Do you need to make $200 fast? You’re not alone. Whether it’s for an unexpected bill or to pad your savings, sometimes we all need a quick cash.
In this article, we’ll cut straight to the chase and give you 18 practical ways to earn $200 as quickly as possible. Some methods can put money in your pocket today, while others might take a little longer but offer more substantial earnings.
We’ve organized these ideas from fastest to slowest so you can choose the best method for your timeline and situation.
Fastest Ways To Make $200
#1. Sell Something on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Less than 24 hours.
If you need $200 ASAP, look around your home for a big-ticket item you can live without. It’ll be easier and faster than trying to unload a lot of small items.
For example, maybe you have an old smartphone, golf clubs you don’t use anymore, or an extra TV that never gets turned on.
Whatever it is, list it for sale to turn it into fast cash. If it’s hard to part with the item, consider the fact that you can always buy a similar one later, and often at a lower price than you sold yours for.
Here’s a list of the best sites like Craigslist for selling items.
#2. Take Online Surveys That Pay Cash Instantly
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Less than 24 hours.
When you think about how to make $200 in a day, you don’t typically think of paid online surveys. And you’re right — you’re not going to make that kind of quick cash in 24 hours.
But there are a select few online survey sites out there with low withdrawal minimums, where you can take paid surveys today and immediately transfer the funds into a PayPal account within 24 hours.
Our favorite site that meets this criteria is Survey Junkie.
With its low $5 minimum payout and PayPal withdrawal option, it’s a decent way to make some fast cash.
Survey Junkie
One of the most well-known and highest-rated online survey sites, Survey Junkie lets you redeem your points for gift cards or PayPal cash starting at just $5.
#3. Sell Gift Cards or Redeem Credit Card Points
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Less than 24 hours.
Credit card points and gift cards can be another source of quick cash.
Most credit card reward programs allow you to exchange points for statement credit instantly. If you can wait a couple of days, you can have your earnings deposited into a checking or savings account.
For gift cards, when we tested the top gift card selling platforms, we found Raise paid out the fastest and eBay paid out the most.
Alternatively, offer it to a friend at a small discount for cash.
#4. Have a Flash Garage or Yard Sale
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: As fast as today.
Garage and yard sales are still a fantastic source of extra money.
For the best results, look to see if your neighborhood or city has a date set for a neighborhood or city-wide garage sale. You’ll get the most traffic at these larger events.
If you don’t want to wait around for a big event, host your garage sale on Friday and Saturday, as these are the peak times people shop.
And, if you’re desperate for money ASAP, there’s no rule that says you can’t set up shop today and start selling miscellaneous items for cash.
#5. Find a Day Labor Gig on Craigslist
Difficulty: Medium.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Less than 24 hours.
Many individuals and small businesses look to hire people for a day on Craigslist. You can often get paid in cash for a one-time gig.
There’s a wide variety of work on Craigslist. As you can see below, common day labor gigs include seasonal jobs, moving heavy objects, picking up heavy objects, odd jobs and general handyman duties.
To find jobs that you might be suited for, search in City > Labor Gigs. Consider ones that won’t involve too much driving, as you don’t want gas money to eat up your profits.
Pro Tip: TaskRabbit and Amazon Home Services are similar sites where you can look for one-day gigs to earn extra cash. Each site has you set up a profile, as well as go through a quick background check (which can take a few days).
They’re worth checking out if you’ll be looking for more day labor jobs in the future (even if it’s just a few times per month). You’ll get rated and reviewed on the quality of your work, and over time that can increase your earnings compared to sites like Craigslist.
You may also want to check out our list of the best odd job apps.
#6. Make Money Online Freelancing
Difficulty: Hard for those who have never freelanced before.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One week or more.
It’s easier than ever to make extra money freelancing. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr allow you to create a profile and apply for jobs today.
Popular freelance side gigs for beginners include:
While it’s fine to get into freelancing as a way to make money in the short-term, don’t ignore what a great possibility it is for long-term income too. This doesn’t have to be a one-and-done moneymaker.
#7. Earn Quick Cash Babysitting
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Less than 24 hours.
Quality babysitters are constantly in demand. And with a little bit of work, nailing down that first gig in less than 24 hours is possible.
Trust is of the utmost importance, so start by reaching out to your network.
It may be uncomfortable to post on Facebook and say that you’re looking for work, so consider talking privately to some of your friends with kids. Tell them you’re starting up a babysitting side hustle and ask them to recommend you to anyone they know who’s in need of on-demand child care.
If you’re still having trouble, Nextdoor is an app that allows you to communicate with your neighbors, and it’s a great place to post that you’ve started up a side business without having to broadcast that fact to your entire social group.
#8. Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
Difficulty: Medium.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Less than 24 hours.
As with babysitting, being a pet sitter is another area where there’s a need for trusted individuals to help.
While it’s difficult to land a job the same day you start looking, it’s not impossible. Start by applying the same strategies mentioned above for babysitting — the most important being to let people who already trust you know that you’re looking for work.
One good option for getting started is Rover, which connects pet owners with freelance walkers. If you love getting your steps in, this can be one of the best ways to get paid to walk.
#9. Sell Stuff Online (eBay, Etsy and Other Sites)
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One week.
The benefit of selling items online, compared to locally, is that you have access to a much larger audience. This makes it an ideal option for selling unique items (such as collectibles) and in-demand items that can be easily shipped (like smartphones).
Learn more: The best things to sell online.
There’s no shortage of websites for selling your stuff. Ebay is one of the largest marketplaces, and you can sell just about anything on the site.
Amazon can also be a good option, especially for those who have items still in their original packaging. However, the fees tend to be higher than eBay (so make sure you’re getting a higher price).
Etsy is an option for selling handmade items, crafts and vintage goods.
Recommended Resources:
#10. Rent Out a Room on Airbnb
Difficulty: Hard.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Two weeks.
If you have a spare room in your home, or somewhere to stay for free while you rent out your place, consider becoming an Airbnb host.
To get started, you need to sign up for an account, take pictures, and fill out the description. Airbnb will then connect you with verified guests who are looking for a place to sleep.
Being located in a popular area can certainly help maximize your earnings. However, even rural and less-touristy areas can command decent money for a room.
Learn more about getting started as an Airbnb host.
#11. Make More Money at Your Current Job
Difficulty: Medium to hard.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One week.
Earning more from your primary line of work can help solve a lot of money problems. Your best options are to ask for a raise or find a new job.
Alternatively, seeking a second part-time job — for example, one you can work nights from home — will put more money in your bank account.
It may not be easy, or something that you want to sustain for the long-haul, but it can help you get out of a sticky financial situation without taking on debt.
Recommended resource: How to ask for a raise.
#12. Become a Website Tester
Difficulty: Medium to hard.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One to two weeks.
UserTesting is a cool platform that allows you to get paid for testing apps and websites.
You’ll get paid $10 for most assignments.
The downside is that supply and demand for testers fluctuates, so you’re not guaranteed to find opportunities every time you log on. In fact, we applied for 46 tests and got chosen for none of them.
But if you can manage to complete a few tests per month, it’s legitimate way to make decent money for the time.
#13. Make Money Online with Microtask Websites
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One to two weeks.
Microtask websites allow you to make money by completing small one-off jobs.
Most tasks are very basic and require little to no training. Common examples include data entry, data verification, information sorting and transcription.
This work is fairly easy money, but it doesn’t pay much on a per-hour basis.
Amazon Mechanical Turk (known as MTurk) is the most well-known website that hires people for these types of small tasks.
#14. DoorDash, Uber Eats and Other Delivery Jobs
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One week.
DoorDash is an on-demand food delivery app that allows freelance couriers to earn money by picking up and delivering orders. Think of it as the Uber or Lyft of takeout.
As a Dasher, you’ll get paid based on the distance of the delivery, the amount of time you have to wait for the order, and a few other factors. Plus, you’ll keep 100% of the tips you receive through the app.
Uber Eats is similar to DoorDash, with the added benefit that it’s even more flexible. You can work as little or as much as you want, whether that’s one delivery or 12 hours straight.
Uber Eats allows you to deliver by car, scooter or bike, or on foot in certain locations.
If you’re in a crunch for money, both DoorDash and Uber Eats allow you to get paid instantly for a small fee, or to wait four to seven days to be paid by ACH.
#15. Drive for Uber
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: Instantly, once you’re approved.
You’ll have to meet some basic qualifications to be an Uber driver, but there’s good money in it. You also have to be 21 or older with a valid driver’s license that’s at least one year old, and you must have an up-to-date insurance policy.
Reasons you might want to consider being an Uber driver include:
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- It pays decent money (and you can get tips).
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- The demand is high, especially in bigger cities.
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- You get to choose the hours you want to work.
Uber allows you to withdraw your earnings instantly, which makes it one of the best options when you need fast money.
However, be aware that it does take some time to get approved to work on the platform, as you may need to pass a background check and wait for a car inspection.
#16. Create an Online Course
Difficulty: Hard.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: One month.
You’re an expert in something. And if others are looking to learn what you know, you can get paid good money to create a course for those people.
And since you can keep selling the course over time, it’s one of the best passive income business ideas.
Life-changing money can be made here. One story I really like comes from the book Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days. It explains how Teressa Greenway, who was on food stamps at the time, created a course on baking sourdough bread that generated over $86,000 in income.
It can certainly help to have an existing blog or a social media account that has potential buyers, which is something you can start building today.
#17. Affiliate Marketing (or Refer-a-Friend Programs)
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: 1 to 30 days.
Affiliate marketing, along with refer-a-friend programs, offer some great opportunities for earning extra income.
There are a lot of companies that exist today that will pay you for making a referral through affiliate links. And you may already be signed up for many of them.
And no, you don’t need a huge social media following or website to get started. Simply referring a handful of friends and some family members can earn you a surprising amount of money.
On a small scale, introducing your friends to a site like Swagbucks — a very popular rewards site that allows you to make money online in a variety of ways — can help both of you make some extra cash.
On a larger scale, financial institutions are known for offering some solid referral bonuses. For example, Chase and American Express both have lucrative referral programs for existing cardholders.
#18. Mystery Shopping
Difficulty: Easy.
Time it takes for money to be deposited: 1 week to 30 days.
Mystery shopping is a legit industry with many opportunities. In fact, one of The Ways To Wealth’s contributing writers has done over 100 mystery shopping jobs.
While you’ll want to be sure to check out her complete guide to making money as a mystery shopper, first things first: understand that it’s by no means a high-paying gig with a lot of upside potential.
That said, there are many legitimate mystery shopper opportunities that can help you earn a few hundred dollars per month on a part-time basis.
FAQs About Making $200 Per Day
It depends on how you define “free.” There are many companies that will pay you cash rewards for completing small actions like signing up for a website or downloading a free app. Often, these tasks take just minutes, with payouts ranging from pennies to $100 or more.
We’ve compiled a list of the best ways to get free money, as well as a list of websites that will pay you just for signing up.
It’s best to avoid payday loans by whatever means necessary, even when you’re under severe financial stress.
These loans and cash advances almost always come with sky-high interest rates and fees that leave you in a bigger financial hole with every passing week.
If you end up not being able to pay them back, they may go into collections, where they’ll ruin your credit for seven years — or you may end up having your paycheck garnished.
Often, these types of loans seem like the only viable means of relief. If you have a low or unstable income, or have below-average credit, it can seem like you have no access to other less-predatory sources of financial help.
However, there are a number of cash advance options that are either free or low cost, and we recommend you exhaust those options before turning to more extreme measures. In most cases, you’ll be able to find one that works for you.
While it’s possible to make quick money by investing in stocks, it’s difficult. In fact, it is very difficult. There’s a wide body of research that shows day traders perform much worse than people with a patient buy and hold strategy.
Plus, in order to make money, you need to have money to invest. For example, say you were to get lucky and earn a 20% return on your money within a week (keeping in mind, this is extremely rare and requires a lot of risk).
You’ll need to invest $1,000 of cash to earn $200 in profit. Plus, you’ll owe taxes and potentially brokerage fees.
However, while playing the stock market isn’t a reliable method for earning money quickly, getting companies to give you free stock is.
In fact, we compiled a list of 10 legit free stock offers. Complete them all and you can earn between $50 and $3,000, depending on how lucky you are.
The best way to make money within a day online is through selling items on Facebook Marketplace and other selling sites.
Second to selling, which also offers much more long-term earning potential, is freelancing. Having a skill that others are willing to pay for is one of the best ways to grow your income today and in the future.
Freelancing businesses — and specifically ones with zero start-up costs — are the best way to make money fast from a business.
Once you’ve found a skill people are willing to pay for and have a few happy clients, you can use the agency model, where you’re using independent contractors to perform the work.
This allows you to scale much faster, compared to you being the only one doing the work.
Yard work, babysitting and pet sitting are a few popular options for kids and teens looking to make money fast.
For more, see How To Make Money As A Kid: 15 Great Options.
How to Make 200 Dollars Fast: Final Thoughts
Diving deeper into debt makes it that much more difficult to win the game of personal finance.
So, when times get tough, making extra income is one of the best things to do to give yourself a better financial future.
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