Most of the money you’ll make throughout your life will come from the daily grind, the 9-to-5, the cubicle farm, the … well, you get the point. You’ll have to earn it. But sometimes, it’s nice to earn a little cash with little to no effort—and despite those who say “you don’t get something for nothing,” there are quite a few ways to get free money.
In some cases, you can earn free money by participating in activities or signing up for products you were already interested in. And in a few select cases, you can earn free money by sitting around and having fun.
Whether you want some extra spending money, want help saving money for retirement, or just hate the idea of missing out on some free money, I can point you in the right direction. Today, I’ll highlight several sign-up bonuses, cash-back rewards, and other ways to nab some extra cash—ranging from little sums to, in a couple instances, truly substantial monetary freebies.
So, check out the strategies below. Need a little cash? Try one. Need more? Try a few. The sooner you get started, the sooner that free money can hit your account!
Top Legit Ways to Get Free Money Now
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$20 Bonus With Recurring Investments
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Investment App With a Dividend Match
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Highly Ranked High-Yield Savings Account
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Get Paid for Surveys + Games ($1 Bonus)
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Primary Rating:
4.2
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Primary Rating:
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Primary Rating:
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Acorns Bronze: $4/mo. Acorns Silver: $8/mo. Acorns Gold: $12/mo.
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Free to access, no commissions on stocks and ETFs.
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3.65% APY. No monthly account service fees.
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Free to use, users are paid.
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Can You Get Free Money (And Is It Really Free)?
Yes, there is indeed such a thing as free money.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t any strings attached. In many cases, offers of free money are one-time deals that involve, say, signing up for a new account. In other cases, it might involve you continuously committing money to something that you already planned on dedicating funds toward. And in still more cases, the money might not be technically “free,” but that money will be paid for spending a little time doing something that requires little or no effort.
How to Get Free Money [Online + Offline]
Like I said earlier: You have a wide range of strategies at your disposal to earn free money, both online and offline. They range from signing up for accounts to taking advantage of workplace benefits to extremely low- to no-effort side hustles.
Let’s dig in!
Related: Missing Money Registries: How to Find Unclaimed Property
1. Investment Account Sign-Up Bonuses
First up: Sign-up bonuses for starting an investment account. This is a very common way for online stock brokers to attract fresh customers—most brokers offer some sort of giveaway, though they often change over time. Below are some of our favorite brokerage sign-up bonuses.
Acorns
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
- Promotions: $20 when you sign up with our link and start making recurring investments
Acorns is an investing app geared toward young adults and millennials. It’s best known for “Round-Ups,” where Acorns rounds up purchases made on linked debit and credit cards to the nearest dollar, then invests the difference on your behalf.
The Acorns investment offering itself is a simple, automated platform that uses pre-built portfolios of ETFs to keep investors exposed to stocks and bonds, which is similar to many robo-investing offerings. Acorns’ basic approach makes it one of the best investment apps for beginners.
Here’s more about what you can expect from Acorns’ varying subscription options:
- Acorns Bronze: Includes an Acorns Invest investment account, as well as Acorns Later for tax-advantaged investment options such as Roth IRAs. Also includes Acorns Checking, a bank account that has no account fees, lets you withdraw fee-free from more than 55,000 ATMs nationwide, and is paired with a debit card that can go into your digital wallet; Smart Deposit, which allows you to automatically invest a bit of each paycheck into your Acorns accounts; and, of course, Round-Ups.
- Acorns Silver: Everything in Acorns Bronze (Acorns Invest, Later, Checking, etc.), plus Premium Education, which includes live Q&As with Acorns’ expert investment team, invite-only sessions with the Acorns Support Team, access to a quarterly market report, and more; Emergency Savings with a high APY; and a 25% bonus on Acorns Earn rewards (up to $200 per month).
- Acorns Gold: Everything in Silver, plus custom portfolios that allow you to hold individual stocks; live Q&As with financial experts; a 50% match on Acorns Earn rewards (up to $200 per month); $10,000 in life insurance; even the ability to set up a will for free. Parents also get Acorns Early access for up to four children. And Gold is the only way to unlock Acorns Early Invest: a custodial account for your child that lets you invest for them while they’re a minor.
Learn more in our Acorns review, or use our link to sign up with Acorns today.
- Acorns allows you to sign up for investment, retirement, and checking accounts for you and your family, learn how to earn more money, and grow your investing knowledge.
- Famous for investing spare change automatically through Round-Ups, this all-in-one financial app helps younger generations start investing earlier.
- Invest in expert-built portfolios made up of diversified ETFs.
- Silver tier includes perks such as a 25% match on Acorns Earn rewards (up to $200/mo.), generous APYs on Checking and Emergency Fund, and live Q&As with investing experts.
- Gold tier includes perks such as a 50% match on Acorns Earn rewards (up to $200/mo.), $10,000 in life insurance, and picking individual stocks for your portfolio.
- Gold also comes with a free Acorns Early account for up to four children. It's also the only tier to offer Acorns Early Invest: a UGMA/UTMA custodial account where you can save toward your kids' future and get a 1% match on up to $7,000 in contributions annually.
- Earn even more with Later Match: Acorns will match up to 1% (Silver) or 3% (Gold) of all new IRA contributions in your first year.*
- Special offer: Get a free $20 bonus investment when you sign up with our link and start making recurring investments.**
- Robo-advisor with affordable fees (on larger portfolios)
- Fixed fee model
- Round-ups
- FDIC/SIPC insurance
- IRA match (Personal Plus and Premium)
- High fixed fees for small balances
- Limited investment selections
- Must subscribe to Premium for any self-directed investing options
Related: 8 Best Acorns Alternatives [Better Micro-Investing Apps]
Moomoo (Up to $1,000 in NVDA Stock)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Desktop app (Windows, Mac), web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
- Promotion: Up to $1,000 in free NVDA stock with qualifying deposit
Moomoo is a cost-friendly trading platform that offers no-commission stocks, ETFs, and options, and no contract fees on equity options.
While Moomoo is great for advanced traders, offering powerful tools to empower your trading insights and strategies, its differentiated approach (simple interfaces and high ease of use) make it a match for some intermediate and beginner investors, too. The desktop platform is highly customizable, while the mobile app is straightforward, allowing you to search for stocks and trade with minimal hassle.
But again: Moomoo has more than enough under the hood for advanced traders to get the job done. Its charting system, for instance, includes 62 technical analysis indicators and 22 drawing tools. You can set up alerts based on changes in price, bids, turnover ratio, and more. Free Level 2 market data helps you get a greater understanding of a stock’s value, determine how liquid a stock truly really is, and better time your trades. You can even enjoy 24/7 financial news handpicked by Moomoo’s editorial team.
Moomoo is currently offering new users a deposit bonus of up to $1,000 in free NVDA shares. Use our link to open a new brokerage account with Moomoo. Make a deposit within the promotional period. Amount of stock is determined by deposit size; $100 or greater gets $20 in stock; $2,000 or greater gets $50 in stock, $10,000 or greater gets $300 in stock, and $50,000 or greater gets $1,000 in stock.
- Moomoo is an all-in-one investment app geared toward stock, ETF, and options traders who want to work with real-time market data at the ready.
- The service offers free Level 2 market data, offering more insight into the trading activity below the NBBO surface shown on many financial data sites.
- Use the service's powerful stock charting software capabilities to find trading opportunities.
- Get a great return on uninvested cash: Moomoo currently offers a 4.1% APY from its cash sweep program, though current promo offers 8.1% for a limited time.
- Special offer: New users get up to $1,000 in free NVDA stock when they sign up using our link and make a qualifying deposit,* as well as a three-month APY boost (to a total 8.1% APY on uninvested cash).
- Additional special offer for transfers: New customers who transfer assets into a Moomoo account can also receive a 3% match on their transfer up to $20,000 (for a reward cap of $600). New users who transfer in $50,000 or more and maintain for three days will also receive two suite tickets to a New York Mets game.
- Free Level 2 market data
- Free powerful stock charting software
- Free paper trading
- Low margin rates
- Fewer features than peers
- No robo-advisor functionality
Related: 16 Best Stock Research + Analysis Apps, Tools and Software
Webull ($3-$300 in Fractional Shares, APY Boost + Free Premium)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Desktop app (Windows, Mac, Linux), web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
- Promotion: 1 free month of Premium, 1 month of boosted APY, 10 fractional shares worth $3-$300
Webull is a wallet-friendly brokerage account that offers no-commission stocks, ETFs, and options, charges $0 contract fees on many options, and requires no deposit minimums.
It also offers fractional-share investing, which allows investors to start buying for as little as $1. That means beginners working with small dollar amounts can still easily diversify their portfolio across numerous investments. Newer investors can also learn trading skills through the courses in Webull’s education center, and even practice their skills via Webull’s paper trading service.
Webull is available across just about every platform, allowing you to research, trade, and track your stocks on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop. Other features include charting tools, customizable screeners, free real-time stock quotes and stock alerts, preset lists, voice commands, and more. It also offers extended trading hours (pre- and after-market trading) and 24/7 online help.
You can also subscribe to the paid Webull Premium tier, which provides a higher APY on uninvested cash, IRA rollover and transfer matches, higher IRA contribution matches, better margin rates, and more.
On top of all that, Webull frequently runs promotions that typically involve earning free stock.
Currently, Webull is offering new users a litany of bonuses connected to making an initial deposit. Here’s how to collect a free month of Premium, an APY boost, and $3-$300 in fractional stock: Use our link to sign up with Webull and get a free month of Premium just for opening your account. Deposit at least 1¢ and get one month of boosted APY in Webull Cash Management. Deposit at least $100 and receive 10 fractional shares worth between $3 and $300.
- Webull is a low-cost trading and investing app that allows you to invest in stocks, ETFs, options, futures, commodities, and crypto, and even participate in initial public offerings (IPOs).
- No-commission stock, ETF, and option trades (and many options have $0 contract fees).
- Trading features such as charting tools, technical indicators, customizable screeners, real-time stock alerts, and group orders.
- Let Webull manage your money for you with Webull Smart Advisor, which combines Webull's in-house investment expertise and artificial intelligence to build, manage, and rebalance an ETF portfolio for you.
- Sign up for Webull Cash Management to earn up to a 3.6% APY on uninvested cash.*
- New users get one free month of Nasdaq TotalView's Level 2 Quotes service. (That subscription costs $2.99/mo. thereafter.)
- Subscribe to Webull Premium and receive a premium APY on uninvested cash in individual and joint cash accounts, premium margin rates, a 3% match when you transfer or roll over your IRA, and an extra 3.5% match on qualifying IRA contributions.
- Special offer: Open an account and get one free month of Premium, make an initial deposit of at least 1¢ to unlock a one-month 1.4% APY boost*, and deposit $100 to receive 10 free fractional shares worth between $3 and $300.**
- Good selection of available investments
- Fractional shares
- Powerful technical analysis tools
- Offers robo-advisory services
- Accessible to beginning and intermediate users
- Voice commands
- Offers highly competitive APY through Webull Cash Management
- Does not support mutual funds
Related: 8 Best Instant Sign-Up Bonus Apps [Grab Free Cash Instantly]
2. 401(k) Matches
A 401(k) match, if offered by your company, is one of the easiest ways to get a notable amount of free money. Remember: These employer-sponsored retirement accounts already help you financially because of their tax advantages. But many employers also will match your 401(k) contributions, up to a predetermined percentage or dollar amount.
Let’s pretend your company offers a 100% match on contributions up to 3% of your annual income. If you make $70,000 per year and contribute 3% to the account, you would be contributing $2,100. Your company would then contribute an additional $2,100 to your account—with no extra work needed from you. So while you might not always max out your 401(k), I suggest at least contributing up to what your company will match.
After all: It’s free money!
3. Dividend Match
While extremely uncommon, one brokerage platform has begun offering a dividend match for investors.
Earn a Dividend Match With Plynk**
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
Plynk® is an investing app designed to not only help you start putting your money to work, but teach you about the markets and your money along the way—and now it will help you grow your dividend income.
The Plynk app charges no account opening fees and lets you start investing with as little as $1. It offers commission-free trades on 5,000 stocks and nearly 2,000 ETFs, and also provides access to more than 50 mutual funds and four cryptocurrencies. You can use the app as a traditional brokerage account, but if you’d prefer the potential tax advantages of retirement accounts, the Plynk app also allows you to open traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs.
One of the app’s newest features is a dividend match. Plynk will provide a cash match of 25% on dividends generated within the account, allowing you to earn up to $250 extra annually.
Among Plynk’s other features: expert ratings on stocks and funds, automatic investing, a 52-week investment ramp-up program, simulated trading, virtual portfolios, and more.
Begin today: Sign up with Plynk using our exclusive link to kick-start your investing journey.
- Plynk® is a dividend-friendly app that offers commission-free trades* on 5,000 stocks and more than 3,400 ETFs, and also supports mutual funds and cryptocurrencies.
- Plynk offers a cash match of 25% on dividend income that allows you to earn up to $250 extra each year.**
- Track your dividends and interest with Income Hub.
- Earn a 3.33% APY on uninvested cash.
- Plynk charges no account opening fees, and you can start investing for as little as $1.
- No account fees
- Smart design and smooth user experience
- Fractional shares
- Designed for beginning investors
- Virtual portfolios and simulated trading
- 25% dividend match
- Earn interest on uninvested cash
- One of the best automated investing programs we've seen (Steady Start)
- Elite educational resources and tools
- Lacks features such as options trading and advanced charting that more experienced traders prefer
Related: 6 Best Money Market Funds [Protect Your Savings in 2026]
4. Bank Account Sign-Up Bonuses
It’s also very common for banks to offer modest sign-up bonuses, typically on checking and savings accounts.
CIT Bank Platinum Savings (Earn an Extra 0.5% APY for 6 Months)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile (iOS, Android)
The CIT Bank Platinum Savings account is a free, FDIC-insured account offering a competitive APY that you can boost for six months when you sign up today.
This savings account features no account opening fee nor monthly service fee, and it takes just five minutes to open. You can use the CIT Bank mobile app to manage your account, deposit checks from your mobile device, and make transfers. And you can have peace of mind knowing that all deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
While the account features a low minimum deposit of $100, you receive a significantly higher APY (detailed below) if your balance is $5,000 or more. But no matter how much you have deposited, if you sign up via our link and use the promo code BOOST50, you’ll receive a 0.5% APY bonus for six months from account opening.
- CIT Bank's Platinum Savings Account is a high-yield savings account (HYSA) that currently pays a 4.25% annual percentage yield (APY) if you hold a balance of $5,000 or more.¹ That's roughly 10 times the national average.²
- CIT Bank offers competitive interest rates on numerous other products, including certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs).
- Quick, easy signup process and a low $100 minimum deposit.
- Deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
- CIT Bank is an online banking division of First Citizens Bank, which has provided financial services for more than 125 years.
- Special offer: Sign up with our link and use promo code BOOST50 to receive a 0.50% APY bonus for six months from your account opening.
For a complete list of account details and fees, see our Personal Account disclosures. See additional disclosures for Platinum Savings here.
- Competitive interest rates (for balances of $5,000 or more)
- Temporary APY boost
- Low minimum deposit ($100)
- Mobile banking features
Related: 10 Surprisingly Free Things Home Depot Offers
5. Shopping Rewards
If you’re going to shop anyways, why not earn some free money online while you’re at it? Let’s look at apps that dole out shopping rewards.
Pogo (Cash Back on Everything)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web (extension), mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
Pogo is a wide-ranging rewards-and-cash-back app that’s easy to use (and in many cases, automatic).
You can link your cards to Pogo and accumulate rewards from the shopping you do already—no opt-ins or coupon-clicking necessary. The app also automatically rewards you for playing games, scrolling your favorite social apps, and even for chatting with a connected ChatGPT account.
Among other ways to earn:
- Scanning receipts
- Linking your email and retailer accounts for e-receipt rewards
- Paid surveys and interviews about brands
- Class action settlements (beta)
Some of the most popular cashout methods are PayPal and gift cards to Target, Walmart, and Amazon, but there are dozens of other options to choose from. You can redeem rewards from the mobile app as soon as you reach at least $3.
In addition to earning you money, Pogo can save you money too. It can scan your bank account for sneaky fees you can be reimbursed for, helps you find lower auto insurance rates, and sends location-based offers straight to your phone when you enter a store.
Sign up for Pogo to enjoy passive earnings. (Note: If you’re signing up from a desktop, go to “Pogo for Consumers.”)
Related: How to Make $20 Fast [14 Legit Ways to Get Free $ Instantly]
6. Passive Income: Interest on a High-Yield Savings Account
If you want to receive a continuous stream of free money, you’ll want to look into earning passive income—money that just trickles in without you having to do anything.
One of the most basic, easiest-to-access forms of passive income comes from a high-yield savings account. As the name suggests, these accounts earn far more money than a standard savings account. And as long as you’re not paying any monthly fees, any income you earn from the account is effectively free money.
Save + Earn a High Yield With CIT Bank
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile (iOS, Android)
CIT Bank’s high-yield Savings Connect account is a free, FDIC-insured account offering an extremely competitive APY given its low $100 minimum initial deposit.
Like with Platinum Savings, Savings Connect charges no account opening fees nor monthly service fees. It’s easy to open, you can manage it with the CIT Bank mobile app, and all deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
Use our link to sign up for CIT Bank Savings Connect today.
- CIT Bank's Savings Connect account is a high-yield savings account (HYSA) that currently pays a 3.65% annual percentage yield (APY). That's nearly 10 times the national average.*
- CIT Bank offers competitive interest rates on numerous other products, including certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts (MMAs).
- Quick, easy signup process and a low $100 minimum deposit.
- Deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor.
- CIT Bank is an online banking division of First Citizens Bank, which has provided financial services for more than 125 years.
For a complete list of account details and fees, see our Personal Account disclosures.
- Competitive interest rates
- Low minimum deposit ($100)
- Mobile banking features
Related: Best Savings Account Alternatives [9 Other Ways to Save]
7. Survey Sites
Get cash just for sharing your thoughts through paid survey sites. It’s not exactly the most lucrative side hustle, but it is a way to earn money with virtually zero effort.
Sproutful ($1 Sign-Up Bonus)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Desktop, mobile web (Apple iOS, Android)
- Promotion: 100-point sign-up bonus
Sproutful is a free platform that offers you real money just by playing mobile games and sharing your opinion. And it features one of the most flexible sets of payout options in the industry.
Getting started is simple: You sign up for free. Then you start taking paid surveys, or playing a variety of games (casual, puzzles, board games, adventure/RPG, slots, and more). You earn points, which you can redeem once you’ve accumulated just $5 worth of earnings.
Sproutful allows users to cash out via PayPal or Venmo, or get paid via gift cards from literally hundreds of brands, including Airbnb, Amazon, Apple, DoorDash, Google, PlayStation, Spotify, Starbucks, Uber, and Walmart. That’s one of the broadest payout selections among paid-survey sites we cover.
While this is one of the newest such apps on the market, it has quickly built up a sterling reputation, earning an “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot.
Join Sproutful’s 100,000-plus users by signing up with our link, and you’ll enjoy a free points bonus (detailed in the box below).
- Sproutful lets you earn money just for sharing your opinion, playing games, and more.
- Sproutful offers one of the widest selections of cash-out options among paid-survey sites we rate. You can cash out through PayPal, Venmo, or hundreds of gift cards from brands such as Amazon, Starbucks, Uber, DoorDash, Spotify, and PlayStation.
- Active users can earn up to $200 a month.
- Minimum cash-out: $5 (500 points).
- Age restrictions: Must be at least 18 years old to participate.
- Special offer: Sign up with our link and receive a 100-point ($1) bonus!
- Pays you for easy tasks
- Offers cash back via PayPal or Venmo
- Offers gift cards from 200+ merchants
- Points bonus
- Rated "Excellent" on Trustpilot
- Not a lucrative side hustle
Related: 12 Free Things for Seniors to Do
Swagbucks ($10 Bonus)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile app (iOS, Android)
- Promotion: $10 sign-up bonus
Making money online through Swagbucks is simple. Swagbucks lets users earn Swagbucks points (SBs) by completing simple tasks—that includes taking surveys, yes, but also shopping online, playing video games, or even just doing web searches.
Users can redeem SBs for gift cards from popular retailers, such as Apple, Amazon, and Target; the website awards more than 7,000 gift cards every day. However, if you just want cash, you can redeem points that way, too, and receive the money in a PayPal account.
You can typically earn a free bonus for signing up for Swagbucks via our link. You can also earn additional money by referring friends to the app.
- Get paid to answer surveys, watch videos, and shop online with Swagbucks.
- Earn "SB," which you can redeem for PayPal cash, prepaid Mastercards, or gift cards at dozens of retailers, including Amazon, Target, Dunkin', and GameStop.
- Minimum cash-out: Amazon gift cards: $1 (100 SB); most other cards: $3 (300 SB); PayPal: $25 (2,500 SB).
- Age restrictions: Must be at least 13 years old to participate.
- Special offer: New users receive a $10 bonus when you spend at least $25.*
- Pays you for easy tasks
- Offers gift cards from numerous merchants
- Offers cash back
- Teens can participate (ages 13+)
- Not a lucrative side hustle
Survey Junkie (Paid Surveys)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile app (iOS, Android)
Survey Junkie is a paid-survey service that’s trusted by millions of users. The platform matches users with surveys that are most relevant to them. You complete surveys on your own time and earn points for doing so.
Each point earned through Survey Junkie is worth 1¢. Once you have at least $5 worth of Survey Junkie points, you can redeem them for virtual gift cards from popular merchants including Starbucks, Target, and iTunes. You can also get Visa gift cards or even receive cash back via PayPal or bank transfer.
- Survey Junkie lets you get paid for taking surveys and sharing your online browsing history.
- On average, members who take 3 surveys daily and opt-in to share their browsing info earn as much as $40 per month.
- Survey Junkie points can be redeemed for rewards including cash through PayPal or bank transfer and gift cards for Amazon, Target, Walmart, Sephora, Starbucks, Visa, iTunes, and more.
- Minimum cash-out: $5 (500 points).
- Age restrictions: Must be at least 18 years old to participate.
- Pays you for easy tasks
- Offers gift cards from numerous merchants
- Offers cash back
- Some teens can participate (ages 16+)
- Not a lucrative side hustle
Related: Is It Better to Pay With Cash or a Credit Card? The Answer: It Depends
Surveys On The Go (Survey App That Pays)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Mobile App (Apple iOS, Android)
Surveys On The Go is a simple paid-survey app that rewards you for other activities and even doing nothing.
As the name suggests, surveys are at the core of this rewards app. Surveys pop up on your phone and you get paid for the ones you take. You can also find surveys in the Surveys section of your Home tab. Diary surveys, which are completed over multiple days, are worth the most, with payouts ranging from $20 to $50.
Surveys on the Go also has a pair of data-sharing programs:
- With Link & Earn, you connect accounts such as Gmail, Amazon, and ChatGPT; every merchant pays you a welcome bonus, as well as a monthly payout for every month you’re active and meet activity requirements.
- Payday is a separate program within Surveys On The Go that encourages weekly data-sharing. After you enroll, which means granting location and digital survey access, you receive weekly Payday rewards. The longer you’re active, the more you earn. Sometimes, Bonus Gigs, such as app downloads, are also available and earn points.
Your data is anonymized, meaning it can’t be traced back to you.
To earn even more, you can do in-home product testing or even refer your friends. And you can cash out through PayPal, Amazon, Venmo, Visa, or Starbucks once you’ve earned as little as $10. Use our link to sign up with Surveys On The Go.
8. Online Games
Companies need to conduct user testing, and they’ll pay to have it done. All you need to do is find paid gaming opportunities through a website that connects companies to players.
Scrambly (Play Games, Try Apps, Earn Money)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web
Scrambly rewards you for a number of tasks, including completing online surveys, testing companies’ products, and playing games on their phones.
In exchange for completing tasks, you get coins that can be exchanged for cash back to a PayPal account, Visa gift cards, or gift cards to a small number of vendors, including Amazon, Google Play, and Apple. And if users invite friends, they earn a commission on their friends’ lifetime earnings.
The survey aspect of the site is pretty straightforward—you’ll receive questionnaires similar to what you get with other paid survey sites. But what makes Scrambly stand out is the ability to earn money by trying out products and services from the likes of AARP, Cash App Taxes, and Disney+.
There is no minimum or maximum amount of time you have to spend. You can do this occasionally for just a bit more spending cash or more frequently to rack up rewards faster.
- Scrambly pays you for a variety of tasks, including testing out apps and games, and filling out surveys.
- Cash out instantly with PayPal cash or gift cards.
- Minimum cash-out: $1 (1,000 coins) for PayPal, $5 (5,000 coins) for gift cards.
- Age restrictions: Must be at least 16 years old to participate.
- Special Offer: Sign up with our link and get 500 coins, then get another 5,000 coins when you've earned your first 5,000 coins.
- Pays you for easy tasks
- Offers gift cards from numerous merchants
- Offers cash back
- Low payout minimum
- Teens can participate (ages 16+)
- Not a lucrative side hustle
- No iOS app
- Gift card program supports a small number of vendors
Related: 10 Fun Jobs That Pay Well
9. Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
Many premium credit cards offer sign-up bonuses for new users who spend a minimum amount of money within a predetermined time frame. Assuming users only make purchases they would have regardless of the new card, the sign-up bonus is free money.
However, some credit cards have a potential catch: Namely, those with generous sign-up bonuses often charge an annual fee. While this fee is usually waived the first year, it can eat up one’s sign-up bonus later. My advice? Ignore great promotional freebies on annual-fee cards, and instead seek out simply good bonuses on no-fee cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited ($200 in Free Money)
The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card has no annual fee. Its current sign-up bonus is a healthy $200 in free money as long as you spend $500 on qualified purchases within the first three months. That $500 threshold is quite low compared to many other credit card sign-up bonus requirements, which can range into the thousands of dollars—putting you at risk of drowning in credit card debt just to nab a bonus.
Chase Freedom Unlimited also offers generous cash-back rewards:
- 5% cash back on travel purchases booked using the card through the Ultimate Rewards program.
- 3% cash back on purchases at drugstores and restaurants
- 1.5% cash back for every $1 spent in all other categories (excluding gambling).
Points never expire as long as the account remains open.
Related: 49 Best Money-Making Apps That Pay You Real Money
10. Utility Energy Efficiency Programs
Utility energy efficiency programs try to help people use less energy while still fully meeting their energy needs. Consuming less energy reduces energy bills, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, helps utility planners manage energy supply, and more.
The programs available to you depend on where you live, as states have their own programs that often complement federal energy efficiency programs. I suggest checking with the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency—an excellent resource for finding policies and incentives (including any free money opportunities) that your state offers.
11. Cash-Back Apps
Cash-back apps are simple: Spend money, then get some of it back.
Upside (Earn Cash Back)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Mobile app (iOS, Android)
Upside lets users earn cash back on purchases with minimal extra effort.
Upside can provide cash back at grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, and it can work alongside other discounts, coupons, and loyalty programs. And there’s no limit to how much you can earn.
Here’s how it works: You claim an offer through the app, then pay as you normally would with a credit card or debit card. From there, you either “Check In” your purchase (or upload a photo of the receipt), and cash back will be deposited into your Upside account. Finally, you can cash out via bank transfer or e-gift card.
And if you sign up through our link and use promo code YOUNGINV26, you’ll get an extra 25¢/gallon bonus on your first fill-up.
- Upside lets users earn cash back on gas, restaurant, grocery, and other purchases with minimal extra effort.
- Check into the app to log your purchases, or upload a photo of your receipt, to earn cash-back rewards.
- Minimum cash-out: None for direct bank cash-outs, but a $1 fee is applied to withdrawals of less than $10. None for gift cards generally, but certain cards may have minimum thresholds.
- Age restrictions: Must be at least 16 years old to participate. Teens age 16 and 17 must have parental consent.
- Special offer: Use promo code YOUNGINV25 to get an extra 25¢/gallon bonus on your first fill-up. This applies on top of any offers you see in the app. (Thus, if you see a 15¢/gallon offer from a local station, this bonus applies on top of that.)
- Easily earn cash back for everyday purchases
- Offers gift cards
- Offers cash back
- No minimum cash-out amount
- Some teens can participate (16+)
- Fees apply to small cash-out amounts
12. IRA Matches
Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are another type of retirement account that enjoys certain tax benefits. However, unlike with 401(k)s, which are run through employers and often offer a match, you directly open up an IRA through a broker, and brokers rarely offer matches on IRA funds.
Rarely … but not never.
Acorns (1% or 3% Match on Acorns Later)
- Available: Sign up here
- Platforms: Web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
- Promotions: $20 when you sign up with our link and start making recurring investments
The aforementioned Acorns app also offers a powerful way to accelerate your savings: Later Match.
While most people are aware that employers will sometimes match funds you contribute to your 401(k), “matches” are virtually unheard of in retirement accounts like IRAs, where there’s no employer to kick in extra cash. However, Acorns itself will match 1% or 3% on new contributions to Acorns Later IRAs for Silver and Gold subscribers, respectively.
Learn more in our Acorns review, or use our link to sign up with Acorns today.
- Acorns allows you to sign up for investment, retirement, and checking accounts for you and your family, learn how to earn more money, and grow your investing knowledge.
- Famous for investing spare change automatically through Round-Ups, this all-in-one financial app helps younger generations start investing earlier.
- Invest in expert-built portfolios made up of diversified ETFs.
- Silver tier includes perks such as a 25% match on Acorns Earn rewards (up to $200/mo.), generous APYs on Checking and Emergency Fund, and live Q&As with investing experts.
- Gold tier includes perks such as a 50% match on Acorns Earn rewards (up to $200/mo.), $10,000 in life insurance, and picking individual stocks for your portfolio.
- Gold also comes with a free Acorns Early account for up to four children. It's also the only tier to offer Acorns Early Invest: a UGMA/UTMA custodial account where you can save toward your kids' future and get a 1% match on up to $7,000 in contributions annually.
- Earn even more with Later Match: Acorns will match up to 1% (Silver) or 3% (Gold) of all new IRA contributions in your first year.*
- Special offer: Get a free $20 bonus investment when you sign up with our link and start making recurring investments.**
- Robo-advisor with affordable fees (on larger portfolios)
- Fixed fee model
- Round-ups
- FDIC/SIPC insurance
- IRA match (Personal Plus and Premium)
- High fixed fees for small balances
- Limited investment selections
- Must subscribe to Premium for any self-directed investing options
Related: 8 Best Stock Picking Services, Subscriptions & Sites
13. Apply for Scholarships
If you’re headed off to college, you have access to one of the biggest free-money opportunities of all: scholarships. Scholarships are financial awards that help students pay for college—some are merit-based (school grades and test scores), some are based on financial need, and still more are awarded to specific groups of people.
14. Refer Friends to Various Services
Have a service you love using? That service wants more customers—and many will happily pay you for referring others to use them. (Don’t believe me? Well, services like Uber and Airbnb grew in popularity in large part because of their referral programs!)
Interestingly, service referrals involve free money not just for you, but whoever you’re referring. For example: Let’s say you refer a friend to your favorite hair stylist; you and your friend might both receive $20 coupons. (Just make sure you’re only referring people to services you actually enjoy; otherwise, you’re going to annoy your friends.)
Related: 11 Best Apps That Give You Money for Signing Up [Free Money]
15. See If You’re Due a Refund / Check Eligibility for Tax Credits and Deductions
Millions of tax refunds go undelivered or unclaimed each year. If you were expecting a federal tax return that never arrived, use the government’s Where’s My Refund? page.
It’s also worth checking to see if you’re eligible for various tax breaks for the current tax year, such as the earned income tax credit or various educational tax credits and deductions.
How to Get Free Money: FAQs
Do I need to pay taxes on free money?
I wish I could give you a one-size-fits-all answer to whether you need to pay taxes on free money—but it depends on the type of free cash you’ve received.
For instance, you’re supposed to pay taxes on sign-up bonuses. However, free money in the form of college scholarships is typically tax-free as long as the student uses the funds to pay for qualified educational expenses at an eligible institution.
So, whenever you receive free money, always check to see whether that specific type of money is taxable.
How can I find unclaimed money?
Unfortunately, there is no singular government database for all unclaimed funds. However, there is a USA.gov page that provides you with links to various databases or agencies where you can find unclaimed money that you might be owed for a variety of reasons. (You might be owed unclaimed money from employers, insurance companies, investments, bank failures, savings bonds, bankruptcies, and more.)
Is there a catch when you get free money?
All of the ways to get free money that I’ve listed in this article are crystal-clear about what you need to do to receive that money. So as long as you understand what’s required of you, there is no catch.
But if you’re looking at other ways to earn free money, read the instructions and fine print carefully. Many scams promise that you’ll win money but end up having you send sensitive information (or even money!) to disreputable companies or individuals.
How else can I earn extra money?
You can always work more, but I suggest trying to layer the free money you’re able to earn. For instance, one of the best ways to get extra money is through passive income streams and investments, such as high-yield savings accounts and dividend stocks. The best aspect of passive income streams is that they aren’t a one-time deal—they can continuously make you money.
Can I redeem gift cards for other money?
Yes! Don’t let gift cards you’ll never use go to waste! Whether a relative got you a gift card for a store you don’t enjoy, or you have too little left on a gift card to make good use of it, you can still make use of your unused balance.
Read More on WealthUpdate
- From Complimentary to Costly: 10 Previous Freebies You Now Have to Pay For
- 10 Costs You Can Negotiate to Save Money
- 10 Frugal Life Hacks From Around the World
Disclosures
Plynk
All Plynk disclosures can be viewed here.
Moomoo
Moomoo’s parent company is Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings Ltd (FUTU). Their subsidiaries are licensed and regulated in the United States, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.
