Unexpected expenses, like the costs of car repairs or hospital bills, can put you in debt if you don’t have an emergency fund to fall back on when you need it most. It can also be difficult if you find yourself in need of money for a weekend getaway with your friends but you don’t have money for a plane ticket. Regardless of the reason behind your need for $500 fast, there are many legitimate ways to bring in extra money.
25 ways to make 500 dollars
Nowadays, side gigs make it easy for people to come up with the cash they need sooner than later. There are many different ways to earn more money with a little creativity and some effort. Below is a list of 25 ways to get $500 fast.
1. Consider driving for a ridesharing app
If you have a car, you can easily make money by driving for a ridesharing app. Similar to a taxi service, riders request drivers to pick them up and take them to their destinations via the app. You can pick and choose the rides that you accept. Another huge perk is the ability to set your own schedule based on your availability.
Here are some popular rideshare apps worth considering:
2. Walk dogs or pet sit
If you love dogs, you can get paid to walk your furry friends. Another option is to pet sit dogs, cats, bunnies and other animals. Dog walking and pet sitting apps connect you with local customers who need the services you can offer.
Check out these apps for dog walking and pet sitting:
3. Babysit
Babysitting is a popular part-time job for teenagers, but many parents prefer having experienced adults watch their children instead. Before social media, parents had to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations to connect with sitters, but now, you can find local jobs with ease via social media sites, like Facebook. If you want to find babysitting jobs in your area, check sites like Care.com, Sittercity, UrbanSitter and Bambino.
4. Rent out your space
Want to make money by renting out extra space in your home? Perhaps you have a parking space, driveway, garage, basement or shed that you don’t use. If it’s just vacant space, you can rent it out as a way to generate passive income without doing anything extra on your end.
These sites are great places to start:
5. Rent your car
If you don’t use your car often or even at all, rent it to people who could put it to use. Similar to renting out homes or apartments on Airbnb, you can rent your car to those in need of transportation for a short period of time. Currently, the most popular online rental services for cars include Turo, HyreCar, Getaround and Avail.
6. Teach English online
Teaching English to kids and adults online is an excellent way to supplement your income. ESL, or English as a Second Language, teachers are in demand. You typically don’t need a college degree or any experience to teach English online either. You can work for a third-party company or offer the service privately through your own website.
If you would prefer the first option, here are a few of the most popular companies to work for when you want to teach English online:
7. Pick up freelance gigs
Utilize websites like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com to earn money online. These websites provide opportunities for people to work as virtual assistants in addition to other freelance jobs, like writing, programming, designing, marketing and more.
8. Sell your clothes
You can make extra money selling the clothes that you no longer want. You can make use of eBay, Mercari or Facebook Marketplace to list your miscellaneous items. That said, if you have any luxury or higher-end items, you might want to put them up for sale on ThredUp, Poshmark, Vinted or Depop to get the most from your sale. Keep in mind that selling fees vary from one site to the next, though they are typically always a set percentage of the final sale price.
9. Sell your tech
If you have tech gadgets lying around, sell them on Decluttr. You’ll make money while also helping to reduce e-waste overall. You can also look into Amazon’s trade-in program, which rewards participants with Amazon gift cards. But if you need cash right away, try an ecoATM kiosk instead.
10. Sell furniture or other items
Selling second hand furniture is an easy way to reduce the clutter in your home and earn a little extra cash along the way. You can host a yard sale or list your unwanted furniture and other home goods on sites like OfferUp, Craigslist, Shopify, Bonanza, eBay or Facebook Marketplace to reach active buyers in your area.
11. Flip items on social media
Online product flipping is the practice of purchasing products below market value and then reselling them for a profit. Look around your home for items that you have on hand first. You can also shop hard-to-find items and list them on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Alternatively, you can look for unique items at garage sales and thrift stores as well.
12. Sell handmade products
If you’re crafty or artistic, consider selling handmade products. You can sell anything you make, including commissioned artwork, handmade party supplies, hair bows, clothing, jewelry and more on Etsy. If you have unique products that you make, consider branding the items and selling them on Amazon.
Here are some other sites you can use to sell handmade products:
13. Do handyman work
Websites like TaskRabbit can connect you with people who are in need of assistance with a range of tasks, including moving, cleaning, decorating and various other handyman services.
14. Work as a virtual assistant
Virtual assistants remotely offer administrative, marketing and bookkeeping tasks to business owners. You can find job opportunities and gigs of this nature on LinkedIn, Freelancer.com, Fiverr, MyTasker and VaVaVirtual.
15. Negotiate your bills
If you’re facing an unexpected financial hardship, contact your creditors to discuss your options instead of falling behind on your payments without explanation. For instance, your auto loan lender may allow you to defer your car payment. Similarly, credit card companies might agree to waive late fees if you need extra time to pay your balance or minimum payment.
16. Donate plasma
Collecting plasma is a big part of business in the medical industry due to the life-saving nature of plasma. You can usually expect to receive between $20 and $50 per plasma donation. You can potentially receive around $300 per month by donating plasma, though the exact value will depend on how frequently you donate plasma.
There are certain basic requirements to be mindful of, and you should consult a doctor before donating to ensure you are a good candidate for plasma donations. A quick internet search will also reveal a list of donation centers near you. CSL Plasma is one of the largest companies, and there are many CSL Plasma locations all over the country.
17. Work overtime at your job
With the exception of exempt employees, people who are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act are required to receive overtime pay at a rate no less than time and a half their regular pay for hours beyond the typical 40-hour work week. So, if it’s an option for you, ask your supervisor if you can take on extra hours at work and log overtime hours in the process.
18. Deliver take-out
Delivering take-out is one of the most common ways that people earn money just by driving their cars from one place to the next. In fact, some of the most prominent players in the world of on-demand delivery apps are food delivery services.
Here are three popular delivery service options:
19. Rent your stuff
You’ve heard of renting out your home or car, but did you know that you can rent out your other stuff, too? If you have sporting equipment, tools, bikes or even furniture, consider renting it to those who are willing to pay to use your belongings.
Peer-to-peer rental sites are a great way to get paid for items in your garage that are otherwise collecting dust. The best part is that you’ll still get to keep your stuff. A few platforms that make it easy to rent out your belongings include FatLlama, Zilok and RentnotBuy.
20. Get paid for surveys
Did you know that you can earn money by taking online surveys? You can get paid for voicing your opinion while also assisting brands in the process of improving their goods and services. It may sound too good to be true, but there are plenty of legitimate companies out there that are willing to pay you.
Here are some of the most reputable options:
21. Get paid to watch videos
Many websites will pay you to view advertisements, previews and various other content, including movies and TV shows. Even though this won’t make you rich, spending your free time watching videos online can result in you receiving gift cards and small sums of money.
A few legitimate sites are as follows:
22. Rent out your parking space
Parking spaces are a valuable resource, particularly in congested cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. City drivers are willing to pay a lot of money to rent spaces weekly, monthly or annually. If you live in a crowded city, check out SpotHero to learn more about renting your parking space.
23. Become a mystery shopper
Businesses often want to know how their operations are viewed from the perspective of their customers. You can become the eyes and the ears of stores by signing up as a mystery shopper via websites like IntelliShop, BestMark and Sinclair Customer Metrics. All you have to do is submit an online application. Just be on the lookout for scams and do your research before joining any programs of this nature.
24. Watch someone’s house
If you’re interested in watching someone’s house while they are away, consider becoming a house sitter. Some roles that you can expect include feeding pets, watering plants and taking out the trash. Turn to your personal network or visit HouseSitter.com, which is designed to connect homeowners and housesitters. On average, people can make between $25 and $45 per day just by house sitting, according to the business website.
25. Turn photos into cash
Utilize online marketplaces like Fine Art America to sell your photos as prints, T-shirts, phone cases and other products. SmugMug, 500px and PhotoShelter are additional online photo markets that you can explore. Some websites will charge a monthly fee for you to use them, all while offering features like password-protected galleries, cloud storage and personalized websites.
25 ways to get $500 fast
There’s a side gig out there for everyone. Use what you have – whether that’s an item, car, garage, talent, skill or hobby – to make some extra cash fast. There are numerous opportunities to work from home or make money online when you know where to look.
FAQ
How can I make an extra 500 per week?
There are numerous ways to make an extra $500 per week. You can make money selling items you have on hand, renting out your space, crafting, working as a virtual assistant, driving for a rideshare company or delivering food, among many other options.
How can I get $500 in cash?
You can get $500 in cash by selling your items locally through a marketplace or peer-to-peer platform. You can sell whatever you have, whether that be clothing, furniture, tech gadgets or electronics. You can also try to flip anything that you think people are willing to buy. Also, offer your services locally. Dog walking, babysitting or house sitting are three great ways to start.
What do I do if I need $500 now?
If you need $500 now, consider what you have on hand that you can sell or which services you can provide in exchange for money.
