S.A.D. is Coming – Here’s How to Beat the Winter Blues (And Make Money Too)

Disclosure: We’re letting you know that this post contains sponsored links which The Smart Wallet receives compensation for, which may impact their order of appearance. This site doesn’t include all available offers.

The season of S.A.D. is coming, which stands for seasonal affective disorder where the winter blues just get to you. 

For the most part, you feel listless and everything feels like a chore dampening the holiday’s cheer. One of the most popular ways to beat it is light therapy, lamps that mimic outdoor light if you can’t physically soak in the sun. 

Another way is to just preoccupy yourself, particularly with FUN things to do. Even better when fun activities double as money-making activities, which we’ve listed out below. Don’t let the season get to you, have fun with these apps, and come out on the other side with some extra spending money.

1. A Legit Way to Earn $750 This Week

You can get $750 direct deposited into your bank account and all you have to do is try out some deals. The catch? You can only do this once a year!

Seriously, anyone 18+ can participate in Flash Rewards, a rewards program that’s been around since 2016 and has rewarded $12 million to participants over time.

So how do you get the money? Answer: You just have to follow the instructions carefully!

Flash Rewards work by showing you “deals” they think you would like. This includes mobile apps and games, subscriptions, financial services, etc. Each type of deal you choose has its own mini task to complete.

  1. Head over to Flash Rewards and fill out basic info (Email, Name, etc.)
  2. Take a quick Survey (it helps figure out the optional offers & required deals to recommend)
  3. Complete deals by shopping Flash Rewards’ great brand name partners.
  4. Important: Follow the instructions on completing the specific number of deals for each level and get to Level 5 to get the maximum reward! (there are plenty of deals to try – some are free trials or app downloads, others require a purchase!)
  5. Claim the reward and get it in about a week!

You won’t get your reward if you don’t complete the required amount of deals. Sure, it takes a little more effort but it’s legit. Get your $750!

2. Players are Winning $5K in Weekly Cash Tournaments!

Puzzle game lovers will enjoy Match to Win, a free-to-play game with over 300+ exciting levels. Compete for real cash rewards through tournaments and daily challenges. Plus, enter the VIP tournaments, where only the best competitors win even more cash prizes!

Yes, it’s legit – there are already over 265K reviews with a 4.5-star average rating!

“I love that you don’t have to purchase anything to win! Each level is different, so it never gets monotonous! – Noelle Belmore

Play anytime, no purchases necessary, and start earning cash!

3. Satisfyingly Pop Bubbles to Make Cash

Who loved popping bubble wrap growing up? I still do. Check out Bubble Cash to go on a popping frenzy against real players online to win actual cash. Drop a bunch of bubbles at once and get those high-scoring combos.

Play for free, and then switch over to cash games whenever you want. Seriously though, cash game winners can win thousands of dollars…by popping bubbles. There are raffles to win BONUS cash on top of your regular winnings too!

4. This Paid Survey Panel Gives Out 7,000 Gift Cards Daily

Members can earn an average of $50 a month in popular Swagbucks, a free rewards program where you can earn cash for your time and opinions.

Get rewarded for doing surveys, online shopping, uploading receipts, and playing fun games, but the one activity that earns you the most points is completing surveys. Redeem points for free gift cards, cash, and crypto vouchers. There are hundreds of different offers to explore and complete!

New members can get a free $5 just for signing up, so join the other 10 million members already part of Swagbucks and start earning free rewards!

5.

6. Fetch All Your Receipts (Even Virtual) & Get Free Money Back

Alice Ly / The Smart Wallet

Grab all the recent receipts you have and scan them into Fetch Rewards to earn points towards free money. Even better? Connect your email inbox and it’ll count your email receipts too from Amazon, Instacart, Shipt, and more!

Basically, upload any receipt, snap a pic with the app, and boom, you’ve got points for money.

Be sure to grab 2,000 welcome points on us when you use promo code REWARD before scanning your first receipt!

7. Get Free Cash Back Every Time You Get Groceries, Gas, or Meals

Why not get free money back any chance you can get? That’s why we like Upside, a free cash back app that partners with 100,000+ businesses to bring you great offers you can’t get anywhere else.

On average, frequent users earn an extra $340 a year for just getting things they already buy!

“Easy money back without a catch. I’m getting cash back on stuff I would’ve had to buy anyway. Upside gives you easy savings that you actually see!” – alicejpark90

Wherever you are, just use the app to see where you can get cash back! You can get up to 25¢ per gallon, up to 30% back on groceries, and up to 45% back at restaurants.

Easily cash out via bank transfer, Paypal, or gift card; there’s no limit to how much you can earn. Download Upside for free to earn cash back, and new members can use a welcome code: TSW25 to get an additional 25¢ a gallon on their first gas purchase!

Gas offers are not currently available in NJ, WI, or UT.


Some of the sponsored links that appear on this page are from companies that offer investment advisory services. They compensate us; for details on our compensation arrangements, please click here.