Time is running out and you need to come up with ways to make money fast. While quick cash won’t make you rich, it can help you meet that expense that’s nagging you.
We’ve put together a creative list of ways you can make $100 fast. But perhaps you need a lot more. That’s fine. You should be able to find several practical ideas here to make money.
Some of these options can make you money in a day or two, while others can take a little longer to earn the cash you need.
And all the opportunities you’ll find here are legitimate, real ways to make money. Avoid anything that promises you same-day riches as it may not be legit.
Table of Contents
19 Creative ways to make money fast
Use the links below to quickly jump to the various sections of this post:
- You need money fast: in a day or two
- You need money fast: within a week
- Strategies to earn more money
You need money fast: in a day or two
1. Redeem rewards you’ve accumulated
Sometimes, the easiest quick cash is the one you already have lying around. No, not the one under your sofa on in the back of your desk drawer, although it doesn’t hurt to check there.
We’re talking about money in the form of rewards: cash back from your credit cards, points, and frequent flier miles, for example. That’s real value you can redeem for cash or prizes you can sell.
If your credit card doesn’t reward you with cash back, you’re leaving money on the table. But you can make up for it. You’ll find that some cash back credit cards reward you with cash intro bonuses that can be as high as $300.
» Related: Compare cash back credit cards with a sign-up bonus.
2. Take a cash advance: few pros and a lot of cons
A cash advance is a service that most credit card companies offer. It sounds like you’re withdrawing cash from an ATM, except that you’re not. A cash advance is an expensive loan against your credit card limit.
It’s debt that you want to avoid if you can. In addition to the high interest rate, you’ll be hit with a fee. So a cash advance should be at the bottom of your list of ways to make money fast.
» See also: If you have good credit, the following credit card hack can help.
3. Sell your old tech
Do you have some old tech lying around? With Decluttr, it’s easy to get cash for your old technology, whether a cell phone, laptop or wearable tech.
Decluttr makes it easy to make money quickly. You’ll get paid through check, direct deposit or PayPal the day after they get your item. And they’ll pay for shipping. Selling is easy:
- Get a free, instant valuation
- Pack your item
- Ship your item for free
- Get your payment the next day
And if you have other items like CDs, DVD’s, games or books, you can sell them too. Their app makes it easy to scan your barcodes in a couple of taps.
4. Ditch your expensive mobile plan
If you’ve had your current cell phone plan for a while, chances are that you can cancel it penalty-free. And if you’re paying more than $15 / month, you could be pocketing big savings by switching to Tello.
This flexible US mobile carrier offers affordable customizable mobile plans to fit your needs.
And their ratings are stellar. Over 6,000 Trustpilot reviewers give them an average of 4.6 stars out of 5, which is excellent.
They have nationwide coverage, no fees whatsoever, no contracts and a generous referral program. So start with one of their cheaper plans to save more, and then change your deal once money is less tight.
» Related: Learn more with our Tello mobile review.
5. Sell your gift cards
If you have gift cards lying around, you can sell them in several legitimate places to make some cash fast. Do you have partially used gift cards? That’s not a problem. You can sell those too through Raise.
Selling gift cards online is simple and easy, and sites such as Raise offer seller protection and verify gift card balances.
Selling your gift cards will involve some simple steps:
- Select your gift card brand and balance
- Set the selling price
- Receive funds via PayPal or check
And you can usually sell your gift cards within a couple of days. Check out Raise, the largest online gift card marketplace, and sell your gift cards today.
You need money fast: within a week
6. Consider a personal loan
If you need $1,000 or more quickly, an unsecured personal loan can get you the money you need. Personal loans are amortizing debt, which means that when you finish making all of your monthly payments, the debt is paid off.
Their rates can be more attractive than those of most credit cards and their monthly payments may fit your budget better. You can get a personal loan with a bank, credit union or online lender.
And applying is simple. If you need more information, our complete guide to personal loans can help you.
» Related: You can find our top personal loan picks here.
7. Drive for Lyft
Picking up a side gig as a Lyft driver can help you make money fast. With Lyft, you can get your earnings instantly after every ride, making it easier to earn the money you need.
Since you want to make money quickly, a good initial strategy is to drive people on longer trips during busy times. This focus on time and distance can earn you more.
With Lyft, your riders are encouraged to tip, and those tips are 100% yours to keep. Earn quickly with Lyft.
8. List your belongings with Craigslist
If you run a quick inventory of valuables in your home, you’re bound to find some items you can sell for quick cash. Perhaps you have some spare tools, furniture or collectibles.
Craigslist is a good place to list your items. And with some exceptions, their postings are free.
Since Craigslist is organized into local sites for cities and US regions, your listing won’t have a national audience. Still, you won’t pay fees and you can negotiate with your buyer directly when selling your items.
9. Try pet sitting
If you like dogs, you can make money dog-sitting at home with the Rover app. With Rover, you’ll be able to choose your schedule, services, and rates.
After you join, the app will send you requests that fit your availability and the types of dogs you want to care for. You’ll get requests based on the information you provide when you sign up.
With Rover, you’ll make more money by caring for dogs overnight in your home, and there’s various other services you can provide too, such as dog walking, house-sitting or drop-ins.
Strategies to earn more money
10. Cut back your interest charges with a balance transfer
If you have good credit and are carrying credit card debt, you could be saving hundreds of dollars in interest with a balance transfer.
With a balance transfer, you move high interest balances to a new card with a low or zero percent introductory rate.
You’re still borrowing money, but at a lower rate. If your intro APR is zero, you won’t pay any interest on your transferred balance during its introductory period.
Our balance transfer credit card calculator will help you estimate your potential savings.
11. Earn cash through Pinecone
Pinecone Research is a trusted name in consumer research. They’re an online panel that will reward you for voicing your opinion on new products that haven’t hit the market.
As a Pinecone panelist, you’ll be compensated for every study you undertake. And you’ll be able to redeem your rewards for cash through PayPal.
Participation is simple. And you’ll receive an email notification when a new study is available. Check them out.
12. Get paid for installing the Nielsen app
The Nielsen Computer and Mobile panel will pay you up to $50 to download their secure app to your mobile device. The app is free. And it won’t slow your device’s performance.
Don’t worry. Nielsen is a global, legit company. Their TV ratings have been a trusted source of information for decades.
After installing their app, browse the internet and use your device as usual. Nothing else.
You get rewarded just for using the internet as you usually do. The app will aggregate information, but will do so anonymously to protect your privacy.
On top of the easy passive money, Nielsen gives away $10,000 each month through sweepstakes entries when you remain active in the panel.
13. Earn with paid online surveys
The following are several trusted online survey sites that will make you a few quick dollars here and there. If you’re consistent, the money will add up fast.
You won’t make a career out of it, but sometimes all you need is just a little extra cash.
- Survey Junkie. Survey Junkie is an online survey community rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by users in Trustpilot. Join Survey Junkie here.
- MyPoints. Get a $10 signup bonus as a new member. In this site, you’ll find several ways to earn including online surveys, clipping coupons and watching videos.
- Swagbucks. Grab a welcome bonus of $10 when you join Swagbucks. In addition to earning with surveys, you can earn by playing games and using them as your default search engine.
- Vindale Research. With Vindale, you’ll earn cash for taking surveys. They reward you for sharing feedback on products and brands.
- PrizeRebel. If you like gift cards, check out PrizeRebel. You’ll find different tasks to earn rewards, including online surveys.
14. Accumulate cash when you shop with Ibotta
Your everyday purchases, including grocery shopping, can be a reliable source of cash back with Ibotta. This app makes it easy to earn cash back in-store & online.
And did you know?
Last year, Ibotta gave over $186 million in cash and their highest Ibotta saver made thousands of dollars.
Earning is simple. Before you shop, add offers in the app. Then, shop and take a photo of your receipt. That’s it. Use PayPal to withdraw your cash.
Save and make some quick cash with Ibotta.
15. Trim your expenses
Think of Trim as a virtual assistant that saves you money month after month. This app can lower your bills effortlessly in several places.
Trim can negotiate down your cable, internet, and phone bills, for example. And it’s not just with a few providers. They can do it with any provider.
And Trim can lower your bill up to 30%. If money saved is money earned, that’s one fast way to earn more dollars.
Signing up for an account is free. If you feel like your monthly bills are a rip-off, check out Trim.
16. Sign up with Acorns and refer friends
Acorns is a micro investing app that lets you invest your spare change and grow it over time. If you’re new to investing, Acorns is a great way to start.
The app allows you to invest in stocks and bonds automatically. It does so by rounding up your everyday purchases and investing your spare change for you.
Let’s say you bought a sandwich for $6.50. The app would round up the purchase and transfer $0.50 to your Acorns account. Over time, your savings and investments will add up automatically.
When you join, you’ll receive a $5 bonus to help you get started. Their referral bonus is quite generous: as much as $250 for referring a few friends.
17. Earn cash back and refer others to Rakuten
Rakuten is a trusted online portal that offers you cash back, coupons and other deals when you shop their affiliated stores. They rebranded from Ebates to Rakuten in 2019.
Right now you can get a $10 cash bonus when you sign up. If you already shop online, why not earn cash back for the stuff you already buy? Invite friends to join, and you can make even more.
Rakuten’s referral program pays you $25 for every friend you refer. Those referrals are a good way to make money fast.
» Related: If you’d like to learn more, read our complete Rakuten review.
18. Become a Facebook ads specialist
Many businesses in your community aren’t sure how Facebook advertising works. As a Facebook ads specialist, you can show them how to do it and make money on the side quickly.
This is a legit opportunity you can pursue without a degree. And you don’t need to spend long hours to earn $1,000 fast.
Bobby Hoyt figured out how to be successful managing FB ads for others. You can learn how to do it too with his FB side hustle course.
Hoyt reports that you can make an extra $1,000 to $2,000 without any investment. Your main tools are free: a PayPal account, a Facebook profile and your email address.
But if you want to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge that worked for Bobby, check out his FB side hustle course.
19. Start a side hustle from home
The gig economy continues to transform how we work and it now represents a bigger slice of the American workforce.
If you pick up a side hustle, you’ll be able to build your cash reserves and perhaps even build an emergency fund.
Here are some additional ideas you can explore to make money:
- Get a legitimate work-from-home job
- Earn to test free products at home
- Start an online business
- Start a freelancing gig
- Become a tutor
There’s plenty of side hustles to earn money quick. With a little effort and desire, you can make it work for you and have extra money when you need it.
