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How to Make Money Without a Job

How to Make Money Without a Job
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Who says you need a job to make money when there are so many different types of income? Today there are thousands of ways to earn extra money doing odds and ends to save money fast. Some tasks can even be done on your phone in a matter of minutes, while others take more time (more like a job but not a real job).

We’ll show you how to make money without a job below – and maybe even have a little fun too. You’ll find that you don’t need high income skills to fill your pockets.

How To Make Money Without A Job

1. Earn Cash Back For Normal Spending

Do you earn credit card rewards just for spending? It’s great right? You get paid to buy things. Now you can take it a step further with some of the highest paying apps that pay you to shop.

Rakuten and Ibotta, for example, pay users cash back for purchases made at their partner stores. You shop in the app at the stores you’d normally shop and earn money back. Ibotta is also a grocery store reward app, providing cashback on specific grocery store purchases after you upload your receipt.

$25+ Sign-up Bonus!
Rakuten (Formerly Ebates)
5.0

Get Paid to shop! Rakuten is a free and easy way to earn cash back and receive special bonus offers from over 3,500+ stores. All you need to do is join, shop, and get paid.

Pros:
  • Easy Registration
  • Free to use
  • Most major retailers partner with Rakuten
  • Welcome bonus offers
Cons:
  • Only US and Canadian residents can join
  • Low earning potential
Join Now
Cash Back With Ibotta
Ibotta
4.5

Earn cashback with Ibotta for your purchases in-store and online. Whether using loyalty linking or submitting qualifying grocery receipts - saving and earning money is simple!

Pros:
  • Free & easy to use
  • Features hundreds of retailers
  • Mobile App
  • Friend Referral Program
  • Cash out at $20 or more
Cons:
  • Offers are store specific
  • Ads on the Site and Mobile App
Sign Up!

If you want promo codes and cashback, check out Honey. ‘Standard’ Honey finds promo codes for you automatically when you shop online if you install the browser extension. Honey Gold, combines the promo codes with cashback rewards. You earn ‘gold’ which you can turn into gift cards once you have 1,000 coins ($10).

Free Coupon Finder
Honey
3.5

Honey is a browser extension that makes saving money on purchases as simple as a single click. It finds you promo codes and coupons on thousands of online stores, getting you the best deal. They also have a rewards program.

Pros:
  • Free
  • Cashback
  • Easy to Install
  • Save Time and Money With the Best Coupons
  • Transparent data and privacy settings
Cons:
  • Gift Cards from select online shops, only
Sign Up

2. Share Your Opinion Online

Companies pay consumers for their opinion. It helps them create better products and services and learn what others think about what they offer. Today there are thousands of paid online surveys all vying for your opinion.

Taking online surveys is a great way to earn a little cash on the side. We love Swagbucks and MyPoints for their survey opportunities and other bonus opportunities, such as playing games or watching videos.

Get Paid for Everyday Things
Swagbucks
5.0

Free app that pays you to shop online, watch videos, take surveys, search the web & playing games online. Payouts are redeemable via gift card or cash!

Pros:
  • Free to join!
  • $10 Sign Up Bonus
  • Variety of rewards options
  • In-store & online cash back rewards
  • Very easy to use website & mobile app
Cons:
  • Some offers require a lot of effort to earn rewards
  • Some tasks don't offer many points
  • Payouts for watching videos can be low
Sign Up

Other great survey companies including Opinion Outpost, Vindale Research, and Respondent. Anyone can sign up for these companies, earning a chance to earn some side cash.

Get Cash For Your Opinion
Vindale Research

Take surveys online. Get paid in cash, not points or gift cards!

Receive up to $50 per survey completed

Sign Up

But definitely keep a look out for Pinecone Research invites too. This exclusive survey company only invites new survey takers periodically, so jump on the opportunity when you see it because they are one of the highest paying survey companies out there.

3. Play Games On Your Phone

Do you love to play games on your phone? Why not get paid for it? Several survey sites like Swagbucks and MyPoints offer the chance to earn money playing games.

If you have an Android phone, you can download Mistplay and earn money too. At Mistplay, you choose the games, and earn as you play. The more you play, the more money you earn.

Play and EARN (Android Only)
Mistplay
3.5

Play games on your phone and get paid! Earn reward points while having fun. Redeem your points for various gift card types like Visa, Amazon, Google Play, and more!

Pros:
  • Variety of Gift Card Options
  • Wide Selection of Games and Genres
  • Easy Passive Income
Cons:
  • Low Earning Potential
  • App Version Only
  • Android Users Only
Download Android App

If your child is looking for ways to make money as a teen, this may be an easy online job for them if they’re already on their phone a good portion of the day. Honestly, though, playing games for all ages is one of our favorite ways to make money on our list of how to make money without a job.

4. Get Healthy and Start Walking

Walking makes you healthy and now it can earn you money too. Some apps pay you to walk – talk about incentive! Whether you want to get paid for the steps you take or the weight you lose, there are apps out there that motivate you to keep going by paying you for your efforts.

One app in particular, HealthyWage, has been piquing interests everywhere. HealthyWage pays you to lose weight, but only if you ‘bet on yourself.’ Rather than wasting money paying for a gym membership you’ll never use, bet yourself that you’ll lose weight. What better carrot to dangle in front of your face than cash earnings, right?

Lose Weight, Get Paid!
HealthyWage
3.5

Win cash prizes for meeting your health and fitness goals. Bet on yourself to stay motivated and earn money by losing weight!

Pros:
  • Set Your Own Target
  • Great Community Support
  • Friendly Team Challenges
  • No Challenge Risrtctions that Lower Earning Potential
Cons:
  • No Refunds
Sign Up

5. Start A Blog or YouTube Channel

Have you ever considered investing in some digital real estate to make money? Blogging or ‘vlogging’ requires some work, but we’re willing to bet it’s a lot more fun than sitting at your desk from 9 to 5.

Start a blog or video channel on YouTube about something you love. It could be something professional or completely personal. Find your niche audience and market it. Before you know it, you can make money blogging.

It’s simple.

Use advertisements whether affiliate marketing (you get your own links and when people buy off your link you earn commission) or sponsorships. You’d be surprised to learn how many companies pay bloggers and YouTubers to talk about their product. Now’s your time to shine and start making money online.

3 Course Bundle
Create and Go

The Blog Biz Bundle is the ultimate discounted course bundle of Create and Go’s 3 best-selling courses! Learn to launch your blog biz, get thousands of monthly Pinterest visitors, and earn six figures from your blog!

Learn More

6. Invest in Real Estate

Have you always wanted to invest in real estate, but think you don’t have enough money? Now you do, with sites like DiversyFund and YieldStreet.

On DiversyFund, all you need is $500 to start, and you too can be a real estate investor and begin earning passive income. DiversyFun invests in multi-family commercial real estate.

A Top Real Estate Investing Pick
Diversyfund
4.0

Diversify your real estate investment portfolio with Diversyfund. With a minimum investment of $500, Diversyfund is a low-cost way to invest in the real estate market.

Minimum Investment: $500
Accredited Investors Only?: No
Pros:
  • Accepts Non-accredited Investors
  • Low Minimum Investment ($500)
  • No Maintenance Fees
  • Access to Commercial and Established Properties
Cons:
  • Illiquid Investments
  • Limited Investment Options
  • Slow ROI (Roughly 3-5 Years)
Get Started

YieldStreet connects accredited investors (with at least $5,000 to invest) with alternative investments including litigation finance, real estate, and commercial finance.

7. Squirrel Away Extra Change

Did you ever think about investing your spare change? Us either – it sounds crazy that you can save for a home, college, or any other financial goal with spare change, but Acorns makes it possible.

Acorns
4.1

Acorns is an easy-to-use app that will help you invest your money, save and spend smarter for just $3 per month. Start your wealth-building journey with Acorns today.

Pros:
  • Cashback at select retailers
  • Save spare change - automatically
  • Content available for education
Cons:
  • Fees on account balances - frees can be high
Sign Up

Link your debit or credit card to the Acorns app and they round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, sweeping the change into your Acorns account. Once you have $5 accumulated, they invest it. Now there’s no excuse to not invest!

8. Rent Out Your Stuff

Do you have stuff lying around that no one uses? Rent it out and make money!

You can rent anything out today. You’ve likely heard of Airbnb where you can rent out your home or space in your home. There are apps to rent out your car, like Getaround, and even sites where you can find parents that want to rent baby gear like strollers and carseats.

Drive Passive Income
Getaround
3.5

Rent your car out to earn extra income or find a cheap rental to meet your transportation needs. Rates start at $5/hour.

Pros:
  • Drivers go through a thorough vetting process
  • Contactless Key Exchanges
  • Easy Passive Income
  • Flexible Schedule - You Choose When
  • Trip Insurance
  • Customer Support 24/7
Cons:
  • Risk of Damage to Personal Property
  • Extra Wear-Tear and Milage on Personal Vehicle
Sign Up

Look around your house – chances are if you have things you don’t use, there’s someone that will and will pay you for it.

9. Walk Dogs

Introverts rejoice – you can get paid to spend time with furry friends. Why not get exercise, have fun with dogs and make money?

Rover Sitters matches pet owners with pet walkers. Think of it like the Uber of pet walking. Once matched, you set up your schedule with the pet owner and get paid to have a little fun with dogs.

Dog walkers make an average of $15 an hour, but you set your rates and your schedule. You may even walk multiple dogs at once (with owner approval) and make money fast.

Get Paid To Play With Pets!
Rover Pet SITTER
4.5

Gain access to the nation's largest network of pet parents. Explore one of the 6 great ways to earn, including dog walking, pet boarding, doggy daycare, house sitting, drop-in visits, and pet grooming services and select the one that is right for you.

Pros:
  • You set your own schedule and rates
  • Can combine multiple services
  • Can set your ow pet/client preferences
  • Support and live vet assistance 24/7
  • Availability to manage your services via the Rover App
  • All services cover by the Rover Guarentee
Cons:
  • Rover takes a commission
  • Long approval process when signing up
Sign Up

10. Open an Etsy Shop

Are you crafty? Maybe you make digital goods. Etsy offers a great platform for people like you to start your own side hustle.

You set up your shop using the Etsy platform and market to Etsy’s audience of millions, making sales doing what you love.

Etsy charges low rates and makes it easy for anyone to start a shop and begin earning money fast.

Check Out Our Printables
Visit Our Etsy Store

Track your financial progress, save more money, pay off debt & organize your finances with our printables!

Shop Now

11. Deliver Food and Get Paid to Drive

Do you love to drive? Why not get paid to do it? You’ve likely heard of the most common rideshare services – Uber and Lyft. You download the app and pick up ‘shifts’ as you want.

You work your own hours. This is the best way to make sure it’s convenient for you. Uber and Lyft set the rates and pay peak pay during busy times.

If you’d rather deliver than drive people (perfect for introvert jobs), there are so many services you can sign up for today. Shipt and Instacart are grocery store services. They both offer the option to deliver groceries to customers’ homes or you can shop in store, delivering the groceries curbside.

Become a DoorDash Driver
DoorDash
5.0

Get started delivering food for DoorDash. You choose your own schedule and delivery goals as your own boss. Earn base pay, tips, and promotions with DoorDash.

Pros:
  • Flexible schedule - pick your own hours
  • Preview pick-up/drop-off locations - choose your own orders
  • Fast Payment
  • Maximize earning potential with tips, bonuses, peaks, and hotspots
Cons:
  • Wear and tear from vehicle usage
  • Cost of Gas
Sign Up
Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.
Sign Up
Instacart Shopper
4.5

Instacart is one of the biggest online grocery delivery companies. You can earn over $20 per hour shopping and delivering groceries to people through the app!

Pros:
  • Flexible Schedule - set your own hours
  • Fast and Accessible Pay
  • Tip Earning Potential
  • Mileage Deductions
  • Easy Application Process
Cons:
  • Vehicle Wear & Tear
  • Gas Costs
Apply Now

If grocery shopping isn’t your thing, consider delivering restaurant food with Ubereats or Doordash or being an Amazon driver on your own time and with your own vehicle with Amazon Flex.

12. Take Advantage of Free Stuff

A quick search online will turn up all the ways to get free stuff. Companies give away free stuff all the time. Follow your favorite companies on social media and you’ll see what we mean.

You can even find free stuff in your groups – local groups on Facebook often have people giving away furniture and clothing they no longer need. You can sign up for free books by mail and you can even earn free PayPal money by doing little odds and ends like shopping online, watching videos, or answering surveys.

13. Create a Course, Product or Book

Are you incredibly knowledgeable or passionate about a topic? Why not share your knowledge with the world? In today’s digital world, people pay for courses and books like crazy and the internet makes it simple to start.

Udemy and Teachable are two popular sites to create courses, and Amazon self-publishing is crazy easy. Anyone can be an author today! If writing a book has always been on your bucket list, make it a reality and show everyone how to make money without a job.

If you’d rather not teach, but you have a product you can make and sell – go for it. There are so many sites that make it easy including eBay, Amazon, and Etsy. You don’t even have to start your own website if you don’t want the hassle or expense.

If you’d like to do something a little less involved, you can simply get paid to read books on a lazy afternoon. We’d suggest checking out some of the best personal finance books.

14. Dropship with Shopify or Sell on Amazon FBA

If owning a store with inventory seems too overwhelming, but you love marketing and want to make money selling to people worldwide, consider dropshipping.

Shopify has a great platform for dropshippers, making it easy to set up your storefront and create a flow of communication between you, the customer, and the dropshipper.

If you want to sell your own products rather than someone else’s, consider Amazon FBA. You send your products to Amazon and they handle the order processing, shipping, and packaging.

All you do is the marketing and of course, creating the products, but you take the administrative headaches off your shoulders.

15. Babysit or House-sit

If you love kids or love empty houses, consider babysitting or house sitting. It takes a village to live life the way we need to. Everyone is busy and needs help watching their prized possessions whether it’s the children of the house. Set your rates, and market your services in your area and watch the requests fly in. You may even find this is a way to make $1000 a month.

16. Garage Sale

Do you have stuff lying around the house you haven’t touched in months or years? Your trash could be someone else’s treasure.

Set up a shop in your garage and price everything to sell. Advertise your garage sale in your local Facebook groups, Craigslist, and with signs out in the area. You’ll find people seeking you out as some people make a living shopping garage sales.

If you’d rather not have people at your house, you could even sell stuff online on sites like Facebook Marketplace for the same results.

17. Flip Stuff from Flea Markets

If you have an eye for a good deal, consider buying items and selling them for more at flea markets. Whether you grab a good clearance deal, you shop garage sales, or you watch Craigslist for deals, becoming a flea market flipper means you can make money having fun selling what other people don’t want.

18. Watch Ads or Movies for Money

If you don’t mind looking at your phone for a while, consider making money watching ads or movies.

Sites like InboxDollars, Swagbucks, and MyPoints pay viewers to check their email and watch ads or movies. Basically, they are paying for advertising, hoping that their product or service sticks in your mind, and you either spread the word or make a purchase.

Free $5 Sign Up Bonus
Inbox Dollars
5.0

Get rewarded for watching movies, taking surveys, playing games, reading emails & get cash back for shopping online. They even have coupon cash rewards!

Pros:
  • Earn money, not points
  • Little time and little effort is needed to earn
  • Surveys pay well
  • Payments in PayPal, eGiftCards, or Visa
  • $5 Sign Up Bonus
  • User friendly site and app
Cons:
  • $30 minimum payout
  • Must reach $15 before your first payout
  • Pay can take up to 2 weeks to process
Sign Up

You won’t get rich doing this, but a little extra cash never hurt anyone.

19. Private Tutoring

In today’s interesting school environment more parents want help outside of school. If you specialize in a particular subject, you’ll make even more money.

For example, did you ace the SAT or ACT? High school students are always looking for tutors to help them prepare for this important yet stressful test.

If you prefer tutoring elementary aged students, kids learning English as a second language, or you like a specific subject, such as math, advertise your services in your area. Many libraries also keep a database of tutors in the area.

If you want to tutor online, consider a site like VIPKid where you teach Chinese students English, or Tutor.com where you are matched with students in the US who need help with subjects such as chemistry, physics, calculus, or English.

20. Mow Lawns or Remove Snow

If you’re outdoorsy, consider checking out an odd jobs app to see if anyone in your area needs their lawn moved or snow removed. Homeowners are busy and often don’t have time or don’t want to be bothered with these cumbersome tasks. They may not go out of their way to find a service, but if a flyer comes their way, they may just hire you.

21. Rent Out A Room on Airbnb

Do you have a room in your home you don’t use? Whether it’s a finished basement apartment or a bedroom in your home, rent it out on Airbnb.

You choose – you can rent out the room while you are home or you can rent out your home and go stay with a friend or family member while you make money letting someone else use your home.

how to make money without a job

22. Become a Transcriber

If you have an ear for detail and can type fast, consider becoming a transcriber. You convert audio to grammatically correct typed content. You can transcribe for a variety of industries including the medical and legal communities. Beginning transcribers earn around $15 an hour to start but work their way up to around $30 an hour with experience.

23. Market Your Freelance or Business Services

If you have a skill – market it. There are many platforms including Fiverr and Upwork that make the marketing easy. You set up your gigs and prices and the platforms advertise for you. In exchange, you pay them a portion of your earnings.

Some of the most popular freelance services today include:

24. Test Drive Cars

Many car manufacturers pay you to test drive their vehicles. Visit the car manufacturer’s website that you want to drive and get on their mailing list.

When they have test drive opportunities, you’ll receive an email. Head to your local dealer, drive the car, and get a certificate from the dealer stating that you drove the vehicle and you’ll get paid. You’re bound to have fun because these opportunities surely aren’t for beater cars.

25. Beta Test or Review Software and Apps

Software and app developers want to know what users think before they release their products to the public. Sign up to be a beta tester and you can have a say in how new software and apps operate.

You use the software and app as directed and the company pays you for your opinion. You may have to fill out paperwork about your experience and/or talk about it with a panel to discuss your experience, likes/dislikes about the products.

26. Mystery Shop

If you love shopping, consider doing a mystery shop. This works with both stores and restaurants. Companies hire you to go into the store and buy a specific item, noting the cleanliness of the store, friendliness of the employees, help you received, and the checkout process.

If you become a mystery shopper for a restaurant, you visit the restaurant, noting the cleanliness, service, and even the state of the bathrooms. You must note the speed of service, how long your food takes, and the quality of the food.

You’ll provide a review of your experience either written or spoken and get paid for your time in addition to reimbursement for your product or meal purchased. You may not earn a full time income, it might feel like you’re only finding quarters, but I wouldn’t pass up a free meal.

27. Focus Groups

Companies put focus groups together to learn about your experience with their products or services. Basically companies pay to ask specific questions about products or services they already have out as well as opinions about upcoming products and services. Focus groups usually take about one to two hours and pay you $100 or more for your time.

28. Mock Trials

Mock trials are a twist on focus groups. Rather than reviewing products or services, you act like a juror and lawyers give their arguments to see how you’d vote.

You can earn $20 to $50 per case, and you just sit and listen to the arguments and give your thoughts. You get the thrill of jury duty without sitting through an actual trial. It helps lawyers out and you make extra money.

how to make money without a job

29. Officiate Weddings

We all loved it when Joey in Friends officiated Monica and Chandler’s wedding and now you can be just like Joey! It’s free to get officiated, but you may have to pay for a certificate from your county proving your ability to officiate weddings. You can make $500 and up per wedding, so it’s a lucrative way to make side cash.

30. Become a Voiceover Artist

If you love making funny voices, make money doing it as a voiceover artist. Before you’d have to wait to be ‘discovered’ but with the internet, it’s easier than ever to get paid to do this.

Whether you do voiceovers for podcasts, commercials, or even television shows, there are many opportunities. You can work for yourself, advertising your gig on sites like Fiverr or you can work for an actual company.

Better yet, success is the best revenge against those who told you that you wouldn’t make it in such a competitive industry!

31. Be Someone’s Friend

Are you someone that everyone loves to be around? Money can’t buy happiness, but you could get paid for your skill as a friend. Services hire people like you to attend parties, concerts, or just visit with them. Rent a Friend is one of the popular sites offering this service, but there are others too.

You’ll make a profile, showcasing your talents, personality, and other factors that might make others want to choose you. Once chosen (this isn’t a dating service), you’ll spend time with the person that chose you, providing friendship and making extra money doing it.

32. Get Paid to Cook

You’ve heard of ridesharing, now there’s foodsharing. People hire you to come cook for them. This is the perfect gig for amateur chefs. Join sites like Cozymeal and EatWith are two popular platforms that match chefs with diners, helping you earn extra money doing what you love.

You can cook and host in your home or travel to other homes, cooking for them. There are even sites of the cheapest meal delivery services where you cook the meal and deliver it to the buyers, but aren’t on site while they eat.

33. Become a Brand Ambassador

Brand ambassadors are people that represent a company and their products to promote them. This can be done in person or online depending on the company.

The requirements? Be able to talk about the products and able to help drive engagement for the company you’re promoting. If you want to learn more about this lucrative job, check out how to become a brand ambassador!

A “Real Job” Isn’t the Only Way to Make Money

The term ’real’ job gets lost in translation these days with everyone working from home. Many people don’t work the traditional 9 to 5 desk job anymore and getting a real job is becoming more scarce.

Most people work a variety of jobs whether gigs, side jobs, or even tasks they work to bring in extra cash. The most important thing is that everyone is having fun and showing the world how to make money without a job.

What do you plan on doing with the money you earn? We suggest checking out the FIRE Movement and the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps for ideas on how to make the best decision. You can choose to invest your money in something like VTSAX vs VTI.

Has blogging sparked an interest for you as a way to make money online? Check out Create & Go courses for information on creating a life-changing, profitable online business.