Fun Ways to Rack Up $500 to Spend on Essentials


What would you do with an extra $500? There’s an app for that. In fact, there are a variety of apps that make it easy to rack up money and rewards, giving you a little extra wiggle room in your budget and more cash on hand to spend on essentials. Just as there’s no shortage of credit card companies offering rewards, there are many apps that give you an opportunity to score sweet rewards and earn money for having fun.
These platforms let you earn money by completing basic tasks, including shopping online, answering surveys, playing games, and downloading apps. When you meet the requirements, you may get cash back, points to put toward purchases or gift cards, or just about anything else you’d like to buy. You don’t need to get another job to start rocking a side hustle. Especially when you try one of these ways to make extra money.
1. “Play and Collect” to Earn Extra $$
The more you play, the more they pay. AppStation gives you the perfect excuse to spend more time playing games. This free app gives you a personalized list of games to play, which are also free to download. All it costs is your time.
You earn more coins as you spend longer amounts of time playing. Some games offer higher payouts, and you always have the opportunity to go back to your game history to continue playing later. When you’re ready, cash out using PayPal or turn your rewards into gift cards and vouchers from Google Play, Amazon, Walmart, and more. If you’re ready to start playing, head over to Google Play to download AppStation for free.
2. Make Money Trying Out New Games
Are you a fan of variety? PlayKarma will make recommendations of games for you to play. And when you try them out, you can earn money to go toward cash or gift cards.
This free app offers a straightforward, gimmick-free premise: Earn by installing and playing recommended apps and games for the amount of time indicated. Once you meet the required time, you start earning points. When you’re ready, you can use those points for PayPal cash or gift cards from leading retailers like Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and more. Plus, PlayKarma gives you 5 percent back when you redeem your points, so you never have to start completely from a zero balance again.
In addition to earning as you play, you can also rack up points for inviting other people to play too. Or, if you love the app and want to share it with others, you can earn even more as a VIP Affiliate. Download the PlayKarma today to start earning the extra money you need.
3. Rock Out & Rack Up the Money
Can you earn extra money while taking a walk on a beautiful day, cleaning your house, or lounging in your backyard? With Current you can. This free Android app makes it easy to earn up to $600 each year just by jamming out to your favorite tunes. It features a library of more than 100,000 radio stations, with reviewers praising its quality song lists, wide selection, and easy navigation.
Every time you press play, you earn points. How much you earn depends on a couple factors, including how long you listen — the longer, the more you earn — and the amount of your profile you’ve completed.
There are other ways to earn, including completing surveys and watching ads. If you refer friends, you can earn up to $250 in addition to getting a small percentage of whatever that friend earns using the app.
When you’re ready to cash out, you can redeem your points in a variety of ways. In addition to taking it as cash, you can redeem it for prizes or convert it to gift cards. Ready to see what makes the Current music app stand out from other passive ways to earn money? Head to Google Play and download it free.
4. For Fun: Spin the Wheel, Build a Village
Note: You can’t make any money off this game but we’re adding it in just because it’s fun and a good way to distract yourself when you want to.
There’s a reason Coin Master has amassed a following more than 81 million strong. This free app is available on both iOS and Android, and it boasts simple game play with added extras that will keep you engaged and entertained. The thrill of spinning the wheel to earn coins and opportunities to do things like creating your own village or raiding others keeps players going back for more. Even better, when you sign up through a platform that offers a rewards bonus, you can earn a little extra money to put toward your budget.
When you need a little break from the real world, head into Coin Master to play for free!