Need a quick $40? Whether you're short on cash for bills, want to treat yourself, or just looking to pad your wallet, there are several ways to earn a small sum quickly. This article will explore practical, accessible methods to make $40 in a pinch, without resorting to loans or credit cards.
From online gigs to local opportunities, we'll cover strategies that can help you reach your modest financial goal in no time.
How to Make $40 Fast Quickly
1. Make $20 fast with Acorns
Investing is a great way to make some extra money.
If you’re not sure where to start, Acorns is one of the most popular microsavings platforms. It literally lets you turn your spare change into investments. Join through here (must complete application) and get a $20 welcome bonus when you set up the recurring investments feature.
That's right, just make a successful recurring investment of at least $5 within 14 days.
Sounds like fun? Sign-up for Acorns, collect your $20 and double your money by investing. You can also get a registration bonus through here.
With Acorns, automatically invest spare change from everyday purchases in expert-built portfolios recommended for you, easily save for retirement, get paid early, and more. Start in under 5 minutes and get a $20 bonus today!
2. Take Surveys on Survey Junkie
Yes, you do get paid to give your opinion!
Taking online surveys to make extra money is a no-brainer.
You definitely won’t get rich or make hundreds of dollars per day with a survey alone, but you won’t waste much time, and you can make some money the easy way.
Survey Junkie pays between $.50 and $1.25 per survey, and many of them take less than 5 minutes to complete.
So if you took 10 surveys per day, every day for a month, you could make $375 per month.
If you took more surveys a day… the possibilities are endless.
If you wanted to sign up for Survey Junkie to make extra money you can get started here.
Survey Junkie is one of the highest-paying survey sites available. Complete three or more surveys a day, and you can earn as much as $100 monthly. With $76 Million paid out to date, Survey Junkie is one of the best survey sites available.
Here are some other trusted survey companies that pay you in cash via PayPal:
3. Use Rocket Money to Save Money and Earn $40 Fast
The free app, Rocket Money, lets you save money with automation and within a few days, I saved an extra $40.
I linked my financial accounts and Rocket Money went to work.
It found ways to lower my bills and cancel subscriptions; negotiate my Verizon bill, found subscriptions to cancel, and analyzed my spending habits, and more.
The app is free and was able to save me some money.
Rocket Money helps 3.4+ million members save hundreds. Get the app and start saving today. Save more, spend less, and take back control of your financial life.
4. Collect $60 by Downloading Nielsen App
By using the internet as you do every day, Nielsen invites you to make a difference – and you can make money too.
You don’t even have to do anything other than registering your computer or phone.
Nielsen will pay you $60 a year to keep their app on your favorite internet browsing device and they also give away $10,000 each month.
So you can possibly make more than $60 fast.
This company will pay you $60 a year to keep their app on your favorite internet browsing device and they also give away $10,000 each month. You don’t have to do anything other than initially registering your computer or phone.
5. Get Paid Playing Games
We all heard the old saying “time is money” right?
Instead of playing games on your phone like everyone else and feeling bad for wasting your time — now you can get paid for it.
Getting paid for playing games sounds like a dream. But if you download a free new app, and then download games from it and play, you earn money.
As you level up you can earn more money for cash rewards or gift cards.
This is a great opportunity for those looking to get paid for something they enjoy, like winning free gift cards and cash for playing games. I use it and it is legit and has over 35,404 positive reviews in the Google Play store.
If you’re interested, I recommend you download the app from the Google Play store for free by clicking here.
Earning money by playing games on your phone sounds like a dream. But Mistplay really pays you for playing new games with free gift cards. It is 100% free to play and you never have to deposit any money.
6 Side Gigs That Require More Work
Use your free time and your freedom to get your $40.
6. Make Money Driving for Uber
If you’re free nights and weekends, you can earn extra cash driving your fellow citizens around. You can earn money by driving with Uber – if you have a car, it’s a perfect way to earn extra cash whenever it’s convenient for you. A lot of people do this full time, so you can imagine that it’s possible to do this on the side and make extra money and be able to save it.
Once you’re a driver with Uber, you can choose to turn the app on or off and drive whenever you have some time to spare. They also have a feature that allows you to select your destination, so if you are leaving work (or any other long commute), you could pick up a ride that was going in the same direction. You can do this 2-4 times a week on your commute and can easily make extra money.
- Drive when you want, make what you need
- Cash out up to 5X per day
- Drive and make money
7. Sell Your Stuff Near You
Have an old laptop, used textbooks, old clothes, or even used DVDs lying around? That's basically $40 or more in junk just lying around your house!
It’s not much of a secret that you can easily get money for those items you have stored in the closet, attic or basement that are just collecting dust.
Here are some articles for you to use to get rid of your junk for cold hard cash near you:
- 11 Best Places To Sell Used DVDs for Quick Cash
- 21 Best Places To Sell Clothes for Cash
- 12 Best Consignment Shops Near Me (Buy & Sell Clothes, Furniture, Toys)
- Where To Buy & Sell Used Furniture Near Me
- How Can I Sell My Laptop Near Me and Get Cash?
8. Delivery and Errand Service
With all of the on-demand and driving apps to make money out there today, this one is an easy one. All you need to have is a car or bike, in most cases.
Apps like DoorDash and Instacart are easy to sign up for and start making money.
There are always people that are looking for a ride or looking to get something delivered.
Another great part about doing this is that you can pick your hours.
If you have 30 minutes between classes you can do a ride or two.
If you are only available 8-11 at night then you can work then. It is extremely flexible and you can make at least $40 a day. If you do plan on signing up — check for an Instacart referral or Dasher sign up bonus to make the most of it.
Earn extra money for your short-term or long-term dreams with DoorDash. As a Dasher, you can be your own boss and enjoy the flexibility of choosing when, where, and how much you earn. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money. It’s that simple.
9. Host Guests on Airbnb
Like Uber did for Taxis before it, Airbnb is fast revolutionizing the holiday and travel accommodation industry, and you’re set to profit from it!
If you’ve traveled recently, chances are you’ve rented a place to stay via Airbnb, or at the very least give it a look.
An online marketplace for people with space, rooms, or even entire houses to spare, Airbnb lets you list your place for rent just like a hotel or motel.
Maybe you’re traveling overseas yourself and want to make the most of your empty place while you’re away?
Perhaps you have a spare room that currently houses nothing more than empty boxes?
With Airbnb, you can turn to fill that empty space in your home, and fill that empty spot in your wallet with some easy passive income (way more than $40).
10. Start Dropshipping on Shopify
Chances are you’ve heard of Dropshipping before: the retail method where you sell products from other businesses without ever having to hold on to stock.
You simply purchase the item from the retailer once you’ve made a sale, and ship it directly to your customer.
It’s an easy way to run an online store without any of the hassles!
No stock to manage. No shipping to take care of. You just sell the products and rake in the profit.
With the likes of Shopify and Oberlo, there’s never been an easier – or better – time to take up drop shipping.
Simply set up your online storefront with Shopify, and then use Oberlo to quickly and easily import the products you want to sell into your store.
No hassle. No fuss. It couldn’t be easier!
Bring your idea to life with the tools you need to start selling. Create your online store today with Shopify with a 3-day free trial. No credit card required.
11. Start a Podcast
Go get a microphone and you’re ready to give it a go.
If you can build an audience for your podcast, then you can make some money through sponsorships, affiliate advertising, and other offerings.
Companies regularly pay $250 to $500 for a 30-second advertisement on podcasts.
Does making $500 fast sound good to you?
If so, it might be helpful to check out our guide on starting your podcast and how to profit from it.
There is money to be made with this side hustle idea.
Making Extra Money Gives You Options
As we've explored, having multiple streams of income opens up a world of possibilities. Whether you're looking to pay off debt, save for a big purchase, or simply enjoy more financial freedom, the options available to you increase exponentially when you have extra money coming in.
Remember, every little bit counts, and the effort you put in today can lead to significant rewards tomorrow. Keep exploring, keep hustling, and keep expanding your financial horizons. Your future self will thank you.
Like these types of lists?
Here’s an even bigger one for you: 100+ Fun and Easy Ways to Make Extra Money Today!
Have you tried any of these side hustles? Are there any other ways you’ve learned how to make $40 fast that we missed?
