You’re in a pinch. You've done all you know how to do, but you're still way behind on your bills, with no hope of getting caught up. You keep telling yourself, "I need money now," but you do not even know where to begin. Yes, people are discussing how they make money online, but many of the solutions they offer take months to implement. And the truth is that you need money right now.
If this is you, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. The important thing to remember is that you can earn money quickly if you need it right away.
It's simply figuring out how. Ready? Let’s jump right in!
How to earn more if you are thinking, "I need money now!"
We've all felt the weight of "I need cash right now." So, if you need money right away, here are some fast, convenient, and simple ways to get it! If you need money right away,
you can earn money by flipping items. It is not always true to say that you must spend money to make money. Sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace allow users to list items for sale for free. All that is required is a mobile and an internet service.
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How to begin to flip items
What does that mean for you? If you need money right away, the best place to start is by going through your house and looking for objects you can sell online. The truth is that, no matter how good your intentions are, you will almost certainly never use many items. And, in this day and age of organizing, who wants to keep excess baggage when there's an option to offload AND make money while doing so? Examine your home's inventory thoroughly, room by room. Books, furniture, electronics, accessories, and unique vintage items could all do well. Once you've discovered pieces around the residence, clean them up, take multiple high-quality photos, and list them on eBay. Alternatively, look into Facebook groups to find a buyer for your items. The best items to flip can be found in our article.
- Sign up for Task Rabbit to run errands for you.
Task Rabbit revolutionized the gig economy by providing a platform for people to run errands in exchange for money. You'd be amazed at how many people require assistance with their daily tasks. Running errands for the elderly, grocery shopping for the busy entrepreneur, cleaning, and accompanying a patient to and from surgery – the list goes on forever.
Sign up with TaskRabbit
To register, you must pay a non-refundable registration fee of $25. After signing up, you will start creating a mini-blurb about your services and block out your available windows in the app. As a result, you will be easily matched with tasks that match your skills and availability.
To be successful on this app, complete a profile that showcases your skills, dependability, and experience with similar tasks.
You could, for example, sign up for your décor skills. You could highlight a baby shower you hosted for a friend and share the feedback you received from people attending. If you need money right away, Task Rabbit is a great option.
When you need money right away, drive Uber or Lyft. If you own a car, enjoy driving, and like meeting new people, a rideshare job could be ideal for you. Services like Uber and Lyft allow drivers to clock in and out according to their own routines. You are not required to work on specific days, so you can work whenever you want. When it's time to clock out, simply turn off the app.
Benefits
Aside from the monetary benefit, which can be quite lucrative, particularly during surge pricing (higher pricing during peak traffic hours), Uber offers a slew of other advantages. For example, connecting with new people and escaping the 9 to 5 business structure.
If you need money right away, take on odd jobs. Working odd jobs is an equally viable option if you're pondering, "I need money right now to put bread on the table." While it may entail more hands-on jobs, it could mean the difference between being unable to meet your financial obligations for another month and being able to do so.
Types of jobs
Working at a car wash and pet sitting are examples of occupations in this category (try rover.com to connect with dog owners). Others include laundry services, house cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, cutting someone's grass, or raking their backyard. The list is endless, and the opportunities are plentiful.
Raising children can be costly, and one significant cost that parents must consider is daycare. Some parents are fortunate to have family in the area who can assist with this, but the majority, particularly in large cities, must hire assistance. This is where you come into play. You can effectively spend your day minding the children while the parents are at work if you babysit or become a childcare provider. Look for childcare opportunities on care.com.
While this certainly won’t make you rich and can take up a good amount of time, participating in online surveys has been known to rake in extra dollars for participants.
Where to look for surveys
There are hundreds of survey sites offering these services. However, not all are created equal, and you must exercise caution when investigating your options. Consider sites like Swagbucks, which has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been in business for over 12 years. Another is Survey Junkie, which rewards you with points for surveys that you can redeem for cash.
Airbnb allows you to rent out a portion of your home. Unless they live in a tiny apartment, most people only use a portion of their homes on a daily basis. That's a lot of opportunities to earn extra money if you need money quickly! The income potential from renting out your extra room on Airbnb is greater than the income potential from sharing the space with a roommate.
Airbnb concerns
What one person would pay in rent for the month could be made in several days on Airbnb. It may be rather intimidating to invite a stranger into your home. However, the number of incidents that occur through the platform is extremely low. Furthermore, Airbnb has safeguards in place to protect you as the landlord. For example, you could request that the guest provide a copy of their identification documents to Airbnb. Before you begin, check the laws in your area. Airbnb provides some guidelines for what regulations to expect in your city.
How to start the AirBnB process
Beyond the regulations and your initial diligence process, the next step will be to put out a well-optimized listing. Imagine yourself as a stranger to a new city who is looking for somewhere to stay.
Remember that the majority of the people you will host will be unfamiliar with your surroundings. As a result, the quality of your listing will make or break your chances of success. Take high-quality photos and provide a lot of great quality information about the unit, the neighborhood, transportation, and the distance to major attractions. If you need money right away, find a roommate.
Although renting out a portion of your home on Airbnb will earn you more money, a roommate may be a more convenient option. You can charge rent and possibly split bills with a roommate to reduce your living expenses.
How to find a roommate
Of course, before you go this route, be sure to ask your landlord if you're allowed to have a roommate. Find a roommate by using your network of friends and family.
You can also list an ad somewhere, like on Facebook Marketplace. A roommate is an excellent option if you need money fast!
- Negotiate your bill with a payment plan
Surprisingly, many subscription-based services understand that hard times can hit someone in life and a large majority have alternative payment arrangements they don’t advertise to the general public.
Businesses would much rather secure a subscriber over the long term instead of losing the customer because he or she failed to make a payment.
Tips to negotiate
If you are struggling to pay a specific bill, call up representatives from the company, let them know your situation, and demonstrate your desire and commitment to paying your dues. More often than not, the specialists will do everything in their power to help you with alternative payment arrangements.
To get some extra money, look for items around your home that you might be able to pawn. When you pawn something you'll get a loan and they'll hold onto the item for you. It can be a temporary solution to the "I need money right now" problem.
But be sure to pay it back in time. It's usually a short period like 30 days, though this depends on the shop.
If your bank account is looking pretty empty but you aren't willing to go through payday lenders or short-term loans to get what you need, consider freelance work.
Some examples are proofreading, data entry, virtual assistant work, and maybe freelance writing. Find an area that you're skilled in and look on sites like LinkedIn and Upwork for jobs.
- Make use of gift cards when you need money now
Maybe your ATM withdrawals have become very limited. You don't want to resort to a credit card cash advance or a home equity loan, so look through your wallet for unused gift cards.
You can use them to pay for necessary expenses like groceries for the time being. It could be the difference between making ends meet and not having enough.
A garage sale won't make you rich, but if you have a lot of extra stuff and need cash now, it could be just what you need. Plan to sell anything you can, and advertise on Facebook and social media, plus good old-fashioned signs outside.
Pick a Saturday or Sunday and set up outside. Remember to change, and mark the prices for the items. You could make several hundred bucks or more.
For more advice on setting up a great garage sale, check out this article.
One of the easiest ways to remedy your "I need money desperately" situation is to ask if you can work overtime. Sometimes we spend hours and hours trying to figure out the best way to make additional money when the opportunity is staring us in the face.
If your job offers the opportunity to work extra shifts, you’re in a great position to earn more money quickly. Some additional benefits of working overtime include the fact that you incur no additional costs to get to and from work.
You may also require no additional training, and you automatically contribute more to your retirement nest egg through your existing payment arrangements. Talk to your employer if you haven’t explored the opportunity yet.
- Return unnecessary purchases
In this day of online shopping, it is not uncommon to buy something you think you love only to try it at home and realize that you don't need it. Online shopping is notoriously the cause of a ton of overspending.
Many people stop here and accumulate heaps of unwanted items because of the hassle of processing a return. If you need to pay bills, check the return policy on items you bought. Many stores have generous policies sometimes extending to 90 days (or, in the case of Macy’s, 180-days).
- Ask friends or family for help if you need money quick (with a plan to pay them back)
Your immediate support system can be a good go-to source for help in those moments when your finances are not lining up well. However, you should approach this option with caution.
Borrowing from close ties and failing to pay back the money can lead to a breakdown in relationships. Understandably, life happens, and sometimes there is no other option than to go down this route.
If you do borrow from friends or family as your loan provider, clearly articulate a realistic repayment term for when you can get the money back to them. Then do everything in your power to stick to your repayment schedule or pay it off faster.
- Consider taking out a loan (that you can afford to pay back)
If you’ve tried all the above and none of the options seems feasible for you, then you may have to explore the option of taking out a loan or a credit card. However, approach with caution.
Things to think about
If banks or credit unions offer you a $10,000 personal loan and you only need $500, be careful not to fall for the temptation of getting a big windfall. At the end of the day, you will have to pay it all back – with interest.
Set realistic expectations and carefully review all the loan terms before committing to the loan. Also, be sure to build your repayments into your budget, setting a goal to pay off your debt as soon as you can.
Do your best to avoid payday loans though. Even getting a loan at a pawn shop may be a cheaper option than a payday loan. So be sure you can afford to pay it back fast!
You may be able to check with your employer about a salary advance if you need cash fast.
- Sell plasma and save a life
It might sound crazy, but selling your plasma is a quick way to make money. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood remaining once red blood and white blood cells and platelets have been removed. It is used to support people suffering from chronic illnesses.
There are centers in almost every city that accept plasma to help individuals in need, and you can sell your plasma while doing good. Pay ranges from $20 to $50, and the best way to get started is to google a plasma center near you.
How to avoid being in a place where you find yourself saying, "I need money desperately!"
If you're saying to yourself, "I need money desperately," more often than not, take a look at your money habits and make some changes. Here are a few ways to stop being broke and start having more money!
Set up an emergency fund
Emergency funds exist for "I need cash now" moments. When you face unexpected circumstances beyond your immediate control, having emergency cash can be the difference between taking on additional debt and comfortably cruising through a tough patch in life.
An emergency fund is essentially a savings account exclusively dedicated to helping you through life’s emergency expenses.
An emergency could be medical bills, car repairs, or job loss. The size of the fund largely depends on your lifestyle choices, though many choose somewhere between three months and a year's worth of expenses.
Get in the habit of building a sinking fund
If you have large one-time expenses coming up, the best way to prepare is by putting a sinking fund in place. Sinking funds are essentially extra cash you set aside for a specific one-time purpose. It can include setting aside money for a new couch, paying for a wedding, or buying a new car.
Sinking funds can be an excellent way to ensure that your budget remains balanced throughout the year without looking for additional income or taking on debt. Planning by setting up a sinking fund is the best way to avoid the "I need money right now" scenario!
Establish multiple streams of income
There’s never been a more exciting time to be alive than now because the number of opportunities available is countless. If you find yourself strapped for cash and you’ve done all you can to maximize your current income, it may be time to consider diversifying your sources of income.
Income diversification can take place in so many ways – the choice is yours. Trade time for money by doing work such as house or pet sitting. Invest in the stock market and grow your income through asset appreciation.
Focus on passive streams of income such as peer-to-peer lending. Invest in real estate by buying properties that will bring in rental income. You could even start a side hustle.
As you can see, there are a ton of options, and anyone at any income level can start earning more.
Try these tips if you need money now!
Like anything worth doing, earning money requires some hard work and commitment. Just because you might be in a bind now doesn't mean it has to be permanent. Use these tips if you need money fast, and be sure to start saving up for emergencies.
By financially preparing for unexpected events, you will prevent yourself from being in the "I need money now" loop! Start saving money fast with our free savings challenge bundle and free yourself from the cycle!
