How to Make Money in One Hour: 15 Real Ways

Do you want to learn how to make money in one hour?

Whether it’s for an unexpected bill or you’re saving for a special purchase, the good news is that there are many real ways you can make money within an hour or less.

These can be ways to make extra income or even possibly be turned into a full-time job.

Back when I had student loans, I found many different ways to make money in an hour. I did this because I wanted to squeeze in quick side hustles around my full-time job – such as before and after work and during my lunch break. There were also times when I needed money quickly, such as in less than an hour, and I had to find ways to make that happen to have cash on hand.

There may be other reasons for why you need to make money in an hour or less. If this is you, continue reading below to learn how to make money in 60 minutes or less!

Key Takeaways

• If you have unwanted items (like clothes you don’t wear anymore), sell them. You can use apps or go to a thrift store, and they might give you cash right on the spot.
• You could sell helpful services like tutoring or dog walking. These jobs pay you right away for the time you spend doing them.
• You can make money fast by taking online surveys. Websites like Survey Junkie or Swagbucks pay you for sharing your opinions.

Recommended reading: How To Make $100 A Day

Best Ways to Make Money in One Hour

Whether you only have one hour to spare each day or if you need to make money in literally one hour from now, you do have some options.

Make money in one hour by selling items you don’t need

Got stuff at home you don’t use anymore? You can turn those things into cash, often in just an hour!

Here are some easy ways you can do this.

• Clothes and jewelry – Look in your closet. Are there clothes that are no longer worn? Take them to a thrift store or a consignment store like Once Upon A Child. They buy your gently-used clothes and you leave with cash in your hand!
• Toys and games – If you have toys or video games that just sit around, you can sell these too. Kids outgrow these fast, and you can find a new home for them where they’ll be loved again.
• Unused gift cards – If you have gift cards that you haven’t used, you can sell them!
• Other stuff – Electronics, books, or maybe some old furniture could also be sold.

You can sell items on platforms like Decluttr, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay. I have sold on all these (plus a lot more!), and they are all easy to use.

You could even have a garage sale if you have lots of items to get rid of.

Mow lawns or shovel snow

Making money in one hour can be done if you mow lawns or shovel snow. These jobs can be done quickly, and you get paid right after you finish the work.

You’ll need a lawn mower, shovel, and/or snow blower to get started, and you can typically charge around $50+ for a yard.

Doing a good job increases the chances of people asking you to return or recommending you to their friends. Take your time to do things well. Before starting any work, make sure to ask how much they’re willing to spend because this way, both of you agree on the price!

Return a recent purchase

If you bought something you don’t need or haven’t used yet, returning it is a quick way to get cash.

Surprisingly, many people have items lying around that they’ve purchased but may have not used yet. If you really need the cash, then this can be a great option to start with.

First, find your receipt. This shows you paid for the item and when you bought it. No receipt? Look in your email or bags. Sometimes, stores send receipts to your email or put them in your shopping bag.

Next, check the store’s return policy. Some stores let you return items within a certain time, like 30 or 60 days. Be quick – if you wait too long, you can’t return it!

Before you go to the store, make sure the item is in good shape. It should look like when you bought it. Return it in its original packaging if you can. Here’s a list of what you’ll need to return a purchase:

• Your receipt (or email proof)
• The item (unused and not broken)
• Packaging (the box or bag it came in)

At the store, go to the customer service desk and tell them you want to return the item. Be polite – it makes things smoother. If you don’t want to go to the store, some stores might let you mail the item back.

Remember, some items can’t be returned. Things like opened DVDs or personal use items like earbuds usually can’t go back to the store. It’s always a good idea to know the return rules before you buy things.

Deliver food to make money in one hour

If you want to make money fast and take advantage of the gig economy, you can deliver food, such as groceries or restaurant meals. Companies like Instacart, Uber Eats, and DoorDash let you sign up to be a delivery driver.

To get started, you’ll need a car, bike, or scooter and sign up for the company that you want to work with. You’ll then get orders on your phone through an app, go to the restaurant or grocery store, pick up the food, and drive it to the customer’s place (this may be their home or where they work).

You’ll get paid for each person or food delivery, plus get tips as well.

You get to choose the hours that you want to work, and you can work for just one hour or as much as you want.

Related to this, you can even deliver packages for retailers with Amazon Flex!

Drive for rideshare companies

If you want to make money quickly, you might start driving for companies like Uber or Lyft.

You get paid for giving people rides in your car, and the more you drive, the more money you can make.

Drivers can earn about $20 per hour on average. In some cities, drivers can make more than $30 an hour.

You can increase your earnings further by concentrating on busy areas (such as before and after a concert) and driving during the busiest times (such as on a Saturday night). This way, you can make more money for each hour of your time!

Recommended reading: How To Make $1,000 In 24 Hours

Answer online surveys

If you want to make money quickly, you can try taking paid online surveys. Market research companies need your opinions to make their products better, so they pay you for your time.

Some paid survey sites where you can take surveys include:

1. American Consumer Opinion
2. Survey Junkie
3. Swagbucks
4. InboxDollars
5. Branded Surveys

Here’s what to do:

1. Sign up: Make a free account on the survey site.
2. Pick a survey: Choose one that looks interesting to you.
3. Give honest answers: Share what you really think about the questions you’re asked.
4. Earn rewards: After you finish, the site will give you points or money.

Earning money from answering surveys is not always fast, and it won’t make you rich. But if you have an hour, it’s a simple way to earn a little extra cash.

For me, I have answered a lot of surveys over the years. I like how I can answer surveys in little breaks I have during the day, such as before and after work, during a lunch break, while being a passenger in a car, and so on. They are easy to answer, and usually only take a few minutes.

Perform odd jobs found on Craigslist

Craigslist has a jobs section on their site where you can find tasks that people need done right away. These are typically one-time gigs, but there are also part-time and full-time jobs listed here as well.

When you do a job on Craigslist, you usually get paid right after you complete the short task. That means you’ll receive your money on the same day.

To find Craigslist gigs in your town, just go to Craigslist and look for the “gigs” section.

Here are some gigs and tasks I found through a quick search on Craigslist:

• House cleaner
• Mover
• Focus groups
• Help with launching a boat
• Gardening help
• Help with painting a home
• Lawn mowing

Participate in focus groups

Are you looking for a quick way to make money? Joining focus groups can be a fun way for you to earn extra cash and many times they take an hour or less.

A focus group is a small group of people who talk about products or services. Companies use your opinions to make their stuff better by learning more about their customers, such as you.

User Interviews is a popular site to find focus groups to take part in.

I have done a user interview in the past and got paid $400 for just one hour of work. It was simple, and everything happened online through a video call to see my opinion on a new feature for a well-known company (one of the largest companies in the world, in fact – so even large companies use these to help them improve!).

You can make $50 to $100 per hour, or even more, by sharing your thoughts and feedback.

Recommended reading: 19 Best Places To Find Paid Research Studies

Mystery shopping

If you want to earn money quickly, like in just an hour, you can try becoming a mystery shopper. Mystery shoppers are people just like you and me who get paid to shop and give their opinion.

I’ve done a lot of mystery shopping over the years to make some extra money and to get free stuff. It’s easy work that can be done either on the phone (such as by rating their customer service when they answer the phone) or in person at a store. Most mystery shops take less than an hour too! I’ve done many that even take less than 5 minutes to complete.

The way mystery shopping works is that you’ll typically buy products or try services, pay attention to the details like how clean the store is or if the staff is nice, and then answer questions that the mystery shopping company gives you after you are done.

Donate plasma

If you’re looking for ways to make money in one hour, you can donate plasma and get paid for it.

When you go to donate, the center will check your blood to make sure you’re healthy and that your plasma can be used to help others.

Here’s what you might earn for your plasma donation:

• $20 to $50 for each time you donate
• Up to $300 a month if you donate regularly

Some centers might pay more money for your first time donating, like a bonus to persuade you to start. The amount you get can change depending on where you live, so make sure to confirm before you commit.

You can learn more at How To Make Money Donating Plasma.

Tutor students online

If you want to learn how to make money in one hour online, then online tutoring jobs can be a good option to look into.

If you’re good at a subject, you can make money fast by tutoring students online. Lots of students need help with their schoolwork and are willing to pay for your knowledge.

As a tutor, you might spend 30 minutes to an hour giving a lesson, answering questions online, or working one-on-one with a student through a video lesson.

Tutors can earn different amounts depending on what they teach (the subject) and the duration of the session (whether it’s a quick question or a full-hour session). For example, tutoring in advanced subjects like calculus usually pays more than simpler ones like first-grade math. Some tutors may earn around $20 per hour, while others can make well over $100 per hour.

Sell scrap metal

Selling scrap metal or precious metals is a quick way to make some money in just one hour.

To get started, you’ll want to find metal items from around your home. This can be old appliances, wires, and even soda cans.

Then, you’ll want to find a scrap yard nearby to take your metals. You’ll want to make sure it’s clean and to keep your metals separated and organized.

Once you get to the scrap yard, you’ll weigh your metal on their scales, and then they’ll give you a price. If it’s your first time, ask how the process works just so that you are not confused by anything.

Prices change often, so what you earn depends on the type and weight of the metal you sell.

Play online games for rewards

Have you ever thought you could make money by playing games on your phone or computer? Yes, you can! Some apps and websites let you earn rewards, like gift cards or even cash, just for playing online games in your spare time.

Apps that pay you for playing games usually make their money through ads, things you buy in the app, and paid gaming competitions. They share a bit of what they earn with you to get you to keep playing their games and spend more time on their platform.

Here’s a quick list of the top game platforms that pay real cash:

1. KashKick
2. Swagbucks
3. InboxDollars

Recommended reading: 23 Best Game Apps To Win Real Money

Walk dogs

If you like being around pets and want to make money fast, dog walking is a great choice. Many dog walking gigs are one hour or less per visit, so this can be a great way to make money in an hour.

To start, you just need a love for dogs and a good pair of walking shoes.

You can set your rates, usually between $10 to $20 for a 30-minute walk.

One hour of walking dogs could mean walking one dog for 60 minutes or doing two 30-minute walks for two different dogs.

Rover is a website that connects pet owners with pet sitters and dog walkers. Starting on Rover is simple. You create a profile where you talk about your experience with pets and the services you can offer, such as dog walking, pet sitting, and house sitting. After setting up your profile, you’ll get requests from customers and discuss pricing. Rover handles payment processing, and you’ll receive the payments directly into your account.

I know many people who are dog walkers, and they all really love the job. I have also used dog sitters in the past – it is a wonderful and super helpful service.

Recommended reading: 7 Best Dog Walking Apps

Freelance online on your own schedule

As a freelancer, you get to choose your own hours. So, you may decide to work an hour here and an hour there.

Back when I had a full-time job, this is what I loved about being able to freelance online – I could work in my spare time, even if it was just small pockets of time that I had. For example, I would complete short tasks an hour before I went to work, during my hour lunch break, and later once I got home from work.

And, there are many different types of freelance gigs that you can do, such as managing social media as a virtual assistant, data entry, proofreading, graphic design, email management, and more.

Sign up for a high yield savings account

A high-yield bank account is a low-risk method to make extra money, and it typically takes less than an hour of your time to set up.

These savings accounts earn more interest than a regular one, so your money grows faster.

You will want to make sure that you pick a trustworthy bank and check the interest rates regularly because they can go up or down. Some people move their money into high-yield savings accounts often so that they can get the highest interest rates.

I personally use Marcus by Goldman Sachs as they have a very high rate. You can get up to 5.50% (at the time of this writing through a referral link bonus). According to this high-yield savings account calculator, if you have $10,000 saved, you could earn $550 with a high-yield savings account in a year. Whereas with normal banks, your earnings would only be $46.

This is an easy way to make passive income!

Frequently Asked Questions

These answers help you find quick ways to make money when you need it fast.

How can I make money ASAP?

If you need cash right away, you can sell things you don’t use anymore, like toys or clothes. Another fast way is to do small jobs for neighbors, like walking their dogs or helping in the garden.

How can I make $100 a day?

To make $100 a day, you could do jobs like cleaning houses, pet sitting, or babysitting. You could also combine a few things like doing surveys online, delivering food, or driving people places.

How to get money in one day without a job?

Without a job, you can still make money by selling stuff online, like clothes, games, or even sports equipment. You can also collect cans or bottles to recycle, or ask friends or family if they need help with anything for some quick cash.

How to make money in one hour as a kid?

As a kid, you can make money fast by setting up a lemonade stand, doing a car wash, or even making and selling crafts to friends and family (such as bracelets or custom T-shirts!). Of course, please check with your parents and stay safe.

How can I make money in one hour at home?

To make money in an hour at home, you can do things like sell items that you already own, such as your old clothing or a cell phone. You could also walk dogs, freelance online, or even tutor.

How to Make Money in One Hour – Summary

I hope you enjoyed this article on how to make money in one hour.

As you can see, there are many things that you can do to make money – whether you’re looking for a full-time job or just want to complete short tasks that take less than an hour.

Hour or shorter gigs helped me a ton to pay off my student loans as quickly as I could. Being able to work in short amounts of time helps me to work on my own schedule and fit more side hustles in.

Why are you looking to make money in an hour? Let me know in the comments below!

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