how to earn extra cash fast
There comes a point in almost every adult's life when they need some extra cash, and they need it quickly.
Maybe you're moving and have extra expenses like a security deposit, moving truck, and first and last month's rent.
Maybe you want to invest in a long-term side hustle like a blog or network marketing business, but you need the cash to get started.
Maybe a refrigerator or washing machine broke and you need to replace it.
Maybe you have car repairs, a hospital bill, or another emergency.
Or maybe you just really really want to buy something but you don't want to take it out of your family budget.
Whatever the case may be, when you need cash fast you won't be looking for long-term jobs or side hustles. You're looking for small ways you can move the needle FAST.
I love my health and wellness business, and my blog is also an extra source of income for our family, but neither of those will likely put cash in your hands in the very first week. They also both require an initial investment. So while I strongly recommend both of those options for stay-at-home-moms or really anyone looking to add extra streams of income, you'll need something a little easier and quicker to earn money NOW.
In any case, I know what it feels like to be in a pinch, so I wanted to share some of the best options I've come across (and I've done or at least tried most of these).
1. Declutter and Sell Your Junk
This is one of my favorite ways to make some extra money quickly because it serves 2 purposes: 1. quick cash, and 2. decluttering your house!
There are a few ways to do this. If you have lots of odds and ends that you want gone, a garage sale is going to be your best bet. Advertise with signs, make use of local Buy Sell Trade groups on Facebook, and put up flyers around town.
If you have a few big ticket items like baby gear or a fancy coffee maker, try selling them online via Facebook Marketplace.
2. Sell Your Old Electronics
If you have unused smartphones, laptops, or tablets sitting around your house because you're not sure what to do with them, trade them in for quick cash using a site like Gazelle. It's super simple to sell your old phones or devices. You simply fill out some information about the device you want to sell, and they give you an amount they will pay you for it. Within days you'll receive a box in the mail where we could put your electronics, then simply drop them in the mail.
3. Clean Out Your Closet
Ladies, I know I'm not the only one with a closet full of clothes I don't wear. As a stay-at-home-mom, all my old teacher clothes sit unused on hangers. All the clothes that no longer fit sit folded sadly in a drawer.
Why not earn a bit of extra money from those clothes and use them to start a new capsule wardrobe or put the cash toward something you need? Places like Plato's Closet and Once Upon a Child take used clothes, and sites like ThredUp, Poshmark, and Kidizen are great options to sell your clothes online!
Just a word of caution. Make sure your clothes are freshly washed and in decent condition. If there are holes, stains, or the clothes are just plain worn down, maybe it's time to throw it away.
4. Sell your Books, CDs, and DVDs
Let's face it. Unless you're having a yard sale, no one is going to buy your old copy of War and Peace or your Forrest Gump DVD that's collecting dust because of Hulu, Prime Video, and Netflix.
So how do you get rid of these items without just dumping them all at Goodwill? Try Decluttr. It's an app that lets you scan the barcode on your books, DVDs, and CDs that shows you how much they will pay you for that item. You print a free shipping label and send it all to Decluttr, and get paid as soon as your items are received.
I'll be honest...you're not going to make much using this method, and they don't even accept all of the books and DVDs you scan. But if you have a significant collection on your shelves and you need even a little bit of extra cash, this is an easy way to do it!
5. Babysit
If you like working with kids and your significant other is home to watch your own kids on nights and weekends, try babysitting for other families. Put the word out into your community that you're available for hire to watch their kids or join a site like Care.com or Sittercity to book more babysitting jobs. I like this option because there is no long-term commitment, you can pick and choose which jobs to take, and it's decent money for one day or night's work.
6. Test Websites
If you're already surfing the internet, why not get paid for it? UserTesting is a website that lets you review websites for cash. How it works is you download a screen recorder when you sign up and make a test video (they walk you through the steps). The idea is to think out loud as you complete tasks on various websites.
For example, you might have to add something to your cart or find the hours of business on a certain website and record your screen while you talk yourself through it. The videos are about 20 minutes, and you get paid $10 for each one.
It's not hard, but you do have to pay attention and be in a quiet room without interruptions (which can prove to be difficult for stay-at-home-parents. However, it's a surefire way to make quick cash with a little bit of work.
7. Sell Your Photos
If you already have a decent camera and an eye for photography, try selling some of your photos online on Shutterstock or use the app Foap. There's no guarantee that you'll make a sale, but it can't hurt to try!
Another option would be to sell your services to people in your community. Do some senior pictures, mini photo shoots, or special events for a set price.
8. Tutor
Do you have an area of expertise or a background in education? Offer your services as a tutor and make some quick cash by helping kids succeed at school. Care.com has a section for offering tutoring services, but you could also put up flyers in your community or advertise on Facebook.
There are also online tutoring options, so do your research and figure out which of these would be the best fit for you!
9. Cash Back
Use cashback websites or apps like Ebates and Ibotta. For Ebates, they even have browser extensions that apply the Ebates cash back for you whenever you make a purchase online. I find this especially useful around the beginning of the school year or at Christmas when I'm already making purchases online. Just be careful not to spend unnecessary money for the sake of getting cash back!
With Ibotta, you add items to your list, then scan your receipt afterward to get cash back. This is awesome for moms because we're already going grocery shopping a few times a month. Why not get money back?
10. Online Surveys
Another option that will never make you big bucks, but might be worthwhile to try if you've got a certain amount of money you need to hit in a short time, try completing surveys online. Survey Junkie and MyPoints are good ones, but there are so many options out there! This is ideal if you have a lot of spare time to kill. (If so, teach me where I can get some of that).
11. Teach English Online
This might not fit quite as well with the rest of the list, because you do need a little bit of experience or background in education, and you need to pass an interview, but once you get started, it's a quick way to earn some cash. Get paid to teach Chinese students English online from the comfort of your home with VIPKID. If you have a passion for culture and language, this might be a great option for you! Get up early and teach a few classes before your kids wake up.
12. Complete Tasks
Depending on the types of skills you have, you might find completing tasks for other people on sites like TaskRabbit and Fiverr worth your time.
What's Next?
Those are just 12 ideas to earn a little bit of cash quickly, which can really come in handy in certain situations. However, if you're looking for more long-term work-from-home-jobs with unlimited earning potential, I would highly recommend looking into blogging along with selling a product you use and truly believe in.
Here are my top tips for starting to earn money as a new blogger.
