Do you need to find fast cash to pay your rent or bills? Here are 18 ways to find cash fast.
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1. Moonlight your way to extra money.
If you want to walk or babysit dogs for your neighbors, moonlighting offers you a chance to earn money in a pinch. Check out online websites matching dog sitters and walkers with pet owners. As an alternative, place an ad in your local newspaper. You can babysit a pet owner’s dog at your home or their house. Sign up at Rover for dog walking jobs and Care.com if you want to walk dogs or babysit children.
You can also find a babysitting job near your home when you sign up at UrbanSitter. Additionally, pet sitting offers you the chance to watch a pet in your house or the pet owner’s home. Ask your friends if they need someone to watch their dog, cat or pet parrot. You may find that this easy method offers you a chance to make instant cash.
2. Open a Swagbucks account.
Join Swagbucks for free to earn money watching videos, playing games, taking surveys or even buying things online. After you get enough points, cash them in for prizes or real money. Note that it may take a considerable amount of time to earn substantial money as a Swagbucks member. You might find it more rewarding to look for steady work paying more significant wages.
3. Join Instacart to shop for neighbors.
Set your preferred schedule as a self-employed person with Instacart. Shop as a personal shopper for paper towels, shampoo, soap, apples, lettuce, milk, bread and other groceries. Drive to the Instacart member’s house to deliver their groceries. At Instacart, you get rewarded for doing good deeds, plus you have an excellent chance to earn money in a hurry. Instacart members can also choose to give their personal shoppers tips. If you enjoy shopping for groceries, Instacart offers you the chance to work as an independent contractor rather than an employee.
4. Rent a room in your house or apartment.
A college student or senior may need to find a place to live that costs less money than an apartment. You can help someone and also make money at the same time. Furnish a bedroom with nice furniture, including a comfortable bed, bookcase, dresser and desk. Consider throwing in nice bedding and new towels. A renter gives you a steady flow of money every month, which is an excellent way to find fast cash.
5. Make a realistic budget.
Making a budget gives you the chance to have additional money. Save money on your electric bill by turning down the furnace in the winter and using fans instead of air conditioning in the summer. Make coffee at home instead of paying for expensive coffee at your favorite coffeehouse. Budget your money to have instant cash for important things you must buy now. While sticking to a budget is not always easy, this
tried-and-true method gives you control over your income and expenses. You may even have extra funds to open a savings account or an investment account at Robinhood.
6. Sell some of your stuff.
Perform a quick inventory to discover that you may have many possessions you do not need to keep. Consider selling items at a garage sale or via online vendors like eBay. You may find that selling unused and unnecessary items gives you enough cash to buy groceries or pay a utility bill. Plus, getting rid of clutter may help you enjoy the atmosphere in your home.
7. Sign up to drive for Uber or Lyft.
Many people today do not want to drive their cars because they need to save money on gas. After spending a few relaxing hours engaged in country line dancing at their favorite bar until midnight, some individuals need a ride home. If you enjoy driving, consider signing up as an Uber or Lyft driver. You can get paid fast money, but you may find that your car needs more maintenance. Plus, your insurance company may require you to pay for additional car insurance coverage as a commercial driver.
So, it may help if you own more than one car. Use one vehicle for your work and the other vehicle for yourself. One good thing about driving for Uber or Lyft is that you perform a needed service for others. You can even sign up as a driver for both companies to get more passengers.
8. Deliver meals to people.
Whether they order meals at work or from their homes, you can get paid money to deliver food to hungry people. Popular food delivery services include GrubHub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. Remember that working as a self-employed food delivery person may take a toll on your car. So, consider the advantages and disadvantages. You can always try the food delivery option to make quick money and find another gig if it does not work out.
9. Take surveys to make extra cash.
Survey Junkie and similar survey websites offer money for taking surveys. The drawback is that you may not qualify for some of the surveys. Business owners want specific age groups and personality traits for different surveys. If you are eligible, fast cash is just around the corner.
10. Use your writing gift to make extra money.
Do you have a gift as a writer? Many business owners want to find talented writers to write articles for their websites and blogs. Sign up at Textbroker or similar online writing service to start writing for money. You will need to take a writing test to see if you have the necessary writing and grammar skills. If you prefer to work at home whenever you have spare time, writing articles may provide you with fast money.
11. Sell handmade items on Etsy.
Whether you make necklaces, bracelets or wooden furnishings, consider paying a nominal fee to list your handmade treasures on Etsy. You can even sell digital artwork, wedding products and journals.
12. Make extra money by paying lower insurance premiums.
Search online to get free insurance quotes. You may end up paying less money for car and homeowners insurance. Use the extra cash to pay down a current debt or your student loan.
13. Borrow money from a trusted friend or relative.
Do you have a friend, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, dad or mom who might not mind lending you money? Explain your situation while also agreeing to pay back the loan within a reasonable amount of time. You may have better luck obtaining an interest-free loan from a person you know if you are not greedy.
Take a diplomatic approach to lessen the chance of ruining a solid friendship or relationship. Explain your predicament. Tell your potential lender that you do not have enough money to pay the rent or buy food for your family. While borrowing money does not offer you the best option, this approach may work when you need the funds right away.
14. Fix up old items to make instant cash.
If you have skills as a craftsperson, consider visiting garage sales to find broken or dirty objects you can fix. Look for valuable things, including bookcases, wooden chairs and tables. You can get these items for free or pay a few dollars. Fix a chair’s broken leg or clean a dirty bookcase. Make a profit by selling them at your next garage sale or via an online vendor.
15. Find a cheaper cell phone plan.
Search for a less expensive cell phone plan to save as much as $30 a month. You may have to do a little research, but the reward is worth the effort. You can use the savings to buy new shoes, pants, shirts or a better coffee maker.
16. Pay down your debt.
If you owe money, debt can put you in a never-ending rut. You may have to work at two jobs for a while until you get back on your feet. Once you become debt-free, increase your credit score by paying the entire balance on each payment date. Set your bank account on the automatic payment option to ensure that you pay your credit card off every month.
Using free credit card autopay means that you never need to worry about missing a payment. Just make sure you always have enough funds in your connected checking account to cover the amount you owe on your credit card.
17. Take out a cash advance on your credit card.
Taking out a cash advance can give you an impressive amount of instant cash. But you should only use this method as a last resort because of the high 5% fee and interest you will need to pay. In addition, you should pay the cash advance bill immediately to prevent owing ongoing interest on the funds borrowed against your credit card.
18. Withdraw money from your retirement account.
Use this method with extreme caution. Using your retirement savings from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is not the best option. You may need your retirement funds when you retire. Borrowing against any retirement fund defeats the fund’s original purpose. Plus, you will have to pay tax penalties if you withdraw the funds before retirement age.
So, proceed with caution. Avoid this desperate method unless you have zero prospects for obtaining fast cash. Instead, earn money and make contributions to your IRA with the extra earnings. Your ability to make quick money by performing various gigs can provide you with a financial safety net.
So these ways to find cash fast can be helpful in a pinch, but once you are out of the financial emergency, save up so that you won’t need to resort to these ways again.