Money Moves if You Make Less Than $80,000 a Year
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 because talking about money should always be an honest discussion.
After taxes, that money goes down quickly. Not to mention, you still got rent, food, gas, and bills.
If it feels like you’re working to pay off the essentials, then it’s time to look for alternative ways to make or save some extra cash. And it doesn’t have to be boring, nor do you need to take on a 2nd job!
It’s stuff you already do, like grocery shopping, playing games, getting gas, and making different financial choices. Five minutes here and there can make a difference.
1. Try This All-You-Can-Play Games Collection On Your Phone
Similar to streaming services that almost every household has, there’s now a similar version for games on your phone.
Apple Arcade brings an extensive library of 200+ games and growing of exclusive Arcade Originals, Timeless Classics, and App Store Greats for your family to play across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.
A generous 1-month free trial can let you try out the service before paying only $4.99 a month to keep the entertaining service.
Apple Arcade gives access to up to 6 family members at once, and you can quickly start playing on one device and pick up progress on another. Traveling? Download games so you can play even in airplane mode!
PROMO: Get $5 cash back just for trying it out!
2. Get Paid Up to $225/Month While Watching Viral Videos and Taking Fun Surveys
Founded in 2000, Inbox Dollars has been paying customers for their opinions for over 22 years and counting! They are one of the most trusted survey sites with fun, multiple ways to earn extra cash that set them apart.
“Fast and easy. Love that I can cash out to my PayPal and easily transfer money to my bank account.” – Tefanie P
Take surveys, watch videos, play games, and even read emails for extra cash. Who wouldn’t want to watch viral videos for money and get paid up to $225/month?
Inbox Dollars is a great platform to make a little side money. It’s free to sign up, so give it a try today!
3. 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 members 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.
- Head over to Flash Rewards and fill out basic info (Email, Name, etc.)
- Take a quick Survey (it helps figure out the optional offers & required deals to recommend)
- Complete deals by shopping Flash Rewards’ great brand name partners.
- 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!)
- 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!
4. Get Up to $55 Per Win Popping Bubbles
Make consistent extra money playing Bubble Cash, where you match 3 bubbles of the same color until you clear the board. It’s popular, too, since the game is frequently ranked within the Top 10 in the App Store with a 4.6/5 star rating with over 74K+ reviews!
Win free cash when you collect enough gems to enter practice tournaments, and then win MORE when you enter the higher stakes tournaments (there’s a small entry fee for the bigger tournaments).
“Finally, a game that isn’t a scam! I won $71 yesterday on Sunday, and today on Monday, it was already in my Paypal” – Mzmari
Play for free now, and then switch to cash games to increase your winnings whenever you want. Obviously, this won’t make you rich, but 100% worth it compared to other games that don’t pay.
5. Get $10 to Invest in Peloton, Google, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and More
You might think that investing is complicated. Or that you’ll never get a share of these well-known brands like Google, Amazon, Netflix, etc., but you can. And you don’t have to be rich, either.
That’s because Stash, an investment app, lets you start investing with just $5. You can choose where to put your money, and they provide guidance and tools to help you along the way. You can invest in some of the major companies you use or buy from regularly to make a custom Personal Portfolio.
With Stash Growth and Stash+, you can also choose the Smart Portfolio option, which offers hands-off stress-free investing since Stash will invest for you based on your risk tolerance. Plus, claim bonus stock when you attend Stash’s virtual Stock Parties!
As a bonus, Stash is giving new members $10 for any first investment, so create an account to get started.
Paid non-client endorsement. See Apple App Store and Google Play reviews. View important disclosures.
6. Get Paid Up to $89 Playing Match 3 Games
Puzzle game lovers will love Match to Win, a free to play game where you can win cash rewards through 300+ exciting levels spanning across Hawaii, Paris, San Francisco, and more.
It’s simple. When you clear a level, you earn coins, which are redeemable for instant win scratchers, prize wheels, and sweepstakes up to $2,500! And yes, it’s legit – there are already over 135K reviews with a 4.5 average rating!
“I love the fact that you don’t have to purchase anything to win! Also, each level is different, so it doesn’t get monotonous! – Noelle Belmore
Also, join the daily Cash Dash event, where players enter a sweepstakes race by collecting in-game trophies. Be among the first Top 25 players for bonus prizes of $5 to $10! Cash out via PayPal when you reach $7. So download and play for free to start winning cash!
7. When It’s 2023, and You Still Have Credit Card Debt Under $50,000
Stop the anxiety attacks by getting rid of your debt. If you owe $50,000 or less, AmONE can help by matching you with a low-interest loan to pay off all your balances. Problem solved.
Their interest rates start at just 5.99% compared to credit cards which can go as high as 36%! Plus, it’s only one monthly bill, making it way easier to manage.
There’s also no credit score impact to check, and repayment periods are flexible. Take 2 minutes to check, and you can get funds as quickly as 48 hours to wipe that credit card debt!
8. Answer Questions Honestly & Get Paid Up to $5 Each Time!
“I cash out $10 almost daily! If you need a couple of extra bucks, this one is worth the time and effort.”
You can be like Sue C. and cash out regularly by sharing your opinions and earning up to $5 per survey. It’s super easy, quick and free with QuickThoughts.
Just answer questions honestly, and you’ll get paid with your choice of free iTunes or Amazon gift cards! There are several ways to participate:
- Short surveys that start at $2 per completion
- Longer surveys that take a bit more time but pay up to $5
- Local photo activities where you can choose to partake in location-based opportunities by taking photos to provide feedback (also earn up to $5)
Since it’s free and quick, why not give it a shot to earn gift cards?
9. Fetch All Your Receipts (Even Virtual) & Get Free Money Back
Check your pockets; check your purse. And keep receipts.
Grab all the recent receipts you have, even gas receipts, 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, shop at any store (grocery, drugstore, warehouse, everywhere, and online), snap a pic with the app, and boom, you’ve got points for money. Upload your gas station, restaurants, and drive-thru receipts too.
There’s no minimum spend, no need to select items manually, scan in any receipt from any store or gas station, and it’ll automatically reward you.
10. Scan the Stuff You Buy & Get Free Rewards
The exclusive National Consumer Panel (NCP) program is opening up again for more participants! This is your opportunity to make your consumer voice heard! (And get paid for it)
When you become a panelist, just use the app to scan the barcodes of items you purchase, provide a few additional transaction details, and you’ll earn points for:
- Gift Cards
- Tablets
- Electronic Equipment
- Flat Screen TVs
- and much more from their gift catalog!
Plus, all panelists are automatically entered into weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual drawings to win extra points and gift cards – even a quarterly sweepstakes to win $5,000!
The more you share your shopping habits (scan barcodes), the more rewards you can get. You can also answer surveys and share information about your overall shopping trip.
“Scanning my purchases is fun! I also enjoy taking the surveys. Earning points is fast and easy and they have a great selection of rewards.” – Jennifer B.
It’s a fun way to earn more rewards on items you’ve already purchased and at no extra cost to you.
Register now to see if you’re eligible to be a National Consumer Panelist. Eligibility will be based on your location. If you don’t get accepted this time, don’t worry! They’re always expanding locations, so check back again.
11. Make $100 Your First Visit to This Site
One of the newest and easiest ways to make money on your phone is 100% free with KashKick. You just need to sign up with your name, email address, and password!
Get fun cash rewards just by playing games (which you’re already doing), answering surveys based on your user profile, trying out financial tools, and many more ways.
Check out KashKick and start making money in your PJs, in line, or wherever!
12. Getting Gas = Free Cash Back
With the high gas prices lately, it’s smart to get cash back any chance you can get.
Turn on Upside, a free cash back app that partners with over 20,000 gas stations and local businesses which includes Shell, 76, along with Popeye’s, Papa John’s, and much more. You can earn an extra $148 a year (on average)!
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 and there’s no limit to how much you can earn. Download Upside for free to start earning free cash back and new members can use a welcome code: TSW25 to get an additional 25¢ a gallon on their first gas purchase!
13. Free Rewards Program Gives Out 7,000 Gift Cards Daily
There are a lot of survey programs out there, but none are as popular as Swagbucks, a free rewards program where you can earn free cash for your time and opinion. They’ve paid out over $885 million to their members already and they’ve been in business for 15 years.
Earn points for doing surveys, online shopping, uploading receipts, and playing fun games then redeem the points for free gift cards to Amazon and Walmart or choose PayPal cash.
New members can get a free $10 just for signing up, so join the other 10 million members already part of Swagbucks and start earning free rewards!
14. The Best Financial App That’ll Save You $720/Year
Knowing your net worth isn’t just for rich people. It’s a financial report card that can tell you if you’re on the right track or if you need a wake-up call. To calculate it, you need the value of all your assets (things you own) minus your liabilities (things you owe). But wouldn’t it be nice if there were a tool that tracked your net worth over time for you?
Enter Rocket Money, the free money management app that’s like your personal finance assistant. It groups all your banking accounts together so you can see your earnings and spending in one spot. Plus, it helps you budget even if you don’t know how to.
- The app will find all your recurring bills and subscriptions (even those you forgot about)
- Rocket Money can help lower your bills by 20% (they negotiate for you)
- The app also helps you start budgeting and set up auto-savings too
- Their newest feature easily tracks your net worth
See what your savings could be with Rocket Money and start tracking your net worth too!
15. Say Goodbye to Overdraft Fees with the #1 Most-Loved Banking AppTM
When you want financial peace of mind, use Chime,® the award-winning mobile financial app and debit card that’ll help you save with no monthly fees, including:
- No minimum balance
- Fee-free overdraft with SpotMe®️* (Chime will spot you up to $200, so you don’t get overdrafts)
- No foreign transaction or transfer fees
Additional perks:
- Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit1
- Earn 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)2 with the high-yield Chime Savings Account3
- Access to apply for the Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card4 for a better way to build credit history
Sign up for Chime and get started on saving money and working on improving your credit score!
16. The Money App That’s Backed by Paypal, Dwayne Johnson, Ashton Kutcher, and More
Celebrities and leading investors can be particular about where they put their money, but Acorns has caught the attention (and their investments) of Blackrock, Paypal, and major names like Dwayne Johnson and more. Not to mention, they already have 4.7 million+ customers!
That’s because Acorns Banking does more than other types of accounts as it automatically saves and invests for you. Every time you purchase on your new metal debit card, your spare change gets invested into an expert-designed, diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds. When you make your first investment, you’ll get a $20 bonus!
You can get started in under 3 minutes with no financial experience or expertise needed. You’ll also get access to retirement, investing for families, rewards, and more, all in one app.
With no hidden fees, Acorns makes it easy to invest in your future with your spare change.
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.
