Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission when you click on them, but this is at no extra cost to you. Read our privacy policy for more information.
Looking for some free money hacks that actually work?
The best part about these hacks is that it’s easy money without requiring a lot of time or effort.
Since using the tips below, I’ve been able to make over $1000 in free money.
And now I want to share these tips and tricks so that you can do the same.
Table of Contents
25 Best Free Money Hacks That Actually Work
With all of that said, let’s get started.
Here’s our list of the 25 best free money hacks that work both online and offline.
1. Download Survey Apps
Survey apps and survey sites take the saying ‘penny for your thoughts’ literally. They’ll actually pay you to tell them your thoughts.
There are a bunch of them out there that you just need to download before you can start earning free money straight away.
Here are some of my favorites:
- Survey Junkie (among the highest paying survey sites)
- Swagbucks ($5 registration bonus with other tasks to earn)
- Pinecone Research (earn a flat $3 per survey)
- Vindale Research ($1 registration bonus)
- Inbox Dollars (this one pays you for reading emails)
Once you fill in some basic information about yourself, you can browse their list of surveys. If you’re eligible, fill them in for an easy, quick cash reward.
It’s not totally ‘free’ money as it does require a little bit of time investment, but the surveys aren’t very hard to complete and usually take around 10-15 minutes.
This is the perfect amount of time to fit them into your regular commute or while waiting in line.
Answering surveys is definitely my favorite way to earn free cash fast.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of researching the which survey sites are the best, stick with Survey Junkie or Swagbucks. They’re the highest paying and they make it really easy to start earning.
2. Switch Bank Accounts (Or Open a New One)
Did you know that lots of different major banks will actually pay you to switch your current checking savings account over to them?
You can earn hundreds of dollars for what amounts to less than an hour’s work. All you have to do is sign up and start the switching process.
Why do banks offer this switching bonus? Because they’re absolutely crazy about acquiring new customers.
The banking market is competitive, and banks make a lot of money by investing the cash you deposit every month.
If they can attract a new, potentially lifelong client for a few hundred dollars, they will.
You can take advantage of this by accepting those bribes and ‘playing the field’ so to speak.
Just remember to consider other factors aside from the bonus too. It’s pointless switching for a $200 bonus if you end up paying out $300 in hidden fees on a savings account.
If you’re in the UK, switching is especially easy on account of the seven-day Current Account Switch Service (CASS). This has been been in place since September 2013 and puts the onus on banks to make it easier for customers to switch over painlessly.
Sign-up bonuses are similar to switching bonuses but they only require you to open a new account.
Keep in mind you don’t usually have to close your old one unless it’s in your new bank’s terms and conditions.
Here are some banks that will pay you to switch your current/checking account or open a new account with them:
Most of the above will pay you somewhere between $100 – $300 for signing up/switching. Not bad for a one-off cash injection.
The last piece of advice I’d give you is to always check the small print, as most of the bonus offers will require you to meet certain eligibility criteria, such as by making a certain minimum deposit within a given timeframe.
Once you’ve switched over and got your first few hundred dollars worth of free money.
But don’t go rushing out to spend it just yet! You could get more out of it with our next money hack…
3. Buy Gift Cards
Don’t you just hate it when you a gift card off a relative as a birthday gift for a store that you never visit?
Well, so do a lot of people. And what do they do with those gift cards? They sell them, of course! And usually at a significantly marked-down price.
All those re-sold gift cards mean that it’s possible for you to buy second-hand gift cards for your favorite stores at less-than-cost prices, and then use those gift cards against purchases you’d usually make with cash.
For example, let’s say you planned on spending $50 in Walmart for groceries. You could buy a $50 Walmart gift card for around $45 first, redeem it against your grocery purchase, and walk away with $5 spare.
It might not be much, but that’s $5 worth of free money that you wouldn’t have had without this neat little money hack.
Here are a couple of websites where you can buy a discounted gift card at up to 40% off retail value:
4. Invest Your Pennies
One of the easiest ways to get free money is to start investing the money you already have, sit back, and wait for the returns to come in.
I know what you’re thinking though – investing isn’t really a ‘money hack’. Hacks are supposed to be ways to take the work out of earning money and cheat the system, but investing is hard work. It requires time, knowledge, and lots of funds to be successful.
Or does it?
Well, there’s actually a neat little app you can use that takes all the hard work out of investing – an app called Acorns.
With Acorns, all you have to do is download the app, link up your credit card or debit card, and choose your investment strategy (conservative or aggressive). The app will take care of the rest.
It rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and adds the difference to an investment pot.
Because it works on spare change, you don’t need to a huge amount of savings to get started.
Also, it won’t feel like you’re taking a huge risk and you probably won’t even notice that spare change leaving your account.
Eventually, those acorns will start growing into money trees, and you can cash out your investment returns for essentially free money.
Speaking of apps that can help you to get free money…
5. Download Cashback Apps
One of my favorite free money hacks online is to claim cashback as many purchases as you can using cashback rewards apps.
Cashback shopping apps are apps which reward you with money and/or gift cards whenever you make purchases from select retailers.
Typically, all you have to do is browse the offers listed on the app, select one that you’re interested in, make a purchase, and scan/upload your receipt. Once your purchase has been validated, your account will be credited with a cashback reward.
Here are some of the most popular cashback apps available:
The cashback amounts you can earn vary between apps and retailers and could be anywhere from 1% to 20%.
Even the smaller amounts will add up over time. Eventually end up with a pretty large pot of money to withdraw.
Personally, I earned around $150 last year from cashback apps alone. It might not sound like much, but it’s completely free money with almost no effort required.
6. Resell Free Items
Sometimes, when people are moving homes or undergoing home improvements, they end up with furniture and appliances that they no longer need.
Getting rid of big items like this can be a hassle, so a lot of people will turn to sites like Craigslist to give them away for free, rather than take them to a skip.
But as that old saying goes, ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’.
In other words, that ‘junk’ that they’re giving away for free might not be junk at all. They might just not know what it’s worth.
The savvy entrepreneur out there can use this to their advantage by scouring sites like Craigslist for free items and then selling them on for a profit. The great thing about this is that there is no investment required – just a little bit of resourcefulness and a good eye for value!
We’ve written extensively about this specific free money hack in our post here, so check that out for more tips on how to get started flipping free items.
7. Take Advantage of Sign Up Bonuses
Lots of different websites, apps, and credit cards will pay you free money just to sign up. Most of the time, they do this because they expect to see returns on the money they pay out by locking you into recurring card payments or hooking you in so that you spend more money.
However, if you’re smart about it, you can essentially hack the system to claim your sign up bonus and then walk away without spending a penny.
Online casinos and betting sites are notorious for offering lucrative sign-up bonuses, so you can start your hunt there.
Free cash!
If you plan to use this free money hack though, make sure you follow these tips:
Check the terms and conditions
Sometimes, sign up bonuses will come with hidden clauses and conditions that make it difficult for you to claim your money. For example, some online casinos will require you to gamble your bonus a certain number of times first.
Create a new email account
Most of the time, you’ll be required to input your email address to sign up and claim a bonus.
If you plan on doing this on many sites, make a new email address so that your personal email doesn’t end up flooded with spam.
Sign up for a credit card towards the end of the year
Credit card sign-up bonuses will usually require you to meet a minimum spending amount within a specific timeframe.
It’s easier to do this towards the end of the year as people tend to spend more in the holiday season on things like Christmas presents, Black Friday sales, and New Year celebrations.
8. Claim Your Unclaimed/Undelivered Tax Refund
Every single year, millions of dollars worth of tax refunds are left unclaimed or undelivered – and some of it could be yours.
Here are some reasons you might have missed out on your tax refund:
- You didn’t file a tax return
- You changed address and didn’t notify the IRS (US) or HMRC (UK)
- Your refund check was lost in the post
There’s nothing better than getting your hands on unexpected money out of the blue, so check to see if you’re owed an income tax refund that you haven’t yet received.
It’s really easy to do. For US citizens, you just need to visit the IRS ‘Where’s My Refund’ website and fill out some basic information. You never know, you might be owed a substantial amount and if so, that’s free money that you didn’t expect straight to your bank account.
If you forgot to file a tax return or chose not to because your wages didn’t meet the minimum filing requirement, you can still do so within 3 years of the deadline.
And that’s not the only way to get hold of unclaimed money either, which brings us to our next hack…
9. Find Unclaimed Money
Over the course of your life, you may have earned money that you didn’t even know about and that has ended up lost in the void somewhere, waiting for you to claim it.
It could be an old bank account that you had as a child or one that a parent or guardian opened for you without you realizing. It could be a check from a previous employer for unpaid work or a utility deposit on an account that you no longer have open.
The good news is that there are a few online tools and websites that can help you to find that lost money, like unclaimed.org and MissingMoney.com. You can visit them and search their databases to find and claim free money that’s rightfully yours.
10. Monetize Your Downtime
If you’re like most people, you probably spend a lot of your downtime on your phone, so why not monetize that downtime to get free money?
There are actually a bunch of smartphone reward apps that will pay you to mess around on your smartphone.
You can download the rewards apps below and get paid for playing games, watching videos, browsing the net, reading emails, shopping online, and more.
Each time you complete a task, you earn rewards points that can be exchanged for PayPal money or free gift cards.
Here’s some of my favorites:
They don’t pay much, but they can be a great way to get free money for things that you’d probably be doing anyway.
These apps are especially great for college students looking for money fast and easy.
11. Turn Your Phone’s Lock Screen Into a Money-Making Machine
If playing games, watching videos, and browsing the net seems like too much hard work for you, this next free money hack might be a little more appealing to you.
It’s possible to hack your smartphone to turn your lock screen into a money-making machine by downloading screensaver rewards apps.
These apps will change your lock screen into an advertisement which you have to view in order to unlock your phone. Viewing these ads generates a small amount of money or rewards points every time you unlock your phone.
Again, we’re talking minuscule amounts of money here, but it is free.
Two of my favorite screensaver apps are ScreenLift and Fronto, but we’ve also curated a list of 7 apps that pay you to unlock your phone screen.
12. Swap Your Damaged Money
Ever accidentally left a banknote in your jeans pocket and then washed them? Or maybe you left it too close to the fire and burnt it?
Well, you may have thought that the note was as good as useless. Yet it is possible to trade mutilated currency in through the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for a full redemption.
If you’ve kept hold of your damaged currency, this little-known free money hack can turn it legal tender again and provide a chunk of free money you never expected to be able to use.
It doesn’t matter whether the currency has been buried, damaged by explosives, chewed on by rats, or anything else. It can still be traded in, as long as:
- 50 percent or more of the note is present and clearly identifiable as US currency, sufficient remnants of relevant security features are visible, and at least one-half of the note is still intact.
Or
- 50 percent or less of the note is present and clearly identifiable as US currency and evidence is provided which demonstrates that the rest of the note has been completely destroyed.
13. Become A Freelance Writer
For those who have some extra time in their day to make some money, but do not want to go out and find a part time job, freelance writing can be a great alternative.
Freelance writing allows you to write articles and blogs for website owners or agencies and get paid for it.
Site like Upwork allow you to connect with clients who are looking for freelance writing to make finding work easier.
All you have to do is register, select a few preferences, and start applying for jobs that are being posted.
This can easily grow into a long term side hustle and some may even be able to make their own businesses out of it.
14. Sell Your Skill On Fiverr
Most people are usually skilled in at least one or two things. Did you know that you could be using this to make yourself some extra money?
There are many different online sites where you can sell your skill for extra money.
Fiverr, one of the most popular sites for skilled people, was designed around the idea of selling your skill in $5 increments.
We have seen people sell custom songs, spell checking, and many other skillsets on Fiverr.
With the growth in popularity, Fiverr has adapted to customer demands and have offered you to set the price of your skill to include prices above $5 such as hour long consulting and other timed tasks.
15. Wrap Your Car In An Advertising Wrap
If you have a car, there are many more ways for you to earn extra money.
A popular way that people have started to make money using their cars is having them wrapped in advertisements.
Many companies are actively looking for people who are willing to wrap their car in their company’s advertisements to be a mobile billboard.
If you don’t mind having decals on your car, this could be a great way for you to earn extra money with little effort.
Not the most aesthetically pleasing money hack, but an easy way to earn extra money.
16. Rent Out An Extra Room With AirBnB
For those who have second homes, beach condos, or even a spare bedroom, these are all opportunities for you to be making some serious cash.
With apps such as AirBnB, you can rent your living quarters out to those wanting to avoid hotels and stay in a more convenient space.
AirBnB connects property owners with people looking to rent out a living space for one night up to weeks.
With hotels becoming more expensive and less reliable, staying in a home or room that is not in a large hotel could help you get some good sleep and better amenities.
17. Rent Out Your Car With Turo
Similar to AirBnB, you can also rent out your car to those looking to avoid the high price and hassle of car rental companies.
Apps such as Turo allow you to easily let your car be rented and returned to you for extra money.
Turo works similar to car rental companies in the realm of basic principles.
What Turo offers is a wider variety of vehicles based on who is renting their vehicles out in the city you are in.
By putting your vehicle up for rent and setting your own prices, you could be making money while you sleep or while you are at work.
18. Deliver Food With Postmates
We are in a time where people are becoming busier and busier by the day.
When it comes to grabbing food, sometimes, you just want to have food delivered. In the past, you were limited to basically pizza and Chinese depending on where you lived.
Now, with apps such as Postmates, you can get just about any type of food delivered, and you can even sign up to be a driver.
Postmates is an app that allows you to sign up as a driver or use as the one who is ordering food.
To earn money on Postmates, all you have to do is have a car and a valid license/insurance/registration. Simply log in to the app when you are available to deliver and start accepting deliveries.
You can make your own hours and earn money when you need it with Postmates.
19. Use Your Car As A Taxi With Uber Or Lyft
If renting out your vehicle isn’t something that you feel comfortable with, maybe you would be better off using your car as a taxi.
With apps like Uber and Lyft, you can sign up to be a driver and start picking up/dropping off people at the destination of their choice for extra money.
Similar to Postmates, these apps allow you to sign in when you want and make your own hours.
When you are ready to start driving, simply log into the app and wait for the requests to start coming in.
You are paid directly from Uber, and they’re very good about paying the right amount and on time.
20. Donate Plasma And Earn Up To $400/Month
What if we told you that you could be earning up to $400 month while saving lives?
By donating plasma, you can earn up to $400 a month for just a few hours of your time.
Donating plasma is similar to the process of donating blood.
Plasma donation sites bay upwards of $50-$100 for each session which lasts around 90 minutes.
If you are not afraid of needles, you can make this a habit to start making some serious money.
21. Start Your Own Website or Blog
Blogging is a word that gets tossed around a lot in the world of the internet, but the money people make from it can be a little confusing.
There are many different ways to earn an extra income with your own website or blog. Just keep in mind that it may take time to get started.
Creating a blog to jot down your feelings may not always be the best way to make money.
Recipes, how-to articles, guides, and other helpful information are great starting points.
Not sure on how to get started?
Check out our FREE 5-Day Money Making Blog Crash Course. We help with tips on affiliate marketing, setting up a blog, getting traffic via Google and social media, writing the perfect blog post and more.
If your blog gains a strong following, you can even make some passive income off of it.
22. Get Paid To Surf The Web
If you are reading this blog, it’s a safe bet that you are someone who surfs the web quite often. Wouldn’t it be nice to get paid to browse the internet? Well now you can with different programs that offer different types of payouts.
Bing Rewards is one of the more popular rewards programs that allows you to earn credits for using their search engine.
These credits are earned by daily tasks, searching through Bing, and even quick quizzes for bonus points. These credits can be redeemed for popular gift cards such as Target and Amazon.
23. Earn Money By Reviewing Websites And Apps
They say opinions are like..well you know the rest. What if we told you that you could get paid for your opinion? Now, with businesses looking for reviews of their sites and apps, you can get paid by telling them what you think.
Using a site such as UserTesting, you can connect with businesses who are looking for your opinions.
Getting started is easy and you can easily start making money fast.
24. Write & Publish A Kindle eBook
Everyone has a story to tell, so why not get paid to tell the world? Writing and publishing Kindle eBooks are a great way to generate a residual income stream.
Even if your story isn’t interesting, you can always write a book on a specific skill that you have or even create a totally fictional story that is entertaining.
Selling copies of your book online can net you some pretty good cash. And if it becomes popular enough, your ebook could turn into a passive income stream.
25. Become A Mystery Shopper With Field Agent
Mystery shopping has always been a popular talk among those wanting to earn some extra money or get free meals. However, many people do not know how easy it can be to get started using simple smartphone apps.
FieldAgent, an app designed for smartphones, allows you to connect with companies who are looking for mystery shoppers. This app features a simple dashboard that has each job in a designated mile radius to make selecting jobs easy.
You can choose from jobs that pay cash, pay you back for meals, or even get free stuff. Payment usually comes within 1-5 days of completing the job.
Other Ways to Get Free Cash
That concludes our tips and tricks of 25 best free money hacks online and offline that actually work.
These are super easy ways for saving money, reaching your personal finance goals or to make money fast and easy.
And we all know that everyone loves getting money for free.
We find these hacks to save money especially useful for college students and stay at home moms.
The best part? It’s easy money and brings you that much closer to financial freedom.
Do you know of another free money hack that you’d like to share and we didn’t?
Let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to also let us know how well the free money hacks above work for you.
