We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

I still remember the feeling of opening my bill and realizing I was short. That little stomach-drop moment where your brain immediately goes into panic mode: okay, how am I going to make this work? It wasn’t a huge amount, but when you’re already stretched thin, even a few hundred dollars can feel like a mountain.

For me, it was a utility bill that crept up higher than I expected. Nothing dramatic, but enough to throw off my whole budget for the month. Instead of stressing myself into a spiral, I decided to figure it out, and I’m so glad I did, because what I discovered was that there are actually a lot of realistic ways to pull together extra money when you need it.

I picked up some extra work, got resourceful, and handled it. And now whenever I hear someone say “I just need $500,” I don’t panic for them anymore, because I know it’s doable.

That’s exactly what this post is about. Whether you’re staring down an unexpected bill, trying to build a little financial cushion, or just want to stop living so close to the edge, I’ve rounded up the best ways to make $500 fast, from side hustles you can start today to a few slower-burn options worth knowing about.

Let’s get into it.

Ways to Make $500 Fast With a Car

If you have a car, you’re already sitting on one of the most valuable tools for making money quickly. Seriously, some of these options can have you earning the same day you sign up. The gig economy has made it easier than ever to turn your car into a paycheck, whether that means delivering food, driving people around, or even just letting someone else borrow it while you’re not using it. Here are the best ways to put your car to work.

Deliver Food with DoorDash or UberEats

If you’ve ever wanted to get paid to drive around your city, food delivery might be your new best friend. DoorDash and Uber Eats connect you with people who want restaurant food brought straight to their door, and you’re the one making it happen. It’s flexible, easy to get started, and you keep 100% of your tips on top of your base pay.

How much can you make? Many dashers report earning $100 or more on a good day, especially during peak hours. Realistically, if you put in consistent hours over a week, hitting $500 is very achievable.

How to get started:

1. Download the DoorDash or Uber Eats driver app and create an account
2. Submit your driver’s license, vehicle insurance, and consent to a background check
3. Once approved (usually within a few days), download the dasher app and go online
4. Accept delivery requests through the app — you’ll get directions to the restaurant and then to the customer
5. Focus on peak hours: weekday lunch (11am–2pm), evenings (5pm–9pm), and weekends tend to have the most orders and best pay
6. Watch for promotions and challenges in the app — these can significantly boost your earnings

Pro tip: Signing up for both DoorDash and Uber Eats and switching between them based on demand in your area is a great way to maximize your time on the road.

Drive for Uber or Lyft

Rideshare driving is one of the most well-known ways to make money with your car, and for good reason. You set your own hours, you work when it’s convenient for you, and the demand is almost always there. Whether it’s someone heading to the airport at 6am or a group needing a ride home after a Friday night out, people need rides around the clock.

How much can you make? Most drivers earn between $15 and $25 per hour. If you’re strategic about when and where you drive, $500 in a week is absolutely within reach.

How to get started:

1. Download the Uber or Lyft driver app and start your application
2. You’ll need a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and a background check, Uber also requires at least one year of driving experience if you’re 25 or older, or three years if you’re under 25
3. Once approved, go online in the app and start accepting ride requests
4. Target high-demand times: morning commutes, evenings, weekends, and local events like concerts or sporting games
5. Position yourself near busy areas, airports, downtown, and entertainment districts, for more frequent requests
6. Keep your car clean and be friendly, good ratings lead to more rides and better tips

Pro tip: Both Uber and Lyft frequently run promotions that boost your base pay. Check the app regularly so you never miss a bonus opportunity.

Grocery Shop with Instacart

If driving people around isn’t your thing but you don’t mind a good grocery run, Instacart is worth a serious look. As an Instacart shopper, you’re essentially getting paid to do someone else’s grocery shopping, and sometimes delivering it to their door too. It sounds simple because it is, and the earning potential is genuinely solid.

How much can you make? During peak times, experienced shoppers report earning $100 to $150 a day. That means $500 in a week is very realistic if you put in the hours.

How to get started:

1. Go to the Instacart website or download the Shopper app and apply
2. You’ll need to be at least 18, have a valid driver’s license, and pass a background check
3. If you want to do delivery (which pays more), you’ll also need a reliable, insured vehicle
4. Once approved, download the Instacart Shopper app and go online to start accepting orders
5. Shop the customer’s list carefully and communicate through the app if an item is out of stock, good communication leads to better tips
6. Work during peak hours: early mornings, evenings, and weekends tend to have the most orders

Pro tip: You keep 100% of your tips on Instacart, so going above and beyond for customers, being quick, communicating well, and choosing great substitutions can meaningfully boost your daily earnings.

Rent Our Your Car on Turo

This one is a little different from the others because it doesn’t require you to drive at all. Turo is like Airbnb, but for your car. When you’re not using your vehicle, you list it on the platform and rent it out to other people. You set your own price, your own availability, and your own rules, and Turo handles the payment processing and provides liability protection.

How much can you make? Depending on your car and location, you can earn anywhere from $30 to $100 per day your car is rented. If your car sits unused for several days a week, that adds up fast.

How to get started:

1. Go to Turo.com and create a host account
2. Enter your car’s details: make, model, year, mileage, and upload clear photos (good photos really do make a difference)
3. Set your daily rate: Turo has a suggested pricing tool to help you stay competitive
4. Choose your availability and any house rules, like whether you allow pets or smoking
5. Once a renter books your car, coordinate a pickup time and location
6. After each rental, you’ll receive your payout directly to your bank account

Pro tip: Cars listed in cities, near airports, or in popular travel destinations tend to rent more frequently. If you live in a busy area, your car could be earning money on days you’d normally just leave it parked.

Ways to Make $500 Fast From Home (No Car Needed)

Don’t have a car, or just not feeling the whole driving thing? No worries at all. Some of the best ways to make $500 fast don’t require you to leave your house at all. Whether you have a marketable skill you can offer online or a closet full of clothes you haven’t touched in years, there’s something in this section for you. The best part? A lot of these options give you the freedom to work on your own schedule, from your couch, in your pajamas if you want. Here’s how to make it happen.

Freelance on Fiverr or Upwork

If you have a skill any skill there’s a good chance someone out there is willing to pay you for it. Fiverr and Upwork are two of the biggest freelance marketplaces online, and they connect people who need work done with people like you who can do it. Writing, graphic design, video editing, voiceovers, social media management, proofreading, the list of in-demand services is longer than you’d think. And the best part is you can get started with nothing more than a laptop and an internet connection.

How much can you make? A few well-priced gigs can get you to $500 faster than you might expect. Rates vary widely depending on your skill and experience, but even beginners can start earning quickly by pricing competitively and delivering great work.

How to get started:

1. Head to Fiverr.com or Upwork.com and create a free account
2. Think about what skills you have — writing, design, data entry, social media, voiceovers, translation, and more are all in high demand
3. Set up your profile with a clear, professional bio and highlight your experience
4. On Fiverr, create “gigs” that describe exactly what you offer, your turnaround time, and your price
5. On Upwork, browse job postings and submit proposals to clients looking for your skillset
6. Start with competitive pricing to land your first few clients and build up reviews
7. Deliver quality work on time, good reviews are everything on these platforms and will lead to repeat clients and higher rates

Pro tip: On Fiverr especially, your gig title and description need to be searchable. Think about what a client would type to find someone like you and use those words naturally in your listing.

Become a Virtual Assistant

Virtual assisting has quietly become one of the most accessible and in-demand work-from-home jobs out there. Businesses, entrepreneurs, and content creators all need help keeping things running, and a lot of that help can be provided remotely. As a virtual assistant, you might manage someone’s email inbox, schedule appointments, handle customer service, manage social media, or do research. The tasks vary by client, but the work is almost always something you can do from home on a flexible schedule.

How much can you make? Virtual assistants typically earn between $15 and $30 per hour, and with a couple of steady clients that adds up quickly. At $20 an hour, you’d only need to work 25 hours to hit your $500 goal.

How to get started:

1. Make a list of the administrative or tech skills you already have, email management, calendar scheduling, data entry, social media, customer service, etc.
2. Create a simple profile on platforms like BELAY, Time Etc., or Zirtual, which specialize in matching VAs with clients
3. You can also list your services on Fiverr or Upwork to find clients independently
4. Put together a simple one-page document or portfolio outlining what services you offer and your availability
5. Start applying to VA job postings or reaching out to small business owners and content creators in your network
6. Once hired, communicate clearly and consistently, reliability is the number one thing clients look for in a VA

Pro tip: Niching down can help you stand out and charge more. For example, positioning yourself as a VA specifically for real estate agents, podcasters, or online coaches makes you more appealing than a generalist, and often commands a higher rate.

Take on Gigs via TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit is one of those platforms that a lot of people don’t think about but absolutely should. It connects you with people in your local area who need help with everyday tasks — think furniture assembly, house cleaning, moving help, yard work, hanging TVs, and minor home repairs. If you’re handy, organized, or just willing to roll up your sleeves, TaskRabbit can get you earning pretty quickly.

How much can you make? Taskers typically earn between $20 and $50 per hour depending on the type of work and your location. A few jobs in a week and you’re well on your way to $500.

How to get started:

1. Go to TaskRabbit.com and click “Become a Tasker”
2. Create your profile and select the types of tasks you want to offer
3. Note that there is a one-time $25 registration fee to get started
4. Set your own hourly rate — TaskRabbit will show you what other Taskers in your area are charging to help you stay competitive
5. Once your profile is live, clients in your area can book you directly through the platform
6. Show up on time, do great work, and ask satisfied clients to leave you a review — your rating is what drives future bookings

Pro tip: Furniture assembly is one of the most consistently in-demand tasks on the platform, especially in cities. If you’re comfortable with an Allen wrench and an IKEA instruction manual, you could stay pretty busy.

Sell Clothes on Poshmark or ThredUp

Raise your hand if you have a pile of clothes in your closet that you haven’t worn in months, or years. That pile is worth money, and Poshmark and ThredUp make it surprisingly easy to turn it into cash. Poshmark lets you list and sell items yourself, while ThredUp works more like a consignment shop where you send your clothes in and they handle the selling for you. Both are great options depending on how hands-on you want to be.

How much can you make? It depends on what you’re selling, but designer or name-brand items can go for a lot. Sell 10 items at $50 each and you’ve hit your goal. Even lower-priced everyday items add up fast when you have a full closet to work through.

How to get started with Poshmark:

1. Download the Poshmark app and create a free account
2. Take clear, well-lit photos of your items, multiple angles help
3. Write an honest, detailed description and price competitively by searching for similar sold listings
4. Share your listings regularly within the app to boost visibility
5. Once an item sells, Poshmark emails you a prepaid shipping label, pack it up and drop it off

How to get started with ThredUp:

1. Go to ThredUp.com and request a free “Clean Out Kit”, a prepaid bag they mail to you
2. Fill the bag with gently used clothing and send it back
3. ThredUp inspects and prices your items, then lists them on your behalf
4. You receive a payout once your items sell

Pro tip: Poshmark tends to pay out more per item since you’re setting your own prices, but ThredUp is lower effort. If you have a lot of items to move and want to be hands-off, ThredUp is a great option. If you have a smaller number of higher-value pieces, Poshmark will likely earn you more.

Ways to Make $500 Fast If You Love Animals

Okay, this one is for my fellow animal lovers out there, because yes, you can absolutely get paid to hang out with pets. If the idea of spending your day walking dogs, cuddling cats, or watching someone’s fur baby while they’re on vacation sounds like a dream, you’re in luck. Pet care is one of those side hustles that doesn’t really feel like work, and the demand for reliable, caring pet sitters and dog walkers is genuinely huge. Here’s how to turn your love of animals into your next $500.

Here’s each one written out for you:

Dog Walking and Pet Sitting With Rover

If there’s one side hustle that genuinely brings joy to the people doing it, it’s working with Rover. Rover is a platform that connects pet owners with local pet sitters and dog walkers, and it’s one of the most popular and trusted names in the space. You can offer a range of services, dog walking, drop-in visits, overnight boarding at your home, or house sitting at the pet owner’s place. You set your own rates, your own availability, and you get to decide what kinds of animals and services you’re comfortable with. It really doesn’t get much more flexible than this.

How much can you make? Dog walking typically starts at around $20 per visit, and overnight boarding can bring in anywhere from $50 to $90 per night depending on your location and rates. Watch a couple of dogs at once and those numbers climb even faster. With consistent bookings, $500 in a week or two is very realistic.

How to get started:

1. Go to Rover.com and click “Become a Sitter”
2. Fill out your profile, this is your chance to show pet owners why you’re the right person to trust with their fur babies, so be warm, genuine, and specific about your experience with animals
3. Upload a great profile photo and some photos of your space if you plan to offer boarding
4. Set your rates by checking what other sitters in your area are charging to stay competitive
5. Submit to Rover’s background check, this is required and helps build trust with potential clients
6. Once your profile is live, start reaching out to your personal network too, friends, family, and neighbors are often your first and most loyal clients
7. Provide excellent care, send pet owners updates and photos during visits, and ask happy clients to leave you a review

Pro tip: Offering a free or discounted “meet and greet” before a client’s first booking is a great way to ease any hesitation from new pet owners and turn them into repeat customers. Repeat clients are where the real money is on Rover.

Babysit Through Care.com

Babysitting might feel like something you did in high school, but here’s the thing, adult babysitters are actually highly sought after and can charge significantly more than teenagers. Parents want someone experienced, responsible, and trustworthy with their kids, and if that’s you, Care.com is a fantastic platform to find consistent work. Beyond babysitting, Care.com also connects caregivers with families who need help with house sitting, senior care, tutoring, and pet care, so even if watching kids isn’t your thing, there may still be opportunities here for you.

How much can you make? Babysitting through Care.com typically pays between $15 and $20 per hour, and in some areas even more. If you pick up a few regular clients or take on some weekend overnight gigs, reaching $500 doesn’t take long at all.

How to get started:

1. Go to Care.com and create a free caregiver profile
2. Select the types of care you want to offer, babysitting, house sitting, pet care, senior care, etc.
3. Write a warm, detailed bio that highlights your experience and why families can trust you, think of it like a cover letter to every parent who might read it
4. Set your hourly rate based on your experience and what’s competitive in your area
5. Browse job postings from families near you and send personalized messages when applying, a generic message is easy to ignore, a personal one stands out
6. Once you land your first client, show up on time, be communicative, and go above and beyond, word of mouth referrals from happy parents are incredibly valuable in this space
7. Ask satisfied clients to leave you a review on your profile to help build credibility for future bookings

Pro tip: Availability on weekends and holidays is a huge advantage in the babysitting world. Parents often need coverage for date nights, holiday parties, and school breaks, and if you’re available when others aren’t, you’ll stay booked.

Ways to Make $500 Fast by Selling Your Stuff

Real talk, most of us are sitting on more money than we realize, and it’s just hiding in our closets, garages, and junk drawers. That old phone you upgraded from, the clothes you swore you’d wear again, the furniture piece you keep meaning to replace, all of it has value to someone else. Selling your stuff is honestly one of the fastest and lowest-effort ways to put cash in your pocket, because you’re not trading your time for money, you’re just converting things you already own into cash you actually need. Here’s how to do it.

Here’s each one written out for you:

Sell Old Tech on Swappa or Gazelle

Be honest, how many old phones, tablets, or laptops are sitting in a drawer somewhere in your house right now? If you’re like most people, the answer is at least one or two. And those forgotten devices are worth more than you think. Platforms like Swappa and Gazelle make it incredibly easy to turn old electronics into quick cash, and the whole process can be done from your couch in under 30 minutes.

How much can you make? It really depends on what you have, but a single newer smartphone can fetch anywhere from $100 to $400. One or two decent devices and you could be at or very close to your $500 goal before you even leave the house.

How to get started with Swappa:

1. Go to Swappa.com and search for your device to see what similar items are currently selling for
2. Create a free account and list your device with honest, detailed photos and an accurate description of its condition
3. Price competitively based on what comparable listings are going for
4. Once your item sells, ship it to the buyer using a tracked shipping method and get paid via PayPal directly to your account

How to get started with Gazelle:

1. Go to Gazelle.com and select your device type
2. Answer a few quick questions about the condition of your device to get an instant offer
3. If you accept the offer, Gazelle emails you a free prepaid shipping label
4. Ship your device off and receive payment within one to two business days of inspection via PayPal, check, or Amazon gift card

Pro tip: Swappa typically pays out more since you’re selling directly to a buyer, but Gazelle is faster and requires zero back and forth. If you need money quickly and don’t want the hassle, Gazelle is the move. If you want to maximize what you get, list on Swappa.

Flip Furniture on Facebook Marketplace

If you have an eye for potential and don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty, furniture flipping might just become your new favorite side hustle. The idea is simple, you find underpriced or free furniture, give it a little love, and resell it for a profit. People give away perfectly good pieces every single day on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, and with a little sanding, paint, or new hardware, those pieces can sell for significantly more than you paid for them.

How much can you make? A single furniture flip can net anywhere from $100 to $300 in profit depending on the piece and how much work you put into it. Flip two or three pieces in a week and you’ve hit your $500 goal.

How to get started:

1. Browse the “Free” section on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for furniture people are giving away
2. Look for solid wood pieces, dressers, side tables, chairs, and bookshelves tend to flip well
3. Pick up the piece and assess what it needs, a fresh coat of paint, new hardware, some sanding, or just a good clean
4. Gather your supplies, sandpaper, primer, paint, and new hardware are your best friends and don’t have to cost much
5. Refinish the piece and take bright, clean photos once it’s done, good photos are the difference between a quick sale and a piece that sits forever
6. List it on Facebook Marketplace with a fair but profitable price and a compelling description
7. Meet buyers in a safe public location or arrange a porch pickup

Pro tip: Neutral paint colors like white, cream, and sage green tend to sell the fastest because they appeal to the widest range of buyers. Save the bold color choices for pieces you’re keeping for yourself!

Host a Yard Sale

There is something so satisfying about turning a weekend of decluttering into a pile of cash by Sunday afternoon. A well-organized yard sale can bring in a surprising amount of money in just one or two days, and it requires zero shipping, zero apps, and zero waiting around for buyers to find you online. People show up, they browse, they buy, it’s as simple as it gets.

How much can you make? A solid yard sale with a good variety of items can realistically bring in $200 to $500 or more in a single weekend, especially if you live in a neighborhood with decent foot traffic. Bundle in some baked goods, handmade crafts, or lemonade and you can squeeze out even more.

How to get started:

1. Pick a date, weekends work best, and Saturday mornings tend to draw the biggest crowds
2. Walk through every room in your house and pull anything you no longer use, need, or love
3. Price items ahead of time using stickers or tags, people are more likely to buy when prices are clearly marked
4. Organize your sale by category to make it easy for shoppers to browse
5. Advertise in advance, post in local Facebook groups, on Nextdoor, and on free sites like Craigslist; signs in your neighborhood on the morning of the sale also help a lot
6. Have plenty of small bills and change on hand to make transactions easy
7. Consider adding baked goods, a lemonade stand, or handmade items for extra earnings throughout the day

Pro tip: Whatever doesn’t sell at your yard sale can go straight to Facebook Marketplace or a donation center. Don’t let the leftovers come back inside, out is out!

Sell Crafts or Printables on Etsy

If you have a creative side, Etsy is one of the most exciting ways to make money on this entire list, because it has the potential to keep paying you long after the initial work is done. You can sell handmade physical items like jewelry, candles, or home décor, but the real magic is in digital products like printables. Budget templates, wall art, party invitations, planners, and more, you create them once and sell them over and over again with zero additional effort. That’s about as close to passive income as it gets.

How much can you make? Physical items vary widely based on what you’re selling, but digital printables priced between $3 and $15 can add up fast with enough traffic to your shop. A mix of physical and digital products is a great strategy for hitting $500 and beyond.

How to get started:

1. Go to Etsy.com and click “Sell on Etsy” to open your free shop
2. Choose your shop name, make it memorable and relevant to what you’re selling
3. Create your first listings with clear, high quality photos and detailed descriptions
4. For printables, design your products using a free tool like Canva and save them as high resolution PDFs or image files
5. Price your items by researching what similar products sell for in your niche
6. Write keyword-rich titles and tags so your listings show up in Etsy search results
7. Share your shop on social media to drive traffic beyond Etsy’s built-in audience
8. Be responsive to customer messages and maintain a high review rating to boost your shop’s visibility

Pro tip: Printables are the fastest path to passive income on Etsy. Start with one or two well-designed products in a niche you know, like budget planners, meal planning templates, or kids’ activity sheets, and build from there. Once they’re listed, they can sell while you sleep.

Fast Cash Options When You Need It Today

Sometimes you don’t have a week to hustle your way to $500, you need something in your account like, yesterday. Maybe a bill is due tomorrow, or an unexpected expense just landed in your lap and you’re scrambling. First of all, take a breath, you’re going to be okay. The options in this section aren’t traditional side hustles, they’re more like financial bridges designed to get you through a tight spot quickly and without the stress of a predatory payday loan. They won’t all make you rich, but when you’re in a pinch and need fast relief, knowing these exist can make a really big difference. Here’s what to consider.

Cash Advance Apps Like EarnIn or Cleo

Let’s clear something up right away, cash advance apps are not payday loans. They don’t charge predatory interest rates, they don’t trap you in a cycle of debt, and they don’t require a credit check. What they do is give you early access to money you’ve already earned but haven’t been paid yet. Think of it less like borrowing and more like just getting your paycheck a little early. When you’re a few hundred dollars short and payday is still days away, that distinction matters a lot.

How much can you access? EarnIn allows you to access up to $150 per day and up to $750 per pay period with no interest or fees. Cleo lets you borrow up to $500 depending on your direct deposit history and eligibility. Neither requires a credit check, which makes them accessible to just about anyone with a steady income.

How to get started with EarnIn:

1. Download the EarnIn app and create a free account
2. Connect your bank account and verify your employment and pay schedule
3. EarnIn will calculate how much of your earned wages you can access based on your hours worked
4. Request the amount you need, up to $150 per day
5. The funds are deposited into your bank account, typically within one to two business days or instantly with the Lightning Speed feature
6. The amount is automatically repaid on your next payday, no action needed on your part

How to get started with Cleo:

1. Download the Cleo app and create a free account
2. Connect your bank account so Cleo can verify your income and spending history
3. Check your eligible advance amount, first time users can access between $150 and $180, with amounts up to $500 available for existing users who direct deposit at least $750 per month
4. Request your advance and choose between standard delivery or express delivery for a small fee
5. Set your own repayment date, up to four weeks out, giving you more flexibility than most options in this category

Pro tip: These apps work best as an occasional bridge, not a regular habit. If you find yourself relying on cash advances every pay period, that’s a good signal to take a closer look at your budget and see where things can be adjusted.

Donate Plasma

Okay hear me out on this one, because donating plasma sounds a little intimidating at first, but it’s actually one of the most overlooked ways to make a meaningful amount of money quickly. Plasma is used to create life-saving medications for people with serious conditions, so beyond the financial benefit, you’re genuinely helping people every time you donate. It takes a few hours per visit, but the compensation is hard to argue with.

How much can you make? First time donors tend to earn the most, places like CSL Plasma pay new donors anywhere from $700 to over $1,100 in their first month through new donor promotions. After that, regular donors typically earn $50 to $100 per visit, and you can donate up to twice per week.

How to get started:

1. Find a plasma donation center near you, CSL Plasma, BioLife, and Grifols are some of the most well known national centers
2. Check the basic eligibility requirements before you go, generally you need to be between 18 and 75 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have received a new tattoo or piercing within the last four months
3. Bring a valid government issued photo ID, proof of your current address, and your Social Security card or number to your first appointment
4. Your first visit will include a health screening and physical, plan for it to take two to three hours
5. After your first visit, subsequent donations are much quicker, typically 45 minutes to an hour
6. Payment is usually loaded onto a prepaid debit card provided by the donation center, often the same day

Pro tip: New donor bonuses are where the real money is, so if there are multiple plasma centers in your area, check the promotions at each one before committing. Some centers run referral programs too, so bringing a friend can earn you both a little extra.

More Ways to Make $500 (Just Don’t Expect It by Friday)

Okay so everything we’ve covered so far has been focused on speed, getting that $500 as fast as humanly possible. But maybe you’re not in a full blown emergency right now. Maybe you just want to build up a little extra cushion, explore a new income stream, or start something that could grow into something bigger over time. These next options might take a little longer to pay off, but they are absolutely worth knowing about. Think of them less as quick fixes and more as seeds you’re planting for your future self, who will very much thank you for starting today.

Check for Unclaimed Money

This one might be the most surprisingly exciting option on the entire list, because there is a real chance that money is sitting somewhere out there with your name on it and you don’t even know it. Unclaimed money can come from all kinds of places: forgotten utility deposits, old bank accounts, uncashed paychecks, insurance refunds, tax refunds, and even contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes. States are required by law to hold onto this money until the rightful owner claims it, and billions of dollars go unclaimed every single year.

How much could you find? There’s no guarantee, but some people find hundreds or even thousands of dollars they didn’t know they were owed. It’s completely free to check and takes about five minutes, so there’s genuinely no reason not to look.

How to get started:

1. Go to MissingMoney.com or Unclaimed.org, these are free, legitimate databases that search multiple states at once
2. Enter your first and last name and select your state to search for any unclaimed funds in your name
3. Search every state you’ve ever lived in, unclaimed money follows the person, not the current address
4. If you find a match, follow the instructions on the site to file a claim — you’ll typically need to verify your identity with a government issued ID and proof of your previous address
5. Check the IRS website at IRS.gov/refunds to see if you have any unclaimed federal tax refunds
6. Visit the Department of Labor’s Workers Owed Wages database at webapps.dol.gov/wow to check for any unpaid wages from previous employers
7. If you’re a veteran, check the VA’s unclaimed funds page for any benefits you may be owed

Pro tip: Make this a once a year habit, not just a one time check. Life moves fast and it’s easy to lose track of old accounts or deposits. A quick annual search takes five minutes and could turn up money you completely forgot about.

Check for unclaimed money — free to do; could turn up old deposits, paychecks, or refunds

Take Surveys for Money

Taking online surveys isn’t going to make you rich overnight, and I want to be upfront about that. But if you’re looking for something low effort that you can do from your phone while watching TV or waiting in line, survey sites are a genuinely easy way to stack up a little extra cash over time. The key is signing up for multiple platforms so you always have surveys available, and being consistent about logging in and completing them regularly.

How much can you make? Most survey takers earn anywhere from $20 to $200 per month depending on how active they are and which platforms they use. It won’t get you to $500 by Friday, but combined with some of the faster options earlier in this post it can definitely help you get there.

How to get started:

1. Sign up for multiple survey platforms to maximize your opportunities, popular options include Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and Freecash
2. Complete your profile fully on each platform, this helps match you with more relevant and higher paying surveys
3. Check in daily and complete surveys consistently rather than sporadically
4. Look for higher paying focus groups or product testing opportunities within these platforms, they take more time but pay significantly more than standard surveys
5. Cash out regularly so your earnings don’t just sit there

Pro tip: Want even more survey options beyond what’s listed here? I put together a full roundup of the best survey sites that actually pay, check it out here for a deep dive into all the platforms worth your time.

Your $500 Is Closer Than You Think

Look, I know that when money is tight, even the idea of coming up with $500 can feel completely overwhelming. But here’s what I want you to take away from this post: you have options. More than you probably realized before you started reading.

Whether you need cash fast and you’re ready to hustle for it this week, you’d rather try one of the slower-burn options and build up to it, or you just need a quick bridge to get you to your next paycheck, there’s something on this list for you. The hardest part is just picking one and getting started.

And once you’ve tackled this, if you want to make sure you’re better prepared for the next curveball life throws at you, I’ve got you covered there too. Check out some of our budgeting articles like Dave Ramsey’s Budgeting Percentages and How to Go from Broke to Financial Freedom for some solid next steps. Or if the side hustle bug has officially bitten you, head over to our Side Hustle category for even more ways to bring in extra income.

You’ve got this. Now go get that $500. 💪