Fortunately it is possible to make money on the Internet, and it is also possible to get rich; you just need to realize it will take a long time to happen and it will take a lot of effort to get it there. In order to start down a path towards financial freedom, start looking for systems that make you money without you having to put further effort into them (beyond effort of their first creation). Royalties are a good example of this. A writer pens a novel, sells it to a publisher, then continues to receive royalties from sales of the work for as long as the work is available. The novel requires no more effort from the writer beyond the effort to make it, but becomes a valuable source of income thereafter.

A job on the other hand requires constant effort. As soon as you make your weekly pay, you have to go back and do it all over again to make next week's pay. Your job will always require your attention. Any kind of paid work suffers from the same problem.

The goal is simple, to free yourself from the work>money cycle. The methods of achieving this are many and varied, and depend largely on what you're good at and passionate about. For example, photographers can sell their photographs on stock photography websites. Musicians can sell their compositions on stock music websites. Those who are good with computers can create a vast array of content for the multimedia thirsty 21^st century. Programmers can create games or programs. The product doesn't matter, so long as you own the rights to it. The idea is simple, if you own content you can license that content to third parties who will sell it on your behalf (for this purpose digital content is favourable to physical products since an unlimited number of copies can be sold).

The next step is to set up a system that takes care of sales automatically, so that you never need attend to it. You might have to do this yourself, or hire someone to do it for you. Fortunately in a lot of cases, there are third parties who sell what you're offering, and are always on the look out for contributors. Such companies will take care of the website, advertising, administration, and paying you, leaving you to worry only about supplying them content and spending (or saving) your royalties.

Such websites include dreamstime.com and istockphoto.com for photography; revostock.com for stock movies and music; constant-content.com and triond.com for writers (not to mention the endless possibilities open to fiction writers). 3d02.com and 3dexport.com are where the tech savvy can sell 3D digital objects. For those who yearn for a serious challenge garagegames.com is worth checking out with a platform allowing amateurs to create their own computer games (and casual games are very popular these days).

So to put it simply, you're looking to switch from being an employee to a content owner. Of course, none of this will help you get rich overnight. Getting a loan and starting a business would surely be faster, but that I'm afraid is outside the scope of this article.

Be prepared to make very little. If the kind of residual income mentioned in this article was easy to come by, then lets face it, no one would be working. A simplified rule is; the more content you have, then the more income you can get out of it all. Through dedication and hard work having content will pay off in the long term, but first aim for realistic targets.

1. Your first target is to make two dollars per day. “Two dollars per day!!” you surely exclaim. Yes – don't give up your day job quite yet – but aim for that. Once you reach it consider yourself fortunate because half the world's population – 3 billion people – live on less than two dollars per day. If you're making that from residual income then you're doing well. If you're able to set up a system that makes two dollars a day then there's no reason why you can't reach ten dollars a day, or twenty dollars a day (and so on). Now you can see where this is going...
2. Second target: pick a bill (rent, electricity, phone) and aim to get your residual income to the stage where it covers your bill. Once that's covered, move onto the next bill. Repeat until all your bills are covered.
3. Third target: savings. Start saving some of your residual income, so that interest can add value to it. The savings will also play an important role later in smoothing out the ups and downs of the residual income.
4. Fourth target: diversify. Once you have a residual income, the last stage is to diversify. Only by having a number of separate sources do you ensure against disaster. Any one source of income could dry up at any time. Diversification is key. Once you reach this stage, then you should also have plenty spare money to reinvest back into making more money.

By working through this list, someday you'll likely find that you have the financial freedom to pursue your own projects and your own agenda. By freeing yourself of the work>money cycle you are leaving yourself open to a vast array of possibilities that would otherwise have passed you by (because you were busy making someone else rich). It's not a get rich quick scheme, but it has its merits. Not all of us are in the right place at the right time, to spot a niche, to invent a winning product, or invest in the next hot stock... but we can all invest time to create content, in whatever shape or form it takes, and subsequently enjoy the benefits that residual income brings.

Citizens that join these virtual towns, cities and planetary colonies become part of the overall community collaboration growth of the virtual landscape in these virtual communities. These online virtual communities offer real entertainment in a virtual space that includes activities such as; Bowling Leagues, Baseball, Horse Racing, Night Clubs, Stores and Shops and Shopping, or if you prefer seeing a show, then take a seat.

Here's where the real world and the virtual world meets

Before becoming a new citizen of the virtual world first explore the perspective options that are available. It is important to establish citizenship with one of the many virtual communities, so that you will have a place to call home and entertain your guests.

Real Estate

Active World

This is one of the most amazing virtual communities both visually and interactively. Active World offers its citizens a wide range of options from building castles to operating a real world virtual store or shop. Meet, chat and hangout with people across the globe and in, any one of a thousand different virtual worlds in an active and lively environment.

There are honestly too many amenities to detail within this article. Similar to the real world each citizen has a responsibility to the community that they belong to and what each citizen does with their virtual citizenship determines their social and economic class (rank) within the virtual worlds.

Second Life

Moving in real life is a big decision that requires due diligence in determining where to move to and understanding what the perspective communities has to offer new residents.

Second Life is an online virtual world that offers its residents the opportunity to own virtual real estate and build virtual businesses with real world profit opportunities. Go to a nightclub or meet for drinks and dance the night away with a virtual hookup. Visit virtual campaign centers and learn what real world candidates are campaigning on or take time and explore a virtually limitless, visual environment that does offer its residents a home away from home in the virtual world.

Moove Online

Looking for love in the virtual world is not too different, then in the real world. It is possible to meet new people from around the world and chat, flirt, shake hands and even hug and kiss virtually at Moove Online. Just like in the real world to find love you must know where to go and go where you know, so to discover potentially your true virtual love.

Even in the virtual world human contact and interaction is desired by its virtual citizens. This is where Moove Online fills in the gaps and has made it possible to interact with other citizens in a unique simulated virtual touch interactive kind of way. Citizens can also dress up their virtual space with pictures, furniture, videos, music and much more. The benefits are impressive and the environment is friendly.

Investments

Wall Street Survivor

The virtual world has something for everyone and Wall Street Survivor offers virtual lifers the opportunity to test their knowledge and hone their skills on a virtual stock market complete with managing an investment portfolio initially worth $100,000.00 in virtual money. Use the research tools available to the virtual investors to be better informed about the companies, before stock is purchased.

Virtual investors can compete in a free competition to win real cash rewards for the best managed weekly, overall and risk-adjusted stock portfolios.

Hollywood Stock Exchange

If you are looking for something a little less serious than surviving the beast of Wall Street, then why not try your hand at trading your favorite Hollywood actors, entertainers, movies and musicians. The Hollywood Stock Exchange offers a unique alternative to buying and selling shares of stock with other community members. Now you can invest in your favorite actor or entertainer or make some virtual profits by investing in the hottest movies.

Entertainment

Atom Films

Not really a virtual world in the sense of building and establishing roots in an actual virtual community like Active Worlds and Second Life. Atom Films offers citizens of virtual living the opportunity to watch a show, movie or animation that has been created by its members. The movies are free to watch and can be reviewed by its members.

This has been one of my personal favorite websites to visit for the last few years and with so many genres to choose from the entertainment factor is breathtaking. Movies must meet a very high standard, before any time is invested in a flick and the majority of movies meet my expectations.

The best part about the site is that not only is there an opportunity to watch a movie, but members can film their own original movie and submit it to Atom Films and can potentially share in any advertising profits that the movie generates. This type of generosity creates an opportunity for virtual lifers to make a real paycheck in the virtual world.

ZE Race

A day spent at the races has not been so entertaining until now. ZE Race offers an unique approach to horse racing that offers its participants to own horses, stables, estates and hire jockeys, trainers and vets, so to keep their investments in ship shape condition. Build a winning race team and compete for real cash prizes, then breed your winning studs for an extra income in your virtual racing empire.

Participate in a virtual horse auction or catch a race or race your own horse in a virtual race. There is so much to do and see, a day at the races hasn't ever been as entertaining as these.

EverQuest

Prepare yourself for battle and gear up for the non-stop, heart-pounding action that EverQuest has to offer its community members and guests in this expansive virtual world where war and combat is just the beginning of the adventure. Interact with hundreds of thousands of other virtual citizens and warriors. Meet, chat and fight side-by-side against the dark forces at work in the EverQuest virtual environment.

Fight and defeat formidable foes and build yourself a castle or fortress and secure your share of any treasures discovered or earned, so to establish a fulfilling and economical virtual existence.

Virtual Pets

Power Pets

Yes, that's right, even in the virtual world pets are allowed. Adopt your own virtual pet and participate in games while interacting with other real virtual pet owners from around the world.

Get The Most Out Of Life

Fun Sites

Need a city guide to show you around the virtual landscape, then FunSites can introduce a wary wonderer to even more virtual cities, towns and communities that are all offering many wonderful and exciting activities and opportunities to participate in the virtual world.

Now these towns and virtual worlds are big enough for the two of us and millions upon millions of other citizens, too. Start living virtually and discover yourself for real.