Everyone has a moment in life when they need to get cash fast. An unexpected expense hits and you don’t have the cash to cover it. One moment everything is fine, then suddenly you find yourself saying, “I need money now!”
Even though it’s tempting to use a credit card or get a loan, that will only hurt your finances by causing debt.
Instead, try to earn the money you need. There are hundreds of ways to make quick money thanks to the gig economy and the internet.
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25 Legit Ways to Make Money Now
Do you need to make money today? Between apps and websites, there are tons of options available to help you fill your wallet if you’re falling behind on bills.
Here are 25 legitimate ways to get money fast.
1. Take Surveys with Survey Junkie
Many survey sites aren’t worth your time. Survey Junkie is different. You receive points every time you complete a survey. Each point is worth $0.01.
Payouts vary on the survey length and topic. Each survey pays between 100 and 300 points, but some pay up to 4,500. Once you reach 1,000 points, equal to $10, you can cash out via PayPal or gift card.
Learn more: Read our review of the paid survey site to learn how to maximize earnings.
2. Swagbucks: $5 Bonus
If you need money now, apps like Survey Junkie are a terrific way to get cash fast. However, they’re limited to paid surveys. Swagbucks is a survey site that also pays you to complete small tasks. These include:
- Playing games
- Using their search engine
- Using their shopping portal
- Watching videos
These aren’t labor-intensive tasks. They are things you might already be doing anyway. You can convert the points you earn into gift cards or cash paid out via PayPal.
Swagbucks also gives a $5 bonus for new users to help you start earning. You need to have $25 in your account to redeem earnings.
Learn more: Swagbucks Review
3. Deliver Meals for DoorDash
The on-demand delivery space is an excellent opportunity for people who need to get money today. DoorDash is a service similar to Postmates, but it focuses strictly on offering meal delivery from local restaurants.
Similar to Postmates, the sign-up process is simple. Once you fill out an application and pass a background check, you can start accepting deliveries.
You can deliver meals by car, scooter, or bike in some cities. Drivers can get paid $23 per hour while on a delivery, including tips.
*Related: Are you looking for legitimate same day pay jobs? Read our guide on jobs that let you earn cash quickly here to find the top opportunities.
Pay is weekly, but you can request Fast Pay to receive funds the next day for a $1.99 charge.
Learn more: Read our review to learn more about delivering for DoorDash
4. Rakuten: $10 Bonus
Want to get money back on your shopping? Rakuten is a site that lets you get cash back on most of your purchases.
When you shop through their portal, you receive a percentage back on your total purchase. This can be as little as four or five percent, but it’s possible to get up to 40 percent back.
If you do a lot of shopping online, your earnings will add up quickly.
Rakuten gives new users $10 when they open an account. You must make a $25 purchase to earn this bonus.
Learn more: Review of Rakuten
Get started: Sign-up for Rakuten
5. Acorns: $5 Bonus
Investing in the stock market may seem odd for people who need to get cash now, but Acorns gives you $5 when you open an account.
The micro-investing app rounds up purchases you make and invests the difference for you. For example, if you spend $4.01 on a gallon of milk, it takes the remaining $0.99 to invest on your behalf.
If you’re not desperate for money, why not use quick cash to grow your wealth? The app even has a program that lets you earn bonus investments if you shop with partners in their Found Money program.
Learn more: Acorns Review
Get started: Sign-up for Acorns
6. BuyBackWorld
One of the best ways to get cash fast is to sell old electronics. If you have old devices sitting around the house, you can turn those into money.
BuyBackWorld is one of the top choices to sell old electronics. The site buys various electronics, including:
- Phones
- Tablets
- Laptops
- Cameras
- Game consoles
- Gadgets such as Apple Watches and iPods
You can sell either Android or iOS-based devices. When you go to the site, you tell them which items you have to get an offer. If you accept their offer, they give you a prepaid shipping label to mail the devices.
*Related: Have a lot of old DVDs? Here are the best places to sell used DVDs and turn them into cash.*
You’ll receive payment via PayPal or check once they receive your items.
Learn more: Best places to sell used electronics for cash
Get started: Get a quote at BuyBackWorld
7. Dosh: $5 Bonus
A legitimate way to get free money fast is to use an app to earn cash rewards on all your shopping. Dosh is another service like Rakuten, but you receive funds quicker.
Once you link it to a credit or debit card, Dosh starts giving you up to ten percent cash back on your purchases.
Dosh gives new users a $5 bonus, though sometimes it’s $10. You can redeem your funds via PayPal once you reach $25.
Get started: Sign-up for Dosh
8. Shop for Groceries with Instacart
The on-demand space includes grocery shopping for people who may be busy or rather not leave their house. Similar to Postmates or DoorDash, you accept orders and then go to the store.
You create your own schedule and work when it’s best for you. Gig workers can earn up to $20 per hour with Instacart Shopper, including tips.
Instacart pays contractors weekly. However, if you need money today, you can transfer funds via Instant Deposit for $0.50.
Learn more: Instacart Shopper Review
9. Become a Tasker
Do you have handyman skills? Can you run errands for people near you? If so, you can become a Tasker.
Signing up for TaskRabbit means you can do anything from mounting a TV to shopping for groceries for customers.
You set your rate and hours. TaskRabbit handles all payments and you’ll receive payments weekly. While this is great for people who need recurring income, it may not be a good option if you need money now.
Learn more: 9 Apps Like TaskRabbit
Get started: Sign-up for TaskRabbit
10. Deliver for Shipt
Instacart Shopper is a big player in the grocery delivery space, but Shipt Shopper is a legitimate alternative to earn money.
Shipt works similar to Instacart for grocery delivery. You accept orders, do the shopping, and deliver items to customers.
The one big difference is you can earn more with Shipt.
Both services average around $18 per hour. With Shipt, you can earn up to $22 per hour once you complete your 100th delivery.
Payouts are processed weekly, but you can request Instant Deposit to receive funds the next day.
Learn more: Shipt Shopper Review
11. Ibotta: $5 Bonus
The last thing you might think of to make money today is going shopping. However, with Ibotta you can earn rebates on your normal grocery shopping. The best part is you don’t have to clip coupons.
Just download the app and start claiming offers when you’re shopping. The service works at most grocery stores. You can also use Ibotta at over 350 online retailers.
The app gives new users $5 after uploading your first receipt. You can redeem earnings via PayPal or gift card once you reach $20.
Learn more: Ibotta Review
12. Pinecone Research: $3 Bonus
Pinecone Research is a little different than other survey opportunities. It’s available by invite only or through our site.
Additionally, you don’t need to wait to redeem funds. The service has no minimum amount to meet before withdrawing payouts.
Pinecone offers both paid surveys as well as product sampling opportunities, which pay a bit more. Every 100 points equals $1. The site gives you 300 points, or $3, when you open an account.
You can redeem earnings via cash or gift card.
Learn more: Pinecone Research Review
13. Babysit Kids in Your Neighborhood
Babysitting is one of the best ways to make money fast since parents typically pay you in cash immediately after you’re done with the assignment.
There are many ways to get babysitting gigs in your area. Below are a few groups of people who need babysitters:
- Co-workers
- Family
- Friends
- Neighbors
You can advertise your services on Facebook or the Nextdoor app. Let neighbors know you’re looking for gigs and ask previous clients to recommend you on either site.
Depending on where you live and how many kids you watch, this is an easy way to earn $12+ per hour.
Get started: Sign-up for Nextdoor
14. Deliver Items for Postmates
People who need quick cash may face a more pressing issue of needing to supplement their income. If this describes you, delivering items for Postmates is a terrific option.
Postmates is an on-demand app that offers delivery jobs to help people work in their free time. You can deliver numerous things, including:
- Meals from local restaurants
- Alcohol
- Groceries
- Dry cleaning
If you don’t have a car, some cities allow you to deliver by scooter, bike, or foot. You can earn up to $25 per hour, including tips. Pay is weekly, but you can request Instant Deposit to receive funds the next day.
Learn more: Postmates Driver Review
15. Rent a Room
A spare bedroom in your house is an excellent income resource. You can rent it out through Airbnb.
Airbnb lets you rent out part or all of your house to travelers. You can even rent out the couch in your living room if you live in a high demand city.
Travelers may be on a work trip or traveling for pleasure and want to stay somewhere that feels more “homey” as opposed to a hotel.
There are a variety of factors that dictate how much you can make renting your room or house through Airbnb. The biggest contributor is where you live. The higher the demand for your location, the more you can charge.
You can also charge more if you offer certain amenities. If you can think outside the box, renting a room or a property through Airbnb is a great way to make fast money.
Learn more: Airbnb Host Checklist
Get started: Sign-up to rent a room on Airbnb
16. Walk Dogs
Do you love dogs? If so, you can serve their needs and make quick cash.
Thanks to the gig economy, there are apps that pay you to walk and/or board dogs. Rover is a popular app that lets you find clients for dog walking, grooming, and boarding.
You can make upwards of $20 per hour for simply walking a dog and $50+ for an overnight stay. The top providers earn $1,000+ per month and payouts are processed weekly.
Learn more: 10 Best Dog Walking Apps
Get started: Sign-up for Rover
17. Negotiate a Bill
One of the best ways to get money today is to negotiate a bill to get a lower price.
*Related: Need to buy a money order? Here are the best places to buy money orders near me for cheap.
Cutting expenses is a terrific way to get money fast because it instantly frees up money to apply toward other areas of your budget. Unfortunately, negotiation requires you to call service providers.
Luckily, there is now an app for that.
BillFixers is a service that securely connects to your financial accounts to analyze your expenses. As it notices recurring charges, it works to negotiate a lower price for the service.
They will also continue monitoring your bills to help you save even more money in the future. If the app secures savings, it keeps half of the amount saved in the first year and you keep the rest.
Get started: Sign-up for BillFixers
18. Pick Up Gigs on Fiverr
Freelance work is one of the best ways to earn extra money. You don’t necessarily get the money the same day you do the work, but it is a good way to supplement your income.
Fiverr is a great resource to find freelance gigs. You earn $5 per gig and can do anything from writing a thank you note for someone to designing a landing page and everything in between.
While $5 is not much, income opportunities increase with add-ons.
You must wait 14 days for payments to clear once you complete a gig. This won’t get you money quickly, but it can be a good source of revenue over time. Fiverr pays out via check, Direct Deposit, and PayPal.
Get started: Sign-up with Fiverr
19. Donate Plasma
Donating plasma is an age-old way to make money today. I sold plasma while dealing with debt to increase my payments.
Selling plasma for cash is legit. You can typically donate plasma two or three times per week depending on your weight and what’s in need.
Most centers pay at least $30 per donation. In some cases, you can make up to $50. You can even donate plasma during the pandemic as centers are still in need.
If you have free time, this is a legitimate way to earn several hundred dollars per month.
Learn more: How to Make Money Donating Plasma
20. Cash in Credit Card Rewards
If you use cash back credit cards, check yours to see how many points you have available.
You receive more value redeeming for travel, but cash rewards can be helpful. How redemptions are handled depends on the card.
Some send out a check or give a statement credit. Others provide gift cards to retailers.
21. Sell Old Clothes
Many people have clothes they don’t wear. Instead of letting your old clothes take up space in your closet, turn them into cash.
Numerous online consignment stores let you sell used clothes for cash.
eBay is a popular site to sell clothes. There are others, like Poshmark or Plato’s Closet, that charge lower fees. You can even use Facebook Marketplace if you want to sell locally.
Learn more: 11 Best Auction Sites Like eBay
22. Pawn Something You Don’t Want
Sometimes things are desperate and you need to get cash fast. If you’re in a tight spot and have something you can sell, consider taking it to a pawn shop.
Make sure not to pawn items that have sentimental value. For example, I pawned my high school class ring while paying off debt and now wish that I would’ve chosen something else.
Other things, like appliances, are good things to pawn or sell for quick money.
Learn more: How to Sell Used Appliances for Cash
23. Ask Your Boss for a Raise
You may want to ask your boss for an advance if you need money ASAP. However, that will only delay the inevitable with your current financial problem – especially if it’s debt related.
Instead, ask for a raise. Not only will this help you immediately, but it will also directly impact all your future paychecks. Just make sure to have a good argument for why you deserve it.
24. Redeem Coins for Cash
Many people have a jar or two in their house that’s full of change. If you fall into this category, now is the time to cash in on those coins.
Take your coins to the bank or a Coinstar machine to convert them into cash.
Learn more: Where to Change Coins Into Cash
25. Return Items You Just Bought But Don’t Need
Do you have a new piece of clothing you haven’t worn yet? Do you have a new book you want to read but don’t have the time? Did you make an impulse buy you are now regretting?
Take those items back to the store, assuming they take returns, to get your money back.
I Need Money Today FAQs
Here are some common questions people have when trying to get money today.
How can I get money fast without a loan?
If you need money now, loans are tempting but can often make the situation worse. Additionally, earned wage apps are something to avoid.
You can make several hundred dollars in a week with the right hustle.
It’s best to pick something like delivery jobs. These offer weekly or daily pay and the ability to earn tips.
How can I make $100 a day?
Many of the choices on our list allow you to earn $100 a day. Keep in mind this usually needs to be through a service like TaskRabbit or Postmates.
Surveys and apps that give you cash back on your purchases will not allow you to earn that much in a day. Read our guide here to learn the apps that are worth your time and effort.
Can I get free money?
Free money is great, but it’s difficult to find. Several of the apps on our list let you earn free money, but they may require an action on your part.
Instead of focusing on finding free money, use a side hustle app to truly increase your income.
Summary
It’s easy to get stressed if you need money right now. Having a surprise bill to pay increases that stress. Once you get the cash you need, it’s a good idea to analyze your finances.
Consider why you’re in a pinch. Look for ways to save money and grow your emergency savings. If you find that you need to supplement your income, choose one of the above side gigs to make ends meet.
What are some other legit ways to make money quickly? What’s one thing you wouldn’t do to make money?
*Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.
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