Make Extra Cash

24 Proven Strategies You Can Make Money Fast

Updated on March 23, 2024 Updated on March 23, 2024
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    Can you come up with $100? I know most of you have $100 and a lot more. Some of you have that in your couch cushions, but for those who don’t, we have a ton of awesome ways to make money fast (many of which are online).

    Any opportunity that promises you’ll make money fast overnight, run the other direction. The only time we’ve ever come across cash that quickly is finding a $5 bill on the street. We aren’t offering get-rich-quick scams.

    However, if you’re looking for legitimate ways to make some extra money, we got you covered.

    We’ve got some money-making ideas for everyone.

  1. Make money with online surveys.
  2. Want to get paid for your opinion? Use a survey site like Survey Junkie. You can share your opinion to help brands deliver better products and services. After you create your profile, they will start matching you to online surveys you can take anywhere, anytime, and on any device.

    Completed surveys earn virtual points that can be redeemed for PayPal or gift cards. Survey Junkie is great for anyone interested in earning quick cash from their couch.

    If you have some spare time during your lunch break or commercials, it’s a great way to make money fast. Sign up for Survey Junkie and make some fast money online.

    Most of the online surveys are pretty easy, and you are not required to sign up for other services, so no annoying spam mail.

    For starters, it’s completely free, and you earn 25 free points when you create your account.

    Survey Junkie

    Want to get paid for your opinion? Survey Junkie lets you share yours to help brands deliver better products and services. After creating your profile, they'll start matching you to online surveys you can take anywhere.

  3. Get free gift cards with Swagbucks (including Amazon)
  4. What’s better than getting paid to do things you’re already doing? Getting paid to drink I suppose but getting paid to do something like watch videos, shop, and do searches online is pretty nice too.

    When you join Swagbucks, you can get cash back when you buy online from more than 1,500 retailers, including places you probably already shop like Amazon, Target, and Starbucks.

    Earn points for each dollar you spend and also get special coupons and deals exclusive to their shoppers.

    You can also earn points when you use the Swagbucks Yahoo search engine, and when you watch special videos, Swagbucks has put together.

    You can redeem your points for gift cards or get cash back through PayPal.

    Swagbucks

    Get cash back when you buy online from more than 1,500 retailers including Amazon, Target, and Starbucks. You earn points for each dollar you spend and also get special coupons and deals exclusive to their shoppers.

  5. Cashback for Your Purchases
  6. Do you buy stuff? I’m guessing you do. If so, why not get paid for it?! Rakuten has helped its customers earn over $1 billion in cash back at their favorite stores.

    They offer coupons and rebates to you when shopping at one of their partner retailers (2,500+)

  7. Rocket Money your unused subscriptions.
  8. We waste a lot of money on things like subscription services we no longer use. When is the last time you went to the gym? But life gets in the way, and we can’t keep track of everything.

    You might not even realize that you are paying for these things. It would be nice to have an assistant who looked through your bank statements and credit card receipts and found this kind of stuff. But you need $100, so you are too broke to have an assistant.

    That’s what Rocket Money can do for you.

    It combs through your transaction history and looks for subscriptions to things like magazines, gym memberships, or food delivery services. They cancel anything you no longer want to pay for.

    Rocket Money

    80% of people save money by using Rocket Money to find and cancel unwanted subscriptions! With Rocket Money, you can also effortlessly track your spending, easily lower bills and track your net worth.


  9. M1 Finance: Automatic, efficient online investing
  10. We have loved M1 Finance since Day One, and we love it still. It’s such an excellent gateway for people who are afraid to invest because you don’t have to know anything about money personal finance or investing to get started. There is also no minimum, and the fees are low.

    M1 Finance

    They're perfect for DIY investors who prefer a hands-off approach but can still pick individual stocks and funds. We specifically use them for the Golden Butterfly portion of our portfolio.

    There is no excuse not to open a M1 account and start investing now. If you have two minutes and five bucks, you can do it. If you want more information, we wrote a comprehensive review.

  11. Bank signup offers.
  12. There is so much competition between banks that some offer cash bonuses when you open a new account as a way to attract new customers – and for you to save money.

    There are usually some stipulations; you use direct deposit or pay a certain number of bills online; the account must be open for a minimum length of time or keep a minimum balance.

    But most of the criteria are pretty easy to meet, and signing up can make you a few hundred bucks.

    Upgrade offers rewards checking plus, where there are no monthly fees and you get up to 2% cash back on certain purchases.

    Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus - Up to 2% Cash Back

    Up to 2% Cash Back on common everyday expenses, recurring payments and subscriptions. Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.


    ATM Fee Reimbursement - Get cash from any ATM and get a credit for the fees.

    We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

  13. Fundrise – Online real estate investing
  14. Simply put, Fundrise gets you access to million-dollar real estate deals.

    They get the deals and automatically invest your money based on some simple questions you answer when you first sign up. Passive income at its finest.

    We love what they are doing so much, that we’ve written a full review on them and interviewed their CEO twice!

    Fundrise

    Diversify into income-producing real estate without the dramatics of actual tenants. Fundrise eREITs are a diverse family of funds, each of which pursues a focused real estate investment strategy.


    Disclosure: When you sign up with this link, we earn a commission. All opinions are our own. I am investing with Fundrise

  15. Buy Turnkey Rental Properties Online.
  16. You know how we feel about rental property. What could be better than having someone pay your mortgage and pay you? It’s intimidating to become a landlord, though.

    You don’t know how to tell a good property from a bad one; you don’t know how to fix a sink, you don’t know how to screen tenants.

    But here’s the good news…

    Rental Properties for Passive Investors

    Our proven, data-driven approach to building a portfolio of income-producing rental properties that perform in the long-term.

    I created a course focusing exclusively on this real estate investing strategy: Rental Properties for Passive Investors.

    You’ll learn my criteria for finding (and closing) the right property, the foundations of a successful rental business, choosing the best property management team, and much more.

    This is a turnkey approach with tenants already in place, and those tenants have been screened. Your only job is to sit back and collect a check.

  17. Create a profitable blog like this one
  18. We wrote a free in-depth guide for you that cuts through the bullshit. Specifically, we dive into how you can make money online with things like selling digital products and affiliate marketing (including affiliate programs to join).

    A Step By Step Guide on How to Start a Blog That Earns over $400k a year

    A Step By Step Guide on How to Start a Blog That Earns over $400k a year

    Blogging is a lucrative side hustle and a great way to make extra cash. It won’t be good money right away, but with a little part-time elbow grease, it can make up a substantial income stream.

  19. Earn money driving with Uber or Lyft
  20. The hourly pay after expenses varies from city to city, but you can expect to make around $10 an hour with this side hustle. In larger cities, it will often be much more and in smaller towns, sometimes a little less.

    The appeal of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft is that you can set your schedule, and there is no commitment.

    You can work your regular job and make your $100 in just a few hours on a weekend or some evenings.

    how-to-make-money-fast-uber

    Become a Lyft Driver
    Lyft pays you more and you can start driving whenever you want. Not only do you get paid to drive, you can earn tips and bonuses from Lyft bringing up your rate.

  21. Rent your apartment out online
  22. Airbnb: If you live in a desirable place, a big city, a charming hamlet, the chances are that someone would like to stay in your home for a few days. And they’ll pay you!

    Right now, a small studio near the United Nations in NYC, so, far, far from the subway, is renting for $175 a night. If you can crash on a friend’s couch for just one night, there’s your $100 and then some.

    Or, if you’ve got a spare room, rent that out.

    Making money on Airbnb requires three things: an empty house, an apartment or even just a room that is sitting idle, openness to meeting new people and the desire to make some extra money.

    The number of ways to earn extra money in your free time has never been greater!

  23. Get paid for random online jobs.
  24. TaskRabbit lets you bid on jobs for things like picking up dry cleaning, food shopping, and babysitting.

    Lots of little, everyday tasks that others don’t want or don’t have time to do are up for grab for taskers.

    TaskRabbit

    Task Rabbit connects you to people who need help with their everyday to-dos. Services include moving, shopping, cleaning, and even assembling furniture. Create a profile, find jobs you love at rates you choose and set your schedule.

    We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

  25. Lose Weight. Get Paid
  26. Some 44% of Americans go on a diet each year, and most of them give up after just a few weeks.

    But money is a great motivator, so why not get paid to lose those extra pounds? That’s what HealthyWage does.

    There is a calculator on the HealthyWage site.

    Enter how many pounds you want to lose, how many months it will take, and how much money you want to bet per month on yourself to do it.

    Enter your gender, height, current weight, and waist circumference. Based on this information, you’ll see how much money you will win if you meet your goal.

    I put in some fake numbers (I don’t have weight to lose), and my winnings after my bet would be $169.40, which would be a 56.33% return on my investment in six months.

    There aren’t many investments that give you that kind of return, and you get to control whether you win or not. Pretty cool!

  27. See if stores owe you money.
  28. Dosh: Receiving refund checks are my favorite past-time – and a great way to make extra money.

    As it turns out, stores owe you money all the time, but they don’t pay if you don’t ask. That’s where Dosh comes in.

    Dosh gets you automatic cash back at thousands of places when you shop, dine, or book hotels. No coupons or receipt scanning. Simply download the app.

    Dosh | Automatic Cash Back When You Shop, Dine & Book Hotels

    Dosh gets you automatic cash back at thousands of places when you shop, dine, or book hotels. No coupons or receipt scanning. Simply download the app or find us in your favorite ways to pay, like Venmo or Jelli. It’s awesome.

    We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

  29. InstaGC
  30. InstaGC lets you receive digital gift cards for doing things online, like completing surveys, watching videos, and searching the web. Choose from over 350 digitally-delivered gift cards.

    You perform tasks to earn points, and the cards can be used online or in-store. They’ve redeemed over 1.2 million gift cards to date.

    InstaGC - Earn Points

    InstaGC is an online rewards site that offers free gift cards and cash for completing surveys and other easy tasks

    We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

  31. Side Hustle: Turn Your Skillsets into Services
  32. Fiverr is an online marketplace where freelancers can earn money for their services. You can sign up for free, set up your Gig, and offer your work to a global audience.

    Make an online tutorial for something you’re good at, car repair, building a bookcase, cooking your signature dish.

    Upload it to Youtube and enable monetization. This allows them to put ads on your videos. Want to learn how to get started? Check out “PolyMatter” on Skillshare.

    Skillshare: Want to teach people things but don’t want to make them publically for free?

    Skillshare is a platform that allows people to create online courses to help others, and if people use your course, Skillshare will pay you.

    Want to learn from other creators? There isn’t a better place on the internet. Skillshare comes built-in with an audience interested in learning online.

  33. Tutor for people online
  34. Those ultra-competitive tiger parents want to make sure their special cornflakes get into the best schools, whether that means pre-school for three-year-olds or the Ivy League for eighteen-year-olds.

    Wyzant (tutor): They’re the place parents and students shop for tutors for a variety of subjects from algebra to science to test prep.

    There is a wide range of ages in need of tutors as well, from elementary age through college.

    Pick up work when you want – you set your schedule and fees, and Wyzant takes a cut.

    Wyzant

    Wyzant connects you with students looking for one-on-one instruction. Find ones that fit your location and schedule, set your rate, and get paid hassle-free with direct deposit.

  35. Create an online store for e-commerce and dropshipping
  36. Shopify: Selling stuff is a great way to make extra money, whether you sell things you make or re-sell things you buy.

    If you want to build an online store, Shopify makes it easy. They have ready-made templates, so you don’t have to spend time designing your store.

    We literally sell everything we don’t need and sometimes items we got for deals or even free. Shopify is also the favorite platform for drop shippers.

    What is dropshipping? It’s creating the process of creating an online store (automated) and signing up with a product distributor that will mail products directly to your customers.

    Since the products you sell ship directly to your customers, you don’t need to hold inventory or mail anything. All you need to do is find cool products and market your website. Some are saying it’s the ultimate online business.

    Shopify

    Shopify is the all-in-one commerce platform to run your business. Market your shop, sell anywhere, and manage everything using their suite of tools and expert-level support team.

  37. Walk Dogs
  38. Everyone likes puppies! Look around for the fat ones in your neighborhood. Those are the ones who have parents too lazy to walk them.

    But all puppies need and deserve exercise, and you need and deserve $100.

    Join forces with the fat puppies and profit from being a dog walker. Rover.com is where you’d go to find a ton of in-need, dog walker clients.

    Who knows, your petsitting side hustle could turn into a small business!

  39. Babysit
  40. Forget checking Craigslist for part-time gigs. Parents post jobs on Sittercity for everything from a full-time nanny to the occasional part-time, date night sitter.

    You can apply for the postings, meet the family, and get hired. The average pay for babysitting is a little over $15 an hour.

    Sittercity

    Sittercity connects families with nearby sitters in a variety of fields. Depending on the needs, you can find nannying, babysitting, companion care, and even pet sitting jobs.

  41. Negotiate your debt away and reduce your monthly payments.
  42. Debt Forgiveness: Did you know that credit card companies will forgive some of your debt if you’re in trouble? Imagine reducing a $10,000 bill to $4,000 just by calling them and asking.

    Not only is this a real thing, but billions of dollars get forgiven every year.

    If you aren’t comfortable negotiating forgiveness than you can bring on a company like National Debt Relief to negotiate on your behalf.

    They take a percentage of what is forgiven, so it’s no risk. If they don’t get your debt reduced, you don’t pay anything.

    Reduce monthly debt payments: Not all of us are in such a dire situation that we can have our debt forgiven. However, you can cut your payments by up to 80% by refinancing.

    Most credit cards have interest rates above 25%, and Credible’s refinance loans are as low as 4%. It won’t change the amount of your debt, but it can reduce your monthly payment significantly.

    Credible (refinance your student loans): Same idea as above but on your student loans. There is $1.77trillion in student loan debt outstanding.

    When you have student loan debt, it can make it hard to get ahead, invest, or buy a home.

    If this sounds familiar, refinancing the debt can not only help you pay it off more quickly, but it can save you money on interest too.

    Their interest rates are best-in-class, so we highly recommend them. An hour here can easily save you thousands of dollars.

    Credible: Student Loan Refinance

    Credible's online marketplace connects borrowers with lenders in minutes. Refinance federal, private, and ParentPlus loans. Compare student loan refinancing rates from up to 7 lenders without affecting your credit score for free! Rates range from 5.24% to 12.44% APR

  43. High-Interest Checking & Savings Accounts
  44. If you’re looking for a low-risk, high-interest-earning cash account, try Upgrade’s High-Yield savings account, which currently offers a 5.21% APY(most savings accounts average a much lower APY). Grow your rainy-day fund with no fees. Link your bank account and start saving.

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Andrew Fiebert - Chief Nerd Andrew Fiebert is a thirty-something father of twins, data nerd, and has prior Data Engineer for Barclays Capital and iHeartRadio. He's spent the past six years growing this site into a multi-six-figure business with over 500 hours of free personal finance education that reaches over 1 million people every month. Andrew has a B.S. in Computer Science and has been featured in Quartz, Forbes, Business Insider, and The Telegraph.

Current Project: Making bloggers money with Lasso.
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