You need some cash real quick. You’ve heard about money making ideas like starting an online business, creating a blog, or buying stocks. However, these ideas won’t get you the cash you need right away.
It is possible you only have a few dollars left in your account, and payday is still a few days away. Yet you need money to pay bills, go on a trip, pay rent, or for car repairs.
This article wants to show you ways to make some quick cash. Some of these ideas will help you get the money you need today or tomorrow, some will get you money in a week, and some are loan sources that you would ordinarily avoid like a plague if you were not so desperate.
The ideas below will not make you the next Bill Gates, but they will help you get some quick cash that you desperately need.
Here Are Some Legitimate Ways to Make Quick Cash:
Join a freelance platform and monetize your skills
This is one of those money-making opportunities that may take more than a week before the money comes in. The main advantage of freelance platforms is that they are not merely an avenue to make some quick cash; you can make a lot of money on these platforms.
If you have a skill that people are willing to pay for and you can do remotely, this is an excellent side hustle opportunity when you’re in a bind. You can get paid for web design, graphics design, writing, creating animations, writing youtube scripts, and just about any type of online work.
You can make from $5 per gig on platforms like Fiverr to more than $1000 per gig. Other similar platforms are Upwork, Freelancer.com, PeoplePerHour, Guru.com, and many others.
Sell stuff you don’t need on Craigslist
You may have a bunch of stuff in your closet, attic, or in storage that you don’t use anymore. You can advertise these items on Craigslist at a cut-price, offer same-day delivery, and make some quick cash.
Craigslist is a safe bet to make some quick cash from selling your stuff in a day or two as opposed to other platforms like eBay, where the process takes much longer. Even with Facebook Marketplace now becoming more and more popular, Craigslist is still a great platform to sell just about anything.
Cash-out on those gift cards
Platforms like Cardpool make it easy to sell your gift cards. Many people have gift cards lying around, and they can come in handy when you desperately need some money. Do an inventory of gift cards you have in hand and pick the ones you are probably not going to use.
Someone gave us a $100 restaurant gift card for our anniversary and was about to use it when we realized that the restaurant in our area had closed down. We decided to sell it and cashed it out.
Pawn that expensive jewelry
You have that precious jewelry you don’t want to lose, and yet you need some cash. It is never pleasant to have to consider pawning your valuables, but if you are cash strapped, it is an excellent way to get quick cash.
You will have to pay more to get it back, but at least, you know you are not losing your valuables forever. Some pawnshops will even buy your valuables for you so if you are desperately in need of money fast, this is another option although I am not really recommending this.
Rent out your stuff on Loanables.com
The Loanable.com platform works like this, individuals will list items they want to lease out, renters will select, and reserve the things they need, and the company will connect both parties.
You can rent out electronics, furniture, cars, boats, home appliances, and just about anything.
Register on Care.com and make money as a babysitter
You can earn good money as a babysitter. Register on Care.com and their platform will link you up with parents who have children in your local area, and you can make some quick cash babysitting.
You can also offer other services like senior care, housekeeping, pet sitting, and even tutoring on the platform.
Another option is to advertise your babysitting services on Craigslist or local Facebook groups, and interested parents will contact you.
Sign up and become a driver for Uber or Lyft
Although this is probably not the best time to do this due to the current lockdown or stay-at-home situation. Once we’re back to normalcy, driving for Uber or Lyft is a great option if you want to make money fast. The average driver that works for Uber is said to make more than $20 an hour, they get paid immediately.
If you have a good car, comprehensive car insurance, and you have lots of free time, this is one of the surest ways to make a quick buck.
You must have excellent social skills, be ready to pay for gas, and you will also have to drive around town a lot. Nobody said making quick cash will be easy.
Rent out that spare room on Airbnb
If you have an excellent location in a city that tourists love to visit, your home looks nice in photos, and you are comfortable hosting strangers, then this could be a great way to make quick cash.
You will not make the money a five-star hotel makes, but the possibility of making $100 a night is good. If your location is good and you sign up today, you could get a guest in 24hours, and a day after your guest checks in, Airbnb will pay you via Paypal.
Find daily labor gigs on Peopleready.com
If you need quick cash badly and you don’t have a job, PeopleReady.com could be a great option. The platform offers low-skill and relatively low pay jobs, but you will get paid the same day after you complete your work.
When you visit their website, you will be prompted whether you are looking for a job or searching for staff. You will then have to enter your zip code to be presented with available jobs in your area.
You can get jobs like warehouse work, bartending work, construction work, and more.
Sell your Plasma
Visit any Plasma donation center in your locality, and if you meet their donor requirements, you can make some quick money from selling your Plasma. You can do it several times in a week, and you make at least $20 for each donation. Some people call this “blood for money” but you will be surprised by how many people are actually doing this on a regular basis. Some even claimed that they make between $300 – $400 selling plasma.
Try loan apps for small cash loans
If you need cash and your credit rating is OK, you can apply to loan apps like Zippyloan, Credit Karma, or LendUp and you will cash out within 24hours.
Only consider this option when you need cash immediately, and other options on this list will not work for you. You can borrow between $100 to more than $10,000 on these platforms.
Sign up to Rover.com to link up with dog owners for dog walking opportunities
You love dogs, and you have a lot of experience caring for dogs, then this is a way to make quick cash while doing something you enjoy. However, Rover.com can take up to five days to review your application, and you will be judged based on your knowledge and experience with pets.
If you get approved, you will start getting hired in your locality to walk dogs, sit with pets, and for dog boarding services. You can make up to $40 a night, and get your money within a week.
Become a Trusted Tasker on Taskrabbit.com
If you are comfortable with the idea of making money fast by running errands for your neighbors, then this is another way to make some quick cash.
The Taskrabbit.com platform allows for featured tasks, handyman services, and contactless tasks.
You can do all sorts of tasks, including picking up groceries, furniture assembly, installation of electronics, home repairs, cleaning, yard work, and more.
Test websites and make some money
Website owners spend a lot on the design and build of their websites, and they will still pay you to thrash it or praise it if you like. They want reviewers to spend time on their websites and record unbiased opinions on the design and ease of use of the website.
You can sign up to platforms like Usertesting.com, and earn from stress-free work that will take less than 30 minutes per website.
15. Open a new credit card account
It is one of the easiest ways to get cash quickly. Your new credit card will give you access to money immediately. You can open your account online, and you will get your credit limit instantly.
It is advisable that you only try this option if you have a plan to pay the money back. You really shouldn’t rack up credit card debt. You have to be careful with this one and make sure that you are a well-disciplined individual and do some research. You can get in deeper trouble here if you do not know what you are doing.
Get paid for taking online surveys
Platforms like Swagbucks will pay for surveys, and other fun tasks like shopping, online research, playing games, watching videos, and much more. Depending on the amount of money you need and the amount of available time that you have you can try making money doing online surveys. Another popular platform is Survey Junkie.
Do a yard sale
This is a given on any list like this. It is a tried and true method to make some money when you really need it. Our family does a yard sale almost every summer. Items that we did not sell in the past year’s garage sale will be up for sale again in the current year plus more items we’ve accumulated in the past few months.
If you have a lot of stuff you don’t need at home, and they are still in a condition that buyers will be willing to pay for them, you can set up a yard sale and make money fast.
Consider taking a personal loan
If you need money immediately and none of the options listed above will work for you, then you can apply for a personal loan. Banks and online lenders all offer personal loans at different rates. Using this option will depend on your credit rating. You will borrow a lump sum, and you will repay at a fixed interest rate over a period that can last between two to five years.
You should only use this option when you need cash for a significant capital expense, and you don’t have other alternatives.
Use a payday lender
Payday loans are expensive and should be a last resort. You will get fast cash when you need it, but payday lenders typically charge excessive interest rates and fees.
Take a second mortgage to borrow against your house
The last on this list and for a good reason. Interest rates are lower than credit cards, but you will lose your home if you can’t repay the loan.
Only use this idea when you have planned out how to repay the loan, and your reasons for taking the mortgage will not piss off a reasonable man.
Conclusion
Getting into a financial bind is quite unpleasant and could happen to anyone. But it’s not time to sulk and wallow in self-pity. There are hundreds of ways you can generate cash quickly. Get creative and commit to doing the work.
