5 Ways to Make Quick Cash

Every year, millions of Americans find themselves searching for ways to make quick cash. While there are many, many ways to get a hold of cash quickly, some methods are much more legitimate than others. While fast cash sources like payday loans may claim to be the answer to your prayers, solutions such as these come with fine print and hidden fees that can leave you worse off than you were in the first place. 

If you’re looking to boost your bank account by earning quick cash, we’re here to help. Whether you’ve got a vacation coming up and you’d like some extra spending money, or an unexpected expense has left you feeling strapped for cash, we’ve got a legitimate fast cash solution for you. Use the links below to jump ahead to the section of your choosing. 

• Take ride-sharing for a spin
• Deliver food from local restaurants
• Pick up odd jobs via apps
• Sell your stuff and make quick cash online
• Turn your coins into cash

1. Take ride-sharing for a spin 

Did you know that up to 25% of Americans use a ride-sharing service at least once per month? That’s over 82 million people searching for rides in their city. Through companies like Uber and Lyft, it’s now easier and more lucrative than ever to earn money by giving rides to people in your area. Ride-share drivers often earn as much as double taxi drivers income, and the process of becoming a ride-share driver is quicker and less painful. While taxi driving requires training and a licensing exam, driving for a ride-share service like Uber simply requires an online screening and the upload of a few documents, such as your license and registration. In as soon as a week, you can be on the road, making cash as you drive.

Don’t have a car? You’re in luck! Many ride-sharing companies now offer solutions to get carless drivers out on the road. Through Uber Xchange, you can obtain a short-term car lease from a local dealership. You’ll need to pay a deposit upfront and make weekly payments on your vehicle, but many drivers find making those payments simple with their income from ridesharing. Uber Xchange will even take care of your leased car’s maintenance and insurance. 

2. Deliver food from local restaurants

If hosting strangers in your car leaves you feeling a little uncomfortable, you’ve got other options! Why not deliver food using your car, instead? Side hustle apps like Postmates and Uber’s offshoot, Uber Eats, make it possible for you to earn money by simply picking up food from restaurants and driving it to hungry people! Working as an independent delivery driver (ie not tied to a specific restaurant) gives you the freedom to make your own schedule and deliver when you want and where you want! Simply log into the app whenever you’d like to earn fast cash and deliveries will start coming your way! 

Food delivery drivers are most often paid for pickup and drop off, along with pay for wait time at the restaurant and miles driven between pick up and drop off. Additionally, customers are given the option to tip delivery drivers; 100% of this tip will go directly to you! 

3. Pick up odd jobs via apps 

In days of old, finding odd jobs often meant putting out flyers, knocking on doors, and traversing the neighborhood looking for work that needs to be done. Then came Craigslist with its wealth of gigs, but that requires a private exchange of cash and is notorious for an interesting cast of characters. 

In today’s day and age, there’s an app for that! Numerous apps, actually. Here are some of our favorites: 

• Fiverr is perfect for the tech-savvy freelancer. You’ll simply list freelance services you can perform, for instance logo design, data entry, photo editing, and more, and set your rate. While Fiverr was originally named because all tasks paid $5, you can now set a rate anywhere from $5 to $1,000. Businesses will search for the task they need completed, find you, and you’ll get a gig! 
• TaskRabbit is a marketplace for pretty much any IRL task, from shopping to moving services. Log into the app to find tasks in your area that need completion. Simply choose the task you’d like to complete, follow the instructions, and you’ll get paid (and often tipped) through the app! 
• Zaarly is just like Task Rabbit, but for the handyman. Here, people post tasks like landscaping, appliance repair services, junk removal, plumbing, and more. Keep in mind that Zaarly has a few more requirements for service providers than Task Rabbit, such as a phone interview, references, and a background check, but once you’re vetted, you’re good to go! 

4. Sell your stuff and make quick cash online

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure… and often your “trash” can turn into quick cash online! Next time you Marie Kondo your closet, identify items to be sold, rather than simply donated. There are tons of sites out there that allow you to turn junk into cash, and get a little spring cleaning done in the process. Explore some of the following sites to sell things you no longer need: 

• Gazelle.com will buy your old smartphones and other consumer electronics and pay you via check, Amazon gift cards, or Paypal. 
• ThreadUp and Poshmark are perfect for your everyday clothing, shoes, and purses. ThreadUp makes it simple by shipping you a big bag with a prepaid label. Simply stuff it with your clothing and send it back. They’ll sort through, price, and list your clothing for sale and you’ll earn a portion of the profit. Poshmark is a bit more DIY, allowing you to list and price the clothing yourself, but you’re likely to earn more for your items. 
• TheRealReal is the place to offload any luxury items you no longer use. Send in your designer clothing, accessories, handbags, and more. They’ll price, list, and sell your items, and pay you a portion of the selling cost. The better condition, the higher the payout!
• Steady

5. Turn your coins into cash

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but we’re willing to bet you’ve got a big pile of coins hanging out somewhere that just keeps growing. Perhaps the simplest way to make money fast is by using money. It’s time to cash in those coins!

There are tons of ways to do this, some more labor intensive than others. The most lucrative way to turn coins into cash is, of course, by taking them to the bank. They’ll give you penny for penny the exact value of your coins back in cash. Keep in mind, though, that most banks require you to roll your coins yourself. In order to do so, you’ll need to get coin wrappers in the denomination you need (most banks will give these to you for free) and separate them according to coin type. This can be a tedious task, but it’s sure to give you the highest payout. With a little money upfront, you could also invest in a coin separator, which automatically separates your coins into the corresponding sleeves. 

If counting coins isn’t your thing, you can always look into a coin counting machine. You may have seen the Coinstar machine at your local grocery store or drug store. Simply take your coins to the store, dump them in the tray of the machine, and let it do the work for you! These machines save you tons of time, but they come at a cost. If you’d like to receive cash back for your coins, you’re likely looking at an 8% to 10% fee paid directly to the coin counter. You may have the option to receive the full amount in the form of a gift card, but unless you’re looking to support the corresponding business, this may not be the best option for you. 

No matter your income or quick cash needs, the best way to manage your money is to create a budget. A smart budget breakdown for any lifestyle is the 50/30/20 rule. Spend 50% of your income on essentials, 30% on personal expenses such as entertainment and dining, and the final 20% should go into your savings account. 

Has the thought of a budget left you feeling overwhelmed? Gone are the days of complex budgeting spreadsheets and manual expense tracking. The Mint app will take care of the heavy lifting by calculating your income, tracking your spending by category, and keeping you savvy to the most important budgeting tips and tricks to manage your finances with ease.