Finding free money from $5 to $400 on up isn’t that difficult with some persistence and a strategy in place. Sure, side hustles are a rewarding way to earn more and learn new skills, but finding free money is also a quick way to fuel your flexible lifestyle and financial freedom. With a combination of refer-a-friend programs, a little time, and persistence, you can score free money to give your side hustle a boost. Here’s where to get started.
1) Turn annoying robocalls into cash
Robocalls and texts are annoying and usually illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. However, they can also be highly lucrative. Did you know you can pursue legal action and chances are high these companies will just send you a settlement check for $500 to $1,500 per call? You’ll spend a little time and sweat equity making it happen, but it’s a totally doable way to snag some quick cash for your trouble. You can learn more about how the process works and a step-by-step guide with Robocalls.cash.
2) Flip free mattresses with Sharetown
Ever wonder how mattress companies can afford to take back used mattresses? They’re actually not allowed to, so outsource the work to recoup some of their money through Sharetown, a reverse logistics company. Sharetown sends its reps like you information for items to pick up at a time that works for you and the client. You clean and store the mattress and list it on places like Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, or Craigslist. Get more truck side hustles here.
You pay nothing for the mattress and when it sells, the buyer pays you directly and Sharetown gets a cut. There’s no upfront fee for anything you flip and reps report a risk-free way to earn $100 on up for used mattresses and furniture. Most reps earn anywhere from $800 to nearly $4,000 per month. You’ll need a truck for this side gig or someone to team up with.
3) Earn free money with your junk mail
Sometimes I get so sick of junk mail and stuff it all into one of their pre-paid envelopes and send it back to them. Now I’m less interested in annoying them, and more interested in getting paid for my junk mail. Get started by applying to be a Consumer Panelist with sites like SBK Center and send qualifying mail to earn points for gift cards. Scrutinize your junk mail and make sure you’re not tossing out valuable mailers that SBK Center will happily take.
4) Get paid to play online
If you enjoy surfing online, taking surveys, and watching videos, you might as well get paid for it. Swagbucks connects you with businesses looking for more exposure and feedback. Although the payouts aren’t huge and take some time to add up to gift cards and other perks, Swagbucks is a low bar of entry to side hustles and finding free money. You can earn even more by referring friends to Swagbucks.
5) Get free money with Ibotta
Can you find free money at the store? Try earning cash back on your next shopping trip on groceries, clothing, pet supplies, and more. Just upload your receipts to the Ibotta app and from over 1,500 brands and retailers like Target, PetCo, and Sephora. You can also shop online directly with the Ibotta Chrome browser to make the process even easier.
6) Get quick rebates with RebateKey
Tired of clipping and mailing off paper receipts and other information to get cash-back rebates a few months later? Just enter your order ID or key directly into RebateKey to quickly secure a rebate. It takes a fraction of the time so you get your free money faster. You can also find product deals directly on the RebateKey site for deep discounts.
7) Get a free commute
I met an Uber driver who logs onto the platform whenever he’s headed home from a concert, the store, or anything else. He also said he sometimes picks-up Uber rides on his way to or from work to make his commute free. Lyft also uses a similar “Destination Mode” so you can snag rides wherever you’re trying to go. You can further your ride-sharing side gig and free money hustle by signing up for Uber Eats. Pay for your next dinner out by picking up a few Uber Eats orders on the way to and from your destination.
8) Declutter your home for cash
One of my favorite ways to find free money is sell stuff online like phones, CDs, games, books, and more. You can do this online through sites like Facebook Marketplace, or you can use a site like Decluttr. They’ll even cover the shipping and give you $5 of free money just for trying it. Got LEGOS? Decluttr will take sets, stray and mismatched pieces for fast cash.
9) Find missing money
I’ve used this methods many times and have received at least $600 in free money over the years. Search for unclaimed funds in your state from old banks, cell phone providers, doctors offices, and more. You can find an unclaimed funds in your state here. Absolutely never pay a site, service, or person to find or release your unclaimed funds. This technique is totally free and legitimate!
10) Sell free stuff you find online
There’s a surprising amount of free stuff online for the taking. Browse sites like Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Facebook Marketplace for free items people want to get out of their house. With a little polish, paint, and a good cleaning, you can turn around these items and sell for a profit. The bigger the item, the better your profit margin will likely be. Used appliances, pianos, and bed frames are frequently given away for free to anyone who will just come and get it.
11) Sell free merchandise
Selling free merchandise is fun and a big win for both the seller and the buyer. Items like radio giveaway branded merchandise, prizes, and stuff you pick up at a festival isn’t easy to find when you want it. There are many sellers who collect such merchandise and are happy to buy it when they find it. You can sell free merchandise on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, Amazon, or Nextdoor. I also use these platforms to sell my own, broken stuff to earn up to $425 in a weekend.
12) Start complaining
Had a bad experience on a flight, hotel, or online shopping experience? A well-worded, calm, fact-based complaint can yield gift cards, refunds, and other perks. I’ve received $250 flight vouchers, $100 Amazon gift cards, airline points, free hotel rooms, and free rental cars based on email complaints. Here’s how I do it:
- Outline the issue
- Describe how it negatively impacted my life
- Ask why I should continue patronizing their company
It can take more than one try to escalate your issue to a person who will take the action you want. You can also look up customer service reps on LinkedIn, copy and paste their name into Google, and search for a work address.
13) Change banks
Banks will pay a premium to get you to switch to their service and keep your money there. It’s also a big pain to switch over all your bills and payments to a new provider, and banks will incentivize you with cash bonuses to make it worth your while. Do an online search and look for the best deals. You can even call your own bank and ask if they’ll match the reward before you close your account. Use your cash back rewards to set-up a savings account for your flexible lifestyle wishlist like travel or growing your side hustle.
14) Scour credit card reward bonuses
Credit card reward bonuses are a popular way to get free money, but takes a little finessing. Look for deals and rewards that get you the closest to your side hustle goals. If you want to travel more, look for credit cards that give 50k worth of travel points or miles. If you need cash in hand, look to bank credit cards that give a boost based on your spending activity. There’s a theory that you should apply for reward credit cards on the same day. This way the banks and credit card companies aren’t seeing activity from multiple providers pulling your credit report.
15) Wrap your car
Wrapping your car is a fun and easy way to score free money if you don’t care what your car looks like and are happy to drive a mobile ad. A clean driving record, car insurance, and decent car are required. You’re also required to leave on the wrap for the entire duration of your contract. Only work with legitimate car wrapping companies that never ask you to pay someone to wrap your car like Wrapify or Carvertise.
Car wrapping scams are common. Never accept a check that the company requires you to deposit into your checking account and then wire funds for someone to come and wrap your car. Ultimately, you end up bouncing that fraudulent check and just sent a fake company your own money to wrap your car.
16) Shop and get cash back
Shop, save, and get money back with Rakuten. With over 2,500 stores to choose from, you can you stock up on your clothing, electronics, and other goods for cash back bonuses. Stores are happy to pay Rakuten a commission for finding people to come and shop. Rakuten turns around and gives you a percentage of that commission from sites like Amazon, ebay, Walmart, and others. Rakuten will even pay you a $10 bonus to sign-up and start shopping by using this link.
17) Get paid to invest your money
It’s tough to set aside money to save, let alone invest. Acorns makes it super simple by carefully investing your spare change and lets you invest as little as $5 in a portfolio of EFT’s. It also automatically rebalances your portfolio so you’re always maximizing your acorns. They’ll even give you $5 just for signing-up. Pay careful attention to their portfolio recommendation section. It’s designed to work with your preferences and maximize your financial potential for low risk.
18) Get free money from Paribus refunds
Do you ever make a purchase and then see a price drop the next day? Paribus will monitor retailers’ site for lower prices and file a refund request on your behalf or get in touch with the retailer to get back the difference. Trying to save up for a trip or side hustle investment? Take the refund money from Paribus and put into your savings account.
19) Eat out
I lived in NYC for 12-years before moving back to Atlanta, and both of these cities are fantastic food towns. We’re always keeping a careful eye on our food budget to make sure we don’t go wild on our wish-list of restaurants. Seated can help get up to 30% back when you dine out at restaurants. Browse over 1,500 restaurants and bars and sort by location, cuisine, price, and more. Always keep a receipt. Seated requires you to snap a picture, but you may need a back-up if the lighting is too low or it doesn’t upload properly.
20) Lose weight
Losing weight is a lifelong battle for many, but you can incentivize the process by scoring free money while doing it. Participants can win up to $10,000 to lose. Check out their success stories, where Kristin W. lost 114 pounds and won $4,000. It’s always wise to consult a doctor before starting a new weight loss or exercise routine.
21) Join a focus group
Depending on your location, focus groups are a lucrative way to earn $100 on up just for trying or discussing a product. I once walked away with a $100 bill for watching Paris Hilton’s ill-fated reality TV show. I’ve also gotten money for talking about mattresses, magazines, and more. Bigger cities will offer the most focus groups like New York City, Chicago, Atlanta LA, and others. Check your area, or look for online focus group opportunities.
22) Reduce your bills on auto-pilot
Get your own personal finance assistant with Trim. The app helps automate your finances, tracks your spending, and will help get subscriptions cancelled and bills automatically negotiated. Once you’re connected, Trim can get to work automatically trying to reduce cable, phone, and other bills.
23) Recommend products
Affiliate marketing and refer-a-friend program are an easy way to make some quick cash. I’ve created Pinterest Pins with no website to link back to. Instead, I create a gorgeous pin for a product I use and add my refer-a-friend or affiliate link instead. Love to travel? Sign-up for an Airbnb account here, (and get a bonus!) then use a link from their refer-a-friend program. When you share it, your friend gets a bonus for signing-up and you get future Airbnb credits good for accommodations or experiences.
24) Outsource your side hustle
This one technically takes some work, but you can outsource your side hustle to others and earn more. For example, if you’re a virtual assistant you can tap a trusted contractor to take over the work and split the profits. You can also turn this into a finder’s fee system where you recommend contractors and side hustlers for a fee. Start with small tasks and slowly outsource more as your confidence with your sub-contractors grow.
Free Money Tips & Strategies
Double up on the strategies above to earn more free money and stay motivated. Keep track of your efforts and success with Evernote or a simple Google Docs spreadsheet to stay organized. Just remember to watch out for scams and never pay to score free money. Aside from shopping and receiving rebates and cash back incentives, you should never end up paying for free money.
Once you’re up and running, the only thing left to do is put your free money to work. Put it into your savings account, an investment portfolio, or invest in your next easy side hustle to further your quest for financial freedom and flexibility.