Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on the link and make a purchase, I may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more.
“How can I make 100 dollars fast?” is probably what you’re thinking right now.
And it’s completely understandable.
With the rising living costs, many of us feel the pinch and struggle to survive. It’s a harsh reality — our wages can only stretch so far, and saving becomes increasingly challenging and, for some, impossible.
So, what’s the next step?
The practical solution lies in finding ways to boost your income. From ridesharing to tutoring and even grocery shopping, there are many side hustles that can help you make that extra money.
So, let’s dive right in and learn how to make 100 dollars fast.
1. Drive for Uber or Lyft
Do you have a clean and presentable car? Good driving record? Do you have the time and energy to drive after work hours and over the weekends?
Sign up to become a driver for ridesharing companies. You can drive during your spare time, and it’s flexible.
According to Gridwise, the hourly gross earnings (2022) for Uber range between $20.65 to $21.87, while Lyft ranges between $19.10 to $20.63.
So, a 5-hour drive will get you $100 gross earnings.
2. Be a Food Delivery Driver
Another great option is to work as a food delivery driver.
According to Gridwise, the hourly gross earnings ( 2022 ) for Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash are as follows:
- Uber Eats: $13.45 to $14.84
- Grubhub: $13.44 to $14.25
- DoorDash: $14.68 to $15.31
And based on the above, you can earn 100 dollars in about 7 to 8 hours on average. You get to set your working hours similar to an Uber or Lyft driver.
3. Shop for Others
Why stop at ridesharing and food delivery? How about taking on grocery shopping gigs, too?
- Instacart: This online grocery delivery and pickup service operates in the US and Canada. If you are 18 and above and have a car, you can apply to become a personal shopper on Instacart. Pick and choose the orders you want and start making money.
- TaskRabbit: This platform allows you to offer a wide range of services, from cleaning, assembling furniture, grocery shopping, personal assistant, and many more.
Ridesharing, food delivery, grocery shopping – are you excited now?
But wait. There’s more.
4. Advertise on the Move
Don’t just stop at ridesharing, food delivery, and grocery shopping gigs. Boost your earnings by wrapping your car, too.
- Wrapify: By driving with Wrapify, you could earn between $181 to $452 per month by wrapping your car in ads while driving as usual. The earnings depend on the wrap coverage, your location, the campaign duration, and miles driven.
By combining this with ridesharing, food delivery, and grocery shopping gigs, you’ll undoubtedly be making more than $100 fast.
5. Offer Your Skills for Money
Take some time and think about what you’re really good at. Whether it’s video editing, customer service, writing, or graphic design, platforms like Fiverr, FlexJobs, and Upwork are perfect for showcasing your expertise and getting clients.
Even your favorite YouTubers and bloggers often seek help in these areas. It’s a fantastic way to utilize your expertise and earn extra income.
Your potential earnings will vary as they depend on your skills, experience, client reviews, and, in some areas, credentials.
6. Become a Virtual Assistant
There’s an increasing demand for virtual assistants, and it is perfect if you are a stay-at-home parent or intend to work from home.
It is also an excellent opportunity to increase your earnings over the weekends or after work hours. Many services, including administrative, bookkeeping, data entry, research, etc., can be provided.
Your earnings will be dependent on your expertise, experience, and, in some areas, credentials.
7. Offer Expert Advice
Are you an expert in snowboarding? Skiing? Golf? Tennis? Camping and hiking? If you are, you can become a Curated Expert.
- Curated: This platform connects consumers with passionate experts in outdoor sports, golf, tennis, and home products. As a Curated Expert, you will interact with customers to learn more about their needs and recommend suitable products. According to Curated, the average earnings of a Curated Expert is $2,000, with an average working hour of 15 to 25 hours per week.
You can work as much or as little as you want.
However, Curated encourages you to work at least 10 hours per week. You are paid based on the quality of your customer interaction, sales commissions, and tips, which you get to keep 100% of.
8. Get Paid for Sharing Opinions
Yes, there are legitimate survey sites where you can take surveys and get paid. If you take public transport to travel around, why not maximize your time and cover your transport costs?
All you need is a smartphone and, of course, a good and stable connection.
- Branded Surveys: After completing online surveys, points are awarded upon client review and approval. Once you’ve accumulated 500 points, you can decide whether to redeem cash ( directly to your PayPal or bank account ) or convert the points to gift cards.
- Swagbucks: Based on its website, Swagbucks has paid out over $565 million to its members worldwide. It offers a range of paid surveys ( polls, market research questionnaires ) and other ways to earn rewards, such as uploading receipts and playing games. So pick what suits you and start earning gift cards, cash back, and more.
- InboxDollars: This is another site where you can take paid surveys, play games, get cash back and deals, get paid for uploading receipts and completing your daily goals, and others. Once you hit $15, you can redeem cash directly to your PayPal account or retail gift cards.
While there are legit paid survey companies, there are also many scam survey websites. So, always be mindful and alert and do your due diligence.
9. Sell Unused Gift Cards
According to Bankrate’s unused gift cards survey, almost half (47%) have at least one unused gift card, voucher, or store credit, with an average worth of $187 per person.
Why would anyone leave $187 lying around to rot away (expire)?
- CardCash: This is a well-established platform where you can not only sell your unused gift cards for cash ( up to 92% of their value ), but you can also trade in your unused gift cards for ones you want or buy any discounted gift cards you like. It offers various gift cards across many categories like F&B, sports, apparel, home and garden, and pets.
While you may not be able to get the full value, you still can easily and quickly make 100 dollars or more. Even 70% of the value ( e.g., $187 ) still amounts to $130.90.
So, it goes without saying that selling unused gift cards is undoubtedly one of the best ways to make 100 dollars fast.
10. Rent out Your Empty Space
Got an empty driveway or garage? Or empty spaces that can be used as storage?
Those are money-making opportunities right there.
- SpotHero: This platform provides a parking reservation service in over 300+ major cities in the US and Canada. Whether you’re an individual with an empty parking space collecting dust and dirt or a business ( e.g., a property management company ) that wants to maximize your revenues from parking spaces, SpotHero is what you need. All you have to do is submit your location, price, and availability to SpotHero.
- Neighbor: Another platform that helps you rent out unused spaces for parking or storage. Like SpotHero, it is a platform for individuals and businesses with under-utilized spaces. You can rent it all out on Neighbor. All you have to do is submit your location details and the price you want and list it on Neighbor. Respond to any inquiries and schedule a move-in time with your customer.
Your empty spaces – be it a driveway, garage, or any underutilized area – are untapped sources of income. It’s a straightforward, hassle-free way to monetize what you already own.
So why let these spaces sit idle? List them today, and start making money.
11. Sell Unwanted Stuff Online
Do you have some stuff you’re not using or do not want any more at home? Like jewelry, a musical instrument, or a bike?
Many platforms make selling these unwanted items online easy to make 100 dollars or more fast.
Think about it – all those forgotten things in your attic or basement are like hidden cash. Not only would you be decluttering your attic or basement and earning money, but there’s another money-making opportunity here, as mentioned in the previous point.
You could rent these empty spaces to people willing to pay for storage. So, clear out any unwanted items, sell them for extra cash, and then rent out the newly freed-up space.
A perfect way to maximize your earnings!
- Decluttr: Great for selling old electronics, game consoles, used books, and more.
- Poshmark: A great platform to get rid of clothes, jewelry, home decoration, beauty items, handbags, and many more that are taking up your space.
- BookScouter: Used and unwanted books just taking up space and collecting dust? Sell it all on BookScouter.
- Garage/Yard Sale: Old-school but effective. Perfect for a weekend clear-out and a quick way to make 100 dollars fast.
And let’s not forget the big players such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Amazon.
There’s a platform for everything from jewelry to old phones, handbags to clothes. Each is a chance to clear your space and make 100 dollars fast.
12. Return Unused Stuff
If you bought something you don’t want or someone gave you a gift you won’t use, you can return the unused items to the store and get your money back.
This is hands down, one of the easiest ways to make 100 dollars fast. And the best part? It requires very little of your effort.
Stores don’t allow refunds? No problem.
Head to Poshmark, Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, and other platforms mentioned previously to sell it off.
13. Sell Your Creativity
Creating and selling custom products is a fantastic way to turn your creativity into an additional source of income.
Whether you’re an artist or just someone with an abundance of creativity, there are platforms that allow you to design and sell your custom products online.
- Redbubble: All you have to do is upload your designs, and Redbubble prints them on a variety of products like t-shirts, stickers, phone cases, etc. It also helps you manage the production, shipping, and customer service. Most importantly, Redbubble has anti-piracy and watermark features to protect your designs.
- Society6: Similar to Redbubble. You design and upload, and Society6 handles the rest.
As each platform has its own unique features and audience, I recommend getting onto both platforms to increase your probability of success and making money.
14. Offer Your Strength
Want something more hands-on and straightforward?
- Dolly: Got a truck, cargo van, or SUV with a trailer and can lift over 75 lbs? Get on Dolly and get paid to help people move, store deliveries, and more. According to Dolly, you will, on average, earn $50 per hour. The site will handle all the details; you just bring your vehicle and put those muscles to work.
Can lift over 75 lbs but no car? No problem. You can apply to become a “Hand” who assists the “Helpers” and make $35 per hour on average. Just 2 to 3 hours is all you need to earn 100 dollars.
- TaskRabbit: Want more options other than just moving stuff? On TaskRabbit, you can offer various services: assembling furniture, yard work, cleaning, moving, and many more. You set your rates and hours.
I recommend joining both platforms so you can get more jobs to maximize your earnings and make 100 dollars fast.
15. Offer Pet Services
Are you a dog or cat lover? Have a couple of furry friends at home? What do you think about turning your love for pets into a money-making opportunity?
Offering pet services, like dog walking, can be both enjoyable and rewarding for you. It’s a great way to combine your love for animals with an opportunity to make extra income.
- Rover: This is a platform that offers various pet care services. It links pet owners with local sitters, such as yourself, for dog boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, doggy daycare, and dog walking services. You can set your own schedules and prices.
I randomly selected a location ( Texas ) and a list of dog walking prices ranging from $17 to $35 per walk. For boarding, the price ranges from $26 to $70 per night.
Imagine having just 3 dog or cat owners engaging your services; you’ll easily make 50 to 100 dollars or more.
- Wag: This is another pet services platform that offers similar services such as boarding, walking, house sitting, and drop-ins. And just like Rover, you set your prices and schedule.
Again, I randomly chose a location in Texas for boarding and pet sitting services ( small dogs between the ages of 2 to 8 ), the price ranges from $59 to $73.75 and $39 to $83.33 per night, respectively.
According to Wag, a dog sitter can make up to $500 a month by just sitting dogs 3 times per week.
Before becoming a pet sitter, you must pass extensive background checks. But still, it is no doubt one of the most enjoyable ways for pet lovers to make 100 dollars fast.
16. Become an Educator
If you love to teach but do not have the experience or credentials, no worries. You can try out the following platforms:
- Cambly: This platform connects native English speakers with students seeking to learn English as a second language. Cambly does not require experience or certification for you to become a tutor. All you need is to be a native English speaker and at least 18 years old. You can work as much or as little as you want. Cambly pays its tutors $10.20/hour and $12/hour for Cambly Kids.
- Outschool: Outschool is a platform that provides a wide range of classes such as Art, English, Math, Foreign Languages, Coding & Technology, and others. Like Cambly, to become an educator at Outschool, you do not need teaching credentials. However, you must reside in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, England, or Wales, have areas of expertise or passions to base your classes around, and possess good English language skills.
Whether you’re a native English speaker just looking to make additional income or someone passionate about teaching specific subjects, platforms like Cambly and Outschool offer a unique opportunity for you to do so without needing formal teaching qualifications and experience.
It’s a flexible way to earn and share knowledge, reaching students across the globe.
17. Become a Mystery Shopper
Are you attentive to details? Do you have good observation skills? Do you enjoy interacting with people?
How about becoming a mystery shopper to make extra money?
- Second to None: One of North America’s leading customer experience firms. As a Mystery Shopper, your income will vary depending on the assignments you accept, which comes down to your experience and, in the long term, your performance.
- BestMark: One of the biggest mystery shopping and customer experience measurement companies. You can earn extra income as a mystery shopper, intercept interviewer, or compliance auditor with BestMark.
According to BestMark, the starting pay for a Mystery Shopper ranges from $7 to $20 and increases as you become more experienced. And that it is possible to make $5,000 to $10,000 per year as a part-time Mystery Shopper.
Take Action Now and Make Your First $100
Now, it’s time for you to take action.
Which of the 17 ways excited you?
Oh, and don’t just pick one. Pick 2 to 3 out of the 17 ways to not just try but also increase your chances of success and quicken your progress to making 100 dollars and more.
So, what are you waiting for?
Get going today!