Looking for legitimate ways to make money fast?
I know what it’s like to have debt and need to pay it off. Kelan and I paid off over $25,000 of student loan debt from when I got my master’s degree.
We were able to pay off those loans primarily through the methods that are right here in this article.
So let me tell you that these methods for how to make money are tried and tested by two savvy people!
We’ll go over money-making methods in the following categories:
- How to make money fast today
- Ways to make money online quickly
- Legitimate side hustles to make money this week or weekend
- Ways to make money while you sleep with passive income
- Ways to get FREE money right now
If you stick around to the end, you’ll see our bonus tips for creative ways to make money fast. Let’s get started!
How to Make Money Fast Today (24 Hours or Less)
If you need to make money quickly, check out these ways immediately!
1. Swagbucks
Head over to Swagbucks and sign up for your FREE $5 sign-up bonus by entering your email address or logging in with Facebook. From this point, if you take the time to fill out your profile, you will be able to score some more Swagbucks.
Each survey takes about 20 minutes, and Swagbucks tries to match the survey to you so that you’re not wasting your time. You can earn additional Swagbucks for having the Swagbucks Google extension installed, watching movies, shopping through Amazon, and using coupons.
Swagbucks will pay you in gift cards like Amazon, Target, Walmart, and even PayPal. You can get $1 worth of gift cards in exchange for 100 Swagbucks.
Check out our full Swagbucks review here!
How much can you make: $5 immediately and around $100/month when combined with other survey sites
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and 20 minutes per survey
2. Rakuten
Rakuten is a cash back site that allows you to earn money back on any purchases that you make online, with no extra effort from you.
All that you have to do is make sure you click on the website link through Ebates first, and then continue your purchase as you normally would at one of the 2,500+ Ebates-eligible stores.
When you sign up, you are offered either a $10 Rakuten cash bonus, or a $10 Walmart gift card. If you like free gift cards, read our guide on how to earn them.
Check out our full Rakuten review here!
How much can you make: $10 immediately and then percentages off your shopping totals
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and then however long it takes you to shop
3. InboxDollars
InboxDollars offers to pay you cash for taking surveys, watching TV clips and videos, and signing up for different services and products. And instead of handing out points like a lot of other paid online survey sites, InboxDollars shells out money – real money.
I got a $5 bonus just for signing up.
The first way you can make cash is by taking surveys. Literally, you just offer your opinion and get paid.
Check out our full InboxDollars review here!
How much can you make: $5 for signing up and around $100/month when combined with other survey sites, but you need $30 to cash out your money
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and 20 minutes per survey
4. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is a paid survey site with an online community of over 3 million members dedicated to making their voices heard.
After registering, you build your profile so you are matched with surveys that fit your interests.
When you complete a survey, you’re rewarded with virtual points. These virtual points are then redeemed through PayPal or eGift cards. When you reach 1,000 virtual points, you can redeem your points!
Check out our full Survey Junkie review here!
How much can you make: Around $100/month when combined with other survey sites
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and 20 minutes per survey
5. Find a Paying Gig on Craigslist
People always need help, whether it’s landscaping or a simple maintenance repair. This is a perfect job for teens as long as it’s under close supervision.
You can sell your services via Craigslist under its “Gigs” section. You can set your own rates there and if someone is interested, then you’ll get paid. There are a lot of users in major cities. Side hustling on Craigslist can help you quit your job if you’re in high demand.
Of course, a quicker way to make money is by finding a gig that someone else has posted and responding to it.
How much can you make: Entirely dependent on the gigs that you post or respond to
Time needed: 15 minutes to search for gigs and however long it takes to complete them
6. Give Blood
While the American Red Cross won’t be compensating you for your blood, there are blood plasma centers that do.
Because this process is a little more time intensive and specialized, you can expect to rack in the dough if you do this on the regular. Most blood plasma centers only allow you to donate twice over the span of 7 days.
How much can you make: $25 to $50 per donation, depending on the location
Time needed: Each donation will take around an hour and a half
7. Ibotta
Ibotta is a FREE app that rewards you for shopping for brands you already purchase. One way Ibotta separates itself from other money-saving apps is that it lets you earn cash back.
Signing up for Ibotta is super simple:
- Open the Ibotta app.
- Select the products you plan on purchasing from the store.
- Buy the products at the participating store.
- Make sure you keep your printed store receipt and upload to the app.
Ibotta will take care of the rest! It will match what you have purchased to the receipt you have uploaded and boom! In less than 48 hours, you will have the money in your account.
Check out our full Ibotta review here!
How much can you make: $10 bonus through signing up with our link and whatever you earn above the $20 payout threshold
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your account and however long it takes you to shop
8. Pinecone Research
With Pinecone Research, you can evaluate products before they hit the shelves!
I was able to take surveys of a few products before they hit the shelves because I am the one in my family who does all of the shopping. I have an influence on the development of products because I am similar to the average consumer.
After you have acquired enough points, you can redeem them for prizes or cash (PayPal or check). The first 300 points you earn will automatically be redeemed as a check and sent to your home address.
Sign up for Pinecone Research surveys today!
How much can you make: Around $100/month when combined with other survey sites
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and 20 minutes per survey
9. Dosh
Dosh is one of the simplest cash back programs out there: All you have to do is connect your credit card and use it, and the app does all the rest.
You’ll automatically earn up to 10% back, depending on your specific purchase habits.
Dosh is a money-making app like Ibotta and Rakuten that gives you cash back based on purchases.
How much can you make: Percentages off your shopping totals
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and then however long it takes you to shop
10. Decluttr
Decluttr is a simple and quick way to sell cell phones, tech, CDs, DVDs, games, and books. When you go to the site, you can get a valuation, ship for FREE, and get paid!
Why Decluttr?
- It claims to pay the most for technology.
- It has over 6 million customers and has paid out over $300 million.
- It offers FREE shipping on all orders.
- It pays out the next day.
Click this link to get started!
How much can you make: $25+, depending on how much your used technology is worth
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and 15 minutes to sell an item
11. MyPoints Surveys
Since 1996, MyPoints has separated itself from the other survey companies by simply being in business for so long.
It has paid out over 236 million dollars in gift cards and PayPal cash since then!
With over 10 million members and counting, you know you are in great hands taking paid cash surveys with MyPoints.
The best part is you can use your reward points for free gift cards at places like Amazon, iTunes, Starbucks, and so much more!
Click this link to get started!
How much can you make: Around $100/month when combined with other survey sites
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up your profile and 20 minutes per survey
12. Sell Your Gift Cards
If you’ve got extra gift cards laying around, you can totally sell them and make a few extra dollars!
A few sites you can do this is on are
- Cardpool
- CardCash
- ClipKard
- CardKangaroo
Just note that you probably won’t get them at full value.
How much can you make: Whatever your gift cards are worth minus a processing fee
Time needed: 15 minutes to set up an account and get selling
13. Find Work on Upwork
Upwork is a hugely popular site for freelance workers, and there are plenty of quick jobs on there for you.
On Upwork, you complete your profile, and it will highlight the best jobs for you. You can, of course, search for jobs manually too.
Please do your due diligence and only respond to gigs that look reputable. There are a lot of scammers on the platform.
Upwork also has a lot of data entry jobs that you can turn into a more consistent income.
How much can you make: $15 and up, depending on the job
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account and longer to search for a job, bid for it, and complete the task.
14. Nielsen Panel
When you download the Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel, you’ll earn rewards just by using your devices as per usual. You’ll also be automatically entered into the company’s high-prize sweepstakes.
The company gives away over $10,000 per month.
The company is in the market research industry, so it sees value in what you browse and purchase.
Get started with Nielsen Panel today!
How much can you make: Up to $50/year if you register more than one device plus any sweepstakes
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account
15. Earn Money Using Paribus
(Please note: Paribus compensates us when you sign up for Paribus using the links provided.)
Paribus likes to call itself “your personal price adjustment agent” – a bit of a fancy title but sums it up pretty well.
It aims to help find and get money for you when something that you have bought decreases in price.
Paribus can save you a lot of time and money because it will do the hard work for you in terms of finding out if you got the best price for your purchase after you have completed it, and help you get the refund process started.
How much can you make: This entirely depends on how much you shop and spend, and at which qualifying stores
Time needed: 5 minutes to set it up and then however long you shop for
16. Unclaimed Money
Does the government owe you a few dollars?
There might be unclaimed funds or property waiting for you from savings or checking accounts, wages and pensions, tax refunds, life insurance policies, and a lot more.
Actually, I personally did this last year and we received a check for over $200!
Check out the official US Government website to find out the ways to claim it.
How much can you make: $0 and upward, depending on if you actually have money waiting or not
Time needed: 10 to 30 minutes to check the websites of all the states you’ve resided in and longer to redeem it
17. Trim
Trim isn’t an app, but it is an AI (artificial intelligence) assistant that will look at all of your financial transaction commitments and see if there is a way that you can save money.
It was founded in 2015 by Daniel Petkevich and Thomas Smyth – and they say that they started with the idea of tackling spending problems.
As their company started to grow, it then began tackling other problems, such as getting out of debt, saving money (for retirement), and so on.
These guys have helped Americans save over $20 million so far through using their service!
You can sign up for Trim right now and get your piece of that savvy savings pie.
Check out our full review here!
How much can you make: $10 and more, depending on how much the software says you can save
Time needed: 15 minutes to set up the account and start saving
18. Pawn Shop
One of the easiest ways to make money is with pawn shops!
All you have to do is take in your items (that have some value) and sell them to the store.
You can put them up for consignment or outright sell them if you don’t want them back.
How much can you make: $1 and more, depending on how valuable the items you have are
Time needed: 10 minutes to collect the items and 15+ minutes in the pawnshop
19. Make Money Delivering Groceries on Postmates
Who knew delivering groceries could be so lucrative? As a Postmates courier, you’ll deliver things like groceries, fast food, takeout food, and in some states alcohol.
The great part about Postmates is there is absolutely no start-up fee. Meaning you can download the app, apply, and start making money delivering.
Your schedule is completely up to you meaning you can make as little or as much as you would like.
Sign up for Postmates now and start making money delivering in your spare time!
How much can you make: Up to $27 per hour
Time needed: A few hours a day
20. Online Surveys
There are plenty of legitimate, paid survey sites that you can make money from each month. While you won’t be able to replace your income, if you focus on the best survey sites that pay you cash, you can easily make an extra $250 per month.
If you’re looking to totally replace your income and stay at home with your kids, check out these legitimate stay-at-home mom jobs.
These are the best sites for online surveys:
- Swagbucks
- MyPoints Surveys
- InboxDollars
- Pinecone Research
- American Consumer Opinion
- Survey Junkie
- VIP Voice
- Vindale Research
How much can you make: Around $100/month
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account at each site and 20 minutes per survey
21. Have a Garage Sale
Garage sales can be a great way to get rid of stuff and make money from it!
The steps to a successful garage sale are as follows:
- Set up your space
- Declutter room by room
- Price and label
- Make signs
- Advertise
- Get change
- Rise and grind
- Clean up and donate
How much can you make: $0 to $100 dollars and up
Time needed: 2 hours to prepare and then the day of the sale
22. Sell Your Stuff on Facebook Marketplace
Here are a few reasons why you want to sell your items on the Marketplace.
- It’s super convenient for your friends and family to see your items and inquire.
- There are no selling fees at all.
- Instantly selling something is addictive.
If you want to sell, there are two ways to go about it:
- Selling on your personal timeline
- Selling in groups
How much can you make: $10+ depending on purchases and how much you sell
Time needed: 5 minutes to list the job and 10 minutes to coordinate a sale
23. Start Selling Gigs on Fiverr
Fiverr, like Upwork, is a job board site that allows you to post gigs and respond to gigs.
In contrast to its name, you can actually make more than $5 on the platform. You just need to provide a service that people value and want to pay good money for.
Just don’t lose your dignity and sense of self-worth in the process. Some people who frequent the platform like to undervalue service providers and that’s not acceptable.
But, the site can be a good way to find online jobs.
How much can you make: $5 and up
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account and longer to market your service and get hired
8 Ways to Make Money Online Quickly
If you want to start earning some dough online (and do it quickly), then these money-making methods are for you!
24. Become a Proofreader
Proofreading is one of the final steps in the process of content creation. You will be looking for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Perfect for anyone who has an eagle eye for mistakes in writing!
There are plenty of online proofreading job opportunities, and they actually pay really well!
If you are serious about learning how to become a proofreader, you should totally consider taking the General Proofreading: Theory and Practice course by Proofread Anywhere.
It will give you all the education, experience, skills, and tools you need to start a proofreading business. And you’ll even learn how to get clients!
How much can you make: $20 to $30 per hour
Time needed: 30 minutes on a job board site to find a gig (or solicit people in your network)
25. Start Freelance Writing
Ever wonder how big companies like Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, MSN, and others keep up with their articles?
They have contributors!
Holly over at Club Thrifty made more than $250,000 in freelance writing income last year alone!
The best part is that you don’t need any prior writing experience to get started.
Interested in getting paid to type? Click here to learn more.
How much can you make: $0.05 to $0.10 per word when starting out
Time needed: 30 minutes on a job board site to find a gig (or solicit people in your network)
26. Become a Pinterest VA
Are you addicted to Pinterest? Have you ever thought about getting paid to be on Pinterest?
Yes, it’s true you can earn money online by becoming a Pinterest Virtual Assistant.
Our friends Gina and Kristin teach an incredible course that walks you through everything you need to know about how to earn money online by becoming a Pinterest VA.
They have had many students start making so much money online that they were able to quit their jobs and work full-time from home. You can learn more about the course here.
How much can you make: $15 to $35 per hour when starting out
Time needed: 30 minutes on a job board site to find a gig (or solicit people in your network)
27. Become a Facebook Ads Manager for Local Businesses
Did you know there is a HUGE demand for small business owners needing help running Facebook ads? This is a big industry that isn’t slowing down.
Kelan was doing this when he started working at home.
Our friend Bobby Hoyt over at Millennial Money Man created a Facebook Side Hustle course to show you exactly how you can start making $1K–$2K per month in your spare time.
How much can you make: $1,000+/month
Time needed: 1 hour to find a client and then hours to manage the ads and refine your craft
28. Start a Shopify Store
Online businesses are booming with people who have a unique creative flair and can satisfy a client’s wants and desires. No matter the platform, you can build a company and make money doing it.
Our good friend Sarah Titus made over $300,000 last month with her Shopify store selling printables.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be successful. She has put together the Million Dollar Shop, which is a program that will teach you how to build a 7-figure store on Shopify. By following her steps, we have been able to make over $2,000 per month with our own Shopify store!
Check out all the details right here.
How much can you make: $100+/month
Time needed: 2 hours to create your printables and more time to set up your shop
29. Teach for VIPKid
VIPKid is ranked #2 by Forbes for Best International Companies To Work For. It’s a company that enables Chinese children to learn English from teachers all over the world.
Pretty cool, right?
The best part of VIPKid is you can get hired without having actual in-class teaching experience. Kelan was hired and had ZERO in-class teaching experience. But, that didn’t stop him from making his first $1,000 in a week.
You just need to have experience working with kids before (500 hours).
You can read our entire VIPKid review here.
How much can you make: $14 to $22 per hour, depending on experience
Time needed: 30 minutes for the lesson plus prep time
30. Start a Flipping Business
It’s so easy to find valuable thrift store and flea market items for a fraction of the cost, and if you’re good at negotiating, you can often get them for even less!
Consider the idea of taking those unique finds and reselling them on eBay and Amazon, for a profit!
You can learn all about the process, from finding the best deals, determining product value, and reselling and shipping information with this super informative course from Flea Market Flipper.
How much can you make: $100+ depending on how much you flip each month. You can join their challenges for motivation.
Time needed: 1 hour for shopping, 1 hour for remodeling, and 1 hour for selling
31. Utilize Your Skills as a Freelancer
Freelancing is another great way to earn money online.
We’ve already mentioned some freelance jobs above:
- Proofreading
- Writing
- Facebook ads manager
- Pinterest VA
Here are a few more you can try out:
- Data entry
- Copyediting
- Tech support
- Customer service
- Project management
You can be a freelancer in just about anything and make money doing what you love!
How much can you make: $100+ (sometimes per hour), depending on what you do
Time needed: 30 minutes on a job board site to find a gig (or solicit people in your network)
6 Legitimate Side Hustles to Make Money This Week or Weekend
If you prefer a side hustle idea that doesn’t require online ninja skills, this section is for you.
32. Walk Dogs Using the Rover App
Do you enjoy dogs? Like, a lot?
If so, you should get paid to walk man’s best friend and get some sunshine in the process. The app Rover allows dog owners to connect with dog walkers.
It’s simple to get started and it doesn’t require any fees upfront.
How much can you make: $500+ for consistently walking dogs
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up a profile, 15 minutes to find a dog owner, and then walking time
33. Drive for Uber or Lyft
While the kids are at school, there’s no reason not to drive for a company like Lyft or Uber.
You get to choose your hours and it’s completely flexible. If you can drive, this is a good side hustle to make extra money. Most passengers are considerate, and you can even have a nice conversation.
Who knows, you might meet a famous person or local celebrity in the back seat!
How much can you make: $25 to $35 per hour
Time needed: 15 minutes to set up an account and then driving time
34. Rent Your House on Airbnb
Chances are, you’ve heard of Airbnb before – it is very much a household name now, and a very popular company indeed.
It was founded back in 2007 by roommates who couldn’t afford their rent, so they came up with an idea of putting an air mattress in their living room and turning it into a bed and breakfast (hence the name).
If you wish to host on Airbnb, you can list pretty much any type of property and earn some extra money for your trouble.
Airbnb doesn’t own any of the properties listed on the site but acts as a broker, taking a 3% fee from every booking made.
How much can you make: 50% of hosts make $500+/month, depending on how much time you rent out properties
Time needed: 25 minutes to set up a property on their platform
35. Join an MLM Like Avon or Pampered Chef
I had two side hustles through college, one of which was as a direct sales representative for Avon.
I was an Avon Rep. for nine years, and through this hustle, I was not only able to get beauty products for free but supply myself with coffee money every week.
The coffee money motivated me to write 5 easy ways to save money on a monthly basis.
How much can you make: $100 to $250 plus per week, depending on how much you sell
Time needed: 3 hours to get organized with your products and then a few hours per week to start
36. Start a Cleaning Service
While the kids are at school, there’s no excuse to not utilize that time.
If you can clean one house in an hour, that’s around 6 houses you can clean in that time. At $75 per house, that’s $450 a day.
Start marketing this to your friends and see who wants a cleaner house. This is a great weekend job idea as well.
How much can you make: $75 per house
Time needed: 2 hours to get clients and then cleaning time
37. Start a Moving Business
If you don’t mind a little physical labor, then a moving business might be for you.
This entails lifting heavy furniture onto a moving truck and then moving the furniture into a new location.
You’ll probably need some help for this, so feel free to enlist the whole family. If you can offer storage as a service, then you might be able to upsell your customers.
How much can you make: $25 per hour per mover
Time needed: 3–6 hours per house or apartment, depending on how many people are on your team
15 Ways to Make Money with Passive Income While You Sleep
Passive income has been a blessing to Kelan and me and we’re grateful that our readers are kind enough to purchase through our links. If you want to earn passive income, then I’d recommend trying these things!
38. Start a Blog
This is one of my favorite things to talk about because it has literally changed my entire life. Recently, Kelan quit his 9-5 job to run our blog full-time. Within a short time period, he was able to grow our blog into a full-time income.
For Kelan, it is such an incredible dream come true to work for himself from the comfort of our home! He gets to set his own hours, earn his own income, and not have to answer to “the man.”
When we started our blog, it was just another hobby. We quickly learned that making money from blogging was a real thing!
If you’re interested in starting your own blog, head over to our step-by-step tutorial to learn how. Using our exclusive Bluehost link, you can take advantage of discounted pricing today.
How much can you make: $0 to $1,000+/month
Time needed: At least one hour per day
39. Invest with Lending Club
Lending Club is a peer investing platform, which means that people seek out loans and others provide the money to satisfy that loan. The interest rate is determined by Lending Club and is based on the borrower’s credit score.
You can invest in
- Individual loans
- Small business loans
- Refinancing auto loans
- Medical loans
While this is an option that requires money, watching your money increase in value is very passive.
How much can you make: 8 to 10% net annualized return (this is dependent on a lot of factors)
Time needed: There is a rigorous vetting process to begin and then you have to put the time in to manage the investments.
40. Affiliate Marketing and ClickFunnels
Making money online is simple once you learn about affiliate marketing. This is actually how our blog makes most of its money.
We partner with companies we absolutely love and think our readers would find value from. We mention the company like we did above (e.g., Rakuten/Ibotta), and we get paid a small commission every time someone signs up. It’s a great way to help other people save money and give us a chance to make some money on our blog.
When we first started our blog, we had no idea what affiliate marketing was. After we took the course Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, we started to earn hundreds of dollars per month online.
ClickFunnels is a popular blogging software that offers a generous commission. It’s a great way to generate passive income as you’ll be rewarded when people purchase and renew their plans. Other affiliate programs work on this model too.
How much can you make: $0 to $100+/month
Time needed: At least 1 hour per day to market your affiliate links when starting out
41. Create an Online Course
This is something we’ve tackled and I’ll be honest – it’s an incredible way to generate income!
An online course is a fantastic way to educate others on a particular topic. It helps if you have a blog to sell it on, but you can start selling an online course strictly through partnering with other people who have loyal followings.
You can enroll in our course, Bloggers’ Secrets, today!
How much can you make: $100+/month, depending on your course’s price and the number of people who enroll
Time needed: At least 10 hours to produce a course and then more to market it
42. Invest with Personal Capital
Personal Capital is one of the best money management apps available.
It allows you to track your bank accounts, investment accounts, mortgage, student loans, etc. The visuals are great for people who don’t like staring at spreadsheets!
The main appeal of Personal Capital is that it provides you a holistic view of your financial situation and a way to calculate your net worth. You can also invest in and with the platform.
Sign up for Personal Capital today!
How much can you make: This is reflective of the investments that you have in your portfolio and the interest rates they have.
Time needed: It can take an hour or two weekly to manage your investments.
43. Invest with Robinhood
Since being introduced to the stock market when he was 13 years old, Kelan has been fascinated by the idea of owning a part of a company.
Last year, we decided to give Robinhood a try on top of our regular investment portfolio – nothing like good diversification. Since he went to school for business and took many finance classes, he felt very comfortable researching companies himself.
I let him start with $1,000 and see where he could take it in a year. The three companies he invested in were Amazon, Facebook, and Pandora.
We’re happy to report that he’s up over 30% on the year and has made over $300 in profit on his $1,000 investment.
You can sign up today and earn a free stock worth up to $200 using our exclusive link.
Check out our full review of Robinhood while you’re at it.
How much can you make: 5 to 30%+ on your principal investment
Time needed: A few hours to pick out your original investments and then many months to monitor them for performance
44. Invest in Real Estate
Have you ever wondered if real estate investing is a good idea for you? Is flipping houses, running rental properties, or buying commercial properties something you have ever been interested in?
I know for us, real estate investing is something we have always been very interested in. We are hoping that over the next couple of years, we have our opportunity to get started. Kelan actually went to school and got certified as a home inspector and planned on getting his real estate license before we started our blog.
We have always dreamed about flipping houses in the summer when I have them off as a teacher. You can actually start investing in real estate without all the hassle with Fundrise.
How much can you make: Real estate has had an average return of 11.42% since 1970.
Time needed: Several hours to find properties and then more to rent them out
45. Open an Account with Betterment and Earn Dividends
Betterment is an online investment platform and is best known for being the leading robo-advisor site. It is based in New York, and it was founded in 2008.
If you’ve ever wanted a robot to do jobs for you like walking the dog or doing the dishes (which I 100% would love especially now after becoming a mom!), you can see why it would be appealing to have one do your investing for you.
It invests your money depending on your goals, so if you are saving for a house deposit, buying a car, or retirement, as examples.
The reason that it asks this is so that it can assess your risk and determine how long you will want to be investing for that specific goal.
Check out our full review of Betterment!
How much can you make: Average dividends are around 2%
Time needed: 1 hour to set up your account and then longer to manage your investments
46. Start Using Cinch Financial
Cinch Financial is the financial advisor
- You have always wanted for a fraction of the cost
- That is not intimidating to have meetings with
- That always has YOUR best interest in mind and not their own
Cinch Financial is the perfect tool for those starting to focus on their personal finance. If you are someone with a net worth of less than $100,000 but still want professional financial advice, Cinch Financial might be the perfect option for you.
Whether you want to know which debt to attack first, which insurance policy you should go with, or what spending habit is costing you the most, Cinch Financial has your answer.
Check out our full review of Cinch Financial!
How much can you make: This is more about saving and if you don’t have an advisor, then a lot.
Time needed: It can take an hour or two to get set up on the platform and then longer to analyze your financial health.
47. Open an Ally Invest Account
In many ways, Ally Invest is a complete discount brokerage, offering competitive pricing structures of around $4.95 per trade and a low mutual fund transaction fee.
Its top features are
- No minimums
- Reasonable margin rates
- Discounted trades
- Fund transaction fees
This is a great way to start investing if you have a low budget. Plus its savings accounts always have super competitive interest rates.
How much can you make: This is reflective of the investments in your portfolio.
Time needed: An hour or two to set up the platform, get acclimated to the interface, and start investing
48. Purchase Investment Property
There are three main kinds of investment properties
- Residential
- Commercial
- Industrial
After you figure out what kind of property you want to invest in, then you have to figure out what kind of investment you want to make.
This includes:
- Private equity funds
- Real estate investment trusts
- Online real estate investment platforms
While it is impossible to mitigate every risk that real estate investments entail, knowing the market where one is investing can go a long way in helping to make responsible investment decisions.
How much can you make: Real estate has had an average return of 11.42% since 1970.
Time needed: Several hours to find properties and then more to rent them out
49. Open a Savings Account with CIT Bank
The Savings Builder is CIT Bank’s brand new savings account it just launched.
It is a tiered savings account that offers a competitive annual percentage yield (APY) for customers that carry a qualifying balance or commit to a monthly qualifying deposit.
The great part of the new Savings Builder account is that you automatically earn the top APY tier through the first full month.
After the first month, you can keep the high APY tier by completing one of the following requirements:
- Build a habit of savings: Make at least one monthly deposit of $100 or more.
- High-balance savers: Maintain an account balance of $25,000.
Check out our full review of CIT Bank!
How much can you make: 2.20% APY if you qualify for the highest tier
Time needed: An hour or two to set up the account and then longer to manage your savings
50. Become an Influencer
Even though celebrities get a lot of exposure partnering with big name brands, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it too!
Some influencers have literally built their businesses off of a social platform like Instagram or even on YouTube.
The concept is the same. Brands pay you to showcase their products. That’s it!
If you’re interested, start by reaching out to smaller brands first before approaching the wealthier ones. Sponsorships can be an entry-level introduction in learning how to earn money online, but some online personas snag sponsorships to the tune of a full-time income.
It helps if you already have a platform, such as a blog.
How much can you make: $100 to $1,000+ per post on social media if the right companies sponsor you
Time needed: It can take an hour or two to create the sponsored content, but a lot more time goes into growing the account.
51. Make YouTube Videos
YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world – that’s a lot of eyeballs available to watch your content!
Brainstorm some ideas on what you could create videos on, set up a YouTube account, and start creating content.
You’ll find the most surprising things on YouTube, so chances are, if you think you can do something interesting, others will as well. You never quite know until you put it out there for the world to see.
In general, tutorials and lifestyle videos tend to perform well.
How much can you make: $10+ in ad revenue (maybe more in sponsorships), depending on how many views you have
Time needed: A few hours to produce and edit each video
52. Start a Podcast
According to Pat Flynn, one of the most popular podcasters, there are several steps to having a successful podcast:
- Choose a topic that you enjoy and can commit to
- Define your show’s description and artwork
- Test (and test again) your equipment
- Create a plan and journey for your episodes
- Record your episodes
- Edit and publish your episodes
- Launch your podcast to your audience and heavily promote
You can even find sponsors to pay you for product placements. Also, placing ads on your podcast episode pages can generate passive income.
How much can you make: $25 to $50 per 1,000 listeners in advertising revenue
Time needed: A few hours to produce each episode
5 Ways to Make FREE Money Right Now
Money doesn’t grow on trees, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get it for free. Check out these ways to make FREE money!
53. Sign up for MyPoints, Swagbucks, and/or Rakuten
We mentioned these cash back and survey sites earlier, but they’re worth repeating because you can get free money instantly.
These are bonuses you’ll get just for creating an account. That’s it!
How much can you make: $25 for signing up for all three
Time needed: 15 minutes to set up accounts for all three
54. Refer 5 Friends to Ibotta and Make $25
For every 5 friends that you can get to sign up for your team, you’ll get $25. This is perfect for your whole family to partake in, or you can even start a team for your friends.
You can also receive a teamwork bonus if you save enough.
To get started, you can join our savvy savers team!
How much can you make: $10 for signing up and $25 for every 5 people you refer
Time needed: 10 minutes of phone calls and a few minutes to set up your account
55. Make $5 with Acorns
Acorns reinvests your virtual change instead of saving it. The app allows you to start investing (even if you don’t have any experience) with virtually no effort.
You just set it up and let it do its thing.
Acorns can round up your transactions and you can also set up recurring withdrawals. Sometimes, when you shop with certain brands, the app will automatically invest some money into your account.
Sign up for Acorns today!
How much can you make: $5 for signing up and more savings along the way that will turn into investments
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account
56. Start an Account with Stash
If you’ve got a spare $5, you’ve got the beginnings of an investment portfolio when you sign up for Stash.
Plus, the app simplifies making informed choices about what, exactly, your money is supporting — and learning more about how to invest in ways that align with your personal values and goals.
How much can you make: $5 plus, depending on how much you invest and the value rises over time
Time needed: 10 minutes to set up an account
57. Try Lucktastic
Lucktastic is an app that allows you to
- Win real cash
- Earn prizes
- Get rewards
With over 220,000 winners, Lucktastic is definitely not a scam. You can only do this from your mobile device though.
How much can you make: $2 to $1,500, depending on how lucky you are
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account and 30 minutes per day
BONUS: 6 Creative Ways to Make Money Fast
If you’re a creative person, then the options open up!
58. Work Overtime
If you still have a full-time job, you may be able to make extra money simply by working a few more hours.
Time and a half can be quite lucrative if you put enough hours in.
The first thing you should do is contact your boss to see if this is an option and then plan your calendar around taking extra hours.
How much can you make: 1.5x your hourly rate for the number of hours you work
Time needed: 30 minutes for a quick chat with your boss and then the extra hours you work
59. Pick Up a Second Job
If you have extra time on your hands, then a second job might be the best way to make money.
There are plenty of part-time jobs available; you just have to go to store windows and ask inside to see if they’re hiring.
While this isn’t passive and requires extra effort, it’s a more stable way and pays out predictably.
How much can you make: Minimum wage or more for your city
Time needed: A few hours to find jobs, spruce up your resume, and interview
60. Ask for a Raise
This is a great option for people who are already valued in their current jobs.
It’s time to make some extra moolah by buttering up your current employer.
You should understand that there is no guarantee when asking for a raise, but it certainly can’t hurt. These people made off like bandits from their raises!
How much can you make: 5% is a realistic figure to aim for
Time needed: 30-minute conversation should be sufficient
61. Test Websites for User Experience
If you find yourself browsing the interwebs a little too much, get paid for it!
This is something Kelan and I both did as we learned how to make money online.
Here are some sites that will pay you to test out websites for user experience:
- UserTesting
- TryMyUI
- Enroll
- Userfeel
- TestingTime
- Userlytics
- Validately
- UserZoom
- WhatUsersDo
These sites don’t charge you to be on their platform and are completely free.
How much can you make: $10 to $15 per website
Time needed: 5 minutes to set up an account and then 20 minutes to evaluate a website
62. Recycle Cans
We live in N.Y. state and there is a $0.05 return for all bottles and cans. It’s worth a few minutes to collect them and return them on your own to get that deposit back.
Our biggest return netted us over $80!
Just make sure your cans are completely empty and rinsed out before you go to recycle them. Also, note what kinds of recycling are allowed by your township as that can change from state to state.
How much can you make: $0.05 per bottle and can
Time needed: A few minutes to set aside your bottles and cans and then time to drive them to the drop-off location
63. Detail Cars
Unlike car washers that use an automated process to clean your car, detailers complete the process by hand.
There are two kinds of detailing:
- Exterior detailing
- Interior detailing
Before you get into this business, gain experience working for someone else. People will get very upset if you mess up their car.
How much can you make: $150 to $250 per car
Time needed: A few hours to complete a detailing job
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on Making Extra Money
The simple truth is that when you have more money, you have more options. And, you don’t need to be rich.
Even with just a little extra cash, you can
- Pay off debt
- Go on that dream vacation
- Take your family out for a nice dinner
- Buy your kids a surprise gift
- Not stress about money as much
Money affords you the freedom that you desire and learning how to make money is the first step to feeling liberated.
You might try one idea on our list above or you might try 10. Or, maybe you’re daring enough to try ALL of them.
(This is on top of saving money, of course!)
The effort that you put into making money is the part that counts, especially if you want to make it quickly.
In this article, we discussed:
- How to make money fast today
- Ways to make money online quickly
- Legitimate side hustles to make money this week or weekend
- Ways to make money while you sleep with passive income
- Ways to get FREE money right now
So, what are you waiting for?
Now that you know how to make money quickly, share with us in the comments below how you’re doing it!
I’ve never seen such a detailed, comprehensive list of money-making ideas like this one! Such a shame some of the ideas arent available outside the US but with that many options, I’m sure I’ll find something that will allow me to make money (in US Dollars!) online. Thanks for putting it together!
You’re more than welcome Marcelle. Lots of options to choose from which is great!