Cash in a Hurry: 35 Ways to Make Money Fast

Searching for ways to boost your income fast? Your quest ends here! In this comprehensive manual, we unveil 35 tried-and-true methods to rapidly increase your cash flow.

Whether you’re aiming to eliminate debt, cover your rent, fund your dream vacation, or simply bolster your discretionary income, these tactics are specifically tailored to expedite your financial aspirations.

From side hustles and online opportunities to investments and savvy money-saving advice, we’ve got all the bases covered. We recognize that time is of the essence, so we’ve meticulously selected only the most effective and time-efficient approaches, all verified by countless individuals.

Prepare to unearth the blueprints for on-demand income generation. Whether you’re a student, a stay-at-home parent, or a dedicated full-time worker, this all-encompassing guide has something valuable for everyone.

Selecting the Ideal Method for Money-Making.

When aiming for quick money-making, it’s crucial to opt for a method that suits your skills, resources, and available time. To assist you in making a well-informed choice, here are some steps to follow:

• Self-assess your skills and passions: Begin by taking inventory of your abilities, talents, and interests. Identifying your strengths and the activities you enjoy can help you streamline your choices to those that align best with you.
  
• Gauge your time availability: Factor in the amount of time you can commit to your money-making pursuit. Some approaches necessitate only a small time investment, while others may require more extensive time commitments.
  
• Investigate potential income: Explore the earnings potential associated with each method. While certain options may yield rapid returns, others may necessitate patience before substantial income materializes.
  
• Maintain a sense of realism: Although the objective is swift wealth accumulation, it’s vital to establish practical expectations. Steer clear of falling for “get-rich-quick” promises that appear too good to be true.

Don’t Get Scammed.

Prior to exploring valid methods for rapid income generation, it’s imperative to confront the matter of fraudulent activities. While seeking swift financial gains, numerous individuals become victims of deceitful schemes that pledge instant wealth but ultimately lead to disillusionment and monetary setbacks.

Here are some warning signs to be careful of:

• Unrealistic promises: If something says you can get rich super fast or make lots of money with hardly any work, it’s probably not real.
  
• Paying upfront: Be careful if you have to pay money before you can start making money.
  
• Not telling you everything: Legit ways to make money should be clear about how they work, how much you can earn, and what risks there are.
  
• Feeling rushed: Scammers might try to make you decide really quickly. Real opportunities will let you take your time to think.
  
• No proof it works: Look for reviews or stories from real people who made money with it. If you can’t find any proof, be cautious.
  

Just remember, if something seems too good to be true, it’s probably not true. Trust your gut feeling and do lots of research before you give any money-making idea a try.

Click on the individual items to see the details below this chart.

Make Money Fast Online

1. Sell Your Old Movies, CDs and Video Games

Potential earnings: About 60 cents per item

How quickly you get paid: You’ll get paid pretty quickly – usually within a day or two after Decluttr gets your stuff. Plus, they cover the cost of shipping.

If you have old movies, CDs, or other stuff you don’t need, you can make money with Decluttr. They buy things like CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, video games, cell phones, tablets, game consoles, and iPods. It’s one of the easiest and best ways to make money on the internet.

All you have to do is download the app and scan the barcodes on your things to see how much they’ll pay you. Using it won’t cost you anything – there are no fees for listing or selling.

2. Sell Your Clothes

Potential earnings: $5 to $25 an item on average

How quickly you get paid: Most websites give you the money when someone buys your stuff or when the person gets it. Stores that sell things for you usually pay you when they sell your item, but some give you money upfront.

Now, check out your closet. If there’s anything with price tags still on it, see if you can return it. You haven’t worn it, so why keep it?

Next, look at your clothes again. When was the last time you wore that blouse? Or those fancy shoes?

Collect a bunch of clothes and start taking pictures of each one on a hanger. Or, you can ask your friends to model the clothes for you. Then, sell your clothes online to people who want to buy nice, used clothes and save some money.

Here are five websites where you can sell your clothes online quickly. If you like selling in person, local shops that resell good-condition, in-season clothes are a great option too. I’ll also tell you about six physical stores where you can sell your used clothes.

If you often tidy up your closet or discover good bargains in thrift stores that are still in good condition, selling clothes online could be similar to running your own internet business and give you a nice extra income.

3. Sell Your Unused Gift Cards

Potential earnings: 85% of the card’s value

How quickly you get paid: Usually within a few days

Don’t hold onto a gift card if you know you won’t use it – trade it for quick cash instead.

Here are five websites that will purchase your gift cards.

You can also find a physical store where you can exchange your gift card through Cardpool.

Search for Cardpool’s cashier-helped and kiosk locations. Make sure to check the rules and limits for each location. For instance, you might be able to swap your Starbucks gift card for a Target gift card at some places.

4. Sell Your Old College Textbooks

Potential earnings: $10 to $100

How quickly you get paid:  It can vary. If you find a buyer in person, it could be immediate. Online, it usually takes two to four days.

We know you probably still have some old textbooks lying around in your closet or on your bookshelf. Wipe off the dust and check if they’re valuable.

You can use BookScouter to find out how much your books are worth. It’ll recommend the best place online to sell them. But if you want to make extra money by the end of the day, you can list them on eBay, Letgo, OfferUp, or Craigslist.

Just so you know, they might not sell right away, but at least you can start the process of selling them.

5. Flip a Craigslist Freebie

Potential earnings: Varies

Craigslist has a lot of free stuff available. Go to the “Free” section and see what you can get – it could be clothes, furniture, or appliances.

Once you get something for free, you can sell it to make some extra money. If you need the money quickly, you can offer a low price and set your listing to “buy it now.”

Remember, since you got it for free, this is a way to make money without taking any risks.

6. Sell Household Items You Don’t Use

Potential earnings: Varies

How quickly you get paid: CurbFlip pays you right away for each transaction, while SpotHero pays you one big amount 10 days after the month ends.

If you have a driveway or a parking space in a lot or garage that you don’t need, you can make extra money by renting it out. This works especially well if you live in a busy city or a popular tourist area. Just make sure your city and your landlord (if you rent) allow it.

Think of it like how Airbnb connects renters with places to stay for a night. There are now apps that connect drivers with people who have parking spaces to share. It’s a way to earn money without having to work a part-time job. You can rent out your parking spot for a day or a whole month.

You’ll make more money if your parking spot is close to places like sports arenas, college campuses, the beach, or other popular attractions.

SpotHero is available in 120 cities all over the country. Prices range from $70 a month in Jackson, Mississippi, to $530 a month in New York City. The person who owns the parking space usually gets about 80 percent of the money.

CurbFlip has over 600 parking spots listed in the United States. You can find spaces for as low as $15 a day, like one near the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Florida, or as high as $250 a month for a commercial garage space in Jersey City, New Jersey. CurbFlip says more than 10,000 drivers from around the world visit their site every day to find parking spots.

8. Complete Micro Gigs

Potential earnings: $6 to $12

How quickly you get paid: People who need work done will send you money through your MTurk or Clickworker account, and you can take your earnings out either every week or every month.

You can find fast online jobs on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) or Clickworker.

These places connect you with people and businesses that need help with small jobs like writing, checking work, answering surveys, or entering data. Some businesses choose to pay freelancers instead of hiring a full-time worker to save money.

Usually, the pay isn’t high, but the jobs are quick. You can finish many of them in just a few hours, and they don’t require special skills.

9. Create YouTube Content

Potential earnings: As low as $3 a subscriber, up to $120,000 a year for 100,000 subscribers

How quickly you get paid:

It might take a few months unless you become really popular. You’ll need to have 20,000 people watch one of your videos to make $100. You have to make at least $100 before YouTube pays you.

Do you like watching YouTubers? Well, you can also use YouTube to make some money.

Making money from a YouTube channel is a way for people like creators, business owners, freelancers, and teachers to grow their audience and brand while creating new income sources.

If you work hard on your YouTube channel for a short time, it can keep making you money for many years, even if you don’t post videos as often.

You can make content and gather an audience about almost anything – like travel, web design, or toy reviews – and find creative ways to make money from it. It could help you pay for trips, get new clients, get free stuff, and yes, make real money.

Depending on how many subscribers you have, you can earn money by sharing ad income with YouTube, charging your subscribers, and getting free products.

10. Create TikTok Content

Potential earnings: A few pennies per 1,000 views can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars

How quickly you get paid: Unless you become super popular, it’ll take a few months to make around $50.

You don’t need to be a Hollywood star or even have a fancy photo to earn money by entertaining people. TikTok is like the wild west where you can get noticed by an audience for your special skills. Whether it’s kids unwrapping toys, vegan chefs cooking tasty meals, or singers and skateboarders, people on TikTok are making millions of dollars every year.

Companies might pay you anywhere from $200 to $20,000 for a video that promotes their brand. How much you get depends on how many people follow you. When your videos get more than 100,000 views each, you can join TikTok’s Creator Fund and start earning a little money for every 1,000 views. It can add up, but you need a lot of views.

11. Online Focus Groups

Potential earnings: From $20 to as much as $600 per hour

How quickly you get paid: Usually, you get paid right away.

Being part of focus groups can be a good way to make extra money when you think about how much you earn per hour. You get to be part of a company’s research and your opinions become really important to them.

Nowadays, you don’t even have to go to a physical place to take part in paid focus groups. Even during the pandemic and beyond, you can use online platforms for focus groups to earn money just by sharing your honest thoughts.

If you want to know more about how to join, here’s some extra information.

12. Have A Yard Sale

Potential earnings: $50 to $250 on average

How quickly you get paid: Immediate

Join forces with your family or neighbors, clean out your closets and sheds, and have a yard or garage sale on the weekend to tidy up and earn some extra cash.

Here are some tips to make your garage sale successful:

1. Give it a theme or a few themes, like sports, gardening tools, or outdoor gear, to make it stand out.
2. Plan it at times when there’s lots of activity in your neighborhood, like during commutes or local events.
3. Tell people about it through flyers, Craigslist, Facebook, and local notice boards.
4. Put up big, colorful signs around your area to attract people.
5. Get more small bills for change than you think you’ll need.
6. Items that clearly show their prices sell better.
7. Be ready for what buyers might need, like a mirror for trying on jewelry or an outlet to test power tools.
8. Organize it like a store, with tables, racks, and sections for different kinds of things. Put the more expensive items near the road.
9. Sell stuff for 10% to 25% of what they cost originally, and offer half off near the end of the sale.
10. Play music and offer snacks to keep shoppers around.

13. Sell Your Old Phone

Potential earnings: $30 to $100

You can also recycle your device, like an iPhone, Android, tablet, or mp3 player, at a special machine called EcoATM. When you do this, you can get some money in return. First, put your phone’s details into their tool to see how much it’s worth. Then, find a machine close to you, usually at a mall or Walmart.

Depending on how good your device is, you could make some quick money. For example, if you have an iPhone X with 64GB of storage that’s still in pretty good shape, you could get $65 for it. But if you have a newer tablet, you might get over $100.

14. Sell Your Gold and Silver

Potential earnings: Depends on daily value of gold and silver.

How quickly you get paid: Immediately.

If you want money today, search through your closet carefully. Think about those special gold and silver coins your grandpa gave you, or maybe there’s an old piece of jewelry from an ex-partner. You can trade these things for quick money.

15. Ask for Help

Peer to Peer:

Donations you might get: Most people donate around $5 to $10, but it can add up to hundreds.

How quickly you can get it: You might get it in an hour or a few days.

Leveler is a service that lets people with stable jobs share money with people who need it. When you’re in a tight spot and need money quickly, you can sign up, and you might get donations through PayPal or Venmo without any fees.

Grants:

Possible donations: From $750 to $1,250

How quickly you can get it: It depends on how fast the organization reviews your application, so make sure all your documents are accurate and up-to-date.

You can ask for an emergency grant from these organizations:

• Modest Needs makes small one-time grants to help you cover your bills.
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides Emergency Solutions Grants to people experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis.
•  211 helps you find resources to cover essential needs. Call 2-1-1 or visit 211.org.

16. Apply for Unemployment

Potential earnings: $180 to $800 a week, depending on your state

How quickly you get paid: 

During the pandemic, the government added a lot of money to the unemployment benefits program because many people lost their jobs. Besides the usual weekly payments from each state, the government also made new programs and increased the amount of help available for people who didn’t usually qualify, like independent workers.

Some of these programs are no longer available, and the amount of help you can get depends on how your state used the extra federal money. But in some situations, you can ask for money from the past. It can take a while to apply for unemployment benefits, but it can give you some financial relief while you look for a more stable job.

17. Become an Extra on a TV Show or Movie

Potential earnings: $100 a day

How quickly you get paid: Four to six weeks

Every week, TV shows and movies look for people to be extras in big cities like Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. But even in smaller places like Cleveland or Seattle, you can earn money just by being in the background of a TV scene.

You don’t need to be an actor to be an extra, you just need a free day. Look for talent agencies in your area that have experience finding people for commercials, TV shows, or movies. Sign up with one of these agencies, and they’ll let you know if there’s a role you could fit. They shouldn’t charge you to sign up, but they might ask for some money if you need a headshot. If you get a job, the agency will take a part of your pay.

18. Participate in Research

Potential earnings: $10 per 30-minute activity.

How quickly you get paid: Can be immediate.

We’re aware that taking part in paid medical studies can be a straightforward way to make a lot of money, although sometimes they can be a bit intrusive or risky. But you can also earn some quick money by getting involved in academic research that’s less invasive and doesn’t take up as much time.

If you live close to a university or another place where research happens, keep an eye out for chances to be part of a research project.

For instance, university departments like psychology or political science often need people to answer questions or have a chat with a researcher.

19. Find Someone Who Needs Your Skills

Potential earnings: $10 and up

How quickly you get paid: You can get paid right away if it’s a local job, or within a month if you find work online.

People are always looking for help, whether it’s for things like taking care of their yard, moving, or fixing something.

You can offer your services on Craigslist in the “Gigs” section. The pay and tasks might be different each time, but it’s worth putting up an ad because you have nothing to lose. You can also reach a wider audience by making a profile on gig platforms like TaskRabbit, Fiverr, and other apps that specialize in different types of services.

And don’t forget about your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors – they might need your help too!

20. Babysit

Potential earnings: $17 an hour is the average hourly rate.

How quickly you get paid: Babysitting is a traditional way to earn some extra money, and you usually get paid in cash right after the job.

You can let your friends, neighbors, and coworkers know that you’re willing to look after their kids. It’s a straightforward way to start making money as soon as this week. You can also tell more people about your babysitting services by putting up ads on Care.com, which will help you reach a wider audience in your area.

21. Pet Sit

Potential earnings: $25 an hour for a walk to $60 for an overnight

How quickly you get paid: One to four days.

Pet sitters give pet owners a sense of relief by taking care of their animals when they’re not around. They can do things like take the pets for a walk during the day, stay at the owner’s home overnight, or have the pets stay at their own place. Many apps can help you find pet-sitting jobs, but you might not get paid right away. Look into websites like Care.com, Rover, and Meowtel.

If you don’t want to wait for your money through these apps, you can offer your pet-sitting services to your family, friends, or neighbors. You can tell people on a local Facebook group or put up an ad on Craigslist.

22. Sell Your Plasma

Potential earnings: From $20 for two hours to $75 an hour.

How quickly you get paid: Usually on the spot.

No, you won’t want to donate your plasma all the time, but if you really need money today, it’s something you can do that’s both helpful and can earn you some cash.

You should search for places that accept plasma donations close to where you live. Make sure to check all the details.

We found a center near us that’s approved by the International Quality Plasma Program, and it says first-time donors can earn up to $400.

23. Donate Blood

Potential earnings: $20 to $30 in gift cards per donation

How quickly you get paid: Immediately.

You can visit one of those big red buses you often see outside a restaurant or Walmart, or you can contact the Red Cross to find a blood drive happening close to where you are. They’ll usually give you “thank you gifts” which can be a gift card worth at least $20, and sometimes even two gift cards adding up to $30. These aren’t actual cash, but you can use them to buy groceries or eat out, which means you’ll have more cash left because you won’t need to spend it.

Once you register as a blood donor, you might receive text messages telling you about the next blood drive. Typically, you can give blood about every three months.

24. Clean Houses and Assemble Furniture

Potential earnings: $20 to $50 an hour

How quickly you get paid: Immediately.

Put your organized and detail-oriented personality to good use and make money by cleaning homes and offices, and becoming an expert at assembling IKEA furniture.

Amazon Home Services allows you to offer services like house cleaning and furniture assembly, as well as skilled services like plumbing and electrical work, as long as you have the right certification and insurance. You can also advertise your services on websites like Care.com and Thumbtack.com. Here are some estimated prices from Thumbtack:

• Cleaning a 1-bedroom home: $110
• Cleaning a 2-bedroom home: $126
• Cleaning a 3-bedroom home: $143

You can also promote yourself through your own website. Create a simple website using services like Wix or Squarespace to explain what you offer and how much you charge. Use keywords that will help people in your area find you when they search on Google, like “house cleaning in [your town]” or “[your town] furniture assembly.”

25. Have a Car Wash

Potential earnings: Folks will pay $10 to $20 a car. (Ask for donations, don’t set a price.)

How quickly you get paid: Immediately

This is an idea that’s often used for fundraising, but you can use it to make money fast as well. Gather a few friends and create a car-washing spot in your neighborhood to earn some extra cash.

To attract customers:

1. Advertise the event on Facebook, especially in local groups.
2. Put up big signs in the area leading to the car wash so that drivers can easily find it.
3. Play music and offer drinks to keep drivers entertained while you clean their cars.
4. Have a cordless vacuum to clean the inside of the cars as well.

26. Turn Designs Into Swag

Potential earnings: 50 cents and up

How quickly you get paid: It can take months based on the popularity of your design.

If you enjoy designing or drawing, you can create products to sell online and set your own schedule. With Merch by Amazon, you can upload your design, choose T-shirt styles and colors to print it on, and list your T-shirts for sale on Amazon as if you had your own online store. It won’t make you money overnight, but if you get approved by the vendor and people like your style, you can earn money over a few months.

The best part is, you don’t have to invest money upfront. Amazon prints T-shirts as orders come in and pays you between 13% and 37% of your sale price, depending on how much you charge.

Amazon is a popular choice because lots of people visit the site every day. However, some creators prefer other services that offer better royalties or more product options. Here are some other places to consider:

• CafePress: You can put your design on shirts, baby clothes, mugs, hats, bags, pillows, stickers, phone cases, and more. CafePress covers the base price (the cost of making a product) plus 5% to 10% if it’s sold through the CafePress marketplace, and you earn any extra money you add to the list price.
• Design By Humans: Create shirts, prints, mugs, phone cases, and stickers and set up a store using the platform. You earn a set amount for each product you sell, ranging from $0.50 for stickers to $8 for a big framed print.
• Redbubble: Sell T-shirts, posters, phone cases, mugs, prints, and more. Redbubble has a base price for each item, and you earn any extra money you charge.

If you have some money to invest, you can boost your earnings by promoting your designs through social media ads. Don’t forget to share your work on your personal social media accounts as well.

27. Sell Stock Photos

Potential earnings: $5 to $100 per photo

How quickly you get paid: You must accrue $25 to $100 in royalties depending on the site.

Whether you’re new to photography with an iPhone or enjoy taking pictures as a hobby with a DSLR camera, you can easily sell your photos online through various websites.

Take a look at the photos you’ve taken with your iPhone, pick out the best ones, and list them on Foap, which is like a marketplace for photos. When someone buys your photo, you’ll get half of the price, and Foap takes the other half. Most photos sell for $10.

If you’re a skilled photographer with a good camera, you can make more money by using microstock websites. These websites host and sell stock photos. Some well-known companies in this field include iStock, Shutterstock, and Getty Images.

Here are some tips:

1. Make your photos as general or universal as possible.
2. Avoid including any visible logos or brand names.
3. Describe your photos with relevant keywords when listing them on microstock websites.

28. Be a Virtual Busker

Potential earnings: You set your price!

How quickly you get paid: When something sells, or people donate you get money directly.

Performing on the streets with your art, guitar, or a creative costume is a well-known way to quickly make money for your talents. Have you ever thought about doing something similar online?

You can share your art on social media and receive contributions using payment apps like PayPal, Venmo, or Cash. Here are some ideas:

Drawing or design: Offer to create caricatures of your friends and followers.

Performance: You can do acts like dancing, comedy, reciting, or magic live on platforms like Facebook or Instagram, and provide a link for people to give you contributions.

Writing: Share your stories on a blog and include a PayPal link for supporters. Alternatively, you can put your work behind a paywall using a subscription service like Patreon or Substack.

Music: Consider offering to write songs or jingles for your friends and followers.

29. Sell Baked Goods or Other Culinary Specialties

Potential earnings: $200 to $400 a month

How quickly you get paid: Upon delivery

Do you have a delicious banana bread recipe or a special talent for decorating cupcakes? Instead of just receiving compliments, you can actually make money from it.

In certain states, you can sell homemade baked goods without needing a permit or license. Tell your friends, coworkers, and neighbors that you’re ready to take orders, and make custom treats to ensure you’re paid for your effort and ingredients.

Promote your products on Instagram, Facebook, Craigslist, with flyers, and on a website you create yourself.

30. Pick Up Freelance Gigs

Potential earnings: $25 to $50 an hour

How quickly you get paid: Within a week to a month

You can quickly find freelance writing, design, and virtual assistant jobs on websites that connect you with people looking for affordable services. The best part is, you can choose your own work hours.

Here’s how you can get started:

1. Create a profile showcasing your writing, design, editing, and development skills on these freelancing websites:

• Upwork, which is the largest freelance platform globally.
• Fiverr, which offers opportunities in various fields like marketing, writing, graphic design, and video.
• Freelancer, where both workers and employers can list their services and hourly rates.
• Gigster, an on-demand software development platform for designers, developers, and product managers.
• Guru, where freelancers can bid on projects, and employers can also reach out directly to freelancers.
• nDash, a platform for freelance writers.
• PeoplePerHour, which covers work in web design, SEO, writing, and more.
• TopTal, designed for developers and project managers.

You can take on freelance work whenever you need quick money or turn it into a more substantial side gig. Consider creating your own website and promoting your services on social media to expand your freelance business further.

31. InboxDollars

• Get paid for everyday online activities that provide input to partner brands.
• Receive a $5 bonus when you sign up.
• Earn money by taking online surveys, watching videos, or shopping with affiliated brands.
• Surveys typically pay between $0.50 and $5 and take less than 30 minutes.
• Cash out once you reach $30.

32. MyPoints

• Collect online survey opportunities and receive gift cards for major retailers.
• Get a $5 bonus after completing five surveys.
• Earn points for attempting or completing surveys.
• Most surveys give you less than 100 points, but some offer up to 400 points.
• For reference, 480 points can get you a $3 Amazon gift card.

33. CashKarma

• A survey app where you can earn extra cash by completing surveys, watching videos, and more.
• It directs you to third-party surveys.
• Cash out once you earn 6,000 points, equivalent to a $5 Amazon gift card, or choose gift cards to major retailers.

34. Ipsos i-Say

• Ipsos conducts surveys on various topics, including customer opinions on brands and entertainment.
• Earn points for each survey.
• Cash out once you reach 500 points, equivalent to $5.
• Choose to cash out via PayPal or receive gift cards to major retailers.

35. Survey Junkie

• Survey Junkie Matches you with online survey opportunities based on your profile.
• Earn points redeemable through PayPal, Dwolla, or gift cards.
• Get a bonus of 75 points for creating an account.
• Earn between 20 and 200 points per survey, with each point worth about a penny (surveys earn you 2 cents to $2).