If your regular 40-hour job isn’t enough or you’ve recently been caught in the wave of tech layoffs, finding new ways to earn money quickly is essential.

When your finances feel tight, there are flexible, creative options to bring in cash fast.

Many of these can be done right from your kitchen table, anytime that fits your schedule.

1. Take Paid Surveys Online

Ever wanted to share your honest opinion for a solid 10 minutes — and actually get paid for it without any hassle?

That’s the straightforward appeal of online surveys. You can earn extra cash by sharing your thoughts on everything from trending topics to consumer products and quirky market research studies.

Most surveys pay between 50 cents and a few dollars each. By completing a few daily, you’ll be surprised how quickly those small amounts add up over time. Occasionally, you might find in-person focus groups that pay $200 or more for a few hours of your time.

Some top survey sites to check out include:

Keep in mind, you’ll need to qualify and finish each survey fully to earn your reward. Earnings often come as points that you can exchange for gift cards, PayPal cash, Visa gift cards, or other rewards.

2. Earn Money to Play Games

You can earn up to $100 a month—or even more—by playing games like Bingo or Solitaire. Several gaming apps offer real cash prizes for competing head-to-head against other players.

Challenge your card skills to see who can clear the deck fastest. The top players can make over $14,000 a year.

You decide your wager amount: higher bets mean bigger potential winnings. While $14K is rare, if your Solitaire skills are solid and you compete in smaller prize pools, making $3 to $4 a day is a realistic goal.

3. Use a Rewards App

Did you know you can score $5 in just minutes by getting a free car insurance quote? Or earn $1.50 simply by signing up for a new coupon app?

Every day, thousands of deals like these pop up online, but finding the best ones can be tricky. That’s where Kashkick steps in—it cuts through the noise to bring you the top cash-back offers in one easy-to-navigate place.

Unlike other rewards apps that overwhelm you with confusing options or require lots of personal info to unlock deals, Kashkick keeps it simple. You get access to a curated library of money-making opportunities ready to grab.

Payouts on Kashkick range from a few dollars to hundreds—perfect for quick side earnings.

4. Open a New Bank Account

Banks are competing fiercely for your business, offering attractive bonuses to entice you to open a new account. You could earn up to $200 just by switching to a better bank or credit union this week.

These financial institutions often hand out cash rewards in the hundreds to attract new customers.

Currently, Chase Bank is running a promotion where you can receive $300 after making your first direct deposit into a new Chase checking account.

5. Use a Rewards Shopping App

You can use several rewards shopping apps to earn perks while buying from your favorite online stores. These apps let you accumulate rewards that you can redeem in different ways, depending on the platform you pick.

Rakuten (previously known as Ebates) and Capital One Shopping stand out as top choices.

6. Start Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is an excellent way to earn money online—even without prior experience. You can start today by seeking out writing gigs on various platforms.

Create a standout profile and set your rates competitively at first to attract your initial clients. Explore sites like:

  • Fiverr
  • ProBlogger
  • FlexJobs
  • Craigslist

Consider joining multiple platforms to broaden your opportunities.

You might also contact bloggers directly, offering to write a free article to gain exposure. Explain that you’re new to freelance writing and want to build a portfolio with published work.

This approach helps you gain experience, develop your portfolio, and build connections within the writing community.

7. Become a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant working from home in the U.S. can earn an average annual income of around $59,000, with top earners reaching six figures.

As remote and hybrid work become more common, the demand for virtual assistants continues to rise. Typical tasks include:

  • Managing the employer’s calendar and scheduling meetings
  • Arranging travel plans
  • Handling email accounts, including composing and replying to messages
  • Conducting online research
  • Making and receiving phone calls
  • Organizing shared cloud documents
  • Writing or proofreading reports
  • Managing social media profiles by posting content and engaging with followers
  • Handling reputation management by responding to online reviews and escalating issues when necessary

To find virtual assistant opportunities or promote your services, check out platforms like:

  • 24/7 Virtual Assistant
  • Virtalent
  • Upwork
  • Fiverr
  • Indeed
  • LinkedIn

8. Deliver Food

Working as a food delivery driver offers incredible flexibility and a solid way to earn money on your own terms. You decide your schedule, accept only the orders you want, and operate independently.

On average, a DoorDash driver earns about $25 per hour and can withdraw their earnings once daily.

Uber Eats drivers make a comparable hourly income but have the advantage of cashing out up to five times each day.

Both platforms also offer attractive sign-up bonuses for new drivers, typically ranging from $100 to $500.

9. Invest in Real Estate

Investing in real estate is no longer just for wealthy individuals. Thanks to the rise of micro-investment apps, anyone can now own a share of high-end condos or profitable commercial properties.

With an initial investment as low as $10, you can start building your property portfolio.

Using the Groundfloor app, an investor can earn interest rates up to 200 times higher than traditional savings accounts, with an average return of around 10 percent.

Besides Groundfloor, other top real estate investment apps to explore include:

  • Fundrise
  • Roofstock
  • AcreTrader

10. Claim Your Free Blue Chip Stock

Sign up for the free investment app Robinhood and receive a complimentary blue-chip stock valued up to $100.

Robinhood is the micro-investment platform that excites market disruptors and frustrates traditional brokers alike. It’s ideal for hands-on investors and beginners looking to enter the stock market.

With a sleek, easy-to-use interface designed for novices, Robinhood makes investing accessible to everyone. For just a few dollars, you can buy full or fractional shares in companies like Ulta, Amazon, and thousands more listed on the NYSE. Beyond stocks, you can also invest in index funds, bonds, mutual funds, royalty trusts, and select OTC equities.

Claim your free stock on Robinhood today.

11. Get Paid to Search the Web

iRazoo and Qmee are reward programs that pay you for completing simple online tasks, including using their search engines.

You can earn a few cents with every search you make.

While it won’t make you rich, it’s an easy way to earn some extra cash since you’re already browsing the web daily.

And it’s not just for casual searches—you can look up potential employers, job applicants, song lyrics, trending videos, or anything else you’d normally ask Google.

12. Scan Receipts

You can earn up to $20 a month just by buying everyday items like toilet paper and other selected groceries.

The receipt-scanning app Ibotta pays you cash for submitting photos of your store receipts. Simply snap a picture of your receipt with your phone and upload it — that’s all it takes.

To make it even simpler, you can link your favorite store loyalty program (like Target Circle) to your Ibotta account. When you use your loyalty app at checkout, Ibotta automatically detects qualifying purchases and credits your account.

Once your earnings hit $20, you can cash out via PayPal or redeem a free Amazon gift card.

New users can also grab a limited-time $10 sign-up bonus.

13. Sell Your DNA for Science

Scientists are seeking your saliva sample to advance medical research. To develop treatments for chronic and life-threatening diseases, researchers need diverse genetic profiles to study—and your spit could make a difference.

Sign up with DNA Simple by answering a few confidential questions online. If your genetic makeup fits an upcoming study, they’ll mail you a free saliva collection kit with prepaid return packaging.

Samples are analyzed in groups, so your individual DNA isn’t singled out. Plus, you can earn $50 for submitting your sample—a quick and easy way to contribute to science.

And since it’s for a meaningful cause, there’s no reason to feel uneasy about it.

14. Be a Niche Brand Influencer

Small brands also need influencers—it’s not just the big fashion and lifestyle names. If you have a smartphone and internet access, becoming an influencer can be a fun way to earn extra cash or score free products.

Start by identifying the types of products you genuinely like. Then reach out to niche brands and offer to promote their items in exchange for a small payment or complimentary merchandise.

Look for these brands on TikTok, Instagram, and other social platforms. If a brand posts regularly but has a small following, they’re likely looking for help boosting their presence.

You don’t need thousands or millions of followers to begin—usually a few hundred engaged followers and a commitment to growing your audience with fresh content is enough to get started.

15. Start a Podcast

Launching a podcast can be both profitable and fulfilling as you engage with guests and build an audience.

You don’t have to choose a trending topic or have a perfect radio voice—just a readiness to start.

Begin by finding a way to record your voice, then edit the audio using free tools like Audacity or Zencastr.

Once your episode is polished, upload it to podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify to reach listeners.

16. Make Money to Work Out

If finding the drive to exercise feels tough and even thinking about working out feels overwhelming, a fitness rewards app might be the perfect motivator.

These apps reward you with cash or gift cards just for sticking to your workout routine and hitting your health goals.

Some popular fitness reward apps you might try include:

  • Sweatcoin
  • Healthywage
  • Evidation
  • Fitforbucks
  • StepBet

17. Sale Your Unwanted Stuff

You can make up to $300 a month by regularly clearing out your wardrobe and reselling thrift store treasures.

It takes some trial and error to discover which brands, sizes, and styles sell best.

Start by selling your own gently used clothes, then expand by hunting for valuable finds at thrift shops to resell for a profit.

For some, flipping secondhand clothing grows into a full-time hustle.

18. Flip Thrift Store Finds

I enjoy hunting for bargains to resell on online marketplaces.

I focus on items that are easy to store and sell quickly with little hassle—like trending toys or vinyl records priced low.

But if you have the skill and patience to refurbish furniture or restore antiques, you could turn it into a thriving business.

19. Sell Your Kid’s Old Clothes

Used children’s clothing can bring in serious cash. That box of outgrown clothes could sell for as much as $500 online.

Resale apps and Facebook groups focused on kids’ clothes are booming right now.

Certain high-end or specialty kids’ brands have loyal followings, letting parents resell their children’s clothes for half—or more—of the original price.

The market is full of parents hunting for bargains or desperately seeking limited-edition prints to match sibling outfits.

Some popular places to sell secondhand kids’ clothes include:

  • Facebook Marketplace
  • Facebook buy-sell groups
  • Mercari
  • Kidizen

20. Sell Your Old Tech

Chances are, you’ve got a stash of old video games, DVDs, outdated gadgets, and books collecting dust somewhere.

If you haven’t touched a certain movie or book since 2009, it’s safe to say you probably won’t feel the need to revisit it.

Instead of letting the clutter take over, why not turn it into cash? You can sell vintage video games—yes, even classic NES or Atari titles—along with DVDs, books, and CDs.

Places like Half Price Books offer instant cash for your items. If they don’t buy something, they’ll donate it for you, so you’re not stuck hauling it all back.

Amazon’s Marketplace is another solid option for listing and selling your old media quickly and easily.

21. Start Pet Sitting

You can earn up to $1,000 a month simply by spending time with dogs, boosting both your physical health and mental wellness.

Owning a dog isn’t necessary to enjoy the perks of canine companionship.

The CDC notes that regularly walking or playing with dogs helps lower blood pressure and enhances overall fitness and emotional well-being.

Several apps connect you with pet owners looking for someone to walk their dogs, provide daytime pet-sitting, or even offer overnight care.

Try finding dog care opportunities through these popular platforms:

  • Rover
  • Wag!
  • PetWalker
  • GoodPup
  • Wooftrax

22. Start a YouTube Channel

Launching a YouTube channel can be an enjoyable way to bring in extra income, and with consistency, it might even evolve into a full-time gig.

With just a phone or basic camera, it’s easy to start creating and uploading videos or short reels focused on topics that genuinely interest you.

Some video ideas to explore include:

  • DIY tutorials
  • Thrift hauls
  • Unboxing clips
  • Honest product reviews
  • Personal takes on services you’ve tried

There’s no need for high-end editing — just aim for decent lighting and a stable shot (a small tripod helps).

Over time, you can earn from ads, brand sponsorships, affiliate links, or viewer support.

DIY content is especially valuable. People search YouTube daily to learn simple things — even how to post something on TikTok. If you can explain something clearly, there’s a viewer out there who’ll appreciate it.

23. Trade In Your Old Tech

That old Apple laptop sitting in your drawer could put up to $740 cash in your pocket. Apple’s trade-in program rewards users with either money or generous gift cards when swapping out used iPhones, iPads, or MacBooks.

And Apple isn’t the only one offering deals. Other major retailers also make it easy to turn outdated tech into value:

  • Amazon: Trade in older Amazon gadgets — no matter where they were bought — and earn credit or Amazon gift cards toward your next purchase.
  • Microsoft: Eligible Microsoft products like laptops, tablets, Xbox consoles, and smartphones can be traded for PayPal cash or store credit. Business users can also take advantage of a dedicated trade-in portal.
  • Best Buy: The Best Buy trade-in program covers a wide range of electronics. Check the website for an instant estimate and apply the value to new gear like phones, fitness trackers, or gaming equipment.

Before handing off that “old” device to a younger family member, pause for a second. Is it really worth giving a $400 gadget to a toddler?

I was going to let my preschooler use my previous-gen iPhone as a mini tablet — until I checked and saw it was still valued at $400. That iPhone stayed with me.

Moral of the story: always check the trade-in value before parting ways with old tech. It could surprise you.

24. Wrap Your Car

It’s possible to earn up to $450 a month just for letting a company turn your car into a rolling advertisement.

If you’re not bothered by a vinyl ad covering your vehicle, this is a smart way to cash in on something you already do — drive. Even when factoring in gas and maintenance, the extra income still puts you ahead.

Several legit programs pay drivers to professionally wrap their cars in branded designs:

  • Carvertise
  • Wrapify
  • Nickelytics
  • Free Car Media

These companies match drivers with campaigns based on driving habits and location. Once approved, they’ll handle the wrap installation and removal at no cost.

If your car’s on the road often, especially in busy areas, this side gig could turn your commute into a steady stream of passive income.

25. Sell T-shirts Online

Selling t-shirts online can be a surprisingly profitable side hustle. The U.S. t-shirt industry is massive — valued at nearly $45 billion — and it continues to grow steadily.

Platforms like Etsy and Amazon Merch make it easy for individuals to start selling shirts without holding inventory. Many solo sellers aim for $1,000 a month in profit, and plenty reach that milestone with a bit of effort and consistency.

The best part? You don’t need to be a designer or own a sewing machine. With print-on-demand services like Printify, you can upload designs, list them on your store, and only pay for production when someone places an order.

If you’re looking for a low-risk way to dip into ecommerce, t-shirts could be a solid first step.

26. Get Paid to Review Music

If you enjoy discovering new music, Slicethepie might be a fun way to turn that passion into a small income stream.

This platform pays for short music reviews — typically around 5 to 20 cents per song. While it’s not a high-paying gig, it’s one of the more enjoyable ways to earn a little extra cash, especially for someone who already spends time listening to music.

Spending just 15 minutes a day reviewing tracks could earn about $10 every couple of weeks, which is also the minimum withdrawal amount via PayPal.

Beyond music, there are also opportunities to review other things like:

  • Clothing and accessories
  • Upcoming TV ads
  • Consumer products

If you’re looking for a low-effort way to make a few bucks while jamming to new sounds, Slicethepie is worth exploring.

27. Get Paid to Test Websites & Apps

UserTesting offers a simple way to earn money by reviewing websites and mobile apps — potentially up to $100 a week.

As a tester, your job is to provide honest feedback about how a digital product performs from a user’s perspective. Developers and UX teams rely on real people to spot bugs, confusing layouts, or design flaws before launching to the public.

Most tests take around 10 to 20 minutes and can pay anywhere from a few bucks to $60, depending on complexity.

To complete a test, you’ll need to:

  • Use your microphone and webcam
  • Speak your thoughts aloud as you explore the site or app
  • Answer specific questions about usability, design, and first impressions

You might be asked things like:

  • Can you find the checkout or contact page without getting lost?
  • Do any features or images seem broken or slow?
  • Does the overall design look clean and professional?

The more thoughtful and articulate your feedback is, the more opportunities you’ll receive — and the better your potential to earn.