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Your First $100 Online: A Simple Plan to Start Today

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Dear UnRetired Earner,

Last time, I asked you to pick one idea, build a quick landing page, and tell one person what you’re working on.

If you’ve done that—bravo! You’re already ahead of 90% of people who dream but never start.

If you haven’t, no sweat. Today, we’re going to make it so simple you’ll wonder why you waited.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need a perfect plan or a fancy website to earn your first $100 online.

You just need to solve one problem for one person using what you already know.

Let’s break it down into a dead-simple plan you can start today.

Your 3-Step Plan to Your First $100

This is about starting small, building confidence, and proving to yourself that your experience is worth paying for.

Step 1: Pick One Problem You Can Solve

Think about the questions people ask you all the time. Maybe it’s:

• “How do you stay so organized with all your projects?”
• “How did you negotiate that deal at work?”
• “How do you make that dish everyone loves?”

Your life is full of hard-earned solutions others are struggling to find. Choose one specific problem you’ve solved—something you could explain in a conversation or a short guide. For example:

• Susan, a retired teacher, realized parents kept asking her how to help their kids with math homework. She created a $27 PDF guide: “10 Simple Math Hacks for Parents.”
• Tom, a former project manager, offered a $75 one-hour Zoom call to help small business owners untangle their chaotic schedules.

Action: Write down one problem you’ve solved that others might pay to learn. Don’t overthink it—just pick something you’re good at.

Step 2: Create a No-Frills Offer

You don’t need a Hollywood production to sell your solution. Use tools you can set up in an afternoon:

• Carrd ($19/year) for a clean, one-page website to describe your offer.
• PayPal or Stripe (free to set up) to collect payments.
• Google Docs (free) to create a simple PDF guide or outline your service.

Example: Susan’s Carrd page says, “Struggling to help your kids with math? Get my 10 Simple Math Hacks PDF for $27.” It has a PayPal button and takes her 2 hours to set up. Done.

Action: Spend 1 hour creating a basic Carrd page with:

• A headline (e.g., “Solve [Problem] with [Your Solution]”)
• A short description of what they get (e.g., a PDF, a call, a template)
• A price ($25–$100 to start)
• A “Buy Now” button linked to PayPal or Stripe

Step 3: Tell 5 People About It

You don’t need a big audience or viral TikTok. Start with who you know:

• Email a friend or former colleague who might need your solution.
• Post about it in a relevant Facebook group (e.g., “I just created a guide to help parents with math homework—DM me if you’re interested!”).
• Mention it at your next coffee meetup or community event.

Be honest and human: “I’m trying something new to help people with [problem]. It’s a [guide/call/template] for $[price]. Let me know if you want to check it out!”

Example: Tom emailed 5 former coworkers, saying, “I’m offering a 1-hour session to fix messy schedules. It’s $75—let me know if you’re interested.” Two said yes, and he made $150 that week.

Action: Reach out to 5 people today. Use email, a quick post, or a conversation. Just share what you’re offering and include a link to your Carrd page.

Why This Works

Your experience is your edge. You’ve spent decades solving problems—now you’re packaging that wisdom into something others will happily pay for. Starting with a small offer like a $27 guide or a $75 call lets you:

• Test your idea without risking much time or money.
• Build confidence when you see real people buy.
• Learn what your audience wants so you can create bigger offers later (like courses or memberships).

Success Spotlight

Meet Linda, a retired nurse who kept hearing from friends, “How do you stay so calm during stress?”

She created a $47 digital guide called “5 Nurse-Tested Stress Busters for Busy Lives.” Using Carrd and PayPal, she shared it in a local women’s group on Facebook.

In her first month, 12 people bought it, earning her $564. Now she’s working on a $197 online course.

Linda’s not a tech wizard—she’s just a problem-solver like you.

What If You Get Stuck?

• “I don’t know what to charge.” Start low ($25–$100) to build confidence. You can raise prices later.
• “I’m not tech-savvy.” Carrd has drag-and-drop templates, and PayPal takes 5 minutes to set up. If you can use email, you can do this.
• “What if no one buys?” That’s feedback, not failure. Ask them what they need instead, and tweak your offer. You’ve handled bigger setbacks than this.

Your Next Step

Today, commit to one action:

• Write down one problem you can solve.
• Set up a Carrd page with a simple offer.
• Tell five people what you’re doing.

Do this, and you’re on your way to your first $100—and far beyond. Your wisdom is worth more than you realize, and someone out there needs it now.

Reply to this email if you want to bounce ideas or need a nudge. I’m in your corner.

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Let’s Make It Happen,

Oliver Wainwright
Editor, The UnRetired Earner

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P.S. Next week, I’ll share how to turn your $100 offer into a $1,000/month side income with just 5–10 hours a week. Stay tuned!

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