Saving Money
50 Weird Ways You Can Make $50
May 17Recycling wine corks, playing chess and driving new cars are just some of the ways you can earn easy cash.
Watch your web surfing
If you have a smartphone or tablet, the Nielsen Panel—yes the same people who monitor television ratings—will pay you $50 a year to keep its app on your device and browse the web like you normally do. The information it collects remains totally anonymous, according to the company. Don’t want to wait a year for your money? Try these easy ways to make money fast.
Save your dollars
Turns out, there are people who are looking to collect dollar bills with unique and interesting serial number combinations. Check out the list at CoolSerialNumbers.com to see if you have any of the bills that make their list and to find out how much collectors are willing to pay.
Be a friend
Looking to do something fun and meet someone new? Sign yourself up as a friend. Yes, you heard that correctly. RentAFriend.com is a site in which paying users can contact you to attend concerts, sporting events, family functions, VIP events, and more. Perks include charging up to $50 per hour and setting your own schedule.
Test drive a car
Want to try out a new car? You can earn about $60 when you pose as a potential buyer through an organization like BestMark. After you try the car and hear the sales pitch, you report your experience. Shortly after, the money is yours to spend as you wish. Check out these unexpected places in your house you might find extra cash.
Do errands
If you’ve ever forgotten to pick up something at the store—or if you know someone who is homebound—you will understand the value of this. Using an app called gopuff, users can pick from a variety of convenience store items for delivery. But how do you make money? Delivering them, of course. The company pays $10 to $12 per hour.
Play chess
Love chess? Awesome, because with this gig you can literally get paid for doing what you love. Use a tutoring site like WyzAnt to make $35 to $40 per hour teaching someone how to play chess. Even novice players can earn about $20 by showing newbies the ropes.
Get rid off your DVDs
In the age of Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and On-Demand, there may be no reason to keep that stack of DVDs. Make some cash by selling them to Amazon’s trade-in site. While you can’t get paid in cash for the goods, you can get paid in Amazon credit.
Get your side hustle on
Have some free time or a skill people will definitely pay for? Check out TaskRabbit and claim some odd jobs—from picking up dry cleaning to helping hang photographs on the wall. There are also tasks that require some administrative skills. The good thing about those gigs? You can do most of them from home.
Sell your hair
While you may not be able to sell body parts (legally), you can sell your hair. The right kind of hair can garner more than $100, experts say. You should use a professional hair broker to get you top dollar. Untreated, undamaged hair gets top dollar rates.
Dumpster dive
If you know what to look for, the right metal will earn you money at scrap yards. While it may require you to get a little smelly and dirty, you could turn a pretty decent profit. Try these ways to boost your income without working overtime.
Focus group
Joining a focus group is a great way to make money, and learn about the inner workings of businesses. New companies—or companies launching new products—will pay for your feedback. You can find a focus group to join on websites like FindFocusGroups.com.
Take surveys
Like focus groups, taking surveys can help pay out dividends too. Use sites like InboxDollars or VIP Voice in order to take surveys basically anywhere and everywhere. While payment terms for these surveys vary, it can put hundreds of dollars into your pocket per year depending on how dedicated you are to the cause.
Rent a room
Going to be away on vacation? Have an extra room in your house? Rent it for a nightly rate like a local bed and breakfast would do. Thanks to the popularity of Airbnb, people are comfortable staying in a home, especially if it’s saving them money. See how much money you can potentially make by renting your home on Airbnb.
Rent other house amenities
Parking in the neighborhood a mess? Rent your driveway. Have a beautiful backyard? Rent it out for a party. Check out the app Nookzy and start renting your space by the hour, allowing you to make some extra money and maybe pump it back into that backyard oasis of yours.
Get a Lyft… or Uber
Sign up to begin driving with one of these services, which are becoming increasingly popular throughout the nation. Not only can you drive on your own time, but you can also set your own hours and only pick-up passengers when it’s convenient for you.
Declutter
Seriously, Decluttr can not only save your sanity but can also provide you with enough cash to grab yourself a new wardrobe. Or replace the stuff you sold with updated stuff. Decluttr takes DVDs, CDs, and electronics too. The company promises to pay the full amount quoted and promptly—the day after the items are received.
Walk the dog
Offer dog-walking services to neighbors or people in your building. This is especially fruitful if you have your own dog, as you can get paid for the walk you’re already taking. You can contact local shelters for this or join sites such as Rover.com or Thumbtack.com.
House sit
Not only can you sign up as a dog walker, but you can also sign up to house sit. Want to get away for the weekend? Now you can and get paid too. Want a higher sum? Look for people that need light maintenance—like mowing the lawn or light housekeeping—as well as a house sitter. Try these ways to make extra money while you’re on vacation.
Use your language skills
If you’re bilingual, there is a pretty large market for interpreters and translators around the United States. You don’t have to work full time in order to make extra money. You can advertise your services locally or work on a contract basis through marketplaces like Fiverr, Guru, Thumbtack, and Upwork.
Transcribe interviews
If you’ve ever been in any sort of communications field, you understand that transcribing interviews from audio to words is pretty much the worst. That’s why people will pay money to have someone else transcribe for them. The rate is by the audio hour, and the payout is usually between $15 and $25.
Get clinical
Whether you have a specific ailment or are perfectly healthy, you can participate in a clinical trial for extra money. While healthy adults are used as control groups, there are also trials that focus on conditions or issues that could be helpful to you. You can find clinical trials by searching on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Sell some books
Have a ton of old textbooks lying around from college? Or how about those novels you have already read a hundred times? Textbookrush.com has a website where you can look your books up by ISBN number for trade-in value. Sell them for cash or trade them in for credit towards new books.
Drink wine
We’re not encouraging you to drink more, but if you save your corks you can get up to $500 for a 15-pound box of wine corks. (That’s about 1,500 corks.)
Sell your photos
An app called Foap allows you to upload scenic photos you’ve taken on your smartphone; every time someone licenses your shot for use, you’ll collect $5.
Stand still
Individual performance artists make money posing as living statues on street corners around the world. There are even companies that hire performers to work as living statues. Even if you’re earning extra cash, try these tips to make a budget you can actually stick to.
Use your green thumb
It’s now legal to grow marijuana in some states—just make sure you fully understand the legal and licensing requirements to grow and sell in your city, county, and state.
Sell breast milk
While it’s a bit controversial, there is a market for breast milk. Sites such as Only the Breast specialize in selling breast milk, and prices typically range from $1 to $2 an ounce.
Game on
Get ready to bring out your inner gamer for this money-making endeavor. More and more people are making money in competitive video gaming. For example, strong players of Golden Tee, a popular golf arcade game, can make a living through the video game and its payouts; there are tournaments that pay as well.
Secret shop
If you love to shop, then look into becoming a mystery shopper with companies like secretshopper.com. You get paid by the hour and there are cool perks like mileage reimbursement or even cash for snacks while you’re on the clock.
Sell your blood
Blood plasma is used to treat many diseases, as well as chronic conditions such as hemophilia. Selling your blood plasma may sound a little weird, but it can earn you up to $400 if it’s your first time donating plasma.
Write letters
Companies such as NextWave Advocacy work with corporations, trade groups, and advocacy organizations who want people to write letters to national, state, and local legislators about a variety of issues. Dust off your grammar books and get started. Read up on these habits of people who are great at saving money.
Be a model
Art classes often need models to pose for them—and you don’t have to be Gisele Bundchen. While you can pose clothed, you’ll get more if you disrobe. Reach out to your local colleges and art studios or check sites like Simply Hired or Indeed for these positions.
Go to jury duty
No, not in real life. Many law schools look for volunteer jurors to help students with their mock trials. The positions are virtual—no driving to the courthouse—and you can get paid between $5 and $10 for each case.
Get creative
If you have a creative side and like to write, check out Blue Mountain Arts on a regular basis. The site takes poetry submissions to use on their cards, paying more than $300 per poem for exclusive rights to publish it on greeting cards and other products; you’ll get $50 per poem for one-time publication in a book.
Taste ice cream
Wells Enterprises makes Blue Bunny ice cream, Bomb Pops, and Weight Watchers frozen treats. The company often needs taste-testers to sample the goodies. All you have to do is provide feedback based on their specific instructions.
Make money with your drone
If you’re lucky enough to own a drone, renting it out can pad your wallet. Sites like KitSplit help handle all of the transaction details. Try using this easy 5-second trick to save money.
Cuddle up
While some people are totally OK with being single, there are also times when the human touch is just… nice. If you don’t mind your personal space being invaded, sign yourself up to cuddle with people for some extra dough. Cuddlecomfort.com is a site that allows you to use your body warmth for cold cash.
Tutor
If you are particularly knowledgeable in a certain subject, you can likely find a student who needs help. Check out WyzAnt.com, where you can set your own prices for tutoring services in the subject of your choice. The website takes a cut for its service, so adjust your rate accordingly.
Rent your car
Does your car sit all day in a lot? Will you not be using it for awhile? Sites like Zipcar or Turo let you rent it out for a day or as long as you want to pre-screened renters. Just make sure they don’t leave you without any gas.
Cruise the web
Make money testing out websites, apps, videos, ads, ideas, and more on Userlytics. Sign up for a free account and then wait for an invitation to give feedback. The tests take about 10 to 20 minutes to complete and payment is $10 or more per test via PayPal.
Share, share, share
We’re taught pretty early on in life that sharing is caring. Put that tactic to work with Sharemagnet.com, a site that pays you to share things about brands looking for promotions on different social media outlets. Payment varies depending on the product and you get paid per click. Make sure you’re trying these effortless ways to save money.
Use your eyes
Sign up for WeGoLook.com and literally go look at items for sale for people that can’t see the thing for themselves. The company combines technology with an on-demand workforce to ensure results. The looker visits an item and creates a report, providing the buyer information to help them decide to make a purchase.
Become a guide
Love your city? Well, now you can show people around and make extra money too. Work on your own time with Vayable. Vayable Insiders are independent people who create unique experiences to share with others. Anyone with unique knowledge of their the area can earn.
Driving Miss Daisy… or Mr. Fido
Today’s pampered pets have busy owners who don’t always have time to pick them up from the kennel, drop them at the vet’s office, or take them to the groomer. If you’re willing to be on call as a driver for last-minute requests, you can build a career as a chauffeur for people’s furry friends. Rates range from $10 to $15 per hour.
Use your phone screen
Putting ads on your lock screen can offer you a way to make some extra money: Check out apps like SlideJoy and Fronto to load up your phone with ads.
Lose weight
Not only will you look great, but you can use sites like GymPact and HealthyWage to make money for reaching your weight-loss goals. It will be motivating to know that you have two rewards for shedding pounds. Next, read about these money mistakes that everyone has made–even financial experts.
