We've all been there – a big bill has come in or another unexpected expense has cropped up. You find yourself thinking ‘I need money NOW'. In this blog post we are going to cover some fast ways to make cash, and there is even a checklist to download and print so that you can tick off what you've done so far.
Ask for an advance at work
In a situation where you need cash fast, you might be able to seek an advance on your salary from your employer.
Approach this matter with professionalism and discretion – before making a formal request, you should review the company's policies on salary advances to ensure it's a permissible practice.
Prepare a clear and concise justification for the advance, detailing the nature of your financial need. It's beneficial to also provide a repayment plan, demonstrating your commitment to meeting your financial obligations to the company.
While employers are under no obligation to grant such requests, approaching the matter with transparency and responsibility can increase the chances of a positive outcome.
Ask friends or family
When faced with unexpected financial hurdles, sometimes our nearest and dearest can offer a lifeline.
However, approaching friends or family for financial help should be done with care, consideration, and transparency. If you're considering this route, be open about the amount you need, the reason for the request, and, importantly, how you plan to repay them.
Drafting a simple repayment plan not only gives them confidence in your commitment but also provides clarity on the terms of the loan. Remember, mixing finances with personal relationships can be tricky, so it's essential to ensure all parties are comfortable with the arrangement and that everything is laid out clearly from the get-go.
Read now: winter side hustle ideas.
Sell sell sell
One of the quickest ways to solve the ‘I need money NOW' crisis is to sell your unwanted items.
Selling on Vinted or eBay is a good call, however it could take awhile until you can access your cash.
For fast cash, sell your items on Facebook Marketplace and arrange for collections to take place ASAP. That way you can have cash (or a bank transfer) almost immediately.
Does anyone owe you money?
From that tenner that your friend owes you to unpaid invoices, and companies who owe you money for refunds, etc. Is there anyone who owes you money?
If you're thinking ‘I need cash now' then chasing up monies owed to you is a great way to get your hands on that cash fast.
If it is a friend or family member then we've got these ideas for asking for money that you are owed.
If it is an unpaid invoice then you can send an email reminder and then follow up with a phone call in a day or two if you haven't heard anything.
Check your earning apps and accounts
If you use apps or websites to make a bit of extra cash, now's the time to check if you've hit the payout threshold on any of them. Whether you've been answering surveys, selling your old gear, or doing a few side gigs online, don't forget about the cash you've been racking up. If you're thinking, ‘I need cash now', then dive into those accounts and see if you've got any money waiting. Give them a quick check, and you might find a nice payout ready to be withdrawn. Every penny counts, especially when the wallet's feeling a tad light. Check out these ways to make money with your iPad.
Return recent purchases
We can all get a little click-happy online or impulse buy when we're out and about. If the purse strings are feeling tight, now might be a good moment to sift through those recent buys. Maybe there's a shirt you snagged on a whim or that kitchen gadget that seemed genius at the time, but let's face it, you might not actually use. Many shops have decent return policies, especially if the tags are still on or you've kept the receipt. So, if you're thinking, ‘I need some extra cash,' just pack up those impulse buys and head back to the shop. Your bank balance will thank you!
Check if you are in credit with your energy provider
Many of us build credit with our energy provider in the warmer months, to cover an increase in usage over the colder and darker winter months.
If you find yourself in a ‘I need money now' situation then consider asking your energy provider to repay the credit back to you.
They might quibble, especially as it may be harder for you to pay your bills in the higher usage months, so approach this method with caution.
Cash in coins
If you have been saving your loose change then now is the time to cash them in.
You don't need to use expensive Coinstar machines – some banks have change machines, or use the change at self-checkouts in supermarkets.
You can also cash coins in at your bank in coin bags.
Free daily draws
Did you know that there are websites where you can win a daily cash prize through a free daily draw?
These are funded by adverts and sponsors, encouraging you to visit daily to claim your winnings.
I have had some lovely prizes from free daily draws over the years!
I won a £50 Amazon voucher from the Ashleigh Money Saver's daily draw (unfortunately now closed).
I also have won twice on The Selfie Lottery, and once at Badger The Button (also now closed).
MakeMoneyWithoutAJob Free Daily Draw
Did you know that we have a brand new daily draw right here?
We are giving away £10 per day, and if it isn't claimed then it gets rolled over to the following day, increasing the prize pot.
Pick My Postcode
One of the first and the best, Pick My Postcode used to be known by ‘The Free Postcode Lottery'.
With a daily prize pot in the hundreds of pounds, and multiple draws taking place across the website, this is one that you do not want to miss.
To sign up you will need to enter your Postcode and email address, then enjoy!
Free birthdate lottery
There are loads of ways to win cash at the Free Birthdate Lottery. To enter, simply register with your date of birth and then check the main draw for £10 which is currently held once a week on a Friday (at 11am) to see if you have won. As the website gets more members then the draws will increase, with the next target being two prize draws a week. All this information is easily found on the home page.
If you are lucky enough to win then claiming your prize is really simple. Check the website and click on “claim your £x” before the next draw takes place. Winnings are paid out via Paypal or BACS.
Qmee
With Qmee you get paid for searching the internet and completing surveys.
Simply sign up and install the browser extension. Once installed you can just carry on your searches as normal. When Qmee has a relevant sponsored link, it will appear on the left hand side of your search results. If a result is of interest to you, you can click on it to be taken to that page. The amount that you'll be paid is displayed next to the search result.
Complete free money offers
Many companies are offering incentives to sign up and sometimes complete an action – we have a massive list of these free money offers available.
Some of my favourites include:
- £15 free when you sign up to Rakuten and make a purchase of £20 or more at the massive list of retailers
- £25 free when you sign up for a Vanquis credit card and make a purchase of £1 or more
- Sign up to WeBull and complete the application process. Once your account is verified deposit £5 into your new account. You will receive 20 free shares at random worth up to $40,000 within 30 days. The lowest value you will receive is £50.
Download make £1,000 in 30 days
Are you looking for more ways to make money online? Enter your name and email address below to be sent a FREE copy of my '10 Ways to Make £1000 in the next 30 days' workbook.
Ohmydosh
If you are looking to boost your bank balance then check out the Lightning Payout offers on OhMyDosh.
These offers pay out quickly for those I need money now moments.
You can easily make £30 with these offers and once confirmed, receive payment in 3 working days.
I need money now – Surveys with low payment threshold
When you find yourself thinking ‘I need money now' then there are survey apps with an extremely low payment threshold – just £4. They all pay via Paypal amongst other payment methods, so you can cash out quickly.
My favourites for this are Attapoll, Survey Spin and Survey Pop.
Identify how you reached this situation
If you find yourself in an I need money now' situation then you want to try to ensure that it doesn't happen again.
Identifying how you reached this situation can help you to plan for it going forward.
Perhaps it is simple – you wanted to book a holiday, or you were off work due to sickness. Those straightforward reasons should hopefully not happen again, and in time you should be able to build up an Emergency Fund so that you don't find yourself here again.
However, other reasons might require you to take long-term action.
I need money soon cash boosts
The cash boosts listed below aren't for immediate cash, but starting them now will help you to have some extra money coming in during the coming weeks and months.
Cashback.co.uk
Complete 15 offers with cashback.co.uk and earn approximately £150 (depending on the offers that you complete).
What's more, you can get yourself a £10 bonus when you sign up with our link.
Start a passive income stream
Most of us think about passive income from letting out properties or share dividends, but there are more accessible ways to earn a passive income.
It could be that you write an ebook or sell a course, or learn print on demand.
There are plenty of ways to make a passive income.
Download the I need money now checklist
Get this checklist emailed to you as a printable PDF – just fill in the form below.
