You’re looking to make $20 dollars — and you want to do it as fast as you can. I have been there, the day my account only had a $2.26 balance, you better believe I was looking for ways to make $20 fast too.
Here are some legit ways that I found to be the quickest to get some extra cash when you need it the most.
21+ Best Ways to Make $20 Fast
Here are some great ways to get your hands on $20 quickly:
- Take Paid Surveys
- Get Paid to Play Games
- Sell Your Old Stuff
- Sell Unwanted Tech Items
- Deliver Groceries
- Deliver Food
- Rideshare Drive
- Freelance
- Earn Rewards Shopping Online
- Get Cash Back
- Make Items and Sell Them
- Take Odd Jobs
- Rent Your Car
- Rent Your Living Space
- Babysit
- Take Care of Pets
- Sell Designs on Amazon Merch
- Listen to Music
- Transcribe Audio
- Work as a Virtual Assistant
- Answer Questions
- Get Paid to Use Your Phone
- Teach an Online Course
- Work as a Tour Guide
- Take out a Loan
1. Take Paid Surveys
Taking online surveys from sites like InboxDollars, Survey Junkie, or Swagbucks is an easy way to earn money, which you can cash out via check, PayPal, or in the form of gift cards to retailers like Amazon and Walmart.
Most sites offer instant signup bonuses that range from $5 to $10, so if you sign up for a few of those, you have $20 right there.
To be clear, there are some survey site scams out there, but the above examples are legit. In addition to taking surveys, you can get paid to watch videos, test new products, participate in focus groups, and for a variety of other online tasks.
2. Get Paid to Play Games
Mistplay is an app that lets users earn gift cards for playing video games. There is also a loyalty program that pays $5 for every 1,500 points that you rack up.
If you like to play games, Mistplay is one of the only and best ways to get paid doing just that. But there are a lot out there, so browse your app store for the best options.
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3. Sell Your Old Stuff
Take a look around your house and scan for unwanted objects like old bookshelves, dressers, sofas, or kitchen equipment. Then consider listing them on a selling app like Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor.
This is a great way to free some space and liquidate unwanted materials in the process. It’s a win-win – and I guarantee that you will have offers made on your old stuff quickly!
4. Sell Unwanted Tech Items
Everyone has an electronics graveyard buried deep in their basement or closet. This is where you send old television screens, smartphones, DVDs, and video game systems when they are no longer needed.
Turn this pile of dust-collecting electronics into cash by selling them to Decluttr — a company that pays for unwanted tech items and even provides free boxes and shipping.
Decluttr wipes electronics of old data and either recycles them or sells them in their online store.
5. Deliver Groceries
Get paid to shop for other people’s groceries using Instacart.
Here’s How it Works:
- Customers place grocery orders online
- Instacart pairs them with shoppers
- Shoppers goto to the chosen store, handpick the items and pay for them
- Shoppers then deliver the groceries to the customer’s door
The more effort and care you put into selecting grocery items and communicating with the customer, the better tip you are likely to get. Do a few trips in a row to increase your earnings during your free time.
6. Deliver Food
Grubhub and DoorDash provide platforms that enable you to connect with local businesses and consumers and deliver items on demand.
Working for these delivery apps is similar to driving for Uber or Lyft, except you don’t have to pick up any passengers. The apps connect you with local opportunities and compensate you for successful and timely deliveries. You can get paid for deliveries and earn tips.
Again, these services charge commissions and fees. Keep track of how much you’re losing in commissions when driving for these services, and consider partnering with local businesses directly to earn more money.
7. Rideshare Drive
Car owners have a unique opportunity to get paid to drive with rideshare services like Uber and Lyft.
These services essentially turn your car into a cab, giving you the ability to pick up passengers in your spare time and drive them around town to various destinations like the airport, the bank, or work.
Just keep in mind that services like Uber and Lyft take a cut of whatever you bring in. If you don’t want to fork over a commission every time you pick up a passenger, consider forming direct relationships with individuals on the side, asking for referrals, and working as a private driver instead.
8. Freelance
Freelancing is tough work. However, if you have the patience and skill, you can join the legion of bloggers and graphic designers that make money freelancing on sites like Fiverr and Upwork.
Depending on your skill set and area of focus, you can easily earn $20 per hour as a freelancer.
9. Earn Rewards While Shopping Online
Another effortless way to earn $20 is to shop online with a savings tool. There are several apps and websites that aim to save you money on your online purchases.
I highly recommend Capital One Shopping. It’s an online shopping assistant that can compare prices, presenting you with deals on the products you’re looking for, and find coupon codes to apply to your purchases.
The free browser extension runs in the background to compare tens of thousands of retailers and presents you with potential savings at checkout. You can also search the site or app directly for specific deals, products, or brands, and find personalized offers.
In addition to saving money, you can also accrue shopping points when you buy from some of Capital One’s partner stores, which you can redeem as gift cards.
10. Get Cash Back
Basic household necessities like food and household supplies can drain your budget. Good news: You can recover some of these costs using Ibotta, which puts money back into your pocket when you buy everyday items.
Ibotta also offers a $5 welcome bonus — meaning it’s a great way to instantly drum up cash.
11. Make Items and Sell Them
Another place where creative professionals can make a quick buck is Etsy, an online marketplace for wares of all types, from potholders and earrings to T-shirts and even digital products.
Etsy is great because it saves the step of designing and managing a website. Etsy does all the heavy lifting on your behalf, giving users an online marketplace while also providing marketing support and directing traffic to your store.
A popular trend that many Etsy sellers have started to capitalize on is selling printables or digital downloads. With this strategy, you create the product once and sell it as many times as you want with no need to worry about shipping or fulfillment.
To start selling on Etsy, you don’t have to get accepted to post items. You just need to create one product in order to open your shop. It’s free to join, although users do have to pay some sales and advertising fees.
12. Take Odd Jobs
Chances are your neighborhood is full of people who need help completing everyday tasks like assembling furniture, painting walls, setting up or clearing patios, and mowing the lawn.
One way to connect with individuals and find side jobs is through the TaskRabbit app, which offers a safe and convenient way to get paid for handiwork services. Taskers can easily make $20 or more depending on the job and location.
The great part about using an app like TaskRabbit is that you don’t have to work with the same person twice if you don’t want to. However, you can also form personal connections and receive steady work if you do a good job.
Add it all up, and TaskRabbit offers a lot of flexibility to work on your own terms.
13. Rent Your Car
If your car spends most of the day sitting in a parking space, you should strongly consider putting it to use on a site like Turo, a leading car rental app.
All you have to do is list your car and connect with local community members who need transportation for work or personal reasons. For example, someone may need to borrow a pickup truck to transport a large item.
Posting on Turo is generally safe, as you have visibility into who is renting your car and what they’re using it for. The site also lets you set rules like whether smoking or eating in the vehicle is allowed and provides insurance to protect your property.
14. Rent Your Living Space
It’s also possible to make money fast by renting your living space on Airbnb.
This is something you can do if you’re a homeowner or if your landlord gives you the option to sublet your apartment. The amount you charge generally depends on the location and quality of your living space.
15. Babysit
Head over to Facebook and take a look at your friend list. There is a strong possibility at least a handful of people have young kids and need a night off.
Consider sending messages to people who fit this description, let them know you love working with kids and you’re looking for extra work. Some people may just be looking for an excuse to have a night away from their kids and may take you up on the offer.
If you show up on time and do a good job you could land steady part-time work. Pay is typically under the table too, which means quick cash. Another way to land babysitting gigs is through sites like Care.com.
16. Take Care of Pets
Taking care of pets is another great way to earn extra income. By providing basic pet services like walking, feeding, or simply visiting with animals during the day, you can get paid to spend time with animals and help out their owners.
Pet care requires patience and a genuine love of animals. It also requires people skills and being able to work with pet owners who may have specific demands or instructions for their pets.
If this sounds like something you’re interested in doing, check out Rover to find gigs.
17. Sell Designs on Amazon Merch
Having artistic talent is a gift that you should not waste. Yet, oftentimes artists fail to turn their ideas into cash because they lack the means to put their artwork onto everyday objects like mugs and hats.
One way to get around this challenge is through Amazon Merch, a site that lets you post your artwork and connect with buyers. Any time someone uses your design, you can receive a royalty. It’s a fast and easy way to put your artwork in motion and start generating income with your ideas.
And if merch isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other ways to make money on Amazon.
18. Listen to Music
Most consumers pay a monthly service fee to a streaming provider like Spotify, Amazon, or YouTube to listen to music. Did you know you can get paid to discover emerging artists and provide reviews?
For example, Music Xray is a platform that artists use to share new music with listeners and get feedback before publishing tracks. You can get paid to listen to and rate music across multiple genres.
If you’re a music buff, why not give this a whirl?
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19. Transcribe Audio
People with sharp listening and typing skills should consider transcribing audio for businesses and professionals.
Most companies today are using automated transcription services to turn things like audio interviews, podcasts, and customer calls into text form. However, these services are not always accurate and require editing.
As such, there are many opportunities to turn audio into polished and legible text. You can make money transcribing raw audio or editing existing text.
20. Work as a Virtual Assistant
In the past, office assistants needed to be on-site. These days, most companies are operating remotely and using virtual assistants to help with daily administrative tasks.
It’s possible to work as a virtual assistant on a flexible basis, taking on jobs as an independent contractor. Some assistants also choose to work part-time.
Consider working as a virtual assistant if you’re highly organized, capable of multitasking, and good about following through on tasks and paying close attention to details.
21. Answer Questions
Internet users often head to sites like JustAnswer or Quora to ask questions on a variety of topics — and they often rely on community members for responses.
If you’re qualified in your particular field (for example, if you are a mechanic, teacher, lawyer, or doctor), you can bring in extra cash by answering questions on JustAnswer.
The site pays you each time you answer a question.
22. Get Paid to Use Your Phone
If you’re like most people, you reach for your phone at least 1,000 or more during the course of a week — checking for messages, emails, sports scores, financial updates, and more. That’s a lot of usage. And, believe it or not, you can actually get compensated for it.
Slidejoy is an app that pays you for simply unlocking your phone. All you have to do is install their app, and view their news feed or promotions on your lock screen. You’ll see things like shoes or clothing, instead of a blank screen.
Using a service like Slidejoy can produce around $20 per month just for accessing your phone. You don’t have to buy any products or ask others to sign up either.
23. Teach an Online Course
People who are skilled in certain areas like teaching English, art, or music should consider teaching online courses.
If you decide to work for an English teaching site like VIPkid, you’ll need to meet their prerequisites. However, you don’t need any certification or prior experience to set up a course.
Think about an area where you excel and consider putting together a training course based on your expertise. If you’re thinking about trying your hand as an online teacher, another site to explore is Udemy.
24. Work as a Tour Guide
If you live in an area with heavy tourism like New York, New Orleans, or San Francisco, you could make some extra money by working as a local tour guide.
You can either partner with a tour agency or launch a business and offer your own custom tours. This is a great way to earn extra money and meet a variety of interesting people in the process.
25. Take out a Loan
Some situations call for immediate access to cash, and there’s no way around it. For example, you may lose your job and have nothing in savings, making it impossible to pay rent or put food on the table. In this case, you may not have the means to go hours or days without money.
In this situation, you can potentially take out a personal loan to make ends meet. Just remember that any time you take out a loan, you’ll have to pay back the money with interest. Failure to do so could damage your credit score and result in relentless pursuit from lenders.
Treat loans as a last resort. But use them if necessary to pay bills or cover emergency expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make $20 instantly on Rakuten?
Rakuten is a leading cashback website that rewards you for shopping in its network of over 2,500 participating retailers. You can earn cash back just for making everyday purchases. Not bad!
What is a side hustle to make $20 a day?
A side hustle is a strategy that people use to make money on top of their normal day job. For example, a side hustle can be anything from walking dogs to building websites, to cleaning houses. All types of professionals have side hustles, from entry-level workers who are just starting out to those with the highest-paying jobs in their fields.
How can I make $20 dollars in 5 minutes?
If you are desperate for $20 or more, I recommend one of the best cash advance apps, Albert. You can sign up for an account and get an advance on your paycheck for up to $250 which you will pay back with your next direct deposit.
What is passive income?
Passive income involves making an initial investment in the form of money or labor and benefitting from that investment with recurring payments or royalties. It’s money that you don’t have to work for consistently.
For example, you might write a book and receive royalties over a 30-year period. Or, you might put together an online course, or purchase a rental property, that provides a steady stream of revenue for years.
Are $20 sign-up bonuses worth it?
Banks, credit cards, and survey sites often offer sign-up bonuses for new accounts. For example, you may receive $200 for opening a bank account and keeping your money in there for a certain amount of time.
Sign-up bonuses can be worth it, but don’t sign up for a new bank account or credit card only to get the reward. Make sure you actually like the bank and understand the terms and conditions.
What’s the Best Way for You to Make $20 Instantly?
At the end of the day, is it really worth focusing on making just $20 instantly? Most likely, your efforts are better spent thinking about ways to bring in $20 each hour, or each minute.
Never forget that your time and skills are valuable. In the digital age, if you’re motivated to make money, you should have no trouble finding ways to do it. And once you invest that money, it can work on your behalf day and night.
So get to it! The harder you work now, the sooner you’ll get to financial freedom.
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