How to Make $1 a Day: Small Gains That Add Up Over Time

Need extra cash? Free apps can put more money in your pocket.

Making $1 a day might sound insignificant at first, but it's a great starting point if you're looking for simple ways to build extra income. Whether you're saving for a goal, paying off debt, or just want to see your efforts translate into real cash, earning that first dollar consistently can be more rewarding than you think.

In this article, I'll walk you through practical, low-effort ways you can make $1 a day. While these methods won't make you rich overnight, they can help create momentum as you discover more opportunities to grow your income.

How to Make 1 Dollar Fast a Day Instantly

1) Make $1 Fast Taking Surveys at Survey Junkie

make money fast with Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has over 11 million members and pays them for taking surveys, trying out new products, and listening to music.

Joining Survey Junkie in order to score $1 fast is a no-brainer! Once you join, simply stick to the higher-paying surveys so you can score $1 today.

You only need 1,000 points to cash out which you can accumulate in 30 minutes to an hour. Oh, and Survey Junkie has over 11,036 positive reviews on TrustPilot.

survey junkie

There are so many short-form and long-form surveys to choose from, and you can get paid through PayPal or gift cards.

How to make $1 fast? Signup for Survey Junkie, take high-paying surveys and earn $1 fast. You can also get a registration bonus here.

Earn Per Activity Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
$1 – $50 PayPal or Gift Cards $10

SIGN UP

Survey Junkie is a great way to make $1 if you need it by today or tomorrow.

START EARNING NOW

2) Collect a $10 Sign Up Bonus at Swagbucks

swagbucks make money fast

If you want another quick way to make $1 then give Swagbucks a shot. You'd be silly not to as the site has already paid out $441.9 million to its users.

Plus, you won't be limited to only surveys with this rewards site — in fact, you can earn $1 fast simply by watching entertaining videos, searching the web, and even playing games. You earn ‘points' that you can redeem for free gift cards or for cash through PayPal.

They have an excellent rating on TrustPilot with over 14,144 reviews!

swagbucks

Simply sign up and score a $10 signup bonus then start watching videos or playing games and earn your other $10 to get your $1 fast today. Don't believe me? A Huffington Post report says users are earning $600 per month with this site.

Earn Per Activity Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
$.50-$2 PayPal or Gift Cards $3

SIGN UP

To chalk it up, Swagbucks is one fun way to score $1 fast today.

START EARNING NOW

3) Make $1 Fast Searching the Web with InboxDollars

make money fast taking surveys

InboxDollars is a market research company that'll pay you $1 fast to search the web (using their search engine) instead of using Google or Bing.

So if you search the web for a few days and do other tasks like playing games, watching videos, or taking online polls — you can make extra money online.

While you won't get rich — you can surely make $1 fast online by using the site or app.

Earning Potential Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
$1/day Check or Gift Cards $30

SIGN UP

Making 1 dollar fast is no longer a mystery with the help of InboxDollars, and signing up will net you a $5.00 instant bonus.

START EARNING NOW

4) Invest $10 in Real Estate and Get $10

fundrise

Want quick money? Fundrise gives you a $10 bonus upon account approval. Testing this offer, I received $10 worth of shares instantly through this link after opening account and investing as little as $10.

With Fundrise, it is the first real estate investing app to create a simple, low-cost way for anyone to invest in real estate for solid returns.

There is a reason why they currently have 5/5 stars on TrustPilot, you can really make money with Fundrise.

Earning Potential Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
8.8% to 12.4% Quarterly dividends $1

SIGN UP

If you’re interested, I recommend you sign up for more information from Fundrise by clicking here.

GET YOUR $10 BONUS HERE

5) Play Bingo and Win $1 Fast

blackout bingo

Classic bingo is such a fun game but have you tried next-level bingo on Blackout Bingo?

There are a few game apps that pay real money, but Blackout Bingo is one of the best ways to get $1 instantly online right now or during your lunch break.

All it takes is 2 minutes per game to play against someone around the world. Learning how to play takes a few minutes but it's just a great way to kill time and earn cash on the go.

You can play for free or opt for cash games to win up to $1,000 or more in addicting tournaments.

Earning Potential Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
$100 per day PayPal, check, or bank deposit $1

SIGN UP

Download it for free and see if you like it, you've got nothing to lose (and a lot to gain)!

DOWNLOAD BLACKOUT BINGO HERE

6) Download the Nielsen Mobile App and Collect $60

nielsen homepage

One of my favorite apps that not many people know about is Nielsen. If you have a cell phone or laptop then you earn $60.

All you have to do is register for free (they'll track your browser usage) and you're set to earn $60 per year passively.

It's really noninvasive, requires basically no storage, and won't impact your device performance.

After you installed the app, just use the internet as you usually would (but now you're getting paid — cha-ching!).

Earning Potential Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
$60+ PayPal or Gift Cards None

SIGN UP

Nielsen gives out $10,000 each month so you can win real money for about 60 seconds of work. A no brainer.

JOIN NIELSEN NOW

7) Make $1 Fast for Playing Games with Mistplay

make money fast 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 $1 fast for it.

Getting paid for playing games sounds like a dream. But if you download a Mistplay, 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.

Mistplay has over 131,404+ positive reviews in the Google Play store.

Earning Potential Payment Method Min To
Cash Out
Next Steps
$50 Per Month Visa Gift Card or Gift Cards 1,500 Points or $5

SIGN UP

If you’re interested, I recommend you download the app from the Google Play store for free by clicking here.

GET PAID TO PLAY GAMES

8) Get Up to $15,000 Right Now at ZippyLoan

ZippyLoan get money fast

zippyloanIf you actually need $100 right now, then you can opt for a personal loan. When you need money in a hurry ZippyLoan is where to go.

You apply for a loan through the Zippy Loan site, if approved they send your loan application to one of many loan providers.

  • You review the loan details and e-sign if you like what you see.
  • No risk in checking what offers you’ll get.
  • You can borrow between $100 and $15,000 as soon as tomorrow.
  • Loans service for up to 60 months.

ZippyLoan connects borrowers to lenders through their network of lenders. They’ll find you the lowest interest rate and is one of the best no credit check loan. You can visit ZippyLoan here.

APPLY AND GET UP TO $15K

9) Get Paid Today with Albert

albert

Have you heard of Albert? With Albert, you get paid today and can access up to $250 from the pay you’ve already earned, without hidden fees or interest.

Albert can offer you a cash advance by reviewing your account history to ensure you meet their eligibility criteria.

Once approved, they quickly deposit the advance into your Albert checking account, typically without requiring a credit check. This can provide a quick financial boost when you need it most.

Earn Per Activity Payment Method Next Steps
$250 advance Direct Deposit

SIGN UP

What Should You Do With an Extra $1?

If you’re short on money and need the $1 to get the bills paid, then that money is already spoken for.

But if you have some flexibility in your budget, here are smart ways to use that extra cash:

  • Open a Robo-Advisor account: Acorns is a leader in this space. 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.
  • Invest in Real Estate: Fundrise is a very easy-to-use app that allows individuals to access crowd-funded real estate investing. This option is best for users who want to make money consistently and let their money make them money. Start Investing Now.

Next Option: Sign Up Freebies to Earn $1 Instantly

Your next bet is to make 1 dollar fast is through freebies so you can sign up and get money instantly.

The three survey sites below are legitimate and you can join from your smartphone.

I'm not the biggest fan of survey sites, but it's worth it just to claim a quick sign up bonus.

Once you're in and a paid survey is ready for you to take, you'll get a notification.

Sign up for all 3 below (will open in new tabs) and you'll get paid up to $50/per survey.

inboxdollarsBonus: Get a $5 sign up bonus here
Welcome Bonus: $5
Potential earnings per month: Up to $175
What it could add up to in a year: $2,100
Additional Referral Earnings: 10% of your referral’s earnings

GET STARTED >> 

Download: iOS | Android | Browser

swagbucksBonus: Get a $10 sign up bonus here
Welcome Bonus: $10
Potential earnings per month: Up to $10
What it could add up to in a year: $2,400
Additional Referral Earnings: 10% of your referral’s earnings

GET STARTED >> 

Download: iOS | Android | Browser

survey junkieWelcome Bonus: Get 150 Registration Points here
Potential earnings per month:
Up to $10

What it could add up to in a year: $2,400
Additional Referral Earnings: 10% of your referral’s earnings

GET STARTED >> 

Download: iOS | Android | Browser

How to Make 1 dollar Fast

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Well, look no further, because if you wanted more ways to make money online besides these free money-making ideas, there are more apps that pay you real money.

If you didn't claim these easy sign up bonus offers already, don't forget to check out the best sign up bonuses below that can offer you $10 fast instantly:

Next, you can take a look at the best side hustles from home where you can earn money.

Brian Meiggs
Brian Meiggs
Brian Meiggs is a personal finance expert, and the founder of Gabcast, formerly SavingExpert, a personal finance site helping you make your money work for you. He helps readers bring in passive income in order to increase their saving potential and start building wealth for the future. He regularly writes about saving, budgeting, investing, and general personal finance topics aimed to help anyone save more, pay off debt, and reach financial freedom. He has been quoted as a top personal finance blogger in major publications including Insider, Yahoo! Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, MSN Money and more.