5 ways to make money in a hurry

Kevin Outlaw

August 30, 2017 in Personal Finance

One dollar bill — Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

Are you spending more than you earn? Is your bank account running on empty? Fear not, there are plenty of ways to make a quick buck on the side these days. Just stay away from get-rich-quick schemes (they are almost always scams) and forget about making a risky bet on the big game.
Here are some great tips on legitimate, risk-free side hustles to make money fast.

Banking on a bonus

Banks and credit card companies are always looking for ways to entice new customers. A common strategy is giving out cash bonuses of up to $200 for opening a bank account or signing up for a specific credit card.
These deals usually come with specific requirements to get your cash reward, such as setting up direct deposit, opening a bank account with a minimum balance or spending a certain amount on the card within a set period.
These one-off perks are a great way to get some extra cash, and they are also a strong incentive to pay more attention to your financial situation.

Driven to succeed

A second income may be the answer to your money worries but finding the time for extra shifts isn’t always easy.
Even so, if you have your own car and live in a populated area, you can make some extra cash chauffeuring passengers. Working with companies such as Lyft and Uber allows you to fit extra work into your busy schedule, without needing to commit to regular shift patterns.
Average per-trip rates are $10 to $15, so you have the potential to pick up $100 for making 10 trips or less.
If you don’t like the idea of being a driver, your car is still a valuable asset for making money on the side. Many companies pay up to $600 per month to advertise products and services on the side of a vehicle.
Rent out space on your vehicle as a mobile billboard, and you could earn a regular income, without having to make any changes to your regular daily routine.

Reviewing the possibilities

Your opinions matter, and there are many companies prepared to pay for them. If you sign up to take part in online surveys, you can pick up some spare cash to pay for a night out with your friends just for speaking your mind.
Online surveys normally pay up to $1.25, and often only take a few minutes to complete. Some companies also offer surveys that pay up to $5 but which require slightly more in-depth responses.
Other ways to make money from your opinions include finding websites that pay bloggers to write reviews, or signing up for a website that pays users to review online services and apps, such as UserTesting.com.

Sell, sell, sell

There is no shortage of websites for selling unwanted items. If you have some undesired gifts stuffed in the drawer or some designer fashion items you no longer wear, list them on an auction site such as eBay.
A retro gamer is going to love your old Nintendo games console, while there are sports fans desperate for a mint condition copy of that rookie card you’ve had since you were a kid.

Rewarding experience

Websites such as Swagbucks.com offer reward schemes that benefit you for doing the things you normally do online.
These “get paid to” sites (GTO sites) are free to join, and they give out rewards for everything from shopping at your favorite online retailers to watching videos.
It’s usually possible to redeem rewards as vouchers for your favorite stores or as direct payments to a PayPal account.

Go earn that fast buck

Many of the options listed above require minimal effort, or simply generate income from the activities you would normally do anyway. So start thinking creatively, and before you know it that bank account won’t look so empty.