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.
Besides mortgages (something else to “look forward” to), student loans are the next largest consumer debt in the U.S.
And even though you may feel alone in your burden, there are about 43 million Americans that are dealing with the same type of debt. And with the average student loan debt of $30,000, it can take almost 20 years to pay it all off!
And the term “debt” is misleading too. It’s associated with those that may not have been financially responsible but student loans trap you from the very beginning. We can’t just say that all 43 million Americans that have student loans are “irresponsible.” Far from it. They’re wanting higher education and are paying the long-term price.
So until that system can be fixed (if ever), we’re suggesting some things you can do to earn some side cash as well as manage your money more efficiently to help out with some payments. Even better when you can get paid for doing stuff you already do!
1. Get $10 to Invest in the Legal Cannabis Industry. No Experience Necessary.
6 million customers already use Stash, an investment app that lets you start investing with as little as $5, and you can choose where to put your money, and they’ll provide guidance and tools to help. You can invest in some of the major companies you regularly use to make a custom Personal Portfolio.
You can even invest in the legal cannabis industry, which is big business, as retail sales are projected to hit $70 BILLION by the end of 2028.* Plus, with Stash Growth and Stash+, you can also choose the Smart Portfolio option, which offers hands-off stress-free investing based on your risk tolerance.
It takes less than 2 minutes to start, and they’ll even give you $10 to start investing when you sign up and deposit $5 or more into your Personal Portfolio.
Paid non-client endorsement. See Apple App Store and Google Play reviews. View important disclosures.
2. 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!
3. 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.
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. Apply for a Loan with OppLoans
No one likes to borrow money, but personal loans are a valid option when you need them for repairs, medical reasons, or emergencies. OppLoans can help! If approved, you may receive money in your account as soon as the same business day!1
Eligibility requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Reside in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, DE, FL, GA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, or WY
- Have a regular source of income
- Have a checking or savings account
- Receive paychecks through direct deposit
OppLoans is committed to the financial health of its customers. They report your payment history to the three major credit bureaus, so every on-time payment you make may improve your credit score.2
6. 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!
7. Over 5M+ Players Love This Bingo Game to Win Real Cash
Two minutes per game is all you need in Blackout Bingo, a social, competitive bingo game where you can get up to $100 per win.
Play for free for prizes and switch to cash games to win real money when you’re ready.
PRO-TIP: Deposit $5 for the first time, and get a $5 bonus cash when you use code: TSW5
Yep, double your money to play!
“You wanna cash out 1,000 bucks a month? It’s very doable, but it’s not just gonna happen magically. Practice for free, get your game tight & then you will see the results you want. This app pays and makes plenty to go around” – rainking76
Download Blackout Bingo for free to start playing and win some money!
8. This Solitaire App Pays Up to $200/Win (Seriously)
Solitaire, in general, is a great time killer, but play Solitaire Cube, which lets you play for and win real cash. The game matches you with players of the same skill level, so all is fair. Practice until you’re ready to participate in the cash tournaments!
“Overall, it’s a great game, not a scam, you just need to practice to be able to go up against some really good players.” -Arayev
“Win or lose, you still get tickets to stock up and redeem for prizes or cash bonuses!” – tkitchen84
So play for fun, and enjoy some cash games, but don’t expect to get rich. Cash out reliably with PayPal to receive your winnings! Download Solitaire Cube for free to start playing.
BONUS: When you deposit for the first time, get a $5 bonus cash when you use code: TSW5
9. Play Solitaire and Earn Up to $83 Per Win
Two minutes is all you need to win up to $83 per win when you play Solitaire Cash, a fun Solitaire game ranked #3 in Cards in the App Store and has an average of 4.6/5 stars with 130K+ ratings!
Win cash for free or deposit cash to multiply your winnings from cash tournaments. Regular players are already winning thousands of dollars! New member bonus: Deposit $10 and get a $5 Bonus Cash!
“First game I found that ACTUALLY PAYS … fun & everyone seems honestly @ equal levels of ability” – Davi
“Win REAL money. I am so addicted since I just won $40 on the clash tournament.” – Holly
Solitaire Cash is free to play, so if you like playing quick games for chances to get up to $83 per win, check it out.
10. Affordable Car Insurance Exists - Save Up To $610
You’re probably overpaying on your current auto insurance without even realizing it.
- Just check on EverQuote to start comparing
- They’ll check from plenty of agencies to find you the best deal
- Pick your savings!
It literally takes less than 4 minutes to fill out the form to start saving big. EverQuote can save drivers up to $610 a year on average* compared to their current insurance premiums.
It’s super simple so try it out to see how much you could be saving on the road!
11.
12. 21 + Solitaire = Real 💰 and Serious Fun
Check out 21 Blitz, an extremely fun and fast-paced mobile card game. Play against real people at your skill level to compete for cash and prizes like tech, kitchen appliances, even a car!
It only takes 3 minutes to play. Make as many 21s as you can before the clock runs out or until you run out of moves.
Play for free against real people for prizes or switch over to cash games to win…well, cash! Currently, players are invited to play in a guaranteed $23,000 prize pool tournament. Plus, get up to $30 for each friend you refer.
13. 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.
14. Merge Matching Blocks to Win Cash Prizes
When you want simple gameplay but with strategy baked in, check out Tap n Merge Tournament, where you literally tap and merge number blocks to earn points.
Merge at least 3 of the same numbers to create a higher number block, and see how high of a number you can get within the 2 minute time frame. Our highest (so far) is 7! Combos and speed will also boost your overall score.
Play for free, and when you’re ready, switch over to cash games to earn faster. Cash game winners can win up to hundreds of dollars!
The relaxing background music, the gameplay, and the strategy involved will keep you entertained for a while.
Cash tournaments not available in AZ, AR, CT, DE, LA, MT, SC, SD, and TN.
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. 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!
17. Renters: Protect Your Important Stuff Starting at $5 a Month
You have a lot more valuables than you think. Imagine if your laptop, phone, camera, bike, jewelry, etc. got swiped or accidentally destroyed in a kitchen fire, water damage, or natural disasters?
It would hurt to pay and replace everything lost. However, by having renters insurance, your policy can cover all your household items, furniture, electronics, jewelry, and clothing. It doesn’t matter if your landlord has property insurance because that won’t cover your items.
Affordable renters insurance starts at just $5 a month and you can easily get a custom price from Toggle, a Farmers Insurance® company.
“By switching to Toggle, I actually saved $2/month and doubled my coverage from my previous insurance, plus my deductible is $400 less,” said Jeff from MO. Other members also say that it’s extremely easy to set up, approve of the fantastic rates, and love having the Pet Parent coverage option.
Your items are also covered by your policy limits wherever you go, so if a thief targets you at a cafe, or something gets stolen out of your car, etc, you have peace of mind!
Toggle serves the following 25 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin
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.
