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Making extra money on the side can help pad your bank account and provide a sense of financial security in uncertain economic times. With inflation cutting into budgets and a possible recession looming, millions of people are looking for ways to supplement their income. The good news is you don’t need major investments or specialized skills to earn quick cash.

This comprehensive guide covers 16 practical ideas to make money fast through side hustles and quick tasks. Keep reading to learn how you can leverage your existing resources and skills to generate income without drastically changing your lifestyle.

Table of Contents

1.  Introduction

2. How to Make Money Fast

• Become a Rideshare Driver
• Make Deliveries
• Help Others with Simple Tasks
• Pet Sit
• Sell Clothes and Accessories Online
• Sell Unused Gift Cards
• Earn a Bank Bonus
• Take Surveys
• Trade in Old Electronics
• Host a Yard Sale
• Rent a Parking Space
• Rent Out Your Car or RV
• Find Unclaimed Property
• Test Websites and Apps
• Do Laundry
• Put Ads on Your Car

3. The Takeaway

4. FAQs

Introduction

The unstable economy and high inflation are causing many people to seek out ways to supplement their income. According to a QuickBooks survey, 65% of those planning to start a business in 2023 will keep their day job, hoping to boost their earnings.

Having a side hustle provides financial padding and also psychological benefits, says Christina Curtis, founder of executive coaching firm Curtis Leadership Consulting. Bringing in extra funds can give you more confidence to take calculated career risks.

You don’t need to invest in launching a major business to benefit from a side income. Today’s technology allows you to easily earn money through small jobs and tasks. This guide will explore 16 legitimate ways to make money relatively quickly without drastic lifestyle changes.

How to Make Money Fast

1. Become a Rideshare Driver

If you have a qualifying car, you can start giving rides through Uber or Lyft in just a few days. Rideshare driving provides flexible income since you choose your own hours. You get paid every week, or even faster for a small fee.

Earnings vary based on your location, promotions, and tips. According to The Rideshare Guy, Uber drivers typically make $15-$20 per hour. Driving people around can be a solid side hustle if you enjoy being on the road.

2. Make Deliveries

Apps like DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub, and Instacart pay you to deliver food, groceries, and other items locally. The sign-up process is similar to ridesharing platforms. You get the flexibility to set your schedule while earning income by driving.

Shipt is another delivery option paying shoppers $16-$35 per hour guaranteed. You can get paid daily or weekly. If you prefer dropping off packages over passengers, delivery driving provides a comparable opportunity.

3. Help Others with Simple Tasks

Handy people can make money helping neighbors with everyday home tasks through platforms like TaskRabbit. You can set your own rates for assembling furniture, mounting TVs, cleaning, and more. TaskRabbit keeps a small fee, but you earn 100% of your rates and tips.

Most Taskers get approved within four days. While not a full-time job replacement, doing small tasks for others is an easy way to put your skills to use and make extra money.

4. Pet Sit

Caring for pets while owners are away can earn quick cash, especially if you enjoy animals and have a flexible schedule. You can rely on word-of-mouth referrals or join apps like Rover to connect with pet owners.

Rover lets sitters set rates, choose services offered, and get paid through the platform. You earn money two days after completing a service, with tips available after 24 hours. If you love pets, pet sitting can be an enjoyable side hustle.

5. Sell Clothes and Accessories Online

Sell gently used clothing, shoes, handbags and more through online consignment stores. Poshmark allows you to set up a digital closet to showcase items for sale. Brand names and good pictures generally get the quickest sales.

Once sold, Poshmark releases your earnings within three days. Similar services include Mercari, ThredUp, Depop and The RealReal. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are other options without a middleman, though vetting buyers takes more time.

6. Sell Unused Gift Cards

A 2022 CreditCards.com survey found 47% of Americans have at least one unused gift card. Resell your cards online through Raise or CardCash to earn up to 92% of the value.

Raise deducts a 15% fee then directly deposits earnings into your PayPal or bank account. CardCash buys cards upfront so you get paid immediately. Selling unused gift cards provides quick cash without much effort on your part.

7. Earn a Bank Bonus

Opening a new checking or savings account with a sign-up bonus is an almost effortless way to earn $200-$300 extra. You’ll need to meet minimum balance and account length requirements. But a bank bonus can provide a nice one-time payment for a small time commitment.

8. Take Surveys

In your downtime, you can make a few bucks per hour answering surveys, watching videos, and giving opinions through sites like Survey Junkie, InboxDollars, and Swagbucks.

For example, Survey Junkie lets you earn points towards gift cards and cash rewards. By completing just three surveys daily, you can make around $40 monthly. While it’s not a career, surveys are an easy occasional income stream.

9. Trade in Old Electronics

Sell your used smartphones, tablets, laptops and other electronics to sites like ItsWorthMore, Decluttr, Gazelle, and Trademore. You’ll earn payment based on the device’s model and condition.

For instance, Gazelle typically pays out 3–5 business days after inspecting the item. As long as the device matches the description you provided, the process is quick. Trade-ins provide effortless income from electronics you no longer use.

10. Host a Yard Sale

Yard sales allow you to declutter while earning cash same-day. Use sites like YardSaleSearch.com and eBay Classifieds to promote your sale.

Price items competitively and be prepared to haggle. Starting early on a Friday or Saturday helps attract more shoppers. A yard sale clears out your unwanted stuff while putting cash in your wallet.

11. Rent a Parking Space

If you live near a popular destination, consider renting out your parking space when you aren’t using it. Sites like CurbFlip and SpotHero connect those with parking to rent with drivers looking for affordable spots.

After vetting renters, these platforms handle payments seamlessly. Just be sure renting your parking space doesn’t violate any lease terms or HOA rules. With the right location, this side hustle takes little effort while earning passive income.

12. Rent Out Your Car or RV

Peer-to-peer car rental services let you rent out your vehicle when you aren’t using it. With Turo, you can earn money renting your car. Payments are issued within three days of trip completion.

RVs have also grown in popularity. Outdoorsy allows RV owners to rent to travelers and gets paid two days after a trip starts. Renting your car or RV provides effortless income in between personal use.

13. Find Unclaimed Property

It may sound questionable, but you might have unclaimed assets held by the government, like an old bank account. Each state has a database of unclaimed property.

Search your state’s unclaimed property records through the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators to uncover any forgotten assets in your name. While not a steady income stream, unclaimed property provides an unexpected cash infusion.

14. Test Websites and Apps

You don’t need technical expertise to earn money testing websites, apps, and other digital products. Sites like UserTesting pay everyday people for sharing their opinions while completing tasks.

UserTesting pays via PayPal 7 days after completing a test. You’ll see the pay range before accepting a test. Customers sometimes provide bonuses for longer or more complex projects. Testing digital products is straightforward work anyone can do from home.

15. Do Laundry

If you have laundry facilities at home, doing wash and fold services for others is an easy income stream. Apps like Laundry Care connect you with customers needing light housework and laundry help.

The typical Laundry Care order is two 15-pound bags at $20 per bag. You also earn service fees and keep 100% of tips. Payments deposit to your bank account within 1–3 days. For those with laundry access, washing clothes provides easy money.

16. Put Ads on Your Car

Make money passively by allowing companies to put decals, stickers or wraps with their ads on your car. Services like Wrapify, Carvertise, and Nickelytics pay monthly for advertising space on your vehicle.

For example, Wrapify says drivers earn $180-$452 per month depending on coverage level. Carvertise estimates $450-$1,500 per campaign. Nickelytics reports most drivers make $175-$250 monthly. You get paid for providing ad space while driving as usual.

The Takeaway

Generating extra income through quick side hustles is achievable without major lifestyle changes. With minimal startup costs, you can leverage existing resources like your car, parking space, home, or skills to start making money.

Consider your schedule and interests to pick the money-making methods that fit you best. A few flexible hours per week can provide financial padding and peace of mind. Just be sure to put your supplemental income towards positive goals like debt payoff or savings.

With smart planning, a side hustle can provide both fast cash and long-term financial benefits. The opportunities highlighted in this guide require little risk or upfront investment to begin earning. As the economy fluctuates, having multiple income streams helps build resilience.

FAQs

How much money can I make with a side hustle?

Income potential varies widely based on the side hustle, hours worked, and other factors. Many people earn $100-$500 per month through part-time side work. Driving for a rideshare or delivery service around 15–20 hours a week provides $400-$800 typically.

What are easy ways to make money fast?

Some of the easiest ways to make quick money include taking surveys, testing websites, renting your parking space or car, pet sitting, and doing tasks for others. These allow you to leverage skills and assets you already have.

What side hustles require little time investment?

Side hustles like renting your parking space, car, or RV, selling used items online, trading in gift cards, and putting ads on your car require very little time once set up. You can generate passive income from existing assets.

How fast will I get paid with a side hustle?

Most of the ideas in this article pay within days or weeks after completing the work, such as ridesharing, task services, and testing websites. Others like ads on your car provide monthly passive income. Do your research to understand payment timelines.

What side hustles let me set my own hours?

Driving for a rideshare service or delivery app allows you to work as little or as much as you want. Pet sitting, task services, laundry services, and selling online also provide flexible schedules. Choose options that fit your availability and lifestyle.