Let’s face it, we could all do with a bit more money. But what if you need to make money quickly, like this week?
Sure, there are plenty of great side jobs that pay well but many of them take a few months before the income starts coming in.
If you have lost your job or have unexpected bills to pay, you might not be able to wait that long.
Likewise, If you are just starting your own business, you know they take some time to become profitable.
Just like regular bricks and mortar businesses, online side gigs need to gain traction and attract customers before they start making money.
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My primary side hustle is blogging and it took me about 4 months of 8 hour days before I saw a single penny in return.
Starting a blog is a great way to make some income in the long term but it doesn’t bring immediate results that can pay the bills this week.
While I was waiting for my blog to become profitable, I took advantage of the ideas below to make money quickly without a full-time job.
If you do want to start a blog, I highly recommend it, after all, it’s the number one reason I get to stay home with my kids. I just don’t want you to think it’s a way to make money fast as it really isn’t.
RELATED: How To Start A Blog That Makes Money
Below are some ways you can make money this week and actually have cash in your pocket within 7 days. I’ve done all of these side hustles at various times of my life and they all work.
5 Ways To Make Money Quickly
1.Declutter your stuff
This made sound crazy but if you need money quickly, selling your stuff is one of the best things to do. Go on a massive purge and start listing all your things on Facebook buy and sell groups. Price your things to sell and offer a porch pick up to entice buyers.
Other places to sell your clutter today:
- Yard Sales – if the weather is good, this is a great way to make a few hundred dollars in one morning.
- Consignment sales – high quality clothes and electronics can be sold for more money at a consignment sale. In my town we also have consignment stores for sports equipment and children’s clothes.
- Online yard sales – list large furniture on Craigslist or local Nextdoor sites
- Auction sites – if you have new, brand name or coveted items, you might get more money listing them on eBay.
If you have big ticket items such as power tools, photography equipment or baby items that you don’t want to get rid of, you could try renting them out online for cash.
Fat Lama is the a peer sharing site that allows you to rent out you gear to trusted users.
2. Sign up for rewards sites
While “get paid for” sites such as Swagbucks and Inbox Dollars are not “get rich quick” schemes, they are an awesome way to make money relatively easily.
How rewards sites work
You probably know that you can make money with online survey sites such as surveyjunkie and Global Test Market.
Those survey sites will pay you (usually with gift cards or PayPal cash) for filling out surveys online.
Reward sites are a hybrid of survey sites, cash back sites like Rakuten that pay you for shopping, YouTube and online game sites.
In addition to answering surveys for cash on reward sites, you can also earn points for doing activities such as:
- Using their search engine
- Watching videos
- Playing games
- Shopping online
- Signing up for free offers
- Doing free trials
and much more.
While I definitely recommend signing up with the top ten survey sites to start racking up the points, rewards sites will help you earn money a bit more quickly as you are not waiting around for a survey to answer.
The best rewards sites to join
Swagbucks is the granddaddy of the rewards sites and I’ve been a member since 2012.
I routinely pay for the holidays from my Swagbucks earnings. You can earn money passively by setting the videos to play automatically and using their search toolbar. I actually have Swagbucks videos playing in the background now while I write this post.
Swagbucks is available in many countries and offers rewards such as PayPal, Amazon gift cards and more.
As a bonus, you get $10 just for signing up with Swagbucks.com.
I love Inbox Dollars as it is so easy to use and you get a $5 bonus for signing up. Plus, Inbox Dollars pay in cash so you don’t even have to worry about gift cards.
Like Swagbucks, you can earn money from completing surveys, shopping online, searching online, watching videos and reading emails amongst other things.
Sign up for Inbox Dollars and get your $5 free bonus to start you off.
3. Sell yourself
Not like that! I mean sell your time/expertise or muscle strength!
If you need to make some money quickly, one of the best things to do is offer your services around your neighbourhood.
You would be surprised how many people will jump at the chance to have their lawn mowed or to have a last minute date-night.
Services you can offer:
- Babysitting
- Gardening, snow removal
- Junk removal
- Handyman jobs (especially if you will do the small jobs that other companies won’t touch)
- Painting
- Dog walking or sitting
- Grocery delivery
- After school childcare
- Tutoring
- Lessons – swimming, skating even bike-riding if you have the skills
The above are all jobs I have seen posted for in the “wanted” section of my local Facebook group.
If you are available during the day, you will be surprised how many moms need a mother’s helper so they can run some errands or to cover for a sick daycare.
Likewise, many people need help with snow removal or lawn care and can’t afford to contract a big company.
Post your ad offering the services and set your price competitively. You’ll be surprised how many jobs you get right away.
4. Make money with your car
One of my friends makes around $150 a week driving for Uber in the evenings after her kids are in bed.
If you live in a busy city or near an airport, ride-sharing can be a really good way to make some extra cash on your terms.
You don’t need much aside from a clean driving license, a vehicle in good condition and a clean background check.
The thing I like about driving for a company like Uber or Lyft is that you can work as much or as little as you like.
If driving strangers around in your car doesn’t appeal or you are worried about the safety aspect, what about delivering food?
Uber Eats is a fantastic option for moms as you can take the kids with you on your routes.
Like Uber ride-sharing, you can set your own hours but bear in mind that most deliveries are for dinner.
The other nice thing about Uber Eats and other food delivery services is that the requirements are not as strict as you are not transporting anyone in your car.
To get started with either Uber, or Uber Eats, visit their sites and fill the application forms.
It’s easy to get started as drivers are always in demand.
5. Wait Tables or Tend Bar
This is one of the quickest ways to make a buck, especially if you live in a touristy town or a busy city.
Waiting tables is gruelling but it’s easy and it pays quite well.
If you don’t want to work set shifts at a restaurant or bar, consider signing up with a temp agency that specializes in catering events.
Try signing up with a few different agencies plus checking the listings on Craigslist to cast your net wide.
When I was waiting for my US visa to come in about 10 years ago, I signed up with about 3 agencies online.
I ended up working the bar at weddings, corporate holiday parties, museum openings and even worked bar in the boxes at a Premier League soccer game.
I can’t promise you that your experiences will be as fun but it’s good money and there is no chance of being bored.
5 Side jobs to try if you have a bit more time
Those are my top choices for making money immediately, like, this week. If you have a bit more time on your hands and want to make sure you have an extra income coming in for years to come, think about starting a side business now.
Some of the best side business to start from home include:
Virtual assistant is a great job that you can do online and from anywhere. It’s also a fantastic job that you can do to suit your own hours or childcare availability.
If you are creative, consider opening an Etsy store or Shopify site and selling printables, t-shirts and more online.
I don’t view this as a “get rich quick” scheme but I make a comfortable living from my blog. Many bloggers make tens of thousands every month. Search for blog income report on Pinterest to see what I mean.
This is a great job for stay at home moms as you can keep your kids at home with you. Plus you can make $1000 a week if you have enough clients.
Not into kids? Why not open a doggy daycare instead?
My friends are always on the lookout for a good house cleaner. They are so hard to find. If you can earn yourself a reputation as a reliable, detail-oriented housekeeper, you can earn a very good salary.