monetized link.

Steps to Get Started:

1. Visit websites like Entrepreneur or Business Insider
2. Read submission guidelines.
3. Pitch an article idea that aligns with the site’s audience.
4. Alternatively, post a Medium article using affiliate links.
5. Share your post in relevant communities to increase visibility.

My Beginner’s Advice For You:

• Read a few posts from the site before pitching to match the tone and structure.
• Be clear and specific about your headline and what readers will learn.

Estimated Earnings: $50–$150 for one post (if accepted), or $0.01–$0.05 per view on Medium.

5. Offer a Skill Locally with Online Tools

You do not always have to serve a global audience to earn online. You can use digital tools to offer services to people around you, such as helping local business owners with simple online tasks.

What You Will Be Doing: Use Canva, Google Docs, or ChatGPT to offer basic design, copywriting, or setup services to offline contacts.

Steps to Get Started:

1. Identify a local business that needs help (e.g., a food vendor, salon, or church).
2. Offer to design a flyer or write a WhatsApp broadcast for them.
3. Use free tools to complete the task professionally.
4. Charge ₦5,000–₦20,000 (or $10–$40) depending on scope.
5. Ask for referrals if satisfied.

For example, a church needs a donation flyer. You create one in Canva using a free template. You send it via WhatsApp, collect payment via bank transfer, and earn $15. Repeat this with other churches or vendors.

Estimated Earnings: One local job could pay you $25–$100.

Conclusion

Making your first $100 online is not just possible — it is practical, especially when you focus on methods that fit your current skill level and available time.

You do not need to build a complex website, have a large social media following, or spend hundreds on tools. You need clarity, a method to follow, and the commitment to act on it.

Choose one method from this list and commit to working on it consistently for the next seven days. The more focused your action, the faster you will get results.

Once you earn your first $100, you will not only gain money, but you will also gain belief. And that is often more valuable.

Let me know if this helps you in the comments. Ask questions if you have any.