Who doesn’t like the sound of free money?
You might think the idea of getting free money is a scam, but there are legit ways to make money without doing much work or spending hours to get paid.
Now don’t expect to get rich or retire early on snagging some free money, but the extra bit can be used to pay some bills, boost your savings, or even to add to your investment portfolio.
Every little bit counts, right?
Below I put together a list of a few options and easy ways to get free money. Many will pay you just for opening an account, where others will pay you a bonus just for using their service. Let’s dive in!
What Is Free Money?
Getting free money is money that you earn with very little effort and typically requires the bare minimum. Many times you will be paid just for signing up for something, taking a survey, or playing a game. And other times you might get paid for something you already do often.
You might not even realized that there are quite a few ways to get free money on the side or as extra. Many can take just a few minutes to get paid!
I know it sounds too good to be true, but you also need to be realistic about the potential free money you’ll receive.
If you are expecting a few hundred bucks instantly, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But if you are looking for a few extra bucks here and there, then check out the list I put together below.
How Can I Get Free Money Now?
1. Take some surveys
Online surveys are an easy and fast way to make money online. Many companies want honest and transparent feedback on their services and are willing to pay money to get people to complete surveys and questionnaires.
Many survey platforms will offer you surveys and then encourage you to accumulate points. Once you reach a certain amount of points, you’ll be able to exchange them for a gift card or PayPal payment.
Some examples of survey sites that pay you to complete surveys are Swagbucks and Survey Junkie.
Sure, you are trading some time for money, but this is easy free money. And don’t expect a huge lump sum for your efforts. But when you are bored and want to make some extra cash, survey apps might be the way to go.
2. Get paid to play games
You can earn free money for playing games! There are a few apps that will reward you through points and cash for downloading and playing specific mobile games.
Naturally, there are professional gamers and those making good money on Twitch to stream their gameplay, but this is even easier.
Mistplay, for example, is a platform that allows you to pick games and earn rewards for specific tasks. Once you reach a certain number of points, Mistplay rewards you with a Visa Card.
The only downside right now with Mistplay is it’s only available for Android users.
3. Play digital lottery games
Lucktastic is another free app free where you can win real cash, prizes, and earn other rewards. The best way to think of this app is similar to a lottery or those “instant win” games you might have played before.
You basically win prizes by swiping digital scratch cards. But you can also sign-up for partner offers to earn bonus points too.
It’s completely free to use but is entirely down through the mobile app. And you can play multiple cards each day. You can win a few bucks and even be entered to win thousands of dollars
4. Get paid to exercise
There are a few companies who will pay you to do exercise and get in shape. One example is HealthyWage, a company that allows you to win up to $10,000 by betting on your own goals.
You do have to put some money up first, but if you do win the prize it can be very much worth it.
Achievement is another app that pays you to do exercise: it tracks your steps and your daily habits.
The more positive healthy actions you make (tracking calories, eating healthy, etc), the more points you earn. Once you earn 10,000 points, you earn $10!
5. Refinance student loans
Have you considered refinancing your student loans? If you get the timing right, refinancing your student loans can save you thousands in interest over the lifetime of your loan.
Not only will you be paying less in student loans, but depending on the refinancing company you pick, you can also get some pretty hefty sign up bonuses.
If your student loans come from a bank or online lender, it’s likely you’ll get a good refinancing offer.
Not sure when to refinance? The best times are usually when your total interest rates are half or more below the rate you are currently paying, or when you’re looking to combine several student loans into one payment.
One of the best free platforms to help you find your best refinance options is Credible. You’ll answer a few questions and they’ll give you a list of places to consider refinancing — which you can do right through their website too.
6. Get a rewards credit card
A rewards credit card is a good way to get free money without changing any habits or taking drastic action. You just need to sign up for a specific credit card and then enjoy cashback and bonuses whenever you spend money.
Over the years this can easily add up to several hundreds of dollars. Make sure to pick a credit card that makes sense with your spending habits and current finances.
You may not want to go for a credit card that helps you save on travel if you don’t plan on traveling, or getting a credit card that requires spending a minimum amount if your income doesn’t allow you to spend that much.
And the last thing you want to do is have tons of credit cards or rack up debt to try and get a bonus. You can find more about the best rewards credit cards here.
7. Get cashback and be paid to Shop
Another way to get free money and save money is through cashback apps. These platforms partner up with tons of stores and retailers, which can give you cashback for using the app, coupons to save, or cash back after purchases.
Dosh is a tool to help you save money on all your shopping. All you need to do is connect your debit or credit card to their platform, and they’ll search for deals every time you go shopping.
You can get up to 10% cashback and the money will turn up on the app. You can then transfer the money to your bank accounts or send it to Paypal – it’s free money from spending!
Another popular option is Ibotta, which is one I’ve also used. You can get free money just for signing up for the app, but then also get cashback when you shop at hundreds of stores they are partnered with.
8. Get refunds with Paribus
Paribus is software that helps you track purchases and search for stores that may owe you a refund. If you’re someone who likes to shop online, for example, Paribus will monitor the pricing after you’ve bought your items.
As prices go down, Paribus will notify you and help you gain the difference. Sign-up to their website and start enjoying refunds for free!
9. Find unclaimed money
Credit Karma has an “unclaimed money portal” that helps you find any money that certain organizations or institutions may owe you.
These are funds that the state holds and it may be money in the form of dividends, bonds, previous unused health savings account, or unclaimed bills.
Although it may not be exactly free money since it is yours, it’s a nice surprise if you’re in need of something quick.
I put this guide to find unclaimed money together, which gives you the steps and places to find the money you are owed.
10. Start micro investing
If a few dollars’ worth of stocks gets you excited or extra money to start investing, then getting started with micro-investing could be a good opportunity to get free money.
Many micro-investing apps offer welcome bonuses to encourage you to join:
- Acorns offers $10 to new customers when they make their first deposit.
- Stash Invest offers $5 when you sign-up and add a minimum of $5 yourself.
You can also get free stock in some select Fortune 500 companies just for signing up to a platform like Robinhood.
If you sign up and then leave your money in the account, it’ll accumulate in the stock market over time. A nice little surprise if you forget and leave it for a few years!
11. Lower your mortgage payment
When the market is primed with low interest rates, refinancing your mortgage is another good option to get free money.
Do some research and see what changes you could make to your mortgage payment. You may be able to lower your interest rate as well as free up any cash flow in your budget.
If you need money now, you could also take equity out of your home and deposit it into your bank. Make sure to run some numbers and see if this makes sense with a refinance calculator.
12. Get free money with your car
If you use your car regularly and are looking for ways to make money without becoming an Uber or Lyft driver, you can still get free money. Wrapify is a company that will turn your car ride into a mobile billboard.
If you don’t care what your car looks like, you can get your car wrapped up and earn up to $100 per week. That’s free money on something you mostly likely do often, driving.
Another way you can get free money with your car is to rent it out on Turo. Instead of driving others around, you can let them drive and use your vehicle. It sounds a bit crazy at first, but the company has been around for a while now and is quite popular.
13. Lower your monthly bills
While you aren’t getting paid direct money, you can save hundreds or thousands a year by negotiating lower monthly bills. The easiest way to do this is by using a service like Trim or Billshark.
Both of these platforms offer similar services, which includes doing the negotiating for you and getting money back for you.
For example, Trim can do the following:
- Negotiate lower monthly bills like cable, internet, phone, etc.
- Find any unwanted subscriptions and cancel them for you
- Even help you negotiate bank and credit card fees
14. Invest in real estate online
Wait, you can get free money to invest in real estate? Yes you can! You might be familiar with real estate crowdfunding, which lets everyday investors put their money to work in properties.
However, instead of dealing with having enough money, buying and managing properties, these companies do that for you instead. Popular ones include Fundrise, PeerStreet, streitwise, etc.
But, there is another platform that allows you to invest in single-family properties for as little as $10 called Groundfloor. This real estate crowdfunding platform will also give you $10 when you sign-up and transfer at least $10 as well.
15. Open a new bank account
A nice and easy way to get free money is to open a new bank account that offers a decent (and sometimes large) sign-up bonus. There are many banks out there that offer free money to new customers in order to beat the competition and acquire more customers.
Depending on the account type and bank, you could get up to $500 through a bank bonus. Make sure to check whether you are eligible, what kind of account you would be opening and what the fees are — just to make sure it’s worth it.
For example, some banks may require a large savings account for you to get the bonus. Always read the fine print before opening an account if you are just after the bonus.
Take a look when you Google “sign up bonus banks” or some variation, you’ll get a few banks advertising ranges from $150 up to $500+.
| Best Online Banks | How to Bank Better | Get Started |
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| Online Banking Savings Builder | Learn More |
| Online Banking Rewards Checking | Learn More |
| Rewards Checking Financial Tools | Learn More |
| Socially-Conscious Banking Fee-Free ATM | Learn More |
| Savings Account No Minimums | Learn More |
| Online Banking Interest Checking | Learn More |
| Mobile Only Banking Get Paid Early | Learn More |
Avoid Free Money Scams
The above are ways you can get free money and fairly quickly. Yet even though there are legit options to make money, you still have to be cautious.
With these digital advancements and ways to attract users to platforms, there are many multi-level marketing scams for example aimed at millions of people who are looking for ways to make money fast.
To make sure you don’t get scammed by “free money” or “quick money” claims, here a few practical tips:
Never pay upfront: if someone asks you to pay money in order to get a job or a credit offer, stay away. If they want to offer you free money but are asking you to pay taxes or fees in order to receive it, this is a red flag.
Do your research: if you’re unsure about the company or offer, do a Google search and see what turns up. Search on Trustpilot and other review sites to see what other people are saying. You can go a step further by searching for the company name plus the keyword “scam,” to see if others have had negative experiences.
Beware of free trials: many companies offer free trials but will still require you to add your credit card information. Although this is a regular practice, make sure you are still able to cancel if necessary so you aren’t charged. Do some research to make sure they won’t take your money and leave.
Plan your payment carefully: if you are making a payment and aren’t too sure about who’s receiving it, stay safe by using a credit card. Credit cards are protected from fraud and will help you get your money back. If you do a direct transfer from a prepaid card or through a service such as Western Union it’s highly likely you’ll never see the money again.
Have you tried any of the free ways about to get free money now? What other ways have you received money just for signing-up or passively using a service? Let me know in the comments below!