Sometimes, life comes at you quick. Whether it’s an unexpected car or home repair bill, a medical emergency, braces for the kids, or just the desire for a long-overdue vacation, we all could benefit from some extra cash in our pockets.
We’ve rounded up 7 of the quickest, easiest, and most fun ways to put- and keep- some extra cash in your pocket.
The best part- none of them are hard or expensive, and you can do a bunch without even getting off the couch!
Get Paid to Play… Games on Your Phone
This has to be one of our favorite ways to make some extra money because it’s so easy and so fun! While we all love to play games, most won’t pay you to play. But not so with Mistplay.
To begin earning, simply download the app from your phone’s app store and start playing! The more games you play, the more points you can earn, which can in turn be redeemed for gift cards at places like Starbucks, and Amazon, and even Visa prepaid cards which is, essentially, cash!
Mistplay’s also a great game for players who like to get social. The app offers a live in-app chat feature, and gives you the opportunity to invite friends to play, too. And if one of the friends you invite signs up, you can earn even more points.
Your “Two Cents” is Worth More Than That
Earning more money is a key component to financial success. But if your life already feels jam-packed busy, a full-on second job may be out of the question.
Enter Swagbucks, a company that consistently appears on “how to make extra money” lists. Since their founding, Swagbucks has paid users almost $450 million dollars for simple things watching videos and taking surveys.
The company partners with brands and marketers who are looking for opinions and honest feedback about products or services. Users can earn money by taking surveys, watching videos on their app, or even when shopping or dining out.
It’s quick, easy, and free to create a Swagbucks profile. Click here to get started.
Earn for Delivering Food
Delivery has become table-stakes- people love their favorite restaurants, but don’t want to leave the comfort of home to get their food. And for a variety of reasons, many restaurants no longer offer delivery services directly from their restaurant.
Enter DoorDash, a leading food delivery service. Restaurants partner with DoorDash to deliver food directly to customers’ homes, and anyone can become a DoorDash driver- all you need is a reliable car, driver’s license, and auto insurance. This is a great option for people who may want to earn extra money with a service like Uber or Lyft, but who’s cars don’t meet the minimum requirements.
If you don’t have a car, but live in an urban environment (or somewhere where there are lots of houses or apartments in close proximity) it’s no problem for DoorDash. Since drivers know the destination of orders before accepting, a bike, scooter, or even a pair of walking shoes are all you need to start earning money quickly.
Cut the Fees to Maximize Investments
Investments are a great way to make your money work for you, but so many funds, platforms and managers charge astronomical fees, cutting into your earnings.
If you have a 401k, Blooom can help suss out those sneaky fees hiding in all aspects of your investment portfolio. The company also touts that they’ll evaluate your stock/bond mix, then decide if you’re leaving money on the table by not investing more aggressively.
Signing up for Bloom could help you save up to 66% in hidden investment fees.
Related: The Top 7 Banking and Investment Apps You Need to Know
Track Your Spending to Quit Wasting Money
There’s a saying about starting something new: the best day to start was yesterday, but the second best day is today. Make today the day you finally get a handle on all of your budgets, accounts, spending, and overall finances- all in one place.
Tiller is a relatively new company that’ll make your life easier by aggregating summaries of all of your accounts in one, easy-to-understand spreadsheet (compatible with Google Sheets). Knowing what money is coming in and going out makes it a whole lot easier to see where you can cut spending and increase saving or investing.
The platform offers customizable spreadsheets that simply automatically compile bank feeds and presents it in a customizable sheet that tells you everything you need- and want- to know about your financial health in one place. And it auto updates on a daily basis, so you’re always working with the most up to date information.
For a generation that grew up with spreadsheets and Google, Tiller is a great option to organize finances. And to make it even easier, Tiller is offering a 30 day free trial (and even the paid version only costs less than 25 cents per day)
Invest in Real Estate- Even If You’re Not Rich
Owning real estate has historically been a strong investment. Not only do you benefit from appreciation of the value of the property over time, you also can earn income by renting it out. But- and especially- in a competitive real estate market, buying property can be extremely challenging- and expensive, as many lenders require at least a 20% down payment.
But now, with just $500, anyone can become a fractional real estate owner, thanks to a company called DiversyFund. They combine the money you invest, with the money from other fractional investors- called crowdfunding- to purchase and manage large-scale rental properties.
You’ll then receive quarterly payments- called dividends- that come from your share of rent and property appreciation. All it takes to get started is a few minutes and $500.
Make Sure Your Family is Set
Should something unexpectedly happen to you, it’s important to know that your family would face years of financial hardship in your absence. One of the easiest ways to ensure security is through life insurance.
Sure, buying life insurance isn’t the most fun thing, but it sure is important. And thanks to a few new companies, you can finally find a policy that’s affordable. We’re talking less than $1/day affordable.
For as little as about $.30 a day, you can have peace of mind knowing your family would have enough money to help cover the mortgage or rent, college, braces, and other bills.
If you’re under 54 you can get a free, quick quote without leaving home- or having a medical exam- with a company called Bestow.
Their online application process is simple and you can get a quote in just a few minutes.
