Looking for easy and quick ways to make money that actually work?
How much you earn depends on the type of niche you wind up in. According to recent statistics, executive coaches make around $325 per hour while business coaches make more like $235 per hour. Some methods of making money online pay higher rates than others, so choose the ones that best suit your lifestyle. Here are some ideas and resources to get started learning how to make money online for free. Participate in market research. Online surveys won’t net you a hefty income, but you can earn a few dollars here and there.
We’ve got you covered!
I have compiled a list of money making ideas that you can use to earn an extra $10, $20, $50, or even $100 fast.
1. Swagbucks
Wouldn’t it be nice to get paid for doing things you already do online?
Swagbucks pays you for doing what you already do online – watching videos, shopping, playing games, signing up for websites, etc.
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It is a great way to earn a good amount of income on the side in your free time.
You can easily earn an extra $50 a month or so (although there are some people who manage to make way more than $50 a month.)
To increase your earnings, refer your friends and family. You get paid for every person you refer to the site.
To see how you can make $758,25. read our detailed review of Swagbucks.
By the way, visitors of MoneyPantry get a $5 sign up bonus now.
2. BookScouter
If you ever asked yourself “how to make 50 dollars in an hour”, this is how.
Selling used books is probably the easiest way for anyone to make quick cash.
It is so easy that even a 13-year-old kid can do.
How many old and unused books you have sitting in your basement or bookshelves getting dusty?
Plug them into BookScouter and instantly see who, out of 40 or so book buy back sites, will pay you the most for each one.
All it takes is entering your book’s ISBN and hitting enter. Click on the highest paying offer, visit the site and request a free prepaid shipping envelope to send your books in. In a few days, you will receive your money.
You can take this one step further and make it a nice side business that earns you extra cash month after month.
I wrote a detailed guide on how to buy and sell used books here.
3. Claim your (lost) money
This is probably one of the easiest ways to get some quick cash that actually belongs to you that you may not even know it.
Simply visit Unclaimed.org to check if the state where you have resided holds money that you failed to claim – think old paychecks, rebates, refunds, etc.
It’s like getting free money.
4. Fiverr
Five or $5 at least for each task. Tasks like writing a love letter for someone special or for attempting to consume one tablespoon of nutmeg while being filmed.
Advertise and sell your services for $5 or more.
5. Amazon’s Mechanical Turk
Amazon’s Mechanical Turk is the place where you can earn cash by doing various gigs.
Tasks can be things like creating product descriptions, choosing the best picture for a given product, and whatever else the client needs to get done.
6. UserTesting
Look and search through somebody else’s website and earn some cash.
You’ll need to determine what part or aspect of the website can be difficult or confusing for the normal user of the website.
7. Get Paid to Take Surveys
Market research companies pay people to participate in their online surveys.
You can earn anywhere from $1 to $50 or more per survey.
You can find a list of cash paying survey sites here.
8. Get Paid to Test Products
Product testing is real. Not only you get the product for free to test, you also receive compensation.
Companies like Concepts Consumer Research pay $20 to $1000 for performing product evaluations.
9. Become a Secret shopper
Getting paid for shopping may sound like a scam (and there are mystery shopping scams out there), but it is a legitimate and real industry.
To avoid scams and find legit mystery shopping companies check out North America’s Mystery Shopping Providers Association
10. Babysit
Hey, this job isn’t limited to teenagers only. Browse through sites like Sittercity and Care.com to land your baby-sitting job.
11. Petsit
Imagine playing with a puppy or a cat and getting paid for it.
Ask within your circles such as your friends and family members to take care of their pets for a fee.
You can also join a national service like Fetch! Pet Care.
12. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is the site which hooks you up with those that will shell out money for different chores within your locality.
These tasks vary, from light carpentry to getting those take-out food at restaurants.
13. Agent Anything
This site creates “ agents” out of university students who do tasks for a fee.
According to the site, they have in the last 2 years made these students or “ agents” do tasks such as being the errand boys or girls of busy working moms, testers of beta for startups, short term workers for small businesses.
14. eBay
The grandfather of all selling websites.
You can auction almost anything of value at eBay.
15. Craigslist
Just like eBay, one can sell almost anything and everything from shoes to cars.
Try hooking up in person with the buyer and get cold cash.
16. Hold a Garage Sale
Holding a garage sale is one of my favorite ways of making quick cash.
De-clutter your home, get rid of the stuff you don’t need and earn money.
17. Sell Used Games, DVDs and CDs
Grab those stuff such as video games, DVDs and even CDs and bring them to your local resellers.
Or try selling your used DVDs, CDs and even video games on one of these sites.
18. Zaarly
Zaarly is one of those sites that link workers with people within their community who will pay for different tasks and errands to be completed.
19. Bonanza
You want to get rid of your used and new items?
Then try this marketplace. You even dictate your own selling price for the items, while they get a minimal fee for each item you sell through them.
20. Half.com
It is a website that’s owned by eBay, and is a convenient platform for you to sell your books, textbooks, DVDs and other small items.
21. Sell Unused Gift cards
Do you have those gift cards that are of no use to you anymore?
Get rid of them and get paid by going to resellers like CardPool or CardCash.
22. Craft Fairs
Are you the artsy-crafty type?
Then head to your local craft fairs and start selling your wares.
Alternatively, you can all check FestivalNet.com for the dates of events within your locality.
23. Rent out Your Room
You can have your room rented out or even that couch of yours to travelers.
Check out sites like Airbnb. But make sure to check the regulations within your community as some do not allow renting out rooms.
24. Sell on Amazon
Another buying site to sell off items that are barely used. You can sell your slightly used or new and unopened items here.
Take note, that there are fees for selling which starts at 99 cents per item.
25. Clean gutters
During the fall season why not ask your neighbors if they want their gutters cleaned out.
26. Rent out Your Home
Are you going out of town for a few days?
Then why not have someone use your home while you’re away and get paid for it?
Maybe you have another house that you don’t use. You can convert it to a vacation house for travelers. Find guests through sites like HomeAway.
27. Shovel snow
Shoveling snow for money is a great way to make some cash in winter. If there’s snow, then ask around for those who want to have their driveways and walkways shoveled for a price.
28. Housesit
Similar to baby sitting except that you look after a house. Do you have friends or even neighbors who have to temporarily leave their homes?
Why not try asking them to look out for their houses, collect their mail or take care of the plants while they are away?
And if you don’t know anyone who’s going away, you can try looking online at job portals such as Mindahome.com.
29. Sell Your Artwork
Etsy is a growing venue for the artists and crafters that lets you sell anything from paintings to knitted scarves.
And if Etsy isn’t enough, check out this list of Etsy alternatives.
30. DeviantART
Market your photographs, classic prints, and digital works.
31. Sell Your Old Cellphone for Cash
Why store your unused smartphones? Might as well sell them to one of these sites.
32. Clean Pools
This could be a big money maker if you know how to make and keep the pool water sparkling.
33. ArtFire
You can sell your art works on this site.
34. Sell Plasma
Donating plasma for cash can earn you an extra $260 a month. Local blood banks or even hospitals are good places to check.
35. RedBubble
Are you an artist, then RedBubble will help you turn your creation into posters, T-shirts and stickers.
You design, and they will take care of the marketing and shipping.
36. Society6
Similar to RedBubble but offers more variation like tote bags, throw pillows and laptop skins.
37. Sell Your Hair
Yes, you can actually sell your hair. There are sites that pay good money for good hair.
38. Participate in Clinical Trials
Participating in paid clinical trials is a great way to earn extra cash. Medical researchers will shell out money if you take part in their clinical tests.
Depending on the study, you are paid anywhere from $50 to $10,000 or even more for longer studies.
Browse ClinicalConnection.com for more info.
39. Mow Lawns
The perfect quick money making idea for college students and teenagers.
The only equipment you’ll need is a lawn mower, then go find your customers. You can start by going around the neighborhood to offer your services.
40. Be a Mover
If you’re an owner of a truck, then ask your friends to move stuff for them to earn cash.
41. Gigwalk
As long as you have a smartphone, then you can earn additional bucks with this one. You will be doing small tasks such as mystery shopping, testing apps, or taking photos.
Final words
There you have it, 41 ideas for making some quick cash.
Now, “quick” is a relative term here.
A lot of the ideas mentioned here aren’t for making quick cash as in “make $100 in one hour”.
The main purpose of this post is to show you that there are tons of options out here.
Hopefully, you have found a few money making ideas that can earn you fast cash, or at least this post has gotten your creative juice flowing so you can come up with your own quick and easy money making ideas.
Have you ever stood in the middle of your living room, your hands clinging to a pair of inside-out turned pockets, and exclaimed, “There’s GOT to be something I can do to make a quick couple of quid?”
No? Just me? Alrighty then, moving on…
Believe it or not, there are so many ways you can boost your income. The problem is that many ideas simply sound too weird or wacky to ever be taken seriously. Never fear! Your friendly neighbourhood money geeks have found a bunch of ideas that might just be crazy enough to work…
[July 2016 update: Yes, we’ve done it… 20 weird and wonderful ways to make money part two and part three!]
1. Trade in empty ink cartridges for cash
I’m no statistisst-isst-ician (yes, that’s a word) but I’m pretty confident that most homes in Britain have empty ink cartridges lying at the bottom of a drawer.
Instead of letting your ink cartridges languish away in the shadows send them to The Recycling Factory, who will pay you up to £4.10 per empty cartridge. Printer Cartridge Recycling lets you fill an online ‘basket’ with your empties and start paying back when it hits £5. You could even have a cheeky rummage through your friend and family’s old printers when they’re not looking (just kidding…obviously).
2. Get paid for your holiday snapshots
Stock photos can get samey, so businesses are always looking for brand new images to buy. Why not cash in?
You don’t have to be a camera wizard to take photos worth paying for. If you have some digital snaps with decent resolution, consider selling them to online agencies such as Fotolia and 123rf. Every time someone buys one of your pictures you’ll get a royalty fee, and the subject matter can cover anything you want (within reason).
(Are you planing on jetting off somewhere? Here’s how to plan a fantastic holiday on a budget!)
3. Become a life model
You don’t need to have the body of an Adonis to become a work of art. Local colleges and universities constantly cry out for body types of all shapes, size and age as subject matter for their Da Vincis in the making. Some models earn around £10 per hour, and you may even be able to pick your favourite drawing to take home and keep!
(Hobbies are great for your wellbeing and can even give a little boost to your income. Find out how to make extra money through your hobbies!)
4. Sell your hair
What Are Good Ideas For Making Money
Since the dawn of time, long hair has been a hallmark of a woman’s beauty (the occasional man too – romance novel model Fabio Lanzoni springs to mind). Hair extensions are more popular than ever, so if you have lovely long locks you can cash in!
Real Money Making Ideas
Hop on Gumtree and you’ll find a plethora of ads from wigmakers willing to pay cold hard cash for your hair. It’s also worth contacting your local colleges and hair salons to see if they need ‘hair models’ to fine-tune their craft on.
5. Rent your back garden out to campers
If you live in a leafy or rural area and have a large back garden or patch of land here’s a clever way to make some quick cash while the sun’s shining: rent out your lawn to some happy campers!
AirBNB is an online hub that allows folks to list their back garden for camping. This is great news for holidaymakers wanting to set up camp for a relatively cheap price.
It’s free to list your garden as a potential camping spot, and you can even choose the amount you want to charge to campers (you pay 3% upon a successful booking), so everyone wins!
6. Flog it for a fiver
Ever wondered how you can make a quick few bob from your writing, acting or drawing skills? Maybe you’re a master photo retoucher or you’re happy to wear someone’s logo on your face for a day.
American site Fiverr.com lets you earn money by doing anything from writing a sweet ukelele jingle to creating a custom cartoon character. You can net $4 (roughly £2.50) each time you do one of a wide variety of small tasks. It won’t turn you into a millionaire overnight but it’s a great way to earn pennies in a pinch.
7. Get paid to buy booze
Got an 18-19 year old skulking around the house? Maybe you are that 18-19 year old, stuck indoors on a sunny day with no cash. If you’d sooner be down the pub with your mates, you can now get paid for it!
Serve Legal needs young folk to find out if pubs are serving people who could potentially be underage. It’s a paid gig and your drinks and travel costs are also covered. Find out how to apply.
8. Take some tourists sightseeing
You love where you live, and you love to show it off when far-off friends or family come to visit. You probably also hate falling into ‘tourist traps’ when you yourself go on holiday, so why not help others avoid them too?
Sign up to Vayable and put together a cheap and cheerful tour that visitors will love. You get to set your own rates for what each tourist will pay (Vayable take a 3% cut) while showing off what you believe are your hometown’s best features.
Get some punters through the doors of your favourite family-run pub, or take them to that little-known local pencil museum you’ve been meaning to check out (okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea). Who knows? You make some out-of-town friends who can give you a tour around their home town in return!
9. Earn clubcard points for empty cans
We found this great tip on MoneySavingExpert.com. Instead of putting your empty drinks cans out for the dustman, take them to Tesco and trade them in for Clubcard points. They’re worth 1p in store but up to four times as much if you redeem them on things such as days out or breakdown cover, so it’s really worth doing.
All you need to do is check that your local Tesco has a recycling service. Go to the Tesco store locator to find a Tesco near you. If it has a recycling logo under the store name, you’re sorted!
10. Sell your trees
James told me that one of our debt advisors recently sold a monkey puzzle tree from her back garden on eBay.
Firstly, monkey puzzle trees are the weirdest looking trees ever*. Secondly, selling your unwanted shrubbery makes total sense. Trees take ages – sometimes half a century – to grow into anything remotely impressive. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
If you’re debating taking a hacksaw to your hawthorn, check first to see if someone’s willing to dig it up and cart it off for you. Better yet, they’ll pay you for the privilege.
(*MoneyAware does not share the opinions of the writer. We’re actually big fans of the majestic monkey puzzle tree.)
11. Refer a friend that’s perfect for the job
We all have that one fantastic friend who’s hardworking, loyal, and pretty much the bees knees, if only they could net the perfect job!
Should you have such a pal (or are that pal), then jobsearch site Refermehappy wants to hear from you. Join as either a ‘referrer’ or a ‘friend’ and you’ll get a referral bonus from the company should your friend get hired for a job you connect them up with.
12. Answer some bizarre text messages
If you’re a bit of a texting fiend, then this tip is for you. ChaCha lets people text any question – no matter how random – and can get an answer back in minutes. If you reply to these questions, you get paid!
It couldn’t be simpler. Log in to ChaCha to answer questions ranging from ‘What Pokemon takes less steps to hatch?’ to ‘How do I make myself more attractive?’. Again, at 15p per question, it’s a ‘slow and steady wins the race’ way to boost your income but hey, who doesn’t like racking up some pennies on a lazy afternoon at home? Plus, it’s fun and educational – or funducational! (Sorry.)
13. Reclaim lost assets
Ever wondered if your eccentric great-uncle was really a famous explorer with a stash of pirate doubloons in his attic? No? Well maybe you should!
Up to £15 billion pounds of unclaimed financial assets are collecting dust right now in forgotten UK bank accounts, pensions, life assurance and investments – yet most are easy to reclaim. Whether the account’s yours or a deceased relative’s, it’s worth reading through this brilliant guide on MoneySavingExpert.com and finding out how to reclaim lost assets you may be entitled to.
Bonus tip: did you know you can reclaim PPI for free? Read our guide to find out more.
14. Rent out your parking space
Finding affordable parking can be a real pain in the neck. If you have a private parking space lying empty, it’s possible that some frustrated commuter would gladly pay to rent it off you.
JustPark and YourParkingSpace will let you list your parking space and set your price for free, taking a small cut from the rental fee you charge the person parking up.
Please note, some local councils view renting out your parking space as a ‘change of use’ to your property, and will expect a £385 planning application fee. You must make sure this fee doesn’t apply to you and if it does, a price check on parking sites in your area will show if it’s worth the hassle.
Read MoneySavingExpert’s.com’s dedicated Rent Your Parking Space guide for more information.
15. Try stuff out before it hits the shelves
Granted this won’t earn you cash per se, but it does mean that you can stock up on some free goodies that you potentially would have had to buy….which is kinda the same thing. Sort of. Maybe.
Set up a tester’s account on Toluna and they’ll send you all kinds of doodahs to try out from kids shampoos and herbal teas to lip liners and Spiderman stationary kits (nice). They also give out free vouchers for coffee shops, holidays, clothes and more.
Signing up for freebie websites is easy and can save you a bundle over time. Read the guide to getting lots of free samples from our friends at Magic Freebies!
16. Get paid to review music
If you fancy yourself a bit of a music buff, Slicethepie is a nice little earner that’s sure to hit all the right notes (again, sorry).
There’s a gazillion unsigned bands out there, and they need you to listen to and review their tracks. Initially you won’t make much, but writing trustworthy reviews will increase your scout rating, earning you more and more.
Interested? Read MoneyMagpie’s great guide on how to make money by listening to music to help you get started!
(Edit – 4 March 2019 – we’ve been told the Hangover Helpers website is no longer available)
17. Become a hangover helper
Real Money Making Ideas From Home
If you live in an area densely populated by students, you could clean up by becoming a ‘hangover helper’. Literally.
The idea was originally founded by two students in Colorado USA, and their clientele consists mainly of worse-for-wear students after a long night of partying. For a nominal fee, The Hangover Helpers bring their clients a hearty breakfast burrito, a sports drinks to replace fluids, and will give the place a good tidying while the students sleep off their woes. By the time the alcohol-afflicted roll out of bed, it’ll be like the party never happened.
18. Rent out your shed or garage
Your lawnmower you haven’t touched since 2009, the Christmas tree, that box of LPs you’re definitely going to take down to the car boot sale one of these days…they’re lonely! Find them some new friends by renting out the available space in your garage or shed. Check out Share My Storage for more details.
19. Let your spare room to a student
Foreign exchange students come to study in the UK for a whole host of reasons, and for varying degrees of time. Students learning English are usually only here for about six weeks, while university students and lecturers tend to stay for up to six months.
Letting a spare room out to a foreign exchange student is a pretty easy way to earn some regular cash. Throw in extras such as laundry, wifi and meals to bump up the rental fee.
Read this extensive guide on MoneyMagpie to find out more.
(DISCLAIMER: MoneyAware cannot in any way guarantee the success or safety implications of the above mentioned money-making tips. This article, while written with an intent to provide helpful ideas to increase income, is also written for entertainment purposes.
We strongly encourage clients and subscribers to declare all additional income to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
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