We’ve all been in spots where we need a cash infusion, whether it’s for a bill or because we want to purchase a new car before the month is out.
Time is often of the essence, so we’ve gathered 43 unique ideas for how to make $1000 fast. Let’s begin.
Contents
#1 Do Surveys for Cash
One of the easiest ways you can make some quick cash from home is to do online surveys.
These days, there are multiple companies you can work for online who’ll send you surveys based on a customer profile you fill out.
According to your demographics and life experiences, you may get enough surveys sent your way that become points.
Those points can then be turned into straight cash or things like Amazon gift cards – both of which are perfectly fine for buying daily necessities these days.
#2 Deliver Food
Who says that there aren’t any easy jobs that don’t require a college education anymore?
One of the easiest ways to supplement your income is to take a part-time gig like working for companies such as Door Dash.
These food companies will hire you as a freelance driver.
So long as you use a fuel-efficient vehicle and travel during the prime time eating hours between 12 PM and 10 PM, you should make about $1000 within a week, even without including tips.
Be sure to research different food delivery companies to see which one is worth the most bang for your buck.
#3 Sell Unneeded Things
The truth is we all have tons of junk lying around our homes or apartment that we probably don’t use, let alone need.
Given the huge number of online marketplaces these days, it would be silly to just leave your junk taking up space in your home when you could sell it to someone who will actually use it and will pay you good bucks for it.
Prioritize things that have lasting value like electronics or nice clothes. This is a great way to make $1000 fast (if you have enough junk) and free up space in your closet at the same time.
#4 Yard Sale!
This classic moneymaking scheme is just as effective in 2020 as it has been since the development of the suburban neighborhood.
If you have enough neighbors and enough lamp posts on which to post directing signs, set out all your junk into your yard on a nice spring or summer day.
The plus side of the yard sale is that you get your money immediately rather than having to wait for a check or gift card like you would with an online marketplace.
You can also haggle with anyone who comes to browse your stuff for a higher profit.
#5 Airbnb
Anyone with an extra room in their house in a tourist-friendly metropolitan area is using Airbnb, and for good reason.
Renting out the extra space in your home is an excellent way to earn some quick cash, although the actual value of that room will depend on where you live and the quality of your guest space.
Be sure to touch up your guest room and make it worthwhile for any would-be visitor and you might to be able to make $1000 fast if you advertise using the Airbnb application and website correctly.
Similar to delivery driving, you can always join a rideshare service like Lyft or Uber.
These companies barely require any extra start-up time or costs, especially compared to getting a traditional job or going to college.
So long as you have an appropriate vehicle and have the right license and registration, you can theoretically begin working for a rideshare company within a week.
This’ll let you earn $1000 fast, especially if you drive during the most lucrative parts of the day or night and learn which areas you should hang out around over time.
#7 Credit Card Bonuses
One of the lesser-known opportunities for credit card companies are cashback reward programs.
While you have to be careful with your credit card usage, many card companies these days are offering cashback opportunities the more you use their card.
This doesn’t mean you have to be perpetually in debt, either; just use your card for small purchases and be sure to pay off any credit at the end of the week.
With the right cashback program, you’ll end up netting an extra $20 to $100 depending on how much you spent with the card. You can make $1000 fast with this method.
#8 Cash In Your Vacation Time
This opportunity depends on your employer, but many traditional businesses and companies allow you to stock up vacation time.
If you’d rather not take a vacation and would rather have the money instead, ask your employer if they’ll let you cash in your vacation hours.
They have to pay you for your vacation time when you eventually quit anyway.
So they might let you jump ahead in this respect and just pocket the extra cash with the knowledge that you won’t be able to use the hours if you ever want to take a real vacation.
It’s a big trade-off, but it might be worth it for your case.
#9 Serving and Bartending
These jobs are staples for people young and old, and there’s a reason for that.
Serving and bartending has the potential to earn $1000 or more within a single week depending on where exactly you land the gig.
It doesn’t require lots of education and you might actually earn more than those with full-on college degrees depending on your restaurant.
Try to find a place in an area with wealthier people and you’re more likely to get bigger tips as a standard regardless of your service level.
#10 Online Freelancing
The Internet has changed work for the better. Now you can do online freelance work if you have practically any marketable skill whatsoever.
Writing, video editing, programming, arts, and even editing are all marketable skills you can advertise on freelance websites like Upwork.
These places will let you bid for jobs and potentially get hired by those looking for short-term employees.
Be aware that it might take you some time to build up a reliable client base, so earning $1000 using this method will likely require significant hustling on your part.
#11 Tutoring
The world of tutoring is a varied and diverse one, but it’s also one rife with opportunity since more people than ever are going to school.
Whether you are skilled enough to teach young adults or are better equipped for tutoring students, many tutors can earn $1000 fast just by doing this frequently throughout the week or month.
Parents usually pay top dollar for tutors who can prove their worth.
If you have a knack for explaining concepts to kids, give freelance tutoring a try or think about applying for an actual tutoring position at a nonprofit or smaller company.
#12 Cleaning Services
You don’t need to be part of an official cleaning company to be hired as a cleaning person for someone’s home or office.
What you need to do is advertise your skills on Craigslist and make sure your rate is competitive.
Use this platform to get consistent cleaning gigs that don’t require any costs beyond gasoline and cleaning supplies, and you might be able to make $1000 fast just because people hate cleaning their own space.
If you do a good enough job, you might even get repeat customers and can turn this gig into an actual long-term moneymaker.
#13 Babysitting
This method is definitely more viable for women than it is for men, but either gender can advertise their services as a babysitter or nanny.
More women and men are working now than ever before, meaning there is more opportunity for people willing to look after kids as well. The one-parent-working household is a thing of the past.
This opportunity might take some time to get going, and you’ll need to rely on reputation and good word-of-mouth to get consistent babysitting gigs. But babysitters who do outstanding jobs will often get repeat service.
#14 Cut Expenses
This strategy isn’t necessarily about earning $1000 but about finding $1000 from your current expenses.
Most of us can probably make small cuts here and there, either in our commuting costs or the junk food we buy every time we go to the store. Take a hard look at your budget and try to save whatever money you can.
You might be able to find $1000 every month just waiting around between your unnecessary expenses. This can be a difficult feat to pull off, especially when you consider all the stuff you’ll miss out on, so it’s not for everyone.
#15 Give Advice
Did you know there are websites like JustAnswer that pay people to answer questions submitted by their users?
Well, they do! But it’s a little more detailed than just answering random questions about the weather. You have to prove your expertise in a particular topic to be able to answer questions.
However, most of us have some knowledge in at least one area or another, even if we aren’t college-educated.
Figure out where you have expertise and answer questions for money; there are few ways easier to make 1000 bucks.
#16 Do Anything on Craigslist
We’ve mentioned Craigslist already for finding specific jobs or marketing yourself, but you can also use the platform to pick up any random work you find.
Craigslist is sort of a catchall freelance marketplace where people will advertise potential jobs for the strangest things, like cleaning out the garage or finding a rare item in a grocery store.
It’s like an oddball job board you can use when your main gig is slow, and you need some extra cash fast. It’s also a good way to keep things interesting; you never know what job you end up taking!
#17 TaskRabbit
This website is specifically designed to help people find handymen or people who can assist with basic maintenance and household tasks.
You can sign up to be a “Tasker” which will allow you to choose the jobs you want to work and bid with your price.
Like using Craigslist, you’ll be able to choose from a startling variety of job opportunities and possible adventures.
It’s a great way to keep things fresh if you are tired of your main work and want to experiment with different opportunities and people.
#18 Virtual Assistance
Almost everyone has a blog these days, it seems, and they need people to help them run the business as virtual assistants.
You can work from home as one of these assistants, which will involve providing technical help, invoicing customers, or even scheduling social media posts for blogs.
You’ll also do a number of other things like proofread and edit or answer and send emails to clients. These jobs are easy and can pay quite well depending on which blog you get hired for.
Best of all, you might get other opportunities if you do a good enough job.
#19 Walk/Watch Dogs
If you live in a metropolitan area with lots of canine companions, why not sign up for a dog walking service and get to spend your day hanging out with furry friends instead of an office?
Dog walking is one of the most rewarding short-term gigs you can find, especially if you already like animals.
You can make $1000 fast using this method if you do a good job and earn a reputation as a solid dog watcher.
As a bonus, customers who really like your service may hire you again or give you extra cash as a reward. People go crazy when looking for the best help for their pups!
#20 DIY Crafts
The Internet once again comes through for freelance or gig workers, although only recently has it become particularly viable for those with a focus on crafts to make $1000 fast.
Websites like Etsy are a great example of a DIY craft marketplace where you can sell your custom-made necklaces, jewelry, woodworking pieces, or other arts and crafts for a profit.
You’ll be able to earn money as fast as you can make goods, and you’ll gain notoriety and be able to raise your prices as people the positive reviews for your work.
Many people use Etsy and similar sites to make their main living.
#21 YouTube
Many people are using YouTube and other video streaming sites to start their own channels and make a living based on their creativity, commentary, or video editing skills.
YouTube now allows you to make a profit based on how many ads they can sell on your videos. The more popular you get, the more ads you’ll attract and the more money you’ll make.
This is a great way to make $1000 fast if you find a niche or subject that hasn’t yet been covered by the rest of the YouTube community.
Try to find something unique but entertaining for the majority of people and you’ll gain subscribers at a lightning-fast pace.
#22 Patreon
This moneymaking method is connected to both YouTube and any other artistic endeavor.
As you become more well-known for your craft or expertise, you can eventually create a Patreon page, where people can sign up to subscribe (pay you a monthly subscription cost, usually a few dollars) in exchange for extra content or first looks at your new stuff.
Many famous YouTube creators use this method in conjunction with their ad revenue to make a living off of their videos.
This method is a great way to make $1000 fast if you become successful, although there’s also lots of opportunity for failure. It may take you some time to build up your channel, especially if you try to make it in a full niche, however.
#23 Parking Panda
This new app is a perfect way to make money if you live in a popular spot for commuters or tourists.
In a nutshell, it allows you to list your parking spot for renting and get paid as a result.
This is a particularly good moneymaking scheme you live in an area with traditionally high parking costs like New York City or Boston.
People hate having to pay exorbitant fees just to park their car, so if you offer them a more affordable alternative you can pocket that cash yourself and make a few friends along the way.
This isn’t necessarily going to make you $1000 overnight, but it can make you $1000 within a month or so if you rent out your parking space every day while your own automobile is in the shop.
#24 BookScouter
BookScouter is another recent app that lets you take your old college textbooks and turn them into cash right from your phone.
All you have to do is make sure that your book has the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) still attached and you’ll be able to get the market value for the book that you can advertise on the app.
Note that you won’t be selling your books to individuals but instead to vendors that are always on the lookout for discounted college textbooks.
Depending on how many books you have left from your college days, you might make $1000 in a single week!
#25 Time and a Half Shifts
Lots of young workers don’t yet know the value of working overtime or picking up an extra shift at their place of employment.
Most states have a law that says that any hour you work over your 40-hour limit per week must be paid for time and a half, or 1.5 times your normal salary.
For instance, if you normally make $10 an hour, working for your 41st hour that week will result in a $15 hour rather than the normal $10.
Therefore, picking up an extra shift at your job, especially if you’ve already reached 40 hours for the week, is a great way to make $1000 fast.
This is particularly efficient if you work in the fast-food industry or other places where employee turnover is high.
Restaurants and fast-food chains are always losing employees and need shifts to be filled in a hurry.
It’s no exaggeration to say that there’s lots of cash to be made for those willing to work 50- or 60-hour weeks. Your paycheck will be much higher than you normally expect, which can be quite a nice surprise on payday!
#26 Busker Work
You can always become a busker, which is another word for a street performer. This method works a lot better in high-traffic metropolitan areas like New York City, of course.
You’ll also need to pay attention to what exactly you perform, as certain street performers get more tips than others.
Try to figure out what people like to tip for and what won’t annoy regular commuters and you should be able to net at least some cash after an afternoon or evening playing in a high-traffic location.
Some of the possible talents you can showcase include:
- Singing
- Playing an instrument
- Doing magic tricks
- Walking around in a costume for pictures
- Doing acrobatics
- Painting or drawing
#27 Sperm Donation
This moneymaking method is exclusively reserved for males, but it can be quite lucrative. Get your sperm checked at a local sperm bank directory or depository for health and viability.
If they like what you have, you can easily make $1000 per month just by donating sperm for those who aren’t as fortunate to have good genes.
However, keep in mind that the restrictions for sperm donators are pretty strict; you need to have a good diet and an appropriate lack of big health concerns like smoking, for example.
#28 Donating Eggs
The feminine flipside of this arrangement is egg donation.
Egg banks can potentially pay even more than the most lucrative sperm depository, paying upwards of $3000-$6000 depending on how many eggs you donate and the quality of that genetic material.
Keep in mind that this process is much more laborious and physically intensive, of course, but it’s a possible option for any woman who’s sure that she doesn’t want kids in the future and doesn’t mind for eggs being put to use for someone who does want kids.
#29 Roommate
Depending on how much space you have and whether you want to continually rent it out for Airbnb guests, you might also just rent your guest room out on a more permanent basis.
Advertise your space on Craigslist or other roommate seeking sites and you might be able to find a living partner who can pay you a monthly rental fee with utilities.
Some cities, like San Francisco, will let you rent out your space for $1000 per month right off the bat, while others might take a few months to make up to that amount. It all depends on geography and the quality of the room you are renting.
#30 Testing Websites
Many people are making websites, and those sites need to be tested for quality control and for random glitches.
You might be able to sign up as a website tester, where you’ll get paid for $10 or so to check out various websites and record your review.
This isn’t very time-consuming and it’s a great way to make some extra cash from home. Give it a shot if you only have a few extra hours per day and want to make a decent amount of cash per hour spent.
#31 Start a Blog
We’ve already said that everyone has a blog these days, but it’s true!
Start a blog in a subject you’re passionate about and which has a ready audience and you might be surprised how quickly you can start earning ad revenue.
Granted, the audience has to be sufficiently niche that they come to your blog instead of everyone else’s.
This method is a bit tricky if you don’t already have an idea down and need to experiment so actual times to profit will vary drastically for many.
#32 Borrow and Resell
This common moneymaking tactic has been around since the dawn of time. Borrow some money from a friend or the bank and buy a bunch of cheap items like keychains.
Then, resell them either online or in-person (though not near the original buying location!).
If you picked the right items, you could make $1000 fast just from reselling items for a very small profit each.
This hustle will work best if you already have a market and an item type in mind, rather than scoping out random items and hoping you’ll be able to resell everything.
#33 Write an E-book
Writing a book no longer has to take years on end, either for the actual writing and the publishing process.
As digital books have taken off, so too has it become much easier for average people to publish their works, usually through Amazon, though other e-reader sites also exist.
The ease of publication means that anyone can now make their own e-book and potentially sell it at a profit without having to give most of those profits to a traditional publishing house.
Of course, your actual e-book will likely not be as expensive as a paper book in an actual bookstore.
But you can still net a hefty profit if you write an e-book on the subject that people will be willing to pay to learn about.
This will require some market research on your part, as well as actual good writing in the e-book itself.
But if you have a talent for words and can string them together long enough to make a sizable product, you might be able to make $1000 fast by writing one or more e-books about similar subjects or fictional plot lines.
#34 Become a Fitness Coach/Organizer
No, this doesn’t require you to get a degree or join a gym. What we’re talking about instead is becoming a fitness coach on the side by organizing your own outdoor or exercise-related activities.
A good example would be getting a hiking group together and charging a small fee for everyone to join in the same group.
You can use some of these profits for snacks or supplies but pocket the rest.
Just be sure that you have an actual good routine or a good hiking route so that people feel that they get their money’s worth out of your fitness group.
#35 Don’t Buy Unnecessary Stuff
This is related to an earlier moneymaking strategy, but it’s valid enough to warrant its own mention.
While selling the things you don’t need is a good idea by itself, almost or just as most important is withholding from buying unnecessary stuff.
Think about how much you spend on coffee each week and imagine saving all that cash to be added up at the end of the month.
Chances are most of us will probably save at least a few hundred dollars just by not spending on fast food or similar things we don’t really need.
This is harder than it looks, especially when you think about how easily we can become used to our creature comforts and short-term energy boosts.
It’ll take lots of self-discipline and practice to eventually consistently save money using this method.
But it’s arguably one of the best lifestyle improvements you can undertake, and it’ll get you some quick cash as a bonus.
There’s really no downside to focusing on what you buy and refusing to purchase unnecessary items or consumables.
#36 Rent Your Tools/Gear
If you’re a handyman or you have excellent instruments or tools for hobbies, you can probably advertise these on Craigslist or other sites and start renting your gear to those who need high-quality stuff.
This isn’t the same thing as fully selling your prized guitar, for example, and you’ll always be able to get it back when you want to jam with your band.
But renting out your tools or equipment when you’re not using them is a great way to make some cash on the side and make someone else’s day a little brighter at the same time.
Tools are a particularly good choice for this moneymaking strategy, especially because many guys doing yard work or home improvements won’t need full tools for the rest of their life.
They just need a particular power tool or some piece of equipment for a single day or so and don’t want to pay the high upfront cost of buying a new tool from a store.
You can give them a discount and have them rent your tool from your own workshop for a much smaller overall price and pocket the profit. Everyone wins using this kind of rental agreement.
#37 Sell Photos
This idea pertains to those who have some expertise or artistic skill with the camera. People are always looking for good photos, either for their own artistic needs or for background pictures for their websites.
Even better, you can join stock agencies that primarily operate online, such as Pixabay or Bigstockphoto.com.
These online websites hire freelance photographers to take pictures of Monday and are ordinary things, and then allow those images to be used across the Internet by websites and content creators.
This is one of the steadiest forms of employment you can get if you have a camera and want to actually use it to make money.
#38 Mow Lawns
This is a classic way to make cash, but it still hasn’t gone out of style.
Depending on where you live, your neighborhood might have a huge number of mow-able lawns that are typically taken care of by their aging residents.
Why not offer your services as a lawnmower?
If you do a good job, you can actually make decent cash – sometimes as much as $100 a lawn or more depending on how much space you need to mow and the kind of mower you operate.
Be aware that you will need to pay continual business costs in terms of gasoline or lawnmower maintenance.
#39 Gamble
A riskier way to make $1000 fast is to hit your local casino. Gambling to make a quick buck is one of the oldest strategies in mankind’s history, and it’s just as effective (and possibly ineffective) as it’s always been.
The thing to keep in mind with gambling is that you need to learn when to cut your losses.
It helps to only gamble with a certain amount of cash in your pocket and swear to yourself that you won’t continue playing if you lose that starter fund.
At the same time, it’s also a smart idea to have a target number for your gambling endeavors.
This will prevent you from winning all that you need for your next bill, only to lose it all as you bet everything because you’re feeling particularly lucky.
Casinos can be ruthless, and luck is just an illusion, so don’t bet all the winnings you just earned when you could quit while you’re ahead and pocket the $1000 you needed.
#40 Donate Plasma
Similar to donating sperm or eggs, most people will be able to donate their plasma for some quick cash.
This is opposed to blood donations, which are normally free. Generally speaking, plasma donation that you about $100 per week provided that your blood type is appropriate, and your diet is good.
This means that it’ll take a few months to make $1000 using this method alone. But, combined with other moneymaking methods, it might be a good way to supplement your income or reach or $1000 goal even faster.
Research any donation centers in your local area and find out how much they pay per week, as well as how many times they’ll let you visit.
#41 Rent Your Car
If you have an automobile that you’ve already paid off and good insurance, it might be worthwhile to write your car out to others, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.
You’ll need to use a car-sharing app like Getaround, which allows you to legally rent your car to other drivers when you aren’t using it.
This is critical, as just letting someone borrow your car comes with a host of legal liabilities, especially if they get pulled over or run into an accident.
Do this properly and you might just make $1000 fast from the quality and convenience of your own pair of wheels.
#42 Play the Stock Market
This normally requires that you have some investment capital already to begin actively investing in paying attention to the stock market.
But if you have any kind of stock capital – either from your work or from an inheritance – you can potentially use this to make more money than you ever imagined.
Forget $1000; lots of people make their entire living by paying attention to the stock market and learning when and what to sell and buy.
The stock market is tricky, though, even for masters at this craft.
It’s not quite as down to luck as full-on gambling, but everyone knows that the stock market is an inherently fickle entity and you can’t always rely on your predictions to be 100% accurate.
It’s a good idea to start small when learning how the stock market works. Try to make $1000 or so before moving up into higher tiers of stock bartering and selling.
#43 Get Paid to Shop
Some companies are now paying shoppers to purchase products from their stores. Ibotta is one such company; they incentivize shoppers to shop their products and at their locations to affect statistics and visitor data, which allows them to capitalize on more of the market.
You should do some research and find out who you’ll be shopping from anyway. Might as well make some cash as you pick up some new stuff, right?
Using one or a combination of these methods is sure to net you some extra cash when you need it most.
Good luck!
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