How To Make 30 Dollars Fast – 10+ Realistic Methods That Work!

Maybe you need $30 to buy a new video game or article of clothing that you’ve been eyeing for a while.

Or, maybe you need the money to help pay off some bills or to pay for one of your life expenses.

Whatever the case, the great news is there are plenty of ways to make $30 fast if you’re in a pinch.

Between different side hustle ideas and methods to make money online, there are so many ways you can get money quickly.

So, in this post, I’m covering how to get $30 dollars fast to help you with whatever purchase you’re planning.

Want to try other quick ways to make money? Checkout:

• Branded Surveys: Share you opinion and get free PayPal cash and gift cards!
• Swagbucks: Another leading rewards platform that lets you cash out at just $1!

How To Make $30 Dollars Fast

Some of the methods to get 30 dollars quick can be done instantly or within a day. In contrast, some methods require using various gig apps or side hustles, which can take a few days to sign up for and begin working.

I’ve tested out dozens of these methods over the years, so I know that they work. So, think about how soon you truly need the money and then pick a method to get $30 now!

1. Sign Up & Shop With Rakuten

Shopping browser extensions are a dime a dozen these days, and the bottom line is, you can usually earn cash back or free gift cards whenever you shop online.

But, if you want to make 30 dollars now, signing up with Rakuten is definitely the right move.

Rakuten is a leading shopping rewards platform that lets you earn cash back for shopping at thousands of merchants, including names like:

• Adidas
• JCPenny
• Kohl’s
• Macy’s
• Nike
• Shein
• Target
• Walmart
• Zappos

And, right now, Rakuten is giving new users a free $30 sign up bonus if you sign up and spend at least $30 on a qualifying offer.

This is frankly an insane amount of cash back, and to date, I’ve earned over $1,000 by shopping online with Rakuten and referring friends or readers.

What I like about Rakuten is that this is also real cash that you get paid with quarterly through check or PayPal. So, while extensions like Honey also reward you for shopping online, Honey pays you with gift cards unlike Rakuten.

Ultimately, if you want to make $30 fast and have some online shopping coming up, I think signing up for Rakuten is one of your best bets since its basically free money.

2. Deliver Food For Money

Another method to earn $30 dollars fast is to make money with different food delivery gigs.

You can generally sign up for most major food delivery apps if you’re 18 or older. And in my experience, you can probably make $30 fast in about 2-3 hours with most of these gigs.

Several leading delivery gigs you can try include:

• Uber Eats: A global leader in the food delivery space that lets you deliver via bike, car, and scooter.
• DoorDash: The most popular food delivery gig in North America.
• Shipt: This app pays you to shop for people’s groceries and pays a minimum of $16 per hour.
• Grubhub: Another popular gig like Uber Eats.
• Walmart Spark: A package delivery gig where you deliver Walmart groceries and products.

These gigs also pay you 100% of all tips, so you can potentially make $30 in an hour or even less if you get a bit lucky.

And even if it takes a few hours, many delivery apps also have an instant cash-out feature, so you can get paid the very same day.

Start making money with Uber Eats!

3. Use Get-Paid-To Websites

If you prefer making money from the comfort of your own home, using various get-paid-to websites is a viable way to get $30 quickly.

There are plenty of paid survey sites or beermoney websites that pay you for completing short tasks.

Now, none of these sites are going to make you rich, and I don’t spend as much time on them as I did back in college.

But again, if you want to make $10 to $30 in an afternoon of grinding, these sites are a viable option.

Some popular GPT platforms you can use include:

• Branded Surveys – My favorite survey platform that has a low $5 cash out requirement.
• Pinecone Research – Earn $3 per survey and cash out instantly through PayPal!
• Survey Junkie – Earn free gift cards and PayPal cash and cash out at $5.
• Mistplay – Play new Android games and earn free gift cards as you level up!
• Cash Giraffe – Another leading app like Mistplay with PayPal cash prizes.
• MyPoints – Answer surveys, play games, watch videos and ads, and shop online to earn rewards!
• Grindabuck – Another GPT site that pays you to play games, answer surveys, and download apps.

I made a YouTube video that covers even more popular gpt sites and survey apps you can use to get $30 fast.

However, these are just survey and reward apps you can try, but there are plenty of other options. For example, websites like Appen pay you for completing short micro tasks online and even have some part-time online jobs.

Similarly, you can make money testing websites and apps with websites like UserTesting if you want to make some pocket money in your spare time.

In short, if you use a variety of GPT platforms, you can probably make $30 in a day or so of grinding.

4. Sell Stuff You Own

If you’re wondering how to get $30 dollars quick but don’t want to pick up a new side hustle, selling stuff you own is a viable alternative.

There are plenty of platforms you can use to sell stuff you don’t need anymore.

Popular resale marketplaces include:

• The Facebook Marketplace: Great for in-person cash sales for a variety of product types.
• Mercari: One of the easiest selling apps where people sell clothing, collectibles, electronics, toys, and more.
• Poshmark: The go-to platform for reselling clothing, shoes, and accessories.
• Depop: A social-selling platform that’s perfect for selling more unique outfits and thrifted finds.
• Sideline Swap: One of the best ways to sell sports equipment and apparel.
• OfferUp: A leading Facebook Marketplace alternative that’s great for local sales.

My YouTube video covers some of my favorite local selling websites as well as tips sellers can use to find buyers quickly.

I’ve sold things like old furniture and guitars before to make extra money, and this is also an excellent way to do some Spring cleaning.

Overall, this is probably one of the fastest ways to make money, especially if you list competitive prices so people get a bit of a bargain.

5. Deliver Groceries With Instacart

If you’re looking for another driving gig that pays to make $30 quickly, you can always consider becoming an Instacart Shopper.

Instacart is similar to DoorDash, except you deliver groceries to people instead of fast food and restaurant orders.

You also do the grocery shopping for people, so Instacart batches normally take longer than DoorDash orders and are a bit more hands-on.

However, Instacart has more potential for massive tips compared to DoorDash because of this, and orders tend to pay more per order as well.

Overall, it’s not unrealistic to make $15 to $25 per hour as an Instacart Shopper, and if you get lucky, you can make $30 in a single hour.

And, like DoorDash, driving at peak Instacart hours and following some Shopper tips and tricks can boost your hourly earnings.

You need a car to become an Instacart Shopper since a bike or scooter doesn’t work for delivering groceries. But, if you know your way around a grocery store, you can definitely make decent money with Instacart each week.

Start making money as an Instacart Shopper!

Extra Reading – Instacart vs DoorDash – What’s Best For Making Money?

6. Make Money On Reddit

While it might surprise you, there are a number of ways to make money on Reddit that are also perfect if you need $30 right now.

For example, subreddits like r/ForHire are like Reddit’s job board, so you can find a variety of freelance gigs there and sell your skills online.

There’s also more industry-specific job subreddits for fields like:

• Freelance writing
• Graphic design
• Programming
• Web design

The bottom line is there are a lot of places to find short-term work or even longer-term freelance gigs right on Reddit.

Some of them can definitely let you make $30 a day or more as well, so it’s not all low-ball offers and $5 gigs!

7. Try Out Passive Income Apps

If you’re mostly interested in generating passive income, using various passive income apps is an excellent way to make an extra $30 dollars.

Now, since this involves using different apps and websites that pay you small amounts of passive income, you can’t make $30 a day with this method.

However, with enough apps and some tinkering, I think you can make $30 per month or more.

This is how much I made when I was phone farming, and there are lots of different apps and websites you can try, including:

• Mobile Performance Meter: Earn $0.10 per day for running this app on your smartphone.
• MobileXpression: Earn $3 to $5 per month in free gift cards!
• Drop: One of my favorite cash back apps that lets you earn free gift cards for shopping.
• Bumped: Earn fractional shares at your favorite companies in the form of cash back.
• Fetch Rewards: Upload grocery receipts and earn free gift cards!
• Lolli: Shop online and earn free Bitcoin as a form of cashback with the Lolli extension.
• Cash Magnet: Run an old Android as an autosurfing device and make up to $15 per month.
• PhonePaycheck: Make money for charging your phone and letting it run in passive mode.
• Receipt Hog: Upload receipts like Fetch Rewards and earn free gift cards.
• ReceiptPal: Earn PayPal cash for uploading your shopping receipts.
• Upvoice: Earn up to $75 per year just for browsing the web.

This sounds like a lot of apps and websites, but it’s just scratching the surface. And, some of these programs can actually pay a lot.

For example, if you enroll in the Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel, you can earn $50 per year in free money just for sharing your data!

Again, if you want to make $30 as fast as possible, passive income apps are a bit too slow. But if you want to earn money on autopilot, I’d explore this route.

Extra Reading – The Best Apps Like Fetch Rewards.

8. Freelance Online

These days, I make most of my income from freelance writing and various other freelance projects. So, if you want to make $30 fast online or even start a new career, I definitely think freelancing is the way to go.

In my experience and from the freelancers I’ve met, the earning ceiling in freelancing is incredibly high.

And this isn’t just for writers; there are numerous other popular freelance careers, including:

• Business and marketing
• Copywriting
• Digital marketing
• Graphic design
• Paid advertising
• Programming
• SEO
• Social media management
• Web design
• Video editing
• Virtual assistant work

It’s not uncommon for more experienced freelancers to earn $25 to $50+ per hour, and I know some freelance writers who easily make $100 or more an hour.

Ultimately, out of all the methods to get $30 fast, I think freelancing is one with the highest earning potential.

9. Complete Odd Jobs For Cash

If you live in a decently-sized city, you can always try completing odd jobs for people in your area to get 30 dollars quick.

Thanks to the gig economy, it’s also easier than it’s ever been to connect with people who are willing to pay for help with random tasks.

For example, apps like TaskRabbit let you make money by completing tasks like:

• Cleaning
• Errand running
• Event help
• Furniture assembly
• Landscaping work
• Moving help
• Tech support

You get to set your own rates and availability on TaskRabbit, and earning $30 for an hour of work with gigs like furniture assembly isn’t unrealistic.

And TaskRabbit is just one gig marketplace you can try out.

Free apps like Wonolo also help you find same day pay jobs in a variety of fields. You don’t need any prior work experience to get started either, which is a bonus.

Similarly, with Handy, you can also make money by offering cleaning and handyman services to people in your city.

And, if you don’t mind driving, peer-to-peer delivery gigs like delivering packages with Amazon Flex, GoShare, or Roadie are two more gigs you can use to make 30 dollars fast.

Extra Reading – The Best Odd Job Apps To Make Money.

10. Rent Out Your Extra Space

When you think about renting stuff out for money, you probably think about renting out your home with Airbnb since this is almost the poster boy of the rental economy.

But, did you know you can make money renting out your extra storage space with Neighbor?

That’s right: with Neighbor, you can earn passive income by renting out your unused storage space to people in your area.

As a Neighbor Host, there’s a variety of rental spaces you can list as well, including:

• Attics
• Boat storage
• Garages
• Parking spots
• Sheds
• Spare rooms

You set your own rates and when renters can come by to access their stuff, so you won’t have people dropping by at random hours.

Overall, earning $30 to $100 per month with your Neighbor listing isn’t unrealistic, so this is a great source of additional income that doesn’t take much effort.

11. Borrow The Money

If you’re still wondering how to get 30 dollars fast, the simplest option might be to borrow the money from people you know.

Asking for $30 is the sort of request that isn’t too uncomfortable for people if you’re in a pinch; you’re not asking for $1,000 or anything after all!

You can also use a credit card or turn to instant money apps like Dave if you want more options.

Dave actually lets you borrow up to $500 against a future paycheck, and it also has a nifty side hustle database that’s full of money-making ideas you can try.

Just be careful of who you ask and make sure you don’t develop a negative reputation of being someone who doesn’t pay back their debts.

Extra Reading – How To Get $1,000 In 24 Hours.

12. Pawn Stuff

There are plenty of things you can pawn if you need to make money in a pinch like:

• Antiques
• Cars
• Collectibles like sports cards, coins, or even rare niche items like Pokemon cards
• Diamonds, jewelry, and wedding rings
• Used tools
• Video games
• Watches

Granted, if you need $30 fast, you don’t need to pawn something super expensive; even pawning a laptop or a piece of jewelry could get the job done.

13. Use Sign-Up Bonus Apps

These days, so many companies are willing to pay new users for downloading their app or trying out their product/service. So, if you’re willing to try something new, you can get 30 dollars fast by taking advantage of different sign up bonuses.

I’ve done this on and off since college to score free cash. And some of the best sign up bonuses going on right now include:

• Current: This digital bank lets you earn 4% APY and also has a $50 sign up bonus for new accounts.
• Fundrise: This platform lets you invest in real estate starting with only $10, and it often has a $10 sign up bonus as well for new members.
• Swagbucks: This rewards site pays you for answering surveys, scanning barcodes, shopping online, and watching videos. And it usually has a $5 to $10 sign up bonus up for grabs.
• InboxDollars: Get $5 when you sign up for this popular survey and rewards website.

These bonuses are just a one-time trick. But if you add them up, you can easily make $30 instantly or even more, all while discovering lucrative new platforms.

My post on the best $25 sign up bonuses has even more ideas you can use to get some free money.

Disclaimer: This is an endorsement in partnership with Fundrise. We earn a commission from partner links. All opinions are my own.

14. Return Cans & Bottles

One final way to make 30 dollars right now is to simply collect cans and bottles and return them to the store.

Most stores pay $0.05 to $0.25 per bottle or can depending on the size and type. So if you spend an afternoon at a park or sporting event, you can get your 30 bucks right there.

My friends and I actually did this in college at the end of each semester. You’d be amazed at how much money you can make if you collect cans throughout the year and are willing to hustle.

Tips For Making 30 Dollars Fast

Now that you know how to make 30 dollars fast, here are a few tips to keep in mind that can make the process much easier.

1. Don’t Overthink It: Pick a side hustle and then put in the work! You can spend days researching this sort of stuff, but action is your best friend.
2. Leverage Sign-Up Bonuses: If you leverage sign-up bonuses from companies like Rakuten, you can get $30 instantly just for shopping online.
3. Online vs. Offline? Do you want to make money with your phone or from home? Or do you prefer side hustles you do in-person? Play to your strengths and pick a money-making idea you’ll actually enjoy.

Extra Reading – How To Turn $100 Into $1,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make $30 A Day?

If you want to make $30 each day and do this consistently, I think your best option is to use gig apps like Uber Eats or Instacart.

Both gig apps have enough demand in most markets for you to always get orders, and you can usually make $30 in about two hours of work.

How Can I Make $30 Dollars A Day Online?

Personally, I think freelancing is the best solution here, and you can make way more than $30 per day with this method. Many freelance contracts pay $15 to $25 per hour or even more, so you can make this amount of money in just a few hours.

However, you can also explore methods like starting a blog or making money on YouTube if you want to keep things online.

I started my own YouTube channel in 2020, and it makes about $20 to $30 a day now in mostly passive income, so this is very feasible!

Extra Reading – How To Make Money Online For Beginners!

I Need $30 Now – What Do I Do?

If you need $30 instantly, your best option is to ask friends and family to spot you the money. You can also use apps like Dave to borrow the cash quickly. Finally, selling stuff you own at a pawn shop or with online marketplaces can also help if you need money by tomorrow.

Final Thoughts

If you were wondering how to make 30 dollars quick, you now have a bunch of viable methods that can help you reach your financial goal.

Just remember: sometimes saving more money is just as impactful as making more money, so don’t forget to budget and find areas to cut back on spending as well!

Best of luck with your side hustling!

Want to try other money-making ideas? Checkout:

• How To Make $60 A Day.
• How To Make $600 Fast.