How often do you find yourself in desperate need of cash? We all go encounter financial trouble from time to time, but for some of us, it is a recurring problem.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could manage our finances effectively? Then we won’t have to turn to quick fixes when we are squeezed for money. A solid financial plan with budgeting, savings, and investment always wins the day.
Yet if you’re in a bind and need some fast ways to make cash, here are 12 ways to make money now, increase your income, and help you build an emergency fund. Let’s make some quick bucks.
I Need Money Now – 12 Ways to Make Quick Cash
1. Participate in Online Surveys
Online surveys are a popular side hustle to make cash online.
It may not make you rich, but you’re sure to earn a couple of bucks if you fill in surveys. Not only that, many surveys offer gift cards and other bonuses!
Be aware of scams though. Some shady websites and services reel you in with promises of thousands of dollars and gifts. Go to sites like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie for authentic surveys.
With Swagbucks, you have the option to do a lot more than just filling surveys. You can also get paid for:
- Shopping
- Watching videos
- Playing games
- Just browsing the web
Since Swagbucks is a reward program website, you can earn PayPal cash or gift cards. Many users have reportedly earned $50-$100 a month by doing different activities. You’ll be swinging by the ATM in no time to withdraw your earnings!
2. Flip Items to Earn Money
When you flip items, you make some quick cash and declutter your home.
It just means selling items you own on an online marketplace. Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace are some common examples.
If you have money problems or need fast cash, this may be a good option. These sites let you list items on their website at no upfront cost. All you need is a phone/computer and a stable internet connection.
Pro-tip: take a notebook and list things you might want to part with. You’d be surprised by how many things you don’t need when you start looking.
Just get in touch with your inner Marie Kondo and sell those things that don’t spark joy in you anymore!
3. Join Uber or Lyft
Driving for Uber or Lyft is one of the quickest ways to get money. Many people drive as a full-time or part-time job. All you need to get started is to own a car. Both Uber and Lyft let you choose your schedules: you can clock in and out whenever you want. Besides that, you can also work whichever days you want.
Driving for Uber or Lyft frees you from having to sit in an office from 9-5, and you get same-day funds. You can also meet interesting, new people from diverse cultures, improve your conversation skills, and boost your confidence.
4. Babysit if You Need Money Now
Loving parents sometimes need a break from their kids. As a babysitter, you’ll be there to free up parents for their night out.
You can become a babysitter or a childcare provider in a few simple steps. One of the best places to look for these jobs is Care.com. If you need cash-in-hand and are good with kids, check out this website.
You can babysit as a one-time gig or fill in morning duty to help parents with their kids in return for cash with this service.
5. Earn Through Airbnb
Airbnb is one of the most trusted and reliable ways to create extra revenue. We all love booking a room or apartment on Airbnb when vacationing, but you can also rent out part of your home on Airbnb to earn decent money.
Did you know renting out your extra room on Airbnb can earn you more than renting it to a roommate? So if you were considering getting a roommate, reconsider that idea and rent on Airbnb instead!
If you’re concerned about having strangers in your home, don’t be. Airbnb has numerous steps in place to keep you and your space safe. Check out their guidelines.
6. Get a Roommate
Renting on Airbnb isn’t always the better option. Many people don’t want to deal with the constant hassle of people renting their space and the clean-up after people leave.
If you need emergency cash now, getting a roommate isn’t the fastest option, but it’s one of the most stable.
You’ll be getting a steady stream of income each month, and for all you extroverts, you won’t feel alone in your homes. Introverts may want to establish clear boundaries before renting.
You can list your house or apartment in many places. Facebook Marketplace is one. Getting a roommate is a fantastic frugal living tip if you’re looking to make a steady income every month.
7. Run Errands on TaskRabbit
With TaskRabbit, people make money from running errands. Everyone needs an extra hand occasionally, and this is where you come in.
Here are some errands you can run on TaskRabbit:
- Assist elderly people to pay medical bills
- Get stuff for tired parents
- Help out busy entrepreneurs by doing grocery runs
- Lift heavy furniture for homeowners
Check out the different tasks here.
8. Apply for Quick Loans
The fastest way to get cash today is undoubtedly to apply for a loan. Bear in mind you will have to pay it back, so try to avoid borrowing money if you can.
When you have exhausted all other options, check out ZippyLoan. The platform can get you a loan within one business day even if you don’t have collateral or excellent credit history and ratings. It is one of the best loan companies out there for small loans.
While getting loans is the fastest method on this list, only consider borrowing money if you’re seriously in need of cash. There are also strict terms that you’ll have to abide by, along with high-interest rates.
Most loan companies that offer fast loans are known as payday companies, and the instant cash loan they offer is referred to as a payday loan.
These payday loans refer to short-term borrowing in return for the lender applying a high-interest rate based on your income. Most of these payday loan lenders accept lousy credit scores. Some even have no credit check and instant approval upon loan application.
However, on ZippyLoans, you can borrow as little as $100 and as much as $15,000 with accommodating payback terms. So, if you’re a resident of the US, you can get a cash loan today with ZippyLoans.
9. Sell Your Unused Internet
If you don’t feel like getting up to do anything but want to get fast cash, then you can sell your unused internet bandwidth to major corporations and earn about $50 per month.
$50 per month isn’t a lot, but if you think about it, you aren’t doing anything: passively selling off a service you are not using. This quick cash solution gives you more time to pursue work to bring in significant cash.
Honeygain is one of the websites that purchase unused internet. Through the Honeygain app, you make 1$ for each 10GB you send. The amount of internet transferred depends on how frequently you leave the app running, how much data you consume, etc. Check your internet usage for this.
For those of you hesitating, don’t worry: this isn’t a spyware app. All your unused data goes towards powering the backend for companies who require hefty bandwidth. Some other reliable websites to sell your unused internet are IPRoyal and PRIVATIX.
10. Teach English Online
If you’re thinking, ‘I need money now. How do I earn it quickly?’ Teaching English online is one way to get fast cash.
To teach English online, all you need is a webcam and a stable internet connection. Bonus points if you have taught English before. If you haven’t, that’s okay – you can start now and even make a career of it!
One of the most trustworthy websites to earn by teaching English is VIPKids. However, the criteria to sign-up do require you to submit or fulfill some requirements. If you’re unable to join VIPKids, consider joining TakeLessons.com, on which you can teach people English via Skype for fast cash.
11. Make Money Through Your Social Media
Congratulations if you’re active on social media or have amassed a decent following. You’ve done most of the work. If you need quick cash, you can monetize your social media accounts like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, blogs, etc.
To monetize them, you can use Buy Me a Coffee, PayPal buttons, or SubscribeStar.
With Buy Me a Coffee, your supporters can provide small sums (buying you a coffee) as a form of support and appreciation, and they can do that without even signing up. Most importantly, you get paid directly to your bank account without delays.
SubscribeStar is similar to Buy Me a Coffee: your supporters can support you through the website by becoming regular patrons. The only difference is that you can choose subscription pricing tiers on SubscribeStar.
If you need money fast, you can encourage donations by creating ‘patron-only’ content. Besides that, to have a constant stream of income, add a ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ button to your Instagram account, Pinterest, blog or website, Twitter handle, etc.
12. Sell Photos if You Want Money Now
Have you ever looked back at your captured photos and thought, ‘I should be a photographer, I can sell these.’ Well, now you can!
If you have any high-quality photos on your mobile or computer, you can now sell them and get cash. One way to do this is by becoming a contributor to GettyImages.
GettyImages owns iStock, one of the most prominent photo-sharing websites. Fortunately, they’re always on the lookout for excellent, authentic photos, which you can provide.
Selling your snapshots is a fantastic option to generate passive income and can be done by anyone and from anywhere!
Conclusion – I Need Money Now
With these tips, you can get your hands on some fast cash for your immediate needs. A little resourcefulness and hard work will go a long way in making quick cash.
This article originally appeared on Wealth of Geeks.