These are five better ways to get your hands on money, instead of borrowing it from friends and family. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing...
Say what you want about credit card companies, but at least you don’t have to see them at family gatherings. And it doesn’t get weird if you stop communicating with them regularly.
Sure, family members probably won’t charge you interest if you borrow money from them. But things can get awkward quickly — and the person you borrow from will probably want their money back soon, rather than letting you pay a minimum payment every month.
Borrowing money from family and friends is never fun. There are other options. Here’s how to get the money you need without having to borrow it from people you know:
1. Add $225 to Your Wallet While Watching the News
If family and money are a volatile mix, politics is an accelerant that could make the whole thing go boom.
Instead of keeping your opinions on the news to yourself, you could make some money and preserve the peace in your family.
You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with Swagbucks. They’ll present you with short surveys to choose from every day, which you can fill out while you watch tonight’s broadcast.
You just have to answer honestly, and Swagbucks will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $429 million. We talked to one user in Pennsylvania, 52-year-old Carolinda Hendrickson, who earned $1,200 in a year.
It takes about one minute to sign up, and start getting paid while you watch the news.
2. Win Up to $249 Playing Games on Your iPhone
If you play games on your iPhone, but aren’t winning money every time, you’re making a big mistake.
We know of three different apps that can score you up to $83 every time you win a game. Whether you want to play Solitaire, bingo or just pop some bubbles, there’s an app for you to rake in the cash.
Solitaire Cash, Bingo Cash and Bubble Cash are three of our favorite iPhone games that can earn you serious money. Each of them are totally free to download and there’s no risk involved, since you can play for free, too.
Even better? None of the apps have annoying ads to deal with, so you can keep on playing and earning.
Ready to start earning some cash while you have some fun on your phone? Download Solitaire Cash, Bingo Cash and Bubble Cash for free and earn nearly $250 in your spare time.
3. Earn $300+/Month in Passive Income with Your Extra Space
If you’re like us, your garage probably isn’t doing much of anything at the moment. Maybe you have some tools in there, or maybe it’s home to your boxes of odds and ends, collecting dust.
But with a website called Neighbor, your extra space — whether it’s a spare room, an empty garage or a parking space — could be earning you an extra $300 a month in totally passive income.
Neighbor works by connecting people who need storage space with hosts who have the room to spare. The average host makes about $300 a month, but some people have earned up to $50,000 a year just by letting people park on their property.
It takes less than 10 minutes to get started. Just answer a few questions about your space, take some pictures and set your asking price. Neighbor will recommend a dollar amount based on your location and type of rental, but the final listing is up to you.
Neighbor even gives you up to $1 million in free protection as a host and offers protection plans for your renters, giving you both peace of mind.
Neighbor is an easy source of passive income, and it’s easier than most side hustles. It’s free to list your space, and you’ll only be charged a 4.9% processing fee from the profit you make each month, so there’s no risk to you.
Sign up here and see how much you could earn.
4. Let This Free App Save You $50/Month on Dining Out and Groceries
It’s no secret that things are getting more expensive these days — including food.
But an app called Upside can help you save money every time you dine out or buy groceries. They keep it simple: Spend money at a participating grocery store or restaurant and earn an average of 13% cashback on groceries, or 17% at restaurants. Oh, and that’s real cash, not points.
Here’s how it works: Just download the Upside app and create a free account, then browse the map to find participating restaurants and stores in your area and claim an offer.
Pay for your groceries or meal with a card that’s stored in your Upside wallet, then tap “Check In” or take a picture of your grocery receipt — this will confirm you actually bought groceries or food (dine-in or takeout) at a participating location.
Upside will tally up your cashback earnings. And when you’re ready, you can transfer your funds to a bank account, PayPal account or exchange them for a gift card from brands like Starbucks and Amazon. You’ll get your money in two days or less.
People who use the app regularly save an average of $240 a year on groceries and $160 on dining out. Download the Upside app to get started — it’s completely free, and it works at more than 50,000 businesses, including gas stations.
5. Ask This Website to Help Pay Your Credit Card Bills This Month
If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape…
And the truth is, your credit card company doesn’t really care. It’s just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates — some up to 36%. But a website called AmOne wants to help.
If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.
The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 2.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.
AmOne keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
It takes two minutes to see if you qualify for up to $50,000 online. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.