Table of Contents
I Need Money! | 50 Legit Ways To Get Fast Cash Now ๐ค
Do you find yourself in a situation that has you saying “I need money“? Are you looking to get quick cash via a side hustle in hopes of turning it into something bigger? Sometimes, despite our best intentions, life doesn’t go according to plan and we feel a pinch financially. Sometimes we just want a little fast cash. No matter the reason, if you need money fast you’ve come to the right spot.
Below we list 50 of our favorite quick cash ideas for those times our readers find themselves saying “I need money and I need it now!“. Instead of incurring credit card debt or taking out a payday loan, consider trying some of the ways we’ve listed to get quick cash now.
How to Make Quick Cash | The Truth About How to Make Money Fast
The good news is that with some of the quick cash ideas below you can even get cash today. The bad news and truth is, while these ideas are legit and proven, most of them are not going to make you rich. Instead these fast cash ideas will hopefully give you that little extra shot of quick cash that you need right now. This way you can get through your current situation in hopes of getting back onto firmer financial footing. We can’t promise all of these ideas are glamorous, we’d be lying if we said they were.
But you never know, one of these ideas might start as a way to make a quick cash and ultimately turn into a full blown side-hustle. If you can use your hustle, smarts, and creativity, you might be surprised where your path leads.
Interested in Building Real Wealth?
- Read our article on 7 Proven Ways to Become Rich to learn more. Earning fast cash has it’s time and place but we’d also encourage you to think more broadly about building your wealth. ๐ธ
- Join our Facebook Group as well to learn and share more ideas how to make money fast. ๐
- Sign up for our next 21 Day Financial Challenge. This challenge is all about making smarter financial choices. It’s free to sign up and at the end we’ll do a drawing where one participant will win a $100 Amazon gift card! ๐
Without further ado here are 50 legit ways you earn extra money fast!
50 Ways To Get Quick Cash Now ๐ฐ
#1: Join a Focus Group or Research Study ๐ช
I’ve been in a focus group before and it was actually a lot of fun! Who knew somebody would not only have to sit and listen to my opinion but also pay me for it! ๐
If you’re wondering how to make money fast we’d definitely suggest checking out focus groups. There are some great reasons to sign up.
Focus Group Benefits
- Good Pay: Readers have reported making well over $500 per month participating in focus groups
- Flexibility: You choose your hours and determine how much or little you work
- Earn at Home: Many focus groups are done online via webcam which means you don’t even need to leave the house to earn extra money
Our Favorite Focus Group
- Respondent.io: Respondent offers a wide range of surveys and the pay is really good. They are reputable, pay out on time, and have quite a few focus groups to participate in. The Reddit user below notes making an incredible $1,600 per month just by participating in focus groups on topics like printing at home or shopping for clothes online. Sign up for Respondent here and starting making some quick cash today.

Source: Reddit
#2: Drive For Uber or Lyft ๐
If you have a car, driving for Uber or Lyft is a relativity easy way to earn $15 to $30 dollars an hour.
Sign up is quick and Uber pays out weekly via a direct deposit to your bank account. One nice aspect of Uber is you set your own hours and decide how much or little you work.
You can also get sign up bonuses for signing up other drivers so invite friends you think might want to earn extra cash driving as well.
#3: Grocery Shop for Instacart ๐
Becoming a personal shopper on Instacart is another viable way to earn some quick cash. Instacart pairs customers with personal shoppers. As a personal shopper you download the app, sign up, start shopping, and start earning.
The below Reddit user reports earning $22-$23 per hour on Instacart. If you have a car and are up for grocery shopping for extra cash than Instacart is definitely worth checking out.
#4: Donate Plasma ๐ฉธ
Okay I must admit that I’m really squeamish about needles and blood. So when considering how to make money fast this one is not gonna happen for me! But other people have had really good luck donating plasma for money. Readers have reported earning between $25 and $50 per donation session with each session lasting just over an hour.
Just do a quick Google search to locate plasma donation locations in your area and start making money today.
#5: Rent out a room on Airbnb ๐
You can do really well renting out a room or your entire place on Airbnb. ๐ฐ
Don’t believe me? Check out this graphic which illustrates how much people make from the sharing economy. Check out what’s ranked #1… yep it’s Airbnb.

Source: https://www.earnest.com/blog/sharing-economy-income-data/
The median Airbnb host is making over $400 per month renting on Airbnb. That is some legit quick cash and the best part is that is using something you already own or rent. If you want to get started on Airbnb here are a few tips
How To Make Money Fast | Airbnb Host Tips
- Take great photos of your space
- Be truthful about your space so guests’ expectations are managed
- Make the rules clear (e.g. check in time, check out, etc)
- Ensure your space is clean and tidy
- Be kind and professional to your guests
There’s no risk in signing up and listing your place today. Give it a try by clicking the green button below and in no time you’ll be earning some quick cash!
#6: Run Errands with TaskRabbit ๐
Did you notice what the number two most lucrative sharing economy platform was behind Airbnb? Yep – it’s TaskRabbit!
TaskRabbit is a service that pairs “taskers” with people that are in need of some help.
As a tasker you can make extra money fast by doing a wide range of services for people.
Ways To Make Extra Money on TaskRabbit
- Moving help
- Personal shopping
- Lawn work
- Cleaning
- Personal Assistant
- Organizing help
- Helping with Christmas tree lights
- And lots more
How Does TaskRabbit work for Taskers?
- Sign up and download the app
- TaskRabbit will notify you of potential jobs that are nearby
- You select the jobs you want to complete and set your rates
- After finishing your work an invoice is submitted and you get paid!
TaskRabbit is no doubt a great way to earn quick cash in your neighborhood or town. Sign up by clicking the green button below!
#7: Sell Your Stuff on Craigslist ๐๏ธ
Selling your stuff on Craislist is an oldie but a goodie. We all have stuff in our house or apartment that we no longer want or need. Why not turn that unwanted stuff into some quick cash?
How to sell your things on Craigslist:
- Identify items in your house you no longer need
- Take high quality photos of them
- Go to Craigslist and visit the ‘For Sale’ section of the site
- Click on ‘Post’; upload your photos and a price and description
Pro Tip: Don’t have things you want to sell? Visit the “Free Stuff” section of Craigslist. Often you can find things of value here that you can flip on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Nextdoor. Check out idea #26 below for more info!
#8: Perform a Service on Fiverr 5๏ธโฃ
Fiverr is a website that connects business owners or other people in need of a service with freelancers that can perform the service for a fee.
Sellers create “gigs” which are jobs you can perform for a buyer. The good news is you don’t need to be a web designer, computer programmer, or some other highly trained person to make money with gigs on Fiverr. Check out some example gigs below and you’ll see what I mean.
Money Making Fiverr Gigs
- Social media management
- Logo design
- Programming
- Web Design
- Voice over
- Photography
- Backing a Kickstarter
- Creating or updating a dating profile
- Up-voting a post on Reddit
- Talking to client in English for 30 minutes to help practice language skills
- Writing thank you notes
As you can see you can offer a gig on Fiverr for almost anything!!! You most certainly do not need to be a fancy computer person to do great at selling gigs on Fiverr. Be creative and try a number of different gigs to see what sticks. One or more of your gigs will likely gain momentum and before long you’ll be earning extra cash as a freelancer.
Advanced Pro Tip: Some people ‘arbitrage’ gigs on Fiverr. For example, first say you can find an amazing logo designer to work with you. Next, you could create a gig for $100 to create logos. When somebody buys your gig you work with your designer to create the logo for an agreed upon price (say $40 for example purposes). That leaves you with a cool $60 in profit just for managing the process. Not too shabby!
#9: Get $5. Sign up for Inbox Dollars ๐ฒ
Inbox Dollars is a survey site where you get paid to compete surveys and watch videos.
You’re not going to get rich from Inbox Dollars but it can be a legit way to earn extra money. They are a highly reputable and legit survey site and offer a great sign up bonus.
P.S. Want to know how to make money fast on Inbox Dollars? Just by signing up for Inbox Dollars you’ll make a quick $5. Cha-ching!
#10: Negotiate Your Bills ๐งพ
A penny saved is a penny earned. We’ve all heard that saying but the truth is it’s 100% fact.
This idea won’t put extra money in your pocket per-say, but it will keep more of the money you have in your pocket. Negotiating your bills is seriously worth your time.
I can’t tell you home many times I’ve called companies to negotiate bills. I’ve gotten my bill lowered by Comcast so many times I’ve lost count! And it’s not just Comcast, there are tons of service providers you can call to negotiate your bills.
Examples of bills you can negotiate:
- Cell phone
- Internet
- Cable
- Gym membership
- Auto insurance
- Home or renters insurance
How to negotiate your bills:
- Call in and select the prompts to cancel your service (this doesn’t mean you’ll actually cancel but generally gets you to retention reps that have the best bonuses to offer you)
- Be kind and professional at all times
- Mention you are cutting back on your expenses and need to explore lowering your rate or you may need to cancel your service altogether or switch to a cheaper competitor
- Cite competitors that are offering lower prices or better values
- Ask if there are any promotions or customer retention specials they can apply
The vast majority of the time you’ll walk away securing a lower rate. And the best part is usually these calls take 15 minutes or less.
Cool Math: Imagine if you save just $25 per month on a recurring bill. That equates to $300 per year. To take-home $300 after taxes you need to earn roughly $400. If you turn that savings into a rate-per-hour metric you’ll find that a 15 minute call can be worth $1,600/hr. Negotiate your bills… it’s a good use of time!
#11: Refinance Student Loan Debt ๐ธ
Are you one of over 45 million Americans with student loan debt? If so, you should definitely explore refinancing your student loans.
Why refinance student loan debt?
- It can save you money!
Saving money is the big reason why you’d want to go down this path.
There is a company called SoFi that has become the industry leader in student loan refinancing. It’s worth exploring as doing a re-fi could save you hundreds of dollars per month.

Source: SoFi.com
#12: Sell Your Used DVDs, CDs, Blu-Rays, or Video Games ๐
If you’re like me you have a big pile of video games and DVDs sitting around your home collecting dust. We live in a streaming world so most of us rarely use DVDs, CDs, or blu-rays anymore.
Want to hear something crazy? A buddy of mine has a DVD collection over 1,000 DVDs (photo here) in a spare bedroom of his house. I kid you not. His DVDs are even alphabetically organized! To mess with him we used to rearrange them which he really appreciated. ๐
Decluttr is a great place to sell digital items like used DVDs or video games. You’ll literally de-clutter your life and get paid for it!
Want to learn more? Read more tips for selling used DVDs, CDs, and video games here.
#13: Sell Your Used Clothes ๐
I’m also guilty of keeping clothes for waaaaayyy too long. Recently I went full Marie Kondo and cleaned our master bedroom. I only kept items that “sparked joy”. Funny enough a great many articles of clothes most certainly did not spark joy!
Although I donated my clothes I’ve since learned about ThredUp which is an awesome place to sell used clothes for money. There has been a huge resurgence in vintage and used clothes and you can actually earn some good money by reselling your old threads. Give ThredUp a try and make some extra money from all those clothes you no longer wear.
#14: Have A Garage Sale ๐ ฟ๏ธ
There isn’t more classic money making venture than a garage sale. This is a great quick cash idea that involves selling the things you no longer want or need.
To get the word out post on Nextdoor and Craigslist as well as put out signs. Be sure to note the date and time of the sale as well as the type of items you’ll have for sale.
Once the day arrives you’ll have a lot less clutter and a lot more cash in hand!
#15: Look for Gigs on Craigslist ๐จโ๐ป
Let’s be honest, the gigs section of Craigslist often contains some pretty sketchy stuff. A lot of “modeling” jobs which I have my questions about. At any rate there are also some legit ways to make money fast listed in the Craigslist gigs section. A quick search of the gigs in my area turned up the below.
Potential Craigslist Gigs
- Handyman
- Help moving
- Watching pets
- Walking dogs
- Painting help
- Participation in paid studies
If you’re looking for how to make money fast Craigslist gigs are worth checking out as they are local to your area and feature people that need help with some task.
#16: Sell Your Photographs ๐ท
Did you know you can sell your photos for money online? The beautiful thing about selling your photos is once you upload it to a site like Shutterstock all future income in passive. By this I mean you don’t have to do any more work. When someone buys your photo you get paid. It’s a great passive income idea especially for people who have an eye for design and style and love snapping photos. Focus on popular categories of photos to maximize your earning potential.
How to make money fast selling photos? Sell popular ones!
- Food
- People
- Pets
- Travel / vacation style photos
- Nature
- Professional (i.e. people dressed professionally for a career)
- Electronics
- Home photos (kitchens do well)
#17: Do Yard Work For Your Neighbors (Nextdoor) ๐
Want to know another simple way how to make money fast?
I can almost guarantee if you go on Nextdoor right now and post that you’ll help with yard work you’ll find someone that will happily pay you. Create a friendly and professional post stating you are happy to help neighbors with yard work in exchange for compensation (e.g. $20/hr). You can also search Nextdoor and look for people who have posted about wanting help.
Between new moms, busy professionals, and elderly people, there is always demand for yard work help and in turn a great way to earn extra money.
#18: Rent Out Your Car on Turo ๐
Cars are one of the most expensive things we own. They also only get used for a small portion of each day. Why not rent out your car and make extra money when you’re not using it?
Turo gives you a chance to turn this underutilized asset into a side hustle where you can make quick cash renting out your car. Think of Turo as the Airbnb of cars. You list your car, someone rents it, and then you get paid.
Want to learn more? Read our full Turo review here.
#19: Tutor on VIPKid ๐ฉโ๐ซ
Do you like the idea of teaching to make a bit of extra cash? How about working from home and setting your own hours?
If that appeals to you than you should check out VIPKid.
VIPKid is a company that provides English lessons to Chinese children via a virtual classroom. You can make really good money ($2,000+ per month if you work enough hours) and many people find it very rewarding and interesting. There are some requirements you must pass to be admitted to teach on the platform.
VIPKid Requirements
- Current resident of the United States or Canada
- Any โformalโ or โinformalโ teaching experience. Informal teaching could mean mentoring, tutoring, coaching, or alternative education
- A Bachelor’s degree (any major is okay)
- A good functioning desktop or laptop computer with high-speed internet that can handle both video and audio.
Is VIPKid worth it?
We’ve read lots of posts online about people have great success making extra money on VIPKid. If you like to teach and want flexibly to work from home then signing up for VIPKid a quick cash option you should consider.

Source: Reddit
#20: Redeem Your Credit Card Points ๐ณ
Haven’t logged into your credit card account to check your rewards lately? Do it! You might be surprised you can get a statement credit or a check for the rewards you’ve racked up.
Last time I logged into my credit card portal I had over $50 sitting there. Score!!!
Tip: If you use a credit card we always recommend one that offers you cash or travel rewards as well as charging no annual fee.
#21: Deliver with Postmates ๐
Delivering with Postmates, one of America’s leading grocery and restaurant delivery services, is another excellent way to make some fast cash. You’ll need your own car so that you can pick up food from restaurants or grocery stores and deliver to your customers.
According to Indeed, Postmates drivers report making an average of almost $17 per hour.

Source: Indeed.com
Benefits of Postmates
- You set your own schedule
- Keep 100% of your tips
- Free weekly deposits
- Generous sign up bonus (often $600!)
#22: Dog Walk For Neighbors with Rover ๐ถ
Love dogs? Get paid for walking dogs with a website called Rover.
What you need to know about Rover
- What’s Rover? A service where you can get paid some quick cash for walking dogs.
- Logistics: Dog owners reach out to dog walkers to see if they are available to provide dog walking services. Before committing to walk a dog walkers can talk with dog owners about exceptions, the dog’s personality, and anything else prior to agreeing to walk.
- Money: Dog walkers set their own rates for services they offer so your income can vary. This means you get to decide how much you charge clients. Note that Rover takes 20% or so of what owners pay. Sometimes (e.g. holidays) Rover will take a smaller cut to encourage more walkers to use the platform.
#23: Clean Houses ๐งน
In today’s busy world many people are searching for to help clean their house. A small cleaning business doesn’t take much money to get started and requires no special training. And it can actually be pretty lucrative… think $150+ per house.
Pro tip: Find your own niche by offering ‘green cleaning’ services which will help you stand out from other cleaners and potentially allow you to charge more.
#24: Babysit For Friends, Family, or Neighbors ๐ถ
Babysitting is another job that allows you to earn quick cash. In almost all cases you’ll get paid immediately after watching the kids so it truly is a great way to to make money fast.
Where to find baby sitting jobs:
In many places you can command a rate of $15+/hr especially if you have prior experience. And if you’re watching more than one child you can typically charge extra.
Tip: If you’re babysitting at night and the kids are asleep don’t just watch TV or waste time on your phone. Try making additional money by taking surveys online or working on your gigs on Fiverr (of course always be paying attention to ensure the kiddos are okay!).
#25: Return Un-needed Purchases ๐๏ธ
I’m embarrassed to admit that, at this very moment, I have multiple items that are months old still in the box or with tags on them. Haven’t used them yet. Probably won’t ever use them. Shame!
Instead of letting these items drift into the back of a closet consider returning them so you can get your cash back. Often you can get a full refund if still in the return period. In instances where you can’t get a refund chances are you can get store credit.
If you have un-needed items in your home return them and put some money back in your pocket!
#26: Flip Goodwill Purchases or Craigslist or Nextdoor Freebies ๐
Flipping something simply means purchasing a product with the intention of reselling in the near future for a higher price. The idea here is to buy low and sell high.
For example, say you find a book at at Goodwill marked for $0.50. You pull out your phone and see on Amazon or eBay it’s selling for $15. You buy the book, sell it online, and make a nice profit. If you can find multiple items to flip you can make some really solid fast cash.
Where to get items to flip?
- Goodwill or Salvation Army
- Garage Sales
- Craigslist
- Nextdoor
Where to sell (aka “flip”) your items?
Nextdoor.com has a For Sale & Free section that has tons of free or discounted products. Same thing with Craigslist. You can flip items you find on these platforms and make a tidy profit!
More Reading: Check out Gary Vee’s post on flipping if you want to dive deeper into flipping for profit.
#27: Call a Temp Agency ๐ก๏ธ
Temp agencies are plugged into a number of open jobs in your local economy. If you’re wondering how to make money fast give your local temp agency a call to see if they have any opportunities.
Common Temp Jobs
- Bookkeeping
- Data Entry
- Industrial
- Retail
- Moving
Pay can vary by job. In addition to pay you may also gain valuable experience which could help your future money making prospects.
#28: Become a Social Media Assistant ๐ฑ
Love social media? Why not get paid for it!
There are tons of brands, bloggers, and small businesses that need help with social media. There are opportunities both online and in your neighborhood. Common tasks include posting content, replying to followers, and helping build your client’s reputation on social media. Almost every small business is a potential client so don’t be shy in seeking them out and asking if they need help on social.
Potential social media clients in your community
- Restaurants
- Hair salons
- Retail stores
Going for social media user to expert
To carve out a true money making niche in social media management you’ll want to learn more than the average user. Understanding metrics, analytics and best practices on posting (time, type of content) will set you apart and make your more valuable. There are plenty of resources to help you come up the learning curve. I’d venture that if you spent one full day learning about one platform you’d be way far ahead of the game.
Social media learning resources
- Facebook groups
- YouTube videos
- Quora threads
- Reddit posts
Pro Tip: Initially pick one platform to specialize in. It is really hard to be proficient at Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and all the others. You’ll end up not really being very good at any one platform. When I hire for social media I’m looking for someone that is really strong on a particular platform. Pick one you like best, learn, and then market yourself on Fiverr, Upwork, and in your local community.
#29: Test Apps and Websites ๐
Getting paid to test websites is such a sweet gig to make some fast cash.
What does testing websites entail?
- Be directed to a website or app
- Perform a series of tasks on the site
- Record your voice and feedback
- Get paid!
There are few legit ways to earn extra cash through the testing websites. You can see a Reddit user below who’s had good luck and made quick cash ($30-$60 per panel) with Validately. Sign up for a few sites and increase your earning potential.
Source: Reddit
Sites you can earn quick cash testing websites:
#30: Become a Note-taker | Audio Transcription ๐
Being a transcriptionist offers ample money making opportunities. It also offers great flexibility for those of us that want to make money from home. TranscribeMe is the leading site in the space and worth signing up for if you’re looking for a new way to make money online from home.
How to make money from home with TranscribeMe
- In order to start earning extra money with TranscribeMe, you have to first register and then take the Transcriber Training Program
- Pays is $15 per audio hour and the gig doesn’t require any special equipment beyond a โreasonable computerโ with a good internet connection and Google Chrome
- Users are paid weekly via PayPal for the work you complete
- There is good flexibility too. You can work whenever and wherever you like
- TranscribeMe does not require transcriptionists to work a certain number of hours so you can work as much or as little as your schedule allows
This really is a great opportunity to earn extra cash from the comfort of your own home. If you’re a fast typer then you can really make some quick money!

Source: transcribeme.com
#31: Become a Secret Shopper ๐
Secret shoppers (aka mystery shoppers) buy items, dine at restaurants, make inquiries, or return items. These mystery shoppers often follow a checklist or keep a report of the shopping experience. Typically they are assessing customer service, wait times, or if a store offered a promotion. Mystery shoppers can earn $500+ per month. How to make money fast? Just go shopping ๐๐
The Best Mystery Shopping Companies
Here are some of the top secret shopper companies… these all are free to join:
Mystery Shopper Tips
- Sign up for lots of companies: The more secret shopper companies you sign up for the more access to jobs you’ll have and the more money you’ll make
- Get organized: Use a Google spreadsheet to track login info, jobs you’ve accepted, pay schedule, and other insights you find shopping
- Smartly plan your route: Hit an entire town in the same day or even an entire shopping mall. You don’t want to burn time in transit; by planning your route you’ll increase your rate per hour earned mystery shopping
- Be reliable and network: If you do a good job and can become friendly with the agents or sites they’ll look out for you by way of better bonuses or last minute lucrative jobs
- Never pay to become a mystery shopper: If a company asks you to pay to become a shopper move along. That is not the norm in this industry
Want to learn more? Visit Mystery Shop Forum for loads of great info. And click the green button below to sign up for Best Mark which is a top mystery shopper service.
#32: Become a Virtual Assistant ๐
Virtual assistants (VAs) help busy professionals and entrepreneurs save time and money. By freeing up their time they can focus on tasks that they better enjoy or generate more income. The market for VAs keeps growing as more and more people have online businesses and want help managing some aspect of their life or business.
What does a virtual assistant do?
- Administrative tasks
- Calendar management and scheduling
- Implementing marketing and social media strategies
- Data entry or other straightforward tasks
Where to find VA gigs? How much do they pay?
- Pay is often $12/hr for US based VAs. Awesome flexibility as you can work from home.
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Hire my Mom – great for women
Pro Tip: Learn from your client. How are they making money? What makes their business successful? Often VA roles are great training grounds where you can truly look behind the curtain of successful people and later on implement some of the same strategies and tactics in your own life.
#33: Get a Proofreader Gig ๐
If you’re an experienced writer, editor or a proofreader, you can easily make money online with those skills. There are a number of companies and websites that hire professional editors and proofreaders to correct their client’s work.
Some of these websites pay around $15 per hour and it can even go up to $40 per hour depending on your skill level.
How to make money fast with proofreading | 3 great websites
- Scribendi: This is one of the most well known proofreading sites. Typical pay averages $15+ per hour but note they require a proofreading speed of 1000 to 1500 words per hour.
- Prompt: A site focused on helping students with essays. Users report earning $20+ per hour.
- Proofreading Services: Another popular site to check out if you want to become a proofreader.
#34: Provide Music Lessons ๐ต
Are you musically inclined? Take your hobby and turn it into a way to make some fast cash. We’ve heard of many musicians use their amazing musical abilities to earn some extra money.
How to make make money from music lessons?
- Post on Nextdoor and connect with people in your community
- Create a YouTube channel and charge subscribers for 1:1 lessons over Skype
- Build your own website
A music side hustle is awesome as it pays real money while allowing you to spend time around something you love (music!).
#35: Deliver Pizzas ๐
Pizza is said to be America’s most loved food. Pair that with the growing trend of people eating more at-home delivery and less in restaurants and you’ll see why Dominos Pizza continues to be very popular.
Drivers are always in demand and pay can clear $15 per hour.
One tip…. go fast. As the Reddit user below notes speed is everything when it comes to pizza delivery. If you make it back to base a minute faster than a fellow driver then you’ll get the next pie while he may have to wait. This is yet another job that won’t make your rich (and this one requires a car) but it’s a great way to make some quick money.

Source: Reddit
#36: Shovel Snow โ๏ธ
In colder climates there is always a demand for help shoveling snow.
Busy professionals, people on vacation, and elderly folks often need help clearing snow. It is great exercise and a good way to make some fast cash.
Next time it snows put a post on Nextdoor and see if you can drum up some business. And if you do a nice job you’ll very likely be asked back the next time it snows.
Snow shoveling tips
- Aim for $20/hr
- Charge more for larger projects and if sidewalks/steps need to be cleared
- Stay hydrated and user good form so you don’t hurt your back
- Consider buying a used snowblower on Nextdoor or Craigslist if you want to take your side hustle to the next level
#37: Get Paid To Test Video Games ๐ฎ
Testing video games for money almost sounds too good to be true but it’s a 100% legit way to make extra money. With Play Test Cloud you can make money testing video game developers’ latest creations. It’s fun, it’s easy, and it pays quick cash via PayPal!
How does Play Test Cloud work?
- They’ll send games to your email address
- Think (and talk!) out loud while you play
- Get paid real money via PayPal
Pro Tip: Be sure to put every game you’ve ever played (mobile, console, computer) in your profile – that will give you a greater chance at being selected to test additional games.
#38: Become a Busker (Street Performer) ๐ธ
If you live in a highly populated urban area and have musical ability give street performing a chance.
This article on Money explains how some buskers make a whole lot of money by street performing.
Mark Sandusky, one half of the music duo The Dirty Little Blondes, has made his financials public. During 12.5 hours of performing, the pair made a total of $532, which works out to $21.22 per hour each.
$500+ for a day of busking is legit!
#39: Wash Dishes at Local Restaurant ๐ฝ๏ธ
Restaurants are ALWAYS looking to hire dishwashers. This job is not going to win you any glamour points but making fast cash isn’t about getting rich or always doing glamorous jobs.
If you’re interested in being a dishwasher, simply pop into a few local restaurants and tell them you’re a hard worker and want to wash dishes. Chances are one of those restaurants will hire you. And when you do get hired bring your phone and headphones so you can listen to podcasts about side hustles and other business ideas about how to make money fast. You’ll be learning while you’re earning!
#40: Sell Stuff on Ebay ๐ฐ
Another fine way of earning some extra cash is to sell your things on ebay. Often times you can find items in your house that you no longer want or need and sell them for fast cash on ebay.
What to sell on Ebay?
- Games
- Toys
- Clothes
- Small Appliances
- Electronics
- Music and collectibles
Ebay is so well known and has millions of buyers so it truly is a great place to sell your stuff for money.
#41: Call Landscape Companies ๐ฒ
If you enjoy being outdoors and like working with your hands then chances are you could make some extra income from a local landscape company.
How to get hired as a landscaper:
- Google ‘landscaper’ plus your city name
- Call 3-4 companies, introduce yourself and summarize your experience, and ask if they’re hiring
- Also post on Nextdoor; you may be able to pick up your own gigs or get spotted by an owner of a company
Learn the ropes and maybe someday you can start your own landscaping company.
#42: Call Painting Companies ๐จ
Like landscaping companies, local painting companies are always looking for good people.
Painting for a company can help you earn money but also gain valuable experience. As you learn the business, meet colleagues, and learn what clients want you could one day go out on your own.
Pros about painting gigs
๐๏ธ Requires no special license
๐จ Learning to paint well doesn’t take long
๐๏ธ There is lots of demand
๐จ Pay is solid
๐๏ธ You can make great money if you start your own painting business and hire contractors
Pro Tip: Take photos of your completed painting projects to use for future marketing. Also post them on Shutterstock; you’ve be surprised how many people are searching for stock photos of interior design (kitchens, bathrooms, etc). Get paid for your painting work and paid for the photo you snap of it!
#43: Get Paid For Your Recyclables โป๏ธ
Don’t just throw away your old junk; recycle it and turn cans into cash!
There are lots of items that you can recycle for money. It’s a great way to earn a bit of quick cash and feel good about giving your old stuff another life versus just ending up in a landfill.
What can you recycle for money?
- Printer Cartridges: Stores like Best Buy or Staples will pay you $2+ for printer cartridges
- Aluminum Cans: Save you cans and turn them in for cash. In many markets you can get ~$.75/lb for aluminum cans.
- Electronics: Phones, tablets, and computers can fetch decent money for recycling. Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon will often buy your old electroics for cash or a credit.
- Batteries: Some stores offer cash or credits in exchange for old batteries. For example, Advance Auto Parts will give you $10 if you turn in a car battery with them.
#44: Deliver Snacks to College Students on goPuff ๐ฅค
goPuff is America’s fastest growing delivery service. They are exploding on college campuses and focus on convenience items.
Why we like goPuff
- No passengers or restaurant pick ups: One interesting thing about goPuff is you don’t go to a store and shop but instead fulfill orders from goPuff’s facility
- Fun items that bring smiles: Many of the items on goPuff are convenience store type items. Think candy, salty snacks, Red Bull, frozen pizzas, and other staples of college student diets
- Explosive Growth: These guys continue to blow up but many people still haven’t heard of them. Signing up now is a chance to get in early on a growing platform

Source: goPuff.com
How goPuff works:
- Login to the goPuff app from your local facility
- Select a orders
- Deliver to customers
Why drive for goPuff?
- Earn a per order commission + 100% of your tips
- Make a guaranteed hourly minimum
- Choose your own schedule and deliver when you want
- No restaurants, no riders – deliver from a goPuff facility, thatโs it!
What you need to get started with goPuff:
- 21 years old and up
- Valid U.S. driverโs license
- Vehicle insurance & registration
- Smartphone
#45: Make Money Scanning Your Receipts ๐งพ
There are multiple apps available that pay you just to scan your receipts. The process is easy… you download the app, scan receipts, earn points/money, and get paid or redeem rewards. All of us are buying things all the time so why not get paid for something you’re doing anyway?
The Top Two Receipt Scanning Companies
- FetchRewards: Download the Fetch Rewards app if you have Apple (iOS) or an Android phone. Users earn points for every receipt from a grocery store, club store (e.g. Costco or Sams), home improvement or hardware store, pet store, or convenience stores. It doesn’t matter what you buy, you can scan your receipt and earn. Earn additional points for purchasing specific products or specific brands. Receipts cannot be more than two weeks old otherwise you can’t earn.
- Ibotta: This is another iOS and Android app very similar to Fetch Rewards. Ibota currently supports 175+ stores. Most offers are for new or lessor known brands however you’ll also see household brands available. A cool feature of Ibotta is they also regularly have cash back deals for “any item” or “any brand” as well as cash back for shopping on Amazon.
We’d highly recommend signing up for both Fetch Rewards and Ibotta. You can make more money doing virtually the same thing and with Ibotta you can get cash back on things you were going to buy anyway. These are another easy and fast way to earn extra money.
#46: Sell Your Stuff at A Pawn Shop ๐ฌ
Really want to know how to make money fast? It doesn’t get much faster than selling your stuff at a pawn shop.
Now you may not always get top dollar but if fast is the name then pawn shops are your game.
How to get top dollar at pawn shops?
- Compare offers! The #1 way you can net more money from selling your stuff at a pawn shop is to get offers from a handful of shops. Don’t just take the offer at the first shop as chances are it won’t be the highest.
#47: Sell Gift Cards For Cash ๐ณ
At home I have a drawer where gift cards go to die. It’s sad but true. There is probably $200 worth of old gift cards just sitting in there. Sometimes I forget I have them or just can’t think of anything I want at that particular retailer.
I recently learned you could actually sell gift cards for cash on a site call Cardpool.
Why sell you gift cards for cash?
- You forgot about it or were never going to use the card
- You don’t really need anything and would be using the gift card just to spend it
- You’re short on cash and need to convert your gift card into quick cash
Depending on the retailer you can earn around 75% of the gift card value. So on a $25 card you could earn around $18 in cash. Not bad!
#48: Turn In Coins ๐
I HATE coins! Yes it’s true… I just find them so annoying. But there can be real money in your coins.
Last year I brought a huge Big Gulp cup full of coins to a Coinstar machine. There was over $60 in coins in that cup. That’s nothing to sneeze at!
Turn your coins into quick cash by visiting a Coinstar machine near you.
#49: Take Online Surveys ๐ป
Completing online surveys is a really popular way tons of people make extra money online.
You can make quick cash from the comfort of your own home simply by sharing your opinions in a survey. Yes, you can get actually paid for surveys while lounging in your bed watching Netflix. ๐บ Taking online surveys won’t make your rich but it’s an easy option to earn a bit of fast cash.
There are lots of paid survey sites but Swagbucks is our very favorite. Click the button below to sign up!
#50: Get to Watch Videos on Gain.gg ๐ฎ
Gain is a high paying GPT site (aka a “Get Paid To” site) that allows you to complete offers, watch videos, take online surveys, and lots more to earn coins. The coins you earn can be converted into your local currency and withdrawn.
How To Make Money Fast | Our Favorite Fast Cash Tips
We hope this article has sparked some new ideas about how to make money fast. Most of these ideas won’t make you rich but they can do the trick when it comes to helping pay for the cell phone or internet bill this month.
To wrap up we wanted to share some of our top fast cash tips. Read to end to learn how you could potentially win a $100 Amazon gift card!
I Need Money! | Here are our favorite “how to make quick cash” tips:
- Test out multiple ideas to see what works best for you.
- Try doing some active income ideas (e.g. driving on Uber) and some passive (e.g. selling your photos on Shutterstock).
- Don’t get discouraged; keep going until you can get on firmer financial footing.
- Blog about your financial journey. People love to hear how others are trying and succeeding (or not) at different side hustle and quick cash ideas. Blogging isn’t a quick cash idea but it does have have some serious income potential (think $5k+ per month) once you get up and running. Read our beginners guide on how to start a blog if you want to learn how to get started blogging on your very own website today.
- Join our Facebook Group for more reading about building wealth and learning how to make money fast.
Want to improve your financial life and have a chance at some fast cash? Sign up for our next 21 Day Financial Challenge. This challenge is all about making smarter financial choices. It’s free to sign up and at the conclusion of the financial challenge we’ll be doing a drawing where one lucky participant will win a $100 Amazon gift card. Sign up here!
Leave A Comment