This may be something that’s hard for some people to believe, but there are Zimbabweans who are making a living on the internet. Most people believe we are still stuck in the prehistoric stages of development, but that is hardly the case. I make a living over the internet. I won’t say I have grown fat and rich from what I do. It’s hard work, and it has become ever so difficult, what with the incessant power outages. Nevertheless, depending on your line of work, you can either become rich online or die trying. So, how does Google AdSense pay Zimbabweans?
How Zimbabweans get paid by Google AdSense
I own and run a couple of websites, and the way I monetize them is through Google AdSense. If you go to most of the major websites in the country, including news sites like The Herald, you will discover that they use this method of website monetization. Google AdSense doesn’t pay that much. You need to have loads of traffic in order to make work. So, it works better for these news sites than with my websites. Anyway, I do have Google Ads on there. It’s a passive source of income, and I am not going to spurn an extra dollar or two, wherever it comes from. So, how do I get paid by Google AdSense?
Google Pays Zimbabweans via Wire Transfer
Google Ads will only pay Zimbabweans via Wire Transfer. Not that that’s the only mode of payment that’s available on the platform. There are, in fact, other modes of payment, such as Western Union, but for Zimbabwe, the only available option is the Wire Transfer route.
What do I need to get money via wire transfer in Zimbabwe?
What this all means is that you are going to have to open a Nostro account if you are to receive money via wire transfer from Google (or from any other international source for that matter). The major challenge, as I discovered, is that nostro accounts charge monthly maintenance fees. So, if you get only a few dollars from Google every month, that’s not going to be practical in terms of breaking even. Upon inquiry from FBC, my bank, I was told that the maintenance fees for Nostro accounts is USD5 per month.
The FBC Prepaid MasterCard Option
Fortunately, I was presented with another option, the Prepaid MasterCard from FBC. This card also accepts money via wire transfer. However, it does not charge a monthly maintenance fee. Before you think FBC has become very charitable, it’s worth pointing out that the FBC MasterCard does attract 10% per transaction. So, if you wish to have $100 in your account, you are only going to be able to withdraw $90. I don’t know whether or not this makes the card more expensive than the Nostro account option.
Other Payment Options available for Zimbabweans
Away from Google AdSense, another option that I use when receiving money from my clients the United States is through World Remit. The great thing about this is that World Remit is available in a wide range of banks, making withdrawing your money easy. The option that I use to get money from my clients abroad is through the Payoneer MasterCard. I have previously reviewed this card in my articles.
I actually used to withdraw my money from ATMs in the country. That was before the de-dollarization. Now, I only use the card for online payments. And If I really need to withdraw cash, I go to Botswana or South Africa and get Pulas and Rands there. Anyway, don’t hesitate to leave a comment if you know of another way that’s used by Zimbabweans to get money from abroad.