You are probably wary of anything free, especially when someone offers you free money. Caution is understandable, because, unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers.
This article will show you how to get free money with legitimate ideas. Just think what you could do with free money! You can use the extra money to build your savings account, pay off debt, create a vacation fund, or use it for fun.
How to get free money online and from apps
Earn free money from online survey sites
Making free money doesn’t have to be difficult; it might be fun. Get paid for online surveys, ad clicks, video views, purchases, and more.
Taking surveys is so easy that it sometimes feels like the companies offering them are giving away money for free. Some survey sites even offer a free bonus just for signing up.
Payment methods vary, but many research companies will pay you in cash via Paypal or free gift cards.
Here are some top rated survey sites:
Cashback apps and websites
When you shop through cashback sites, you get a percentage back for every dollar spent. Basically, you get paid to buy things that you have already bought. Cashback apps could be your new favorite way to make money.
Below are some cashback sites:
Make free money at banks and financial institutions
Credit cards with cashback
Cashback credit cards are a great option if you’re already putting off everyday purchases and spending on a credit card.
Pay your balance in full each month to take full advantage of your cashback credit card benefits. (If you’re earning accrued interest by increasing a monthly bill that you can’t pay, the cashback isn’t worth it.)
Use the following tips to maximize your savings if you normally pay off your monthly credit card balance:
- Enter all costs associated with accepting credit card payments on your cashback card. Cashback from monthly bills will accumulate quickly.
- Double your rewards: Using a cashback credit card combined with cashback site purchases will help you earn even more money.
Credit card welcome bonuses
Many credit card companies offer welcome bonuses for opening a new card.
However, as a rule, there are spending conditions for receiving the reward. For example, to receive a welcome bonus of $250, you need to spend $1,000 in the first three months after opening the card.
You can see the latest credit card promotions after a quick search on the internet. Remember that you generally need to have a good credit score to be approved.
Bonuses for a new bank account
You can earn free money by opening a savings or checking account, similar to credit card bonuses.
Usually there are rules to receive the bonus, such as leaving accounts open for a certain period of time or depositing a certain amount of money.
High Yield Savings Account
If you have money to put into a high yield savings account, then you will see returns on your money that are much higher than in a regular savings account.
The bank rewards you with highly profitable interest for keeping your money in the account.
Free money for students
Are you a college student who needs money to pay for your education or school-related expenses?
If you’re far from entering the job market and getting a job that pays $50,000 a year or more, these ideas are perfect.
Pell Grant
The Pell Grant is issued by the US Department of Education. It awards money to pay school expenses to those who meet financial requirements.
Although you don’t have to pay back because it’s a grant and not a loan, the amount of money you receive changes after you’re approved for help.
Reimbursement of tuition fees from the employer
Some employers provide tuition assistance to their part-time or full-time workers as part of their benefits package. Each company has conditions for using training aid, such as working for the company for many years.
Many companies offer tuition compensation, including:
- Apple
- Chipotle
- FedEx
- Starbucks
- Wells Fargo
Free money for employees
Match 401k employer
If you don’t need free money right now, then having your employer match your $401,000 contribution is a great way to increase your wealth in the future.
Employer share options
If available, using employer stock options is a great opportunity to purchase shares at a lower market value.
If the stock rises in price, you can earn a large amount of money. This is usually not a way to make money quickly, but it can turn a profit over time.
Ask for a raise
Getting a raise will look like you’re finding free money because you’re still doing the same job but earning more. For example, an increase in income from $55,000 to $60,000 per year means a significant increase in income.
You have nothing to lose by asking for a raise. If you get a raise, it’s worth the time you spent asking.
Other ways to earn free money now
Unclaimed money
What if you have spare money that you don’t know exists? While this may sound too good to be true, there are databases that you can check to see if you have unclaimed funds.
You may be owed money from a private business, unclaimed tax refunds from your state or the IRS, etc.
USA.gov contains a lot of useful information on how to find unclaimed money.
class action lawsuits
According to classaction.org, “millions of dollars remain on the table of unclaimed settlement funds every year.”
There are several ways to determine if you qualify for any money in a class action lawsuit.
- Check your mail and email regularly. These channels usually receive correspondence about class actions.
- Visit classaction.org for a list of current lawsuits and see if they apply to you.
Bonuses for recommending a friend
Many companies will only pay you money for inviting people you know to subscribe or use their services.
To find these referral bonuses, search the web for the company name and search for the words “invite a friend” or “referral program”.
The good thing about these programs is that they help your friend by recommending a company you like, and in doing so, you get paid; it’s a win-win situation. For example, if you know someone new in your area, they may need to sign up for several services after they move. These are things like finding an ISP (like Xfinity), opening new checking accounts, and more.
Here are some of the latest “Refer a Friend” promotions:
- Paypal: Get up to $50.
- Chase: Get $50 for the person you invite.
- Rakuten: $30 for each person you refer.
- Swagbucks: Get 10% of what the person you invite earns.
- Xfinity: Get up to $175 in prepaid Visa cards for every person you refer.
Travel hack
Travel hacking is a strategic method that involves using credit card points and bonuses to pay for travel.
While not technically free money, paying your travel expenses or significant discounts can free up money that you spend on paying the full cost of your trip.
If you’re a frequent traveler, this is a great way to get paid for travel or travel at a low cost.
Plasma donation
If you want to make money easily, get paid for donating plasma. Can you believe that you can earn $300 to $400 a month just from donations?
This is a good payout that requires minimal effort. This includes a trip to a donation center and then sitting in a chair for a short period of time to have the plasma removed by medical professionals.
Pay off credit card debt
Interest and minimum monthly payments can drain your cash when you have credit card debt. While it won’t happen overnight, you will have more money once you are debt free or get rid of some debt.
If all of your combined minimum payments are $500/month, you’ll feel like you’re getting $500/month free once you pay off your debt.
Paying off debt can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Dave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball Method will give you a solid plan.
Focus group
Are you someone who loves to share your opinion? Then getting paid for participating in the focus group will be to your advantage.
Companies conduct focus groups for market research. They bring together a small group of people to ask questions and get feedback on products and services.
It’s almost an easy way to earn some cold hard cash. Focus groups are held in person or online.
Here are some good resources for focus groups:
Final Thoughts
Using one or more of these free money ideas will leave you and your wallet happy.
You most likely won’t make a six-figure income from the ideas above, but that’s okay. You still have the potential to win a significant amount of money without much difficulty.
How much money can you get for free? Try one of these ideas today to start learning.
This post originally appeared on Savoteur.
Andrew Herrig is the founder of Wealthy Nickel, where he writes about personal finance, jobs, and entrepreneurship. As an avid real estate investor and owner of several businesses, he has a passion for helping others create wealth and shares his family’s experiences on his blog. Andrew’s advisory board has been featured on CNBC, Entrepreneur, Fox News, MSN and more.
