Extra Income

12 Ways to Earn Extra Cash for Christmas

October 24, 2018 by Ashleigh Allman 4 Comments

12 Ways to Earn Extra Cash for Christmas!

Need some extra cash for Christmas this year?

You can save money by shopping deals and using easy hacks to score the lowest prices on gifts, but you can also pick up a few side hustles that you can work from home to pay for Christmas shopping.

Waking up to a big credit card bill is not a great way to start the New Year off, especially if you have some serious financial goals.

Pick up one or two of these easy side hustles to start making some extra money now, so you can save your wallet from Christmas!

Easy Side Hustles to Make Money NOW!

#1 Clean Out Your Closets & Sell Your Stuff

Now is a great time to clean out your closets, make room for new toys, and sell your things online. You can sell almost anything that is Gently Used to Excellent Condition. Try selling your things on eBay or local Facebook Groups. Sell your video games, game consoles, DVDs, CDs, old smartphones, and even old textbooks with Decluttr, a convenient online platform.

They make it really simple to sell your items!

Fill out the information on your item OR scan the barcode on your item g
Get a price immediately
Accept the price
Pack the item and use the free shipping label & ship it

Once Decluttr receives the item and checks it you will be paid by direct deposit, PayPal, or check.

#2 Tell them What You Think

Surveys are some of my favorite ways to make quick cash. As a busy mom, I love that I can take surveys on my phone while I’m waiting in the car pick up line or sitting at sports practice.

Two of my favorite surveys that I trust and use are Survey Junkie and Branded Research (Mintvine).

Survey Junkie is a popular market research company that gives you opportunities to share your opinion about a variety of different products and services. Get all the details in this Survey Junkie Review.

Branded Research (Mintvine) is my number two favorite survey company. They also have a good variety of surveys along with other opportunities to earn points like daily polls and referral rewards. AND you can get paid for watching Primetime TV? Yes! I’ve recently seen surveys that ask about what you watched on TV last night. Here is the Branded Research (Mintvine) Review for more details.

Both Branded Research and Survey Junkie allow you to earn points even when you don’t qualify for a survey, so you don’t feel like you’re wasting time.

Join Survey Junkie Today!

Join Branded Research (Mintvine) Today!

#3 Get Paid to Watch Videos with Swagbucks

You can earn gift cards and even PayPal cash with Swagbucks by watching videos.

One of my favorite ways to earn some extra cash is to turn on the Swagbucks videos while I’m folding laundry or washing dishes. You earn points whether you are paying attention or not, just as long as the video is running!

You can earn even more “bucks” by taking surveys, browsing through the Swagbucks extension, earning extra points through the Swagbucks Facebook Page and shopping online. All these points add up over time. This mom used her Swagbucks to pay for her trip to Disney!

Read my Swagbucks Review for all the best tricks to earn!

Sign Up with Swagbucks and Get a $10 Bonus!

#4 Get Paid for your Internet Usage

Have you heard of the Nielsen Ratings? Yes! They are the company that is known for giving TV ratings. But now Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel is interested in information about internet usage.

Here’s how it works! Nielsen will pay you $50 a year to keep their app on your phone for a year and let them anonymously track your internet usage. Get paid to use your internet as normal.

Sign up for Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel to start make passive extra cash today!

#5 Make Money while Shopping at the Mall

Shopkick is a fun and easy way to earn free gift cards for everyday shopping. Earn points for walking into stores, scanning products, and purchasing items listed in the app. Turn your points in for free gift cards that you can use for your Christmas shopping!

We all have a million errands to run during the holiday season. You can earn points for walking into Walmart, Target, Kroger, and 300 other retailers. Shopkick often has special rewards and other incentives during the holidays. It’s the perfect time to start earning FREE gift cards!

Join Shopkick Now and Start Earning Free Gift Cards!

#6 Earn Extra Cash with Ebates

Earn cash back while shopping online with the most trusted cash back site, Ebates. It’s really simple to use!

Just sign up on the Ebates website or app. Then click through the store link on the Ebates site where you want to shop. Ebates has partnered with stores like Amazon, Walmart, Khol’s, and over 2500 more stores! You can earn between 1% – 10% cash back on your purchases when shopping online. Find out my favorite Ebates tips to earn the most cash back!

Earn a $10 Bonus by Signing Up with Ebates!

#7 Make Money Shopping with Instacart

Love shopping? Then Instacart might be the best side hustle job for you! Basically this works like UberEats, but instead you are delivering groceries and you are the shopper.

Instacart offers a very flexible work schedule. You get paid to shop and deliver grocery items to the client. The amount of money you make per order is based on a few factors like distance driven, commission based off of purchase, and more. The average pay seems to be around $12 – $15 per hour.

Sign up with Instacart and Get Paid to Shop Today!

#8 Drive with UberEats

UberEats is a food delivery service that has partnered with local restaurants who don’t have a delivery service. You can deliver food in your car or on a bike and work flexible hours on your own schedule.

After you make a delivery you are eligible to make a tip as an UberEats driver. You can also set up Instant Pay and receive payment the same day as your deliveries! So if you need quick money this is one of the best side hustles to put money in your wallet.

Signing up is simple. There are a few driver requirements that you will need to meet like having a valid driver’s license and a car, scooter, or bike to make deliveries.

Become an UberEats Driver and Get Paid Today!

#9 Pet Sitting & Dog Walking

Calling all animal lovers…get paid to pet sit and dog walk. People are busy and need extra help when it comes to their pets.

Make money by letting dogs out during the day, taking them on a walk, feeding them while their owners are out of town, or simply playing with them. You can find jobs as a pet sitter or dog walker by using an app like Rover or Wag.

These apps allow pet owners and you to connect! Create a profile, fill out your information, and start walking dogs to make some extra cash!

#10 Help Improve User Experience on Websites and Apps

Businesses are working hard to improve their websites and apps to make the user experience easier for their clients and customers. You can make money testing websites and apps by providing a walk through recording of yourself using the website or app describing you experience as you use it. These side gigs pay between $3 – $15 per test.

Check out these companies that pay you to test websites and apps:

#11 Teach English Online

Make money teaching English online to Chinese students! This is a really popular job opportunity that pays between $13 – $22 per hour. You need to be a native English speaker, have a bachelor’s degree (does not have to be in education), and experience working with children.

This is a really fun job with a flexible work schedule. All the work is done on an online platform similar to Skype with no prep work or grading papers.

Check out these companies that hire English teachers:

#12 Make Money with Your Smartphone

Your smartphone is a useful tool that can help you make money where ever you go! You can teach English on your smartphone, take surveys, test apps, make money taking pictures, and more!

Find out how to turn your smartphone into a side hustle!

Christmas Budget Made Easy

We know Christmas time gives you ALL. THE. FEELS. There is jolly Christmas music playing in every store, and it’s so easy to get carried away (even at the grocery store! I want to buy all the holiday treats! 🤷) I put this Christmas Budget together to keep myself on track this holiday season, and I’m sharing it with you!

Getting Started with Your Christmas Budget

What is your Christmas budget? Many times we find ourselves over spending because we never had a plan to begin with. Creating a Christmas Budget is the best way to keep track of your spending and staying within your financial means when it comes to gift giving this holiday season.

Decide how much you can spend this holiday season

First take a look at your overall budget, do you have extra income you can use for gifts? Have you already been saving throughout the year for extras?

You mainly want to make sure that you don’t dive into your savings accounts, emergency fund, or rack up bills on your credit cards to cover the cost of Christmas.

Christmas Budgeting Tips

Make a List and Check it Twice

Now that you have an idea of how much you can spend, make a list of all the people who you want/need to buy for.

spouse
kids
parents
siblings
extended family
friends
kids friends
teachers
postman
neighbors
and anyone else you can think of!

You can then decide how much you will spend on each person. Give each person a dollar amount. This will help you stay on track as you begin your Christmas shopping.

Download the Christmas Budget Planner

A Christmas budget planner will help you keep track of your spending on gifts, party supplies, baking items, and all the other random things you need to buy during the holiday season.

This Christmas budget worksheet has space for making a gift list, calendar for marking events through out the holidays, and planning your parties. Simply keeping track of your spending, shopping, and time will help you stay within your Christmas budget.

Use a Christmas Budget Planner App

Another great way to keep you on track with your Christmas budget while shopping is to use a Christmas budgeting app. This makes it easy to remember how much you spend and how many presents you have bought.

Don’t waste time, energy, and money this year. Take advantage of one of these apps below to keep your Christmas budget on track!

2 apps to help you manage your Christmas Shopping Budget

Santa’s Bag – Christmas Gift List (iPhone/android) – Track Christmas gift ideas and set a gift budget for each person and mark them off as you buy. Cost is FREE.
The Christmas List for iPhone – similar to Santa’s Bag with a few different features, but cost $1.99

Quick Cash for the Holidays

One of the easiest ways to get some quick Christmas cash for is to start by looking within your own budget. Where can you cut back on some things to save money for gift giving in December?

Gym Membership you don’t use
Subscription box that is too expensive
Negotiate your cable bill
Update Amazon orders for a lower price
Look into switching cable services or change to Sling TV, Netflix, Hulu
Cancel services you don’t use regularly (Audible, Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Pandora)
Change to a better cell phone service like Republic Wireless (pay $23/month for the same service you have now)
Combine Home and Auto Insurance for a better deal
Look for a better Health Insurance solution

12 Ways to Earn Extra Money for Christmas

Follow these extra earning tips for your Christmas budget. January 1, after all the holiday crazy, you will be so glad you don’t have to pay for Christmas the rest of the year!

Week 1: Christmas Budget Challenge

Week 2: More Ways to Make Quick Cash for Christmas

Week 3: Christmas Gift Giving Ideas

Week 4: Christmas Shopping Tips and Deals

Week 5: How to Save on Amazon

Week 6: Sell Gift Cards Online

Week 7: DIY Crafts to Make and Sell During the Holidays

Week 8: Ebates Shopping Tips and Tricks

Looking for more ways to earn financial freedom? Join our newsletter and get the FREE Mom Boss Tool Kit designed to help you start your journey making EXTRA INCOME over the next 7 days! Click the Pink Button >>> Sign Me UP!

Best 5 Ways to Earn a Free Amazon Gift Card (That Actually Work)

August 23, 2018 by Ashleigh Allman Leave a Comment

Best 5 Ways to Earn a Free Amazon Gift Card

Do you love shopping on Amazon as much as I do?

✅ shop in your jammies

✅ shop from your phone

✅ FREE shipping right to your door with Amazon Prime

✅ shop with a free amazon gift card?!

Yes! You really can earn Amazon gift cards for free.

You can use Amazon gift cards to buy everything from groceries to your favorite skin care products on Amazon. Or you can save your gift cards all year long to pay for Christmas, Birthdays, other holidays, and more!

Maybe you don’t want to spend your gifts cards on Amazon, you can always sell your gift cards online for extra cash!

Either way you decide to use your gift cards these tips for earning Amazon gift cards for free can turn into a great side hustle!

Earn Amazon Gift Cards Instantly

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! Read the full privacy policy here ~

#1 – Swagbucks

This is one of my very favorite ways to earn Amazon gift cards because there are several different ways to earn. You earn swagbucks (points) and can exchange those swagbucks for FREE Amazon gift cards! The best part is that you can exchange points for gift cards as low as $3 (which is kind of a big deal!).

Online Surveys
Watching Videos
Playing Games Online
Using FREE trials
Web searches

My personal favorite way to earn is to watch videos. I can set up my phone to run videos while I wash dishes, cook dinner, or fold laundry. I don’t have to pay attention to what’s going on AND I’m still earning! Love when multi-tasking works out for me.

PRO TIP: You can also follow along on Swagbucks Facebook page for tips on special codes to earn even more swagbucks each day!

If you are new to Swagbucks, then you can sign up and receive a $5 credit to your account!

Sign up with Swagbucks

#2 – Ibotta

Ibotta is one of the easiest ways to earn Amazon gift cards! You gotta eat…so you probably grocery shop…right?

All you do is download the Ibotta app to your phone. Search for your grocery store, pharmacy, etc. and find out what deals they have going on. Simply click on the deal and it may ask you to watch a 20 second video or answer a short survey (1 question). Then you are able to earn cashback on that item!

After you purchase your items scan the items on your Ibotta list and then scan your receipt.

You can exchange your earnings for an Amazon gift card or have cash sent to your Paypal account!

Ibotta is one of the only ways I’ve found to save money on things that NEVER have coupons like fruits, veggies, meats, and dairy products (think Eggs, milk, etc.). Make sure you always check their “Any Brand” section for deals.

We usually earn $0.50 – a few dollars each week with the Ibotta app!

PRO TIP: You can earn even more by sharing your referral code with family and friends! Why wouldn’t you want to tell your friends about an awesome app that earns them money?! They get $10 for joining Ibotta and you get $5 for referring them. It’s a win-win situation!

You can earn $10 just for signing up with my referral code.

Sign up with Ibotta

#3 – Survey Junkie

If you want to focus on taking online surveys for gift cards, then Survey Junkie is a great place to earn Amazon gift cards.

Sign up with Survey Junkie

#4 – Shopkick

Shopkick is another simple way to earn Amazon gift cards.

Similar to Ibotta, with Shopkick you earn “kicks” for literally walking into stores…

You can earn even more kicks by scanning items as you are in the store. You can also earn kicks for purchasing items and scanning your receipt.

This is one of the laziest ways to earn free Amazon gift cards!

PRO TIP: If your bluetooth is on then your phone will alert you when you get to the store and remind you to get your kicks. AND if you’re too busy to hit up all the store in the shopping center like me…then you may just want to drive by the store and earn your kicks without even walking in!

You can earn 50 kicks just for walking into a Carter’s Clothing Store (kids clothing store), 25 kicks for walking into Target, Kroger, Walmart, CVS, and more!

Sign up for Shopkick

#5 – Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars is similar to Swagbucks. You can earn points by…

Taking Surveys
Watching Videos
Playing Games
Internet Searches
Trial offers
Shopping Online
Opening Paid Email

One of my favorite parts of earning gift cards with Inbox Dollars is that you can earn points for referring friends. You also can earn when your referred friends earn points for taking surveys, watching videos, etc.

You can cash out for an Amazon gift card when you reach $30.

Get a $5 Bonus just for signing up with Inbox Dollars!

Sign up for Inbox Dollars

How to Get Free Amazon Gift Cards

You’re probably wondering “How do I get free Amazon gift cards?”

It’s pretty easy to earn Amazon gift cards online!

Now, these tips for earning Amazon gift cards are not going to make you rich, but they can make a difference in your budget!

Use the same tips for making money with survey sites that pay with Paypal.

#1 – Create a separate email account for signing up with surveys and other apps. (That way your inbox isn’t overwhelmed with promotional emails).

#2 – Sign up for all the sites that you can use to earn Amazon gift cards. You may only get a few opportunities to earn from each site, so you can make more money by signing up for several sites!

Here’s the thing about earning Amazon gift cards…it’s TOTALLY easy. I mean you can literally sit and binge on Netflix while you rake up the points to earn Amazon gift cards!

BUT you have to be consistent. And isn’t consistency the hardest part of life? No matter what we are talking about…whether it’s losing weight or cleaning our house. We have to be consistent!

That means you need to take surveys every day (or create a schedule that works for you!) and remember to scan your receipts every time you go shopping. It’s that simple!

You can get started earning gift cards online TODAY with these super easy apps and sites!

What are your favorite ways to earn free Amazon gift cards? Let us know in the comments!

Are you new to Smart Cents Mom?

I am passionate about helping you find legitimate ways to make extra money from home and save money. Here are some of my favorite ways to help you start a side hustle and save money each month!

Check out these popular work from home jobs…Proofreader, Pinterest Virtual Assistant, Freelance Writer, Search Engine Evaluator, Virtual Assistant
Here’s a list of 50+ Ways to Make Money from Home

How to Make Money Online (NO Surveys!)

July 14, 2018 by Ashleigh Allman Leave a Comment

How to Make Money Online (No Surveys!)

You KNOW you need to make extra money to pay off debt, save money each week, pay for vacation, among many other reasons to make money…

You’re probably thinking “How can I make money online without paying anything?” You’re sure you need a stay at home job with no surveys, no scams, no selling. Today we’ve got you covered with the best ideas for how to make money online…no surveys!

Why not surveys?

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! Read the full privacy policy here ~

Who should be taking surveys? People that want to make extra cash, but don’t want to tied down to schedule. I like to think of taking surveys as a way to make money while I’m sitting in the car line at school pick-up, watching TV, or during the kids’ soccer practice.

A lot of people feel burned by taking surveys online…you spend time answering questions and then you DON’T qualify for the points to earn cash. It can be a total bummer.

That’s why I only do surveys in my spare time with survey companies that give you points that even if you don’t qualify for a survey AND they pay with Paypal (not just giftcards or discounts).

My favorite survey sites to make extra money are Survey Junkie and Branded Research! These are the best paid survey sites that don’t waste my time.

Check out this Survey Junkie Review & Mintvine (Branded Research) Review to learn more about why I LOVE both of these companies!

Making Money Online without Surveys

Just to give you a heads up we are going to cover 3 different ways to get paid online without surveys ranging from the least time investment to starting a small business.

Free Paypal Money (No Surveys!)
How to Earn Quick Paypal Money with Short Tasks
Small Business Ideas to Get Paid Online (no surveys!)

Free Paypal Money, No Surveys

Get paid to sites and apps are some of the best ways to make money online without scams! Basically, a get paid to site/app pays you for doing something online like shopping, walking into a store, scanning your receipts, watching a video, etc.

You can earn free paypal money without surveys by doing things YOU ALREADY DO! That’s what makes these ways to make free Paypal money so amazing.

Ibotta

Ibotta is a free app that lets you earn cashback on shopping at over 300 retail stores including your favorite grocery stores! It’s pretty simple…just download the app, scan your items, and take a picture of the receipt.

You can earn a free $100 Paypal per month by earning with Ibotta’s cash back bonuses and sharing your referral code to earn even more.

Sign up for Ibotta and get your first $10 cash bonus to get free Paypal money! Find out more about the best ways to earn with Ibotta.

Ebates

Ebates is another amazing site to earn cashback when you are shopping online. All you need to do is sign up for ebates, find the store you want to shop at on their website, click the store, and then shop as normal. You can earn anywhere from 1 – 10% back on online shopping!

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is another way to earn money online without surveys, even though they do offer surveys on their site. You can make free Paypal money just by searching online, watching videos, taking daily polls, and using Swag Codes found by joining the Swagbucks Facebook page.

Qmee

Qmee is an extension that you can add to your browser to earn Paypal cash just for shopping. It works kind of like Ebates, but you don’t actually have to buy anything to make cash! Qmee shows related products that you might be interested in as your shopping.

SlideJoy

SlideJoy pays you with free Paypal cash to put ads on your locked screen on your Smartphone. You get paid whether you click on the ads or not!

FreeEats

FreeEats is another app that you can download to your phone and earn free Paypal cash with ads. You receive text ads to your phone and can cash out after you reach $1.

Perk

Perk is another get paid to site that pays you Paypal cash without taking surveys. You can get paid to watch videos with Perk.

How to Earn Quick Paypal Money with Short Tasks

Slice the Pie

Slice the Pie is a way to earn money by reviewing music (and some fashion). Each music review pays between $0.05 – $0.25 and you can cash out when you get $10 with Paypal. If you enjoy music, this is a great way to make money listening to music!

Amazon Mturk

Amazon Mturk is a way to complete short tasks and get paid with Paypal. Short tasks can vary depending on what the job posting is willing to pay, but don’t expect to make more than $8 an hour, averaging $3-$4 per hour. Harder tasks pay more, and can require that you take a qualifying exam before you can start.

You can start making free Paypal money with Amazon here.

Microworkers

Microworkers is another short task site that pays you to complete small tasks like data entry, short transcription, research, and more! You can cash out to Paypal once you have reached $9.

Fiverr

Fiverr is a platform that you can offer gigs (or online jobs) starting at $5. Jobs can be anything from graphic design, voice over work, writing, proofreading, transcription, etc.

You have an expertise in something, so start browsing Fiverr to see what you could offer so you can begin earning Paypal cash online without taking surveys!

Test Websites

User Testing is my favorite way to make money testing websites. You can earn between $3 – $15 per test paid to your Paypal account. User Testing usually has a variety of different websites and apps that you can test on your laptop, computer, tablet, or mobile phone.

Other Testing Websites:

UserBrain

WhatUsersDo

Search Engine Evaluator

Work as a search engine evaluator cleaning up google’s mess! Search engine evaluators review search query pages on search engines (think Google and Bing) as well as social media. You can make money as a search engine evaluator with these companies. You can expect to make $12 – $15 per hour.

Appen

Leapforce

Lionbridge

Transcription

Transcription is basically typing based on an audio recording. It’s one of the most common online work from home jobs. You will need to be a fast typist in order to be successful as an online transcriptionist.

These companies hire beginner transcriptionists…

Small Business Ideas to Get Paid Online (no surveys!)

These online small business ideas are a way to make more money online without taking surveys. You could make 500 dollars or more per month. Surveys can be seen as extra cash that take up very little time compared to starting a small business. The rewards of starting a small business are much higher and the time commitment is more demanding. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, then these jobs might be perfect for you!

Online Teaching Jobs

Online teaching jobs are a very flexible way to start making money online. The most popular online teaching jobs are teaching English as a second language. Companies started in connecting Chinese students with Native English speakers. Now many companies are branching out to other countries including Singapore and Arabic countries.

I have had a great experience teaching with VIP Kid. You do need a bachelor’s degree and experience working with children to apply.

Other companies that hire for Online Teaching Jobs

Magic Ears

QKids

Proofreading

Earn money online with an online proofreading job. This is a great job for people who love to read and have an eagle eye for catching mistakes. New to working as a proofreader? You can find over 20 online proofreading jobs for beginners.

Get paid to proofread everything from emails to blog posts to eBooks to court reporting. (You would need specialized training to proofread for court reporting.)

Starting your own business as a proofreader is the best way to control your time and money. If you need ideas about how to start a general proofreading business check out this general proofreading video.

Pinterest Virtual Assistant

Pinterest is one of the biggest traffic influencers for bloggers and businesses. There are over 200 million users on Pinterest looking for ideas and tips to live a better life. Small businesses and bloggers need help implementing a Pinterest strategy to grow their traffic and sales.

You can provide Pinterest services that include setting up a Pinterest account, creating pins, cleaning up an old Pinterest account, monthly updates, implementing a Pinterest strategy, and more!

Not sure where to start? Check out this Pinterest VA course that will give you all the details to help you start your own Pinterest VA business.

General Virtual Assistant

A general virtual assistant provides online businesses and bloggers help with completing online tasks. This could be anything from writing emails, responding to emails, managing a Facebook group, research, and more. If you are familiar with online services like WordPress, social media, graphic design, etc. then you could start a business providing support to other small businesses.

Gina Horkey of the Horkey Handbook has great resources to help you set up and grow an online Virtual Assistant business.

Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is another great way to make free Paypal cash. You can earn between $10 – $500 or more per article depending on your skill level and experience.

Every business needs to be online in today’s market. But not every business has the resources to work on content for their online presence. You can get paid to freelance write blog posts, eBooks, online content, emails, social media campaigns, and more.

Starting a freelance writing business might seem overwhelming, but you can find awesome resources with Elna Cain who will help you write your way to your first $1000.

Blogging

Blogging is my favorite way to make money online! It requires persistence and hard work, but the flexibility and ownership of your own business is totally worth it to me.

Are you wondering…how do you make money blogging?

Bloggers make money 4 basic ways…

Affiliate Income

Bloggers get paid a certain percent or established amount when a reader purchases a product through their link. It’s similar to a referral that you might share with friends and family for an online product or service that you like.

Advertising Revenue

Advertising revenue comes through ads that are posted onto the website. Some advertising companies pay per click (which means every time a person clicks on an ad) and other companies pay based on impressions (how many people have seen the ad).

Make Money with Paypal by Writing Sponsored Posts

Sponsored posts are another easy way to make money with Paypal. A blogger will write about a specific product and the company will pay money for having content about their product shared on the website. These prices can range from $75 per post to $500 or more! The pay is typically determined on pageviews and social media followers.

Creating Products & Services

Bloggers can also create their own products to sell to their customers. These products range from physical products, online digital products, courses, and services offered to their audience.

How to Make 300 Dollars Fast (Right Now!)

June 13, 2018 by Ashleigh Allman Leave a Comment

Are you in desperate need of money fast?

Life happens…

bills need to be paid, cars break down at the worst possible time (and somehow, always cost at least $300 to repair), and you gotta eat something!

If your budget is tight and your bank account is low to overdrawn, then you may be thinking to yourself…

“I need 300 dollars right NOW!”

Today we are covering how to make 300 dollars fast when you’re on a tight budget. But in case you want more ideas on how to make money more money consistently check out these popular work from home ideas that anyone can start!

How to Make 300 Dollars Fast

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! Read the full privacy policy here ~

#1 – Take the JOANY Survey

Sign up with JOANY to share all your woes about your current health insurance. Seriously! JOANY wants to know because they are in the business of creating an amazing health care concierge service to help you find the very best options for health care.

It’s only a 10 minute survey and pays $25!

Check out the qualifications you’ll need to meet in order to participate.

You bought insurance through your state exchange, Healthcare.gov, through a broker, or directly through a health plan like Oscar or Aetna for 2018.
You do not receive your health insurance through an employer.
You do not receive your health insurance through an employer.
You are not currently enrolled in a short-term plan.
You currently have this health insurance active.
You are not on Medicaid, Medicare or VA health insurance.
You do not receive your health insurance through your school/university.
You have not taken this research study using your current health insurer previously.

Ready to start the survey?! Earn $25 Cash fast, now!

#2 – Best way to make money quickly by taking surveys with Survey Junkie

Taking surveys is a quick way to make money when you’re desperate for extra cash!

Survey Junkie is a great site that offers a variety of different surveys, so you have more opportunities to earn extra cash.

You can quickly earn 75 points just for signing up with Survey Junkie. I applied to take a survey and since I didn’t qualify Survey Junkie still gave me 2 points for answering a couple of qualifying questions!

They have different survey opportunities on the dashboard ranging from 25 points to 230 points.

You can cash out when you’ve earned 1000 points or $10 dollars.

They pay in cash to your PayPal account, and completely legit!

Click here to start earning extra cash with Survey Junkie!

#3 – Take Surveys with Branded Surveys (formerly Mintvine)

Branded Surveys is another great survey company that offers high quality surveys that pay well.

I love taking surveys with Branded Surveys. You can earn daily by taking the daily poll (answer one question) worth 5 points. If you take the daily poll 10 days in a row then you earn a bonus.

Just like Survey Junkie, Branded Surveys will give you points for surveys that you try to take but don’t qualify for…

I love that Branded Survey because they don’t waste your time!

You can also refer friends to Branded Survey, and you earn points when they join. You can also earn a percentage of the points they earn through the surveys they take.

Click here to start earning extra cash with Branded Surveys!

#4 -Earn Cash back while shopping at the grocery store with Ibotta

Ibotta is one of the best ways to earn cash back on grocery shopping (and online shopping!).

You can earn cash back by scanning items you purchase and signing your receipt. Earn even more by referring your friends.

Each shopping trip I usually earn between $0.25 – $4.00 on average. So it can take awhile to get to $300, but every little bit counts.

So far I have a cash back earning of $426.75!

Click here to start earning extra cash with Ibotta!

#5 – Use Trim to Save Money

Sometimes saving money is much easier than finding ways to make money.

Trim is a free money saving bot that helps you track your subscriptions, and it can negotiate your bills like cable and internet.

Trim searches your bills and helps you make decisions about where you can cut back and save more money!

Find out more ways Trim can help you save and other benefits with Trim.

Click here to start saving money with Trim!

#6 – Drive for Uber Eats to earn money fast

Uber Eats is a great way to make extra money fast.

Delivering with Uber Eats is the perfect flexible side hustle job. You can make money quickly and you get to be your own boss!

One of the best parts of delivering with Uber Eats is that you don’t have to have a car that is 10 years old or newer. You can even ride a bike to deliver food with Uber Eats.

Click here to Make money delivering with Uber!

#7 – Help Sites and Apps improve the user experience with User Testing

User Testing is a quick way to make 300 dollars by helping sites and apps improve their user experience.

Basically you will sign up for free with User Testing. Then take a 5 – 20 minute test of a site or app. You record your voice and clicks (with software provided by User Testing) as you talk your way through the site or app explaining what you like or don’t like about the task they have given you.

You can earn $5 – $10 per test depending on the length of tests.

3 – 20 minute user tests per hour earns you $30.

10 hours = 300 dollars fast

Click here to sign up with User Testing!

#8 – Earn 300 Dollars Back with Paribus

Sometimes a store owes you money (like if a price drops after you purchase), but they don’t pay you unless you ask. That’s where Paribus comes in…

Paribus scans your emails for any online receipts you have from shopping. They compare prices you have paid with recent price drops (within 7 – 15 days) and then contact the companies on your behalf to earn that cash back.

The best part about this…Paribus can help you earn cash back from Amazon purchases! So, if you’re like me and love your Amazon Prime Membership then you have the potential to earn back $300 dollars fast!

Click here to sign up for FREE with Paribus!

#9 – Sell Your Used and Unwanted Items

Cleaning out your closets can be a great way to make some extra cash. Plus it feels good to get rid of things you don’t use anymore!

You can sell your things on local Facebook garage sale/yard sale groups or Craigslist for free.

PRO TIPS: Make sure to take great pictures when you list your items. Natural lighting works best! Write clear and compelling descriptions about your items. Be honest about your items when describing them.

Places to Sell Used Items Online:

eBay
ThreadUp
BookFinder
Decluttr
Gazelle
NearlyNewlyWed

What ways have you found to make 300 dollars fast? Let us know in the comments or in the Smart Cents Mom Facebook Group!

Are you new to Smart Cents Mom?

I am passionate about helping you find legitimate ways to make extra money from home and save money. Here are some of my favorite ways to help you start a side hustle and save money each month!

Check out these popular work from home jobs…Proofreader, Pinterest Virtual Assistant, Freelance Writer, Search Engine Evaluator, Virtual Assistant
Here’s a list of 50+ Ways to Make Money from Home
Find a job teaching online with VIP Kid if you have a college degree BUT if you don’t have a college degree check out these awesome companies QKids and SayABC
Answer Surveys for cash! These are my favorite surveys sites to join…Survey Junkie, Branded Research, Pinecone Research, Opinion Oupost…for more ideas check out Surveys that Pay with Paypal
Save money with Trim by negotiating bills and canceling unused subscriptions
Know your credit score and check your credit score for free with Credit Sesame
Prepare for the future and save money with Haven Life Insurance. My mom had breast cancer at an early age (35 yo) and then passed away at the age of 45 yo. My parents had a life insurance plan if my dad (the breadwinner) were to pass away, but they didn’t invest in life insurance to cover my mom. It was a tough lesson for my dad to learn, and now I know the importance of having life insurance covering both parents.
Save money at the grocery store with Ibotta. Get $10 FREE just for signing up with Ibotta and start earning cash back on things like eggs, Milk, veggies, fruit, meat, and MORE!
Sign up for a website like Ebates (it’s a free service) to earn CASH BACK! You can earn cash back shopping for things the way you normally do online. You can earn $10 just for signing up with my link here!
Meal planning can save you big money! Join $5 Meal Plan to help you plan cost effective meals that average $2 per person. It takes all the guess work out of meal planning AND grocery shopping! $5 Meal Plan saved us from rushing through the drive through on many nights when I was working full time. Join with my link here and get your first 14 days FREE!

11 Awesome Ways to Earn Money by Watching Videos

May 11, 2018 by Ashleigh Allman Leave a Comment

Earn money by watching videos

Do you love binge watching your favorite TV shows? Getting paid to watch TV probably seems too good to be true, but guess what…

You really can earn money by watching videos! Today I’ve pulled together the BEST ways to get paid to watch TV online. There are tons of sites and apps that you can use to earn money while watching TV, but let’s be honest…not ALL sites and apps are created equal (or pay that well). So I’ve narrowed it down to the very BEST paying sites and apps to earn money by watching videos! Let’s get started!

There are 2 different ways you can earn money with watch & earn types of jobs: earn money by watching ads or get paid to watch videos (video clips of movies or TV shows).

Who pays you to watch and earn?

Media companies like Netflix will pay you to “tag” movies or curate the metadata for the movies. Other media companies will pay “TV watchers” to choose clips to be used on other television shows.

Marketing companies like Swagbucks and InboxDollars pay you to watch ads online.

Online Magazines & Websites like Bustle will pay you to write about your favorite TV shows. There are many different websites that hire freelance writers to cover TV series and give the low down of the latest episode. You can search for freelance writing jobs at Problogger and Indeed using the search words “freelance writer.”

How much can you earn by watching videos?

Many apps and websites that pay you to watch videos are easy ways to make money online as a side hustle. The work is comparative to taking surveys for money and may take longer to earn the amount you need to cash out.

Some positions can turn into full time work from home jobs if you were to work as a developer (curating metadata) or freelance writer.

Get paid to watch videos with these Apps on an iOS or Android Smartphone

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! ~

Getting paid to watch videos is a pretty easy way to earn money online. You can watch anywhere that has “wifi.” Most of these money making apps can be found on an iOS or Android phone.

PRO TIP: You can turn the app on and work on other things while the videos play. As long as you remember to check it every once in awhile you can earn (somewhat) passive money!

#1 – Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of my favorite ways to earn money by watching videos! You can earn “swagbucks” for watching a variety of different video clips from movie trailers to world news to late night TV shows.

It takes about 10 minutes of watching videos to earn 3 “swagbucks” and the limit is 150 “swagbucks” for watching videos each day. I often turn the Swagbucks app on to watch videos while I’m doing the dishes or folding laundry. So, it’s kinda like I’m getting paid to to do the laundry? Not really, but you get the idea!

Once you hit your limit on videos you can still earn more “swagbucks” by taking surveys for money, browsing the internet, and more!

#2 – Inbox Dollars

InboxDollars is very similar to Swagbucks. Inbox Dollars is another easy money app to use to watch videos and get paid! You can get paid to watch videos online, take surveys for money, browse the internet, and play online games. Inbox Dollars will even pay you to open their daily emails!

The best part? You can earn $5 just for signing up with Inbox Dollars!

#3 – MyPoints

MyPoints is known as a cash back site like eBates.

Basically MyPoints earns money when you shop through their links from the retailers they work with. Then they share some of that money with you, so you can earn cash back.

You can also make money for watching videos online with MyPoints. If you are already using MyPoints to earn cash back then adding videos will just increase your earnings!

#4 – Global Test Market

Global Test Market is a great way to take surveys for money, but you can also make money watching videos. You can get paid to watch videos online like movie trailers, advertisements, and more. Earn money by watching videos and then give your opinion…it’s pretty easy!

#5 – Cashcrate

CashCrate is a site that pays you to watch videos, take online surveys, and more. You can expect to earn about $15 – $20 per month if you just watch videos.

The pay out is in points that can be exchanged for gift cards to popular stores!

#6 – App Nana

App Nana is another rewards site that you can earn money by watching ads, taking surveys, playing games all from your smartphone! Get rewarded with points or “nanas” which you can exchange for Amazon gift cards!

Favorite Websites to watch and earn money with video

#1 – Netflix

Netflix hires people to work from home to help them curate their massive video library. This position is called a “tagger” position. You basically add the appropriate tags/keywords to videos so that the correct titles can be found when a customer is doing a search.

Netflix is a great company to work for and these jobs go FAST! So make sure you check back often on the Netflix job board to see if there are any openings.

You can also search Indeed for “freelance TV watching jobs.” In my search, I found that Vudu (Walmart’s version of Netflix) was hiring a similar job BUT it was location dependent.

#2 – QuickRewards

QuickRewards is another great “get paid to” site. You can get paid to take surveys, watch videos online for money, and play games.

They really live up to their name and get your rewards to your account quick. It usually takes about 24 hours to get credits in your account and 72 hours to receive a Paypal payment or 1 week for gift cards.

#3 – Paid2YouTube

Paid2YouTube is a platform where you get paid to watch YouTube videos online! You definitely won’t make money fast since Paid2YouTube only pays 1/2 a cent to watch the videos, but if you are going to watch YouTube videos anyway…it might be an easy way to earn some extra cash online.

#4 – You-Cubez

You-Cubez is a marketing/advertising company that guarantees their clients they will receive a certain amount of views. In order to reach the number of views, You-Cubez hires people like you and me to watch videos, take surveys, and view websites.

#5 – Perk.TV

Perk TV is a great site to get paid to watch tv. There are many ways you can earn points:

Get paid to watch Movie Trailers
Get paid to watch popular videos
Take Surveys
Answering pop quizzes
Shopping online
Downloading and trying out new apps

When I joined Perk TV I earned 50 points just for opening my welcome email and 1000 tokens for signing up!

Refer and Earn to Make More Money

You can always make a little bit more money with every app and site you join by referring your friends to the sites. This is one of my favorite ways to make money because it cost your friends absolutely NOTHING and in return they have another opportunity to make some cash! That’s pretty much free money for you AND for them!

Here are some more sites and apps you can use to refer and earn!

Surveys for Money

Let me first say to make money with surveys or watching videos…you NEED a strategy! Check out my strategy for making the most money with surveys and videos here!

Sometimes you can earn money by watching videos with these survey companies, but really the idea here is that you can multi-task while you are binge watching a favorite TV show on Netflix. I love to pick a few surveys to complete while I’m watching TV at night. I can usually earn a $5 – $20 bucks per survey while I’m watching a favorite show.

You are giving your opinion on products or services, so there’s not a lot of thought process going into these surveys. Sometimes you will have to write a written response, but it’s easy to push pause and complete that part quickly.

Here are my favorite surveys to earn money from home while I’m watching videos!

Don’t forget to read more about my survey strategy so you can watch and earn money with these easy tips!

15 Easy Ways to Earn a Free Amazon Gift Card (That Actually Work)

April 27, 2018 by Ashleigh Allman Leave a Comment

Easy Ways to Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards

Saving money is one of my favorite hobbies! I’m always looking for easy ways to earn a free Amazon gift card that I can use on Christmas gifts or for birthdays. Doing a little bit everyday using these apps and websites can help you earn extra money, too!

Remember, to use these tips for saving money with Amazon to stretch your gift cards even farther!

Free Amazon Gift Cards List

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! ~

#1 – Make $25 in a Free Amazon Gift Card from JOANY

JOANY is a healthcare concierge service that helps people find the best healthcare plans, doctors, and figure out complicated medical bills.

JOANY is offering a sweet deal, you can earn $25 in an Amazon Gift card or in cash in exchange for a quick 10 minute survey.

Meet these qualifications to start the survey and earn $25 bucks!

You bought insurance through your state exchange, Healthcare.gov, through a broker, or directly through a health plan like Oscar or Aetna for 2018.
You do not receive your health insurance through an employer.
You are not currently enrolled in a short-term plan.
You currently have this health insurance active.
You are not on Medicaid, Medicare or VA health insurance.
You do not receive your health insurance through your school/university.
You have not taken this research study using your current health insurer previously.

The JOANY survey is only 10 minutes and fewer than 50 questions. Your answers are protected under the HIPPA.

You get to voice your opinions about health insurance and get paid! Start your survey here.

#2 – Get the Nielsen Panel App for a easy way to earn Amazon Gift Cards

Nielsen Panel, the same company that does TV ratings, is a consumer research panel that is really easy to use. Complete a short survey and download the app to your mobile phone/tablet which Nielsen will use to report consumer behavior.

You can earn up to $50 a year in Amazon gift cards (or other popular gift cards and rewards).

#3 – Download the Ibotta for an quick way to earn Amazon Gift Cards

This is one of my favorite ways to save money while I’m getting my grocery shopping done. Sign up for Ibotta and start saving money on groceries and other purchases at your favorite stores like Kroger, Target, Walmart, and more!

#4 – Earn Amazon Gift Cards fast with Branded Surveys (formerly Mintvine)

You can earn points for taking surveys and daily polls which can be turned in for Amazon Gift Cards or cash with Paypal.

Want More Ways to Earn Extra Cash Back? Try Ebates! My favorite way to earn cash back when shopping online. Read more tips and tricks for how I earn extra cash with Ebates!

#5 – Earn more Amazon Gift Cards instantly with Swagbucks

There are many ways you can earn points or “swagbucks,” everything from surfing the internet, taking surveys, to shopping online. You can turn in your “swagbucks” for Amazon gift cards (or a variety of other popular gift cards).

Check out this post below…this mom was able to cover MOST of her family’s Disney vacation just by using Swagbucks!

What are you waiting for?! Sign up for Swagbucks here!

#5 – Earn Amazon Gift cards with Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a website that allows you to sign up for many different survey companies. You can earn points for taking surveys

#6 – Drop Rewards – earn Amazon Gift Cards

Drop Rewards is a program that you link your credit or debit card to and earn Drop points. You can exchange your Drop points for Amazon Gift Cards or other popular gift cards.

It’s so easy to earn Drop points shopping and doing what you already do! Also, you can still earn loyalty points that you would be earning anyway like your Grocery Rewards Program, Starbucks stars, etc.

#7 – Get more Amazon Gift Cards with Shopkick

Shopkick makes it so easy to earn points just for walking into the store! Scan products and your receipt to earn even more. Sign up with Shopkick for an easy way to earn Amazon gift cards.

#8 – My Points – easy way to earn Amazon Gift cards

My Points is a great way to earn Amazon Gift Cards by taking surveys and earning cash back from online shopping.

#9 – American Consumer Opinion – earn free amazon gift cards online instantly