How to Make $50 Fast During COVID-19: 22 Real Ideas

Step by step guide to making 50 dollars fast. For college students, new graduates, or anyone needing extra cash.

Now I’ve got 22 legitimate ways to make money fast during COVID-19, even if you need to make $50 fast. Learn how to make 50 dollars fast today during the pandemic.

Because I get it; saving money is great. But what’s even better? Making money.

That may be surprising coming from a site called SavingJunkie, but if it’s one thing that I wanted to share with you all today is, making more money pays off in the long run over finding ways to save.

The key to FIRE (financial independence, early retirement) is finding ways to boost your income and finding ways to make money through gig economy apps and side hustles (which I’ll share here today).

These are some little-known ways to make money that anyone can fit into the busiest of schedules.

If you’re strapped for time, I’ll go ahead and share the best ways to make $50 fast:

How to Make Money $50 Fast

Wondering how to make $50 fast? You can make 50 dollars fast in 2021 by renting a spare room, investing money, starting a blog, online surveys, podcasting, and teaching English online just to name a few lucrative methods. If you wanted to see the full list, continue reading.

how to make 500 dollars fast

#1: Lower Your Annual Bills by $50

Wondering how to make $50 fast? Well, you can earn extra cash by letting bill negotiation services lower your bills.

bill negotiation services

Your annual savings could be over $50 in some cases.

These types of services are free to sign up and only requires a small amount of information.

SIDE GIGTYPE OF WORK

truebill

Easily cancel unwanted subscriptions
80% of people save money by using Truebill to find and cancel unwanted subscriptions!

Easily track your spending
Start a savings account
Easily lower bills

billshark

Let BillShark negotiate your bills
Save 25% on monthly bills in 2 minutes with Billshark

Has a 90% success rate to lower your bills
Can lower your internet, wireless, tv, satellite radio bills and many more
Get estimated savings in minutes
trim
Lower your internet, cable and phone bills
Don't pay full price. Let Trim find ways to save on your bill and do the work negotiating it lowering for you.

Sign up for free
As seen as Fortune, The New York Times, NBC News, TechCrunch
Uses bank-level security with 256-bit SSL encryption to keep your data safe

#2:  Make $50 Fast with Online Surveys

Taking online surveys to make $50 fast is a no-brainer!

You definitely won’t get rich or make hundreds of dollars per day with surveys alone, but you won’t waste much time, and you can make some money the easy way. Here is my favorite (and highest paying) survey sites:

  • Survey Junkie: This is a free survey app for your phone that pays you to take online surveys, participate in focus groups, and try new products. And, I really mean free all around – free to join and they don’t charge anything to be a member (they will actually pay you in cash via PayPal). You can get a free registration bonus for free when you join through this link.
  • Swagbucks is another great survey site to make some extra money in your free time. As a new member, you can earn up to $35 per survey! They are known for giving out fun, top-paying surveys. And you can also get paid to play games and watch TV. Swagbucks is conveniently offering a $10 bonus just for signing up through this link, so act fast.

There are quite a lot of survey sites out there. These just happen to be the more reputable ones that are legit. As always, be wary of handing out your information to random survey sites. I recommend using an entirely separate email address for online paid survey sites so you don’t clutter your inbox.

If you are interested in paid surveys, here is a good resource if you want a more in-depth review of paid survey sites you can see which ones pay $100 per survey.

#3: Collect $50 from This App

This is an easy way to make passive income just by downloading an app that tracks your internet usage. If you are looking for how to make money at home without a job, this may not be your best choice but if you want easy money — it is.

By using the internet as you do every day, Nielsen invites you to make a difference – and you can make money too.

You don’t even have to do anything other than registering your computer or phone. Nielsen will pay you $50 a year to keep their app on your favorite internet browsing device and they also give away $10,000 each month. 

So you can possibly make more than $50 for no effort at all. You can try it out with a registration bonus.

AppDescription
nielsenNielsen
★★★★★

Nielsen Mobile Panel allows you to download its app on your favorite internet-browsing device and it'll pay you $50 per device. It takes a few minutes to sign up, a no brainer for passive income.
GET STARTED >>

#4: Make $50 Watching Videos

All you need to do to help you learn how to make $50 fast is watch videos and is a way to make money with no money.

Given how easy it is to lose yourself in a never-ending cycle of YouTube videos, this one couldn’t be easier. The catch here? The videos include ads.

While they may annoy you while browsing YouTube, you also don’t get paid to watch them. At InboxDollars, you do. Who wouldn’t watch an ad or two if they were getting paid? You can just leave this playing on your phone and collect money, this is referred to as phone farming.

AppDescription
inboxdollarsInboxDollars
★★★★★

InboxDollars is a popular cash rewards and survey site. You won't make get rich, but it's a legitimate site if you want to earn some extra cash in your spare time for watching videos, playing games, or taking surveys.
SIGN UP

#5: Save $50 Fast with Current

This is one of the most common ways people waste money (even if you’re money savvy). My bank charges me a monthly maintenance fee, out-of-network ATM fees, overdraft fees, and the list goes on. It’s likely your bank does the same unless you’re hip to newer mobile banks like Current. Current is free to apply and only takes two minutes!

make money with current

I haven’t even mentioned my favorite part – if you set up direct deposit with Current you get paid two days earlier. I usually get paid bi-weekly on Fridays, before using Current, now I get paid every Wednesday.

There are plenty of things in life worth waiting for. Your money isn’t one of them. With Current, you can get paid up to 2 days early when you sign up in less than 2 minutes.

#6: Get Up to $225 in Free Stocks

We all heard the old saying “make your money work for you” right? Investing can sound tough if you don’t have a lot of money lying around. But investing can be for everyone — and you can even get a free stock.

For about 3 minutes of work, you can earn yourself a random stock (anything from Sprint to Apple) whose value is anywhere between $3.00 and $225.”

This is possible through an investing app called Robinhood. They are currently running a sign-up bonus through this link — which will give you a completely random stock worth up to $225 once you sign up.

There are no obligations to actually invest your money once you sign up – so it truly is free money.

AppDescription
robinhoodRobinhood
★★★★★

Robinhood is a great investing app for new and experienced investors. Their commission-free stock, bond, ETF, mutual fund, and cryptocurrency investing platform is intuitive and can make you a better investor. New members, can get a free stock worth up to $225.
GET STARTED >>

#7: Make $50 Fast Playing Solitaire

If you like playing solitaire then you’ll love Solitaire Cube. This is an addicting game where you can compete in cash tournaments and head-to-head competitions for real prizes.

It’s pretty easy to get started and the game will match you up with other players who have the same level of skills in real-time. Cash outs are through PayPal and I had no issues withdrawing or depositing money.

How to play? Stack cards into piles to sort them by their suit. Sound easy? It is! You can download it here.

AppDescription
solitairecubeSolitaire Cube
★★★★★

You can win cash by playing the classic solitaire game re-imagined on Solitaire Cube. This app is a fun way to gain a little side money.
DOWNLOAD

#8: Earn Rewards for Grocery Shopping

This is one of the easiest side hustles there is (this list has a lot of them). The app you should know about is Ibotta. This cell phone app is available for iOS or Android phones, helps you get paid to shop.

Yup, for real! You use it after you go grocery shopping and use your receipt. It’s basically a rebate app, so you can earn anywhere from 50 cents to $5 off everything you buy. It’s not brand specific either, you can scan any brand of cheese for 50 cents off, for example.

If you do regularly coupon, you can still use the app and get a rebate. You can essentially get grocery items for free if you’re really into couponing. It’s free and all you have to do is scan your receipt and you’ll get free money back. The best part, sign up here and you will receive a $10 cash bonus.

AppDescription
acornsIbotta
★★★★★

Ibotta is a free app that allows you to earn cash back both in-store and online. It is well worth the little bit of time it takes to download, configure, and use.
DOWNLOAD

#9: Make $50 fast with HealthyWage

HealthyWage offers people the opportunity to earn $50 fast. Earn $50 cash for losing weight?

Sounds too good to be true, but you read it right. The company was founded in 2009, and its HQ is in New York, and part of its mission is to provide ways to have a measurable impact on the growing obesity epidemic in the US.

They do this by legitimately offering cash prizes to make weight loss and fitness more fun and effective. Since HealthyWage was founded they have been featured in literally hundreds of newspapers, magazines, TV shows, blogs and websites.

How can you make money with it? You essentially bet on yourself and how much weight you can lose. Since they are promoting ways to be healthy, your winnings depend on how much weight you lose and how much you bet. While you will have to bet some money in order to make 50 dollars, if you are determined to lose weight then this will be the extra push you need.

#10: Make $50 by Blogging

If you are looking for ways to make extra money online then you probably already know about blogging. But do you have one yet? And do you really know how much potential there is to make money with blogging?

The best part? Starting a blog is easy. You can get the initial set up done in under 20 minutes with this free and easy to follow how to start a blog guide.

While starting a blog is easy, making money with it is actually pretty difficult. But if you roll up your sleeves, and do some research on how to make money with a blog — it’s possible to make $50 each month by running one.

#11: Get Up to $50 in Store Refunds

Want to make up to $50 this year in store refunds? Simply download the Capital One Shopping Price Protection app, sign up for a free account and let Capital One Shopping Price Protection monitor your inbox for online shopping receipts. Watch as Capital One Shopping Price Protection works hard to put money back in your wallet.

Capital One Shopping Price Protection is completely free. No fees, nothing your mother would frown at. Get set up in less than a minute. Link your email and Amazon account and you’re good to go. Sit back and relax. Capital One Shopping Price Protection will let you know when there are earnings to be had!

#16: Make $50 Fast Sharing Your Car

Getaround lets you earn money for sharing your car/renting it out to people. It’s also really simple to do (and free) to get started.

Listing your car is quick and easy and takes less than 10 minutes to set up. According to a recent Getaround review, somebody listed their car for 5 days every month and made $3,496 in a year. Sounds pretty good to me.

Oh, and they also protect your car against physical damage, so you’re fully covered. You can sign up here in order to get more information.

#17: Make $50 Fast by Podcasting

If you can build an audience for your podcast, then you can make some money through sponsorships, affiliate advertising, and other offerings.

Companies regularly pay $250 to $500 for a 30-second advertisement on podcasts. If you wanted to learn how to start a podcast for free, you can start here: how to start a podcast guide (really helpful).

#18: Make $50 Fast Dropshipping

A risk free way to try and make 50 dollars fast is through dropshipping.

Dropshopping is basically setting up a store and selling items that you don’t physically own. Once a buyer buys something from your Shopify store, the supplier will send it directly to them.

This is low risk because you don’t have to buy or store any products. Oberlo allows you to easily import products from AliExpress directly into your Shopify store and ship directly to your customers – in only a few clicks.

It’s very simple to open a shop on Shopify and drop ship items in order to create a business without too much risk.  You can literally start and set up a drop shipping business without any type of product in one afternoon with minimal risk as Shopify has a 14-day free trial and Oberlo is completely free.

#19: Make $50 with On-Demand Apps

With all of the on-demand apps out there today this one is an easy one. All you need to have is a car or bike, in most cases. Apps like DoorDash, Instacart, and PostMates are easy to sign up for and help you make $50 fast. There are always people that are looking for a ride or looking to get something delivered.

Another great part about doing this is that you can pick your hours. If you have 30 minutes between classes you can do a ride or two. If you are only available 8-11 at night then you can work then. It is extremely flexible and you can make good money doing it.

#20: Make $50 Fast with Dividend Investing

It’s been said that the average millionaire has seven streams of income. Dividend stocks are usually always in the mix and is a great way to make money passively.

Dividend stocks are similar to regular shares of stock, but they pay you a small portion of the companies earnings monthly or quarterly. So it’s wise to build a portfolio of dividend paying stocks.

If you want to get hip to dividend investing, check out SoFi. What I like about SoFi is that they make it really easy to invest in stocks, while still having plenty of features as you get more comfortable with investing.

They offer $0 account minimum and 0% account management fees. They also offer a free automated investing that is an attractive offers for those who want to make an income with stocks but want an expert to do it for them.

Since 2018, SoFi has charged no management fees. By comparison, major robo advisors such as Wealthfront and Betterment charge 0.25% annually.

Additionally, no matter your account balance, you can get unlimited access to SoFi’s team of financial advisers for free. SoFi also has a beautifully made app, making it easy to set up automatic transfers.

AppDescription
sofi investSoFi
★★★★★

SoFi Invest is our #1 choice for those looking to invest a small balance and double it. SoFi Invest is a worthwhile app for beginners without a ton of money to invest.
GET STARTED >>

#21: Make $50 Fast with Apps That Pay

You’re not going to get rich by downloading mobile apps that pay you, but you can use these to earn a passive income every month. Money-making apps can be a simple way to pad your bank account in your free time or earn free Amazon gift cards.

You probably know these apps aren’t my favorite way to make extra money, but I make an exception for it when you’re just hanging out — e.g. watching T.V., riding the metro, during your break at work, or in the back of an Uber. Might as well click a few buttons and make some money while you’re at it.

Here is our list of the best money making apps if you wanted to give them a shot. This also serves as a great way to learn how to make money without a job in high school or college.

#22: Make $50 fast with Fundrise

Fundrise allows you to invest in real estate and beat the stock market year after year from just an app.

Their crowdsourcing model sets them apart from traditional methods allowing the average investor to participate in deals for as little as $10.

The interesting thing about Fundrise is that it lets investors buy into private commercial and residential properties by pooling their assets through it’s app available for iOS and Android devices.

AppDescription
acornsFundrise
★★★★★

Fundrise's goal is to build the best real estate investing experience and offers a 90-day money back guarantee, making real estate a smart choice for any investor’s portfolio.
GET STARTED >>

Making $50 Fast FAQs

When you need more money, times can get difficult or even depressing. But, there is a way to combat your lack of funds:

How do I make money now ASAP?

If you need to make money now ASAP do the following: Find ways to get paid on your lunch break by taking top paying surveys with Swagbucks, join an online rewards club like Drop, use Truebill to detect potential savings in your current bills, score beer money with gaming apps like Mistplay, and earn free gift cards with InboxDollars.

How can I make money in one hour?

If you want to make money in one hour, do the following: Join a rewards site like Swagbucks or InboxDollars where you can make money consistently. Or you can earn money playing games on apps like Blackout Bingo. This app lets you play bingo for money — make $50 today. It is absolutely free to play Blackout Bingo and earn real-world rewards and cash prizes when you download through this link.

How can a beginner make money online?

Beginners can use the best survey sites to make money fast on PayPal. Free cash or free money is hard to come by but you can earn money on sites like Survey Junkie by referring friends and answering surveys to earn money online fast. You’ll never need to enter your debit card or credit card either, these paid survey sites are free to use with no broker or platform fees.

How to Make $50 Fast Summary

If you went through this list then you should have come out ahead. Enjoy your $50 (or more) and feel free to take the weekend off!

Thank me later.

One idea that I didn’t share because it won’t make you $50 (but will make you easy money) is getting paid to watch TV. If you have a few minutes to spare, give it a read and your wallet will thank me later.

Enjoyed these best ideas to make $50 fast? Then be sure to come back as I will continue to update this post often.

Want to Make Extra Money Now?
  • Arrived: $100 investment property? Arrived takes the hassle out of real estate investing by enabling you to invest in portions of rental homes for as little as $100 through this link.
  • Brigit: Want to get spotted $250? Brigit will spot you $250 when you join. There’s no catch. This app is legit and only takes two minutes to sign up for an account.
  • Survey Junkie: Want to earn up to $5 per survey? Get paid per survey for a limited time with one of the highest-paying survey sites on the web.

Featured Apps

We are on our phone a lot, right? Wouldn't it make sense to save, earn, and then invest? Check out our featured apps below.

AppDescription
robinhoodRobinhood
★★★★★

Robinhood is a great investing app for new and experienced investors. Their commission-free stock, bond, ETF, mutual fund, and cryptocurrency investing platform is intuitive and can make you a better investor. New members, can get a free stock worth up to $225.
GET STARTED >>

AppDescription
acornsFundrise
★★★★★

Fundrise's goal is to build the best real estate investing experience and offers a 90-day money back guarantee, making real estate a smart choice for any investor’s portfolio.
GET STARTED >>
AppDescription
sofi investSoFi
★★★★★

SoFi Invest is our #1 choice for those looking to invest a small balance and double it. SoFi Invest is a worthwhile app for beginners without a ton of money to invest.
GET STARTED >>
AppDescription
nielsenNielsen
★★★★★

Nielsen Mobile Panel allows you to download its app on your favorite internet-browsing device and it'll pay you $50 per device. It takes a few minutes to sign up, a no brainer for passive income.
GET STARTED >>

Author

Brian Meiggs
Brian Meiggs
Brian is the chief editor of SavingJunkie and is a personal finance expert who has spent the last few years writing about how Millennials can make smarter money moves. He has been fortunate enough to have appeared in several online publications, including Yahoo! Finance, NASDAQ, MSN Money, AOL, Discover Bank, GOBankingRates, and more. He is also diversifying his portfolio by adding a little bit of real estate. But not rental homes, because he doesn't want a second job, it's diversified small investments in hands off real estate investing via an app called Fundrise.