10 ways to make money fast (some you haven’t thought of)

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Have you been wanting to save up for that much needed vacation but don’t have enough money right now? Do you really need to pay off that lingering debt so you can finally boost your credit score? Maybe you’re finally ready to get that house, but don’t have enough for the down payment.

There are many reasons why we never seem to have enough money when we need it. But that doesn’t have to stop you from being able to do or have the things you want and need. Try these 10 ways to earn money fast, so you can get back to living the great life!

What's in this post

1. Mowing Lawns

As a young kid, this was something I used to do to make a little extra money on the side. Whether it was mowing the lawn, or raking leaves, I was able to make a nice stack of cash for extra spending money.

I even had a couple people that I would regularly mow the lawn for in the summer. They both paid $10-20 for the whole lawn (it wasn’t very big, but worth the time). So by the end of the month I had at least an extra $150 just from those two lawns. And this doesn’t include any extra yard work I did.

If you enjoy being outdoors, and in the sun, this is a great option for you to make money fast. And the bonus of doing yard work is that you can do it year round. In the summer you mow the lawn, in the fall you rake the leaves, in the winter you shovel the driveway, and in the spring you can plant some flowers and prep the yard for summer!

The best part is you get to decide who you want to work for. Many people who are too busy to take care of their yard, or older adults who are unable to, often seek out help from someone who can. This can be you! Just put yourself out there and promote your service.

2. Donate Plasma

For some people, this will be the scariest option to make money fast. If you are afraid of needles, then you may need to skip this option.

However, if you are a champ around needles, and they don’t phase you, then here’s a great opportunity for you to not only make a difference in peoples live, but also to make money fast!

Many medium or large cities often host a plasma donation center. College towns especially tend to have these available for the students to make a few extra bucks for school, and whatnot.

Some of these centers include CSL Plasma, Grifols Plasma, and BioLife Plasma.

These donation centers often pay incentive for first timers, but also provide incentive to regular donors too. A donor can make anywhere from $300 to over $600 each month.

There are requirements to being a donor though. This includes being healthy overall, weighing at least 110 pounds, and being between the ages of 18-68. You can donate no more than twice in a 7 day period.

In the past, I have earned up to $500 in a month. And after several months of doing this, I was able to save up enough to pay off a significant chunk of my car payment.

3. Babysitting

Babysitting is an excellent way to make a quick buck! Many parents aren’t able to be with their kids 24/7 and need someone to step in and supervise the little ones. Or they may just want a much needed break to themselves, and are even willing to pay you for it.

If you think babysitting is right for you, you will want to consider your previous experience, your availability, how much you are wanting to charge, and where you will be watching the kids. Some parents would prefer to keep their kids at their house while they are gone, while others may not care on way or the other.

Babysitting is also a great job for high school students, and is often one of the first jobs that many teenagers have.

However, this is probably a limited option for some people, and may not be for you. Not everyone enjoys being around kids, and strangers aren’t likely to trust their kids to just anyone.

So, if you aren’t comfortable with being around children, or don’t know anyone who might need you to watch their kids, you may need to skip this option.

4. Tutoring

Many students need a little extra help with their school work. No matter the grade level or subject, there will likely be a way for you to help teach a learning mind.

If you are interested in becoming an online tutor, you can check out Tutor.com to find jobs where you can earn $25-70/hour. Each job posting will provide you a list of goals for that tutoring position. This includes the age group, session time, subject, frequency of the sessions, and more.

If you enjoy teaching, but don’t want the stress of teaching in person, this is a great option for you. Tutors.com offers 10,000 tutoring leads per month. So there is no reason you won’t find an opportunity you can’t grab!

5. House Cleaning

Not many people actually enjoy cleaning. And some don’t mind paying a little bit to make their messy space look tidy once again!

So if you don’t mind a little extra time spent on tidying and organizing, then you may enjoy this idea to make money fast. You can offer your services through connections, and people you know. Post your email at your local library with the services that you offer. Or even offer to friends and family.

If you are considering using social media to offer your services, do be careful to avoid giving out personal information or risking your safety.

If you plan to make a little bit of a side hustle with house cleaning, you will also want be mindful of whether or not you will be providing the cleaning products, or if the client will need to. You also want to avoid agreeing to providing services you may not be able to follow through on. This way you avoid any disagreements, and client dissatisfaction.

6. Dog walking (and pet sitting)

Dogs need lots of attention and opportunities to burn off their energy. And unfortunately many owners aren’t able to run home during the day and take their dogs on a walk.

So if you love those precious pups, you may enjoy this way to make money fast. If you are interested in beginning your dog walking business today, check out Rover.com to get started!

You can make you own schedule, set your price, and request specific preferences. You can also offer multiple services beside just dog walking. So check it out on Rover now.

7. Uber, Eat Street, and Doordash

These services have become especially popular in the last few years, particularly after the pandemic. If you have a reliable vehicle and enjoy driving around town, then you might enjoy making a little extra cash on the side by offering these services.

A bonus of driving for these services, is that you can set your own hours, and often get paid immediately. So, if you need flexibility, this is a great option for you. Plus, you can often get tips for providing your service!

If you want to join Uber, you can click the link on their home page to sign up today. Uber offers both ride services, and food delivery. In fact, most of the delivery services now offer more than just food delivery.

If you are interested in Eat Street, apply today here, to get started.

If you would rather do Doordash, you can sign up here.

8. Teaching a Skill

When I was in high school I taught music lessons to a few people each week for about half a year before I moved away for college. While I was in no way a top tier professional, or an advanced level, I was merely teaching beginners. So I was transparent with this information when I offered these services.

And you should be too. Whether you are teaching someone how to play a musical instrument, or you are teaching them a creative crafting skill, transparency is key. Transparency leads to trust from your students, and it also ensures opportunities for future clients as well.

How do I find people who want to learn my skills?

In my case, I found a few people to teach by word of mouth. I personally knew one of my students, and the other two were recommended to me by another friend. But this doesn’t mean you can’t advertise your services.

If you want to reach out to a larger audience of potential clients and students, flyers are a great option, social media can work great, and even providing a website. You will want to consider, however, the time frame in which you want to provide these services.

For me, I was only able to teach for about 6 months. I made sure to tell my students about this before they even started taking lessons, and they were okay with this. If you are considering offering your services for a longer time, or even starting a little bit of a side business, make sure to let your potential clients know this as well. That way they know how long they can expect you to continue teaching them your awesome skills. And, maybe even recommend you to their friends and family!

9. Farmer’s Market Baked Goods and Crafts

Most cities, big and small, have a farmer’s market. These are super cute little markets, usually outside in good weather, that provide a space for locals to sell their produce from gardens, sell their handmade crafted items, and sell baked goods. They are usually open for limited hours each week, so be sure to check the times before heading out the door.

Often times gardeners who have extra vegetables or fruit will regularly set up shop at these markets to make an extra buck. So if you have a garden, like to hand craft items, enjoy baking cookies, pies and more, then this is a great way for you to make money fast!

If you don’t enjoy doing any of these things, that’s okay. Farmer’s markets are sometimes even available for people to sell clothes, and other items. So if you don’t have enough things to sell at a garage sale, but have a little extra you need to get rid of, then all you need is a table, a chair, and a little bit of cash to make change.

10. Garage Sale, or Sell it Online

Good weather is often a precursor to seeing garage sales all over town. So if you’ve boxed up a bunch of stuff that you’ve been needing to get rid of for a while, then here’s your chance to make money fast!

If you don’t have much to sell at a garage sale, then you can even ask some friends, family, or co-workers if you can tag along on their sales. Just collaborate on a time, and bring your stuff over to start making cash.

If this isn’t really an option for you, or you only have 2-3 items that you want to get rid of, but don’t have the time for a garage sale, then Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or eBay might be an option for you. Often times people will advertise their garage sale on Facebook, but you can advertise just a few items.

Whether it’s Facebook, eBay, or Craigslist, selling your extra things online can earn you money fast. Because of the ability to increase your audience online, you have the opportunity to find a buyer much quicker than you might for just a regular yard sale.

Final Thoughts on the 10 Ways to Make Money Fast

Hopefully, there are a few ideas you can use from my list of 10 ways to make money fast. And, I imagine there might have been one or two that you hadn’t thought of before.

So if payday is too far away, you need to save up for that much-needed vacation, or you want to finally get out of debt, try one of those 10 ways to make money fast.