Money Tight? These Platforms Can Put Extra Cash In Your Pocket
When it comes to finding ways to eek out a little more cash from your monthly budget, the first line of defense is usually to find expenses you can cut back on. But what happens if you’ve already cut out all that you can and you’re still tight on cash?
The next best thing you can do is increase your income. We know that’s sometimes easier said than done, but we’ve found a handful of platforms you can use to earn some extra income or even just get a little extra money to hold you over until your next payday.
Where to turn to for extra cash
Bad credit? You can still get funding for major expenses.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Annual percentage rate (APR)
Get rid of unwanted items
If you have a ton of unused or gently used items around your home or closet, the good news is there are a number of resale platforms that let you list and sell those items. Depop lets you sell gently used fashion items and accessories — think clothing, shoes, jewelry, bags and more.
Some top Gen Z resellers on the platform who moved beyond just selling unused items in their closets and toward reselling vintage finds actually make thousands per month.
Depop
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Fees
For U.S. sellers, the standard transaction fee for Depop Payments is 3.3% + $0.45
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Shipping costs
Either the buyer or seller can cover the cost of shipping for shipping labels generated by Depop — costs depend on the weight and dimensions of your package. U.S. sellers can also choose to arrange their own shipping
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Availability
The app is available in both the App Store (for iOS) and on Google Play (for Android); there’s also a web version, but the app is more functional.
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How do you get paid?
Earnings from your sales are all paid into your Depop Balance. These earnings are then automatically transferred to your connected bank account.
Pros
- You only have to pay fees when you sell an item (no listing fees)
- You can post the listings and manage your shop all from your phone
- Offers a social feed for boosted visibility
Cons
- Does charge a fee
- You can’t use it for in-person deliveries or orders
- Funds are held until delivery confirmation or the waiting period elapses
Mercari is another platform for reselling itemsm but they offer a wider range of product categories, including toys, electronics, beauty, outdoor items, tools, pet products and more. You can even sell books and collectibles like trading cards.
Mercari
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Fees
Sellers pay a 10% fee for each item that’s sold. There’s also a payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.50. There’s also a $2 fee for each direct deposit transfer under the minimum of $10 or a deposit rejected by the financial institution. Each Instant Pay transfer is $3.
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Shipping costs
Either the buyer or seller can cover the cost of shipping; shipping labels are generated by Mercari and costs depend on the weight and dimensions of your package.
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Availability
Mercari has an app that’s available in both the App Store (for iOS) and on Google Play (for Android), and you can also list and shop via its website.
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How do you get paid?
After the transaction has been completed, the payment will show up on your Mercari balance. You can either have the money directly deposited into your bank account.
Pros
- You only have to pay fees when you sell an item (no listing fees)
- People who want to sell items locally can use Mercari Local
- You can post the listings and manage your shop all from your phone
Cons
- Mercari take a higher commission fee (10%) than some other resale platforms
- There’s a $2 if your direct deposit is less than $10
And, of course, Facebook Marketplace is always an accessible option if you don’t want to sign up for a new platform and you prefer to sell locally for easy pick-up.
Facebook Marketplace
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Fees
There are no fees for listing or selling items, but there is a 5% fee (or $0.40 minimum) if you choose to ship an item.
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Shipping costs
Either the buyer or seller can cover the cost of shipping; Facebook charges a 5% fee (or $0.40 minimum) for shipping items, which can be paid by the buyer or the seller.
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Availability
There’s a web version of marketplace on Facebook.com. You can also use marketplace through the Facebook app, which is available in both the App Store (for iOS) and on Google Play (for Android).
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How do you get paid?
If you’re using shipping as the delivery method, you’ll need to enter your bank account information in order to get paid. After you’ve marked an item as shipped, it will take a few days for you to see the money in your bank account. If you’re doing delivery in-person, you and the buyer can determine the payment method, such as cash, Venmo, etc.
Pros
- No commission or payment processing fees
- Since most people shop on marketplace based on region, you often won’t have to deal with shipping
- You can easily post listings if you already have a Facebook account
Cons
- There’s a fee for shipping items
- Your items will likely only be viewed by people in your surrounding area, so it could be harder to find buyers depending on where you’re located
Offer freelance work
If you have skills related to online services, whether it’s graphic design, writing, editing, virtual assisting or something else, chances are someone needs your help and would be willing to pay you for it.
While platforms like Fiverr and Upwork have become really competitive for securing work over the years, they still provide an easy way for you to sell online services and get in front of people who are looking to pay for those skills.
Usually, you’ll have to set up an account and provide samples of your work in a portfolio. You also get to set your own rates, which is a huge advantage when it comes to freelancing. Amplifying your services on social media can increase your chances of getting a paying customer sooner. You can also cold pitch to your ideal clients if you can find their contact information. This may be time-consuming, but it pays off if you wind up securing a work opportunity.
Try pet sitting
If you’ve owned pets before or you’re a huge animal lover, pet-sitting platforms like Rover let you make money by boarding animals in your home temporarily, dog walking and house sitting. You can set your own rates, but the platform takes a percentage of your earnings. Keep in mind that you may price yourself out of your local market if you set your rates too high compared to other pet sitters in your area.
Some gigs will obviously pay more than others, but you might make the most money by offering boarding. This is when the pet owner drops their animal off at your home and you watch it overnight and charge a nightly rate. The longer the pet stays with you, the more you’ll make. Plus, boarding requires significantly more effort because you’re responsible for all-day attention: preparing the pet’s food and feeding on schedule, walking throughout the day, keeping the pet occupied and setting up a sleeping area.
Depending on your rates and the kinds of pet services you offer, this can be really lucrative if you pet sit a few times a month. And when you’ve built up some experience and have had some clients under your belt, you can choose to move your services off of Rover and expand your hustle independently to keep more of what you make.
Consider a cash advance
If you need cash a bit more urgently and don’t have the time to wait for paying clients to roll in, consider a cash advance app. These platforms let you access small amounts of money (often under $1,000) to help you temporarily cover an expense until your next paycheck comes. You’ll usually have to pay it back within a few weeks and many platforms charge a fee based on how much money you need to borrow.
Some platforms are actually Earned Wage Access (EWA) services, so you can borrow up to a certain percentage of your paycheck early. Payactiv is one EWA service where you can borrow up to 50% of your paycheck, up to $1,500 (as deemed by your employer). It also doesn’t charge a fee for an ACH bank transfer.
Payactiv
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Loan amounts
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Terms
Repayment is automatically deducted from your next paycheck
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Fees
No fee for ACH bank transfer; $2.49 without direct deposit of at least $200
Pros
- Lets you borrow money from your paycheck early
- Repayment is automatically deducted from your next paycheck
- Potentially no fees
- Option to transfer wages to your Payactiv Visa® Card but this may come with a fee
- Lets you borrow larger amounts of up to $1,500
Cons
- Real-time transfers come with a fee
- ACH bank transfers take up to 3 days to be completed
Another option is MoneyLion Instacash, which offers cash advances of up to $1,000 for RoarMoney℠ customers and advances of up to $500 for all other users. If you opt for disbursement in one to five business days, transfers are free. But for instant transfers, you’ll pay a fee of $0.49 to $8.99, depending on the disbursement method.
MoneyLion InstaCash
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Loan amounts
Up to $1,000 for RoarMoney℠ customers; up to $500 for all others
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Terms
Repayment is automatically deducted from linked bank accounts
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Fees
No fee for 1–5 business days; $0.49–$8.99 for instant transfers, depending on disbursement method
Pros
- Fee-free deposit option if you choose to wait 1–5 days for funding
- Relatively low instant transfer fees (on the lower end) compared to other services
- $0 monthly administrative fee
- Tips are optional
- No credit check
Cons
- $1,000 borrowing maximum is only available to RoarMoney℠ customers
Before turning to a cash advance, make sure you have predictable income that will allow you to repay the advance fully. Avoid having to turn to a cash advance regularly to cover income gaps.
Click here for more cash advance options.
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