In a bind? Need to learn how to make 500 dollars a day fast? We're talking about quick cash infusions so you can get your bills paid.
When you're looking to make money fast — it's important to stay level-headed and be wary of get-rich-quick schemes and scams.
None of the ways to make 500 dollars fast here will make you next Warren Buffet. Some of them are pretty easy, just watch a video or tap a few buttons on your smartphone and collect your money. And some of these $500 money-making strategies can get you through the tough times.
That's why we are sharing them — we love making money here and the ideas we are sharing are all professionally vetted by experts in the industry. Plus, they're all free ways to make $500 fast.
How To Make $500 A Day
To get you started, here are some of our favorite ways to make money fast with proven strategies on how to make 500 dollars fast:
Here are some more of my favorite ways to earn money fast in more details:
1. Take Online Surveys
You may not be fond of survey sites (who is, really?) but there is one thing that is true — they are an easy way to help you make money in your free time. Websites like Survey Junkie can make you quick money for passively sharing your opinion and trying new products. It is 100% legit and simple: companies pay you in cash via PayPal so they can understand consumers better and survey takers can benefit.
The number one survey site is Survey Junkie, which has an 8.9/10 on Trustpilot, the highest of any survey site. Expect to make between $1 and $50 per survey, it varies but most surveys take under 5 minutes to complete.
Knowing that companies are using your opinions to make decisions about restaurants, consumer products, movies and a lot more is oddly satisfying. They also have plenty of high paying surveys to choose from, so you don't have much to lose. You can get started with a registration bonus here.
It obviously depends on the survey you are taking. Most surveys take under 5 minutes to complete and pay between $1 and $50 per survey. You'll only want to focus on the higher-paying surveys so you can make an extra $500 as soon as this month if you are able to take a bunch of surveys each day.
- Online survey site with a large number of surveys
- Can earn up to $50 per survey
- Additional ways to earn up to $100
- Install Survey Junkie extension for bonus
2. Invest in Real Estate
Wouldn’t it be great if you could invest in commercial real estate and apartments without dealing with all the hassle of buying, improving, and re-selling real estate? You don't have to be a millionaire to invest in these types of properties. You can now invest in large-scale real estate for as little as $10 with Fundrise.
Through their real estate investment products, investors earned an average of 8.7 – 12.4 percent on their money last year, and all without painting a wall or dealing with unruly tenants. There is a reason why they currently have over 500,000+ users, this app really pays you!
How fast can you make $500?
Depending on how much you are investing, you can expect to make 8.7 to 12 percent back on your money each year. So if you invest $4,190 into Fundrise, you can earn $500 in 12 months. While not exactly fast, it is a passive way of making $500 with money you may have just sitting in a checking account not earning anything.
3. Rent Out Your Room
There is a company out there called Airbnb that can net you over $500 a month just by listing your spare room just a few nights out of the month. Plus, you can even showcase your place using property virtual tours to get even more bookings. Are you interested in seeing what your income potential could be by listing a spare room on Airbnb?
It's easy to use, just sign up for Airbnb (you just need to give them a name and email address), list your spare space in under 5 minutes and you can get paid when somebody books your spare room and you can charge whatever you want. Remember, it is a free room booking app for your phone. I really mean free all around – free to join and they don’t charge any fees for you to list your spare room. See how much people are making from listings in your area, then make your own!
How fast can you make $500?
Airbnb earnings can range drastically, with some hosts making more than $10,000 per month, while others still making more than $500-$1500 on average. Still, even with the wild discrepancies, nearly 50 percent of all Airbnb hosts make more than $500 per month.
4. Teach English Online
Want to choose your own schedule, on your own time to make money teaching English from home? Seriously — all that is required is that you're fluent in English, have a college degree, and you're eligible to make up to $20 per hour teaching English from the comfort of your home.
How fast can you make $500?
In order to make $500 fast by teaching English from home, you'll have to sign up and classes are available to start teaching within 2 weeks of signing up and getting approved. You can earn up to $20 an hour to start and work 25 hours to earn $500 before taxes. You can likely work 25 hours in less than a week.
5. Get Paid for Your Gas Receipts
Have you ever dreamed of paying less for gas each week? Well, that time has come, with Upside you can earn money by sharing your purchase receipts and shopping at local stores. I heard about this app on the radio and decided to try it out for myself.
The system is simple: you take a photo of your gas receipt and upload it. Then the app will digitize the receipt information and you'll get up to 25 cents off each gallon. I'm surprised I don't hear about this app more often though, I make a killing with it:
You can likely rack up an extra couple hundred this year by using it. And you can also save up to 35% at restaurants and 15% at grocery stores near you. The money you earn can be transferred to your Paypal account or redeemed for gift cards to buy at Amazon and other stores.
How fast can you make $500?
Upside is an app to use to save money passively on your gas receipts. While it won't make you $500 fast by itself, downloading the app and using it with the combination of these other strategies can get you there.
6. Get a $500 Personal Loan
If you actually need money 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 ZippyLoan 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 $500 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.
How fast can you make $500?
ZippyLoan is a legit company with a BBB rating and uses industry-standard protocols on its site. You can get $500 fast as soon as tomorrow through the Zippy Loan site.
- Zippyloan is a fast, simple, secure and completely free service that connects prospective borrowers with lenders who offer personal loans
- Borrow between $100 and $15,000 as soon as tomorrow
- Free to check and all credit types accepted (even if you have bad credit)
7. Get Paid to Watch Videos
Many of you have come here by searching “how to make $500 fast.” Well, here you go. This has got to be one of the fastest and easiest ways to make quick money. Did you know you can actually get paid to watch movie previews, celebrity videos, news and all sorts of other videos?
You can sign up for websites like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie that will pay you to watch certain videos. They will tell you how many minutes you need to watch the video for and you might also be asked to like the video.
While you not going to make a career out of it, it’s very easy money for pressing a few buttons on your phone in your free time. There really is no limit when it comes to the question of how to make money online.
You can make around $500 a month by spending 15 minutes a day on surveys. If you wanted to make money by watching videos and other tasks you may be interested in:
✔️ Swagbucks: Watch videos, take surveys, shop and more to earn real money. Join Swagbucks Now to Get $10 Free
✔️ SurveyJunkie: Make up to $50 per survey in your spare time from home to take online surveys, participating in Focus Groups and trying new products. Join SurveyJunkie Now
✔️ InboxDollars: Has so far paid its members over $40 Million. Watch videos, take surveys, shop and more. Join InboxDollars Now and Get Free $5
You should also see over 15 ways to make $10 fast a day online (some instantly!).
8. Sell Your Data for Cash
By using the internet as you do every day, Nielsen invites you to make a difference – and you can make money too.
I downloaded this app on my phone and make $60 a year for just having the app on there!
You don’t really have to do anything other than initially registering your devices (phone, laptop, tablet) and they'll pay $60 a year.
This is a smart way to make extra money as even if you just install it on your phone they'll pay you $60 a year to keep their app on it.
They also keep things interesting for me since they give away a modest $10,000 each month if you signup on your PC or Laptop. I like to think I have better chances of getting it than the lottery, so consider it a free lotto ticket each month, too.
If you are interested in getting paid passively, I recommend that you sign up through here for a registration bonus.
- Earn $60 a year just by installing an app
- Earn up to $1000 from sweepstakes
- 15 different types of rewards, including TVs
- Win up to $500 by downloading PC app
9. Freelance Work on Upwork or Fiverr
If you have skills like writing, graphic design, video editing, or coding, you can quickly land a gig on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. Businesses and individuals are always looking for fast turnaround services, and high-demand skills like website fixes, logo design, or SEO consulting can bring in $500 or more in just one day. The key is to offer quick, valuable work and price it competitively.
10. Flip Electronics or Items on Facebook Marketplace
Flipping items is one of the fastest ways to generate cash. Look for underpriced electronics, furniture, or collectibles at thrift stores, garage sales, or Craigslist and resell them for a profit on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or OfferUp. If you already own unused items like gaming consoles, laptops, or high-demand gadgets, selling them locally can put cash in your hands within hours.
11. Do Gig Jobs with High-Payout Apps
Driving for Uber or Lyft, especially during peak hours, can rack up earnings fast. If you prefer delivery, apps like DoorDash, Instacart, or Amazon Flex offer quick payouts when you stack multiple deliveries. Another option is renting out your car through Turo—if you have an extra vehicle, you could earn $500 in a day just by letting someone else drive it.
12. Sell Unused Items for Quick Cash
If you need money today, selling old electronics, jewelry, or collectibles is an easy win. Websites like Gazelle or Decluttr will buy used phones and laptops, while pawn shops or local buyers on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace can get you fast cash for high-value items like designer bags, watches, or gaming systems.
13. Do Quick High-Paying Odd Jobs
Platforms like TaskRabbit, Craigslist’s “Gigs” section, and Thumbtack are full of people willing to pay for same-day help with moving, assembling furniture, cleaning, or yard work. Some of these gigs can pay $50–$100 per hour, meaning a few well-chosen jobs could get you to $500 before the day is over.
Other Ways to Make $500 Fast (Without a Job)
Whether you're looking to make some fast cash, or you're after long-term, more sustainable income-producing results, there are certainly ways you can use. Try these money making ideas:
✔️ Survey Junkie: Earn up to $50 per survey in your spare time from home to take online surveys, participating in Focus Groups and trying new products. Join Survey Junkie here.
✔️ Swagbucks: Similar to Survey Junkie, but you can earn more ways (such as watching videos, playing games and using their search engine). Get a $10 signup bonus for joining.
✔️ InboxDollars: Has so far paid its members over $40 Million. You can earn by watching videos, taking surveys, shopping and more. Get a $5 signup bonus for joining.
You can see the entire list of little-known ways to make money online here.
There you have it. If you’ve finished the list, you’ve just made at least $500 in free money with this list that teaches you how to make 500 dollars fast.
