Most people have wondered at one time or another if they could make money on the internet. For most it's a passing thought, and nothing ever comes of it. For many, after a few hours of research and watching YouTube videos, it all sounds too confusing and they lose interest.

A very small group decide to take action. After stumbling on typical pitfalls like scams, get-rich-quick schemes, or burnout after trying too hard and getting no results, this group gives up.

A select few, elite individuals work hard, educate themselves, ask questions, and learn from their mistakes. These are the people who figure out how to not only earn extra income through the internet, but to actually make a full time money-making online business.

The difference between earning a little extra and going full time is simply how much time you spend on the business.

The truth is, there are many ways to make money online. Very few are actual businesses, and even fewer last very long. If you're looking to 'make a little money' through things like surveys, data entry, or other menial tasks, it's going to require you do a lot of work, and get very little pay. Many of these jobs are outsourced overseas through popular freelancing websites. Expect to earn $3 to $10 per hour doing this.

Learning to build an online business does not have to be a huge endeavor!

In fact, it's possible for a complete novice to get their OWN domain up and running with a functioning website in just a few minutes (and some instructional videos). That's the simple part.

It's a bit more complicated to learn how to write engaging content, find products that customers want, and how to get people to your website, but nothing is impossible these days, and you can learn just about anything for free, with the help of Google, YouTube, and other media resources.

My Suggestion

It's quite possible you love your job, and enjoy having the stable income it provides. This is not an "all or nothing" deal where you have to start a huge business and tend to it every day for hours on end every day of the week.

You can start one or two simple websites, work on them a few hours a week, and be making a couple hundred or thousand dollars a month 6 months or a year down the road.

In my opinion, the best idea is to make online business your hobby. Remember, there is a limited amount of time in the day, and after you balance work, rest, and other essentials, you're going to need to budget your extra time. By spending a few hours a week learning about online business, you'll be learning a new skill much like learning to play the piano or taking yoga classes.

Reminder: Get Educated!

This is probably a new skill to you, and you'll have to devote some time learning it. Most people quit within the first couple months because they have not met with success. You may make a few dollars in the first month or two, but if you want to get it so you are steadily earning extra income on the internet - income that you can count on each month - you'll need to put in some work to lay the foundation of your online business education.