22 Stupid Simple Ways to Make Extra Cash in 2019

At the beginning of each year it’s New Year, new you, right? But how long does that last? Now that we’re more than halfway through 2019, I’ll admit, I’m behind on my goals.

Yea I made my usual lose weight, save more money, and travel more resolutions, but let’s face it, these “goals” aren’t going to come true without a solid plan.

And to save more money? Well, it’ll be easier if you have more money to begin with, right? So we’ll focus on that and lay it all out – Here’s our list of stupid simple ways to make extra cash for the rest of 2019.

1. Affordable Car Insurance Exists – Here’s How You Could Save $610 This Year

You’re sharing the same roads with a lot of different people. Distracted people, oblivious people, road-rage people, etc. It’s best to cover yourself with insurance when everyone is operating a giant motor vehicle.

That’s why car insurance exists and is mandatory. You might be overpaying on your current insurance premium since it can be a hassle finding another provider.

However, you can search for quotes easily on EverQuote. They help match you among dozens of regional agencies and insurance carriers to filter the best matches to save on your car insurance.

It takes about 4 minutes to fill out the form and you’ll see a list of matches that show potential online quotes, email, and potential phone quotes.

EverQuote can save drivers $610 a year on average* compared to their current insurance premiums. Once you see your list of potential matches, choose the online ones you want or wait for more information via email or phone.

It’s a pretty simple process, so try it out to see how much you could be saving on the road!

2. iPhone Only: This Isn’t Your Grandma’s Bingo – Play Anywhere for Cash

Classic bingo is a game based on both luck and skill since it takes strategy to beat the odds of the house and the players around you.

However, you can ditch the bingo hall and giant stamps in favor of Blackout Blitz on iPhones, a fast-paced and competitive bingo game that you can play anywhere on your phone. And even against your friends.

2 minutes. That’s all you need per game where you play against another person around the world. Everyone sees the same card and balls so by daubing (tapping the number) fast and correctly, you’ll get bonus boosts for more points! Tap the incorrect number and points will get docked so don’t get sloppy!

This easy-to-learn game is awesome for killing time and earning cash all at once, anywhere.

You can play for free on your iPhone against real people for prizes or switch over to cash games to win…cash! Cash game winners can win up to $1,000 or more in mini-tournaments.

Cash tournaments not available in AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, LA, ME, MT, SC, SD, TN, IN.

Play Bingo for Cash on iOS with Blackout Blitz

3. You Gotta Eat! Get Up to $240 Cash Back in Grocery Savings

Did you know that it’s 325% more expensive to eat out versus eating at home*? Maybe it’s time to make more trips to the grocery store instead.

You’ll be aware of all the ingredients in your meal,  in addition, you’ll get paid just for shopping!

It’s simple. All you have to do is take a picture of your grocery receipt on your iOS or Android phone and Ibotta will pay you cash.

Here’s how it works:

Before you go to the store, search for your shopping list items in the Ibotta app. After your store visit, take a photo of your receipt to get cash back.

Ibotta is free to download (iOS or Android) and you’ll also get up to $20 in Welcome Bonuses when you sign up!

Some offers we found:

• 25 cents back on any item
• $3 – $5 back on various wine
• $2 back on KIND Protein Bars
• 25 cents – $4 back on ice cream
• $2 back on Herbal Essence Haircare

Popular stores are Walmart and Target, but Ibotta also works at restaurants, online shopping sites, and at the bar! On average, active Ibotta users save up to $240 a year or more.

Welcome Bonus: Up to $20
Average savings a month: $20
What it could add up to in a year: $240
Additional Referral Earnings: $5 per referral

4. Medical Emergencies Happen – Here’s How To Afford the Unexpected

True story: My cousin was on a cruise to Canada, and while coming down the stairs, she missed a step and tumbled down. She later found out that she broke several bones in her left foot, and was unable to go to work for 3 weeks because of a massive cast.

Unfortunately, accidents like this can happen and it could be disastrous to your wallet and potentially your career.

Sure, you can always prepare by having a savings account devoted to “what if” moments, but if you find yourself in a tight spot, there are options that can help, like Opploans.

Even if you have a poor credit score you could still get a personal loan for short-term financial needs such as 6 to 24 months. Definitely useful for unexpected situations.

Submitting an application doesn’t affect your FICO credit score, so check if there’s a short-term personal loan that you may need for a medical emergency, major purchases, life events and more.

Here’s who can qualify:

• Residents of AL, AR, AZ, CA, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KY, KS, LA, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, ND, NE, NV, NM, OH, OK, OR, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, SC, WA, WI, WY, VA
• Have a minimum monthly income of $1,500 for the states listed above except AL is $3,500, and GA & ID is $3,000
• Employed at your current job for at least 3 months
• 18+ years old (19 if from AL or NE) and cannot be an active duty service member
• A traditional bank account in your name that’s been open for at least 90 days
• You get your paychecks via direct deposit

Qualified borrowers will be able to borrow up to $4,000 depending on their state and eligibility. And when monthly payments are made back on the loan, Opploans will notify the 3 credit bureaus to build up your payment history and in turn, build your credit history!

5. Free Gift Cards Just for Going Shopping? Yes, please.

Go on your normal grocery shopping trips. Scan your receipt after. Get points towards gift cards. No extra fuss. No digital coupons to pre-select or specific stores to go to.

It’s perfect for the lazy but smart saver.

And it’s called Fetch Rewards, an iOS or Android app where you can scan ANY grocery receipt to get rewards, aka cash.

Scan receipts from supermarkets, neighborhood corner shops, wholesale clubs, drugstores, convenience stores, and even liquor stores. Unlike other apps, you’re not restricted to specific stores. As long as your receipt has any of the thousands of participating products, you’ll earn points to redeem for gift cards.

You can start redeeming points for rewards with as little as 3,000 points ($3). Grab a 2,000 points bonus ($2!) when you enter this referral code: REWARD before you scan your first receipt iOS or Android.

6. Never Pay Overdraft or Hidden Fees Again

Common bank fees.

You’re aware of them, you try to avoid them, but you still get hit from time to time.

The worst are overdraft fees (especially when they come in bunches at around $33 per bounce) and out-of-network ATM fees (which are at a record average high of $4.68**).

Good news is that it can be completely avoidable by setting up fee-free banking with Varo.

There are no monthly account service fees, no foreign transaction fees, and fee-free withdrawals at 55,000+ Allpoint® ATMs worldwide. Also, Varo doesn’t allow overdrafts—so no fees there either! You can conveniently use the Varo Visa® debit card anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted — and the Zero Liability‡ guarantees you won’t be responsible for any unauthorized charges made.

When you open your no account fees bank account, you can open a high yield savings account too. Start earning 1.92% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)* on your savings and then move up to 2.80% APY* based on qualifying activity. To put this in perspective, the national average APY is only 0.09%!***

In addition, get your paycheck up to 2 days earlier with direct deposit.

This is the new and fee-free way to bank and it takes less than 5 minutes to learn more and apply for free.

Start Banking Fee-Free* With Varo

7. Budgeting Made Easy with this App, Even if You Don’t Know How

If you have trouble budgeting, you’re not alone. Most people actually don’t know how to properly budget and that could possibly put them in debt.

Truebill on iOS or Android easily helps you budget, even if you don’t know how to. Their simple to follow budgeting pulls your historical spending, organizes it, and allows you to clearly see your spending so you can set a target budget with context. (Aka you can see where you’re wasting money on).

Truebill’s five-star reviews come from people formerly bad at budgeting. Dawn H. said “LIFE CHANGING!!!! I was never able to save money or budget myself but with Truebill all the work is done for you! I am very grateful.”

Truebill will also alert you if you’re getting a little too spend-happy in your budgeted categories so you know when to curb it. Another user, Clee M. said “This app is 100% true in what it advertises. I am normally skeptical about connecting my bank info to apps. This app is completely safe and easy to use!”

It’s simple but actionable budgeting that anyone can follow and it’s free to use! Join the many users today and control your spending with Truebill on iOS or Android.

8. Up To 40% Cash Back Automatically? Sign Us Up!

Saving money and getting cash back on purchases always sounds like a great idea – until you completely forget to take the steps to get the savings. There are SO many ways to save money while shopping, who can remember if it’s not automatic?

Rakuten, previously called Ebates (iOS or Android) can help you get cash back on everyday shopping as well as apparel, beauty, and more, automatically. With Rakuten, you don’t even have to upload your receipts after your purchases. They’ll send you simple push notifications when your favorite stores increase their cash back deals or have a good sale.

Offering simple one-tap savings with no points or fees helps ensure that you get the most out of your purchases. So, before buying anything, hop into the app (iOS or Android)  to see if you can get up to 40% cash back at over 2,500 stores.

They also have an amazing referral program where you can earn $25 for each eligible friend. New members get a $10 bonus too!

9. Instead of Fake Pennies, Get Real Gift Cards and Cash for Your Thoughts

You’ll freely give your opinion but it’s icing on the cake if you get paid for it. Here are some of our favorite and legitimate survey sites that pay you even while you’re on the commode.

Swagbucks (iOS or Android) – A free rewards program where you can get cash for the everyday things you do online. Watch videos, shop at your fav retailers, search the web, participate in surveys and even play fun trivia games. ($5 Welcome Bonus)

Survey Junkie – Members who participate in surveys about their shopping habits, cell phone usage, and more get cash. Basic but easy to participate. ($1 Welcome Bonus)

Inbox Dollars – Binge on their TV and Videos section that includes Trending News, Entertainment, Food, Health, Tech, and even the latest World News to earn some cash. ($5 Welcome Bonus)

10. Get a Free $25 to Invest in Women and Deal with the Gender Pay Gap

You already know that women make less than men.

20% less actually^(*)

So while women are almost half the workforce, earn more college and graduate degrees than men, there is still a gender pay gap to this day.

Also? Women’s salaries tend to peak earlier than men and their earnings drop significantly after having a child.^(*) Men don’t.

That’s why it’s even more important to save for retirement, especially if you’re female. With females living at least 5 years longer than men^(*), we have a very unique set of obstacles to overcome with our financials and to make sure we have enough money when we most need it.

That’s why Ellevest exists. It’s an investment service created by and designed for women.

Men are welcome to join as well but it’s the first company to take on the gender pay gap, different lifetime earnings, and longevity into account when constructing a portfolio.

It’s great for women that are just beginning to invest, want a more hands-off approach or those interested in goal-based investing (like Home, Retirement, Emergency Fund etc).

So while fewer women tend to invest vs men, studies show that when they do, they outperform men because they don’t overtrade, don’t panic in down markets, or pay too much in fees.^(*)

When you start with Ellevest, you’ll choose some goals and then rank them in importance. You’ll then fill in some details on your current financial standings and then their system will analyze what you’ll need to achieve your goals. All the while, taking into account your current savings contributions, inflations, salary growth projects and other variables unique to females.

With a $0 minimum and low fees, you could be taking control of your retirement in a few minutes when you set up a customized investment plan. Review first then commit later. Your future mature you will be thanking you.

Bonus: For a limited time, The Smart Wallet readers get a free $25 towards their first funded goal with no minimum balance!

We’re excited to be working with Ellevest to start this conversation about women and money. We will receive compensation if you become an Ellevest client.*

11. Extremely Passive Earnings – Just Leave This App On & Get Paid

Panel App is a loyalty incentive app on iOS or Android that will give you points just by leaving the app running in the background. This is passive earnings at it’s best.

Because it gives you points on location, go ahead and enable location services. Then just turn the app on before you go about your day and head to school, work, gym, walk your dog, wherever.

After testing it we think it’s a great (lazy) app that rewards you for doing almost nothing. If you’re still skeptical, know this:

• You don’t have to complete offers
• You don’t have to watch ads
• You don’t have to buy anything
• You don’t have to do anything but leave the app running

We snagged a $5 Amazon gift card via email after a few weeks of just leaving the app on and forgetting about it. You can also choose VISA gift cards, MasterCard gift cards or sweepstakes entries.

Overall, a solid choice for earning a bit of money for literally just leaving the app running on your iOS or Android!

TIP: When you’re a new member, it’ll ask you if you want to keep the app running in the background. Just tap “Yes” to continue getting paid!

12. Get Paid for Playing Free Digital Scratch-Offs

Don’t bother going to the liquor store to buy physical scratchers (they get expensive too).

Instead, play digital scratchers for free on Lucktastic (iOS or Android)

There are a ton of different scratchers you can play, and you can earn both cash and tokens.

Scratched all of them for the day? Don’t worry, there are specific night-time scratchers that are available every night too!

When you want to redeem your earnings, you can choose from:

• Amazon gift cards
• CVS gift cards
• Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards
• Check mailed to you
• Visa gift cards

Lucktastic (iOS or Android) keeps things free by showing a few ads here and there plus it’s easy to play and multi-task at the same time.

Also until March 2020, their Crack the $1 Million Safe event will reward a lucky winner $1 million dollars!

13. Grow Your Money in a High Yield Savings Account that’s 20x Higher than National Average

Over the past year, plain savings accounts have outperformed both the S&P 500 yield and the 10-year US Treasury Bond yield.*

While the average interest rate for savings accounts in the US is fairly low at 0.09%, there are high yield savings accounts that offer more than 20x higher than the national average!

Just enter your zip code below to see some of the highest yielding saving accounts in the nation right now. Since you’ve figured out how to save money, put it somewhere safe to grow!

14. Get $1 Million in Life Insurance for as Little as $8/Month

When you hear “life insurance” the first 2 things that might come to mind are death and finances. Ultimately it’s “I love you” money to your family after you’ve passed away.

So for most people, life insurance is logical but the long process could be deterring. Some life insurance companies can take up to 2.5 months for the approval process to complete, including lots of paperwork and a comprehensive medical exam which may not always be necessary.

But one company is trying to change all that. Bestow’s mission is to offer affordable term life insurance in under 5 minutes (Available on iOS or Android) without you having to talk to anyone. No exam needed either.

You can get up to $1 million in coverage and they offer 2 years, 10 years and 20 years term options.

All of Bestow’s policies are underwritten by North American Company for Life and Health Insurance, who’s been around for over 100 years and holds an A+ (Superior) rating with A.M. Best, a global credit rating agency for insurance companies.

In plain English terms, it means your policy is backed by dependable insurance giants who have been serving customers for many years.

So if you’re between the ages of 21-55, here’s what they’ll ask:

• Your basic information (Name, Email, Address, SSN etc)
• Some Life questions (medical history, hobbies, lifestyle)
• Beneficiaries (who would receive the money after insured’s death)
• Policy and payment details (If approved, you choose the monthly payment and enter credit card info)

Each policy has a “free look” period (usually 30 days) which means you can cancel if it’s not right for you and get a full refund.

And you can easily change your policy at any time based on life events like marriage, job loss, divorce etc.

Life insurance talk isn’t fun but Bestow (Available on iOS or Android) is attempting to make it as easy as possible for people to get covered quickly. Go ahead and see what your rates are in just under 5 minutes. It’s the biggest “I love you” you can give to your loved ones.

15. Bet on Yourself to Get Healthier and Get Paid

There’s nothing like money motivation right? Especially for fitness.

You might be extra inspired because there’s a health and wellness company that will pay you to lose weight. Seriously!

It’s called Healthywage.

They have a ton of testimonial/pictures on their site along with legit places reviewing them from CNN, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc.

So if you need some money motivation to lose weight, here’s how it works:

1. Start with the HealthyWage calculator (Read more)
2. Decide on a weight goal & amount of time to achieve it
3. Bet on yourself ranging from $20-$150 a month
4. Achieve your goal and you could win up to $10,000 depending on your HealthyWager!
5. If you don’t achieve your goal, the money goes to support HealthyWage, including prizes for others who achieve their goals

Get Paid to Get Fit

16. Never Wait 2 Weeks for Your Paycheck Again – Here’s How

“People should have their money once they earn it. That’s how businesses work. When you buy something, you have to pay at once. But when you work, you wait two weeks for your own pay.”

If you agree with this statement, then you’re on the same page with Ram Palaniappan, the CEO, and Founder of Earnin, an iOS app or Android app that’ll fast forward your paycheck to today.

In order words, if you worked today, you get paid today with Earnin.

Not everyone is eligible, but most are. If you have the following, you’re golden:

• Direct deposits from your employer into a checking account
• A regular pay schedule (like weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly etc)
• A fixed work location OR an online timekeeping system at work

That’s it. And after you connect your bank and employment info, you’ll get immediate access to your earnings.

You then choose what portion of your paycheck you want to Cash Out. Then, when your normal paycheck arrives via direct deposit, Earnin will just debit the amount you had previously cashed out. Simple!

It’s like having an advance payday loan but without the fees or interest. There is no charge to use Earnin as the iOS app or Android app runs on tips by the community. Pay what you wish!

Even if you have a side gig of on-demand jobs, like Uber, Grubhub, Instacart etc, Earnin will work!

17. Invest in the Legal Cannabis Industry with Just $5. No Experience Necessary.

If investing sounds complicated and expensive for you, it doesn’t have to be.

You know you should start, but where to begin? You don’t want to just pick randomly as you want to invest in an industry you believe in. Something that can really take off and make money, especially for rent.

So how about investing in the legal cannabis industry? It’s big business as retail sales are projected to hit $10 billion this year and is expected to grow to $24.5 billion by 2021.

You can do it with Stash, a microinvesting app that lets you invest for as little as $5 and it takes less than 2 minutes to get started. We’ll even give you $5 to get started.

They curate from over 250 investments which include stocks and Exchange Traded Funds and you’ll get to choose an investment blend that meets your goals and interests.

When you sign up with Stash, go ahead and take a look at the app’s portfolio options, including one cannabis-related ETF, to round out your portfolio.

Take the $5 that we’re giving you and start investing with Stash.

18. Buy Stuff Normally = Get Gift Cards You Actually Want

If you have room for 1 more app on your phone, then it needs to be this.

Actually, delete another app to make room for this one. It’s that good.

It’s called Drop, a free app on iOS or Android that gives you gift cards on stuff you already buy from your favorite stores and brands.

Your everyday purchases from Amazon, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart? You’ll get points for that. Points translate to gift cards so the more you collect, the more you can redeem!

You’ll get access to many offers that you can activate ranging from Entertainment, Personal Care, Grocery, Apparel and more.

The only thing you need to do is link any credit or debit card you usually use for buying stuff and that’s it! Drop will automatically recognize when you buy from your activated offers to reward.

There’s literally no downside to using this free app to get more gift cards. Use it on top of your loyalty points and credit card points for even more rewards!

LIMITED TIME OFFER: Use promo code SMARTWALLET to unlock 5,000 points ($5) automatically when you link your first card on Drop iOS or Android!

19. An Innovative New Way to Improve Your Credit Scores Instantly – And it’s Free

Having a low credit score can impact a lot in your life, like the ability to rent an apartment, get a car, and even a cellphone plan.

That’s why it’s important to maintain positive credit card payment history and to keep credit utilization ratio in check (not using more than 30% of your credit line on any credit card).

Regardless of what your score is currently at though, everyone can use a boost to their 3 digit number, and Experian® wants to help.

A new feature called Experian Boost™ can help instantly improve your credit scores for free.

Experian does this by adding your positive payment history from utility and telecom bills to your Experian credit file. This is huge, because previously, your gas, water, electricity, TV, internet, and phone bills that you already pay for didn’t affect your credit. Now it does and to your benefit of potentially increasing your credit scores!

It’s simple to start, and all you need is a free Experian Boost membership and a few minutes to connect read-only permission to the online bank accounts you use to pay bills. Experian will check only utility and telecom payments and get you credit for the payments you’ve already been paying.

This process doesn’t hurt your credit at all and you can choose to remove the boost if you want.

Compared to expensive and drawn out credit repair services, this new alternative is the fastest and no-cost way to instantly improve your credit scores.

Instantly Improve Your Credit Scores with Experian Boost™

*Results may vary, see website for details.

20. Fun Times in 3 Minute Increments – A Classic Game for $

3 minutes.

Make as many 21s as you can within that time or until you run out of moves.

That’s the basic gist of 21 Blitz, an iOS-only modern take on a classic game where you’re no longer just playing against the dealer but with actual people around the world.

It’s fast-paced and it basically does all of the math for you. This game is great for killing time and earning cash all at once.

You can play for free against real people for prizes or switch over to cash games to win…well, cash! Cash game winners can win up to $7,000 or more in the mini-tournament.

Cash tournaments not available in AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, LA, ME, MD, MT, SC, SD, TN, IN.

21. Play Games, Save Money, Win Cash. Saving is Actually Fun Now.

Look, we know saving money is boring, but it’s just one of those non-negotiables in life. 63% of Americans don’t even have enough to cover a $500 emergency. Yikes.

That’s why Long Game Savings (iOS or Android) is actually making saving fun by just playing free games on their app. Games are light and easy-to-play (think lotteries, scratchers, slots, and more) and you can win daily cash prizes up to $1M (yes, million) and crypto!

When you set up a savings account, you access the games. The more money you save, the more you can play and now, their new debit card lets you earn more rewards just by spending normally. It has a RoundUp feature that lets your purchases be rounded up to the nearest dollar with the change going towards your savings. So every time you’re buying a meal, getting stuff at Target, etc, you’re contributing to your savings and earning interest!

Long Game Savings (iOS or Android) is completely free-to-use as banks pay them, not you. There’s no way to lose money, but plenty of ways to earn and win! Plus you can withdraw your money at any time.

22. Get Cash Back for All the Uber and Lyft Rides You’re Already Taking

Everyone uses ride-sharing services nowadays, primarily Uber and Lyft. It’s made going out for dinner and drinks so much easier now that you can rely on a phone app to get you home safely after a night out.

But here’s another phone app you’ll want because it can recoup some of your social life money, which we all know, can get pretty expensive. It also gives you points (redeemable for cash) on every ride you take anywhere!

Use Freebird on iOS or Android to request your next Uber or Lyft to the bar, restaurant, movies, shopping, airport, (basically anywhere!) and get cash back and points for your ride.

Here’s how it works:

• Download Freebird iOS or Android
• Connect your Uber or Lyft account
• Connect the card(s) you want to get cash back on
• Ride anywhere to participating locations to get cashback
• Ride anywhere else to get points that turn into cash rewards

To earn cash rewards, just visit a participating location that has a cash offer and make a purchase there with your connected card. Once the transaction clears, you’ll see the cash reward in your Freebird account!

You’ll also earn points just for taking an Uber or Lyft anywhere which can be redeemed for cash rewards. However, to get the cash back and points rewards you have to request your Uber or Lyft through the Freebird app. You still earn Uber rewards through the Freebird app though, so there are no losses!

BONUS: For our readers only, use promo code SMARTWALLET to get $5 off the first 3 rides ($15 value!)

*OppLoans APR ranges from 59%-199% depending on your state of residence (Rates and Terms here). Credit reporting not available for Texas residents.

*Information was obtained from third party sources, which we believe to be reliable but not guaranteed for accuracy or completeness. The information provided should not be relied upon as investment advice or recommendations, does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell securities and should not be considered specific legal, investment or tax advice. The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any specific person. Investing entails risk including the possible loss of principal and there is no assurance that the investment will provide positive performance over any period of time.

*Bestow is currently not available in New York

*Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. This material has been distributed for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Investing involves risk.

**Average ATM fee source: Bankrate
***0.09% national average APY: FDIC for the week of Feb 11, 2019 https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/resources/rates/#one

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