101 Free Money Hacks That Are Real, Easy, and Quick
Dear Dreamer,
Are you looking for legitimate ways to make extra money? I was in your exact shoes 10 years ago and have found some amazing side hustles and income streams along the way. My goal is to help you find the best opportunities that fit your lifestyle.
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Over the last few years, I’ve shifted my money mindset. Instead of chasing ways to make money, I researched free money hacks that work. Itโs about time money started working for me instead of the other way around.
There are quite a few free money loopholes, some of which you can do from the comfort of your home. Although these are all real money hacks, some of them might be new to you or even surprising.
Here youโll find some quick money hacks designed to keep more money in your wallet. Some methods will be easier to do than others. However, nothing good ever comes without at least a little work.
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What is a Money Hack?
Instead of chasing money to cover bills and necessities each month, real money hacks put money back into your budget. This can be in the form of saving more money than usual or making more money–especially by doing the things you’re already doing.
Additionally, money hacks can be a great way to get things for free that you might normally pay for.
Everything I share in this article will be legit and legal. Some of the free money hacks will require more work than others, but they are all generally easy, free, and simple.
Online Money Hacks to Earn More
Consider these online free money hacks to start padding your budget with more money. You donโt have to worry about leaving your home to do them either.
Grab Sign Up Bonuses
There are many sites that offer sign-up rewards to new members. Easily sign up for these free accounts and get money instantly.
Swagbucks โ Earn a $10 bonus for signing up with Swagbucks, a site commonly known for paying members to complete tasks.
InboxDollars โ Instantly see $5 added to your new account when you sign up for InboxDollars. Cash out your earnings as soon as you reach the $10 threshold.
Cash App โ Get $5 instantly for joining Cash App and swapping $5 with a friend. This is a great app to transfer money between friends, get instant cash Boosts, and earn sweet referral bonuses.
Use Cash App free money code NMXPRV7 to get an INSTANT cash bonus! Just swap $5 with a friend through the app to qualify.
Download Free Apps
Get paid just for downloading free apps that collect anonymous data for market research.
Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel โ Earn $50 per year just to keep the app installed on your device.
MobileXpression โ iPhone users can download this free app to earn credits that can be redeemed for gift cards to popular retailers.
Related: How to Transfer Money from a Gift Card to a Bank Account
Watch Commercials
Commercials are already part of our everyday lives. Get some money for watching commercials which is something you’re already doing.
Kashkick โ Get a free account and start making money watching commercials on KashKick.
MyPoints โ Watch videos and ads on MyPoints for some extra cash each month.
Test Products
Hack your way to free money as a product review. Get free stuff and rewards just for sharing your experiences on different products.
Pinecone Research โ Earn $3 per simple product questionnaire.
Opinion Outpost โ Get a shipment of free products in the mail and exchange your thoughts for free gift cards.
Take Surveys
There are companies that will pay you to answer simple questions about the products you already use and love. Taking surveys is a free money hack that you can do at home or while on the go.
Survey Junkie โ Answer questions for cash or find an occasional focus group opportunity for up to $150.
Branded Surveys โ Earn a 100-point sign-up bonus, take surveys, and get paid in cash or gift cards.
Valued Opinions โ Answer opinion-based questions and earn credit toward gift cards to your favorite stores.
Related: Best Paid Focus Groups to Join
Play Games
Companies often need users to test out new games. They will pay you for the time you spend playing those games.
Mistplay โ Mistplay pays mobile gamers to test out the new games released by developers.
Toluna โ Play unique games and influence major brands on a trusted platform.
Start a Side Hustle
Since working on small projects is a hobby to me anyway, starting a side hustle is one of my favorite free money hacks. I like to see how much money I can earn while doing something I enjoy. If this sounds like you, consider starting an easy side hustle.
Proofread โ For the avid reader and grammar nerd, proofreading can become a fun and rewarding side hustle.
Start a blog โ Write about virtually anything and get paid to help others solve their problems.
Write for clients โ Earn between $.05 and $1 per word as a freelance writer.
Edit photos โ Put your photo editing skills to good use and get paid to edit photos for other professional photographers.
Write slogans โ Almost every popular brand is accompanied by a catchy saying, and you can earn money writing those.
Become a virtual assistant โ Earn money to do the little things for clients like set appointments, publish blog posts, or respond to emails.
Become a consultant โ Share your wisdom with fellow entrepreneurs and get paid for the time spent talking about something you love.
Transcribe audio to text โ Listen to voice recordings and type them into a document for some extra cash.
Design websites โ Set up beginner websites for clients who don’t have the tech skills to launch their own.
Start an Online Store
Selling online can be a great free money hack if you can spend the time upfront to set up a professional-looking store.
Shopify โ Start your own selling business and sell just about anything you can imagine on a Shopify store.
Amazon FBA โ White label your own products and sell them on autopilot on Amazon FBA.
Etsy โ Create simple printables and sell them on Etsy for passive income.
Printify โ Design unique t-shirts with your own graphics to sell on Printify.
Brand Ambassadorship โ Find a product you enjoy yourself and then sell it for a commission.
Online Money Hacks to Save More
Saving money can seem like a no-brainer to do, but it isnโt always the easiest. Here are some easy money hacks that will help you save more each month.
Upload Receipts
Get money back by uploading the receipts you receive from the purchases you are already making.
Ibotta โ Take pictures of your receipt after grocery shopping and use the Ibotta app to get money back on daily necessities.
Fetch Rewards โ Use e-receipts or upload physical receipts to the Fetch Rewards app for money back in your wallet from common purchases.
P&G Good Everyday Rewards – Earn 50 points for each P&G product purchased (65 brands) and automatically donate to a charity of your choice for uploading your receipt.
NCP ReCap โ Upload receipts using the NCP ReCap app for any of your purchases in grocery, hardware, and many other stores.
Earn Cash Back (Without Receipts)
Not all purchases are made in-stores. For the important purchases you make that donโt include a receipt, here are some other methods to use for getting cash back.
Drop app โ The Drop App is a rewards program that gives users money back for purchases they make at places like coffee shops, clothing stores, and even travel-related reservations.
Rakuten โ Shop online using the Rakuten site and receive cash back rewards for making purchases on the popular e-commerce platform.
Dosh โ Dosh allows you to connect your debit/credit cards to your Dosh account so that you can get money back each time you swipe that linked card.
Related: Ibotta vs Rakuten: Which Cashback App Is Better?
Cancel Unused Subscriptions
If you have subscriptions to companies that you no longer use, this can be a big money hog in your monthly budget. Cancel those old subscriptions for maximum savings.
Trim โ Trim can cancel old subscriptions for you, saving over $100 for the average user.
Billshark โ Use Billshark to negotiate subscription cancellations on your behalf.
Truebill โ Truebill is a company aiming to help people with their finances, including canceling subscriptions for them.
Invest Your Money
The easiest cash hack is to use the money you already have to earn passive income and get paid to do nothing. Investing your hard-earned money is one of the best ways to do this.
Robinhood โ Get a free bonus stock valued between $3 and $220 as a new user. The app allows you to invest in the stock market and potentially grow your money.
Fundrise โ Invest in real estate with as little as $500 instead of purchasing a property that needs hands-on work and management.
M1 Finance โ Automating investments is one of the easiest free money hacks because you can just set it up and let it grow. M1 Finance is a great free solution for managing stock market investments.
Acorns โ A well-known change investment app. Round up the spare change from each purchase you make and invest on autopilot.
Masterworks โ Invest in shares of popular artwork and potentially grow your money faster than the S&P500 (according to artprice.com).
Open a 401(k) โ If your employer offers a 401(k) match, consider opening an account and investing at least the minimum to receive the free money it matches.
Related: How to Invest and Make Money Fast
Buy Discounted Gift Cards
Paying full price for a gift card can eat away at the budget. Try buying gift cards at discounted rates instead.
Raise โ Raise offers discounted gift cards for purchase in addition to cash back opportunities for purchases made on the site.
Gift Card Granny โ Gift Card Granny is an online platform used to purchase gift cards for discounts and in bulk. All gift cards available for purchase are either at discounted prices or offer cash back.
Post a local ad โ Share an offer in your local Facebook groups to buy gift cards at a discount.
Related: When Is The Best Month to Buy Tires?
Offline Quick Money Hacks to Earn More
Online isnโt the only place to turn to for free money hacks that work. Here are some offline ways you can get free money right now.
Start a Local Side Job
Deliver groceries โ Hop in your car and grab some local delivery jobs to earn some quick cash.
Officiate soccer games โ Already planning to watch your kids’ soccer games this summer? Become a referee and earn cash while you watch.
Become a woodworker โ Sell your woodworking crafts and take custom orders to earn even more.
Place vending machines with local businesses โ Starting a small vending machine business can be an easy money hack to earn extra money.
Donate plasma โ Get paid to make life-saving plasma donations, which can also put some extra money back into your budget.
Start a worm farm โ Start a compost bin to feed your worms and sell to local fishers, farmers, and gardeners.
Flip Stuff for a Profit
Flip free or cheap stuff โ Similar to flipping houses, you can actually flip free or cheap items for a profit. Invest some time to clean up the items and get the most money for the value.
Sell books โ All types of books can be sold using the ZenArbitrage system. Sell your gently used books to others who can enjoy them.
Sell clothes โ Clothes you no longer want or wear can be sold to someone else looking to add to their wardrobe. Cheap finds at second-hand stores can also be flipped for profit if you can give them a unique look.
Sell shoes โ Source shoes locally or go through your old shoes and clean them up then sell them to others.
Sell LEGO blocks โ Kids grow out of their toys frequently. Sell the LEGO sets they no longer use to someone who could use it.
Rent Out Your Stuff
If you’re not ready to sell your stuff for money, one of the best free money hacks is to rent out the stuff you’re not currently using.
RVshare โ Rent out your RV on a nightly basis.
Airbnb โ Rent out a room or your house.
HyreCar โ Uber and Lyft drivers can rent your car while it’s not in use.
Sell One-and-Done Services
One-and-done services are quick money hacks you can use whenever you need the extra cash. Offer simple services in and around your neighborhood.
Dog walking โ Some dog owners have to work long days, and don’t have the opportunity to head home to let their dog(s) out. You can offer your dog-walking services and make money doing something you love.
Car detailing โ A clean car can make all the difference for car owners, especially people with children. Offer car detailing services and help make their cars sparkle again.
Gardening โ A tedious task others donโt want to do can be a gold mine for you. Offer to pull weeds, mow lawns, and other gardening tasks to earn money.
Painting/staining โ Offer to help touch up paint on the exterior of a house, paint indoor walls, or stain some wood surfaces for money.
Cleaning/organizing โ Clean homes, attics, garages, sheds, basements, and any other place that can help you earn some extra money.
Laundry services โ Sort, wash, dry, fold, and deliver clean clothes to neighbors.
Related: How to Make 5000 Dollars Fast
Offline Easy Money Hacks to Save More
There are simple luxuries we enjoy having, but they arenโt always necessary to keep. Consider saving on some of those with these easy money hacks.
Switch Companies
Getting comfortable with a utility company or brand can end up costing you a lot of money in the longrun. If you revisit your bills and check competitors for better offers, this is one money hack that could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year.
Phone company โ Mint Mobile offers some of the cheapest phone plans, and you can usually switch your current phones to the company without hassle.
Insurance company โ Car insurance, renters insurance, homeowners insurance, health insurance, and more are necessary expenses. Make sure you’re getting the best deal with Insurify.
Bank โ Switching to a new bank or opening a new account with your current bank could land you a $100 to $400+ cash bonus.
Retailers โ If you notice that prices are increasing on everyday necessities, visit different retailers to price check similar items.
More Money-Saving Hacks That Work
Saving money is an effective free money hack that can help you get ahead in the long run.
Cut cable โ Use free TV apps instead of paying for cable. Save on the expensive monthly bill and cut the cord.
Use a Chase credit card โ If you can commit to paying off your balance each month, then consider using your credit card to earn the points for free items like cash back, gift cards, hotel stays, airline points, and more.
Buy second hand โ The latest and greatest isnโt always within the budget. Purchase the items on your wishlist from second-hand stores instead to receive better prices.
Make your lunch and coffee at home โ Eating out every day adds up over time. Make your own coffee and lunch at home to avoid the temptation of stopping elsewhere and paying for those items. If you love coffee, you might be interested in these legit ways to earn money for drinking coffee!
Shop with a list โ Stick to a grocery list when shopping to keep on budget.
Use grocery pickup โ Shopping from home gives you more time to plan out frugal meals instead of walking up and down food aisles while picking extra items on a whim.
Don’t grocery shop while hungry โ Eat a balanced meal, or at least a filling snack, before you go shopping to avoid picking out expensive things that you’re craving.
Participate in a clothing swap โ Swap kidsโ clothes with local families. Exchange clothing your children have outgrown and pass them on or trade for larger sizes.
Carpool to work โ Save on gas and carpool with a friend to work. Chip in for gas which will be about half of what you would spend on driving yourself.
Turn off lights and unplug devices โ When youโre not in the room or using a certain device, turn off the lights and unplug devices not in use.
Consider a cheaper housing alternative โ Finding less expensive ways to live can make a significant difference in the monthly budget.
Real Money Hacks to Get Free Stuff
You donโt have to spend money to get the necessities. Consider getting free stuff in your area and make them work for you and your lifestyle with these free money hacks.
Apply for free phone service โ TruConnect offers free talk and text through the LifeLine program. It’s a government benefit individuals can apply for in order to potentially have free services.
Surf Craigslistโs free section โ Craigslist is always updating with free stuff. Check the free section for local finds.
Join your local Buy Nothing Facebook group โ This type of Facebook group connects neighbors to each other to give and receive free items. It is considered a โgift economyโ that helps locals to get the items they need.
Enter giveaways and sweepstakes โ Entering can be as simple as putting in your email address or giving certain accounts a โlike.โ Giveaways and sweepstakes can offer some needed items, however, do this sparingly and only with trusted companies.
Ask friends and family โ Ask friends and family to think of you when giving away stuff.
Sign up for free samples โ Take advantage of free samples and get things you could use in your daily life.
Vist yardsales at the end of the day โ Some people are willing to part with their stuff for free (or extremely cheap) while packing up their yard sale.
Drive around on garbage day โ Tons of valuable items get thrown out on trash day. Grab them each week and put them to use or sell them instead.
More Money Hacks To Try
There are endless tiny money hacks that can give you big results. Here are just a few money to try.
Try a no-spend weekend โ Weekends can get expensive. Going just one out of four weekends without spending money could put hundreds of dollars back into your pocket each month.
Refinance school loans โ Check rates and possibly refinance your loans with a trustworthy company like LendKey.
Ask for a raise โ Approaching your boss to ask for a raise is one of the most underused money hacks that work.
Go on a diet โ Cut out expensive desserts, sweets, and drinks to save money and lower your calorie intake at the same time.
Install a smart thermostat โ Automatically save money on your heating and cooling energy bill with a smart thermostat that adjusts the temperature based on your actions.
Search incognito โ Sometimes when I visit a sale site just to look around I open an incognito browser. This keeps the site from tracking me and serving tempting ads when I leave the site.
Pay off high interest debt first โ Interest can accumulate quickly on things like credit cards and payday loans. Make sure to pay these debts off first to avoid paying more money over time.
Related: How to Make $300 Fast
Money Hacking Wonโt Replace a Full-Time Income
Quick money hacks can make a huge difference in your monthly budget. While it wonโt replace a full-time income, you could potentially earn quick money in one day when you need it.
If you choose one or two hacks from this list to turn into a legitimate side business, you could potentially grow your income and quit your job one day.
Free money hacks have the potential to keep more of what you earn in your pocket. Continue to use this guide to find more money hacks to fit your lifestyle.