Life can throw unexpected financial challenges our way, whether it’s an urgent bill, a car repair, or simply the need for some extra spending money. When you’re in a pinch, finding ways to make money fast becomes a top priority. Fortunately, there are practical strategies that can help you earn quick cash without diving into long-term commitments or complicated setups.
In this blog, we’ll explore five effective ways to make money fast, from leveraging your skills to tapping into side hustles that pay off in just days. Let’s dive in and find the solution that works best for you!
Get the Right Mindset to Start to Make Money
Many people struggle to make money not because of a lack of opportunities but due to their mindset. Before diving into strategies for earning, it’s crucial to address the attitude and mental framework needed to achieve financial success. By setting the right foundation, you can navigate challenges with greater clarity and resilience.
One of the most important factors to understand is that desperation often leads to vulnerability. In times of financial hardship, people are more susceptible to falling for get-rich-quick schemes. Countless grifters peddle easy-money promises, but these should be avoided.
The truth is that building a stable income takes time, effort, and planning. If you’re facing financial difficulties, the fastest way to get back on your feet is often to secure a full-time job while working on a side hustle. This approach allows you to bring in income almost immediately, while a steady focus over the next three to six months can help stabilize your financial situation.
If your situation is dire—meaning you’re at risk of losing access to essentials like food and shelter—immediate help from family, friends, charitable organizations, or government assistance programs should be your priority. Ensuring your basic needs are met is critical. It’s much harder to climb out of financial difficulties if you’re homeless or hungry, so focus on securing these essentials first before seeking work.
You Need to Sacrifice to Get More
As social creatures, humans are inherently concerned with status and how they are perceived by others. This concern can be a major obstacle to make money. In particular, some individuals hesitate to take on jobs they perceive as low-status, such as working in fast food or retail, due to fear of judgment from their peers.
While feeling uncomfortable with the potential loss of status is understandable, learning to detach yourself from external validation can be a powerful tool. As Sam Altman notes in his essay “How to Be Successful,” many people are externally driven—focused on impressing others rather than pursuing meaningful work. This mindset often leads to poor decision-making and career stagnation. By contrast, internally driven people who focus on what truly matters to them are better positioned for long-term success.
In fact, working a low-status job to make money can be a great opportunity to practice not caring what others think. If you’ve fallen on hard times, it’s important to prioritize financial recovery over maintaining an image. Dropping the need for external approval can free you to take the actions necessary to improve your situation.
In many cases, the fastest way to get out of a financial hole is to work both a full-time job and a side hustle. This strategy often involves working 60 hours per week, a workload that’s not sustainable over the long term but can be effective for three to six months.
However, this path isn’t for everyone. Some individuals may have health issues, family responsibilities, or other constraints that make it impossible to work such long hours. If that’s the case, alternative strategies should be explored.
Let Go of Entitlement
It’s easy to develop a sense of entitlement as you progress through life, believing you “deserve” a certain type of work, pay, or lifestyle. However, entitlement can be a significant barrier to quick financial recovery. If you subconsciously believe that some jobs are beneath you, you might overlook immediate opportunities to earn income.
This entitlement mindset can also affect your performance in a job for which you believe you’re overqualified. If you resent the work, you’re less likely to do it well, which could result in poor performance or even termination. It’s important to approach any job with humility and recognize that it’s a stepping stone toward greater stability.
Entrepreneur Alex Hormozi frequently speaks on the importance of dropping entitlement. According to him, entitlement leads to frustration and disappointment, preventing people from taking full advantage of the opportunities available to them. Shifting your mindset toward a “whatever it takes” attitude will help you break free from these limitations.
Prioritize Your Health
Working 60 hours per week can take a toll on your health, so it’s vital to prioritise self-care. While you can’t avoid the fatigue that comes with long workdays, there are steps you can take to minimize the negative impact:
- Ensure you get enough sleep each night
- Eat a balanced diet with adequate calories and protein
- Monitor your caffeine intake to avoid overreliance on stimulants
- Refrain from alcohol and late-night partying
- Schedule time to relax and wind down at the end of each day
- Use your days off to rest, run errands, and recharge
While these habits may seem simple, they can make a huge difference in your ability to maintain focus and energy during this demanding period. The key is to temporarily adopt a “sleep, eat, work” mentality, removing unnecessary distractions until your financial situation stabilizes.
With the right mindset, realistic expectations, and willingness to work hard, you can start to make money and improve your financial situation quickly. Now that we’ve covered the mental groundwork, let’s explore practical strategies to make money as soon as possible.
1. Get a Gig Economy Job To Make Money
The gig economy refers to a labour market where companies hire workers on a freelance or short-term basis to complete specific tasks, commonly referred to as “gigs.” This type of work is often facilitated by technology platforms that connect companies, workers, and customers. It offers flexibility and the chance to make money quickly but also requires careful financial planning. Let’s explore some local and remote gig economy opportunities and what you should consider before diving in.
Remote Gig Economy Jobs: Online Microtasks and Surveys
If you need to make money quickly, joining the gig economy online could be a great solution. These jobs allow you to work on a freelance or task-by-task basis, offering flexibility in both hours and workload. Popular platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Amazon Mechanical Turk connect you with opportunities in areas like writing, data entry, graphic design, and more. Many tasks require little experience and can be completed in just a few hours, making it a fast way to increase your income. Simply find the right platform for your skillset, pick up gigs, and start earning on your own schedule.
These tasks are often quick to complete—on platforms like MTurk, for example, many tasks take less than five minutes. However, the pay is generally low. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was possible to earn around $1,500 per month by working across multiple platforms, but since then, the average earnings have declined.
It’s important to stay informed, as gig economy platforms can change rapidly. For more insights, check out the MTurk subreddit, where experienced workers share tips and advice on how to maximize earnings from these platforms.
While local and remote gig economy jobs can provide a quick source of income, especially if you have extra time on your hands, it’s important to approach them with caution. These jobs can be a temporary solution, but they often offer diminishing returns as time goes on. Remote opportunities can be a great way to earn extra cash, particularly for those in developing countries with lower minimum wage standards. However, the limited earning potential may not make it a sustainable long-term option.
2. Get a Seasonal Job To Make Money
A seasonal job refers to a short-term employment opportunity during peak times in specific industries, typically to meet increased demand. These roles are often ideal for individuals seeking extra income during busy seasons or for those in between long-term employment. Below is an exploration of various types of seasonal jobs and how to secure them, as well as the potential future opportunities they may provide.
Types of Seasonal Jobs
1. Retail Warehousing and Delivery Jobs
Retailers and delivery services experience a surge in demand during certain times of the year, particularly leading up to major holidays. For instance, businesses such as Amazon ramp up their workforce to manage the increase in online shopping, product shipments, and deliveries. In 2023, Amazon announced plans to hire 250,000 temporary employees for the holiday season to ensure orders are fulfilled efficiently.
Key roles in this sector may include:
- Warehouse operatives: Responsible for picking, packing, and dispatching products.
- Delivery drivers: Ensuring customers receive their orders on time.
The retail warehousing and delivery sector is a reliable source of temporary jobs during the holiday season, making it ideal for those seeking short-term employment with flexible hours.
2. Hospitality and Catering Jobs
The hospitality industry is another sector that sees a spike in demand, especially during major holiday periods and events. Catering agencies often start recruiting in early autumn, increasing efforts closer to Christmas, when there are a plethora of corporate parties, weddings, and family gatherings. This cycle continues throughout the year with peaks in:
- May to July: Weddings and summer events.
- October to December: Corporate Christmas parties and holiday events.
Temporary jobs in this industry include:
- Waiting staff: Serving guests at events such as weddings, conferences, or parties.
- Event setup and catering assistants: Helping prepare venues for events or assisting in food service.
While the first quarter of the year (January to March) is usually slow, hospitality businesses start hiring again in April in preparation for the busy summer season. This industry operates on a repeating annual cycle, offering consistent seasonal work for those who are available at the right times.
3. Vacation Destination Jobs
If you live near a popular vacation destination, these areas typically have an on-season (busy months) and an off-season (quiet months). During the on-season, tourism drives demand for employees in sectors such as:
- Hotels: Front desk receptionists, housekeeping staff, and porters.
- Restaurants: Waitstaff, cooks, and kitchen hands.
- Retail: Souvenir shops and local convenience stores often require extra help to serve the influx of tourists.
Finding seasonal work at vacation destinations is often easier during the on-season, as businesses seek temporary workers to handle the increased number of tourists.
How to Get a Temporary Seasonal Job
1. Retail Warehousing and Delivery
For roles in retail warehousing and delivery, the best approach is to apply directly through the company’s website or through online job boards. For example:
- Amazon, UPS, and other large companies regularly post seasonal roles on their careers pages.
- Local job boards can also be useful for finding regional opportunities.
2. Hospitality and Catering
For hospitality and catering jobs, consider applying to local catering agencies via their websites or by responding to online job ads. Additionally, many venues directly post temporary roles on online platforms. Proactively contacting agencies that handle event staffing is another effective way to secure work.
3. Vacation Destinations
For vacation destination jobs, apply to large chains (hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets) that are hiring for the on-season. If you live close to the destination, visiting the area at the beginning of the busy season and handing out your CV in person can be particularly effective. This traditional approach, while simple, remains a reliable method for securing employment in tourist-heavy areas.
While seasonal jobs are typically short-term, they can open doors to more permanent employment. Businesses often face challenges in finding reliable workers, so proving yourself in a temporary role can increase the likelihood of being rehired or even being offered a full-time position. For example:
- Amazon has a history of extending full-time offers to exceptional temporary employees.
- In the hospitality industry, building a good reputation with event managers could lead to more permanent roles, especially as venues prefer to hire staff they already know and trust.
- Some catering agencies also provide opportunities for internal promotion, with many individuals who start as waitstaff moving into administrative or management roles over time.
3. Get a Minimum-Wage Job To Make Money
A minimum-wage job is a type of employment that pays workers the legally mandated minimum hourly wage. Each country or region sets its own minimum wage, ensuring that employees receive at least a basic level of pay for their work. To find the minimum wage for your country or area, you can easily check government websites or other authoritative sources online.
Types of Minimum-Wage Jobs
Minimum-wage jobs are often in industries where tasks are repetitive and don’t require formal qualifications or extensive experience. These roles are usually entry-level and accessible to a wide range of people. Common examples of minimum-wage jobs include:
- Warehouse jobs: Involving tasks like picking, packing, and moving goods.
- Cleaning jobs: Cleaning homes, offices, and public spaces.
- Retail jobs: Working as cashiers, stock clerks, or sales associates.
- Supermarket jobs: Bagging groceries, restocking shelves, or working the checkout counter.
- Waiting jobs: Serving food and drinks at restaurants, cafes, or events.
- Bar jobs: Preparing and serving beverages, typically in pubs or nightclubs.
- Fast food jobs: Taking orders, preparing food, and maintaining the cleanliness of the restaurant.
Among these, waiting and bar jobs are often seen as more profitable, particularly in countries where tipping is customary. Workers in these roles can potentially make more than the minimum wage when tips are factored in.
How to Get a Minimum-Wage Job
Getting a minimum-wage job is often straightforward and depends on the type of job and the company. Here are some typical ways to apply:
- Company websites: Large corporations like retail chains, supermarkets, or fast-food outlets often have a “Careers” section on their websites. You can browse open positions and apply directly online.
- Local job boards: Smaller companies, restaurants, or bars often post their vacancies on local online job boards. Websites like Indeed, Craigslist, or local job sites are common places to find minimum-wage jobs.
- Walk-ins: For smaller businesses like local restaurants, bars, or retail stores, handing in your CV in person can be effective. Walk into the business, ask to speak with the manager, and hand them your resume. Many small businesses may prefer walk-in applicants, as their hiring processes tend to be less formal than larger corporations.
- Referrals: Sometimes, knowing someone who already works in a company can increase your chances of getting hired. Referrals can provide you with a foot in the door, especially in industries like retail or food service.
4. Start a Local Service Business To Make Money
A local service business is a company that provides services to customers within a specific geographical area, typically focusing on meeting local needs. These businesses usually require face-to-face interaction, and their services are essential for individuals, homes, or businesses in their immediate community.
Types of Local Service Businesses
Here are some common examples of local service businesses:
- House cleaning businesses: Providing regular or one-time cleaning services for homes or offices.
- Landscaping businesses: Offering lawn care, gardening, and landscaping design.
- Painting businesses: Specializing in painting interiors and exteriors of homes or commercial buildings.
- Laundry businesses: Providing laundry, dry cleaning, or wash-and-fold services.
- Catering businesses: Supplying food and beverages for events like weddings, parties, and corporate gatherings.
- Moving businesses: Helping people move homes or businesses by transporting furniture and other items.
- Trade businesses: Offering skilled services such as plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC repair.
How to Start a Local Service Business
Starting a local service business is relatively low-cost compared to other ventures and typically doesn’t require much initial capital. Here’s how you can get started:
- Evaluate Your Strengths: Make a list of services that align with your skills and experience. Consider which services are in demand locally and which ones could provide the highest return on investment.
- Design Flyers: Create simple black-and-white flyers that explain your service, list your prices, and provide contact information. Keep the design clean and clear to make it easy for people to understand what you offer.
- Flyer Size: A6 (a quarter of an A4 sheet) is a good size for cost-effective printing, allowing you to get 4 flyers from a single A4 sheet.
- Printing: You can print flyers at local libraries, stationery stores, or online. Start by printing in small batches (e.g., 1,000 flyers) and inquire about discounts for larger print runs.
- Distribute Flyers: Aim to distribute at least 100 flyers per day in areas where your potential customers are likely to be. Distribute 3,000 flyers a month to get around 10 leads and potentially 3 paying customers.
- Track Results: Monitor which flyer designs, locations, and distribution methods generate the most leads. Refine your approach based on this feedback.
How to Grow Your Local Service Business
Once you’ve established your business, growing it will involve scaling what already works and refining your marketing and sales strategies. Here are some tips for growth:
- Increase Flyer Distribution: Start by increasing your flyer distribution target each day. Professional flyer distributors can deliver up to 1,000 flyers daily in about 8-10 hours.
- Improve Your Flyer Copy: Enhancing the effectiveness of your flyer copy can generate more leads from the same amount of distribution. Books like Jim Edwards’ “Copywriting Secrets” can provide insights into improving your advertising copy. It’s highly rated and available on Amazon or directly from Jim.
- Refine Your Sales Skills: Reading books on sales can help you convert more leads into paying customers. Consider reading:
- “Influence” by Robert Cialdini (new and expanded edition) for learning the psychology of persuasion.
- “The Psychology of Selling” by Brian Tracy for a comprehensive introduction to sales.
- “To Sell Is Human” by Daniel H. Pink to understand selling in the digital age.
- Focus on Quality and Referrals: By providing excellent service, satisfied customers will spread the word, leading to referrals and repeat business. Over time, word-of-mouth can become one of the most effective ways to grow your business.
While tech startups often grab headlines, local service businesses often have better odds of success. These businesses fulfill everyday needs and can grow steadily over time. Here are some potential future opportunities:
- High Revenue Potential: Local service businesses have the potential to grow into six-figure income ventures.
- Scalability: You can expand by hiring employees, purchasing more equipment, or opening new locations.
- Sellability: Once your business is well-established, it could be sold for a profit, sometimes reaching seven-figure valuations depending on its size and profitability.
Local service businesses offer reliable opportunities with growth potential, making them a promising option for aspiring entrepreneurs.
5. Start a Freelance Business To Make Money
A freelance business involves offering services as an independent contractor, often remotely, without being tied to a single employer. Freelancers typically work on a project-by-project basis, managing their own clients and workload. This type of business is especially appealing to people living in low-cost areas, where the income earned remotely can have a substantial impact, and to those housebound due to health issues or disabilities.
Freelancers typically specialize in a variety of skills, which can be broadly categorized into:
- Software development
- UX and UI design
- Graphic design
- Content writing
- Technical writing
- Copywriting
- Paid advertising management
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
If you’re just starting out and lack a specific skill, copywriting is a great place to begin. Copywriters tend to be among the highest-paid freelancers. A good way to learn this skill is by reading Jim Edwards’ “Copywriting Secrets,” which covers the basics of copywriting. You can get it for free by paying shipping costs.
How to Start a Freelance Business
Starting a freelance business requires a clear plan and some hustle. Here are the steps to get started:
- Define Your Ideal Clients: Identify the type of clients you want to work with, based on your skills and industry. For instance, if you’re a graphic designer, your dream clients could be e-commerce brands or tech startups.
- Create a List of Leads: Make a list of companies or individuals that match your ideal client profile. Research them thoroughly to understand their needs.
- Start Cold Emailing: Reach out to potential clients via cold emails. Craft a compelling pitch that outlines how your services can solve their problems or add value to their business.
Before landing paying clients, build your portfolio by offering free work to potential clients in your target market. For example, if you aim to be a B2B SaaS email copywriter, write email campaigns for SaaS companies for free and send it to them unsolicited. If they use your work and see results, ask to include the project in your portfolio. This approach provides social proof, which can significantly increase your chances of landing future paid clients.
How to Grow Your Freelance Business
Scaling a freelance business is possible through these methods:
- Cold Email Outreach: Continuously send cold emails to generate leads. Cold emailing alone can help you scale your freelance business to six-figure annual profits, but it is labor-intensive.
- Automate Lead Generation: As you grow, you may want to reduce your reliance on cold emails. Build a lead generation funnel (a system that automates attracting potential clients) and use paid traffic (e.g., Facebook or Google Ads) to drive clients to it.
- Referrals: Happy clients will eventually start referring you to others. Referrals can significantly cut down on the time spent marketing yourself.
A successful freelance business can offer many long-term benefits:
- Earning Potential: Freelancers can make low six figures annually in net profit if they consistently land high-quality clients and produce excellent work.
- Info Products: Once you’ve gained experience and a proven track record, you can package your expertise into info products like eBooks or online courses. These products have high-profit margins and can create an additional income stream, potentially bringing in five or six figures annually.
- Transition to an Agency: As your freelancing business grows, you can transition into running an agency. While building a successful agency is challenging, it can lead to mid-to-high six figures in annual net profit. Additionally, a successful agency is a valuable asset that can be sold, potentially resulting in a seven-figure exit.
Running a freelance business offers flexibility, independence, and the potential to expand into more lucrative opportunities, making it an appealing option for many entrepreneurial individuals.
Final Thoughts: 5 Ways To Make Money Fast
When you need to make money, it’s important to choose options that not only provide fast results but also align with your skills and available resources. Whether you’re tapping into the gig economy, selling unused items, or picking up a temporary job, there are plenty of ways to boost your income in a short period of time.
Just remember to weigh the potential earnings against the time and effort required, and always stay on the lookout for long-term opportunities that can grow beyond just a short-term fix. With a strategic approach, you can not only solve your immediate financial needs but also create pathways to more stable and sustainable income streams.
