I want to start up again in the crypto space after years of being less active. I remember the early days where there were all sorts of ways to get free bitcoin and cryptocurrency, such as faucets, mining, tips, etc ... I managed to scrap together around 0.25 Bitcoins back in the day doing stuff like that.
You must be one of the OGs!

How I wish you never stopped. Having 0.25 BTC is no joke today.
If anyone has suggestions on the best ways to earn Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, I would greatly appreciate it. I want to do everything that makes sense and actually earns money, and of course anything that's like gambling I'm not interested in; I want solid crypto earning mechanisms even if they earn a little bit, since then they could be scaled up or aggregated.
Here are my suggestions, but you should try to get the right ones and right ways of doing them yourself:
1. Stake your crypto.
2. Join affiliate marketing that pays in crypto.
3. You can learn different skills and activities and becomes a freelance. It has worked for many.
4. If you have the time and energy for surveys, they can deliver decent cryptos to your wallet too.
5. Sort for paying forum's for yourself activities.
6 Trade/Invest for more cryptos.