60 Ways To Make 50 Dollars Fast – And Not Quite As Fast

Nearly everyone has found themselves in a place where they could use a quick infusion of cash.  Thankfully, there are a ton of ways to make money in this world.  I’ve compiled a list of 50 51 58 ways to make 50 dollars fast.  Look over the list, see what looks good to you, and give it a try.  If you’ve got another idea, please leave it in the comments and I’ll add it to the bonus section.  Happy idea hunting!

2.  Download the Ibotta shopping rebate app.  Use my referral code, VKMNJSF, and get a $10 sign up bonus instantly.  Do a couple of rebates, keeping tabs on the bonuses, and redeem when you get to $20.  It’s super-simple and requires very little effort to earn a few dollars a week. (Hint: the bonuses are KEY.)

3.  Swagbucks.com – Swagbucks is great for stay-at-home folks who can’t commit to specific hours, or who might have a little bit of time but no quiet. I have belonged to Swagbucks for a few years, and earned a few gift cards and such, but serious Swaggernauts can make big bucks on the site by filling out surveys, playing games, and watching videos.  You’ll earn more faster if you get your friends to sign up, too. Better than playing Bejeweled on your phone, that’s for sure!

4. Clear out your bookshelves and cash in with a book buyback program like that from Chegg. You’ll get the highest payout from current textbooks, but even smaller amounts can add up.  Shipping is free in most cases!  I’ve usually been paid within a week of sending my books.

5. Sell those fashionable-but-never-worn garments at sites like ThredUp.  If you sign up through this link, you get $10 in credit to spend on your first purchase.  How awesome is that?

6.  Sell your old phones and unwanted electronics with Gazelle Trade-In – fast and easy sales for cash now!

7. During the summer, folks are always looking for pet sitters. If you have a car, you can reasonably do a couple of pets each day. You’ve got to read my friend Crystal’s story – she made $32,000 in one year! (And my teens made over $1,000 in a couple of weeks this summer, dog sitting around their regular jobs.)

8. Sell your crafty stuff on Etsy.  I have a friend who makes a significant income selling items on Etsy. Like buy a new house kind of income. Not everyone is super-successful, but some people definitely are.

9. Do some online surveys. You’ll have to do a lot to earn $50, but if you’re stuck at home and have internet, why not?

10. Sign up with eJury to help attorneys learn how a jury might think.

11. Have a yard sale.

12. Offer plant sitting and/or plant care services.

13. Tutor students having trouble in subjects in which you’re great.  Tutors typically make a fairly high hourly wage.  Choose between being a solo tutor (more money per hour, harder time getting started) and working for a company (less money per hour, easier time getting started.)

14. Sign up with a temporary staffing agency like Manpower.  Most jobs will be during regular, weekday business hours, but some jobs will have crazy shifts.  When I went to the Financial Blogger Conference in October, I met a girl who was temping as a greeter at a cocktail party.  Go figure.

15. Bag groceries at the Commissary. Cash in pocket!

16. Sell stuff on eBay.  Choose a short auction time to get your money quickly.  I just rounded up some excess stuff in our house and sold it for $128 total!

17. Mow grass for neighbors.

18. Offer delivery services on Craigslist.  Obviously, you probably need a truck for this.  If you do have a truck, this could be a great way to make a few extra $$ at night or on the weekends.

Alternately, do “dump runs.” I have a neighbor who posts every single weekend in our neighborhood Facebook group, offering to haul people’s trash to the dump. He’s charging $50 for a full load, and it probably takes him about an hour to load up, go to the dump, unload, and get home, plus maybe $5 for gas. That’s not bad for a side hustle! And if you can do a couple of runs in a weekend – that is a lot of money.

19. Take a load of clothes to the consignment store.  Some will pay up front, others will pay you after your clothes sell. Some even give you an additional amount if you use the credit for purchases in the store.

20. Sell your blood plasma.  You’ll need to be in good health, and not afraid of needles.  You can make up to $35 per sale, and you can sell plasma up to twice a week.

21. If you have a good eye, you can purchase high quality used clothes at thrift shops on bag-sale or dollar days, then sell them on sites like ThredUp or at a local consignment shops.  I’ve done this.  It works.

22. Become an expert on JustAnswer, and help people with their questions.

23.  Drive for Uber or Lyft. I have a friend who makes good money driving just one night a week. There are some potential insurance or local legal issues to consider, so be sure to do your research. (The little gap while waiting for your next rideshare may not be covered by your auto policy, or even your company’s commercial policy. USAA can fill that gap with coverage for as little as $8/month.)

24. Cash in credit card reward points.

25. Find some work on Fiverr.  Try posting a variety of different type of gigs in order to increase your order rate, and see how unique you can be.  It didn’t work for me, but it worked out great for this guy!

26. Sell cold water on a street corner, in a busy park, or anywhere thirsty people congregate. I think this is the coolest side hustle – so simple, fast money, and you’re actually helping people out. I am always glad to buy a bottle of water from someone selling at a stoplight if I’m hot and thirsty sitting in my car.

27. Umpire/referee or do stats for local sports clubs.  Most community sports organizations are desperate for officials.  Rates seem to be around $10-$15 per game, but I’ve heard higher number in metropolitan areas.

28. Check for unclaimed funds.  States have online lists of the names of people who might have old bank or other accounts.  It might not be “fast” to get your money back, but it sure beats leaving it wherever it is now.  I did a quick check today, and discovered that a relative had an unclaimed utility deposit from college.  What a great surprise!

29. Gather aluminum cans.  If your state has a deposit, return them, or sell them to a metal dealer.  Ditto with bottles, if your state has a deposit.  Just don’t cross state lines with those recyclables…it’s illegal.

30. Sell your blood plasma.  You’ll need to be in good health, and not afraid of needles.  You can make up to $35 per sale, and you can sell plasma up to twice a week.

31. Sell stuff on Craigslist or your local area Facebook buy/sell page.

32. Offer babysitting services, or parent sitting services if you’re good with older folks.

33. Get a job at a strip club.  No further explanation needed.

34. Sell your hair.  There are websites that are just for this, and people pay a lot of money for the right hair.

35. Teach something:  sewing, cooking, candle-making – whatever you know how to do well.

36. Check out food banks and soup kitchens.  While this isn’t technically making money, it might be a way to decrease your food expenses to cover some other pressing need.

37. House-sitting.

38. Finally return that purchase that’s been stashed in the bottom of the closet or lurking in the back seat of your car.  Can’t find the receipt?  Try anyway.  Some stores have more liberal exchange policies, or can look up your purchase using your credit card or store rewards card.

39. Gather and sell scrap metal.  I’ve done cans, and one day when we had an old bed frame to go to the dump, we gathered up all the scrap metal in the garage.  We made a whopping $6, but it was better than nothing.

40. Sign up for medical testing.  Bigger studies can pay really well, but sometimes you need to have long-term availability.

41. Rent out your parking spot.  Obviously, this only works if you have a spot in a valuable area.

42. If it is near Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, volunteer to be an extra driver for a florist.  I did this one year and made $100 in about four hours.

43. Do some street performance.  You’ll want to check out the legality of this before you get started.  Anyone can figure out some type of “performance,” even if it is just covering yourself in gold paint and acting like a statue.

44. Grab a waitressing or bartending job.  You’ll probably have to work a few almost-non-paid shifts training, but after that, it is cash every night.

45. Sell books at the used book store.  Even better if you can get them for free in the first place.

46. Adjust your income tax withholding to the right amount.  If you’ve been overpaying so far this year, you can temporarily drop it a lot to generate some fast cash and get your withholding back to the right level.  Be sure you understand what you are doing before making changes.  Getting stuck with a big tax bill next year is not going to help.

47. Gather your smartest friends and find a cash prize pub trivia night.  Just don’t spend more on the beverages than you win in the contest!

48. Sign up with some mystery shopping companies.  This isn’t the fastest way to make money, as payment can be from two weeks to two months.  Be sure to stick with reputable companies; I find this Volition forum to be the best place to learn about different companies.

49. Search on Craiglist for “gigs.”  Please, please, please use your judgement and stay safe.  You might find anything from house cleaning to typing to delivering fliers.  You might also find some unsavory stuff.  Be prepared for it, or skip this tactic if you are going to be seriously offended.

50. Wrap your car in an advertisement.  Be careful, as there are definitely scams around this type of deal, but there are plenty of legitimate opportunities.

51. Shovel snow.

52.  Check the bulletin boards at the local community college for help wanted postings.  I’ve seen many interesting jobs posted there.

53. If you don’t want to drive for strangers, offer to serve as an informal taxi service for your friends.  If I’m going to take a taxi anyway, I’d much rather hire a friend.  Keep in mind that you probably can’t technically charge for your services as it usually violates the terms of your insurance.  However, there’s no reason that you can’t be the designated driver in exchange for your friends paying your cell phone bill.

54.  Roll your coins.  Collect the change from your dresser, car’s cup holder, the bottom of your purse, and under the sofa cushions.  This may no be much, but you also might be surprised.  I had a college roommate who had over $300 in change in his coin jar!

55.  Send in any random rebates or reimbursements that you’ve forgotten to submit.  Maybe it is a grocery store rebate or a claim that your medical insurance will pay.

56.  Clear out your old sports equipment and resell it at a store like Play It Again Sports.

57. Deliver pizzas or other food.  Pizza joints are always looking for more drivers.  If you have access to a reliable car, you could pick up some extra cash fast.  Heck, you might even be able to make cash tonight!

58. If you have any investment accounts, including 401(k)s or IRAs, link them up with Personal Capital to keep track of everything in one place. You’ll get a $20 Amazon gift card just for linking your investment account to your Personal Capital account, but only if you go through a referral link. Here’s mine: https://share.personalcapital.com/x/axO4nR.

59. See if any of your old stuff (books, video games, electronics) will sell on Amazon.

60. Rent out your house on Airbnb.  Bunk with a friend and split the cash.

61. Ask for a raise.  This isn’t going to work if you are in the military, but everyone else should definitely ask.  A raise is a permanent increase in your income.

I’m sure some of you have some fabulous ideas that I haven’t even considered.  Please share your successes in the comments and I’ll add them to the list!

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