12 Legit Ways to Get Money Fast (2024)

This post is sponsored by Trademore. I was paid for this post, but all opinions on how to get money fast are my own.

Just about everyone I know has been in a financial bind at some point, where they could really use an extra $20, or even $500 to pay some bills, buy needed food, or pay off some debts.

Due to unforeseen expenses or life or fewer hours at work, we sometimes are hard up for money.

When my husband and I faced these low points, we had to figure out a way to get money now, fast.

Some methods take a little bit of time in order to acquire the money, but none of these require you to pick up a second (or third) job, though that’s always a good option too, even if temporary, to help defray some upcoming expenses (like the time I worked for the Adidas factory and McGraw-Hill grading standardized tests).

Good luck finding the perfect way to get money fast for you and your situation!

10 Ways to Get Money Fast

1. Trade In Your Old Phones and Tablets at TradeMore.com

If you have old cell phones, tablets, or smartwatches around the house, you can look up your device on TradeMore.com and see if and how much money they will give you for trading them in!

We currently have my husband’s old Samsung Galaxy S 7 Edge, and we could potentially get $50 for it! If I sold my current Google Pixel 2, I could get $75.

Once you place your quote, they’ll ship you a pre-packaged box for you to send it back to them in at no shipping charge. Before you send in your phone you’ll make sure it is cleaned thoroughly, all personal data is wiped out, SIM or SD card removed, and is factory reset.

You’ll then ship it out to them (for free) and then it’ll undergo a 30-point inspection and certification process. After it’s assessed, you’ll then get your final quote. If you aren’t happy with that final quote, they’ll send you your phone back.

TradeMore.com is the only trade-in brand that returns your used device after inspection if the final quote is less than the initial offer.

Also, you can sell phones or tablets that are broken or have cracked screens! Just be sure to mark them as being in poor condition. If our S7 Edge was in poor condition, they’d still offer us $25 if it still powered on (only $7 if it doesn’t).

They payout to you via Paypal or Virtual Mastercard Gift Card within a few days of you accepting their offer.

Be sure to get a quote for your used devices today!

(And yes, you can also buy used phones for way less there too, including used iPhones but this post is about making money, not spending it.)

2. Donate Plasma

Google “Plasma centers near me” or something similar and find out if you are a candidate for donating plasma.

They typically pay out between $20-$50 per donation, with the possibility of earning up to $300 a month if you donate plasma multiple times.

Many offer first-time bonuses, or bonuses for coming back so many times in a specific time frame. Take advantage of these offers and make even more money.

You may even shop around different centers near you and see who is offering the best incentives currently.

While you may not be a candidate for donating plasma, or hate the sight or mere thought of needles, this is a fast, easy, viable, and even life-saving way to get money fast.

Several of my brothers and sisters have donated plasma, some very regularly. It helps pay the bills.

3. Sell Items to a Pawnshop

If you have something valuable, you can try your luck at taking it to a Pawnshop near you.

My husband once took in his baby Taylor guitar to a pawnshop when we needed some money, and was able to haggle a decent price for it too.

It was a bit painful to separate ourselves from the guitar, but he really didn’t play it much.

If you have some pieces of jewelry, old watches, musical instruments, or other things of worth, that are also sold at pawnshops, it can be a way to sell items fast for money.

4. Sell Stuff on Online Marketplaces

This one takes more effort on your part, but you can also sell items a pawn shop doesn’t want.

We have sold a lot of items through online marketplaces. We sold furniture, baby items, microwaves, appliances, curtains, clothes, storage items, books, gaming systems, and more.

I need to write a post with all my best tips on this, but my best advice is to treat this endeavor very professionally. Take the best-staged photos of the items you are selling as you can, making sure to clean them beforehand, fixing them up as needed.

Be sure detailed in your descriptions, and price high, because everyone likes to haggle. Promptly follow up with people who message you and show up at your designated meeting location on time.

If you need money super fast, price the items super competitively and it will likely go quick. If you have more time, start high and then drop the price as needed.

5. Sell to a Consignment Shop

Sometimes clothing items don’t sell super well through online marketplace (unless specialty items like winter clothing, designer or brand name items, and so on), so you can try your luck selling them to a local consignment shop.

Consignment shops typically don’t pay super well, and the clothes need to be valuable still (i.e. not your faded, worn, ripped shirt). Most often pay more in store credit than they do in cash payouts, but it can be a faster way to make money from clothes you have.

If you have a baby, you can take a host of baby-related items to children’s consignment shops too.

You can also sell your clothing and baby stuff through online consignment shops, but the turnaround for payment will be longer.

6. Host a Yard Sale

I have never hosted my own yard sale, but I know some find it successful. We just don’t typically have enough items to sell, and I think you can get a better price in some of the above ways.

Make sure you really advertise your yard sale through different channels, like online marketplaces and local buy/sell groups. Highlight items you’ll have at your sale, and show some pictures if possible.

Make sure prices are transparent, and that you bundle things when possible to move more items and get more money.

7. Offer Childcare

If you are part of some community – church, school, work, neighborhood – where you feel your babysitting and childcare skills could be utilized, advertise that you are looking to watch some kids on the weekends or during the day.

Parents are often looking for babysitters for date night, or while they go to work. Approach a couple you know with young kids, and offer to babysit so they can out, or see if they need a new childcare provider.

You could also pool together another friend or two, and offer a larger drop-off mom’s night out, or date night out, through your church or community, charging a flat fee per head, to maximize your time and earnings.

Just make sure you can handle whatever children you’ll care for with love and safety, and that you are cleared to do so with your local and state governments.

8. Take on Odd Jobs

Like babysitting above, you can offer some sort of service to another.

These services could involve cleaning someone’s house, raking leaves, mowing lawns, shoveling sidewalks, consulting with a business, doing virtual assistant tasks, mending clothes, folding laundry, dog walking, house sitting, helping someone move, cooking meals for someone, and so on.

Think about what you can do, and who could use your services.

9. Market Your Talents

If you have special talents, you can lobby them for fast money.

If you have special training, like you’re a teacher or CPA, you can take on additional work tutoring or helping someone organize their financial records.

If you are an artist, try to get some commissioned works by offering smaller scale items, prints, or one-of-a-kind creations.

If you are a photographer, offer some mini-sessions to some friends or other acquaintances.

If you are an amateur baker, bake some of your specialty treats and sell them in the breakroom at work, or door-to-door with your neighbors, or even through social media groups.

Make cookies, brownies, tamales, birthday cakes, or other special orders to get some money fast.

If you are a physical trainer, or majored in dance, teach a workout class or dance class in your garage, or at a local venue or gym.

If you play an instrument, like the piano or violin, offer to start teaching lessons.

10. Rent Out Your Stuff

If you have extra items hanging around, think about renting them out.

This is especially great for things you yourself don’t use all the time, like large bouncy houses, lawnmowers, power tools, saws, musical instruments, movie projectors, snowblowers, and so on.

But, you could get creative and rent out time for other things too, like your car, laundry facilities, pool, a room in your house or your entire house, a carpet cleaner, and more.

11. Surveys

This is more of a bonus one, as it typically isn’t super fast, as you have to qualify for most surveys in order to get paid, and then can take several screeners until you do, but taking online surveys can earn you a little extra money.

Check out my list of surveys that pay cash to learn more about some good survey company options.

12. Cash Back Apps and Websites

Unless you’ve been using them already, these won’t get you money fast, but cashing out from a cashback app is a way to get a little extra money too.

You can learn more about some cashback apps here.

I hope these ideas for getting money fast help you get your creative juices flowing for how you can quickly earn some money.

Good luck!

More money-saving articles for you:

• 6+ Legit Ways to Score Free Samples in the Mail
• How to Create a Successful Monthly Budget (Free Excel Spreadsheet)
• How to Know Which Debt to Pay Off First
• 6 Quick and Easy Ways to Save $5 or More Every Week
• How to Earn Money with VIPKID

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