Feeling a little short on cash lately? You’re not alone — and the good news is, you don’t need to wait for a raise or pick up a second job to change that.
In fact, there are tons of quick, creative ways to pad your wallet this month — some of them you can start in the next five minutes.
Whether you need gas money, grocery cash, or just a little breathing room, these fast money moves can actually make a real difference — and none of them require a ton of time, effort, or skill.
Here are 20 smart, simple ways people are earning extra money right now…
1. Set Up Direct Deposit — Pocket $300
When you set up direct deposit with SoFi Checking and Savings (Member FDIC), they’ll put up to $300 straight into your account. No… really. Just a nice little bonus for making a smart switch.
Why switch? With SoFi, you can earn up to 3.80% APY on savings and 0.50% on checking, plus a 0.70% APY boost for your first 6 months when you set up direct deposit or keep $5K in your account. That’s up to 4.50% APY total. Way better than letting your balance chill at 0.40% APY.
There’s no fees. No gotchas. Make the move to SoFi and get paid to upgrade your finances.
2. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion
Brands want to hear your opinion to help inform their business decisions on everything from products and services to logos and ads — and they’re willing to pay you up to $140 a month for it.
A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.
Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.
They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month.
Set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.
3. Give Yourself a $1,025 Raise Without Changing Jobs
What if your next paycheck didn’t come from your boss but from cutting waste? If you’re still paying full price for car insurance, you’re probably leaving serious money on the table.
Insurify helps people reclaim up to $1,025 a year by showing better quotes all in one place, without the hassle of calling around. Just answer a few quick questions about your car and get matched with the best deals instantly. No hidden fees. No spam. Just a smarter way to give yourself a raise without having to talk to your boss.
Compare quotes and get your $1,025 back with Insurify.
4. Earn as Much as $1K/Month Doing Simple Online Tasks
Is there such a thing as easy money? If you know your way around the web, there certainly is.
That’s because data is currency these days, and many companies are willing to pay cash for it — up to $1,000 per month.
Finding these companies can be time-consuming on your own. But a company called Freecash has compiled all sorts of quick cash tasks from about a dozen advertisers and market research companies thirsty for more data. Freecash has paid out over $13 million to users since 2019.
You can pick and choose your tasks and complete them at your convenience. The coins you earn from each completed task can be converted into things like Visa gift cards, Amazon gift cards, cryptocurrency or cold-hard PayPal cash.
Signing up for a Freecash account is easy and there’s no minimum amount you need to earn before you can cash out. And if you’ve got enough free time on your hands, you can join the ranks of Freecash users making more than $1,000 a month in extra cash.
Sign up here to see how much you could earn.
5. People Who Don’t Use This Tool Are Overpaying on Amazon
Let’s face it: you already know you’re spending too much on Amazon. How many times have you clicked ‘pay now’ only to find that exact item elsewhere for way less?
Wouldn’t it be great if someone told you when you’re about to overpay?
That’s exactly what this free service does.
Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites to see if your item is available for cheaper. Let’s say you’re shopping for a new smart vacuum, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop-up telling you if that exact vacuum is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.
In the last year, this has saved people $800 million.
See if you’re overpaying online in just a few clicks.
6. You Can Become a Real Estate Investor for as Little as $10
Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10.
An investment called the Fundrise Flagship Fund lets you get started in the world of real estate by giving you access to a low-cost, diversified portfolio of private real estate. The best part? You don’t have to be the landlord. The Flagship Fund does all the heavy lifting.
With an initial investment as low as $10, your money will be invested in the Fund, which already owns more than $1 billion worth of real estate around the country, from apartment complexes to the thriving housing rental market to larger last-mile e-commerce logistics centers.
Want to invest more? Many investors choose to invest $1,000 or more. This is a Fund that can fit any type of investor’s needs. Once invested, you can track your performance from your phone and watch as properties are acquired, improved, and operated. As properties generate cash flow, you could earn money through quarterly dividend payments. And over time, you could earn money off the potential appreciation of the properties.
So if you want to get started in the world of real-estate investing, it takes just a few minutes to sign up and create an account with the Fundrise Flagship Fund.
This is a paid advertisement. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Flagship Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing.
7. Get Paid $225/Month While Watching Movie Previews
If we told you that you could get paid while watching videos on your computer, you’d probably laugh.
It’s too good to be true, right?
But we’re serious. By signing up for a free account with InboxDollars, you could add up to $225 a month to your pocket. They’ll send you short surveys every day, which you can fill out while you watch someone bake brownies or catch up on the latest Kardashian drama.
No, InboxDollars won’t replace your full-time job, but it’s something easy you can do while you’re already on the couch tonight, wasting time on your phone.
Unlike other sites, InboxDollars pays you in cash — no points or gift cards. It’s already paid its users more than $56 million.
Signing up takes about one minute, and you’ll immediately receive a $5 bonus to get you started.
8. Ask This Company to Get a Big Chunk of Your Debt Forgiven
A company called National Debt Relief could convince your lenders to simply get rid of a big chunk of what you owe. No bankruptcy, no loans — you don’t even need to have good credit.
If you owe at least $15,000 in unsecured debt (credit card debt, personal loans, medical bills, etc.), National Debt Relief’s experts will build you a monthly payment plan. As your payments add up, they negotiate with your creditors to reduce the amount you owe. You then pay off the rest in a lump sum.
On average, you could become debt-free within 24 to 48 months. It takes less than a minute to sign up and see how much debt you could get rid of.
9. Get Up to $50,000 From This Company
Need a little extra cash to pay off credit card debt, remodel your house or to buy a big purchase?
We found a company willing to help.
Here’s how it works: If your credit score is at least 620, AmONE can help you borrow up to $50,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 6.40% and terms from 6 to 144 months.
AmONE won’t make you stand in line or call a bank. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could save you thousands of dollars.
10. Earn $1000/Month by Reviewing Games and Products You Love
Okay, real talk—everything is crazy expensive right now, and let’s be honest, we could all use a little extra cash. But who has time for a second job?
Here’s the good news. You’re already playing games on your phone to kill time, relax, or just zone out. So why not make some extra cash while you’re at it?
With KashKick, you can actually get paid to play. No weird surveys, no endless ads, just real money for playing games you’d probably be playing anyway. Some people are even making over $1,000 a month just doing this!
Oh, and here’s a little pro tip: If you wanna cash out even faster, spending $2 on an in-app purchase to skip levels can help you hit your first $50+ payout way quicker.
Once you’ve got $10, you can cash out instantly through PayPal—no waiting around, just straight-up money in your account.
Seriously, you’re already playing—might as well make some money while you’re at it. Sign up for KashKick and start earning now!
11. Get Up to $1,000 in Stock When You Start Investing with Active Invest
If you’ve been thinking about investing, now’s the time to jump in. With SoFi Active Invest, you can trade stocks and ETFs with no commissions1, no account minimums, and no confusing hoops to jump through.
Here’s the best part: Fund an active account with as little as $50, and you could earn up to $1,000 in stock2. Whether it’s your first trade or your 50th, SoFi makes investing accessible.
With SoFi, you can buy and sell stocks with no commissions, so you never have to pay to invest your own money. You’ll also have access to real-time investing news, personalized watchlists, and curated insights to help you make smarter decisions. You can even start with as little as $5 thanks to fractional shares, making it easier than ever to own a piece of the companies you believe in. Plus, as a SoFi member, you’ll be part of a community of investors with access to exclusive events and rate discounts on other SoFi products.
Ready to put your money to work for you? Fund your account, start trading, and see how far SoFi Active Invest can take you.
12. Earn Up to $100 this Month By Answering Survey Questions About the News — It’s Anonymous
The news is a heated subject these days. It’s hard not to have an opinion on it.
Good news: A website called YouGov will pay you up to $100 or more this month just to answer survey questions about politics, the economy, and other hot news topics.
Plus, it’s totally anonymous, so no one will judge you for that hot take.
When you take a quick survey (some are less than three minutes), you’ll earn points you can exchange for up to $100 in cash or gift cards to places like Walmart and Amazon. Plus, Penny Hoarder readers will get an extra 500 points for registering and another 1,000 points after completing their first survey.
It takes just a few minutes to sign up and take your first survey, and you’ll receive your points immediately.
13. Get Up to 35k From This Company
Need a little extra cash? We get it. Home repairs, credit card debt, medical bills — life expenses can really sneak up on you.
But we found a company that can help.
My Lending Wallet offers personal loans from $500 to $35,000, with no minimum credit requirement. You read that right… you don’t need perfect credit to get a loan. But you will be given an APR rate ranging from 5.99% to 35.99% based on your credit history.
While the company will work with any qualifying borrower, its policy of keeping APRs under 36% can help consumers with lower credit scores.
You can choose a repayment period between 61 days and 72 months — whatever works for you. Then, just wait for your confirmation email. Keep in mind that some loan requests require a final confirmation by phone before you’re funded.
My Lending Wallet won’t make you wait in line at the bank, either. If you’re worried you won’t qualify, relax—it’s free to check online and only takes five minutes. You could be on your way to financial relief in no time.
14. Get Rid of 25k or More in Debt With This Option
Not trying to be dramatic, but card debt is like a dark, suffocating abyss that swallows your finances and leaves you feeling trapped and helpless.
So, what if you could just… get rid of credit card debt that’s weighing you down?
A company called Freedom Debt Relief could help you do just that. Its negotiators could work directly with your credit card companies to reduce your overall credit card debt.
It’s free to talk with a Freedom Debt Relief debt consultant to determine the best strategy for your situation. You’ll need to show why you’re struggling to make your payments and tell them a little bit about your finances.
Then, Freedom Debt Relief will work out just how much of your debt they could reduce — they’ve already helped over 1 million people settle over $18 billion in debt.
Once enrolled in the program, Freedom Debt Relief will negotiate a settlement with your creditor, and if you approve the offer they come back with, you’ll pay off that reduced balance though a monthly program deposit.
It’s free to see just how much of your debt you can get rid of.
15. Get up to $100,000 From This Company
Every month, you make payments toward your credit card debt. But you never seem to make a dent. It’s because of those sky-high interest rates — as much as 24% interest. It can feel impossible to get ahead.
But MoneyLion could help you find offers to cut your interest rate by 70% as soon as tomorrow.
Here’s how it works: MoneyLion can match you with new loan offers at a lower interest rate — as low as 5.99% APR*. That’s 70%* lower than the average credit card interest rate. And it’s the key to finally getting ahead.
You can use this new loan to pay off all your existing credit card debt, leaving you with one (cheaper) monthly payment that will help you get out of debt faster. If you have a credit score of at least 620, you could get up to $100,000 with no collateral. Terms go up to 240 months.
Worried you won’t qualify? Take two minutes to check online and see if you could cut your credit card interest rate by 70%.
*Based on creditworthiness. Average credit card interest rate is 24.72% as of 8/14/24, according to Forbes Advisor’s weekly credit card rates report.
16. Earn Up to $3k a Month From Home as a Proofreader
Psst… Are you good at spotting typos? Maybe a little too good? Well guess what, you can totally get paid for that superpower. We found a way you can seriously boost your income through proofreading. Yes, you read that right.
Proofread Anywhere’s General Proofreading course can help you hone your proofreading skills and transform them into your own small business. And it really works! Students can earn between $500 to $3k a month on their own terms. With over 24,000 students and 7+ years of results, it’s the first and most trusted program of its kind.
Make money proofreading with Proofread Anywhere. Join the 24,000+ students who’ve changed their lives with Proofread Anywhere.
17. Get Up to $150 in Minutes
Payday is a few days away and a bill just popped up? Been there. You don’t have to white-knuckle it.
EarnIn lets you tap up to $150 today from pay you already earned, with a max of $750 each pay period. Millions have used it to access $15B+ when life gets messy.
Getting started is simple: enter your name, email, and phone, connect your paycheck, then choose what you need. Download EarnIn and take care of it today.
18. Get $25 When You Invest Just $5 With Stash
We all have bills to pay and things to buy. Whether it’s groceries, gas, or your favorite streaming service, wouldn’t it be nice to turn everyday spending into investments?
With Stash, you can. The Stash Stock-Back® Card1 automatically rewards you with stock in the companies you shop with — like Netflix, Amazon, Costco, and McDonald’s. And when you shop at local or privately owned businesses, you’ll earn stock in a default investment of your choice.
Here’s the kicker: Right now, The Penny Hoarder users get $25 in cash when they make their first $5 investment. That’s easy money to jumpstart your portfolio.
Stash has also introduced new tools to make investing even easier. With features like Auto-Stash, you can set aside as little as $1 per day to grow your investments automatically. Plus, Stash Learn gives you access to helpful tips on trending topics like AI-driven stocks and Swift Mania (yes, you can invest in that!).It only takes a few minutes to sign up, make your first $5 investment, and claim your $25 reward. Start building your future with Stash today.
19. This Free Tool Finds the Best Personal Loan for You — And You Could Get Up to $100K
Trying to get a personal loan but don’t feel like jumping through a thousand hoops first? Same. That’s why Best Money is actually pretty refreshing.
It’s great if you’re dealing with credit card debt, a big expense, or just need some breathing room. And honestly? It only takes a few minutes and feels way less stressful than the usual process.
Instead of making you apply just to find out what you qualify for, it flips the script.
You can check out real offers from legit lenders — we’re talking up to $50,000 or even $100,000 — and the best part is, you don’t have to fill out a full application just to see what’s out there. You get to look at your options first, compare rates, terms, and monthly payments side by side, then decide what makes the most sense for you.
Take a minute to check out Best Money — could be the easiest step you take toward getting your money sorted.
20. Deliver with Uber Eats and Earn on Your Schedule
Getting paid to drive is the perfect sidekick to your main hustle, whether it’s a full-time job, seasonal work, or other gig opportunities. If you’re already zipping around town with other delivery services, why not amp up your earnings with Uber Eats?
People from all walks of life—every background and industry imaginable—are choosing to deliver with Uber Eats. You can set your own hours, making the app work for you rather than the other way around. Your car, your schedule.
With Uber Eats, you’ll never have to wait for payday again. Just tap a button, and you get paid. Your earnings land in your bank account weekly, and if you’re in a pinch, Instant Pay lets you cash out up to five times a day.
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